# Recurring Payments for Personal Trainers Without a Website > Three ways to get paid every month without a website: payment links and subscriptions from Stripe, PayPal or Square, subscriptions inside a coaching app, and tracked cash or bank transfers. Real fees checked October 2026, a $200 worked example and scripts. *Author: Trainera Team | Published: 2026-10-12 | Reading time: 9 min* ## How can a personal trainer collect recurring payments without a website? You have three options, and none of them needs a website: a payment link or subscription from a payment provider such as Stripe, PayPal or Square that you send in chat; a subscription inside your coaching app, so clients pay where they train; or cash and bank transfers that you track yourself. For US card payments checked in October 2026, Stripe charges 2.9% + 30¢ per successful payment and adds 0.7% for subscriptions billed through Stripe Billing, PayPal charges 2.99% + $0.49 on card payment links, and Square Free charges 3.3% + 30¢ on online card payments and invoices. Which one is right depends less on the fee and more on how many clients you bill and how much admin you are willing to do every month. ## Which payment option fits which trainer? A payment link suits a handful of clients, an in-app subscription suits a growing online roster, and cash or transfer tracking suits in-person clients who already pay that way. | Option | Best for | What you set up | Weak spot | | ------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Payment link sent in chat | A few clients, simple monthly price | An account with Stripe, PayPal or Square and one link per offer | One-off links mean you chase every payment each month | | Subscription from a payment provider | Fixed monthly coaching fee, card on file | A recurring price in the provider's dashboard; the client pays once and is charged each period | Extra subscription fee; you still connect it to your coaching by hand | | Subscription inside a coaching app | Online clients who already use your app | A payment model on your coaching offer | Some apps add a platform fee or a monthly add-on | | Cash or bank transfer, tracked | In-person clients, clients who avoid cards | A simple record per payment | No automatic reminders unless your software adds them | ## What do Stripe, PayPal and Square charge? For a single US card payment the three are close; the differences come from subscription fees, international cards and bank payments. Figures below are from each provider's US pricing page, checked October 2026: [Stripe pricing](https://stripe.com/pricing), [Stripe Billing pricing](https://stripe.com/billing/pricing), [PayPal business fees](https://www.paypal.com/us/business/paypal-business-fees) and [Square pricing](https://squareup.com/us/en/pricing). Fees differ outside the US. | Provider and method | Fee | Notes | | -------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Stripe, domestic card | 2.9% + 30¢ | Payment Links are included with Payments; +1.5% for international cards, +1% if currency is converted | | Stripe Billing (subscriptions) | 0.7% of Billing volume, pay as you go | Comes on top of card processing | | Stripe ACH Direct Debit | 0.8%, capped at $5.00 | Bank debit instead of card | | Stripe Invoicing | 0.4% per invoice, capped at $2.00 | No setup, monthly or closure fees | | PayPal payment link, card or Apple Pay | 2.99% + $0.49 | PayPal, Venmo or guest checkout: 3.49% + $0.49; +1.50% international | | PayPal invoice, Pay by Bank (ACH) | 1%, capped at $10.00 | No fee to refund, but the original fees are not returned | | Square Free, online card or invoice | 3.3% + 30¢ | Square Plus ($49 a month per location) lowers it to 2.9% + 30¢ | | Square, ACH bank transfer via invoice | 1%, $1 minimum | Plus and Premium show a $10 fee cap | A worked example with our own assumption: a client pays you $200 a month by US card. Through a Stripe subscription that is about $6.10 in card processing plus $1.40 for Billing, about $7.50 in total. A PayPal card payment link costs about $6.47 and a Square Free online card payment about $6.90, but those are payments you send for each month yourself. If the same client pays by bank, Stripe ACH costs about $1.60 and a PayPal or Square ACH invoice about $2.00\. Square's and PayPal's recurring invoice options were not part of our check, so confirm their terms before you rely on them. ## What do coaching apps charge for in-app payments? Coaching apps either add a percentage on top of processing, charge a monthly payments add-on, or take no commission at all, so the same $200 payment can cost very different amounts. | App | Published payment fee | On a $200 payment | Source, checked October 2026 | | --------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | TrueCoach | Flat 5% per transaction | $10 | [TrueCoach help center](https://help.truecoach.co/en/articles/3491685-understanding-processing-fees) | | CoachRx | Stripe fees plus 2% CoachRx; US total 4.9% + $0.30 | about $10.10 | [CoachRx help center](https://intercom.help/coachrx/en/articles/6045483-fees) | | Everfit | Payments & Packages add-on $9 a month; US domestic cards $0.30 + 3.15%, Stripe included | about $6.60, plus the add-on | [Everfit help center](https://help.everfit.io/en/articles/5684968-processing-fees-for-payments) | | Practice Better | US online cards 2.99% + $0.30 (Amex 3% + $0.30); no setup or monthly fees | about $6.28 | [Practice Better help center](https://help.practicebetter.io/hc/en-us/articles/17607523248283) | | Kahunas | No commission on your sales; Stripe and PayPal charge their own fees | processing only | [Kahunas](https://kahunas.io/) | | ABC Trainerize | Stripe Integrated Payments add-on $10 a month; Stripe charges its fee per transaction | Stripe's fee, plus the add-on | [Trainerize pricing](https://www.trainerize.com/pricing/) | For a wider look at apps with payments built in, see our guide to the [best personal training app with payments](/blogs/best-personal-training-app-with-payments). If per-client software fees worry you as much as payment fees, read [coaching platforms with no per-client fees](/blogs/coaching-platforms-no-per-client-fees). ## How do you set up recurring payments step by step? Fix the price and billing day first, then pick the method, then write down the rules before the first payment goes out. 1. **Set one price and one billing day per offer.** "$200 a month, billed on the day you start" is clearer than a custom amount for every client. Our guide on [how much a personal trainer should charge](/blogs/how-much-should-personal-trainer-charge) helps with the number. 2. **Pick the method per client.** Card subscription by default; bank transfer or cash for clients who ask for it. 3. **Write your payment terms in three lines:** when they are charged, what happens if a payment fails, and how much notice they give to stop. 4. **Send the link with the terms in the same message,** so nobody is surprised by the second charge. 5. **Record every payment,** including cash. The IRS says good records help you identify sources of income and support what you report on your tax return ([IRS recordkeeping](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/recordkeeping)). 6. **Check failed payments weekly** and message the client the same day you see one. ## What should you say when you ask for payment? Plain, friendly messages that state the amount, the date and the next step get paid faster than vague reminders. | Situation | Message you can send | | ------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | First payment | "Here is the link for your coaching: $200 a month, charged on the 1st. You can stop any time with two weeks' notice. Your first plan goes out as soon as the payment comes through." | | Card failed | "Your payment for this month didn't go through, probably an expired card. You can update it here. Your plan stays active while you sort it out this week." | | Moving from cash to card | "From next month I'm moving coaching payments to a monthly card subscription so neither of us has to remember. Same price, charged on the 1st. Here is the link." | | Price change | "From March, coaching goes to $220 a month for new clients. Your price stays at $200 until June, then moves to $220\. Questions? Reply here." | | Pause request | "No problem. I'll pause your subscription from the 1st and restart it when you're back. Your plan and history stay saved." | ## How do you track cash and bank transfers without a website? Write down the same six facts for every payment, whatever the method, and the month-end check takes minutes. | What to record | Why | | ----------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------- | | Date received | Shows late payers and your monthly cash flow | | Client name | Matches payments to people, not to bank references | | Amount | Catches partial payments | | Method (cash, transfer, card) | Separates fees and makes tax records easier | | Period covered | Answers "did they pay for March?" instantly | | Receipt or confirmation sent | Avoids disputes later | ## Where Trainera fits Trainera fits when you want clients to pay inside the same app where they get plans, check-ins and chat, while still recording the cash and bank transfers you take. Trainers choose a payment model per offer: **Request only** (free coaching requests, with the price agreed outside the app), **Monthly subscription** (a fixed monthly fee by card, with Apple Pay and Google Pay on monthly coaching subscriptions), **Plan-based** (pay per plan) and **Cash payments** (add clients manually and record cash, made for in-person training). PayPal and bank transfer options are also available for coaching payments. When clients pay through Trainera's Stripe or PayPal, the platform fee depends on your plan: 8% on Free and Starter, 5% on Pro, 3% on Business and 1% on Enterprise. Cash and bank transfers carry 0%. Trainer plans are Free (up to 3 clients), Starter at $19.99 a month (10 clients), Pro at $49.99 (30 clients), Business at $99 (75 clients) and Enterprise at a custom price, in US dollars on [trainera.fit/pricing](/pricing); prices differ by country. Each is a flat price per plan, not a fee per client. To be fair about the numbers: if all you need is to bill a few clients by card, a Stripe Payment Link or subscription costs less per payment than 8% on Free or Starter. In-app payments pay off when you also want the plans, check-ins and chat in one place, and the percentage drops on Pro and Business. ## Your payment setup in five checks * One price and one billing day per offer. * Card subscription by default, cash or transfer only where a client asks. * Payment terms sent with the first link. * A record of every payment, including cash. * A weekly look at failed payments, answered the same day. If you plan to sell a course next to your coaching, see our guide on [selling online courses as a personal trainer](/blogs/sell-online-courses-as-personal-trainer). _Want subscriptions, cash records and coaching in one app, no website needed? [See how Trainera handles payments for trainers](/platform)._ ## FAQ ### How do personal trainers take monthly payments without a website? Send a payment link or set up a subscription with a provider such as Stripe, PayPal or Square, use the subscription feature in your coaching app, or take cash and bank transfers and record each payment. ### What does Stripe charge for subscription payments? For US cards, Stripe lists 2.9% + 30¢ per successful payment, and Stripe Billing adds 0.7% of Billing volume on pay-as-you-go pricing (checked October 2026). ### Is PayPal or Stripe cheaper for personal trainers? For a single US card payment they are close: Stripe lists 2.9% + 30¢ and PayPal 2.99% + $0.49 on card payment links. For bank payments, Stripe ACH Direct Debit is 0.8% capped at $5.00 and PayPal Pay by Bank on invoices is 1% capped at $10.00. ### Can I record cash payments in a coaching app? Some coaching apps do. In Trainera, trainers can add clients manually and record cash payments, and cash and bank transfers carry a 0% platform fee. ### What fee does Trainera take on client payments? On payments through Trainera's Stripe or PayPal, the platform fee is 8% on Free and Starter, 5% on Pro, 3% on Business and 1% on Enterprise. Cash and bank transfers are 0%. --- Source: https://trainera.fit/blogs/recurring-payments-personal-trainer-without-website