Our Mission
Pro Trainer Prep exists for one reason: to give career changers the honest, numbers-driven information they need to choose the right personal trainer certification without overpaying.
Most "review" sites in the fitness certification space are funded by the companies they review. We are not. Our revenue comes from affiliate commissions — clearly disclosed on every page — and we review certifications we don't earn commissions from with the same rigor as those we do.
Editorial Methodology
Every certification review and cost comparison on this site follows a consistent methodology:
- 4-Year Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) — We calculate the full cost of getting and keeping a certification over four years: exam fees, study materials, CPR/AED, continuing education, recertification, and liability insurance.
- Primary source verification — Pricing, pass rates, and program details are pulled directly from certification body websites, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and NCCA accreditation records. We cite every claim.
- NCCA accreditation check — We verify whether each certification holds National Commission for Certifying Agencies accreditation, the standard required by most commercial gym chains.
- Regular updates — Pricing and program details change. We re-verify key data points quarterly and note the last update date on every article.
Affiliate Transparency
Pro Trainer Prep earns revenue through affiliate partnerships. When you purchase a certification through one of our links, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. This is how we keep the site free and independent.
Our affiliate relationships never influence our editorial ratings or recommendations. We recommend NCSF as our top pick for most people because the data supports it — not because of commission rates. We also review and recommend certifications (like ISSA and ACE) where we have no affiliate relationship at all.
Every affiliate link is clearly marked with a disclosure notice. For full details, see our Affiliate Disclosure page.
Who We Are
The Pro Trainer Prep editorial team includes certified personal trainers, career coaches, and data analysts who have collectively evaluated dozens of certification programs. Our writers have held certifications from NCSF, NASM, ACE, and ISSA — giving us firsthand experience with the programs we review.
We write for adults making a real career decision — not college students browsing options. That means we focus on practical concerns: cost, employer acceptance, time investment, and realistic salary expectations based on Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Our Standards
- We never publish a review without verifying pricing directly from the source.
- We disclose every affiliate relationship.
- We update articles when pricing or program details change.
- We include both pros and cons in every certification review.
- We cite the Bureau of Labor Statistics, NCCA, and other authoritative sources for all career and salary data.
Contact
Have a question, correction, or suggestion? We welcome feedback from readers and industry professionals. Reach us at editorial@protrainerprep.com.
Pro Trainer Prep is an independent publication. We are not owned by, affiliated with, or endorsed by any certification body including NCSF, NASM, ACE, ISSA, or NSCA.