# Trainerize vs Kahunas: Which Is Better in 2026?

> A full side-by-side comparison of Trainerize and Kahunas in 2026, covering pricing, workout builder, nutrition, client app ratings, free trial terms, and business tools - plus a third option that beats both on all-inclusive value.

*Author: Trainera Team  |  Published: 2026-06-10  |  Reading time: 13 min*

## Trainerize vs Kahunas: the direct answer

Trainerize wins on workout-builder depth and its exercise library; Kahunas wins on simple client check-ins, accountability and coach-side support. Neither is the best fit for coaches who need local pricing, bank or cash payment tracking, or a full gym module - and both bill exclusively in dollars with no Balkan language support.

### Quick verdict (TL;DR)

* **Trainerize** \- best if your coaching business runs serious periodized programming, you want the most advanced workout builder, a large exercise library, and seamless wearable sync (Apple Watch, Garmin, Fitbit).
* **Kahunas** \- best if you want a simple, affordable client-accountability system with custom check-ins, habit tracking and genuinely praised support for your online coaching team.
* **Trainera** \- best if you want everything included with no add-ons: full nutrition with AI and food-photo scanning, flexible Stripe, PayPal, bank and cash payments, a full gym and studio module, 23 languages, local pricing and a marketplace that sends you new clients. [Try it free](/auth/register).

If you are choosing an [online coaching platform](https://trainera.fit/blogs/how-to-start-online-fitness-coaching), you have probably narrowed it down to Trainerize and Kahunas. Both are serious contenders, but they solve different problems for fitness coaches. This guide compares them fairly, category by category, with real pricing as of June 2026 and an honest winner in each area. We also cover a third platform - [Trainera](https://trainera.fit) \- that closes the gaps both leave open.

## Overview: what each platform is

### Trainerize

Trainerize (trainerize.com) is a Canadian platform based in Vancouver, acquired by ABC Fitness Solutions in September 2020 - often referred to as ABC Trainerize in support documentation since the acquisition. The ABC Trainerize team claims over 400,000 coaches on the platform. It is a mature, feature-rich tool that scales from solo coaches all the way to multi-location studios. Its biggest strength is the workout builder: supersets, circuits, percentage-of-1RM progression and a large exercise library with video demonstrations, plus an AI Workout Builder included from the Grow plan upward.

The weak spots? Reddit users (r/personaltraining) and GetApp reviews (4.6 out of 5 across around 694 reviews) describe load lag, slow video rendering and occasional broken chat or sync. Many coaches say quality declined after the ABC acquisition. Pricing has increased twice in under two years - July 2024 and March 2026 - with the official FAQ citing AI investment as the reason. Add-on costs stack up fast for coaches who want the full feature set.

### Kahunas

Kahunas (kahunas.io) is built by Kahunas FZE, based in Sharjah, UAE, and founded around 2020\. It is bootstrapped and focused on online fitness coaches who want their own branded app, strong client accountability through custom check-in forms, habit tracking and progress photo overlays. The coach-side support is consistently praised - Trustpilot 4.8 out of 5 across more than 400 reviews, Capterra 4.9 out of 5 across around 60 reviews - and it is one of the genuine strengths that keeps coaches on the platform.

The weak spots? The client-facing app sits at around 3 stars (App Store UK 3.2 out of 5 across 137 reviews; Google Play around 3.0 across 210 reviews). Reviewers report crashes, mid-workout data loss, unreliable Apple Health sync and no Apple Watch app. The nutrition module is also the weakest of the three platforms reviewed here, with food-data complaints and no integration with MyFitnessPal or Cronometer. There is no calendar or session booking, so Kahunas is strictly an online-only coaching tool.

## Side-by-side feature comparison

| Category                     | Trainerize                                     | Kahunas                                                  |
| ---------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- |
| Entry pricing                | Free (1 client), Grow $10/mo (2), Pro $25-$250 | Essentials $35/mo (25 clients), Growth $69, Ultimate $99 |
| Free trial                   | Free plan (1 client, no time limit)            | 14-day trial, auto-converts to paid                      |
| Exercise library             | Large, video-based, with custom uploads        | Functional but smaller, fewer video options              |
| Check-ins and accountability | Basic check-in forms                           | Custom check-in forms, habit tracking, photo overlay     |
| Nutrition module             | Paid add-on, $20-$45/mo                        | Included but weak (food-data complaints)                 |
| Branded app (white-label)    | $169 one-time + $99/yr, Studio plan only       | Included on Ultimate ($99/mo), no setup fee              |
| Client app rating            | GetApp 4.6/5 (lag and sync complaints)         | App Store UK 3.2/5, Google Play \~3.0/5                  |
| Payments                     | Stripe ($10/mo to enable), USD only            | No commission, USD only, no cash or bank transfer        |
| Languages                    | English only                                   | English only                                             |
| Gym or studio module         | Studio scaling available through add-ons       | None - online-only, no booking or calendar               |

## Category-by-category breakdown

### 1\. Pricing and hidden costs

The pricing models work in completely different ways. Trainerize charges by client count: Free (1 client), Grow $10 (2), then Pro tiers from $25 for 5 clients up to $250 for 200, and Studio Plus at $275 per location per month. Annual billing saves around 10%. The real cost problem for fitness coaches is the add-ons: Advanced Nutrition costs $20 or $45 per month depending on the tier, enabling Stripe payments costs $10 per month, Video Coaching adds another $10, and the Business add-on is $25\. A realistic full solo setup lands at $175-$200 per month once you add what a modern coaching business actually needs.

Kahunas is more transparent: Essentials $35 per month for 25 clients, Growth $69 for 50, Ultimate $99 for unlimited clients plus a branded iOS and Android app with its own app store listing and no setup fee - the most affordable branded-app deal in this category. Annual plans come with a 25% discount. The 14-day free trial is a lower commitment entry point than a paid plan, but it auto-converts, and the cancellation policy requires 48 hours notice before renewal or you are billed the full next term.

Both platforms bill only in US dollars. For a coach collecting payments in convertible marks, euros or dinars, that means constant exposure to exchange-rate swings and conversion fees on every monthly charge.

**Winner: a practical tie.** Trainerize is cheaper at low client counts if you skip add-ons; Kahunas is more transparent and better value once your coaching business grows past 25 clients.

### 2\. Workout builder and exercise library

This is where the Trainerize team has built its strongest case. The workout builder supports supersets, circuits, percentage-of-1RM progression and tempo sets, with a large exercise library that includes video demonstrations and supports custom video uploads. An AI Workout Builder is included from the Grow plan up, letting coaches generate structured programs in seconds. For coaches running serious periodized programming, it is genuinely hard to beat.

The Kahunas workout builder is functional but simpler. Tempo fields, RIR (reps in reserve) and superset nesting are more limited, which suits coaches focused on client habits and consistency rather than granular programming detail. If the workout side of your coaching business is secondary to check-ins and accountability, the gap matters less.

**Winner: Trainerize.**

### 3\. Client check-ins and accountability features

This is where Kahunas was built to win. Custom check-in forms let coaches capture exactly what they want from clients - energy levels, sleep, adherence, mood - and the habit tracking and progress photo overlay system is one of the more polished accountability loops in the market. For online fitness coaches whose value is staying close to client behavior between sessions, this is a meaningful edge.

Trainerize has basic check-in forms and habit tracking, but the depth is shallower. If accountability and daily engagement are the core of your coaching method, Kahunas is the stronger choice between the two.

**Winner: Kahunas.**

### 4\. Nutrition

Neither platform is a standout here, but the failures are different. Trainerize has a functional nutrition module that is locked behind an extra $20-$45 per month, has a 1,400-kcal minimum on meal plans and relies on a clunky MyFitnessPal sync. Kahunas includes nutrition in the base price but users report poor food data accuracy, no ability to build and save custom meals, and no integration with MyFitnessPal or Cronometer.

**Winner: Trainerize** \- narrowly, because a functional module that costs extra is still more reliable than a weak module that is free.

### 5\. Client app experience

Your clients use the app every single day, so this matters more than most comparison articles acknowledge. Trainerize's app earns a 4.6 out of 5 on GetApp, though users report load lag, occasional crashes and sync issues. The Kahunas client app is the clearest weak point of that platform - App Store UK 3.2 out of 5, Google Play around 3.0 - with reviewers reporting crashes, mid-workout data loss, unreliable [Apple Health sync](https://trainera.fit/blogs/best-workout-app-apple-watch) and no Apple Watch app. Client-facing app quality is often what drives churn, so this rating is worth taking seriously when evaluating either tool for your coaching business.

**Winner: Trainerize.**

### 6\. Business tools, team and payments

Kahunas stands out with lead-gen funnels and automations alongside its check-in system, and has no commission on payments, which matters at scale. Trainerize offers a broader ecosystem for a team or studio, but every feature layer - studio scaling, video coaching, the business add-on - comes at an additional monthly cost. Critically, neither platform tracks cash or bank-transfer payments, which is a common reality in many markets and a practical gap for coaches whose clients pay that way. Neither has a built-in trainer marketplace to help coaches close new clients organically.

Kahunas has no calendar or session booking, so any hybrid model that includes in-person sessions requires a separate scheduling tool. That is a real additional cost and friction point for coaches managing a mixed client base.

**Winner: Kahunas** for solo online coaches who want simplicity; Trainerize for coaches scaling toward a studio with a team.

### 7\. Support, free trial and cancellation terms

Kahunas coach-side support is consistently the highest-rated element of the platform - Trustpilot 4.8 out of 5 across 400-plus reviews, which is unusual in this software category. The ABC Trainerize team only offers live support from the Pro plan up, and Trustpilot shows billing and cancellation complaints. Both platforms offer a free trial entry point - Trainerize via a permanent free plan (1 client), Kahunas via a 14-day trial that auto-converts. Read the Kahunas terms carefully: cancellation requires 48 hours or more notice before the renewal date, or you owe the full next term with no refund, under UAE law and Dubai courts.

**Winner: Kahunas** on support quality, with a note to review the cancellation policy before committing.

## The third option: Trainera

Both Trainerize and Kahunas share the same structural gaps: USD-only billing, English-only interfaces, no cash or bank-transfer payment tracking, and no built-in system for coaches to acquire new clients. [Trainera](https://trainera.fit) is an AI fitness platform for personal trainers, online fitness coaches and gyms or studios that runs on web, iOS and Android, and includes everything in one price with no add-ons.

### All features included, no add-on costs

Trainera covers client management, a workout builder with drag-and-drop calendar scheduling, a video exercise library with supersets, circuits, progressive overload and color-coded folders, full nutrition plans with a meal library and per-meal [macro tracking](https://trainera.fit/tools/macro-calculator), real-time chat and [progress tracking](https://trainera.fit/blogs/why-use-workout-app-10-reasons). AI training-plan and nutrition generation, AI food-photo analysis, barcode scanning, AI shopping lists and weekly AI insights are all included at the base price - not sold as a separate tier the way ABC Trainerize sells its Advanced Nutrition add-on. Nutrition is a real module built on global USDA food data with recipe support, not the weakest on the market. Video form review, live video calls, voice messages in chat, and Calendly-style appointment booking with two-way Google and Outlook calendar sync are also included.

### Payments the way clients actually pay

Trainera supports Stripe (card), PayPal, bank transfer with a request-approve-decline flow, and cash tracking, with no fee just to enable payments. You can run subscriptions, one-time coaching invoices and free enrollments. Neither Trainerize nor Kahunas tracks cash or bank-transfer payments, which makes Trainera the only platform of the three suited to coaching businesses in markets where most clients pay outside of card rails.

### A full gym and studio module

This is where Trainera moves clearly ahead of Kahunas, which has no calendar or booking at all. A gym entity on Trainera owns multiple trainers and members, with membership tiers and expiry, a 5-digit member number for check-in, membership packages with flexible billing cycles, group training slots and reservations with capacity limits, staff roles with email invitations, equipment inventory, working hours and holidays, gym transactions, and gym-to-trainer and gym-to-client messaging. Each gym gets its own white-label theme and custom domain. Coaches managing a hybrid or studio model do not need a second tool.

### Mobile, wearables and gamification

Beyond in-app chat with attachments and read receipts, Trainera connects WhatsApp Business, Facebook Messenger and Viber so external contacts land in one inbox. The client-facing mobile app goes well past what the Kahunas client app offers - native Apple Watch app, iOS Live Activities on the lock screen and Dynamic Island, an Android foreground service for background workout tracking, push notifications and home-screen widgets. Wearable sync covers Apple Health, Google Health Connect, Fitbit, Polar, Google Fit and Huawei Health. Client engagement is reinforced through XP and levels, 40-plus achievements across 9 categories, streaks for workouts, progressive overload, protein, calorie and water logging, and weight milestones, with in-app toasts that keep clients showing up consistently.

### Local language and pricing

The interface is in 23 languages, including Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian, with local support. Pricing is local rather than dollar-converted. In the US it is $19.99/$49.99/$99 per month. In Bosnia, Starter starts at 19.99 KM per month for 10 clients, Pro is 44.99 KM for 30 clients, Business 84.99 KM for 100\. Croatia and Montenegro are priced in EUR, Serbia in RSD. There is also a permanent free plan, not a time-limited free trial.

## All three platforms side by side

| Criterion                    | Trainerize                      | Kahunas                               | Trainera                              |
| ---------------------------- | ------------------------------- | ------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------- |
| Currency                     | USD only                        | USD only                              | Local (KM/EUR/RSD/USD)                |
| Free trial                   | Free plan (1 client, permanent) | 14-day trial, auto-converts           | Free plan (permanent)                 |
| Balkan languages             | No                              | No                                    | Yes (23 languages)                    |
| AI (plans, nutrition)        | Partial, nutrition costs extra  | Limited                               | Fully included                        |
| Exercise library             | Large, video-based              | Smaller, fewer videos                 | Video library, custom uploads         |
| Check-ins and accountability | Basic                           | Strong (custom forms, habits, photos) | Streaks, XP, achievements, milestones |
| Bank and cash payments       | No                              | No                                    | Yes                                   |
| Gym or studio module         | Studio add-ons available        | None                                  | Full module included                  |
| Client acquisition           | No marketplace                  | Lead-gen funnels                      | Marketplace, SEO blog, public page    |

## Who should choose which platform

* **Trainerize** \- if programming depth, a large exercise library and wearable sync are the core of your coaching business, and you are comfortable with the add-on cost structure.
* **Kahunas** \- if you run a purely online coaching business, want simple and affordable custom check-ins, and value highly rated coach-side support over a polished client app.
* **[Trainera](https://trainera.fit)** \- if you want everything included in one price, need local language and currency, run or plan to run a gym or hybrid studio, and want a platform that actively helps you close new clients through a built-in marketplace.

## Conclusion

Comparing Trainerize vs Kahunas side by side, Trainerize wins on workout-builder depth and its exercise library, while Kahunas wins on client check-ins, accountability and coach support. But each has a single narrow strength, and both bill in dollars, speak only English and leave cash or bank-transfer payments untracked. For fitness coaches who need more than one of those gaps closed, [Trainera](/auth/register) includes full nutrition with AI, flexible payments, a full gym and studio module, omnichannel messaging, 23 languages and a marketplace that brings new clients directly to your profile - all at one price with no add-ons. Try it free and compare the features yourself.

## Related reading

* [Trainerize vs TrueCoach: Which Is Better in 2026?](/blogs/trainerize-vs-truecoach)
* [Trainera vs Future: Honest 2026 Comparison](/blogs/trainera-vs-future-comparison)
* [Trainera vs Kahunas: Honest 2026 Comparison](/blogs/trainera-vs-kahunas-comparison)
* [Trainera vs Playbook: Honest 2026 Comparison](/blogs/trainera-vs-playbook-comparison)
* [Trainera vs Trainerize: Honest 2026 Comparison](/blogs/trainera-vs-trainerize-comparison)

## FAQ

### Is Kahunas better than Trainerize for fitness coaches?

It depends on what your coaching business needs most. Trainerize is the stronger pick if you run periodized programming and want a deep exercise library with wearable sync. Kahunas wins on simplicity, affordable check-ins and accountability, and praised coach-side support. For coaches who want everything included in one price with no add-ons, Trainera is worth comparing to both.

### How much does Trainerize really cost with add-ons?

The base Pro plans range from $25 to $250 per month by client count, but a realistic full solo setup adds Advanced Nutrition ($20-$45/mo), Stripe payments ($10/mo), Video Coaching ($10/mo) and the Business add-on ($25/mo), pushing the real total to around $175-$200 per month. Pricing as of June 2026.

### Does Kahunas offer a free trial before you commit?

Kahunas offers a 14-day free trial, but it auto-converts to a paid plan if you do not cancel before it ends. The cancellation terms also require at least 48 hours notice before your renewal date, otherwise you owe the full next billing term with no refund, under UAE law and Dubai courts jurisdiction.

### Which platform works best for coaches running a gym or studio?

Trainerize scales to studios through paid add-ons, and Kahunas has no calendar or session booking at all, making it an online-only tool. Trainera includes a full gym and studio module - member check-in, membership packages, group training slots, staff roles and equipment inventory - all without needing a second tool.

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Source: https://trainera.fit/blogs/trainerize-vs-kahunas