You’ve got a lot on your plate as a personal trainer. Whether building custom workout plans for your clients, scheduling training sessions, or trying to keep on top of your marketing and admin…your to-do list grows along with your business!
This is a good problem to have. But staying on top of everything requires a new mindset and approach, including the ability to work smarter, not harder.
As you already know, financial management is key to running a successful fitness business. Keeping track of income, expenses, invoicing, and tax obligations can quickly become overwhelming—especially as your client base grows.
This is where personal trainer accounting software is game-changing. In this post, we’ll dive into why integrated accounting software is essential for personal trainers looking to scale their operations and their profits. Let’s get into it.
What Is Financial Management and Why Is It Important?
First, financial management involves tracking all money flowing in and out of your business.
While monitoring finances may not be why you became a personal trainer, adopting a growth mindset around financial literacy is necessary for building a bulletproof business. 🙌
Evidently, proper financial management provides several key benefits, such as:
✅ It balances the books
Accurate records of your income, expenses, profits, and losses allow you to make smart, data-driven decisions to optimize your personal training business. With up-to-date financials, you’ll always know how your business is actually performing.
Check Out: The Ultimate Pricing Guide for Personal Trainers
✅ It saves you time and energy
Accounting software handles boring tasks like invoicing, payments, and bookkeeping in less time, with just a few clicks. This frees you up to focus on coaching clients and growing your business.
✅ It keeps everything organized AF
Stay organized as you scale. Personal trainer accounting software centralizes the flow of money in and out of your business. You’ll never lose track of client invoices, tax documents, or overdue payments again!
✅ It makes tax time easier
No more scrambling to gather your financial info. Proper records help you comply with IRS regulations and maximize deductions come tax season.
Bottom line: The financial health of your personal training business is too important to neglect. The right software solutions allow you to run a lean, profitable operation while avoiding costly mistakes.
Check Out: How to Navigate Tax Season for Personal Trainers
What Is Personal Trainer Accounting Software, and Why Do I Need It?
Running a personal training business, you probably already use software for scheduling, client communication, progress tracking, and more.
You already know that working smarter, not harder in your business is key—and this includes leveraging accounting software to properly manage your finances.
Personal trainers wear many hats: coach, wellness guru, marketer, salesperson. Using accounting software prevents money management from becoming another overwhelming task on your growing to-do list.
This software helps automate tedious financial tasks like:
- Invoicing and payments
- Income and expense tracking
- Tax prep
- Payroll (if you have a team)
- Reporting and analytics
Still not sold on the idea? Consider some of the real benefits of using accounting software—which honestly pay for themselves:
🤑 Get paid faster
With online invoicing and payment processing, accounting software makes it easier for your clients to pay you quickly.
💪 Look professional
Customized invoices reinforce your brand identity and showcase your attention to detail.
😮💨 Handle late payments with ease
No more chasing late payments—automated reminders take care of them for you.
For an extra assist, why not seek the services of a bookkeeper or accountant.? Their expertise can help keep your finances in check as your business grows.
Read More: How to Navigate Tax Season for Personal Trainers
The Best Personal Trainer Accounting Software to Choose From
When choosing accounting software, we recommend considering your business size, location(s), team members, and financial management needs.
(If you’re a solo trainer, you may just need basic invoicing and expense tracking, while a multi-trainer gym requires more advanced capabilities like payroll, inventory, and reporting.)
Still wondering what is the best accounting software for small business? Here are 7 top options for personal trainers to consider:
Option #1: Intuit QuickBooks
QuickBooks Online is one of the most popular accounting solutions for small businesses and independent trainers. Also, its user-friendly interface and well-rounded features make financial tracking super simple.
Pros:
✔ Easy for non-accountants to learn and use
✔ Handles income, expenses, invoicing, and payments
✔ Generates helpful financial reports
✔ Integrates with personal training software like ABC Trainerize
Cons:
❌ Multiple pricing tiers limit some features
❌ Advanced functions involve a learning curve
Pricing: Starts at $35/month for self-employed trainers and goes up to $235/month for larger businesses.
Summary: QuickBooks is perfect for solo personal trainers or small studios. The affordable cost, intuitive design, and popular integrations make it software you can grow with.
Option #2: Xero
All things considered, Xero is a modern, streamlined accounting solution designed specifically for freelancers, solopreneurs, and independent contractors like personal trainers.
Pros:
✔ Starter plan for basics like invoicing and expense tracking
✔ Clean, mobile-friendly interface
✔ Automates taxes by tracking income and expenses
✔ Easy-to-understand pricing structure
Cons:
❌ Limited features compared to more robust software
❌ No built-in payroll capabilities for businesses with employees
Pricing: $15/month for the Early plan or $78/month for the Established plan with advanced tools, including multi-currency payments and analytics.
Summary: Xero is ideal for personal trainers operating as sole proprietors or single-person businesses, especially those in the early stages.
Option #3: Wave
Wave is a cloud-based accounting solution packed with great features for small business owners, making it popular for personal trainers of all types!
Pros:
✔ Completely free Starter Plan for basic invoicing and bookkeeping
✔ Unlimited estimates, invoices, bills, and bookkeeping records
✔ Generates reports for taxes, profit and loss, etc.
✔ Ease of use
Cons:
❌ Free version has ads and limited integrations
❌ Online payments subject to eligibility criteria
❌ Add-ons for payroll and digital receipt capture involve extra fees
Pricing: 100% free for the Starter Plan. The Pro Plan starts at $20 CAD per month, with the ability to add on payroll from $25 per month.
Summary: Wave is an excellent choice for solo personal trainers or small studios operating on lean budgets.
Option #4: FreshBooks
FreshBooks is a user-friendly invoicing and accounting solution designed specifically for service-based small businesses like personal training.
Pros:
✔ Extremely simple and intuitive interface
✔ Automates recurring invoicing for training packages
✔ Time tracking tools for billing hourly sessions
✔ Unlimited estimates and expense tracking
Cons:
❌ Add-ons for team members, payments, and payroll
❌ Can’t remove FreshBooks branding without enterprise plan
Pricing: Starts at $22/month for basic invoicing and goes up to $60/month for more advanced features.
Summary: FreshBooks’ clean design and small business focus make it especially PT-friendly.
Option #5: Oracle NetSuite
Oracle NetSuite is a comprehensive business management platform with powerful accounting tools for larger, more complex fitness businesses.
Pros:
✔ Handles accounting, finances, client management, and more
✔ Provides a real-time view across all business areas
✔ Scalable for multi-location and multinational companies
✔ Customizable to unique processes and needs
Cons:
❌ Too robust and pricey for smaller fitness businesses
❌ Steep learning curve for non-tech savvy users
Pricing: To get an accurate estimate, you’ll need to speak with a NetSuite representative directly about your accounting needs. However, it appears that the platform starts at approximately $99 per user per month, plus a $999 monthly licensing fee.
Summary: This industrial-strength solution is ideal for large fitness businesses with significant resources.
Option #6: Sage
Sage offers cloud-based accounting solutions designed to meet the needs of small businesses across different industries.
Pros:
✔ Scalable set of accounting tools from basic to advanced
✔ Excellent customer support and learning resources
✔ Options for inventory management and tracking
Cons:
❌ Slightly more complex interface than some competitors
❌ Additional costs for payroll and HR add-ons
❌ Limited third party integrations
Pricing: Plans start at $19/month for simple invoicing and go up to $62/month for advanced features like multi-currency and inventory management.
Summary: Sage is a great option for personal trainers running larger studios or growing fitness businesses.
Option #7: Zoho Books
Zoho Books has an impressive set of bookkeeping and accounting tools for businesses of all sizes.
Pros:
✔ Handles every aspect of accounting from invoicing to inventory
✔ Excellent mobile app for on-the-go accounting
✔ Packed with automations to save time on repetitive tasks
✔ Integrates seamlessly with Google Workspace
Cons:
❌ Restricted number of users on the account
❌ Advanced features only available on higher plan tiers
❌ Limited integrations
Pricing: Starts at $0/month for basic invoicing (dependent on your annual revenue), going up to $350/month for the full-featured Ultimate plan.
Summary: Personal trainers who already use and love Google Workspace will enjoy using Zoho Books. It’s a software that grows alongside your fitness business.
Personal Training Accounting Software + ABC Trainerize = Your Recipe for Success 🚀
From solo personal trainers to multi-location gyms, the right accounting software keeps your finances on point.
Paired with an all-in-one personal trainer software like ABC Trainerize for managing clients, programs, and more, you’ve got a powerful combo to streamline every aspect of your fitness business. 🙌
Make sales, accounting, and client management effortless—that’s how you take your PT business to new heights.
Interested in seeing how ABC Trainerize works? Sign up for a 30-day free trial today!
