Comparing coaching platforms on the things coaches actually ask
Which coaching apps have a free plan?
On their own sites on 2026-10-20, Helms was free for up to 7 clients, Everfit for up to 5 and Trainerize for 1. TrueCoach, Kahunas and PT Distinction listed no free plan.
Sources: Everfit pricing, Trainerize pricing, TrueCoach pricing, Kahunas plans and PT Distinction pricing. Helms prices are on the pricing page.
Start freeHow long are the free trials on coaching apps?
Trainerize offered 30 days with no card, TrueCoach and Kahunas 14 days, and PT Distinction a month with a card. Helms paid plans have a 14 day trial with a card, and the Free plan has no time limit.
Everfit's homepage mentioned a 30-day trial but its pricing page gave no length. Sources: Trainerize pricing, TrueCoach pricing, Kahunas, PT Distinction free trial.
The bigger the business got, the more of my week went on juggling apps and re-typing the same client into all of them. It felt like more admin than coaching. I wanted one place for the lot: the client work, the business numbers, the social side. So I built it.Logan Russo, who built Helms and still coaches clients on it. From usehelms.com/coaching
Is coaching software cheaper priced per client or by tier?
It depends where your roster sits. PT Distinction adds a fee for every client over the plan, from $1.60 to $6.00 each, while Helms, Kahunas and TrueCoach charge a flat price for a band of clients and you only pay more when you cross into the next band.
Source: PT Distinction pricing. Per-client pricing is cheaper when you're just under a limit and dearer the more you grow, so work it out at the roster you expect in a year, not the one you have.
Which coaching apps take a cut of client payments?
TrueCoach listed a flat 5% per transaction and Everfit a $9 a month payments fee plus processing, while Kahunas and Helms take no commission. With Helms the money goes straight to your own Stripe or GoCardless.
Sources: TrueCoach, Everfit, Kahunas. The full breakdown is on client payments and billing.
Which coaching apps have an Android app for clients?
Trainerize, TrueCoach, Everfit, Kahunas and PT Distinction all list an Android client app. Helms doesn't have one yet, so Android clients use the web app.
Sources: Trainerize, TrueCoach, Everfit, Kahunas, PT Distinction.
Which coaching apps let you export your client data?
Helms exports a client's whole record on every plan. Trainerize and TrueCoach export the client list as a CSV without training history, Kahunas provides data on request, and I couldn't find a coach export on the Everfit or PT Distinction sites.
Details and sources are on exporting client data.
Can I cancel these coaching apps any time?
Trainerize, TrueCoach, PT Distinction and Helms all say there's no long-term contract. Kahunas's terms say subscriptions renew automatically and you must cancel at least 48 hours before the term ends, on its website rather than in the app.
Sources: Trainerize pricing, TrueCoach pricing, PT Distinction pricing, Kahunas terms and Kahunas help.
What app should I use when I'm just starting online coaching?
Don't overthink the tech: put your current clients' programmes into any app with a free tier and ask two or three of them to go hybrid for a month, one session in person and the rest online. You'll learn more from that month than from comparing apps.
Helms is free for up to 7 clients with no card, Everfit for up to 5 and Trainerize for 1 (Everfit pricing, Trainerize pricing), so you don't need to pay anything until you have online clients.
Is coaching software worth it with only a few clients?
It is if it's free and saves you admin. Helms is free for up to 7 clients for as long as you want, with the real platform rather than a demo, so you only pay once it's earning you money.
Most coaching software prices as if everyone already has a full roster.
What should I ask before choosing coaching software?
Ask whether a set logged with no signal survives, whether history is kept for good, whether you can export everything, and whether clients pay you directly. Helms answers yes to all four, so ask the others the same four.
If you're happy in a spreadsheet with a handful of clients, stay there: it's free and it works. Software earns its place when you're losing evenings to building plans, chasing check-ins and copying numbers between apps.
Is Helms a big company?
No. Helms is a young product built and run by one founder, Logan Russo, who still coaches clients on it, so you'd be an early customer.
If you need a vendor with a hundred staff and a decade of history, pick one of the bigger platforms. If you want to talk to the person who built it, email admin@usehelms.com.
More questions
What is a good Trainerize alternative for an online fitness coach?What is a good TrueCoach alternative for an online fitness coach?What is a good Everfit alternative for an online fitness coach?What is a good Kahunas alternative for an online fitness coach?What is a good PT Distinction alternative for an online fitness coach?What is the best app for online fitness coaches in the UK?How do clients pay me, and does the platform take a cut?Last checked 2026-10-20. Written by Logan Russo, who coaches clients on Helms.