Quick Answer: Trainerize is the most widely-used PT software, acquired by ABC Fitness in 2020. From $5/mo per client. Best for PTs and studios already embedded in the ABC Fitness ecosystem. The acquisition has slowed feature development but the client reach, integrations, and marketplace are unmatched at this price point.
Last updated: April 22, 2026.
Related: See also: Best AI tools for personal trainers 2026 | TrueCoach vs Trainerize | Best Trainerize alternatives
What Trainerize actually is
Trainerize launched in 2012 and became the category leader by being the first platform to nail the core workflow: build programs, deliver them to clients, track progress, automate follow-up. At peak, it was the default answer to “what software should I use as a personal trainer?”
The 2022 acquisition by ABC Fitness — a large gym management software company — changed things. ABC Fitness needed Trainerize’s individual coach market to complement its enterprise gym management tools. What happened next is well-documented in G2 reviews, Capterra reviews, and Reddit threads: bugs that didn’t exist before the acquisition started appearing, billing errors became more common, and customer support response times dropped from industry-leading to average-at-best.
Trainerize still has capabilities that don’t exist anywhere else at scale. If you have 100+ clients, run multiple trainers, need robust automated messaging, and want a branded app, the platform can do it. But the product you get in 2026 is not the product reviewers were raving about in 2020, and the competitor gap has closed significantly.
Pricing — what it actually costs at scale
Trainerize’s pricing looks accessible. The reality at real coach scale is more expensive:
| Plan | Price | Clients |
|---|---|---|
| Grow 1 | Free | 1 |
| Grow 2 | $10/mo | 2 |
| Grow 5 | $22/mo | 5 |
| Build 10 | $40/mo | 10 |
| Build 20 | $60/mo | 20 |
| Build 50 | $120/mo | 50 |
| Studio | Custom | Unlimited |
But those are base prices only.
Add-ons that most growing coaches will need:
- Nutrition add-on (powered by Evolution Nutrition): $20-45/mo depending on tier
- Branded client app: $169 one-time setup + $5-45/mo ongoing
- Apple Developer account (for your branded app): $99/yr
- Google Play account: $25 one-time
Real cost for a coach with 50 clients who wants nutrition coaching + branded app: $120 + $45 + $45 = $210/mo in year one, plus $169 setup. That’s before any multi-trainer seats.
For comparison: PT Distinction at $89.90/mo for 50 clients includes a custom branded app and nutrition tools. TrueCoach at $107/mo for 50 clients is all-in, no add-ons.
The Trainerize value equation used to make sense when the product was best-in-class. In 2026, you’re paying category-leading prices for a product that has regressed in quality since the acquisition.
What Trainerize still does well
The automation depth is unmatched. Automated messages triggered by workout completions, scheduled check-in sequences, habit reminders timed to client onboarding — no other platform in the category has automation this mature. For coaches who run systematic onboarding and re-engagement flows, this is genuinely valuable.
The workout builder handles complexity at scale. Phased programs, master templates, calendar-based delivery, group challenges — Trainerize was built for volume. If you have 80 clients and need to push a 12-week program with phase transitions to all of them at once, the infrastructure is there.
The ecosystem is the largest in the category. Integrations with dozens of third-party tools, a marketplace of pre-built programs, and the largest base of coaches means more resources, more templates, and more third-party compatibility than any competitor.
Multi-trainer management works. If you run a gym with multiple coaches, Trainerize handles permission structures, client assignment, and reporting at a level other platforms don’t match.
What has gotten worse since the ABC acquisition
Bugs and stability issues. Post-acquisition reviews consistently report bugs that weren’t present before — session logging failures, program delivery errors, notification failures. The platform became less reliable at exactly the time new competitors became more reliable.
Billing errors are documented. Multiple users on G2 and Capterra report being charged incorrectly — for clients they didn’t have, at tiers they had downgraded from, or after cancellation. This is not a minor edge case. If you give Trainerize your card details, monitor your billing statement.
Customer support response times dropped. Pre-acquisition, Trainerize support was fast and helpful. Post-acquisition reviews consistently describe slower responses, more canned answers, and issues that take multiple contacts to resolve. The support team appears to have been scaled down relative to the user base.
MyFitnessPal sync is broken — and has been for years. This is acknowledged in their own help center as a “known issue.” If nutrition tracking through MyFitnessPal is central to your coaching offer, Trainerize cannot reliably deliver it. This is not a new problem but it is unresolved.
The interface hasn’t modernized. Competitors have updated their UX considerably. Trainerize’s interface still feels like 2018. For new coaches comparing products, this matters.
Who should use Trainerize
It’s the right call if:
- You have 50+ clients and need robust automated messaging and program delivery at scale
- You manage multiple trainers or run a gym rather than a solo coaching practice
- You have an established system built on Trainerize and migration cost is a real factor
- A branded app is essential and you’re comfortable with the additional cost
It’s the wrong call if:
- Nutrition coaching through MyFitnessPal integration is core to your offer — it’s unreliable
- You had a good experience with Trainerize pre-2022 and expect the same product
- You’re starting out and comparing options — the add-on pricing and current product quality don’t justify it for new coaches
- You’re budget-sensitive — competitors deliver equivalent features for significantly less money in 2026
Trainerize vs the alternatives
| Trainerize (50 clients) | TrueCoach (50 clients) | PT Distinction (50 clients) | Everfit Pro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base price | $120/mo | $107/mo | $89.90/mo | $105/mo (Studio) |
| With nutrition + app | ~$210+/mo | $107/mo (no branded app) | $89.90/mo (all-in) | ~$134+/mo |
| Branded app | Extra ($169 + $45/mo) | Not available | Included | Not available |
| Android client | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Automation | Best in category | Basic | Strong | Moderate |
| MyFitnessPal sync | Documented issues | Basic (reliable) | MyFitnessPal integration | Basic |
| Post-acquisition stability | Degraded | Stable | Stable | Stable |
| Best for | High volume + automation | Clean 1-on-1 | Established coaches | Solo + small teams |
FAQ
Is Trainerize still good in 2026?
For high-volume coaches who specifically need its automation and multi-trainer features: yes. For coaches with fewer than 30 clients comparing options for the first time: TrueCoach, PT Distinction, or Everfit deliver better value with fewer quality concerns.
What happened with the ABC Fitness acquisition?
ABC Fitness acquired Trainerize in 2022. Post-acquisition, users report increased bugs, billing errors, slower customer support, and no meaningful product improvements. The automation depth and ecosystem remain strengths, but the day-to-day reliability has degraded.
Is the Trainerize MyFitnessPal sync fixed?
As of 2026 it is still listed as a “known issue” in Trainerize’s own help center. If MFP integration is central to your nutrition coaching, treat it as unreliable until proven otherwise.
How much does Trainerize actually cost with add-ons?
At 50 clients: $120/mo base + $45/mo nutrition + $45/mo branded app + $99/yr Apple Developer = approximately $215/mo in year one. That’s the real number most reviews don’t show you.
What’s the best Trainerize alternative?
For 1-on-1 clean coaching: TrueCoach. For the best value with branded app included: PT Distinction. For habit-based lifestyle coaching: Everfit. For unlimited clients on a flat fee: MyPTHub.
Final verdict
Trainerize is still the most capable platform in the personal trainer software category, but it is no longer the best. The automation depth and multi-trainer infrastructure remain genuinely difficult to replicate elsewhere. Everything else — pricing, stability, nutrition sync, support quality — has regressed since the ABC acquisition while competitors have improved.
If you have an established Trainerize practice with complex automation built in, the migration cost of switching probably isn’t worth it. If you’re starting fresh or have fewer than 50 clients, the value argument for Trainerize in 2026 is much harder to make than it was in 2020.
Related guides
- TrueCoach Review (2026)
- Everfit Review (2026)
- TrueCoach vs Trainerize (2026)
- Best Trainerize Alternatives (2026)
- How to Choose Personal Trainer Software
Rating: 3.5/5
Written by
FazFaz is the founder of AIToolsBakery. Every tool on this site is personally tested with real-world writing tasks before a single word gets published. No sponsored rankings, no recycled press releases.
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