Popular Cities
24 schools listed · 14 in Philadelphia · 1 open 24/7 · 23 open weekends · 23 rated 4.5+
Data verified October 21, 2026
Short self-defense courses listed for Philadelphia, PA are spread across the 24 cards on this page. Who each course is aimed at, where it runs and how often it repeats comes from the school itself, with ratings drawn from public reviews.
14 of the 24 schools we list are based in Philadelphia; the other 10 serve Philadelphia from towns including Marlton, NJ (15 mi), Maple Shade, NJ (9 mi) and Cherry Hill, NJ (10 mi). The schools on this page are rated from 4.1 to 5.0 across 1,887 reviews; 17 have 50 or more reviews and 23 are rated 4.5 or higher. When students and parents rate these schools on specific qualities, they most often praise professionalism (97%), communication (76%) and quality (76%). The topics that come up most in reviews of the schools on this page are "atmosphere", "skills" and "facilities". 1 is open around the clock; 22 are open on Saturdays and 13 on Sundays. 4 have a BBB rating of A or A+. 17 have ten or more years of experience, the longest 34 years. 2 are family- or locally-owned and 7 list coupons or special offers. We have a website on file for all 24 of the schools on this page; 21 publish a contact page; 19 list a public email and 7 take bookings online. We count these figures across the schools on this page; distances are straight-line, and hours and prices change, so confirm the details with the school before you enroll.
All 24 cards carry a website link. Look for a real outline, who teaches, and who the course is for. Stock photography of a woman throwing a man in a white studio is not an outline, and schools that keep their content vague are often selling the same session to every audience.
