TrueCoach raised prices 32%.
Then added a 5% fee.
ARC is flat $75/mo. Everything included. No per-client fees, no payment markups, no “Business Add-on” surprises. Plus AI workouts, meal plans, and a clean-label marketplace nobody else has.
Free migration of your client programs. First month at $25 for verified TrueCoach switchers.
What happened in 2026
Two changes in 60 days. Coaches on Reddit are leaving.
The 5% payment markup
TrueCoach moved from Stripe passthrough pricing (“2.9% + $0.30”) to a flat 5% feeon every client payment. That’s a hidden ~2% TrueCoach markup on top of Stripe. Their About page still markets “no extra fees.” Announced by email December 2025, effective January 7, 2026.
On $10K/mo in client payments, that’s $200/mo extra to TrueCoach on top of your subscription.
The 32% Starter hike
Starter tier went from $19.99/mo to $26.34/mo in roughly 60 days. No new features. No changelog entry. Standard jumped to $57.99, Pro to $136.99. Coaches on Reddit are calling it out.
At the same time, their dedicated coach iOS app (TrueCoach Connect) sits at 1.79 stars, last updated May 2022. They abandoned it almost 4 years ago.
The real cost, side by side
TrueCoach monthly subscription plus the new 5% payment markup on client billings.
| Clients | TrueCoach | ARC | You save |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 clients | $26.34/mo + 5% on all client payments | $75/mo flat No payment markup | — |
| 20 clients | $57.99/mo + 5% on all client payments | $75/mo flat No payment markup | — |
| 50 clients | $136.99/mo + 5% on all client payments | $75/mo flat No payment markup | $61.99/mo |
| 100 clients | $274.00/mo + 5% on all client payments | $75/mo flat No payment markup | $199.00/mo |
TrueCoach 100-client figure extrapolated from Pro tier ($136.99 for 50 clients). Pricing verified at truecoach.co/pricing, April 2026. 5% payment fee announced December 2025, effective January 7, 2026.
A coach doing $15K/mo in client billings saves $9,144/year by switching
$15K/mo × 5% = $750/mo in TrueCoach fees. Plus Pro tier at $136.99 = $887/mo total. ARC is $75/mo flat, forever. That’s $9,144 a year back in your pocket.
What coaches are actually saying
Direct quotes from r/personaltraining, 2025–2026. Not cherry-picked testimonials — public Reddit posts.
“I left TrueCoach last month. Was paying $360/mo for a platform that constantly gave me headaches and raises prices every year without much improved UX.”
“The product feels virtually identical to how it was 5 years ago.”
“TrueCoach has been unreliable on the client side where I think there’ve been 8 or so instances within the past 6 months where clients were unable to upload their workouts or log in. The unreliability is just too much!”
“I moved off of TrueCoach when they increased my annual rate from $1,000 to $1,670 back in 2024. I ended up writing my own software.”
Feature for feature
Everything TrueCoach does that matters, plus everything they don’t.
| Feature | TrueCoach | ARC |
|---|---|---|
Flat pricing, no add-ons | Not included | Included |
5% payment markup | Yes, has yes | Not included |
Android client app | Not included | Included |
AI workout generation | Not included | Included |
AI meal plan generation | Not included | Included |
AI food image scanner | Not included | Included |
Clean-label ingredient scoring | Not included | Included |
Voice notes in chat | Included | Included |
Custom branding | Included | Included |
Workout programming | Included | Included |
Mobile client management | Included April 2026 only | Included |
Dedicated coach iOS app | Not included Abandoned May 2022, 1.79 stars | Included |
Social feed for clients | Not included | Included |
Challenges + leaderboards | Not included | Included |
Stories / posts (Gen Z) | Not included | Included |
Switch in a weekend. We’ll do the hard part.
Here’s what “free migration” actually means.
Export your programs
Send us a CSV of your TrueCoach clients and programs. We handle the format conversion.
We rebuild them in ARC
Exercises, sets, reps, progressions, and client notes. Rebuilt 1:1 in ARC by our team.
Invite your clients
We send migration invites to your client list. They download ARC, log in, and pick up exactly where they left off.
Switcher bonus: first month at $25
Send us a screenshot of your active TrueCoach invoice or billing page and your first month on ARC Trainer is $25. Free program migration included. No contract. Cancel any time.
We verify within one business day and set up your account with the credit applied — no promo code to remember.
Questions
Is ARC really flat $75/mo? No catches?expand
Yes. $75/mo or $750/yr (2 months free). No per-client fees. No payment markup beyond the standard Stripe processing rate. No "Business Add-on." No "Advanced Nutrition" upcharge. Everything in the Trainer tier is included from day one.
What about the 5% platform fee I see mentioned?expand
ARC takes a 5% platform fee on trainer-client subscription payments (like Stripe Connect marketplaces do). That replaces TrueCoach’s 5% payment markup and it goes toward the infrastructure that makes client billing work. There is no separate "payment processing" fee on top.
Can my clients on iOS still access everything?expand
Yes. ARC runs on iOS, Android, and the web. Your clients open a URL or install from the store, log in, and see your programs. TrueCoach’s dedicated coach iOS app (TrueCoach Connect) has been abandoned at 1.79 stars since 2022 — ARC is actively maintained on all platforms.
Do you have AI workout generation like the newer tools?expand
Yes. AI workout generation, AI meal planning, and AI food image scanning are all live in ARC today. Everfit still has its AI on a waitlist. Trainerize shipped one AI workout builder in Q1 2026. ARC ships the full stack.
What about client data? Can I export if I ever leave?expand
Yes. Full data export in CSV. Your clients’ programs, logs, check-ins, and messages are yours. We don’t hold your business hostage.
How long does migration actually take?expand
From CSV handoff to clients logging in: usually 3-5 business days. We do the program rebuild, you review, then we fire the client invites.
Stop paying for 2022. Start training in 2026.
Flat $75/mo. AI included. Clean-label marketplace included. Mobile-first for coaches and clients. Free migration. First month $25 for TrueCoach switchers.