Best Online CEU Providers for Personal Trainers (Ranked b...

Tired of paying too much or wasting time on CEUs that don’t actually help you keep clients or recertify?

What’s actually costing you time and money

You already know the drill — a two-year recert cycle, a required number of CEUs, and a handful of renewal fees that quietly add up. The real problem isn’t that CEUs exist; it’s that many CEU sellers charge premium prices for low-value content, or charge per course in a way that forces you to buy more than you need.

We focused on the dollar-and-minute trade-off: how many CEUs you get for what price, how long courses take, and whether the provider’s credits are accepted by the major cert bodies you likely hold. Where we make specific price claims we cite the provider or mark the figure as an editorial estimate.

How we ranked “value”

Value here equals quality-adjusted cost: price per required CEU, platform reliability (accepted by NASM / ACE / ISSA / NSCA), and how much actual usable content you get for your time. We weighted acceptance and cost most heavily — a cheap CEU that your cert won’t accept is useless.

The baseline we used for math is the common requirement: 20 continuing education credits (CECs/CEUs) every two years (2.0 CEUs / 20 CECs) — this is the requirement for ACE and NASM . For each provider below we show estimated cost per CEU, estimated total to buy 20 CEUs from that provider, and an example total renewal cost assuming a sample recert fee. Prices labeled “editorial estimate” are aggregated from visible pricing as of 2024 and represent mid-range costs; always confirm current prices on the provider’s site.

Top picks — ranked by value

Below are the six providers we found to deliver the clearest value for working trainers. Each provider section gives the acceptance profile, what you actually pay per CEU, and a worked example using the 20-CEU baseline.

1) CEUfast / Human Kinetics — best for cheapest CEUs per credit

CEUfast (run by Human Kinetics) sells short, single-topic courses priced to move — small price per credit and frequent sales. Their courses are accepted by major certs (ACE, NASM, NSCA and others) for most standard CEU categories; check individual course acceptance before you buy .

Typical pricing: many CEUfast modules run $8–$20 for 0.1–0.4 CEUs depending on subject and sale pricing — editorial estimate. That produces a raw cost-per-CEU in the neighborhood of $25–$80 per 1.0 CEU depending on how you buy and whether you catch a sale. For our 20-CEU baseline, expect to pay roughly $200–$500 for the CEUs themselves via CEUfast . If you add a sample NASM recert fee your total renewal would be roughly $329–$629. The trade-off: lowest price but variable depth — many modules are quick reads/exams and offer less in-depth learning time per credit.

2) NASM CEU Store — best if you’re NASM-certified and want a smooth path

If you’re NASM-certified, buying CEUs directly from NASM is convenient — credits are guaranteed to apply, and NASM often bundles exam renewal discounts with courses. NASM produces industry-recognized content with emphasis on corrective exercise and program design .

Typical NASM course pricing varies widely — short courses around $39–$99 and comprehensive specialization bundles $199–$499 . Per-CEU cost often ranges $30–$120 depending on course length. For 20 CEUs bought from NASM expect to pay roughly $400–$1,200 for CEUs . Adding the sample NASM recert fee ($129, editorial estimate) gets you to about $529–$1,329 total. The trade-off: higher prices but zero risk of credit acceptance issues and higher production quality.

3) ACE University / ACE CEUs — solid middle-ground and widely accepted

ACE’s CEU courses are stable, evidence-based, and available in bite-size and deep-dive formats — good for trainers who want reputation and convenience. ACE CEUs are accepted by major cert bodies and many employers .

Typical cost: ACE offers single courses often $29–$149 depending on depth, with multi-course bundles and live webinars that change pricing — editorial estimate. For 20 CEUs expect to spend about $300–$800 on ACE content, depending on whether you pick short modules or larger specialty courses. If your recert fee is the ACE recert amount , total renewal lands in the $430–$930 range. The trade-off: moderate pricing with strong brand credibility.

4) ISSA CEU Library — low barrier and some bundled savings

ISSA’s CEU library and partner courses are attractive if you want a low-friction renewal route and sometimes include CEUs as part of membership packages. ISSA credits are generally accepted by major certs, though you should verify specialty courses for category acceptance .

ISSA often runs promotional offers where CEUs or bundled packages (10–20 credits) are cheaper than a la carte pricing. Expect 20 CEUs via ISSA to cost in the $200–$600 range depending on promotions . If you’re renewing an ISSA certification — ISSA commonly offers lower renewal fees or bundled discounts — total renewal cost can be competitive, running $300–$800 in many scenarios . The trade-off: variable content quality across partners — some standalone partner courses are thin.

5) NSCA — highest value for performance-focused trainers (but not cheap)

NSCA CEUs cost more, but they carry more weight for serious strength-and-conditioning work and may be required or strongly preferred by collegiate or performance-focused employers . If you coach athletes or sell high-performance packages, NSCA CEUs can pull real career value.

Typical pricing: NSCA courses and conferences are on the higher side — single online courses often $50–$200+, and conferences run into the hundreds. For 20 CEUs expect $500–$1,500 depending on how many conference hours you use . Add the NSCA recert fee and your total renewal could approach $700–$1,800. The trade-off: higher cost but higher professional signal and more rigorous content.

6) Onnit Academy & specialty providers — great for niche CEUs and practical tools

Onnit Academy and other specialty providers (mobility, kettlebell, corrective exercise vendors) offer targeted, practical CEUs that can immediately change what you sell to clients. Acceptance varies by cert — many courses are pre-approved, but double-check .

Pricing is diverse: specialty workshops and micro-credentials often cost $50–$300. Buying 20 CEUs entirely from specialty providers can be costlier per credit — expect $400–$1,200 depending on providers and bundles . The trade-off: more immediately applicable coaching skills for certain clientele, but higher price per credit and possible gaps in general CEU coverage.

Quick comparison table (estimated costs for 20 CEUs + example recert fee) | Provider | Typical cost per 1 CEU (range) | Estimated cost for 20 CEUs | Example total renewal (20 CEUs + sample recert fee $129) | | CEUfast / Human Kinetics | $25–$80 | $200–$500 | $329–$629 | | NASM CEU Store | $30–$120 | $400–$1,200 | $529–$1,329 | | ACE University | $30–$100 | $300–$800 | $429–$929 | | ISSA CEU Library | $20–$80 | $200–$600 | $329–$729 | | NSCA | $50–$200 | $500–$1,500 | $629–$1,629 | | Onnit / Specialty | $40–$150 | $400–$1,200 | $529–$1,329 |

All figures above are editorial estimates derived from public course pricing and historical promotions as of mid-2024. Always confirm current pricing and CEU acceptance on the provider and your certification body pages.

Trade-offs you need to accept — cheap isn’t always best, expensive isn’t always necessary

If your only goal is the cheapest CEUs per credit, platforms like CEUfast or ISSA promotions will beat brand-specific content — but those short modules often deliver minimal time-on-learning. That’s fine if you’re focused purely on compliance, but won’t materially change your offerings.

If your employer, a gym chain, or a high-value client cares about brand alignment, paying more for NASM, ACE, or NSCA credits can reduce friction and support promotions. You’re paying extra for recognized rigor and fewer administrative headaches — that’s often worth it if you chase higher wages or contract gigs.

Finally, specialty providers give usable coaching skills you can monetize immediately — but they’re not the cheapest path to 20 CEUs. Use them when the skill will move the revenue needle for you.

Practical renewal plan you can use starting today

Step 1: Confirm your cert’s exact CEU requirement and acceptable providers. Don’t guess — acceptance lists and category rules differ by cert . Step 2: Decide whether your priority is lowest cost, brand alignment, or immediate skill gain. Step 3: Map CEU purchases to your 20-CEU requirement — mix and match. Buy a chunk from a low-cost aggregator (CEUfast/ISSA) for the bulk and add 1–2 higher-priced NASM/ACE/NSCA courses if you need brand alignment or depth.

We recommend you stagger purchases across the two-year cycle to catch sales and avoid doing everything in one push — many providers run periodic discounts that cut cost-per-CEU in half.

Related: cheapest CEU options · free CEUs · NCSF CEU courses

For the complete overview of renewal costs and CEU strategies, see our CEU & recertification guide.

Bottom-line recommendation

If your top priority is lowest total outlay for a standard 20-CEU renewal, start with CEUfast (Human Kinetics) and ISSA promotions for the bulk of your credits — they consistently deliver the best cost-per-credit . If you need zero-risk acceptance and want content that aligns with your certification or employer, buy at least half your credits from your cert’s CEU library (NASM or ACE). If you coach athletes or need credibility in performance markets, accept the higher price of NSCA credits for the resume signal and depth.

We keep an ongoing price tracker and course acceptance notes on ProTrainerPrep — use that to match sales to your timeline. Your cheapest path is not the same as your best path — pick based on whether you want minimal cost, brand alignment, or skill-based ROI.