HOW TO HIRE · HEALTH & WELLBEING · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a personal trainer in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A personal trainer in Ireland costs €35–€80 per session, typically around €50. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask before you book, and what you must be handed when the job is done.
- Search and compare — no account needed
- Nearest to you first
- One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews
THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring a personal trainer in five steps
- Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers personal trainer work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — motivation and Support — personal trainers provide ongoing motivation and support throughout your fitness journey.
- How does trainer's experience change the price?Qualifications are checked, renewed and paid for every year. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does session length change the price?The hours quoted are the hours worked, not an estimate of the job. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does complexity of your fitness goals change the price?It is agreed before the work starts, not after. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?While personal trainers provide workout guidance and support, services such as medical advice, physical therapy, or dietary supplements are usually not included and should be sought from qualified professionals — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a personal trainer job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Check before you book
No register applies
No licence or register applies to personal trainers, fitness, yoga or Pilates instructors in Ireland. The titles are not protected and there is no statutory register to be struck off, so a qualification is a claim to check rather than a licence — the checks that matter are the qualification and who awarded it, insurance, first-aid cover and what is written down.
Look for the trader badge and the ID-checked badge on the Locufy profile — both are checked by us, not claimed by the provider.
What to check instead
The qualification and the body that awarded it, by name — then look the body up yourself; Public liability insurance, and who the insurer is; Professional indemnity insurance where they write you a programme; A current first-aid certificate, and where the defibrillator is; What a session includes, how long it is and what a cancellation costs, in writing before the first one; Garda vetting where the sessions are with under-18s, which is a legal requirement for work with children.
Ask for each of these before you agree a price, and get the answers in the same message as the quote.
Insurance
Expect public liability, and professional indemnity where they write a programme. From a company, ask for the insurer, the limit and the VAT number, and ask who actually attends: the team that turns up may be employed, subcontracted or both, and only one of those is supervised by the firm you are paying.
Ask to see the current certificate of insurance — the insurer's name, the limit and the date it runs to.
Trader or private seller
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 a trader must tell you they are a trader, and your consumer rights — work carried out with reasonable skill and care, and a cooling-off period on a contract agreed in your home or online — apply to traders and not to private sellers. On Locufy the trader status is shown on the profile.
Look for the trader badge on the Locufy profile, and ask anyone else for it in writing before you agree a price.
VAT
VAT at 13.5%, the reduced rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately.
Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →
A good answer: No register covers personal trainer work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — motivation and Support — personal trainers provide ongoing motivation and support throughout your fitness journey.
A good answer: Qualifications are checked, renewed and paid for every year. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: The hours quoted are the hours worked, not an estimate of the job. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: It is agreed before the work starts, not after. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: While personal trainers provide workout guidance and support, services such as medical advice, physical therapy, or dietary supplements are usually not included and should be sought from qualified professionals — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a personal trainer job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
A good answer: Expect public liability, and professional indemnity where they write a programme — nutritional Guidance — many personal trainers offer nutritional advice to complement your fitness regimen.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the personal trainer starts, and an itemised invoice after — fitness Assessments — personal trainers often begin with a fitness assessment to evaluate your current physical condition and set realistic goals.
Getting the quote right
- Trainer's experience — qualifications are checked, renewed and paid for every year.
- Session length — the hours quoted are the hours worked, not an estimate of the job.
- Complexity of your fitness goals — it is agreed before the work starts, not after.
- Whether specialised equipment is required — it decides whether a specialist is needed at all.
- In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
- What is NOT included, named
- Who actually attends, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
- The VAT number, and whether it checks out on the Revenue register
Walk away if
- They will not talk about it: trainer's experience — qualifications are checked, renewed and paid for every year
- They will not talk about it: session length — the hours quoted are the hours worked, not an estimate of the job
- They will not talk about it: complexity of your fitness goals — it is agreed before the work starts, not after
- A price for the personal trainer before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
- Cash only, or a large deposit before anything at all has started
- No written quote, or one that moves once the personal trainer has begun
What a personal trainer costs: €35–€80 per session
The figures are for the job, per session, and a quote for your own is the only number that binds anyone. Weight loss specialist and Strength and conditioning coach each carry their own band. Personal Trainer price guide →
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE
Personal trainers near you, with the badges that matter shown
ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you.
- Look firstTrainer's experience — qualifications are checked, renewed and paid for every year — that is what the personal trainer is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneSession length — the hours quoted are the hours worked, not an estimate of the job — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfComplexity of your fitness goals — it is agreed before the work starts, not after — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherWhether specialised equipment is required — it decides whether a specialist is needed at all — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the personal trainer is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, discuss any health concerns or injuries before starting your training.
- Fitness Assessments
- Personal trainers often begin with a fitness assessment to evaluate your current physical condition and set realistic goals.
- Nutritional Guidance
- Many personal trainers offer nutritional advice to complement your fitness regimen.
- Motivation and Support
- Personal trainers provide ongoing motivation and support throughout your fitness journey.
- Weight Loss Specialist
- Focuses on creating customised workout and nutrition plans to help clients achieve their weight loss goals.
- Strength and Conditioning Coach
- Develops strength training programmes aimed at improving overall strength and physical performance.
- Rehabilitation Trainer
- Works with clients recovering from injuries, tailoring exercises to promote healing and restore function.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a personal trainer: questions people ask
The cost of personal training can vary based on the trainer's experience, location, and session length. Additionally, specialised training or nutritional guidance may also increase the overall price.
Most personal training sessions last between 45 minutes to 1 hour. However, some trainers offer shorter or longer sessions depending on your needs and goals.
Availability for same-day sessions can vary depending on the trainer's schedule. It’s best to contact your trainer directly to check if they can accommodate last-minute bookings.
Many personal trainers offer package deals or discounts for booking multiple sessions in advance. This can be a great way to save money while committing to your fitness journey.
No licence or register applies to personal trainers, fitness, yoga or Pilates instructors in Ireland. The titles are not protected and there is no statutory register to be struck off, so a qualification is a claim to check rather than a licence — the checks that matter are the qualification and who awarded it, insurance, first-aid cover and what is written down.
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 the work must be carried out with reasonable skill and care, and put right if it is not. Say what is wrong in writing first.
MORE GUIDES
More hiring guides in health & wellbeing
Personal trainers near you
Sources — checked October 2026
- CCPC — your rights when you buy a service
- Consumer Rights Act 2022
- Revenue — VAT rates
- Courts Service — small claims
- Revenue — HEALTH STUDIO - SPORTS & FITNESS ( Miscellaneous services ) — Reduced rate
- Revenue — current VAT rates (effective 1 January 2026)
- Revenue — VAT thresholds: €42,500 for a person supplying services only