How much does karate really cost in Montreal?

01The short answer

02What the membership includes

A monthly membership is not a punch card. It gives access to the eligible classes of your group, according to the dojo schedule, and the price stays the same whether you come once or three times in a week. That is the first question to ask any club: does the monthly amount cover a fixed number of classes, or all the classes of your group?

Two things that push the bill up at some clubs do not change it here. Your rate is not tied to your belt: from white to black, same age group, same price. And some students are invited to an extra hour-and-a-half session on Saturday, included in their membership; the invitation depends on the group, the level and the dojo team, and it is not offered to everyone.

03The price of one class, depending on your pace

The number that matters is not the monthly amount but what each class costs you. Here is the price of one class, worked out with our current rates over 52 weeks and 12 months:

By comparison, a drop-in class costs $25: at four drop-ins a month ($100), the membership for ages 14 and over already costs less. The Petit Samouraï has one class a week, so about $15.27 per session. How many classes your group can attend each week depends on your group’s schedule. And if you are wondering what pace to aim for, Is twice a week enough? answers it.

04The family discount, in numbers

The family discount applies to the total of the memberships: 8% for three members, 12% for four. Three examples from our current rate chart:

• 1 adult and 2 kids: $238.36 a month instead of $259.09;
• 2 adults and 1 kid: $248.50 instead of $270.11;
• 2 adults and 2 kids: $310.46 instead of $352.80, which is $42.34 less every month.

The other combinations are on the pricing page, which is the official reference. To see how kids’ and adults’ classes fit into the same week, read Family karate classes.

05Beyond the membership

For the math to be honest, here is what may be added over time, and what this page does not put a number on.

• The karategi. Not needed to start: workout clothes are enough for the first class. If you keep going, it is a purchase to plan for later; ask the dojo which one to get before you buy.
• Protective gear. Kumite is done with headgear, gloves and shin guards. What you need, and when you will need it, depends on your group: ask before buying anything.
• The video programs by belt. Preparation tools, bought separately, for reviewing at home: $25 for orange, $30 from blue to black, $50 for nidan and sandan, with access that never expires. They are described on the programs page.
• Gradings and competitions. Their terms, including any fees, are not published on this site: ask the dojo.

We do not give equipment prices: they change from one supplier to another and would soon be out of date. What to bring to your first class says what to buy, and above all when.

06The questions to ask before you pay, here or anywhere

From one club to another, some things can come as a surprise: a longer commitment than expected, test fees discovered at the first grading, a full set of gear bought too early, a family rate that turns out not to exist. Before signing up anywhere, ask:

• Does the posted price include taxes?
• Does the membership cover all the classes of my group, or a fixed number?
• Does the rate change with the belt?
• Is there a family rate, and from how many members?
• Is there a minimum commitment, and how does the membership end?
• What do a grading and the required gear cost, and when are they paid?

At our dojo, the first four answers are already on the pricing page. Ask the dojo the last two during your trial class: it is the right moment.

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