Best Apps for Personal Trainers (2026): 10 Coaching Tools

Most trainers start with spreadsheets, PDFs and a lot of WhatsApp messages. It works for five clients. By twenty, you're spending your evenings copying programmes and chasing check-ins instead of coaching.

This list covers coaching apps for personal trainers, online coaches and studio owners. If you're growing your business online, my social media tips for personal trainers help with the marketing, and this guide to AI tools for building workout plans shows where AI fits.

Personal trainer apps compared at a glance

Here's what each app is, what it's good for and whether its own site shows a free plan, a trial or neither. The list is alphabetical and in no particular order.

Tool	Type	Good for	Free plan
Everfit	Coaching platform	Coaching clients online and in person	Trial only
Exercise.com	Business software	Selling programmes and memberships	No
Glofox	Studio management	Studios with classes	No
Hevy Coach	Workout coaching	Clients who already log workouts	Trial only
Kahunas	Online coaching	Check-ins and client progress	Trial only
My PT Hub	PT software	Workouts, nutrition and payments	Trial only
PT Distinction	PT software	Automating client journeys	Trial only
Trainerize	PT software	A branded client app	Trial only
TrainHeroic	Strength coaching	Teams and strength programmes	Trial only
TrueCoach	Programming	Writing programmes quickly	Trial only

Coaching apps for personal trainers

Everfit

Best for: Hybrid coaches working in person and online who want programmes, habit tracking and messaging in one branded app.

Exercise.com

Best for: Gyms and trainers that want to sell memberships and programmes online through their own branded app and website.

Glofox

Best for: Studio owners who've grown into classes, memberships and staff, and need bookings and payments managed together.

Hevy Coach

Best for: Coaches whose clients like logging lifts in a workout app and want programmes pushed straight to that app.

Kahunas

Best for: Online coaches running weekly check-ins who want photos, measurements and feedback collected in one place.

My PT Hub

Best for: Personal trainers who want workouts, nutrition plans and client payments handled in one app without extra tools.

PT Distinction

Best for: Busy PTs with growing client lists who want onboarding, programmes and check-ins to run on automatic sequences.

Trainerize

Best for: Trainers who want clients training from their own branded app, with workouts, nutrition and messaging included.

TrainHeroic

Best for: Strength and conditioning coaches who programme for teams or groups and want athletes logging every session.

TrueCoach

Best for: Online coaches who write lots of individual programmes and want a fast way to build, copy and adjust them.

In-person, online or hybrid coaching?

In-person trainers mainly need scheduling, session notes and payments. Online coaches need programmes delivered to an app, weekly check-ins with photos and measurements, and messaging. Hybrid coaches need both, which is why many trainers outgrow a simple booking app the moment they start selling online programmes.

What to set up in your first week

1. Build your three most common programmes as templates you can copy and adjust.
2. Create a check-in form with the questions you ask every client each week.
3. Add your exercise library with your own video demos where you can.
4. Move your current clients across one at a time, starting with the most engaged.
5. Set reminders so clients get a nudge if they miss a session or a check-in.

Programme for the guidelines your clients can keep

The CDC says adults need 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, plus at least 2 days of muscle-strengthening activity. Most clients aren't hitting that when they start. A coaching app helps you build programmes they can keep to week after week, and the logged sessions show both of you that the habit is sticking.

Moving clients off spreadsheets and PDFs

Tell clients why you're switching before you send the invite: it'll make it easier for them to log workouts, see progress and message you. Move your most engaged clients first, because they'll give you honest feedback and they're the ones most likely to show others how it works.

Send each client a short video showing how to log a session and submit a check-in. It takes a couple of minutes per client, but it saves days of questions later. Keep the old PDFs for a month in case anyone gets stuck, then retire them so everyone's working from the same place.

Think about how clients feel when they open the app on a busy Monday. If they can see today's session, log it in a few taps and send you a quick message, they'll keep using it. If they have to hunt through menus, they'll go back to texting you. Keep programmes clear, name sessions simply and use short notes rather than long explanations. It's also worth checking how the app handles clients who travel or train at home, because that's when programmes most often fall apart.

Do you make an app for personal trainers? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.

My advice for trainers choosing a coaching app

Trial two apps at the same time with two or three willing clients each, and ask those clients which one they'd rather use. Your clients open the app far more often than you do, so their experience matters more than how the coach dashboard looks.

Once you're set up, think about how the app supports your brand. My piece on building a strong brand for a fitness business covers why a branded experience keeps clients for longer.

Frequently asked questions

What app do personal trainers use for clients?

Most use a coaching platform that delivers programmes, tracks workouts, collects check-ins and handles messaging, often with a branded client app.

Is there a free app for personal trainers?

Most coaching apps here offer a free trial rather than a free plan. Trials usually run for two to four weeks.

What's the best app for online coaching?

Online coaches should look for strong check-ins, automated sequences and easy programme building, since those save the most time each week.

Can a personal trainer app take payments?

Many can, including recurring payments for coaching packages, which saves chasing clients at the end of each month.

How many clients do I need before using a coaching app?

There's no set number, but most trainers feel the benefit once copying programmes and chasing check-ins starts eating into their evenings.