u/Potato-Face18

A trainer I was chatting with recently was debating whether to drop $15k+ to build a custom app from scratch or just stick to standard coaching software. Just because he hated seeing platform cuts and 3rd party branding eat into his margins.

It made me look at the actual economics of how most of us deliver programs once client rosters grow.

When youre under 5-10 clients, Google Sheets, Loom and WhatsApp are practically free and completely fine. But once you push past 15-20 active clients, the admin hours start multiplying fast:

Excel/PDFs: they cost $0 upfront, but you spend 10+ hours a week just chasing check ins, logging data manually and copy pasting workouts.

Standard SaaS/White-Label: Platforms like FitBudd, Trainerize, Everfit, etc if you want full App Store branding under your own name), which usually pays for itself if it saves you just 2-3 client hours a month.

Custom Development: $15k-$40k+ upfront plus ongoing OS maintenance fees, which rarely makes financial sense unless you have 1000s of active users or proprietary tech.

For those of you who made the jump from manual sheets to a dedicated platform or your own branded app: what was the specific client count where doing it manually broke down for you and did the software actually improve your client retention?

Carlos Prates confirms he's next in line, promises he'll KO Islam Makhachev

Jayden Daniels getting bodied by literally everyone

BRUTAL: Fantasy league where women draft and their husbands manage. Would your team be doomed?

Caleb Williams says he doesn’t care what people think about him painting his nails: “One day I was with one of my exes and we were going to the nail salon, and she was like, ‘Why don’t you get this?’ I was like, ‘Fuck it. Why not? I know who I am. I know what I like.’”

Jordan Spieth was different in 2015. He's gonna need a round like his 7-under 65 at Whistling Straits to catch Scottie this weekend.

Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy praises Patrick Mahomes for his resilience during ACL rehab. He says, "Watching him go through it (rehab) gives me a whole different perspective of not only the player but the man that he is."

Moving off excel vs paying for coaching software: Where’s the real breakeven point?

Steph went crazy for this logo three at the Valkyries game 😂🔥

“I Will Punch This Man”: 6X Grammy Winner Rips Pat McAfee’s Divisive Album Amid Growing Backlash

The Lakers sale is an absolute shitshow, with Jeanie Buss reportedly voting AGAINST her entire family selling their 17.8% stake in the team

That time Alex Pereira randomly handed a fan a stack of money

Giants QB Jaxon Dart has entered the Blue Tent in 43% of the games he’s played so far in the NFL. Dart has a serious problem that needs to change.

It's been ten years today since this beautiful moment at the Olympics

Belal Muhammad was having the time of his life watching Team Khabib fighter Amru Magomedov fall asleep during a women’s fight at UFC 330.

LeBron and Bronny side-by-side golf swing⛳️

The legendary Ray Lewis says that he's no longer friends with Shannon Sharpe because fame changed him. "I’m shocked at his content… We went our separate ways. You’re gonna take that route? I can’t go that route!"

Great work by Aryna for correcting an establishment journalist who was busy promoting Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek as a possible threat to Sabalenkas long reign as a world Number 1 whilst ignoring the world number 2 Elena Rybakina.

A’JA WILSON TONIGHT: 32 POINTS 7 REBOUNDS 2 STEALS 10/15 FGM 34 MINUTES

The USA Women's team wasted no time getting points on the board in the Gold Medal game. Akemi Higa finds Maci Joncich on the first play of the game!

Viktor Hovland's swing when he won the 2018 U.S. Amateur at Pebble.