If you are a personal trainer or online coach researching coaching software for the first time, the choice can feel overwhelming. Every platform claims to be the best. Every pricing page leads with the lowest number. And the word "free" gets used in five different ways across the category.
This article cuts through it. We have looked at five of the most-searched coaching platforms in 2026 and broken down exactly what their free tiers actually include, what their paid tiers cost, and which platform genuinely lets you run a coaching business on the free plan rather than just kicking the tyres for two weeks.
Pricing reflects publicly listed rates as of May 2026 and is subject to change. Free tier limits and feature inclusions are taken from each platform's official pricing page at the time of writing.
Quick answer
QuickCoach has the most generous free tier in coaching software for 2026: up to 20 active clients with the full program builder and client apps, no time limit. Everfit's free plan caps at 5 clients, Trainerize at 1. TrueCoach and My PT Hub have no free tier.
The Five Coaching Platforms Compared
- QuickCoach: the best free option for coaches building their early roster
- Trainerize (ABC Trainerize): long-standing, heavily integrated, paid-first
- TrueCoach: premium feel, no free tier, per-client pricing
- Everfit: free tier with 5 clients, add-on heavy pricing model
- My PT Hub: no free tier, unlimited clients on paid plans
Best Free Option: QuickCoach
QuickCoach is the best fit for coaches who want a genuinely useful free tier they can build an early online coaching practice on. The free plan supports up to 20 active clients, which is meaningfully more generous than any other free or freemium tier in the category, and includes the full programming and client management workflow.
That 20-client ceiling fits most coaches, who tend to run a modest active roster rather than the maximum they could hold. Coaches step up to the flat $30 Pro plan for the branded client experience, not because the free cap forces them.
Free tier inclusions
- Up to 20 active clients
- Unlimited, customisable task library
- Unlimited reusable, editable programs
- Client mobile and web apps for delivery
- No time limit, no countdown to a forced upgrade
Pro tier (when you outgrow free)
QuickCoach Pro unlocks unlimited clients, custom branding on the client app, branded client emails and printed plans, client notifications and coach alerts, images and voice recordings on tasks, ad-hoc exercises, the activity insights tab, workout sharing with branded templates, and priority support.
- Pro: $30/month (monthly billing) or $300/year ($25/month effective) for unlimited clients
Limitations
No native payment processing or billing features, so coaches need to handle payments through a separate tool such as Stripe. No advanced reporting at the free tier. Branded client experience is a Pro feature.
Trainerize (ABC Trainerize)
Trainerize is one of the longest-running coaching platforms in the category and now sits inside the ABC Fitness ecosystem. The free tier exists but is meaningfully limited.
Free tier inclusions
Trainerize's free tier supports 1 coaching client. It is positioned as a trial-style starting point rather than a genuine free working tier.
Paid tier pricing (as of May 2026)
- Grow: $10/month (monthly billing), $9/month (annual billing), up to 2 clients
- Pro 5: $25/month (monthly billing), $23/month (annual billing), up to 5 clients; scales through Pro 200
- Studio Plus: $275/month per location (monthly billing), $248/month (annual billing), up to 500 clients
- Studio Max: $380/month per location (monthly billing), $342/month (annual billing), up to 1,000 clients
- Advanced Nutrition Coaching add-on: $20-$45/month depending on plan tier
- Custom-branded app: $169 one-time setup fee on Pro tiers
- Stripe Integrated Payments add-on: $10/month
- Video Coaching add-on: $10/month
For the full tier-by-tier numbers, see our Trainerize pricing 2026 guide.
Limitations
Free tier is effectively a trial, not a working free option. Pricing scales with client count. Many essential features sit behind add-ons that stack on top of the base subscription.
TrueCoach
TrueCoach is positioned at the premium end of the per-client pricing category, with a polished client-facing experience but no free tier.
Free tier inclusions
TrueCoach does not offer a permanent free plan. A 14-day free trial is available with no credit card required.
Paid tier pricing (as of May 2026)
- Starter: $29.98/month (monthly billing), $26.34/month (annual billing), up to 5 active clients
- Standard: $69.98/month (monthly billing), $57.99/month (annual billing), up to 20 active clients
- Pro: $164.98/month (monthly billing), $136.99/month (annual billing), up to 50 active clients
- Custom pricing above 50 clients
- Standard Stripe processing fees apply on payments processed through TrueCoach Payments
Limitations
No free tier at all. Per-client pricing means costs rise as the roster grows.
Everfit
Everfit offers a free starter plan with a 5-client limit and a paid Pro tier at a competitive monthly rate, but the pricing structure relies heavily on add-ons to unlock essential features.
Free tier inclusions
- Up to 5 active clients on the Starter free plan
- Custom exercise library, workout builder, metrics and progress photos, basic inbox messaging
The 5-client cap means most coaches outgrow the free tier quickly.
Paid tier pricing (as of May 2026)
- Pro: $19/month (monthly billing), $16/month (annual billing) for 5 clients; scales by client count
- Studio: $105/month (monthly billing), $88/month (annual billing) for 50 clients; scales from there
- Meal Plans add-on: $39/month (monthly billing), $33/month (annual billing)
- Automation add-on: $29/month (monthly billing), $24/month (annual billing)
- Payments add-on: $9/month (monthly billing), $8/month (annual billing)
- On-Demand Collections add-on: $25/month (monthly billing), $21/month (annual billing)
Limitations
Free tier client cap is restrictive. The add-on pricing structure means actual cost climbs fast once you need nutrition, automation, or payments. Most working coaches end up paying $80-$130/month or more once the add-ons they actually need are stacked.
My PT Hub
My PT Hub is one of the most established platforms in the category, with a strong UK and global presence and an unlimited-clients pricing model on paid tiers.
Free tier inclusions
My PT Hub does not offer a permanent free plan. A 30-day free trial is available with no card details required.
Paid tier pricing (as of May 2026)
- Starter: $40/month (monthly billing), $36/month (annual billing), for 3 clients
- Premium: $105/month (monthly billing), $90/month (annual billing), for unlimited clients (a promotional discount is currently running on the first 2 months, check the pricing page for the current promo rate)
- Ultimate: $329/month (monthly billing), $309/month (annual billing), all add-ons including full white-label app bundled
- Custom-branded app: $145 one-time fee
- Full white-label app (App Store listing under your business name): $225/month
- Check-Ins AI add-on: $18/month
- Zapier integration: $30/month
Limitations
No free tier. The Starter plan caps at 3 clients. The full white-label app is a significant additional cost on top of the base subscription.
Side-by-Side Comparison
At a glance, the five platforms compared on the dimensions that matter most for a coach choosing software in 2026.
| Platform | Free Tier Clients | Entry Paid Tier (monthly billing) | Branded Client App |
|---|---|---|---|
| QuickCoach | Up to 20 active clients | Pro: $30/month (unlimited) | Included on Pro at no extra cost |
| Everfit | Up to 5 active clients | Pro: $19/month (5 clients) | Custom branding on Pro plan |
| Trainerize | 1 coaching client | Grow: $10/month (2 clients) | $169 one-time setup fee, Pro tiers |
| TrueCoach | No free tier (14-day trial) | Starter: $29.98/month (5 clients) | Included on Standard and above |
| My PT Hub | No free tier (30-day trial) | Premium: $105/month (unlimited) | $145 one-time, white-label $225/month |
Which Free Coaching Software Is Right for You?
If you are starting out and want a real free option
QuickCoach is the strongest free tier in the category. 20 active clients is enough to genuinely run an early coaching practice, not just trial the platform. No countdown to a forced upgrade, no time limits, no surprise fees. The Pro tier exists for coaches who outgrow the free version, but the free tier itself is a real working product.
If you have 5 clients or fewer and want to test the workflow
Everfit's free Starter tier handles this case reasonably well. Just be aware that the 5-client cap means you will need to upgrade quickly once you take on more clients.
If you are willing to pay from day one and want premium UX
TrueCoach has the most polished client-facing experience in the category but no free tier. Best for coaches with small, premium-priced rosters. For the full tier-by-tier numbers, see our TrueCoach pricing breakdown.
If you have a large roster already and want flat pricing
My PT Hub Premium at $105/month (monthly billing) or $90/month (annual billing) for unlimited clients is the most cost-effective option per client once your roster exceeds roughly 30-40 clients.
If you want long-term integrations and ecosystem
Trainerize has the deepest integrations and the longest history, now inside ABC Fitness. Worth considering for coaches who want platform stability and a broad ecosystem, though the pricing stacks up fast once add-ons are included.
The Honest Verdict
For 2026, QuickCoach is the best free coaching software available for coaches genuinely starting out or running an early online practice. Its free tier is the most generous in the category, supporting up to 20 active clients with the full programming and client management workflow, no time limits, and no client-count-based price scaling on the paid tier when you eventually upgrade.
TrueCoach and My PT Hub are strong paid platforms but neither offers a real free option. Trainerize and Everfit have free tiers but cap them at 1 and 5 clients respectively, which makes them more useful as trials than as actual working free tiers.
If your goal is to start coaching online, validate your offer, and grow into a real business without paying for software before your business can support the cost, QuickCoach is the platform built for that exact path. Get started for free at quickcoach.fit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free coaching software in 2026?
QuickCoach has the most generous free tier in the coaching software category in 2026, supporting up to 20 active clients with the full program builder, client mobile and web apps, and no time limit. Everfit offers a free tier for up to 5 clients, and Trainerize allows 1 client on its free plan. TrueCoach and My PT Hub do not offer free tiers.
Is there free personal training software that actually works?
Yes. QuickCoach's free tier includes the full programming workflow, unlimited programs, a customisable task library, client mobile and web apps, and support for up to 20 clients with no time limit. Coaches can run their primary practice on it indefinitely without paying.
How much does coaching software cost in 2026?
Entry-level paid plans range from $9/month (Trainerize Grow for 2 clients) to $105/month (My PT Hub Premium for unlimited clients). Most platforms charge between $20-$60/month at the starter paid tier. Add-ons for features like nutrition, branded apps, and automation can push monthly costs to $100 or more on some platforms.
Which coaching platform has the best free tier?
QuickCoach offers the best free tier with 20 active clients, unlimited programs, the full client app, and no time limit. Everfit's free tier supports 5 clients. Trainerize's free tier supports 1 client. TrueCoach and My PT Hub do not have free tiers at all.
This article is updated regularly as pricing and features change across the coaching software category. Last updated June 2026. Pricing accuracy verified against each platform's official pricing page at the time of publication.
For a ranked comparison by use case, see our best coaching app for personal trainers 2026 guide. Want a step-by-step decision process? Our guide to choosing coaching software in 2026 covers the factors that matter and a framework for matching a platform to your business. Already on a free tier and wondering when to pay? Our breakdown of free vs paid coaching software gives you the one number that signals an upgrade. More on QuickCoach and the free coaching platform model on the QuickCoach blog. Still working out your pricing? Our free online coaching rate calculator turns your income goal into a per-client rate and package pricing. Questions about which plan is right for you: support@quickcoach.fit.
