Approach
Approach Software LLC provides cloud-based SaaS for climbing gym operators, offering customer management, POS, membership billing, and scheduling. The Fullsteam subsidiary serves 182+ gyms worldwide with add-on modules for embedded payments, marketing automation, and capital advances.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersAuburn, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Approach does
Approach Software LLC is a cloud-based SaaS provider founded in 2017 by climbing gym operators to serve the climbing-gym vertical. The company operates as a subsidiary of Fullsteam Operations LLC, a conglomerate of approximately 100 software businesses, which provides the capital, payment-rails, and operational backbone underlying Approach's expanded product suite. Approach's platform serves 182+ climbing gyms across the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Ireland, with named operators including Philadelphia Rock Gyms, Long Beach Rising, BlocHaus, Canmore Climbing Gym, The Bouldering Project, and On the Rocks Climbing.
The core platform consolidates the operational stack required to run a climbing facility: customer and member management, point-of-sale, waiver and membership management, scheduling, and multi-location administration. Beyond the core software, Approach has built a layered product ecosystem including ApproachPay (embedded payment processing, US-only), Approach Journeys (marketing automation with behavior-based customer journeys), Approach Capital (capital advances to gym operators), Reputation Management (NLP-driven brand intelligence), and Marketing Services. Integrations span Make, Amazon QuickSight (for business intelligence), Mailchimp, When I Work, QuickBooks, Postmark, and Keboola. A June 2024 feature release added Custom Forms, Age-Based Memberships, and All-Day Pass capabilities to broaden addressable membership models.
Approach generates revenue through a combination of SaaS subscriptions, payment-processing transaction fees (with 86% adoption of ApproachPay among its customer base), capital-advance economics, and marketing services. The 29-person team is allocated approximately 55% to product and engineering, 31% to customer experience, and 14% to sales and marketing, indicating a build-and-retain orientation rather than aggressive new-logo acquisition. The business model converts the company's vertical specialization and Fullsteam-enabled financial-services stack into an integrated operating platform that competing generic gym-management SaaS vendors do not natively offer.
Approach firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Approach
- Legal name
- Approach Software LLC
- Website
- https://approach.app
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Approach Software LLC provides cloud-based SaaS for climbing gym operators, offering customer management, POS, membership billing, and scheduling. The Fullsteam subsidiary serves 182+ gyms worldwide with add-on modules for embedded payments, marketing automation, and capital advances.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Approach industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Vertical SaaS for Climbing Gym Management
- NAICS
- Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (5182)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Personal Care & Wellness Booking Platforms (Beauty, Fitness, Spa) (BPAMAHAF)
Keywords
Where Approach is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Auburn
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Approach business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Gym Management Software Subscription: SaaS subscription for climbing gym management software including customer management, POS, membership billing, scheduling, and operational tools. Likely sold on a per-gym or tiered basis with annual/monthly billing.
- ApproachPay Payment Processing: Embedded credit card processing for US-based customers. Competitive processing rates through parent company Fullsteam. Revenue generated through transaction fees on payments processed.
- Marketing Services: Digital marketing services including social media management, PPC/digital ads (Meta and Google), brand kit creation, and Meta boosting. Offered as standalone or dual platform packages.
- Approach Capital (Capital Advance Program): Capital advances to existing customers against future payment processing revenue. Repayment via small percentage of daily revenue. Revenue model based on the capital advanced.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Gym Management Software - pricing not publicly disclosed |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Approach product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Approach sells a cloud-based SaaS platform purpose-built for indoor climbing and bouldering gym operators. The platform unifies front desk customer management, point-of-sale and inventory, membership/waiver billing, scheduling, multi-location operations, embedded payment processing, marketing automation, and reputation management, and it extends into fintech through a capital advance product powered by parent company Fullsteam.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Approach Pay: Embedded credit card processing solution for climbing gyms, providing competitive processing rates through Fullsteam's payment processing network.
- Approach Journeys
- Approach Capital
- Reputation Management
Products and services
- Approach Core Platform
- ApproachPay
- Approach Journeys
- Reputation Management
- Approach Capital
- Marketing Services
Quantifiable outcome
- 182+ gyms served worldwide
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use Approach
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Approach technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration7 records
AI capability5 records
Feature14 records
Approach partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- VeraSafeminorVeraSafe appointed as Approach's GDPR representative in the UK and EU for data protection matters pursuant to Article 27 of GDPR. Provides compliance support for EU/UK data subjects.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Approach competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- RhinoFit: Gym and fitness studio management software targeting independent and multi-location gyms with member management, billing, and POS. Comparable in serving small and mid-market fitness operators with integrated platform features.
- Glofox: Boutique fitness studio management platform with membership, booking, and branded-app capabilities. Comparable in targeting boutique fitness operators and in offering integrated payments, similar to ApproachPay.
- Mariana Tek: Boutique fitness SaaS offering branded apps, scheduling, and membership management for studios and specialty gyms. Comparable as a vertically-oriented, product-led platform serving fitness operators.
- Pike13: Cloud-based management software for small fitness studios and gyms, covering scheduling, billing, and client management. Directly comparable in serving SMB fitness operators with subscription-based software.
- Zen Planner: Gym and studio management software originally built for martial arts schools and now serving broader fitness verticals. Closely comparable in targeting niche fitness operators with subscription, POS, and member management.
- Wodify: Gym management software built specifically for the CrossFit and functional-fitness vertical. Highly comparable to Approach as a vertical SaaS in a defined fitness niche with embedded payments and member-engagement features.
- ClubReady: Club management platform targeting fitness clubs and studios, including member management, billing, and POS. Directly comparable to Approach's core gym management capabilities and a credible competitor for multi-location fitness operators.
- Clubware: Club and gym management software widely used in Australia and internationally. Explicitly mentioned in Approach's customer testimonials as the prior system BlocHaus switched from, making it the most directly comparable peer in the climbing/fitness club management space.
Regional players
- Resamania (BSI): French-based fitness club management software with strong European market presence. Comparable in core gym management functionality but primarily serves European operators, making it a regional rather than direct global competitor.
Broad incumbents
- Mindbody: Large, established fitness, wellness, and salon SaaS platform serving tens of thousands of businesses. Overlaps with Approach on gym/studio management functionality but is far broader in scope and could expand into climbing-specific workflows over time.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Approach social profiles
Digital presenceApproach compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Approach financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Approach leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Approach funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Approach M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Approach
What does Approach do?
Approach sells a cloud-based SaaS platform purpose-built for indoor climbing and bouldering gym operators. The platform unifies front desk customer management, point-of-sale and inventory, membership/waiver billing, scheduling, multi-location operations, embedded payment processing, marketing automation, and reputation management, and it extends into fintech through a capital advance product powered by parent company Fullsteam.
Is Approach a public or private company?
Approach is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Approach founded?
Approach was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Approach based?
Approach is headquartered in Auburn, United States, in the North America region.
How does Approach make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Gym Management Software Subscription is the primary driver. The others are approachPay Payment Processing, marketing Services and approach Capital (Capital Advance Program).
Who are Approach's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are RhinoFit, Glofox, Mariana Tek, Pike13, Zen Planner, Wodify, ClubReady and Clubware. Resamania (BSI) is listed as a regional player. Mindbody is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Approach have an API?
No public API is recorded for Approach.
What industry is Approach in?
Approach's product category is Vertical SaaS for Climbing Gym Management. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMAHAF, Personal Care & Wellness Booking Platforms (Beauty, Fitness, Spa). Its NAICS code is 5182 and its SIC code is 7372.