Shred Review: Personal Trainers

We've analyzed the best Personal Trainers to help you find the right solution for your needs.

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.

3.0

AVERAGE

8

Average

  • Monthly cost: $19.99
  • AI-based trainer
  • Online training
  • App-based
  • Fitness and nutrition
  • All-around fitness focus
  • Connect with friends and family
  • 4.8-star average rating

AVERAGE

3.0

On the Shred website

Billing itself as "elite digital training," Shred is a personal trainer app that's earned renown from magazines and online publications like Men'sHealth, GQ, and Rolling Stone. Shred offers programs for both the gym and your home with an AI-powered digital fitness trainer. You'll have everything you need in the palm of your hand, and Shred allows you to customize the workouts based on the equipment you already have (and hey, if that's zero equipment yet, don't worry - there's workouts for that).

Standard workout focus

The main focus at Shred is general fitness tracking. You can choose from options like Classic, Athlete, CrossShred, Bulk, Tone, and Lean-up, so that you can decide what kind of exercises suit your fitness goals. You can also change the duration, and see a workout preview before you pick your sets for the day. The AI personal trainer will suggest options based on your preferences, and you can find different series with workout collections. There's also a social aspect to the app where you can sync workouts with friends and challenge your loved ones to workout competitions.

Best Personal Trainers

Costs $19.99 per month

There are two different ways to join Shred's personal training program: on a monthly payment plan or a yearly payment plan. Notably, the cost is lower at Shred than with competitors, but since you don't have access to a human personal trainer, and instead are taught primarily through the app, this price difference makes more sense. The monthly unlimited access plan is $19.99. The annual cost is $119.99. If you sign up with the annual plan, you can also access a 7-day free trial. Shred does offer a free membership, but there is very limited access to the app this way.

100% DIY

Regrettably, if you're not into DIY workouts, this will not be your jam. The personal trainer at Shred is just an AI assistant. There isn't a human that you connect with during the process. While this can be great for someone just getting started who doesn't have a lot of gym equipment or those who want to gamify their workouts with friends, if you're expecting a flesh and blood personal trainer to give you tips, you're out of luck here.

Highly rated for effective workouts

On the bright side, Shred has an impressive reputation in mobile app stores. It currently holds a 4.6-star average on the Google Play store and a 4.8-star average on the Apple App Store. Customers love the ease of use of the app and the massive variety of effective workouts that are simple to follow. The only complaint is that the program doesn't always tailor everything exactly right. For example, one client said that her choices for what equipment she had at her house weren't taken into account for the suggested workouts, so she wasn't able to do all the planned exercises in her daily sets. However, it was easy to change to another compatible exercise.

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Not exactly a trainer, but worth a shot

While Shred isn't a traditional personal trainer, it does have some fun quirks that make it worth checking out. AI-driven workouts might be the new future, who knows? All we can say is that fitness fans who are using Shred already love the program and are making progress on their fitness goals. With overwhelmingly positive reviews, Shred is making a mark in modern fitness. However, if you're hoping for a human personal trainer, you'll need to look elsewhere. For missing the mark on human personal training (besides being a fantastic workout app), Shred gets a middle-of-the-road rating in our review, but it's definitely worth a look if you're hoping for a low-cost way to enjoy guided fitness.

On the Shred 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:

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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Personal Trainer FAQ

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.

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