The 12 Best Personal Trainers
Where is the Best Place to Find a Personal Trainer Online?
Getting fit is one of the most significant steps toward caring for yourself. Many people find that going to the gym by themselves, though, can be overwhelming - especially if they're not sure what to do with all the machines and weights. Often even long-time gym members need help leveling up their workout and creating a targeted fitness plan for building muscle, or need support for an injury they want to strengthen.
Either way, a personal trainer is a great option to up your gym game. A talented personal trainer will whip you into shape, but on your terms and with a plan that fits your body, workout style, and goals.
Wednesday, March 26th
2025 Personal Trainer Reviews
Fitness Trainer
FitnessTrainer is a great way to find a private personal trainer that fits your needs, whether you want in-person sessions or online coaching. The platform offers a wide range of certified personal trainers with different specialties, from strength training to weight loss, and includes transparent reviews to help you make the right choice. With flexible pricing, a variety of expertise levels, and an easy-to-use matching system, FitnessTrainer earns a perfect 5-star rating as our top pick for finding personal training options that work for you.
Future Fitness
Future Fitness is a great option for those who want a personal trainer program with plenty of flexibility and accountability. You'll take a short quiz to match with a coach who fits your goals and style, whether you're into bodybuilding, sports-specific training, or just need help staying motivated. With daily check-ins, customized workouts, and a risk-free first month, Future Fitness stands out as a well-reviewed and reasonably-priced personal trainer choice for both general and specialized fitness coaching.
Forge
Forge is a great choice for beginners looking for a structured fitness and nutrition plan with virtual personal training and support. The program offers different tiers, ranging from basic check-ins to more in-depth guidance, all managed through the Forge app. You can expect a mix of strength training, cardio, and habit-building techniques from personal trainers here. While it's mostly a DIY approach with limited one-on-one time, Forge's affordability and positive reviews make it a great starting point for those new to fitness.
Trainwell
Trainwell is a top-rated online personal training platform that blends guided coaching with flexible, at-home workouts. For $129 per month, you get unlimited video calls and messaging with certified trainers who help tailor workouts to your goals, whether it's weight management, strength training, or general fitness. With outstanding user reviews, a 14-day free trial, and an easy-to-use app, Trainwell is a fantastic choice for anyone looking for personalized personal training support without needing to visit a gym.
Trainerize
Trainerize is a fitness app that connects users with certified personal trainers and major gym networks like Gold's Gym and Life Time Training. With options for in-person, online, or group training, plus specialties like bodybuilding, yoga, and rehab, there's a program for nearly every fitness goal. While individual personal trainer reviews aren't visible on Trainerize, the app itself gets top ratings for its security and legitimacy, making it a great choice for those looking for a trustworthy way to find skilled fitness professionals.
Born Fitness
Born Fitness is an online personal training program that provides customized workout and nutrition plans with weekly check-ins from certified trainers. While it offers flexibility and accountability, the program is mostly self-guided, making it ideal if you're motivated and respond well even if you don't have in-person coaching. While it can be a little costly, Born Fitness offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, allowing you some flexibility to try the personal training out. For now, Born Fitness earns an above-average rating, and we'd love to see more third-party reviews to earn a higher rating.
HitchFit
HitchFit is an online personal training platform designed for anyone looking to lose weight, build muscle, or even prepare for bodybuilding competitions. With 16 different training programs, you'll get a structured plan, weekly check-ins with the founders, and access to workout guides - but you'll need to be self-motivated since most of the program is DIY. While the upfront costs are higher than some competitors, the one-time payment model means no recurring fees, making HitchFit a solid choice for those serious about transforming their physique through personal training.
Shred
Shred uses AI to create customized workout plans for both home and gym use, with the ability to tailor the experience to your equipment and goals. While it lacks human personal trainers, it offers plenty of workout styles, tracking features, and even social challenges to keep you motivated. At just $19.99 per month (or $119.99 per year), it's an affordable way to access structured workouts, making it a great option for those who prefer a DIY approach to fitness. But, with no person involved in your "personal training” here, Shred comes out as "just average” on our list.
Thumbtack
Thumbtack is a platform that connects you with local personal trainers, giving you a hands-on fitness experience rather than relying on an app or pre-recorded workouts. You can browse personal trainers based on location, workout style, and reviews, but pricing isn't fully transparent until you contact a trainer - something to do carefully since they pay for each inquiry. While the trainers themselves get great reviews, Thumbtack as a platform has some issues with pricing for professionals, making it a decent option for finding in-person training but not the best among database-style fitness sites.
Zing Coach
Zing Coach is an AI-powered personal trainer app that creates personalized workout plans based on your goals, lifestyle, and limitations. While it offers a unique quiz-based approach to fitness planning, there's no real human trainer involved, making it best suited for self-motivated users who don't need hands-on guidance. While some appreciate the customized routines, others find the workouts repetitive and the AI execution lacking. Zing Coach is a decent option if you just need a bit of direction, but it's a poor choice for those looking for a structured DIY fitness plan or a true personal trainer.
Transform
Transform is an app-based personal training program designed for weight loss, offering calorie tracking, meal planning, and over 1,000 guided workouts. While it provides useful nutrition tools and weekly "life lessons” from the founder, it lacks the personalized coaching found in traditional personal training apps. At $14.99 per month, it's a decent option for weight management, but with mixed app reviews and a mostly DIY approach to fitness, Transform isn't the best fit for those looking for hands-on personal training.
Trainiac
Trainiac offers personalized, one-on-one coaching with certified trainers, but it's only available to Wellhub members through your employer. While you get weekly check-ins and unlimited messaging with your trainer, the program is mostly DIY, requiring you to stay on track with workouts on your own. Unfortunately, limited availability and poor app performance (especially on Android) hold Trainiac back, making it a less accessible and reliable option compared to other personal training platforms.
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A lot of folks think that personal trainers are for top athletes. And, while a personal trainer can be essential for those who need to complete specific goals for a sport or competition, a workout beginner can get just as much out of a personal trainer as a gym pro. Grabbing a personal trainer as a newbie can help you through the weeds of discovering what movements are safe for your body, how to use equipment properly, and how to see the results you want as quickly as possible.
There are innumerable benefits to getting a personal trainer (at any level). For one, you can be sure you'll have more effective workouts (workouts that serve a purpose for your body and your goals, and increased difficulty where needed to keep your body challenged). The process also includes a personalized experience where your trainer analyzes your current fitness level, health concerns, and previous injuries, and creates a tailored workout plan for your needs. Plus, your customized plan can offer you support in and out of the gym - including nutrition and recovery practices that will help you when you're not working out.
Finding a good personal trainer can be tricky, though. You'll want to make sure and check on potential candidates' education, areas of expertise, experience, and any certifications. The best certification agencies include the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NSAM), the National Exercise Trainers Association (NETA), the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), the American Council of Exercise (ACE), and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). Checking to see if your preferred personal trainer has a background in sports medicine (or a degree) is a good rule of thumb to know you're getting the proper advice from a medically-sound background.
While, at the end of the day, selecting a personal trainer is a super individualized process (you will need to like the trainer and spend a decent amount of time with him or her), we can help you get started on your search. To make sure you find the best personal trainer for your fitness goals, we've put together some factors to help you narrow the options:
- Price. Personal trainers come in a range of budgets, and costs can vary by what gym or app you're looking at or the private fees of the individual trainer. Things like the number of hours you want per week as well as the level of training you're looking for can also affect the final cost. Looking at your budget can help you gauge whether a particular personal trainer is cost-effective for you.
- Credentials. Make sure that your chosen personal trainer has the credentials you're looking for. Whether that's certification in a specific kind of sport or multiple certifications for training and sports medicine, you want to be sure your personal trainer is offering the best quality (you deserve it).
- Specialization. Checking out the specializations can help you decide if a personal trainer is right for you. Some may be great for training ballet dancers, but not ideal for weightlifting. Make sure the personal trainer or app covers what you're interested in most.
- Reputation. Does your personal trainer work at a gym with reviews? Are there testimonials for the personal training services (or better yet, reviews for the particular trainer)? Whenever you can, take into account other people's experiences with any personal trainer you're considering.
To help you find the right place to kickstart your fitness journey, Top Consumer Reviews has reviewed and ranked today's most popular platforms for hiring personal trainers online. This way you can focus on getting your gains and trusting that your trainer is there to help keep you on track!
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