How Much Does a Personal Trainer Cost?

Are you sitting over a spreadsheet planning out your monthly budget?

On top of your regular expenses like groceries, rent, and your phone bill, you might find that you’ve got some “fun money” left over.

But is the remainder of your cash really enough to get you a quality personal trainer? This article will answer the question: “How much does a personal trainer cost?” We’ll look at the prices of virtual, in-gym, or at-home personal training sessions.

We’ll go through how a trainer’s experience may impact their pricing. Plus, we’ll see some common pricing models or plans that you might come across in your search for a qualified personal trainer.

How Much Does a Personal Trainer Cost Per Month?

Personal trainers can cost as little as $40-50 per hour on the lower end to $125-150 per hour on the high end.

Assuming you’re working with your trainer once a week during the month, you could pay $160 for personal training for the month working with the $40 per hour trainer, up to a whopping $600 per month for a high-end trainer.

Why is Personal Training so Expensive?

We can get the answer to this question by breaking down another important one: What factors affect personal trainer pricing?

1. Training Qualifications

When you pay for personal training, you’re not just paying for your hour in the gym, the equipment you’re using or your own results.

You’re paying for their months or years of experience and study in the field.

Personal training is an unlicensed field in countries like the US and Canada. This means you are not required to get a certificate to train people.

That said, it’s unlikely you’ll get hired as a trainer in a commercial gym if you don’t have some kind of paperwork to prove your skills.

Many trainers opt to get certified through bodies like NASM (The National Academy of Sports Medicine).

NASM certification generally ranges from around $900 to $3000, depending on the level at which a trainer aims to qualify.

2. Level of Experience

Personal trainers can qualify to instruct at different levels recognized within the industry. Different governing bodies on fitness standards may use slightly different scales.

What Are the Different Levels of Personal Trainers?

This chart highlights the standards generally applied to personal trainers and their qualification levels.

Level 4 is the highest formally recognized fitness trainer level in most countries. However, some trainers with additional qualifications in nutrition might be considered level 5 trainers.

3. Private Gyms

When you work out with a personal trainer, you may be required to train at a private gym they have set up. This could give you access to equipment you would not ordinarily see in commercial gyms.

Some personal trainers offer semi-private gym options: a smaller, closed gym space where you work out with your trainer, while a few other trainees work out with their trainers in the same space.

This can be a cost-effective option for those looking for individual attention without breaking the bank.

4. Type of Training

• Health-Focused Trainers: There is a debate in the fitness industry about whether personal trainers are qualified to give nutrition advice. That being said, many trainers do offer meal plans or other services that focus on the dietary aspect of muscle building or weight loss. This can make them more expensive than those who do not deal with nutritional concerns.

• Performance Trainers: These trainers typically focus on helping clients gain conditioning for a sport. Usually, athletes or former athletes perform these roles.

• Boot Camp Trainers: These trainers will work with you and a few others on bootcamp-style workouts. These often involve HIIT exercises or circuit training.

Keep in mind that a personal trainer is different from a fitness coach, although they can have some overlap. Fitness coaches and other instructors like yoga or Pilates teachers typically work more holistically to help you create a healthier lifestyle shift in the long term that includes fitness.

Personal trainers are generally more goal-oriented and work with you on a shorter-term basis.

On your fitness journey, these are just a few types of industry professionals you may encounter.

Are you looking for strength training advice, a targeted nutrition plan or a total transformation from couch potato to active?  Your training needs can vary dramatically. The type of trainer you need will vary accordingly.

Some common goals include:

• Working towards a more aesthetic physique.
• Working on a specific program (like PHUL workouts, PHAT workouts or bodybuilding and powerlifting training).
• Starting to get into fitness from a sedentary lifestyle.

All of these factors and more will impact the type of personal trainer you need.

Depending on what that person looks like, you can end up paying more or less.

Is Personal Training Worth the Price?

While it can cost a lot, in a Journal of Sports Science and Medicine study, research on the effectiveness of personal training does indicate that working with trainers can have at least some impact on participants’ attitudes toward working out.

However, accepting the costs related to personal training can be a major mental hurdle. Looking good ain’t always cheap!

One thing to consider is how long you intend to stay on a workout or specific plan. Are you looking to put on or take off weight for a specific event?

If you’re considering running a marathon or entering a bodybuilding competition, the short-term payments can be far less of a financial blow, since you know you’ll only be working with a trainer briefly.

Take for instance the Daniel Craig workout that the actor had to put himself through to bulk up for Bond. Or the Spiderman physique Tom Holland was taxed with putting on for his starring turn.

If you’re focused on a specific target, a trainer can be just the push to get you to your goals on time over the short term.

Is Personal Training More Expensive in the US than in Canada?

How much does a personal trainer cost in the United States vs. Canada? In the US, it’s typically more expensive, mostly because of the exchange rate.

The overall hourly rate you would pay a trainer remains similar at around $50-$75 per hour, with wiggle room for newer trainers at around $40 and highly competitive trainers costing up to $150 per hourly session.

What Are the Alternatives to Personal Training?

If you’re not of the financial means to hire a personal trainer, there’s no reason to slack on your workouts!

Fortunately for you, there are many ways to get in shape besides working with a professional.

1. Work Out with Friends

No money to hire a trainer? If you like the communal aspect of working out with someone, it may be helpful to seek out a gym buddy or find a friend you can work out with.

This can be someone already within your network of friends. If you’re feeling too lazy to work out or like you need a nap after a workout, a dedicated partner can be a good motivator.

If you notice someone at the gym who keeps to the same schedule as you and performs similar workouts, you may consider casually asking them whether they’d be interested in working out together.

This can make your workouts more fun and invigorating. Plus, gym buddies help hold you accountable to show up to the gym when you say you will.

Although research on the subject shows that the impact of personal trainer guidance to exercising with others was stronger, there are still associated benefits in working out with your friends.

2. Fitness Apps

Fitness apps like Flex offer all the capabilities of a trainer at a fraction of the cost.

Even as a starting point before you decide to commit to a trainer, an app lets you understand many of the functions that a trainer would serve.

This includes things like tracking your progress week over week. The main goal of any well-designed fitness program is to help you make incremental improvements each time you work out.

Apps like Flex do this just as well as fitness trainers, with the ability to see your estimated one-rep maxes, calculate your plate weights and keep an eye on your sets, reps, and favorite exercises.

That way, you have everything you need at your fingertips each time you hit the gym.

Final Thoughts

So all things considered, asking “How much does a personal trainer cost?” is a tough question to answer.

A few more productive questions to ask yourself when considering a trainer are:

• What budget am I willing to invest towards my health and fitness goals?
• What is my overall monthly income?
• What are my time constraints when it comes to training?
• What style of training do I enjoy and can I continuously maintain?
• What qualifications do I require my trainer to have?

Take this short cheat sheet as you’re shopping around to find a personal trainer that suits not only your waistline but your wallet.

Think about the cost that you’re willing to pay compared to your desired outcome from training and what qualifications you require from your trainer. It will help you make better choices surrounding your investment in personal training.

References

Lu, Y., Leng, X., Yuan, H., Jin, C., Wang, Q., & Song, Z. (2024). Comparing the impact of personal trainer guidance to exercising with others: Determining the optimal approach. Heliyon, 10(2), e24625. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24625

McClaran S. R. (2003). The effectiveness of personal training on changing attitudes towards physical activity. Journal of sports science & medicine, 2(1), 10–14.