Hevy Coach vs. TrueCoach: An Overview
TrueCoach is a popular coaching solution claimed to be the #1 platform built for personal trainers. Bold claim? Absolutely. But can they live up to that? We are here to find out.
At first glance, the platform checks all the boxes because it has multiple library sections, a program builder where you can add multiple weeks to any plan, a thorough client profile, and a solid dashboard––something surprisingly missing from some personal training platforms.
It also has a sleek user interface, a referral program for coaches, and Teams, a feature that allows you to invite other coaches to your organization.
While that strongly suggests TrueCoach is the way to go, Hevy Coach is a worthy contender because it has a beautiful interface, a great program builder, a team feature, and an arguably superior workout builder.
Hevy Coach is our go-to option for personal trainers and strength coaches over TrueCoach because it has more unique features that cater to fitness professionals. This includes a more flexible workout builder, a high-quality exercise library, better options for storing and organizing training plans, and a superior coach and client app.
Read our in-depth breakdown and comparison to learn why that’s the case.
| Features Comparison | ||
| Feature | Hevy Coach | TrueCoach |
| Client Activity Feed | ✅ | ✅ |
| Individual Exercise Performance | ✅ | ✅ |
| Body Measurements | ✅ | ✅ |
| Progress Photos | ✅ | ✅ |
| Program Folders | ✅ | ❌ |
| Drag and Drop | ✅ | ✅ |
| RPE | ✅ | ❌ |
| Automatic Rest Timers | ✅ | ❌ |
| Manage Coaching Teams | ✅ | ✅ |
| Lead Generation | ✅ | ❌ |
User Interface and Navigation
TrueCoach has a sleek, albeit slightly cluttered interface that takes some time to figure out and get used to. As you log in, you’re presented with a dashboard that shows a list of clients with workouts scheduled for today, among other helpful information.
On the left, you have a menu with options to access your client list, library of exercises, warm-ups and cooldowns, program list, referral program, and coaching team.
All the options are laid out and easy to access. However, most sections have subsections that reveal more options. Navigating through all that can feel overwhelming, and it will take some time to get used to the platform and remember where the most important features are.
In comparison, Hevy Coach is more streamlined and organized, making it easy to navigate and see where each feature is.
Like on TrueCoach, the primary menu on Hevy Coach is positioned vertically on the left, with roughly the same number of options. You can access your dashboard, client list, program and exercise libraries, workout builder, team feature, and Grow (more on each below).
While Hevy Coach feels more basic than TrueCoach, it has many of the same features laid out intuitively. This means none of the features get in the way while doing a basic overview or trying to message a client.
Instead, the features are designed to show up when needed. For example, the exercise library is available on the primary menu, but it also appears when you start building a workout, allowing you to seamlessly find the correct movements and add them to each session.
“It’s a simple and easy dashboard that has a very clean app with UI. It has all the tools to track progressive overload and ensure clients enjoy their workouts. Compared to other apps, they’re either too confusing or have too many bells and whistles that confuse clients. Hevy does a very good job at keeping things simple but extremely effective and easy to use. My clients love it.”
-Rashid K. (Source: Capterra)
Program Library
TrueCoach has a program library where you can see your saved training plans and create new ones.
To build a new plan from scratch, select the + Create program button, add a name, and write a brief description. You are then taken to a new page, where you can add as many weeks as you want and create workouts for the days you want.
TrueCoach does a few things well here. First, you can build the workouts right there; we’ll review that option in-depth under the Workout Builder section below. Second, you can copy a workout you’ve created and paste it to another day. Third, you can use the drag-and-drop option to rearrange them.
Any changes you make are automatically saved, and the plan appears under the Programs tab with an option to duplicate. This is a cool way to save time when creating multiple programs because you can copy a plan, change some variables, and assign it to a client.
That said, the Hevy Coach program library is also great and even wins over TrueCoach in a few ways.
Like TrueCoach, you see all your saved programs with options to duplicate or assign them to clients. However, you also see the individual workouts that are part of the plan at a glance and can organize the programs in folders based on client goals, experience, available equipment, and other factors.
Inside each program, you can set a duration in weeks, add a program note (similar to TrueCoach), add, remove, and duplicate workouts, and rearrange them by dragging and dropping.
You can also see a program summary and copy individual workouts to another program in your library. Clicking on a routine opens the workout builder, revealing even more options.
You can also navigate to the HevyCoach Library tab, where you will find more than a dozen training plans for trainees of all levels, sorted by goals and available equipment.
Import any of them to your library with the click of a mouse, adjust the training variables, and assign them to clients.
Workout Builder
The TrueCoach workout builder resembles a calendar. You start with one week but can add as many as you want to the workout program. To add a new workout and open the builder, click the + icon by moving your mouse over to a day of the week.
This opens a box with sections for a warm-up, main workout, and cooldown, all of which are optional; you don’t need to fill out everything. You can also mouse over to a day of the week and click the battery icon to mark it as a rest day.
To add exercises to the workout, click the + Exercise button in the builder as many times as you need and add a movement to each section in free text.
Below the movement, you can add training details like sets, reps, tempo, and rest periods in free text. You can pair exercises into supersets and add a circuit section with multiple activities and instructions.
That said, while the workout builder handles some things quite well (for example, the ability to build training plans week by week), there are also a few things that need improvement.
For one, when you start writing a movement’s name, a pop-up window shows you all the related exercises from the TrueCoach library. The problem is that you get many options without an image or illustration, which means you must scroll through exercises and only use the name as a guide.
In comparison, Hevy Coach offers more relevant exercise options, most of which have illustrations that can be used as guides.
This means you can quickly find the right movements on Hevy Coach and build workouts efficiently.
Another issue with TrueCoach is that you must write the training variables in free form below each activity––for example, 5 sets, 5 reps, and 3 mins of rest between sets.
This is better than nothing, but the workout builder in Hevy Coach has a section for each variable: rest period (starts automatically when a client marks a set as complete), weight, reps or rep range, and RPE. Plus, you can use the custom note section for each exercise to provide extra details for your client, be it a form tip or instructions on tempo.
Additionally, the workout builder on Hevy Coach allows you to easily add and remove sets and tag each as normal (the default state), drop set, to failure, or warm-up.
“The best coaching app I’ve used (and I’ve used a few!). The ability to write up client workouts so that all they have to do is hit “start routine” is such a time saver on their side! It’s just super easy to use and intuitive.”
-Dan I. (Source: Capterra)
Exercise Library
TrueCoach has an extensive exercise library with hundreds of movements and even more variations. A simple search for ‘plank’ shows dozens of variations, each with a video from one of their partners like Central Athlete and USAW.
When looking for a movement, you can filter the results to show only those with a video from a preferred partner––for example, ISSA.
While those built-in options help you find relevant exercises somewhat more quickly, the library has some drawbacks.
For one, the individual entries are not always good. When you click on an exercise, you get information like movement or breathing pattern, type (like external loading), primary muscle targets, and plane (e.g., sagittal).
There is also a YouTube video demonstration link and some written how-to instructions.
The good thing is that you can change all of the details, including the movement’s name, and attach a different YouTube video link. You can also add custom exercises with all of the details discussed previously.
This means you have a foundation for an exercise library but must still do a fair amount of work to customize it to your needs.
Another drawback is that you can’t hide or remove exercises from your library. This would have been useful given the sheer number of variations, which can be frustrating to go through each time you want to add an activity to a workout.
Also, as discussed above, finding the right movements can be challenging because you don’t have an illustration or image next to each result and must navigate by name alone. We also noticed that they don’t have built-in synonyms because some popular search terms don’t yield any useful results:
In contrast, the Hevy Coach library is curated with the 400+ relevant movements you need as a personal trainer or strength coach. Each search brings out the results you need, and you can use the built-in filters to narrow down the options further.
When you click on a movement, you get written how-to instructions and other relevant information like type (e.g., weight + reps), primary and secondary muscle targets, and equipment needed. Most movements also come with a demonstrational animation.
You can edit some details, including the step-by-step instructions, and add a video (a file upload or a link to YouTube).
For an even more tailored experience, you can create custom exercises. To do so, navigate to the exercise library and select the + Custom Exercise button on the top right. Add all the relevant details and save the activity to your library:
- Name
- Image
- Type
- Equipment needed
- Primary and secondary muscle targets
- How-to instructions
- Video (link attachment or file upload)
Client List and Client Profile
The client section in TrueCoach displays your list of clients along with the end date of their current training plan, their compliance in the last 7, 30, and 90 days, and an option to create a group to manage multiple clients together.
Within each client’s profile, you get several sections like:
- Goals – write down your client’s objectives in free text.
- Metrics – add a new metric with a name, unit type, latest result, date, and target result.
You can also assign metrics from the library. These groups of metrics apply to different training types and goals, such as Strength 1RM.
- Limitations – write down your client’s limitations in free text.
- Notes – write down notes about the client (only visible to you)
- Progress pictures – upload clients’ progress pictures and review previous ones
- Equipment – write down your client’s available equipment.
The folks at TrueCoach have considered what to include in this section and how to structure it best. However, Hevy Coach handles client lists and profiles better through simplicity.
First, the client list displays all clients, the programs they are running, their activity in the last seven days, and who their coach is (in case it’s someone from your team).
Client profiles are also structured in a simple way, only showing the most relevant information you need to make informed coaching decisions.
Under Overview, you can see your client’s current training plan, a feed of their recently logged activities, training statistics (like time spent training, volume, and completed sets), a calendar (with workout dates highlighted in blue), and their body weight over time.
Here, you can leave notes for the client, including listing information like goals, limitations, previous injuries, workout preferences, and available equipment.
The Workout Program section displays the client’s current program with an option to open the program library and edit it, along with your client’s logged workouts on a feed. You can examine each workout, leave a comment, and show your support with a thumbs-up.
Next, we have the Exercise Statistics tab, which is particularly valuable for coaches focusing on performance outcomes, such as those working with powerlifters and Olympic lifters. Here, you can look for a specific exercise through the search field and filters and examine the client’s performance, so long as they’ve logged it through the Hevy app.
The Advanced Statistics tab shows the client’s volume load, time spent working out, and the number of sets done (shown on a graph week by week).
Lastly, the Progress Pictures and Body Measurements tabs allow you to compare the client’s progress photos and see metrics like weight, body fat, and circumference measurements visualized on graphs.
In essence, Hevy Coach provides all the info you need, but none of the sections feel bloated or difficult to navigate.
Client App
The TrueCoach client app has a sleek interface and a handful of options. Its main workouts section shows all the upcoming workouts you’ve prescribed to your client.
Clients can click on any of the workouts to see the assigned movements (along with the instructional video and how-to instructions), add results in free text, upload a photo or video, and mark individual activities as complete.
Your clients can also view their performance history on each prescribed exercise, use a built-in stopwatch, and leave a comment about the workout they are doing.
Beyond that, a habit tracker section gives your client access to the habits you’ve prescribed with an option to mark them as complete. Clients can input their daily calories, macronutrients, weight, sleep, steps, hunger, and stress.
The next tab provides access to your client’s chats with an option to message you.
While okay, the TrueCoach client app can’t compare to Hevy Coach’s 5-star client app, which millions of athletes use to log their sessions, build workouts, track their progress, and engage with the vast community.
To start a session, your client must navigate to the Coach tab, select the workout they want to do, and click to start it. A stopwatch will begin, and the client can see each exercise, along with the number of sets, weight, reps or rep range, RPE, rest timer, and other details. Any custom notes you leave for individual exercises will show up for your client, and they can write short comments on any of the prescribed movements.
As a quick side note, the icon on the top right in the Coach tab opens the client’s chat with you.
The client can log sets as completed one by one. Once they mark a set as complete, an automatic rest timer begins and notifies your client when to start the next set or exercise.
The client can change the weight, input reps, log RPE if you’ve prescribed targets, change the type of sets, and adjust the rest period for each movement.
Before completing a workout, your client can leave a quick comment and make it private so it’s only visible to you and them. There are also options to upload videos and images alongside each workout.
To add to the app’s flexibility, your clients can pause a workout in case they have to finish it later and log previously completed workouts by changing the date and time and manually changing the duration.
Beyond that, clients can log metrics like body weight and circumference measurements, upload progress photos, review their performance and consistency, and engage with the active community by following others, liking workouts, and leaving comments. Clients not interested in social features can set their profiles to private.
“My clients love using the app, from simple tracking and social sharing to more advanced features like 1rm predictions and workout muscle usage charts.”
-Pete S. (Source: G2)
Coach App
The TrueCoach app for trainers follows the same style as the client app. It has a sleek interface and a handful of features. Among these, we have a Clients section that shows clients in two lists: all clients and clients with workouts today.
You can select a client to open the session scheduled for the day and see if they’ve completed it. If not, you can log it for them by writing how the client does on each movement––for example, the client did 5 sets of 5 reps with 100 kilos.
If the client has marked a workout as complete, you can click to see the details, edit some of the information, and add additional exercises and circuits. You can also click to add a comment for the workout.
Activity is the next section that shows all activities logged by clients – workouts completed, comments left by clients on workouts, added progress photos, and more. You can click on any message for more information.
Finally, the Messages section stores all coach-client chats. You can communicate with clients from the app and instantly get notified about new messages.
The Hevy Coach app is also simple and with a sleek interface, but it offers some extra flexibility, mainly in the way you can log workouts for clients.
Unlike the TrueCoach app, where you can mark workouts as complete and write what the client did in free form text, the Hevy Coach app has the same functions as the client app.
Navigate to the Clients tab, pick a person from your list, choose the workout they are doing that day, and start it. From there, log the workout set by set and input the amount of weight, number of reps, RPE, and other training details.
You can change any training variable, add and remove sets, and add additional exercises.
Beyond workout logging, you can navigate to Chats to see all discussions with clients, send messages, and respond to questions.
Coaching Team
TrueCoach has team accounts that provide multiple coaches access to the platform. All members gain access to features like program building, metrics tracking, and demo videos.
Navigate to the Teams section to add clients and coaches. Once you add other coaches, you can assign clients to them, click on their profiles to see their client list, and give them admin privileges to manage all clients in the organization.
Hevy Coach has a similar feature: you can create or join a group of coaches. As an admin or the team’s owner, you can invite others, promote or demote them, and assign and reassign clients.
Hevy Coach’s Team allows coaches to pool resources, including custom exercises, workouts, and workout programs. This allows coaches to share ideas, learn about new methods, and save time when building training plans or creating custom exercises.
More importantly, the team feature helps create a collaborative atmosphere based on sharing and mutual support.
As a team owner, you can manage coaches in your organization, assign clients to suitable trainers, and monitor everyone to ensure accountability and high-quality guidance.
Grow: Generating New Leads
Hevy Coach’s Grow feature allows you to create a lead generation form with a cover image, custom message, and unique link. You can share your link on your website, email newsletter, social media, and elsewhere.
When people click on your link, they are taken to an opt-in page where they can apply with their name, email, and a custom message explaining who they are and why they want to work with you.
Applications are stored under Leads in the Grow tab. You can review each and accept or decline a coaching inquiry.
TrueCoach doesn’t have such a feature.
Pricing
TrueCoach has a 14-day free trial (no credit card required). Beyond that, the subscription options are:
- Starter – $26.34/month for up to 5 clients
- Standard – $57.99/month for up to 20 clients
- Pro – $136.99/month for up to 50 clients
These prices apply when paid annually. If paid month-to-month, the prices are:
- Starter – $29.98
- Standard – $69.98
- Pro – $164.98
Hevy Coach offers a 30-day free trial (no credit card required) and full access to all its features, including Team, Grow, and the coach and client app.
The cheapest plan is $25 per month for up to ten clients. As a bonus, all your clients get a Hevy Pro subscription when they sign up to work with you. Learn more about our pricing and perks here.
| Table Comparison | ||
| Hevy Coach | TrueCoach | |
| UI and Navigation | Easy-to-navigate interface with various personal training and coaching features. | A sleek but somewhat cluttered interface that takes a while to figure out. |
| Dashboard | It displays active and inactive clients and their recently logged activities. | It shows scheduled workouts, compliance rates, and logged activities. |
| Program Library | Store unlimited programs and organize them in folders. Import 10+ pre-made training programs from the library and assign them to clients. | All your programs are stored there; you can click on each to edit the details or assign it to a client. |
| Workout Builder | Add movements from the library, fill out the training variables (e.g., load, reps, RPE, and rest period), add or remove sets, create supersets, and more. | Add multiple weeks and schedule workouts. Write the exercises and training variables in free text with options to create supersets and add circuits. |
| Exercise Library | There are 400+ entries, each with step-by-step instructions and information on target muscles, required equipment, and more. You can also add custom exercises. | The library has many exercises, but the how-to instructions are not good, and you will need to revise the details for the movements you prescribe most often. |
| Client Profile | It shows the client’s latest activities, performance on individual exercises, training time, body measurements, and progress photos. You can also write custom notes. | There are several sections where you can write the client’s goals, limitations, and available equipment, as well as track metrics and performance. |
| Client App | Clients will use the 5-star Hevy app to log workouts, track performance, upload metrics and progress photos, engage with other users, and chat with you. | Clients can see and log their prescribed workouts and chat with you. |
| Coach App | Track your clients’ progress, log workouts for them, and communicate through the built-in chat. | Monitor the workouts you’ve prescribed, edit details, mark sessions as complete or skipped, and chat. |
| Teams | Build or join a team of coaches, invite members, and assign clients. Custom exercises and workout programs are shared among all members. | Invite coaches, assign clients, and see other members’ client lists. |
| Lead Generation | Build a lead generation form with your custom image, message, and link. Prospects can apply for coaching through it. | No |
| Pricing | Starts from $25 monthly for up to ten clients. | Starts from $29.98 monthly for up to five clients. |
| Free Trial | 30-day free trial (no credit card required) | 14-day free trial (no credit card required) |
To Conclude
TrueCoach, advertised as the #1 platform for personal trainers, is excellent in some areas. The platform has a sleek interface, an informative dashboard, detailed client profiles, an extensive exercise library, and a team feature.
You can add multiple weeks to a workout plan and create unique workouts for each, allowing for intuitive progression without the need to adjust the client’s program too often.
That said, Hevy Coach is a worthy alternative because it has more streamlined and informative client profiles, a better dashboard, a more curated exercise library, and a more structured workout builder with built-in set types, RPE, rep ranges, rest timers, supersets, and custom notes.
The coach app is superior to that of TrueCoach because you can log client sessions set by set and adjust all the variables while working with them in person.
And the 5-star client app? Hevy offers a ton more flexibility, including the ability for your client to adjust workouts and change details like swapping exercises, adding or removing sets, and changing the rest periods between sets.
Plus, your clients can use the app to log body metrics, upload progress photos, review their performance and progress, and engage with members of the Hevy community.
So, sign up for Hevy Coach today and give it a try––the first month is on us.
