Best Online Personal Trainers

Forge Fitness is a great option for beginners or those who do not have access to a gym. It is less expensive than other personalized online training programs and offers many of the same features, including video sessions and unlimited in-app messaging.

We also liked that Forge has a registered dietitian on staff, which is important if you have special dietary restrictions or health concerns like diabetes or heart disease. The dietitian will ensure that you have an appropriate meal plan for your needs. 

The workouts are tailored to your fitness level and are designed to work with your home equipment. Only have a pair of dumbbells and a resistance band? No problem; your trainer will develop a program that works. All programs include video demonstrations and in-app messaging. 

Forge Fitness programs start at $125/month. For $175/month, the Complete plan includes two calls a month with a trainer, while the Premium plan includes weekly calls for $225/month.

All plans include personalized workouts, as well as a choice from four nutrition plans. You can message your trainer anytime through the Forge app for free. 

Every Forge coach or dietitian is fully certified and licensed through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), American Council on Exercise (ACE), or the National Exercise and Sports Trainers Association (NESTA). You can cancel your program anytime with 10 days’ notice, but there is no money-back guarantee.

Girls Gone Strong (GGS) uses GGS teaching principles to develop extensive personalized programs for clients. Programs include cardio workouts and strength training for women, mindset coaching, and nutrition guidance. There are no meal plans; instead, the focus is on teaching you the skills you need to make nutritious food choices. There is also a heavy emphasis on building a healthy lifestyle and practicing good habits. 

Molly Galbraith, certified strength and conditioning specialist and co-founder of Girls Gone Strong, leads the online training program. Trainers have completed the GGS women’s coaching specialist certification and are taught how to address common issues that many women encounter while working out.

Plans start at $299.99 a month for 12 months or $199 per month when you buy during a pre-sale. Long-term commitments are encouraged; if you pay $1,999 for the annual plan, you can reduce your monthly cost to about $167 per month.

Girls Gone Strong has open enrollment twice a year, and the website states that spots are limited. It does not offer virtual sessions, just online programming and communication through its app. Lastly, GGS offers a money-back guarantee if you complete the 12-month program and are not satisfied with your results.

Yoga with Adriene, led by Adriene Mishler, is one of the most popular yoga channels on YouTube, and for a good reason. Her relatable persona and come-as-you-are routines invite yogis to "find what feels good." That motto has evolved into an app that includes a huge database of yoga routines by both Mishler and guest teachers. 

While there is no one-on-one coaching in the Find What Feels Good program, there is guidance. Users can follow the monthly 30-day yoga plans, search by the physical symptom they want to work on, or connect to the FWFG community for inspiration. Subscriber-only content includes yoga for kids, guided meditations, Pilates, and practices focused on building strength. 

Find What Feels Good is perfect for someone who is interested in taking their practice a step beyond the free content available on YouTube and who wants to have access to guest teachers that align with Mishler’s brand of accessible practice.

With a low monthly fee, the app offers value without a major commitment. Plans start at $12.99 per month or $129.99 per year.

If you need a little more than just a suggested workout routine, Future is the solution. After you sign up and match with a coach through a video call, your coach will design a weekly workout plan based on your favorite activities and goals. They will also track your progress through the Future app, which connects to your smart watch's health-tracking capabilities. 

This provides the ultimate accountability, and it also allows your trainer to see what’s working and what isn’t. As your endurance and skill increase, your trainer can change the plan to suit you. You’ll have access to frequent check-ins with your trainer too, so if you have questions or need modifications, you can make those in real-time. 

There is one drawback to Future. It doesn’t offer any nutritional advice, so users may have to consult with a dietitian if they need help with healthy eating. The Future Training plan costs $199 per month and includes unlimited workouts.

Trainerize is different from the other companies mentioned as it does not employ trainers but rather serves as a third-party app connecting trainers to clients. Users can search the Trainerize database for a trainer that fits their goals and personality. Once they connect, trainers can invite users to log into the Trainerize app.

The app itself is very user-friendly and allows the trainer to upload your workouts to your calendar, provide exercise demonstration videos, and view photos and body stats. It also gives you the option to log your workouts and message your trainer at any time. 

You can sync the app with other health apps like MyFitnessPal and Apple Watch, so all your data is in one place for your trainer to see. Pricing is dependent on who you hire and can range from free challenges to $500-per-month specialized programs. The app has the option for in-app video calls and the ability to run group coaching programs. 

Unfortunately, trainers are not vetted before joining Trainerize; there is no guarantee that you are hiring someone as qualified as you believe them to be. It is important to do your research, check their social media, read their website, and look for honest reviews. Many highly qualified fitness professionals on Trainerize can give you the personalized help and support you need, but the online fitness industry has been diluted with fitness “experts” with no reputable certification, so make sure you know who you are hiring. 

If you are looking to support a personal trainer in your town, you can search by ZIP code and seek out virtual services from local small businesses.

Brought to you by the extreme transformation trainer Chris Powell, the Transform app is an inexpensive online training program. The app, which is available on the App Store and Google Play, allows you to customize your workout plan and choose your meal plan, and offers an easy-to-use interface to help you reach your goals. 

You can choose your preferred workout (home, gym, dance, or cross-training) and set your calorie and meal plan preferences. The workouts are easy to follow, user-friendly, and have a built-in timer and the ability to track your stats after each workout.

The app also has a nutrition feature where you can track your food and view macros and calories for the day. You can plan your meals for the week from the recipes database and put together a weekly grocery shopping list. The app subscription is $14.99 per month, with discounts for purchasing longer terms. Unlike the other programs, this does not include access to a coach, virtual sessions, or in-app messaging. 

If you simply need a great plan to follow, have some experience with exercise, and do not need someone checking in on you, then this app is a good fit. The meal planning feature is also helpful, with a database of more than 600 recipes, weekly meal plans, and the ability to create grocery lists and track macros. 

Chris Powell is a celebrity trainer with a great personality, making his workout demonstration videos the best we have seen.