A note before the numbers
This article gives you frameworks, not specific dollar amounts. Local market pricing varies by country, city, and clientele, and printing a "$X is the right price" number that the author hasn't verified against a real, current local market would be irresponsible. Use the frameworks. Survey three to five local trainers in your tier. Pick a price you can defend.
The four pricing models you can run
1. Hourly / drop-in
The default for new trainers. Client pays per session, no commitment.
Pros: Easy to understand. Low barrier to first sale. Cons: Income is volatile. Cancellations hurt. Clients without commitment churn.
When to use it: First 6 months of a new business, or for true one-off sessions (form check, deload week).
2. Session packages (5 / 10 / 20)
The most common model in commercial gyms. Clients buy a block of sessions at a per-session discount.
Pros: Cash up front, lower per-session admin, encourages commitment. Cons: "Used by" expirations create awkward conversations. Refunds are a real risk.
When to use it: In-person training, gym-floor environments, hybrid models.
3. Monthly subscription (in-person)
Client pays a flat monthly fee that includes a fixed number of sessions per month plus messaging.
Pros: Predictable income, predictable scheduling, supports check-ins between sessions. Cons: Holiday months are tricky. Need a clear "no carryover" or "carryover policy."
When to use it: Established trainers with consistent clients.
4. Online coaching (program-only or program + check-ins)
Client pays a flat monthly fee for programming, weekly check-ins, and asynchronous messaging. Optional add-on for live calls.
Pros: Highest leverage. Trainer income decouples from clock hours. Geography stops being a constraint. Cons: Front-loaded effort to build the systems. Higher trust threshold to make a first sale.
When to use it: Coaches scaling beyond 30 hours of in-person work per week, or coaches who want geographic freedom.
How to set a price (the framework)
There is no "right" hourly rate. There is a price you can defend that satisfies all four of these tests:
- Cost-plus. Sum your monthly business costs (rent, software, insurance, taxes) and divide by your target session count. That's your floor.
- Market. Survey three to five comparable trainers in your local market. You're somewhere in that range.
- Outcome. What's a transformation worth to your client? A trainer who reliably gets clients to lose 30 lb or hit their first pull-up earns a premium. Don't lead with this number, but it sets your ceiling.
- Capacity. If you're at 100% booked, you're underpriced. If you're at 50%, you're overpriced or under-marketed (or both).
Where the four overlap is your price.
Online-coaching tier design
For online coaches, three tiers usually outperform a single price:
| Tier | What's included | Who it's for |
|---|---|---|
| Programming | Custom program, monthly updates, async chat | Self-directed lifters |
| Programming + check-ins | Above + weekly check-ins, exercise feedback | The bulk of your roster |
| 1:1 | Above + monthly live call | Premium clients, accountability-driven |
The middle tier should be your default offer. Price the top tier 50–80% above middle. Price the bottom tier 30–40% below middle. Most coaches over-discount the bottom tier and end up doing high-touch work for low-touch money.
Talking about price without defending it
Three things separate trainers who close deals from trainers who don't:
- State the price first, plainly. "Coaching is $X/month." Don't bury it in features.
- Don't apologize. "It's a lot, but…" is what clients hear. Lead with what's included.
- Match the price to the outcome. "We'll work for 12 weeks and at the end you'll [specific outcome]. The investment is $X." That's the entire script.
Discounting at the close trains clients to negotiate. Discounting via package size doesn't.
When to raise prices
Three reliable signals:
- Booked at 90%+ for 8 weeks straight.
- Clients renewing without prompting.
- You're declining new inquiries because you can't service them well.
When you raise, honor existing client prices for at least 6 months. Letter to current clients first, public price update second.
How Fitly handles billing
Whatever model you run, the operational side is the same: invoices, reminders, failed cards, package balances.
- Session packages with auto-tracking of remaining sessions.
- Recurring invoicing for monthly subscriptions.
- Branded invoices and a public profile at
/t/{handle}that's the landing page for new sales.
Fitly Trainer is $50/mo. No free tier or free trial in this release.
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