Let’s go on a deep review of PT Distinction Personal Trainer Software.
Our analysis of this tool is centered around whether it is right for you, considering the following factors:
- Functionality
- Cost
- Usersโ experience
Let’s make it happen now.
Hey Everybody.
Welcome to my review on PT Distinction, a client management application designed for trainers like you.
I signed up for PT Distinction to give you a first-hand take on how it works and how good it is.
The goal is to give you enough information and insight to decide if this is something you need and if itโs worth it overall.
With that said, letโs dive straight into it.
Make sure to take the quiz to get a good idea of which personal trainer certification is right for you.
Intro to PT software
Our lives, whether work, school, family, or social, are now inextricably linked to the digital world.
How we interact with society, the economy, and our most immediate wants and needs now have an electronic interface with the internet as itโs the lifeblood.
With the progress in innovation that the fitness world has seen over the last 3 decades, you can bet your bottom dollar that health and fitness have a major digital component to how it functions.
Fitness is now digital, from wearable tech such as smartwatches to apps that track your daily health habits.
For the consumer, this is quite evident.
But nowadays, trainers have more and more access to top-notch technology.
In this article, we will look at the PT software that deals with client management, and we will do this with PT Distinction.
But before we jump in, letโs try and understand what client management looks like for a personal trainer.
That way, we can evaluate PT Distinction based on a few key boxes that need to be ticked.
So what should a PT client management platform be able to do?
It should:
- Provide a portal for clients to register and pay for your services
- Provide user-friendly tools for the collet organization of client data, resources, and schedules
- Should automate where possible
- It should have a user interface and user experience that promotes the enjoyment of use for both you as a trainer and your clients.
- Needs to address both the fitness and nutrition aspects of coaching
- Provide a way to communicate, interact, give, and receive feedback in real-time.
- It should be mobile-friendly.
What is PT Distinction?
PT Distinction is a client management platform aiming to buy you back your time while maximizing your income and productivity.
With a robust suite of tools ranging from scheduling functions to progress trackers and a host of programming and data-gathering templates, it’s aimed at helping seasoned trainers optimize how they do things and how they do things.
It helps you organize all your clients into one easy-to-access database with all vital stats and information.
PT Distinction allows you to become a one-man (or woman) fitness empire.
It has so many features and functions it’s hard to get through all of them.
You can program your clientsโ workouts using a library of existing exercises complete with descriptions, all of which integrate easily with the program template presets available.
You can manage one-on-one clients and groups, a feature not too common with many PT client management platforms.
And when it comes to client management, you certainly want to be able to communicate with them. Thatโs why this app sports an amazing live chat feature so you can keep up with clients in real time.
What really makes it all work is that you can either use the stock-standard resources or create your own custom resources, whether thatโs coaching templates, exercises, or other useful coaching assets.
And as a bonus cherry on top, PT Distinction comes with a community and help functionality.
The community feature allows you to connect with friends and other PT Distinction collaborators by gaining insight and sharing knowledge and resources.
The help tab is more crucial than you would initially like to think.
Because PT Distinction is so feature-dense, it can be a bit daunting trying to navigate all the ins and outs, so the help tab comes to the rescue.
They didnโt skimp on this feature because the help menu includes a library of instructional tutorials that are aimed at helping you find your groove or troubleshoot any drama while using PT Distinction.
How Much Does PT Distinction Cost?
The pricing for PT Distinction is pretty simple to work with.
It comes in 3 packages, each priced according to the included features.
These packages are Novice, Pro, and Master.
Letโs take a look at what each brings to the value table.
Novice $19
- 1-month free trial
- 3 online client accounts included
- Extra clients are free to you for 1 month and $6 per month after that
- Free Android and iOS apps for you and your clients
- It can be fully customized.
- Same-day support
Pro $60
- 1-month free trial
- 25 online client accounts included
- Extra clients are free to you for 1 month and $6 per month after that
- Free custom-branded iOS and Android apps for you and your clients
- It can be fully customized and integrated into your website
- Same-day support
Master $80
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- 1-month free trial
- 50 online client accounts included
- Extra clients are free to you for 1 month and $1.60 per month after that
- Free custom-branded iOS and Android apps for you and your clients.
- It can be fully customized and integrated into your website
- Same-day support
The Pro option is the most popular, but the Master package is a better deal if you do the math.
It allows you to add double the online clients as the Pro plan at a small bump in cost, comparatively speaking.
Extra clients also cost far less at $1.60 per added client than the pro version, which allows extra clients for $6.00 each!
What Else Should You Know About PT Distinction?
PT Distinction allows you to test drive either one of their packages for a free month.
I suggest you take advantage of this and use it to learn the system before purchasing it fully.
One feature youโll want to give a go is the chat feature.
Since your whole reason for jumping on a client management app like PT Distinction should be to nurture client relationships, learning the ropes with the chat function is a must.
Aside from in-app chat, PT Distinction has a robust communications center enabling you to interact with clients via SMS text, email, and video call.
You can send feedback, do check-ins, and track progress on the fly.
Also, take some time to learn how the programming templates work.
The preset ones are a bit tricky to navigate at first, but more so when you cannot create a custom template.
Programming in PT Distinction gives you access to quite a variety of options.
Regarding the exercises you can prescribe, PT Distinction has a huge library of exercises to design basic to complex periodized workout programs.
But letโs say you have a very specific training methodology that contains exercises that your typical pt client management platform wouldnโt necessarily know about.
Thatโs where you can upload custom exercises and build your proprietary library.
The preset programming templates are great to start you off, but you can also take the customization route and generate templates from scratch.
The Photo Food Diary feature is also cool, allowing you to track your clientโs dietary habits to offer corrective motivation and accountability.
Youโll be able to coach your clients by simply reviewing their eating choices and providing the optimal approach.
This is great because nutrition tracking is something many health and fitness client management platforms tend to miss.
PT Distinction tackles nutrition in 4, well, Distinct ways:
- Adherence Chart
- Food Diary
- Habit Tracking
- Integration with MyFitnessPal
It is currently the only PT client management software with MyFitnessPal integration, which, as you probably know, is one of the most popular health and fitness apps out there.
The adherence chart is available if you have clients that know how to eat correctly and have a firm grasp of good nutrition, only needing a gentle nudge and some accountability.
The habit tracking feature adds an extra degree of accountability by allowing you to access data over time through analytics and infographics.
This allows you to monitor stats and adjust to keep clients on track.
Another exciting feature is the integration PT Distinction has with other apps.
Iโve already touched on the MyFitnessPal integration, but PT Distinction also plays nice with other apps.
It integrates with FitBit, PayPal, and Myzone.
This means you are receiving tons of data automatically from your client and have access to one of the most recognized and trusted payment systems.
What I Liked
Plenty of Useful Features
PT Distinction is feature dense.
They tried to cover all bases regarding a comprehensive client management platform.
Based on their website, features youโll enjoy are grouped into 4 different categories.
These are Set-up, Deliver, Communicate, and Asses.
Letโs look at each and delve into the features.
1. Set-Up
The Setup category in PT Distinctionโs suite of features is where youโll initiate your Trainer-Client interactive interface.
You can brand your experience using your business logo, trademarks, and visual identity, youโll have access to marketing resources, and you can integrate with your existing website.
All of this is scalable based on the scope and vision of your PT business.
2. Deliver
This category sports all the features that allow you to provide tangible service to your clients.
The programming functions of PT Distinction are second to none, not only allowing you to create immediate solutions but also long-term habits.
The group training feature is something you wonโt find too often, so itโs great to see it implemented so well.
3. Communicate
The communication options Iโve already gone over are so pivotal to the utility of PT Distinction.
Exclusive PTP CPT Offers |
||
---|---|---|
Gold Standard Cert | Most Popular Cert | Best Study Materials |
A Good Option | A Good Option | Best CPT for you? |
Automated notifications, a powerful messaging center, and many feedback options come standard.
4. Assess
Lastly, we look at the assessment features of PT Distinction.
It comes standard with the following fundamental testing criteria:
- Balance Tests
- Body Composition analysis
- Endurance Tests
- flexibility Tests
- Movement Tests
- Strength Tests
These help you track and mark the progress of your clients.
Your assessment capabilities arenโt limited to what the app provides.
You can create custom tests and assessments, once again proving how versatile PT Distinction is.
Aside from conducting fitness tests, PT distinction also has measurement and analysis features.
These help you keep tabs on the following:
- Body Circumference Measurements
- Daily Activity
- Food Journal
- Habit Adherence
- Training Progress
- Weight
The real-time alert system I mentioned also comes into play with user-friendly client activity pages that notify you when clients log their results or queries.
Mobile Functionality
Another great aspect of PT Distinction is mobile functionality.
It has apps for both Android and iOS. This is not just a cool feature.
In this day and age, having a mobile app is tantamount to success.
Thatโs because a vast majority, over 70%, of online activity is carried out via a mobile device.
And with mobile, an app is far better than a browser.
The apps are easy to use and understand for both clients and trainers.
All the desktop features have been seamlessly integrated, offering an on-the-go experience.
The browser access portal is still ahead of the curve compared to the app.
The user experience could still do with some tweaking here and there to get it fully up to speed with the full functionality of PT Distinction.
Another great thing about the app is the customizability of its visuals.
This lets you fully brand the app and make it seem like your nifty software.
Itโs free to download on both iStore and Google Play with regular updates.
Clean, Attractive Interface
PT Distinction does many things right, but if thereโs one thing I can say is done well, it’s the fact that it is so good-looking.
PT Distinction has a modern minimalistic approach to its user interface, using a clean and direct layout while also bringing across a visually appealing layout.
But what is a good user interface without a good user experience?
Nothing!
Thatโs why PT Distinction has a user experience that walks what its design language talks about.
The simple, direct layout leads you towards the right button clicks and form fields, making for a crisp, easy experience.
And with such a density of features, having the design and useability locked down is more than welcome.
Visual customization on the App
I briefly went over the visual customization feature in the Set-Up Features.
Letโs look at it more in-depth, shall we?
The personal branding option for the PT Distinction mobile apps is a win-win.
It allows you the added value of having what appears to be your custom app without the hassle of developing it yourself.
App development is easier than ever nowadays, but itโs still a complex process and requires constant care and attention.
PT Distinction allows you to enjoy the value and prestige of having a personalized app without the hassle of maintenance, update, and customer care commitments.
The crisp, clean design of PT Distinction integrates well with your visual identity, from logos to the color scheme.
Automation that works
Automation is one of the key aspects of a good client management system.
And this necessity isnโt lost when it comes to online personal training.
Being able to automate and pre-schedule tasks and notifications is a core strength of PT Distinction.
The software automatically sends notifications and reminders to your clients or groups.
This allows you to focus on tasks that can only be done via your personal touch as a personal trainer, such as customized workout programs or meal plans.
This helps improve and maintain adherence from your clients while keeping them hooked due to your up-to-the-minute service.
Automation, in this way, improves client retention and loyalty.
Website Integration
PT Distinction integrates with your existing website via a nifty embed code that you can place on your landing page.
This feature works well towards securing membership and long-term commitment via your website.
The site integration allows you to maintain a degree of individuality in that your clients wonโt know they are accessing you via PT Distinction.
Your clients will be able to access all their resources directly through your website instead of going through PT Distinction itself.
As if thatโs not enough, PT Distinction allows you to create your minisite if you havenโt got one already.
The mini-site setup allows you to offer all the features and functionality of PT Distinction in a personalized way to your brand without needing your website.
The only drawback is that your URL will still display distinction as a domain source.
You can work around this with masking, which requires some firm coding and web design knowledge. Best to ask a pro to help you with this if you choose to customize your mini-site URL.
What I Disliked
Although I would love to keep raving about this software, some features still need to be tweaked for more efficiency.
Could Do With More Template Presets
For all its triumphs regarding templates and presets, PT Distinction does fall short in some minor areas.
The results tracking templates, for example, donโt come with any workable presets; you will need to design them from scratch.
This isnโt the case with all forms, however.
The programming templates allow you to move with preset templates.
So all-in-all, this is a small nitpick, but certainly, something that could be improved.
Steep Learning Curve
Because PT Distinction is so packed to the brim with features, there is a lot to learn before you can fully harness its productivity level.
This is one of those cons that is also a pro.
A two-edged sword in that all the useful features mean that PT Distinction is hard to use fully.
Not an entry-level platform
PT Distinction is a robust, feature-dense, complete package. It is aimed at the well-rounded, experienced fitness expert.
This makes it a bit of a challenge for fledgling coaches. Trainers who are only just getting their feet wet, especially from an online training perspective.
The concepts and tools available on PT Distinction are difficult to master just from a technical perspective, as Iโve discussed.
However, even after mastering all the nuts and bolts, you still need a good level of fitness experience to articulate the tools’ function into a valuable service for your clients.
Pros/Cons Short List
So weโve looked at PT Distinction and some of its highs and lows.
Hereโs a TLDR version of the platformโs pros and cons.
Pros
- Excellent mobile carry-over
- App with branding and visual customization
- Great UI and UX (user-friendly)
- Automation
- Integrates with your existing website
- Allows you to create your own branded website
- Easy to organize client management system (client management dashboard)
Cons
- Steep learning curve
- Aimed more towards expert trainers
Is PT Distinction Right For You?
Ease of Use โ 4/5 Stars
Despite having so many features to navigate, giving it somewhat of a steep learning curve, the individual features themselves are easy to learn, all helped along with the aesthetic and functionality, helping users interact better with the app.
Support โ 5/5 Stars
PT Distinction has awesome support and helpful features.
You can contact the support team via live chat for direct, real-time assistance or use the handy help tab, complete with comprehensive troubleshooting videos.
Price -5/5 Stars
Compared to many of the other well-known PT client management platforms out there, PT Distinction is quite reasonably priced.
The 1-month free trial also allows you to give the app a test drive at no expense so that you won’t waste time learning the system by the time youโve decided youโre going to go all-in.
Overall โ 5/5 Stars
Overall, PT Distinction is a great software for experienced, qualified trainers.
I highly recommend this, but mainly for established trainers with a good, working business model who want to pursue an online pursuit.
This was great! To the point yet very thorough! Thank you!
Thanks for the input; I’m glad you are enjoying the site.