Live video, app coaching or on-demand classes: what each type of virtual trainer does, and who it suits.
A virtual personal trainer is a certified coach who trains you over the internet instead of in a gym. But "virtual" covers very different products, from a coach watching you live on video to an app that texts you a plan. This guide explains how each one works, what it costs, and how to choose. HipTrain wrote it, and we offer one of these types, so we've cited every outside fact and said where other options fit better.
A virtual personal trainer coaches you remotely, either live over video or through an app. With live virtual training, you meet your coach on a video call at a set time, and they watch your form and guide you in real time. With app-based coaching, your coach builds a plan and checks in by message, and you train on your own time. Prices run from about $14 a live session to $250 a month for app coaching.
For comparison, Thumbtack puts the national average for an in-person trainer at $55 an hour.
Here's what it looks like with most live services, including HipTrain:
Our first session guide covers setup in detail.
What's good about it:
What's harder:
Live virtual training suits people who want real guidance but can't afford or reach an in-person trainer, people who feel self-conscious at the gym, busy parents and professionals, travelers, and older adults who'd rather train at home (see training for seniors). Federal guidelines suggest adults do muscle-strengthening activity at least 2 days a week and that older adults add balance work, all of which can be done at home with little or no equipment. If you have a health condition, check with your doctor before starting.
"The trainer I was linked with after a survey of my needs and schedule was Miranda. She is just amazing, she is encouraging, understanding of my physical limitations and I can take her anywhere!" (Kathleen M., Google review)
HipTrain is live 1-on-1 personal training over video with the same certified coach every session. Coaching includes strength, functional training, mobility, stretching and Pilates. You don't need a gym or equipment, and it works on web, iPhone and Android with nothing to install on the web. Plans start at $59.49 a month for one 30-minute session a week, about $14 a session, and 60-minute sessions work out to about $25. Your first session is free, with no credit card, and HipTrain is HSA / FSA eligible. See every plan in our online personal trainer cost guide.
Where HipTrain isn't the right fit. If you want to train whenever you like with no appointments, an app-based coach fits better. We don't offer nutrition coaching, in-person sessions or a big on-demand library. And we're small, with 29 App Store ratings while the big apps have thousands. Our best online personal training guide compares the alternatives honestly.
A certified trainer who coaches you over the internet, either live on video or through an app with messages and check-ins, instead of in person.
For many people, yes, especially live ones. You get a coach watching your form and keeping you accountable for a fraction of in-person prices. App-only coaching gives less real-time feedback. See is a personal trainer worth it?
Live 1-on-1 sessions run from about $14 (HipTrain, 30 minutes) upward. App coaching costs about $149 to $250 a month. Group programs like Ladder cost $29.99 a month.
A phone, tablet or laptop with a camera, an internet connection, and enough floor space to lie down and step side to side. Many sessions use only body weight. A mat helps.
It can be, with a coach who adapts exercises to you and watches your form. Train near a sturdy chair or counter for balance work, and talk to your doctor before starting a new program.
Curious how it feels to train live with a coach on video? Try your first HipTrain session free. No credit card needed.
We checked every price here in October 2026. Plans change often, so confirm on each company's site.