Personal trainer payment system for UK PTs

What "PT cost" and "PT price" can mean

People search for "PT cost" and "PT price" for two different reasons, so here is where to look for each:

• What a personal trainer charges clients. Each trainer sets their own session and package prices. If you are a trainer deciding what to charge, use the PT pricing calculator and our guide to how much a personal trainer should charge. This page does not quote a typical UK rate, because we do not have a sourced figure.
• What payment software costs a trainer. That is the rest of this page. No monthly fee. 0.7% on Stripe card payments through FitDesk, minimum 1p per card payment. Stripe's own fees still apply. Cash has no FitDesk fee.

If you are a client wondering how to pay your trainer monthly, the answer depends on how your trainer takes payment. Ask them whether they invoice monthly or sell packages.

What a personal trainer payment system should do

• Take card payments into your own bank account, not a pooled account you cannot see.
• Sell packages so clients pay upfront and you can track how many sessions are left.
• Send invoices with a payment link.
• Record cash payments, because many UK trainers still accept cash.
• Show what you were charged, so fees are clear before a client pays.
• Handle refunds without a spreadsheet.

How payments work in FitDesk

Connect your own Stripe account

FitDesk uses Stripe Connect. You create your own Stripe account, connect it to FitDesk, and stay in control of your money. FitDesk does not hold your funds. Stripe processes the card payment and pays out to your own bank account on Stripe's payout schedule.

Card payments

Clients can pay an invoice or a session package by card through Stripe. The FitDesk fee is taken from your proceeds as a Stripe application fee, so the amount the client pays does not change. No monthly fee. 0.7% on Stripe card payments through FitDesk, minimum 1p per card payment. Stripe's own fees still apply. Cash has no FitDesk fee.

Session packages

Sell a pack of sessions and keep track of how many each client has left. Clients can ask for a package from the prices you have set, and you choose whether to accept.

Invoices

Raise an invoice for a session, a package or a custom amount. FitDesk emails the client a payment link, and the client pays by card through Stripe. This is not tax advice, so check your own position with an accountant or HMRC.

Cash

Cash payments are arranged between you and your client, and you can record them in the app. FitDesk does not process them. Cash has no FitDesk fee.

Refunds and disputes

Refunds can be recorded in the app. You are the merchant for card payments, so you are responsible for refunds, chargebacks and any tax due on them. Section 3 of our Terms explains how the FitDesk fee is treated on a refund, and Stripe's own fees are covered by Stripe's terms.

Paying monthly: what FitDesk does and does not do

Many trainers want clients to pay monthly, and many clients search for ways to pay monthly for trainers. Here is the straight position for FitDesk.

FitDesk does not support direct debit. There is no Bacs Direct Debit option in FitDesk.

FitDesk does not offer automatic recurring billing. It will not charge a client's card by itself each month.

If you still want monthly income from clients, there are three ways to do it with FitDesk:

1. Sell a monthly package. Offer a pack of sessions for the month and send the client a payment link each time it runs out.
2. Send a monthly invoice. Raise one invoice a month with a payment link.
3. Agree a regular cash payment. Record it in FitDesk when it arrives. Cash has no FitDesk fee.

All three need the client to act each month, or you to send the request. If you need payments collected automatically, you will need a separate provider outside FitDesk. Our neutral guide to direct debit for personal trainers explains the main options and their published fees.

What the payment system costs

FitDesk is a platform for personal trainers: no monthly fee, no client cap and no card needed to sign up. The costs below apply only when a client pays by card. If you are weighing up a monthly plan or card fee, see how FitDesk compares with PT Suite.

Worked examples (illustration only). These use Stripe's standard UK card rate. Your rate depends on the card type and can change.

FitDesk may change its charges in future. Its Terms say it will give notice before any change, at least 30 days, or at least 60 days if it starts a monthly charge for something that was free.

Who FitDesk suits, and who should look elsewhere

FitDesk is a good fit if you are an independent UK PT or run a small coaching business, you want card payments, packages and invoices without a monthly software fee, and you are happy to send a payment request each month.

Look at other tools first if:

• You need direct debit or automatic monthly billing built into your software.
• You need a payment method other than Stripe card payments or cash.
• You need a native app from the app stores today. A native iOS or Android app is not available yet.

How to set up payments

1. Create your FitDesk account. No card is needed.
2. Connect Stripe. Create and connect your own Stripe account.
3. Add your prices. Add your session packages and set your session prices.
4. Send a payment link. Send a client their first invoice, or let them request a package.