For independent trainers, updated November 2026
The best personal training software, by the job you need it to do
By Scott, builder of PacksLeft
For a solo, in-person trainer in the US who sells session packs and does not deliver workouts in an app, the best personal training software is a session-pack ledger such as PacksLeft ($14.99/month, unlimited clients) or CountedIn. If clients follow programs between sessions, a coaching app such as Trainerize or Everfit fits better. A studio with a public class schedule needs a studio system such as Mindbody or Glofox. We make PacksLeft. Already on Trainerize? There is a job-by-job alternatives page.
- How do I choose software for billing, scheduling, and progress tracking?
- Start with the job that costs you most. If progress tracking means workouts and check-ins between sessions, choose a coaching app such as Trainerize, which sells packs through a $10/month Stripe add-on and deducts a credit when you schedule. If billing and scheduling are what break and progress lives in your notes, PacksLeft records each payment against the pack and lets existing clients book 1:1 sessions on their private link; it does not track workouts or progress.
- Is there affordable software for managing client appointments?
- Yes. Calendly Free and Square Appointments' free tier cost $0, though Calendly Free takes no payments and Square's packages need Plus or higher. Acuity Standard is $27/month billed annually. PacksLeft is $14.99/month, and existing clients book 1:1 times on the same link that shows their sessions left. Prices checked October 2026.
Choose by the thing that breaks.
We make one product in this list. The job comparisons use public product positioning checked in August 2026. The session-pack table below was checked on 1 October 2026. We have not used the other tools.
You deliver programs your clients follow in an app
A coaching app, such as Trainerize
If sets, reps, videos, and check-ins are the product, use a programming app. In that model, the client app is useful rather than a burden.
You run a studio or a public schedule
A studio or booking system
Waitlists, rooms, a public schedule, and a front desk need a scheduling product such as Punchpass, Glofox, or Mindbody. One weekly class for your own students is a different job.
You sell prepaid sessions and get paid directly
PacksLeft, $14.99/mo or $149.99/yr
A session-pack ledger
If the count, expiry, late cancel, and payment record are what break, PacksLeft handles that job without adding a workout app. Existing clients book the next 1:1 session on the same private link.
You need the count but not payments
A counting tool
If money already works somewhere else, a simpler credit tracker can be enough. CountedIn is the closest direct comparison.
You have a small roster and nothing is hurting
Free sheet
A spreadsheet
A sheet is a reasonable answer until the count costs you time or money. Ours is free and imports into PacksLeft later.
Tools that sell session packs
Prepaid packs are not unique to us. This is what each tool publishes, checked 1 October 2026. We have not used any of them, so test your own late-cancel and no-show case on a trial before you commit.
| Tool | Published price | Session packs |
|---|---|---|
| Trainerize | Free for 1 coaching client; Grow $10/month for 2 | Session packs in the Stripe add-on ($10/month). Clients see credits and expiry in the app. One-time purchases only, $1,000 cap per product, credit deducts when you schedule. |
| Everfit | Free up to 5 clients; Pro from $16/month at 5 clients | Payments & Packages add-on, $8/month. Clients use the app. |
| TrueCoach | Starter $26.34/month up to 5 active clients; Standard $57.99/month up to 20 | No remaining-credit ledger on an official page. Card payments carry a flat 5% per transaction on top of the plan price, per its help center. US, UK, Australia and Canada only. |
| PTminder | $59/month up to 50 clients | Booking credits shown as "x left from y", with carryover and expiry, per its help center. |
| Acuity Scheduling | Standard $27/month on annual billing | Packages are on Standard and above. A client checks a balance with a package code; login is optional. |
| Square Appointments | Free tier; packages need Plus or higher | Packages redeem at online booking, per Square's help article. Plus and Premium prices not checked on an official page. |
Billing and payments
Most software lists skip the part that goes wrong: money and sessions kept in two places. A client pays $325 of a $650 pack and trains three times; the sessions left and the balance owed are different numbers. PacksLeft records both against the pack, whether the payment came through Stripe Checkout, Venmo, Zelle or cash. A spreadsheet can do the same if you keep two columns.
Compare the specific workflow
These focused guides look at prepaid credits, client access, and the decision to move from a spreadsheet. Competitor claims link to the official product pages. Scheduling software for personal trainers, where the 1:1 also comes off the pack, is on the Calendly comparison.
Three questions that settle it
Is the workout delivered between sessions?
If yes, use a programming app. If coaching happens in person, you may only need the count.
Do clients need public booking?
Waitlists and a front desk still need a studio system. For 1:1 sessions, existing clients book on the same private link that shows sessions left. Someone new can hold a time from a Book with me button on your site, and you can decline it. A solo teacher can run one weekly class from a private link. That link is not a public directory.
Can both people verify the remaining count?
If not, a shared session-pack ledger solves the specific problem worth paying for.
If the count is your problem
PacksLeft logs sessions, shares the count, records payments, and sells the next pack. Existing clients book a 1:1 time on their private link, and new clients can book from a button on your website. Every session can feed your Apple, Google or Outlook calendar. A solo teacher can run one weekly class from a link. No workout builder and no client app. Waitlists, rooms, staff calendars, and a front desk stay out.
Questions
What is the best personal training software for independent trainers?
For an in-person trainer who sells session packs and does not program workouts in an app, a session-pack ledger such as PacksLeft ($14.99/month, unlimited clients) is the closest fit. If clients follow programs between sessions, Trainerize or Everfit fits better. A studio with a public class schedule needs a studio system.
What personal trainer software costs under $20 a month?
PacksLeft is $14.99/month for unlimited clients. Trainerize Grow is $10/month for two coaching clients, and selling session packs there needs the $10/month Stripe add-on. Everfit is free for up to 5 clients, and its pack add-on is extra. See the table above, checked 1 October 2026. Per-client plans climb as the roster grows; a flat price does not.
Is Mindbody or Vagaro a good fit for a solo trainer?
Both are built for businesses with staff calendars, rooms or a front desk, such as studios, gyms and salons. A solo trainer who sells 1:1 packs may pay for features they will not use. A session-pack ledger, or a booking tool that sells packages, is the narrower fit.
Do I need software at all?
Not always. A spreadsheet is fine while the roster is small and disputed counts are not costing you sessions.
What does personal training software cost?
PacksLeft is $14.99 per month or $149.99 per year (save $29.89, about $12.50/mo); the annual plan is PacksLeft Annual. Annual renews at $149.99 every year, with no refund after the 30-day trial. A monthly subscriber can switch to annual at any time, and Stripe credits the unused part of the month. PacksLeft takes 0% of pack sales; Stripe processing applies. Other products vary by client count, location, billing term, and add-ons. Check the specific plan for the job you need.
Which personal training software can sell session packs?
Several can. Trainerize and Everfit sell them as payments add-ons, PTminder tracks booking credits, and Acuity and Square sell packages tied to online booking. They differ on whether clients need an app, how a late cancel or no-show comes off the count, and what you pay per month. See the table above, checked 1 October 2026 and TrueCoach on 21 October 2026.
How do I take payments for session packs?
PacksLeft supports card checkout through your own Stripe account, Venmo pack requests, and manually recorded payments. With Venmo, the client pays you in Venmo and you confirm receipt before sessions are added. With Stripe, sessions are added when payment is confirmed. PacksLeft adds no percentage; provider fees apply. You can also record cash, Venmo, Zelle or bank payments against the pack.
Can I install PacksLeft on my phone?
Yes. On iPhone, open it in Safari and choose Share → Add to Home Screen, then sign in inside the new icon with your email code. On Android, open it in Chrome and tap Install when offered. The trainer app opens full screen. Your clients still use a private link with no install.
Will my clients need an app?
Not with PacksLeft. Each client receives a private browser link with no account, password, or download.