All prices in USD, excluding tax, monthly billing unless stated, taken from each vendor's official site on 12 October 2026.
Looking to hire an online personal trainer for yourself? This guide is for trainers choosing software to coach their clients. If you want a coach, consumer services such as Future or Caliber, which match you with a trainer, are a different category.
What an online coaching platform should do
An online coaching platform replaces the spreadsheets, PDFs, WhatsApp chats, Google Forms and payment links most trainers start with. Judge any platform on these seven jobs:
- Programming: build workouts fast from templates, with video demos, supersets/circuits and client logging.
- Nutrition: meal plans plus a food database clients actually find their foods in (barcodes, restaurants, micros).
- Check-ins and progress: custom weekly forms, daily habits, metrics, progress photos and the ability to compare them.
- Communication: in-app messaging, voice notes, automated reminders.
- Payments: recurring billing that doesn't take a cut of your revenue.
- Branding: at minimum your logo; ideally an app your clients recognise as yours.
- Automation: onboarding, lead capture and follow-ups that run without you.
How we compared these platforms
We compared each platform's published pricing, plan limits and feature lists on its official website and help centre on 12 October 2026, against the seven jobs above. We priced each one at 10, 25, 50 and 100 clients. We checked payment fees in each vendor's help centre, not just the pricing page. We didn't take paid accounts out on every competitor. Use the trial checklist below to test your shortlist. Kahunas is our product. We've kept its limitations in.
Comparison table: the best platforms at a glance
| Platform | Best for | Starting price | Free plan | Built-in food database | Progress photos | Branded app | Payment fees (platform) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kahunas | Online coaches who want everything included | $15/mo (3 clients) | No (14-day trial, 3-month guarantee) | Yes, 1.5m+ foods with barcode scanning | Yes, compared check-in to check-in | From 200 clients, installed from your link (no store listing) | None, 0% commission |
| Trainerize | Hybrid gyms & studios | $10/mo (2 clients) | Yes (1 client) + 30-day trial | Meal & macro tracking; meal planner add-on | Yes | Own store listing on Studio ($275/mo+) | $10/mo add-on |
| TrueCoach | Programming-first coaches | $29.98/mo (5 clients) | No (14-day trial) | Via MyFitnessPal | Yes | Custom-branded app on Standard/Pro | 5% per card transaction |
| Everfit | Free start, large rosters | Free (5 clients) | Yes (5 clients) | Food journal & macros; meal plan add-on | Yes | White label on Enterprise | $9/mo add-on |
| My PT Hub | Unlimited clients + bookings | $25/mo (3 clients) | 30-day trial | Nutrition plans | Yes | Own store listing as a $145/mo add-on | None (Stripe fee only) |
| PT Distinction | All features on every plan | $19.90/mo (3 clients) | 1-month trial | Nutrition + AI meal planner | Yes (assessments) | Branded store apps on Pro ($59.90/mo) and up | Not published |
| HubFit | Low flat price, 50–100 clients | $39/mo (50 clients) | 14-day trial | In-app nutrition tracker; meal planner on Premium | Yes | Own store listing as a $189/mo add-on | HubFit says no markup on Stripe |
| Exercise.com | Gyms, multi-location | Quote only | Demo | — | — | Custom-branded apps | Built in |
"Progress photos" and "food database" reflect what each vendor lists on its own site. Stripe or PayPal processor fees apply on every platform.
What you'll actually pay at 10, 25, 50 and 100 clients
Base prices only. Add-ons excluded unless required to reach that client count.
| Clients | Kahunas | Trainerize | TrueCoach | Everfit | My PT Hub | PT Distinction | HubFit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $50 | $50 (Pro 15) | $69.98 (Standard) | $29 (Pro 10) | $59 (Premium) | $59.90 (Pro) | $39 |
| 25 | $62.50 | $79 (Pro 30) | $164.98 (Pro) | $75 (Pro 35) | $59 | $59.90 | $39 |
| 50 | $100 | $135 (Pro 50) | $164.98 (Pro) | $95 (Pro 50) | $59 | $89.90 | $39 |
| 100 | $150 | $225 (Pro 100) | Custom quote | $140 (Pro 100) | $59 | $169.90 ($89.90 + 50 × $1.60) | $69 (Premium) |
What the table leaves out:
- Trainerize charges extra on Grow/Pro for payments ($10), Advanced Nutrition ($20–$45) and a logo-branded app ($169 one-time). Full details are in our Trainerize pricing guide.
- TrueCoach includes payments. Its help centre says each card transaction carries a flat 5% fee. That applies in the US, UK, Australia and Canada only.
- Everfit charges extra for payments (from $9), meal plans (from $39) and automation (from $29).
- My PT Hub was offering 50% off Premium for the first 2 months when we checked. Its own app store listing costs $145/month extra.
- HubFit puts payments, branding and the meal planner on Premium ($69). Its own-store app is a $189/month add-on.
- Kahunas includes payments, nutrition, check-ins and wearables at every size, so its figures are the full price. Automations unlock from 25 clients, and your own logo and colour on the client app from 200. Billing yearly takes 20% off.
The best online coaching platforms, reviewed
1. Kahunas: best all-round platform for online coaches
Kahunas is an all-in-one platform for online coaches, with a client app that installs from your link. Kahunas says it's used by 15,000+ coaches.
Pricing: you pay per client, and the rate drops as you grow: $5 per client up to 24 clients, $2.50 from 25, $2 from 50, $1.50 from 100, $1 from 200 and $0.50 from 1,000. The minimum is 3 clients ($15/month), and yearly billing takes 20% off. More features unlock as you grow: automations, lead forms and Zapier from 25 clients, team members from 50, communities, challenges and courses from 100, and your own branding from 200.
Why coaches choose it
- Check-ins that save time: custom weekly check-in and daily habit forms, side-by-side comparison with the last check-in, and numbers from clients' wearables filled in for them.
- Nutrition depth: meal plans with over 1.5 million foods and barcode scanning, a calorie and macro calculator, and recipe books from 25 clients.
- Programming: straight sets, supersets, circuits, a rest timer and 1,700+ exercise videos.
- Business tools: Stripe & PayPal with no commission, recurring and one-off packages with plans assigned at checkout, supplement plans, a calendar clients request sessions from, automated email, chat and push follow-ups from 25 clients, and drip-fed courses from 100.
- Low-risk trial: 14 days free plus a 3-month money-back guarantee, and you can cancel any time.
Watch-outs: no free plan; automations start at 25 clients and your own branding at 200; no App Store or Google Play listing under your name (the app installs from a link); fewer class/studio features than gym-focused platforms, and no built-in video calling.
2. Trainerize: best for hybrid gyms and studios
A mature platform with a free plan (1 client), a 30-day free trial, Pro tiers from $25 (5 clients) to $250 (200 clients), and Studio from $275/month. It has wearable and app integrations (Garmin, Fitbit, Withings, MyFitnessPal), plus bookings, classes, challenges and native video coaching. MindBody and ABC Glofox integrations need a Studio plan. Watch-outs: key features are add-ons on Grow/Pro, an own-store app starts at $275/month, and prices for existing customers changed from 16 March 2026. Compare options in our Trainerize alternatives guide.
3. TrueCoach: best for programming-first coaches
A fast, simple workout builder with a 3,000+ exercise video library. Plans: $29.98 (5 clients), $69.98 (20), $164.98 (50), cheaper on annual billing. Watch-outs: nutrition relies on MyFitnessPal, client caps are low for the price, and built-in payments carry a 5% fee per card transaction.
4. Everfit: best free starting point
Free for up to 5 clients, then Pro from $19/month with low per-client pricing ($95 for 50, $140 for 100). It covers forms, habits, a food journal, basic meal plans and branding (logo/colours) on Pro. Watch-outs: payments, automation and full meal planning are paid add-ons, and a white-label app is Enterprise-only.
5. My PT Hub: best for unlimited clients and bookings
Premium ($59/month) gives unlimited clients, workouts and nutrition plans, plus group bookings, classes, live streams and automated check-ins. My PT Hub says it takes no commission on Stripe payments. There's a 30-day trial with no card. Watch-outs: Starter is just 3 clients, PayPal isn't supported, and an own-store app costs $145/month extra (or the $215 Ultimate plan).
6. PT Distinction: best "everything included" plans
Every plan includes the full feature set (AI program builder, AI meal planner, automated workflows, scheduled SMS/email, packages and payments). Pro ($59.90, 25 clients) and Master ($89.90, 50 clients) include custom branded iOS and Android apps. Watch-outs: per-client overage charges ($1.60–$6) add up as you grow.
7. HubFit: best low flat price for growing rosters
Standard is $39/month for up to 50 clients, with check-ins, habits, an in-app nutrition tracker and a macros planner. Premium ($69, 100 clients) adds branding, payments and packages, a smart meal planner and AI drafting. Ultimate ($119) adds team members, group chats, community forums and Zapier. Watch-outs: payments and branding need Premium, and an own-store app is a $189/month add-on.
8. Exercise.com: best for gyms and multi-location businesses
Quote-only pricing, custom-branded apps, scheduling, memberships, staff management and done-for-you migration. It's usually more than a solo online coach needs.
Also worth a look: Hevy Coach (from $25/month for 10 clients; strength-focused, but clients use the Hevy app rather than one with your brand) and QuickCoach (free for up to 20 clients). See our Trainerize alternatives guide for both.
Free online coaching platforms for personal trainers
Just starting out, or moving a few in-person clients online? You can start for $0:
- QuickCoach: free for up to 20 clients, with no per-client fees. Branding is on the paid Pro plan.
- Everfit: free forever for up to 5 clients. Payments, automation and meal plans are paid add-ons.
- Trainerize: free forever for 1 client, plus a 30-day trial with unlimited clients.
- Virtuagym: offers a free coaching app for personal trainers, and points trainers with more than 50 clients or a studio to its paid all-in-one software.
Free tiers are fine for testing demand. But once clients start paying you, the real cost isn't the subscription. It's your time. If a platform saves you even a few hours a week, that's usually worth more than what it charges.
Do you need other tools besides a coaching platform?
Most all-in-one platforms replace your chat app, forms, file storage and payment links. But you may still want a few outside tools:
| Job | Inside most coaching platforms? | Typical outside tool |
|---|---|---|
| Programs, nutrition, check-ins, habits | Yes | — |
| Messaging and voice notes | Yes (Kahunas, Trainerize, Everfit, HubFit and others) | WhatsApp (not recommended for client data) |
| Payments | Usually, through Stripe | Stripe or PayPal directly |
| Live video calls | Some (Trainerize add-on, My PT Hub live streams) | Zoom or Google Meet |
| Booking consult calls | Some (Trainerize, My PT Hub, Kahunas calendar requests) | Calendly |
| Marketing content | No | Canva, CapCut |
| Email list | Rarely | An email marketing tool |
| Connecting other apps | Often via Zapier (Kahunas, Trainerize, HubFit, My PT Hub) | Zapier |
Keep everything that holds client data (programs, food logs, check-ins, chat) inside one platform. Keep your outward-facing marketing tools separate.
Which platform should you choose?
| Your situation | Best fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Brand-new, under 20 clients | QuickCoach Free, Everfit Free or Trainerize Free | $0 while you validate demand |
| Online coach, 10–50 clients, coaches nutrition | Kahunas | Payments and nutrition included, 1.5m+ foods, check-ins compared week to week, no payment commission |
| Want your own app in the App Store | PT Distinction, My PT Hub, HubFit | Branded store apps from $59.90/month (PT Distinction Pro) or as add-ons |
| Lowest flat price at 25–50 clients | HubFit Standard, My PT Hub Premium | $39 (50 clients) or $59 (unlimited) |
| Strength/performance coach, programming only | TrueCoach, Hevy Coach | Fast program builders |
| In-person + classes + online | Trainerize, My PT Hub | Bookings, classes, streaming |
| 100+ clients on a budget | My PT Hub Premium, Kahunas | Unlimited clients at $59, or $1.50 per client falling to $0.50 |
| Gym or multi-location | Exercise.com, Trainerize Studio | Memberships, staff, locations |
How to evaluate a platform during your free trial
- Build one real week of programming and time yourself. Then do the same for a meal plan.
- Search 10 foods your clients actually eat, including local brands and restaurant meals. A thin food database kills nutrition compliance.
- Set up a check-in form and complete it as a client on your phone. Count the taps.
- Run a test payment with your own card. Check exactly what lands in your account. This is where percentage fees show up.
- Ask support a question and time the reply.
- Price your next 12 months, not today. Model your client count at 6 and 12 months. Include add-ons, payment fees and annual discounts.
FAQ
What is the best online coaching platform for personal trainers?
It depends on your business. For online-first coaches who want payments, nutrition and check-ins included and a price that falls as they grow, Kahunas is a strong all-round choice. Trainerize suits hybrid studios, TrueCoach suits programming-focused coaches, HubFit has the lowest flat price at 50 clients, and Everfit or QuickCoach are the best free starting points.
How much does online coaching software cost?
As of October 2026, roughly $0–$35/month for a handful of clients and $39–$165/month at 50 clients, depending on the platform and add-ons. Your own App Store listing ranges from about $59.90/month (PT Distinction Pro) to $275/month+ (Trainerize Studio).
Is there a free online coaching platform?
Yes. QuickCoach is free for up to 20 clients, Everfit for up to 5 and Trainerize for 1. Virtuagym also offers a free coaching app. Most others offer free trials of 14 days to 1 month.
What's the difference between an online coaching platform and a personal training app?
An online coaching platform is software trainers use to deliver programs, nutrition, check-ins and payments to their own clients. A consumer personal training app (Future, Caliber, Peloton and similar) sells workouts or a matched coach directly to the public.
Can I just use WhatsApp, Google Forms and spreadsheets?
You can when you have a handful of clients, but data ends up split across apps, check-ins are hard to compare week to week, and payment chasing eats your time. For most coaches it starts to hurt somewhere past a handful of paying clients, which is when a platform pays for itself.
Do I need my own branded app?
Not to start. A branded app becomes valuable when you're charging premium prices or building a recognisable brand. It reinforces your identity every time a client opens their phone. Kahunas puts your logo and colour on its client app from 200 clients, installed from your link. PT Distinction, HubFit, My PT Hub, Everfit (Enterprise), Trainerize (Studio) and Exercise.com offer store-listed apps at different price points.
Do coaching platforms take a percentage of client payments?
Some do. Kahunas and My PT Hub say they take no commission, and HubFit says it adds no markup to Stripe's rate. TrueCoach's built-in payments carry a flat 5% fee per card transaction. Trainerize and Everfit charge a monthly add-on fee for payments instead. Stripe and PayPal's own processing fees apply everywhere.
Do I need a certification to coach online?
Coaching platforms don't generally ask for one, but clients, insurers and the law in your area might. Check the requirements where you and your clients live before you sell coaching.
Can I switch platforms later?
Yes, but moving programs, client history and recurring payments takes effort. Choose based on where you'll be in 12 months, and run both platforms for one billing cycle during the move.
Bottom line
The best online coaching platform is the one that saves you the most hours per week at a price that still makes sense at double your current client count. If you coach mainly online and want payments and nutrition included with no commission, start a free 14-day Kahunas trial. You pay per client, the rate falls as you grow, and the 3-month money-back guarantee gives you a full quarter of real clients to decide.
Sources
All checked 12 October 2026.
- kahunas.io
- trainerize.com/pricing and help.trainerize.com (Pricing Updates 2026 FAQ)
- truecoach.co/pricing and help.truecoach.co (Understanding Processing Fees)
- everfit.io/pricing
- mypthub.net/pricing and mypthub.net/getting-started
- ptdistinction.com/pricing
- hubfit.com/pricing and hubfit.com/blog
- hevycoach.com/pricing
- quickcoach.fit
- business.virtuagym.com/free-fitness-coaching-app
- exercise.com/platform/pricing
