How Much Does a Personal Trainer Cost? Factors to Consider

Personal trainers spend their days helping people achieve fitness goals. This involves assessing where their client is, then devising a plan that gets them where they want to be.

If you have a fitness goal—whether it be weight loss, gaining muscle, or something else—a personal trainer can help. But one factor to consider when finding the best trainer for you is cost.

Here, we review what you might pay for a personal training session or package. We also share a few of the factors that can impact personal trainer cost, as well as example pricing structures.

How Much Does a Personal Trainer Cost?

The average cost for a single training session is between $60 and $75. Though, the total range is fairly wide and can be anywhere from $35 to $100 per hour. Those with an elite client list that includes celebrities and pro athletes may charge even more.

Some personal trainers offer only packages versus single sessions. This can reduce the per-session rate. One example is offering four sessions per month for a certain amount. Or they may have time-based packages, such as three or six months of personal training for a specific price.

Factors That Impact the Cost of a Personal Fitness Trainer

Many factors go into personal trainer cost and pricing. Here are a few to consider.

• The number of sessions purchased. Personal trainers will often discount their per-session rate if you commit to training with them more often or for a longer period. So, if you purchase multiple sessions at once, you get a lower rate per session.

• The number of people being trained. Some trainers only offer private training or one-on-one training. Others will work with several clients at the same time. You can typically get a lower rate if you buy sessions as a group. These group training rates result in a lower price per person. (It’s like how you pay less for group fitness classes than a personal training session.)

• Whether the trainer works for a gym or themselves. If a personal trainer works for a gym or health club, that facility sets the personal trainer's cost. Conversely, if the trainer has their own personal training business, they set the rates. The latter provides a bit more flexibility. It enables them to lower prices for certain clients or in certain circumstances.

• The trainer’s costs. An independent personal trainer who owns their own gym likely has a lot of expenses related to the building and equipment. Someone offering online personal training has costs associated with the internet, video and audio, and an online platform. Both have personal trainer insurance costs and marketing expenses. Therefore, their pricing has to cover these costs or they won’t be in business for long.

• Their level of experience. A personal trainer with years of experience will often charge more than a new trainer. The more knowledge a trainer has from working with others, the more tools they can draw upon to also help you. Conversely, a new trainer may charge less in an effort to grow their client list. This gives them the experience needed to begin to charge more.

• Their level of education. If a trainer has a lot of time and money invested in their own training, they’ll likely charge more for their personal training service. This higher rate will help them recoup some of their educational costs. A higher level of knowledge also validates charging higher rates. It’s like paying more for a doctor who is a specialist than a general practitioner.

• Whether they are certified. It’s not uncommon for professionals in any industry to charge more if they have their certification. A certified personal trainer is someone who has completed a certification course and passed an exam. This verifies that they know how to create an effective fitness program. Personal trainer certification provides a level of proof that they know what they’re doing.

• If they offer additional services. If the personal trainer also offers a healthy meal plan, they may charge more. They might also charge more if they come as part of a team, such as working with a nutritionist or someone trained in sports medicine. The services or value they offer, the higher their rates.

• Whether you are a new client or a returning client. Some trainers offer returning clients a lower rate than prospective clients. It becomes a sort of loyalty reward. Others take the opposite approach. They offer new clients a lower introductory rate to get them in the door.

• How many spots they have available. If a fitness trainer has an almost full client list, they may charge more per session. They know they can command a higher rate because they are in greater demand. Yet, a trainer with a lot of openings might charge less. Their goal is a full client load and they may be willing to drop their rates to get it.

Value of Hiring a Personal Trainer

When considering the cost of hiring a personal trainer, it’s also important to consider the value this fitness professional offers. It’s similar to how you may be willing to pay more for a health insurance policy if it provides better coverage. What is the value of hiring a personal trainer?

One benefit is that the trainer understands exercise and how it impacts the human body. This enables them to create fitness programs that provide results. In some cases, these results are better than you can achieve on your own. This is because they are based on biology and exercise science. They’re also based on techniques that have been validated through research.

Even if you can get results on your own, a personal trainer may help you get them faster. They know how to get the body to respond quickly and with more efficiency. They understand which changes can provide results now as well as later.

Accountability is another benefit of hiring a personal training professional. You have someone holding you accountable for showing up to the gym. Someone who expects you to be at every workout session. Someone who makes you do what you say you will do in the name of fitness.

A personal trainer also serves as a motivator. They can keep you going when all you want to do is give up. They remind you why you wanted to improve your fitness in the first place. They push you to achieve your personal best, whether in cardio or strength training. Their inspirational and encouraging social media posts continue to motivate you between training sessions.

What about a group fitness instructor? Certainly, a trainer leading group classes can help you improve your fitness. But if you’re looking for a program designed specifically for you, a one-on-one trainer is likely to provide this type of value.

Examples of Personal Training Pricing Structures

A personal trainer has a variety of pricing options. Some that you’re likely to encounter include:

• Charging per session. In this case, the cost for each session never changes. It doesn’t matter if you buy one session or 20, you’re going to pay the same rate for each one.

• Charging per month. Another pricing structure common in personal training is to charge a certain rate per month. This serves a couple of purposes. One is that it provides a committed income for a certain amount of time. Two, it increases the likelihood that you’re able to give the client better results than if they show up once then quit.

• Bundling sessions. Some trainers offer packages that include several sessions. These bundles may include 4, 8, or 12 sessions, for instance. Typically, this lowers the per-session rate in return for buying more sessions upfront.

• Results-based pricing. While this is less common, there are trainers who only charge if they get results. If you don’t lose a certain amount of weight or gain a specific amount of muscle as promised, you pay a reduced rate. The tricky thing about this pricing structure is that there are a lot of factors outside the trainer’s control. For instance, while their workout may provide results, weight loss won’t occur if the client eats too much. Though, a trainer with a comprehensive program may help control some of these others factors.

ISSA’s Personal Trainer Certification course talks more about pricing for fitness instructors. It also teaches you how to motivate clients throughout their fitness journey. This helps your client list continue to grow, increasing your personal trainer salary and rates due to being more in demand.

Resources

How Much Does a Personal Trainer Cost? - CostHelper. CostHelper. (2022). Retrieved 13 May 2022, from https://fitness.costhelper.com/personal-trainer.html.