The Training Notebook vs GAIN for Trainers
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
The Training Notebook
This app helps personal trainers manage clients, organize workout programs, track progress, and streamline administrative tasks. It offers tools for assessments, scheduling, and communication, allowing trainers to focus on business growth.
- Client management
- Workout program organization
- Progress tracking
- Fitness assessments
- Scheduling
- In-app messaging
- PAR-Q questionnaires
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Whether you're an online or in-person personal trainer you will be able to deliver a better personal training experience to all your clients easily and efficiently. The Training Notebook is the most affordable and easy-to-use apps on the market. It is the best personal training management tool helping you organize all your client’s workout programs, training schedules, assessments, and progress all in one place. Your clients can also stay focused and motivated by accessing their progress through their very own app The Client Notebook (free for all clients) Save time and effort and solely focus on growing your business and client base rather than being slowed down with all admin work. * Easy to use interface. * All Client get access to their own personal app The Client Notebook (free) * Complete control in goal tracking for your clients. * Simple steps to customize your client’s fitness programs. * Store all client information and progress all in one place. * Stay organized and focused on growing your client base and business. Personal Training Tools include: * Unlimited clients. * Physical readiness questionnaires (PAR-Q) for each client. * Unlimited training programs. * Unlimited body assessments. * In-app messaging * Built-in Interval Timer If you choose to purchase the Unlimited Subscription, payment will be charged through your iTunes account, and your subscription will be automatically renewed within 24-hours before the end of the current period. Auto-renewal may be turned off at any time by going to your settings in the iTunes Store after purchase. The current Unlimited Subscription price starts at USD 24.99/month, one-month and 12-month packages are available. Prices are in US dollars, may vary in countries other than the US, and are subject to change without notice. Cancellation of the current subscription is not allowed during the active subscription period. If you don’t choose to purchase an Unlimited Subscription, you can simply continue using The Training Notebook for free. Terms of Use: https://www.thetrainingnotebook.com/Terms_of_Use Privacy Policy: https://www.thetrainingnotebook.com/Privacy_Policy
GAIN for Trainers
This app helps certified personal trainers and fitness leaders manage clients and groups. Create personalized workouts, track progress, and communicate with clients 24/7. It features an extensive exercise library and a user-friendly workout builder.
- Client and group management
- Personalized workout creation
- Extensive exercise library (1700+ exercises)
- Motion GIFs and audio instructions
- Workout templates and drag-and-drop builder
- Real-time progress notifications
- In-app messaging
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For certified personal trainers, group fitness pros and fitness leaders who want to train others. GAIN for Trainers is the simplest, most effective way to digitally train your clients (and groups) outside of in-person 1:1 or group training sessions. Create, save and send personalized workouts, manage a client’s schedule, stay connected and hold clients accountable 24/7 through messaging and real-time progress notifications. This app works in conjunction with our companion app GAIN Personal & Group Training. EXTENSIVE EXERCISE LIBRARY: GAIN for Trainers features the most extensive and varied exercise library on the market. Choose from over 1,700 exercises covering diverse modalities such as free weight and machine strength training, functional training, bodyweight training, Cross Fit, Pilates, yoga, TRX, corrective exercise, cardio, agility, plyometrics, mobility, and tons more. Each exercise includes motion GIFs and audio instructions—created by pro trainers and demonstrated by trainers and fitness models. NOTE: If we’re missing an exercise you want, please let us know. BEST-IN-CLASS WORKOUT BUILDER: Our workout builder has been lauded by top fitness clubs around the world as the most easy-to-use for trainers to create completely custom workouts from scratch. Templates allow you to save and store full workouts or segments (i.e. warm-up, cool down) for future use. Drag-and-drop features allow you to program straight sets, circuits, pyramids and supersets. You can even intersperse cardio with strength training, rehab exercises, stretches and yoga poses. We give you nearly complete freedom—so get creative! NOTE: We do not yet support AMRAP, AMAP or Complexes, but let us know if you’re interested in these advanced protocols. The GAIN Client app sends Health app data to this application which is reported to the trainer if the client gives permission. TERMS: https://gainfitness.com/terms
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: GAIN for Trainers at 4.3 against The Training Notebook's 3.0. The Training Notebook's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. The Training Notebook sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $9.00 per month and GAIN for Trainers sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
GAIN for Trainers holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 55 and 53 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 43% of The Training Notebook's written reviews are positive against 45% of GAIN for Trainers's.
The Training Notebook ships an update every 6 weeks, GAIN for Trainers every 3 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.
| Parameter | The Training Notebook | GAIN for Trainers |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.0 (55 ratings) | 4.3 (53 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 43.2% of reviews | 45.5% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 55 — better | 53 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks — better | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 14.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 62 MB | 36 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | The Training Notebook, Inc. | GAIN Fitness |
Customer experience
The Training Notebook
GAIN for Trainers
Bugs and requests
The Training Notebook
Reported bugs
6 issues- Signature box retains previous client's signature
- Notes section not functioning properly
- Workout programming often gets rearranged
- Inability to open client profiles after updates
- Timer feature not working as expected
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- Syncing issues between app and web version
Requested features
6 requests- Add nutrition tracking and meal planning
- Improve calendar sync and integration
- Allow more customization of assessments
- Implement better data backup and recovery
- Add more exercise library and programming options
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- Improve overall user interface and workflow
GAIN for Trainers
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
The Training Notebook
- 10Clients Monthly Subscription$9.001 Month
- 20Clients Monthly Subscription$16.001 Month
- Unlimited Clients Subscription$24.991 Month
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- 10 Clients Annual Subscription$72.001 Year
- 20 Clients Annual Subscription$143.991 Year
- Unlimited Clients Subscription$229.991 Year
GAIN for Trainers
- GAIN Trainer Tier 11 Month trial$3.991 Month
- GAIN Trainers Tier 2 promo$4.991 Month
- GAIN Trainer Tier 2$5.991 Month
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- GAIN Trainer Tier 21 Month trial$6.491 Month
- GAIN Trainer Tier 3 Promo$10.491 Month
- Gain Trainer Tier 31 Month trial$11.991 Month
- GAIN Trainer Tier 3$12.991 Month
- GAIN Trainer Tier 4 Promo$15.991 Month
- GAIN Trainer Tier 4$19.991 Month
- Gain Trainer Tier 41 Month trial$24.991 Month
Questions
Is The Training Notebook free?
Is GAIN for Trainers free?
Which has better reviews, The Training Notebook or GAIN for Trainers?
Do The Training Notebook or GAIN for Trainers have ads?
Which is updated more often, The Training Notebook or GAIN for Trainers?
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