Gym Class & Personal Trainers Booking System

From online booking and scheduling to client tracking and payments, these systems have everything you need to manage your business effectively. And with prices starting at just $5 per month, they're affordable for businesses of all sizes. So whether you're a one-person operation or a large studio, we’re confident there's a booking system on this list that's perfect for you.

What should Personal Trainers look for in a booking system?

The best booking software for your personal training business will be dependent on the way you choose to manage your business. Bearing this in mind, you need to consider things a few important aspects for selecting the best booking system for you. Here are some questions you should be asking yourself: 

• Do you need to accommodate group bookings or one-to-one sessions?
• Are you using your booking software to generate leads and keep in contact with your clients?
• Do you need to set up Zoom calls to check in before meeting clients in person?
• Do you require the software to automate emails and texts (which nearly all of them do) to limit the amount of missed appointments?
• Finally, how much freedom do you need to customize your brand?
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Before selecting the optimal booking software, personal trainers should ask themselves questions like these. In doing so, they ensure they don’t end up caught in a subscription to a booking software that doesn’t meet their needs.

What features do personal trainers need from a booking system? 

Given that they’re usually on the move, and don’t have time for unnecessary admin, personal trainers need a booking system with features that can effectively streamline their workload. Below are some of the key features your chosen booking system should include.

• Recurring appointments
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This feature allows trainers to receive payments on a regular basis, typically monthly, so they can more easily budget their income. In addition, the recurring payment feature can help personal trainers build up a client base more quickly.

When clients see that they can make regular payments, they may be more likely to sign up for training services. As a result, the recurring payment feature can be a valuable tool for personal trainers who are looking to grow their business.

• Automatic reminders
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The automatic reminders feature in booking systems help personal trainers by sending out reminders to clients about upcoming training sessions. This ensures clients don’t forget about their sessions and allows trainers to keep track of their schedules. In addition, the reminders can help to motivate clients to stick to their fitness goals.

By sending out reminders, personal trainers can help to increase client retention and ensure that their business remains successful.

• Cancelation and rescheduling 
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For personal trainers, having a booking system with efficient cancelation and rescheduling features can be a lifesaver. It can be a pain keeping track of client appointments and making last-minute adjustments to the schedule, but with a booking system, it's easy to see what's been canceled or rescheduled.

This can help trainers stay organized and avoid overbooking themselves or their clients. In addition, cancelation and rescheduling features can help personal trainers keep their income stable. If a client cancels last minute, the trainer can quickly fill that time slot with another client. And if a client needs to reschedule, the trainer can easily find an open time that works for both parties. 

• Good customer support
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Personal trainers are always on the go, working with different clients at different times and locations. As a result, they need a booking system that provides excellent customer support.

Having a customer support team always on hand—who can help with anything from setting up appointments to canceling or rescheduling classes—is a huge benefit. They can also provide valuable feedback on how the system is being used and suggest ways to improve it. 

What is the most popular booking system for personal trainers? 

According to G2, the most popular booking system for personal trainers is Mindbody, with a rating of 9.1 out of 10. So what makes Mindbody so popular? First of all, it's easy to use, both for trainers and clients. It's also extremely customizable, so you can really make it work for your specific business needs.

And finally, it integrates with tons of other apps and software, so you can really streamline your business. Mind Body is on our list for a good reason, but we recommend carefully checking out all the options before selecting one.

The Top 6 Best Booking Systems For Personal Trainers in 2023 are:‍

1. Baluu
2. SimplyBook
3. 10to8
4. GymCatch
5. Picktime
6. Mindbody

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1. Baluu

Founded: 2021
HQ: London

Let’s kick things off with our number one pick for personal trainers: Baluu. There are many reasons why Baluu is a great booking software for personal trainers. What makes it stand out is how comprehensive it is: it synergises a website builder, booking system, and payment provider all in one ergonomic platform. Sounds complicated? Far from it.

One of Baluu’s chief selling points is its ease of use and how easy it is to navigate. This makes it a great option for busy trainers who don't have a lot of time to learn a new, complex system. 

But don’t think this means Baluu lacks features. Whether it’s creating custom workout plans, tracking your clients’ progress, or gathering valuable customer information to improve how you run your business, Baluu offers many features that are well-suited to personal trainers. 

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Baluu’s automated review collection feature enables personal trainers to build customers' trust in their business. Additionally, customer intake forms with customisable sections let you effectively attend to the needs of your customer. For example, if a client can’t perform certain exercises or has an injury, they’re able to notify you in the booking process.

Baluu's new booking widget

Had enough of stressful integrations or booking pages that disrupt the flow of your UX? Baluu has the solution! Its fully customisable booking widget can be set up in minutes and seamlessly integrated onto your website. The app comes packed with all Baluu's features, including branding, booking management tools, reporting features, and more! Why not take advantage of Baluu's free trial and try it for yourself?

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Baluu Key Features

• Make a custom website without any coding experience.
• With Baluu's booking widget, you can rapidly create a straightforward, branded booking experience that can be integrated onto your own website.
• On client intake forms, use custom data-collection fields to gather crucial consumer data.
• Users have the ability to manage, change, and cancel their own reservations.
• Quickly organize your team with varied permissions.
• Create  discounts, implement integrated marketing strategies, and gather insights from your customers.
• You can create an unlimited number of listings with different ticket types and sell goods, gift cards, and learning kits.
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2. SimplyBook

Founded: 2011
HQ: Cyprus

SimplyBook is an online appointment booking platform designed mainly for small businesses. But the most impressive aspect to SimplyBook is its vast array of features and integrations that provide much more than simple appointment bookings. it a good choice for personal trainers who are running larger operations.

The sheer amount of features SimplyBook has makes it a good choice for personal trainers who run larger operations, or those who are seeking to scale their business with the software they use.

For example, personal trainers can integrate SimplyBook’s booking functionality with Facebook, Instagram, or Google, sell membership subscriptions, group their services into categories, issue gift vouchers and coupons, and much more. It even contains an in-built loyalty system meaning your clients can earn loyalty points upon purchases. Another great incentive for your clients to keep up their training regimen! 

Another plus for SimplyBook is that they also have a mobile app for Android and OS users which will save busy personal trainers a lot of time.

You may think, that because of its impressive array of features, SimplyBook’s interface has a steep learning curve. Not so! It actually has a highly intuitive interface that renders navigation a walk in the park. 

All things considered, SimplyBook may be one of the most versatile cloud-based appointment booking and scheduling platforms. We believe it's a good choice for personal trainers who want the option to add useful and efficient features to their booking software.
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SimplyBook Key Features

• With SSL encryption, data backups, and GDPR compliance, Simplybook ensures that client data is secure and protected.
• Create custom intake forms to collect essential information from clients during the booking process
• Personal trainers can set up custom booking policies, such as cancellation policies, minimum notice periods, and appointment buffers
• The platform offers a range of reporting and analytics tools, enabling you to track booking trends, staff performance, and other vital metrics.
• Simplybook's API and numerous integrations with popular CRM, marketing, and productivity tools allow personal trainers to streamline their workflows and centralize various processes within one platform.
• Mobile app allows you to manage bookings, staff schedules, and client information on-the-go.
• With support for multiple languages, Simplybook can cater to diverse client bases and ensure a smooth booking experience for all users, regardless of their language preference.
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3. 10to8

Founded: 2011
HQ: Cambridge, UK

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10to8 is a cloud-based booking solution for small to large businesses in all industries, including personal trainers.  Like most other booking software, it provides users with a customized booking website where clients can schedule appointments, pay for events and services, and access existing bookings. 

Clients can easily schedule, reschedule or cancel appointments as desired. Additionally, appointments are automatically synched with user calendars, and 10to8 can also integrate with apps like Outlook, iCal, and Gmail, as well as Microsoft Teams (which few available booking systems integrate with). One of the benefits of using 10to8  is the option to maintain multiple calendars. 

Personal trainers can send email and text message reminders to their clients, and also store questionnaires, notes, and other client data that can radically improve their business management. It’s easy to embed booking buttons and forms into your existing website. And you’re also able to access a direct chat feature to talk with clients. Perfect for personal trainers who need to give their clients a motivational nudge! 

Another great aspect of 10to8 is its reporting features. These enable you to easily track thighs like unpaid bills and confirmed appointments. 10to8 also offers multi-language support that can help with technical issues and enable you to customize your dashboard. 

Overall, 10to8 is a great appointment scheduling software for personal trainers who need to manage their appointments, customers, and finances all in one place.
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10to8 Key Features

• Easy appointment scheduling with a user-friendly interface, allowing you and your clients to book appointments without any hassle.
• Customizable booking pages can be tailored to match your brand identity and create a professional, consistent experience for your clients.
• Seamless integration with popular calendar apps like Google Calendar, Outlook, and iCal, ensuring you and your team stay up to date with all appointments and avoid double bookings.
• A wide range of communication options, including automated email and SMS reminders, helping reduce no-shows and keeping clients informed about their upcoming appointments.
• The ability to manage multiple staff, locations, and services, providing you with the flexibility to handle complex scheduling needs with ease.
• Secure online payment processing, enabling you to accept payments from clients directly through the booking platform, simplifying transactions and improving cash flow.
• Comprehensive reporting and analytics tools, giving you valuable insights into booking trends, staff performance, and other crucial data to help optimize your business operations.

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4. GymCatch 

Founded: 2017
HQ: London

Designed specifically for fitness providers, at a glance, GymCatch appears like just another organisational tool. But don’t be deceived! While it offers many of the features you’d expect from a booking system—make client bookings, schedule events and classes, send notifications, etc.— this is just a small part of what the software offers.

For one thing, GymCatch has a great smartphone app that allows you to keep in regular touch with clients, greatly reducing the potential for miscommunications and no-shows.

Gym Catch allows you to schedule classes and one-to-one sessions through the app, and you’re also able to recieve payments securely in advance of your sessions. This can help to manage your cash flow. The app also makes cancellations and refunds a walk in the park. 

Additionally Gym Catch doubles up as an effective CRM tool, letting you access relevant client data that enables you to monitor their fitness journey. All it takes a couple of taps on the touchscreen to gain access to clients’ progress, meaning you can tweak your program as and when.

Personal trainers often lose clients when the latter lose motivation and lose sight of their targets. This is where Gym Catch shines, giving you all you need to keep your customers accountable and improve client retention.

Gym Catch has a large range of useful features, including their rewards system, the ability to create bundles, passes, and free trails for customers with customizable t&cs, waiting lists, and much more.

Given that Gym Catch is specifically designed with fitness professionals in mind, we believe many of its features will serve your business well. This makes it a great pick for personal trainers in need of that je ne sais quoi that might be missing from the competition.  

Gymcatch Key Features

• Intuitive booking and class management that makes it simple for you and your clients to schedule classes, courses, and appointments, reducing the time spent on administrative tasks.
• Customizable booking pages that enable you to maintain a consistent brand image and provide a professional-looking platform for your clients to interact with.
• The ability to offer a variety of pricing options, such as pay-as-you-go, class bundles, and memberships, giving you the flexibility to cater to different client preferences and maximize your revenue.
• A user-friendly mobile app that allows you and your clients to manage bookings, view schedules, and track attendance on-the-go, providing greater convenience and flexibility.
• Comprehensive reporting tools that offer insights into class attendance, revenue, and customer behavior, helping you make data-driven decisions to optimize your business operations.
• The option to create custom promotional codes and discounts, enabling you to attract new clients and incentivize repeat bookings.
• Integration with popular social media platforms and website builders, allowing you to promote your classes and services across various channels and streamline your marketing efforts.

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5. Picktime

Founded: 2018
HQ: California

Though Picktime is a free appointment scheduling software that caters mainly for photographers, it is also used by business across a wide range of sectors. Whether you run your PT operation alone or have a large team, Picktime enables you to manage your schedule and take bookings with ease.

Once you’ve got a handle on it, you’ll quickly notice how seamless PickTime’s user interface is. It gives you a high degree of customizability requiring zero coding experience requires. All it takes is a quick glance at your dashboard to get a comprehensive overview of your schedule and all your bookings. Perfect for personal trainers with a variety of fitness regimens, you can also schedule bookings according to category. 

For PTs with larger operations, the ability to add multiple reps and employees is also a great feature. More features include recurring appointments,  multiple location access, a one-click book now button for your website,  automated email and reminders, integration with your Facebook page, and more.

Aside from its relatively steep learning curve, there aren’t many drawbacks to using Picktime, and we believe it's a worthy option for PTs looking for a booking software that’s slicker and more comprehensive than most.
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Picktime key Features

• Customizable booking policies, allowing you to set up rules for cancellations, rescheduling, and minimum notice periods, helping you establish clear expectations for your clients and minimize scheduling conflicts.
• The option to create custom intake forms to collect essential client information during the booking process, streamlining data collection and improving client management.
• Social media and website integration that enables you to promote your services and make booking appointments even more accessible for your clients, increasing engagement and convenience.
• A dedicated support team can provide timely assistance and ensure you can make the most of Picktime's features to manage and grow your business effectively.
• The ability to manage multiple staff, services, and locations, providing the flexibility you need to handle various scheduling scenarios with ease.
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6. Mindbody

Founded: 2001
HQ: California

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Mindbody is the most popular booking system among those in the fitness and health and wellness space, and it’s easy to see why. Providing an all-in-one software solution for personal trainers, Mindbody has been steadily improving over the last decade and now offers a comprehensive and easy-to-use booking software well-suited to your needs.

The platform provides a large variety of useful tools, including (but not limited to) employee management, marketing, payment processing, and online booking. Personal trainers can feel safe in the knowledge that the app was tailored specifically for businesses in their sector, allowing them to customize their events, classes, and plans in an appropriate way.

As one of the leaders of the industry you’d expect Mindbody to have an impressive array of features, and that they do. This includes class and member scheduling, staff and payroll management, virtual live classes,  personalized marketing tools, helpful reporting tools, and more

Another great feature is the ClassPass which allows personal trainers to acquire instant access to countless potential prospects and clients. Considering over 3.7 million fitness classes are booked on the Mindbody app alone, you can get amazing visibility and engagement. For PTs just starting out or operating alone, simply using the Mindbody app can quickly generate new streams of revenue.

Additionally, while not as advanced as Baluu, Mindbody allows you to create a fully branded app, without forking out developer fees.

All things considered, due to how expensive it is we believe Mindbody is only really suitable for personal trainers with large-scale operations. But if can afford what Mindbody can offer you in the way of exponential growth, it could well be worth the price of admission. 
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Mindbody Key Features

• Mindbody's built-in point of sale (POS) system makes it easy to sell products and services, track inventory, and manage transactions.
• Comprehensive reporting and analytics tools toffer valuable insights into booking trends, revenue, staff performance, and other crucial data, helping you make data-driven decisions to optimize your business operations.
• Manage multiple staff, services, and locations, providing the flexibility you need to cater to various scheduling needs and efficiently coordinate your team.
• Customizable client profiles enable you store and manage essential client information, track their history, and build stronger relationships.
• A robust marketing suite, including tools for email marketing, reputation management, and social media integration, empowering you to promote your services and attract new clients.
• Client retention tools, such as loyalty programs and referral rewards, enabling you to encourage repeat business and foster long-term relationships with your clients.

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Conclusion

Before selecting one of the above options, you should ask yourself some important questions. What kind of PT are you? Do you use your local gym, see clients at your home or theirs, or have your own large studio? Do you have staff and a large number of clients, or do you work solo and have relatively few?

What features and functionality would help to streamline your workload, and what would be superfluous? When opting for the booking software that suits your specific needs, you need to factor elements like this into your decision. So, choose carefully, and reap the benefits of what an online booking system has to offer. Now drop and give me 50! Just kidding.

*all pricing mentioned in this article was taken from the aforementioned company websites and was accurate at the time of writing (21/03/2023) but may have now changed.

Need more advice on your booking setup? Read some of our related guides below: 
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• Top 10 Best Booking Systems For Small Businesses
• How To Start A Personal Trainer Business: The Ultimate Guide
• Top 5 Best Personal Trainer Business Plan Templates
• Top 15 Personal Trainer Marketing Ideas To Get New Clients
• How To Open A Personal Trainer Studio: The Ultimate Guide
• 500 Name Ideas for a Personal Trainer Business (Free to Use)