If you’re reading this, Ekklo’s name has probably come up while you were evaluating coaching software. Ekklo is a newer, France-based all-in-one coaching app that’s been gaining traction fast, and its own marketing claims it’s “cheaper than Trainerize.” Meanwhile, you’re likely already running your business on ABC Trainerize, or seriously considering it, given it’s the platform behind 400,000+ trainers worldwide. So, you might be facing a Trainerize vs Ekklo dilemma. 

Worry no more. This piece pulls real numbers straight from both companies’ own pricing pages and compares Trainerize vs Ekklo feature by feature, so you can see exactly where each one actually wins.

What Is Ekklo? A Quick Primer

Ekklo is a France-based, all-in-one coaching platform used by 9,869 coaches as of writing, built around centralizing client management, program building, and payments in a single app. Its biggest recent push is into AI: a built-in ChatGPT/Claude connection lets coaches generate and publish training programs directly through a chat prompt, and the company markets deeper “Pacco missions,” and automation as a premium, metered feature.

Ekklo also leans hard on data residency. All client data is encrypted and hosted in Europe, a detail it markets specifically to EU-based coaches concerned about where their information lives. Structurally, the platform reads as built for solo or small-roster sports coaches rather than teams, multi-location studios, or franchises; its own plan tiers cap out hard at 5, 50, and 100 “included” clients before per-client overage fees kick in.

Program Building & AI Coaching Tools

ABC Trainerize’s AI Workout Builder is included standard on every paid plan, with no usage cap. It’s a conversational AI built directly into the platform that pulls in a client’s real training history, goals, and equipment access, and early data shows it cuts programming time by roughly 50%. It sits alongside a drag-and-drop program builder, an exercise video library, and native support for supersets, circuits, AMRAP, EMOM, and auto-progression.

Ekklo’s AI is chat-based: ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini can generate and publish a program directly inside the app, which is a genuinely nice touch for a coach with a handful of clients. But deeper AI usage is metered even on paid tiers: Ekklo’s “Pacco missions” are capped at 10/month on Starter, 50/month on Pro, and 200/month on Business, and its “Built-in AI” feature is only unlocked from the Pro tier up.

Both platforms now treat AI as core infrastructure rather than a novelty. The real difference is usage limits: Trainerize’s AI Workout Builder has no cap at any tier, while Ekklo rations AI-assisted actions per month no matter how much you’re paying. In a Trainerize vs Ekklo scenario for AI usage, Trainerize takes the lead. 

Nutrition, Payments & Business Tools

Ekklo bundles a nutrition program builder, Stripe-based payments, and a built-in CRM into its $29/month Starter plan for up to 5 clients. There’s nothing extra to buy at that entry tier, which is a fair selling point for someone just getting started.

Trainerize’s equivalents, the Smart Meal Planner and the Business add-on (referrals, shareable booking links, automated client journeys, scheduling, and sales tools), are priced separately on Grow and Pro plans: Advanced Nutrition Coaching runs $20/month on Grow, Pro 5, and Pro 15, and $45/month from Pro 30 up, while the Business add-on is a flat $25/month. Both come bundled at no extra cost on the Studio Plus plan.

That’s a real trade-off worth naming honestly: if you want everything bundled at the lowest possible entry price on day one, Ekklo’s structure is simpler out of the box. But once you’re actually using those tools, Trainerize’s version goes deeper. Trainerize vs Ekklo shows that the ABC Fitness solution has a larger recipe library, built-in referral tracking, and automated client journeys rather than a one-size CRM. That depth matters more once you’re managing a growing roster than it does when you’re signing your first five clients.

Pricing Compared: What You Actually Pay for Trainerize vs Ekklo 

This is where Ekklo’s blanket “cheaper than Trainerize” claim runs into the actual numbers on both companies’ pricing pages.

At 5 clients: Trainerize’s Pro 5 plan is $23/month. Ekklo’s Starter plan is $29/month for the same client count. Trainerize is cheaper here, directly contradicting the across-the-board pricing claim on Ekklo’s own site.

At 50 clients: Ekklo’s Pro plan runs $59/month, while Trainerize’s Pro tier scales to roughly $135/month at that same client count (about $122/month billed annually). But Ekklo’s Pro plan still measures AI and automation usage at 50 Pacco missions a month, while Trainerize includes its AI Workout Builder with no usage cap regardless of plan.

At 100+ clients or studio scale: Trainerize’s Studio Plus plan runs $248/month per location for up to 500 clients, bundling nearly every add-on at no extra cost. Ekklo’s Business plan is $129/month, but only includes 100 active clients before per-client overage fees kick in ($0.79/client from 100–200, sliding down to $0.50/client at 500). Run the math past 100 clients and Ekklo’s “flat” tier stops being flat.

Trial and free-tier difference: Trainerize offers a permanent Free plan (1 client, no cost, ever) plus a free trial with unlimited clients and no credit card required. Ekklo’s trial runs 14 days with no permanent free tier at all: once it ends, you’re on a paid plan or you’re out.

So the honest read on Ekklo’s pricing claim: it’s true at exactly one point on the curve and false at the low end, where most coaches actually start searching for this comparison in the first place.

Which Platform Should You Choose?

If you’re an established or scaling coach, a Trainerize vs Ekklo comparison shows that Trainerize’s deeper feature stack, its 400,000+ trainer track record, third-party integrations (Zapier, MindBody, ABC Glofox), and the bundled Studio Plus tier make it the stronger long-term platform.

This is precisely the stage where Rick Mayo, owner of the Alloy Fitness franchise, found the platform paid off: “As soon as we implemented the Trainerize app within our clubs, it allowed all of our coaches to communicate with all of our clients and all of our other trainers, which means we were providing a consistent customer experience — which is very difficult to do at scale and at volume, but we have been able to do that, and Trainerize has been a perfect tool for that.” (Read the full Alloy Fitness story)

Mike Monti, an independent trainer who moved from an entirely in-person business into hybrid online coaching, described a similar shift away from manual, spreadsheet-based client management: “Like having all of my programs in one place, and being able to automatically subscribe a client at any time instead of having to open up another spreadsheet where those glaring lines stare at me… it’s the automation I’ve needed to hit the next level in my training career.” His client count grew by almost 300% after making the switch.

If you’re testing the waters with a tiny handful of clients and want the lowest possible bundled price on day one, Ekklo’s low-tier pricing and chat-based AI program generation are worth a look, just budget for its client-count ceilings and per-client overage fees as your roster grows past 100.

Ekklo’s AI chat interface really is a nice touch for a very small roster. But for a coaching business built to scale, Trainerize’s uncapped AI Workout Builder, deeper bundled business tooling, and fourteen-plus-year track record make it the safer long-term bet.

For more on what that stage of growth actually looks like in practice, see How to Scale a Personal Training Business: From 1:1 to Online Coaching and How Much Does Coaching Management Software Cost in 2026?

See it in action: ABC Trainerize: Workout Builder Demo for Personal Trainers walks through exactly how the AI Workout Builder generates a program from a client’s existing profile, and Unlock These Powerful New ABC Trainerize Features Today! covers recent platform updates relevant to growing coaches.

FAQs — Trainerize vs Ekklo

Is Ekklo cheaper than Trainerize?

Only at one specific point on the pricing curve. At 5 clients, Trainerize’s Pro 5 plan ($23/month) is cheaper than Ekklo’s Starter plan ($29/month), the opposite of Ekklo’s blanket marketing claim. At 50 clients, Ekklo’s Pro plan ($59/month) is cheaper than Trainerize’s Pro tier (roughly $135/month). Past 100 clients, Ekklo’s Business plan adds per-client overage fees, while Trainerize’s Studio Plus bundles almost everything into one flat per-location price.

Can I switch from Trainerize to Ekklo (or vice versa) without losing client data?

Within Trainerize, you can upgrade or downgrade plans at any time from your own account without losing client history. Moving between two entirely different platforms, however, is a bigger undertaking. Expect to manually rebuild client programs, payment setups, and messaging history, so budget real time for a full migration either direction.

Does Ekklo have an AI workout builder like Trainerize?

Ekklo’s AI is chat-based: coaches connect ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini to generate and publish programs through a prompt. Trainerize’s AI Workout Builder is built natively into the platform, pulls directly from a client’s stored profile and training history, and, unlike Ekklo’s metered “Pacco missions”, has no monthly usage cap on any paid plan.

When comparing Trainerize vs Ekklo, which platform is better for scaling a coaching business past a handful of clients?

Trainerize. Its Pro and Studio Plus tiers bundle nutrition coaching, payments, referrals, booking, and a branded app at a flat per-location price once you’re managing a larger roster or adding staff, and it comes with over 400,000 trainers’ worth of track record. Ekklo’s per-client overage fees past 100 clients make its costs less predictable at exactly the stage where predictability matters most.

Does Trainerize or Ekklo charge extra fees on client payments?

Trainerize uses standard Stripe integration through its Stripe Payments add-on, with no additional platform-level surcharge beyond Stripe’s own processing rate (2.9% + $0.30/transaction). Ekklo’s Business tier bundles Stripe-based payments into its base price, though its per-client overage structure means your effective cost per client still climbs as your roster grows past 100.

Ready to See What Trainerize Can Do for Your Business?

Whether you’re managing 20 clients or 200, Trainerize gives you the AI tools, business features, and pricing predictability to grow without switching platforms later. Start your free trial today. No credit card required.