Why are personal trainers paying for their clients' software?
The standard coaching platform costs $50-250/month.
Know what they all have in common? The coach pays and clients usually get a free but sub par tracking experience.
That’s the industry standard. Nobody questions it.
But it’s backwards. The person running the business is subsidizing software for the people paying them.
And the client software in most cases isn’t even that good. I’ve talked to trainers paying $149 a month so a client can log three dumbbell exercises.🙄
There are two models right now:
Model A: The coaching platform has its own client app. The coach pays, and clients get access to a portal or app that only works if they’re connected to a trainer. It’s not a real tracking app. It’s a delivery mechanism for coach content. Clunky, slow, can’t be used independently. The client is locked in. The coach is paying for the privilege of locking them in.
Model B: The coaching platform connects to a genuinely good consumer app. One that is also offered as a standalone app to consumers. Better experience for the client for sure. But now the coach is subsidizing premium app features for their clients. Sometimes $50+/month so their clients don’t have to pay $5.
Both models have the same problem: the trainer foots the bill.
So we’re doing it differently.
Trainlike Coach costs $10/month. That’s it. No tiers. No per-client pricing.
Your clients aren’t forced to use our mobile app. In fact, with Trainlike Coach your clients never have to create an account or login anywhere if they don’t want to. Just send your clients their private link and they can log workouts from any device with no login or account creation. And their workout data still gets sent to you for review in the Trainlike for Coach dashboard.
If your client wants to upgrade to a fully native app tracking experience, they can download Trainlike mobile app and use it for free. Their profile gets linked to your trainer profile through a ‘coach code’.
If they want Trainlike Pro for themselves (the AI analysis, the insights, unlimited routines, custom exercises, priority support) they pay for it. A few bucks per month. Their choice. Their subscription. A first-class tracking app that works with or without a coach.
As a trainer that shouldn’t scare you. It’s a feature not a bug. While you might think your clients’ fitness journey begins and ends with you, it likely won’t. Your clients will appreciate the flexibility. This builds trust.
Now if you’re thinking, “Hey my clients are paying me $300 / month, I don’t want to nickel and dime them by asking them to pay a few bucks for a tracking app”. No sweat, you can still cover the cost for them if you want to. The option is yours.
And here’s the part that might annoy other platforms:
If 10 of your clients are on Trainlike Pro, your Coach subscription is free.
Not discounted. Free.
We don’t need to charge you $10/month because we’re not subsidizing your clients. They’re paying for their own tools. You’re paying for yours. And if there’s enough overlap, nobody pays us for Coach at all.
Why would we do this?
Because we think the best tools win by being good, not by locking people in. If your clients don’t want Trainlike mobile, they don’t have to use it. If you find a better coaching platform, leave. We’re not holding anyone hostage.
We’re betting that if we build something legitimately useful, people will choose it.
Trainlike Coach is live now. The mobile app launches soon.
If you believe clients should own their fitness and coaches should own their business, this is for you.
$10/month. Possibly $0.