Gym software compared
InCharge vs ABC Fitness.
Moving from ABC Ignite, or choosing between the two? Here is how InCharge compares for a gym in Canada, feature by feature.
Why InCharge
Why InCharge instead of ABC Fitness
- One member app for check-in, booking, payments, programs and rewards. At ABC, in-app booking needs the Engagement Connect or Total level, and training programs need Coach or Total
- Apple Health and Health Connect sync in the same app. At ABC it sits at the Coach or Total level
- Reward points and challenges built in. At ABC, points run through the partner Perkville
- Full integration with Passport Technologies access control, and integrated with most gate systems
- Your gym’s name, logo and colours in the member app, with no Apple Developer account of your own. At ABC the club pays Apple’s annual developer fee
- Built in Canada. ABC Fitness is a US company based in Frisco, Texas
Feature by feature
What a Canadian gym gets from each
What each one offers a gym in Canada, as published on 1 November 2026.
| Feature | InCharge | ABC Fitness |
|---|---|---|
| Billing and payments | ||
| Bank account billing in CanadaPre-authorized debit (PAD), also called EFT | ||
| Bank account billing in CanadaPre-authorized debit (PAD), also called EFT | Yes, from chequing or savings accounts, including online sign-up | Yes |
| Credit card billing | ||
| Credit card billing | Yes, all major credit cards | Yes |
| Follow-up on declined paymentsAutomatic retries and reminders | ||
| Follow-up on declined paymentsAutomatic retries and reminders | Yes, automatic retries and reminders | Yes |
| Memberships and the front desk | ||
| Online sign-up with e-signed agreements | ||
| Online sign-up with e-signed agreements | Yes, online, in the app or at the desk | Yes |
| Freezes, upgrades, add-ons and cancellations | ||
| Freezes, upgrades, add-ons and cancellations | Yes, all on one member profile | Yes |
| Check-in by card, barcode or app | ||
| Check-in by card, barcode or app | Yes, by card, barcode or the app | Yes |
| Unpaid balances flagged at check-in | ||
| Unpaid balances flagged at check-in | Yes, at check-in and in the app | Yes |
| Point of sale | ||
| Point of sale | Yes | Yes |
| Doors and 24-hour clubs | ||
| Door access control | ||
| Door access control | Yes, full Passport Technologies integration and most gate systems | Yes |
| Door refuses unpaid or expired members | ||
| Door refuses unpaid or expired members | Yes | Yes |
| Classes and training | ||
| Class booking with waitlists | ||
| Class booking with waitlists | Yes, online or in the app | Waitlists included; in-app booking needs Connect or Total level |
| Personal training, appointments and packages | ||
| Personal training, appointments and packages | Yes, tracked session by session | Appointments and packages; in-app self-booking needs Connect or Total level |
| Training and nutrition programs | ||
| Training and nutrition programs | Yes, built from templates and favourites | Needs Engagement Coach or Total level (Trainerize) |
| Member app | ||
| Member app for iPhone and Android | ||
| Member app for iPhone and Android | Yes, the InCharge Life app | Yes |
| Your club’s name, logo and colours in the app | ||
| Your club’s name, logo and colours in the app | Yes, inside the InCharge Life app | Included with Go; club pays Apple’s annual developer fee |
| Pay a balance or update a card in the app | ||
| Pay a balance or update a card in the app | Yes | Yes |
| Reward points and challenges | ||
| Reward points and challenges | Yes, points for visits, classes and activity, plus club challenges | Points through Perkville partner; challenges at Coach level |
| Apple Health and Health Connect sync | ||
| Apple Health and Health Connect sync | Yes | At Coach or Total level |
| Running the club | ||
| KPI dashboards | ||
| KPI dashboards | Yes | Yes |
| Groups of clubsMemberships valid at some or all locations, head office reporting | ||
| Groups of clubsMemberships valid at some or all locations, head office reporting | Yes, one, some or all locations, with head office reporting | Yes |
| Built in Canada | ||
| Built in Canada | Yes | No. US company, based in Frisco, Texas |
YesPartly, or with conditionsNo
From ABC Fitness’s own website, help pages and app store listings, checked on 1 November 2026. Sources are listed at the foot of this page.
In plain words
Payments, switching and support
Payments in Canada
InCharge Pay collects pre-authorized debit (EFT) and credit cards under Payments Canada’s rules, inside InCharge Life, and every payment posts straight to the member’s account. Save 15-25% in your payment processing costs. Ask us for an analysis of what you pay today.
Switching from ABC Fitness
Ask ABC Fitness for your data export, with your billing data. It belongs to you, so you can request it. We import it for you, and we are currently waiving the data import fee. It can be done in as little as 3 to 4 days, or up to 2 weeks if we import sample data first.
Support
One contact person looks after you from start to go-live. You also get the step-by-step setup guide, the full InCharge University and email support whenever you need it.
Moving from ABC Fitness?
Questions owners ask
InCharge and ABC Fitness, in plain words
Is InCharge an alternative to ABC Fitness?
Yes. InCharge Life runs memberships, agreements, check-in, classes, point of sale and reports, InCharge Pay collects EFT and credit card payments, and the InCharge Life app gives members their card, bookings and payments. It is built in Canada, for gyms and fitness clubs across Canada.
How does InCharge handle bank billing in Canada?
InCharge Pay collects pre-authorized debit (EFT) from chequing or savings accounts under Payments Canada’s rules. The member signs once, online, in the app or at the desk, and the agreement stays on their profile.
Do our members need a higher app level for booking?
No. The InCharge Life app gives every member their card, bookings, payments, challenges and reward points, in one app for iPhone and Android.
Can we move our members from ABC Fitness?
Yes. Ask ABC Fitness for a data export and we import it for you. Memberships come across with whatever the export includes. It can be done in as little as 3 to 4 days, or up to 2 weeks if we import sample data first.
Will members have to re-enter their payment details?
No, as long as your data export includes your billing data. Your billing data belongs to you, so you can request it from your current provider.
Do we need a new door system?
Full integration with Passport Technologies access control, and integrated with most gate systems. Tell us what you have at the door and we will set it up with you.
Compare
More comparisons
Sources
- ABC Fitness: Payment authorization terms, checked 1 November 2026
- ABC Fitness: Merchant agreement, checked 1 November 2026
- ABC Fitness: Master subscription agreement, checked 1 November 2026
- ABC Ignite: Gym management software, checked 1 November 2026
- ABC Ignite help: Engagement levels (Go, Connect, Coach, Total), checked 1 November 2026
- ABC Ignite help: About Coach, checked 1 November 2026
- ABC Ignite help: Coach add-ons and integrations, checked 1 November 2026
- ABC Ignite help: Perkville integration, checked 1 November 2026
- ABC Ignite help: Accepting Apple terms, checked 1 November 2026
- ABC Ignite help: Alert types and responses, checked 1 November 2026
- ABC Ignite: September 2026 product updates, checked 1 November 2026
- ABC Fitness: Ignite Engagement Go, checked 1 November 2026
- ABC Fitness: Thoma Bravo completes acquisition of ABC Financial, checked 1 November 2026
ABC Fitness is a trademark of its owner. InCharge is not affiliated with it. This page describes features as published by ABC Fitness on the date shown. If anything here is out of date, email support@inchargetechnologies.com and we will correct it.
See what InCharge can do for your club
Try the live demo: a real club, the member app and the reports, at your own pace. Or book a short demo and we will walk you through it with your own club in mind.