What is a personal trainer?

A personal trainer works with clients to design plans for exercise, nutrition and/or flexibility goals. While anyone can say that they're a personal trainer, certain certifications can demonstrate that they've put in the work to learn best practices for working with clients effectively and safely. Look for a personal trainer with certification(s) from NASM, ACE, ISSA, NFPT, or ACSM, which are widely recognized as experts in the industry.

How often should I work with a personal trainer?

That will depend on you. What are your goals? What is your current level of fitness/experience? Most experts recommend meeting with a trainer for 1-2 sessions a week for up to 6 weeks, especially if you're a beginner. But, if you are fairly comfortable with working out - you know how to do various exercises with good form and just need someone to give you a structured plan - you might be able to cut that timeframe down.

Can a personal trainer help me with nutrition?

Yes and no. If your trainer is also certified within the nutrition field, he or she can prescribe meal plans. However, most personal trainers don't have dual certifications and can only make nutrition suggestions based on gym performance or weight loss/muscle gain efforts - like recommending that you count macros, get enough rest and water, and when to time your meals based on your exercise schedule. If you want a day-to-day schedule of what to eat, you'll need to work with a nutritionist in addition to your personal trainer in most cases.

Where can I find a personal trainer?

If you have a gym membership, there are probably options for working one-on-one with a trainer on staff there - but that might not be the best way to get a personal trainer that's well-suited to your personality, needs and goals. We recommend using an online personal trainer site, either to find highly-recommended professionals in your area or to choose a virtual program you can use at your convenience.

Are there personal trainers I can work with virtually?

Absolutely! While you'll lose the advantage of having someone right next to you in the gym, you gain plenty of perks. Virtual personal training is often much less expensive than an in-person format, and you get much more customized workout plans. This is a great option if you're working out at home or need options you can take on the road with you.

Can I work with a personal trainer if I don't have a gym membership?

Yes. There's a growing network of personal trainers who specialize in providing in-home workouts. Even if you choose an online personal trainer, you can tell them what equipment you have at home if any, and they'll design a plan that incorporates whatever you have available. There are plenty of exercises that can be done simply with your own bodyweight!

How much does it cost to work with a personal trainer?

That depends on many different factors. If you choose an in-person trainer, you can expect hourly rates anywhere from $20 to $100+, while online/virtual personal training is typically $200/month or less. For face-to-face personal training, rates are impacted by the experience level of the trainer you choose and your geographic area as well.

Do personal trainers offer any kind of satisfaction guarantee?

Sometimes. It's more common to find free trials, satisfaction guarantees and refund policies when you choose an online personal training platform. In-person trainers usually charge as you go; you wouldn't get money back for training sessions that already happened, but you wouldn't have to pay for future sessions if you were unhappy with the service. And, of course, no personal trainer is going to guarantee specific results - since what you do the other 23 hours of the day is going to have a big impact on your success, beyond what you accomplish in your personal training sessions.

Future Fitness Review for August 2026 | Best Personal Trainers

Item: Future Fitness Review
Rating: 4.5
Author: Top Consumer Reviews

Thursday, August 13th We evaluate products and services based on unbiased research. Top Consumer Reviews may earn money when you click on a link. Learn more about our process.

2026 Personal Trainer Reviews

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.

4.5

GREAT

Great

Future Fitness

Monthly cost: $199
All trainers are certified or have relevant degrees
Many trainers have PhDs
Online training
Daily check-ins
Fitness and nutrition
Specialized training programs offered
Sports training offered
30-day money-back guarantee
4.9-star average rating

GREAT

4.5

On the Future Fitness website

Future Fitness keeps its motto simple: never skip a workout again. Promising you a fitness coach, accountability partner, and motivation buddy all rolled into one, this online personal trainer platform is designed to offer you a week-by-week plan made just for you by your personal trainer. Future Fitness has different on-staff personal trainers (who they call coaches), and if one of them stands out to you as a good fit, you can request to work with that individual. The coaches all provide a full pedigree and area(s) of expertise, and many of the staff hold PhDs in exercise science.

Focus on whatever fitness style works for you

Depending on which personal trainer you choose, you can get a different workout style. Future Fitness offers fitness filters for coaching style with options like detail-oriented, high energy, laid-back, or results-oriented, expertise options with specializations like bodybuilding, combat sports, dance, crossfit, and more. You can also find Future Fitness coaches who specialize in particular sports if you want to improve. These include baseball, football, golf, hockey, and others.

Pick your coach with the help of a quiz

Getting started on Future Fitness begins with a 3-minute quiz. The quiz takes into account your fitness goals, your current fitness level, reasons for starting up with a personal trainer, and what your reasons are if you've struggled with being motivated in fitness before. You can also enter if you have a preferred gender for your personal trainer. At the end, you'll be shown your best matches based on your quiz answers. You can either check out one of these trainers or pick your coach later.

$99 for the first month, $199 thereafter

Future Fitness has a reasonable cost per month which makes it simple to get started. The first month (for all the coaching features) is $99. This way you get started without too many costs. After your first month, the price goes up to $199 per month, and you can cancel at any time. Future Fitness also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so the first month acts like a free trial. This price covers all the nutrition and fitness plans, plus daily check-ins with your trainer.

A blended approach

Future Fitness is a good blend of DIY and guided coaching. Your coach will chat with you daily to check in and keep you motivated, but you have the freedom to work out any time during the day that works for you. You can work out in a gym or at home, and create your own schedule. But, there's still accountability and professionally-backed suggestions from your personal trainer.

Comes highly recommended by clients

The reviews for Future Fitness are highly positive. On the mobile apps, Future Fitness has an impressive 4.9-star average out of 5. With almost 10,000 individual reviews, customers praise the approach of the app for increasing their motivation to work out, keeping them engaged in week-to-week plans, and for the impressive customer service and friendliness of the staff. It's hard to find any recent negative reviews for Future Fitness. While we couldn't find a BBB rating for this business, it is a fan favorite with clients who leave comments in most reviews recommending the program to others.

Perfect for niche and general fitness

If you're looking for a reasonably-priced option where you get plenty of time to talk to your trainer, Future Fitness is a great site to check out. The blended approach allows you the flexibility to work out on your own time and choose a personal trainer who meshes with your personality. With a 30-day money-back guarantee, your first month is a trial period, giving you a no-stress option to try out personal training without worrying about the costs. While it goes up to just under $200 per month after the first 30 days, this is still highly competitive for the perks (especially if you're looking for specialized workout advice for a sport or particular activity). For these reasons, Future Fitness earns a very high score in our review.

On the Future Fitness website

Continued from above...

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.

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!

Future Fitness Review: Personal Trainers

2026 Personal Trainer Reviews

Future Fitness

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