Chartered Financial Analyst and business consultant specializing in service-based and fitness industry small businesses.
How many sessions do you need to book to be profitable? Enter any three variables—Monthly Fixed Costs, Avg. Price per Session, Avg. Variable Cost per Session, or Breakeven Sessions—to solve for the fourth.
Personal Trainer Breakeven Calculator
Personal Trainer Breakeven Formula
The breakeven formula for a personal trainer finds the total number of sessions (Q) you must complete each month for your total revenue to cover all your fixed and variable costs.
Q = F / (P – V)
Solve for Monthly Fixed Costs (F):
F = Q * (P – V)
Solve for Avg. Session Price (P):
P = (F / Q) + V
Solve for Avg. Variable Cost (V):
V = P – (F / Q)
Variables Explained
- Monthly Fixed Costs (F): Your recurring overhead. This includes gym rent or “floor fees,” liability insurance, certification fees, and software (scheduling, fitness apps).
- Avg. Price per Session (P): The average price you charge for a one-hour session.
- Avg. Variable Cost per Session (V): The costs tied directly to one session. This is often very low, but could include transaction fees, towel service, or specific materials used.
- Breakeven Sessions (Q): The total number of sessions you must complete per month to reach $0 in profit.
Related Calculators
- Freelancer Breakeven Calculator
- Gym Breakeven Calculator
- Yoga Studio Breakeven Calculator
- Consulting Breakeven Calculator
What is a Personal Trainer’s Breakeven Point?
A **Personal Trainer’s Breakeven Point** is the exact number of sessions (Q) you must sell each month to cover all your business expenses. It’s the minimum workload required to pay for your fixed “overhead” costs (like insurance) and any variable “per-session” costs.
**Fixed Costs (F)** are your consistent monthly overhead, whether you train 0 clients or 100. This is primarily your gym’s “floor fee” or rent, liability insurance, certification renewal costs (annual cost divided by 12), and any scheduling or fitness software subscriptions.
**Variable Costs (V)** are the costs incurred *only* when you train a client. For most trainers, this is very low. It might include payment processing fees (e.g., 3%) or any materials you provide, like a fresh towel or water bottle. Do not include your time.
The **Contribution Margin** (P – V) is the profit from a single session that goes toward paying your fixed costs. If you charge (P) $75 for a session and your variable costs (V) are $5, your contribution margin is $70. This calculator finds how many $70 “profit chunks” you need to cover your total fixed costs (rent, insurance, etc.).
How to Calculate Personal Trainer Breakeven (Example)
Let’s calculate the breakeven point for a self-employed personal trainer.
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Identify Monthly Fixed Costs (F):
Your gym rent is $1,000. Insurance is $100. Software is $50. Your total (F) = $1,150.
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Identify Avg. Price per Session (P):
You charge a flat rate of $75 per session.
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Identify Avg. Variable Cost per Session (V):
Your credit card processing fee averages 3% per transaction. 3% of $75 is $2.25.
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Apply the Formula: Q = F / (P – V)
First, calculate the contribution margin: $75 (P) – $2.25 (V) = $72.75.
Next, divide the fixed costs by this margin:
Q = $1,150 / $72.75 = 15.81 -
Conclusion:
You must complete 16 sessions (rounding up) just to cover your monthly business overhead. The 17th session, and every session after, is your personal profit.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
You should calculate your breakeven in *billable hours*. If you charge $75/hr and $45/half-hr, your average price per *hour* might be different. The easiest way is to find your average revenue per hour and use “Hours” as your unit (Q) instead of “Sessions”.
You can! If you want to find the number of sessions needed to pay *both* your business overhead AND your personal salary, add your desired monthly salary (e.g., $4,000) to the (F) field. The calculator will then show you how many sessions you need to *live*, not just to break even.
If you pay the gym, for example, 30% of your session fee, that is a **Variable Cost (V)**, not a Fixed Cost. In that case, your (F) would be much lower (just insurance/software), but your (V) would be much higher (30% of P). This model generally has a lower breakeven point but also a lower profit ceiling.
Enter your (F) (e.g., $1,150), your (V) per session (e.g., $2.25), and a *target* number of sessions (Q) you can realistically book per month (e.g., 60). The calculator will solve for (P), telling you the *minimum price* (e.g., $21.46) you must charge per session to hit your goal.