The 5 Best Personal Trainer Certifications of 2025, According to CPTs

When it comes to the best overall personal trainer certification, you’ll want one that prepares you to work with all types of clientele — from young adults to older individuals and every fitness level in between. This one fits the bill.

The International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) Personal Trainer Certification will help teach you the skills you need to motivate any client to reach their fitness goals. You’ll learn all about the body’s musculature and skeletal structure, along with how these joints, bones, and muscles work and function. Plus, you’ll also gain confidence using the cert’s Purpose-Driven Training Model to create custom programs that focus on the most effective exercises for your trainee and ways to ensure they stay injury-free in the process.

When you sign up for this certification, you’ll receive access to an online textbook, online practice quizzes, audio and video lecture options (for those who prefer to hear or watch the information), an online workout, an online student forum, an open book or proctored exam option, a CPT education boot camp, as well as a free professional website post-certification. 

This does place the price tag above other certifications such as NASM or ACE, but the price of ISSA does begin to make sense when adding all the deliverables up. We recommend opting for a cheaper certificate such as the aforementioned NASM or ACE if budget is a concern.

“I appreciate the level of structure with this certificate,” notes our tester, a certified personal trainer. “This can be a huge benefit to those who may struggle with the freedom of self-learning.”

Keep in mind that if you already have a background in fitness, you may want to find a more specialized certification. The information presented is comprehensive but more basic than what you’ll have learned while obtaining a kinesiology degree. Our tester also notes a lack of information on athlete assessment. “To my knowledge, assessments are only covered in one chapter. I think adequate lessons on client assessment should be a pinnacle focus of any certification, so I think ISSA has room to grow in this category,” they add.

The material in the ISSA personal training certification is comprehensive, has a variety of learning methods, and provides plenty of additional study aids to help you pass your course. Plus, the free coaching website that it provides is a solid perk to help your business get started.

When it comes to working with athletes or clientele with a higher fitness IQ and ability, it’s important to know exactly which exercises these individuals should be doing to excel in their sport or field. This cert provides in-depth knowledge about overactive and underactive muscles, and it shows how to pinpoint muscle imbalances via static postural, dynamic, and strength assessments.

The main philosophy of the National Academy of Sports Medicine certification is what the company refers to as the Optimum Performance Training Model (OPT). The model focuses on five specific phases of training: stabilization endurance, strength endurance, muscular development/hypertrophy, maximal strength, and power — in that order. 

The first stage of the model includes stabilization endurance, which focuses on balance and stabilization. Stage two is all about strength and encompasses the strength endurance, hypertrophy, and maximal strength stages. The third and final stage centers around power and includes the power phase of training.

While the philosophy behind this certification is entirely based on science, making it reputable for training athletes, NASM works hard to keep the material fresh and exciting. You’ll learn how to perform different types of postural, strength, and cardiovascular assessments in order to determine compensations and muscle imbalances and the corrective strategies to fix them. “I also enjoyed the self-paced structure of the program that allowed me to work through the chapters on my own time,” notes our tester, a certified personal trainer.

When you purchase this program, you’ll have the option of either a self-study program or premium self-study, plus a choice between two exam options, NASM Personal Trainer Certificate (Non-Proctored Exam) or NASM Certified Personal Trainer (NCCA Accredited Certification Exam). One thing to note is that a high school diploma or a GED is a prerequisite for this program, so if you don’t have one, you’ll need to get that first.

“The NASM CPT certification is one of the most well-rounded programs in the fitness industry thanks to NASM’s highly respected reputation,” notes our tester, a certified personal trainer. It will teach you training techniques and how to apply them, as well as how to perform a new client assessment and build a successful career with sales tips and tricks. It also provides some information on supplements and nutrition, too. That said, if you are interested in further insight on supplementation and nutrition, we recommend NASM’s Certified Nutrition Coach or Certified Sports Nutrition Coach programs.

If you’re new to personal training or switching professional fields, you may want to start with an affordable certification and widely recognized option like this one.

The American Council on Exercise (ACE) Personal Training Certification is one of the most recognized certifications in the field. The program options are Basic, Plus, and Advantage, each increasing in price. However, they often offer promotions and sales, making the cert rather affordable (especially compared to others).  

You’ll learn about human anatomy, modifications for clients with special considerations, as well as how to assess, program and make progressions as your clients grow and gain. “I, myself, am an ACE-certified personal trainer and I really enjoy the coverage of special considerations,” says our one tester. “Plus, there are multiple specialist certifications to choose from if you want to work with specific clientele.”

There are three different personal training certification packages available for ACE. All packages include the core study program, the final exam, practice exams, a digital textbook, and a digital trainer study companion, with the most affordable package (labeled fittingly as “Basic”) costing just $675. Upgrade to “Plus” for just $70 more, and you’ll also get a hard copy of the textbook and trainer study companion, as well as live Q and A webinars.

The “Advantage” package costs $975 and includes everything from “Plus” with additional audiobook options and facilitated study groups. It’s not the least expensive certification that you’ll find, but it’s lower than many others, and the materials you get make it well worth the cost.

When you purchase the ACE Personal Training Certification, you’ll be able to complete the program online at your own speed. Other programs such as ISSA and NASM also offer this self-paced format, so be sure to weigh your options regarding price and accreditation.

Most complete the ACE program and exam in about three to six months, or the equivalent of about 80 to 100 hours. The ACE Personal Training Certification is NCCA Accredited, too. “The only time constraint of note, though, is in scheduling your exam,” notes our tester. “You have six months to schedule your test from the time you purchase the programming, so be sure to remember to do that.”

If you’re looking to get a training certification that you can use in different states or even different countries, it’s important to choose one with national recognition. Having an NCCA Accredited certification is the way to go.

The National Council on Strength & Fitness (NCSF) Personal Trainer Certification is an NCCA Accredited certification, so you’ll automatically earn that recognition, and the cert is globally recognized. The cert features the NCSF Easy Learning System, which is an advanced e-learning platform, so you can fully study and test online. However, if you need one-on-one support or group study forums, you may find this certification lacking.

Topics covered include functional anatomy, exercise physiology, health and physical fitness, screening and evaluation, nutrition, weight management, exercise programming, training instruction, considerations for special populations, and professionalism and risk management. “In my opinion, I feel the contents of the program are balanced,” notes our tester, a certified personal trainer. “While I’d appreciate a little more information on detailed aspects of training like behavior change or habit formation, I still feel the NCSF program is worthwhile for a majority of the population.”

You can choose from four different study bundles, and all allow for the exam to be taken online or in person at a testing center. “The only true time constraint is that you must take the exam within six months of your initial test registration date,” says our tester, a certified personal trainer. The passing rate for the exam is roughly 80%, but other certificates such as NASM do carry better percentages (albeit for non-proctored tests).

This certification will qualify you to work both with individuals and small groups in-person or online. Not only is this certification recognized nationally, but NCSF also has strong partnerships with some of the top health and fitness clubs in the world.

If you’re looking to get a certification to work with your average gymgoer, it’s best to get a general fitness certification like this one from Fitness Mentors. By focusing on the fundamentals, you’ll be able to work with all levels of general fitness.

The first three chapters of the Fitness Mentors Personal Trainer curriculum starts with the fitness assessment, then moves on to anatomy, physiology, and the study of human movement, followed by exercise physiology and energy systems. This gives students a well-rounded knowledge base to train general fitness clients.

You’ll also learn about program design, flexibility, mobility, range of motion, and the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, as well as some bits on nutrition, emergency procedures, professionalism, fitness for special populations and online personal training. “I often recommend those focusing on a CPT program also look into becoming a Certified Nutrition Coach, as well,” says our one tester, a certified personal trainer. “The fact that Fitness Mentors covers both areas of study for a more well-rounded curriculum makes it all the more appealing for tending to the general fitness community.”

Related: Best Online Personal Trainers

When you purchase this program, you’ll have access to video presentations, a digital textbook, audiobook lectures, assignments and learning activities, practice quizzes, bonus videos, and flashcards, as well as two practice exams to get you ready for the final examination. While these materials can be excellent tools, if you’re in need of more versatile practice exams that can be taken multiple times over, it may be beneficial to look at ACE, NASM, or ISSA programs.

Fitness Mentors Personal Trainer Certification focuses on developing a well-rounded knowledge base for training the general fitness population. Plus, it is NCCA Accredited and has the highest exam pass rate (according to their website). “I also like the simplified recertification qualifications,” notes our tester. “You just need two continuing education units every 2 years along with a current CPR/AED certification.”