Most coaches don't realise they're spending £500-2,000 a year on software subscriptions. Here's a full breakdown of what the popular platforms actually cost — and a smarter alternative.
The True Cost of Online Coaching Software in 2026 (It's More Than You Think)
Let's cut straight to it: you're probably spending more on coaching software than you realise. And the longer you ignore it, the worse it gets.
Most online coaches sign up for a platform, see a monthly number that looks reasonable, and move on. £22 a month? That's nothing. £49? Still manageable. But those monthly charges compound — silently, relentlessly — and by the time you look back over three years, you've spent enough to buy a decent holiday or, more usefully, a system you actually own.
This post breaks down the real costs of the most popular online coaching platforms in 2026, including the fees they don't advertise on the pricing page. Then we'll look at what happens when you stop renting and start owning.
The Monthly Trap
Software-as-a-service pricing is designed to feel painless. That's the whole point. A monthly charge small enough that you never question it, but large enough — multiplied across thousands of coaches — to build billion-pound companies.
Here's the problem: your coaching business isn't a billion-pound company. Every pound matters. And those "small" monthly fees add up to something genuinely uncomfortable when you total them annually.
Worse, most platforms use tiered pricing. You start on a cheap plan, grow your client base, and suddenly you're bumped into a higher tier. The platform grows its revenue as you grow yours. Sounds fair on the surface — until you realise you're paying more for the same core features, just with a higher client cap.
Real Costs by Platform
Let's look at the four platforms coaches ask about most, with their current 2026 pricing in GBP.
Trainerize
Trainerize prices range from £22/month on the Starter plan up to £125/month for their Studio plan. The Starter plan caps you at 5 clients — essentially a trial. Most working coaches land on the Pro (£49/mo) or Studio tier. Want custom branding? That's the top tier. Want nutrition tracking? Add-on. Want to remove Trainerize branding from client-facing screens? Pay more.
Annual cost: £264 – £1,500
TrueCoach
TrueCoach runs from £20/month (up to 5 clients) to £107/month (unlimited clients). The jump from their mid-tier to unlimited is steep, and most coaches who are actually making money from online coaching will need the higher plans. TrueCoach is clean and well-built, but you're paying a premium for that polish every single month.
Annual cost: £240 – £1,284
Everfit
Everfit starts at £19/month and climbs to £105/month for their top-tier plan. They offer a free plan, but it's extremely limited — think of it as a demo, not a business tool. Their mid-range plans hover around £59-79/month for most coaches with a real client roster. Nutrition features, automation, and advanced analytics are all gated behind higher tiers.
Annual cost: £228 – £1,260
MyPTHub
MyPTHub comes in at roughly £14/month, making it the most affordable subscription option on this list. However, its feature set is noticeably thinner than the competition. If you want habit tracking, in-app messaging, and a full exercise library, you'll find the experience serviceable but limited compared to what you could build yourself.
Annual cost: ~£168
The Hidden Fees Nobody Talks About
The monthly price on the sales page is the starting point, not the final number. Here's where the real costs hide:
Per-client charges. Some platforms charge per active client once you exceed your tier's limit. Add 5 new clients mid-month and your bill jumps without warning.
Nutrition add-ons. Meal planning and nutrition tracking are frequently sold as separate modules. If you coach nutrition alongside training — and most good coaches do — expect to pay £10-30/month extra.
White-label and branding fees. Want your app to look like your business, not theirs? Custom branding and white-label options are consistently locked behind the most expensive tiers, often adding £30-50/month.
Payment processing. Platforms that handle client payments take a cut — typically 2-5% on top of Stripe's standard processing fees. On a £200/month coaching package, that's £4-10 per client per month going to your software provider.
Annual price increases. SaaS companies raise prices. It's not a question of if, but when. The plan you signed up for at £49/month in 2024 might be £59/month by 2026. You won't get new features to justify it. You'll just get an email.
When you factor in these extras, most coaches on mid-to-top-tier plans are spending £600 – £2,000+ per year on software alone.
The 3-Year Cost Comparison
Here's where the maths gets uncomfortable. This table shows the cumulative cost over three years for each platform at their most popular mid-range plans, compared to GSheetsPro's one-time purchase.
| Platform | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | 3-Year Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trainerize (Pro, ~£49/mo) | £588 | £1,176 | £1,764 | £1,764 |
| TrueCoach (Standard, ~£49/mo) | £588 | £1,176 | £1,764 | £1,764 |
| Everfit (Growth, ~£59/mo) | £708 | £1,416 | £2,124 | £2,124 |
| MyPTHub (~£14/mo) | £168 | £336 | £504 | £504 |
| GSheetsPro (one-time) | £199 | £0 | £0 | £199 |
Read that last row again. £199. Total. Forever.
No monthly drain. No tier upgrades. No per-client surcharges. No price hikes in your inbox.
And those figures above are conservative — they don't include nutrition add-ons, white-label fees, or payment processing cuts. Factor those in and the gap widens dramatically.
The One-Time Alternative
GSheetsPro is a complete online coaching system built in Google Sheets. You buy it once for £199 and it's yours. Permanently. No subscriptions, no recurring fees, no per-client charges.
Here's what that gets you:
- Fully customisable programme templates — design your training systems exactly how you want them, not how a software company decided you should
- Client tracking and progress dashboards — everything your clients need, delivered through a tool they already have on their phone
- Nutrition programming — built in, not bolted on as a paid add-on
- Your branding, your way — no one else's logo on your client-facing materials
- Unlimited clients — whether you have 5 clients or 500, the price doesn't change
- No vendor lock-in — your data lives in Google Sheets, a platform that isn't going anywhere and doesn't charge your clients to access it
The objection coaches usually raise is: "But Google Sheets isn't as slick as a dedicated app." Fair point. But ask yourself this — are your clients paying you for a flashy app interface, or for your coaching expertise and the results you deliver? The answer determines whether you need a £125/month platform or a £199 system that does the job and gets out of the way.
When the Subscription Model Works Against You
Here's the uncomfortable truth about SaaS coaching platforms: their business model is fundamentally misaligned with yours.
They make more money when you stay longer and upgrade to higher tiers. You make more money when your costs are low and predictable. Every month you pay a subscription, you're choosing their financial model over your own.
Early-stage coaches feel this most acutely. You're trying to build a client base, reinvesting everything back into growth, and your software is quietly siphoning off £50-100 every month regardless of whether you signed a single new client.
Established coaches feel it differently — the cost becomes background noise, but over years it accumulates into thousands of pounds that could have gone toward marketing, education, or simply profit.
Either way, you're paying rent on tools that should be assets.
Make the Switch
The maths isn't ambiguous here. Over three years, the average coach on a mid-tier subscription plan spends £1,500 – £2,000+ on coaching software. GSheetsPro costs £199 once and delivers the core functionality you actually use daily.
That's not a marginal saving. That's a fundamentally different approach to running your business.
Stop renting your coaching systems. Own them.
