What should personal trainer scheduling software do?
Start with how you sell sessions, because that rules out more tools than any feature list. Four jobs separate software that works for a trainer from software built for one-off appointments.
- Session packs: a client buys 10 sessions once, books against the balance, and both of you can see what is left.
- Travel time: availability follows each gym or home you train at, with a gap between sessions so nobody books you across town in 15 minutes.
- A cancellation rule: the client agrees to your window before paying, so a late cancel is settled by the policy and not by a conversation.
- Payment at booking: the card is handled when the session is booked, so you are not chasing Venmo after a workout.
Which scheduling apps can sell session packs?
"Not listed" means we did not find the feature on the pricing page or help pages we checked. It does not prove the feature is missing, so ask the company if packs are a deal breaker.
| Tool | Starting price | Session packs | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| CoachGrow (ours) | $19/mo after a 7-day free trial, plus 0.99% of direct bookings | Yes, with an optional expiry | Solo trainers who also need new clients |
| Square Appointments | Free; Plus $49/month | Plus and up | Single sessions and card payments |
| Acuity Scheduling | $16/month billed yearly |
What does each option cost over a year?
The monthly price hides the plan you actually need, so this table uses the lowest plan we could confirm covers a trainer with 10 sessions a week. The CoachGrow figure is its plan price and leaves out its 0.99% of direct bookings.
Card processing is left out because every tool charges it and rates vary. Square, for example, charges 2.6% plus 15 cents in person on its free plan and 2.5% plus 15 cents on Plus. [1]
| Tool and plan | Cost for a year | Sell session packs? |
|---|---|---|
| CoachGrow (ours) | $228 | Yes |
| Square Appointments Free | $0 | No, Plus and up |
| Setmore Pro, 1 user | $60 | Not listed |
| Calendly Standard, 1 seat |
Booking and calendar apps
These put an open calendar in front of clients and take payment. None of them writes workouts.
Square Appointments: The free plan covers online booking, reminders, and card payments, which is enough if clients pay per session. Packages that apply at checkout need Plus at $49 a month. [1][2]
Acuity Scheduling: Starter is $16 a month billed yearly for one calendar, with no packages listed. Standard is $27 billed yearly, or $34 billed monthly, and adds packages, memberships, and text reminders. [3]
Setmore: Free for up to four users with one email reminder and no deposits. Pro adds text reminders and deposits at $5 per user a month billed yearly. [4]
SimplyBook.me: The free plan includes 50 bookings and one provider, and Basic is $11.90 a month billed yearly for 100 bookings. It offers a Packages feature that clients can buy and book against, but the page does not say which plan includes it. [5][6]
Training apps that also schedule
If you deliver programs between sessions, a training app may replace a separate calendar. Check how the booking is priced, because it is not always in the base plan.
ABC Trainerize: Workouts and client messaging, with appointments left out of the free plan. Grow is $9 a month for two clients and Pro starts at $23 for five, though the same page also quotes $10 and $25. Shareable booking links and video calls sit in a Business add-on at $25 a month. [10]
My PT Hub: Workouts, nutrition, one-to-one bookings, and payments in one app. Starter is $25 a month, or $22.50 billed yearly, for three clients. Premium is $59, or $52 billed yearly, for unlimited clients and adds group bookings. [11]
Mindbody: Software for fitness businesses with staff and rooms. Starter includes booking widgets, a website, and a listing on the Mindbody app. Prices start at $79 a month per location, and higher plans are by quote. [12]
Where does CoachGrow fit?
CoachGrow is made by TeachMe.To, which also publishes this guide, so weigh this section with that in mind.
CoachGrow is for a trainer who wants the calendar and the marketing in one place. Availability follows each location with a travel buffer, clients pay when they book, your cancellation window is enforced at checkout, and packs track their own balance. The same $19 a month plan includes a booking website, listings on Google and other directories, review requests, and follow-ups with past clients. It adds 0.99% of each direct booking plus card processing, and ad spend is separate.
It does not write workouts, track macros, or give clients a training app. If you program for clients between sessions, pair it with a training app or choose one that includes booking.
How should a personal trainer choose?
If clients pay per session and you have enough of them, start with the free Square plan. There is no reason to pay for features you will not use.
If most of your income comes from packs, compare Acuity Standard, Square Plus, and CoachGrow, since all three list session packs.
If clients train from your programs between sessions, look at My PT Hub or Trainerize first and price in any scheduling add-on.
If your calendar has empty hours, scheduling software will not fill them. Look at the cost of getting clients before you compare calendars.
Sources
- Square. Square Appointments pricing. Accessed November 6, 2026.
- Square. Sell and redeem packages. Accessed November 6, 2026.
- Acuity Scheduling. Acuity Scheduling pricing. Accessed November 6, 2026.
- Setmore. Setmore pricing. Accessed November 6, 2026.
- SimplyBook.me. SimplyBook.me pricing. Accessed November 6, 2026.
- SimplyBook.me. Scheduling software with packages. Accessed November 6, 2026.
- Calendly. Calendly pricing. Accessed November 6, 2026.
- Vagaro. Vagaro pricing. Accessed November 6, 2026.
- Vagaro. Vagaro online store. Accessed November 6, 2026.
- ABC Trainerize. Trainerize pricing. Accessed November 6, 2026.