Helms

Helms is an online coaching platform for independent coaches and small teams that want training, nutrition, client progress and administration in one workspace. It suits practitioners managing a modest roster who value detailed health tracking and portable client records. The main trade-off is a relatively small integration ecosystem and sharply tiered client limits.

Overview

Helms combines programme delivery with the operational work around a coaching business. Coaches can manage sessions, check-ins, goals, forms, bookings, billing and contracts alongside client-facing training and nutrition. That breadth makes it more than a workout builder, but its audience is deliberately narrow: it is not gym-management software for chains that require door access, class timetables or a front-desk till.

The platform is freemium, with a Free tier for up to seven clients and paid plans beginning at £69 per month. A 14-day trial gives prospective customers a short period to evaluate paid capabilities before committing.

Key features

Training and nutrition

Coaches can create programmes and workouts using reusable template days and a customisable exercise library. Clients can log sessions offline, a practical advantage when training takes place with unreliable connectivity. Nutrition support includes meal plans, macro targets, a USDA food database, barcode scanning and supplement protocols. AI photo food logging is reserved for the Coach plan and higher, so the free tier handles structured nutrition without that faster capture method.

Progress and health data

Helms tracks bodyweight trends and adherence, and supports biomarker panels, enhanced-client protocols and blood-work PDF extraction. Apple Health can automatically fill steps, heart rate and sleep. This combination is useful for coaches whose work extends into measurable health behaviours, although the named health connection is limited to Apple Health.

Business administration

Booking, calendar synchronisation, lead pipelines, forms, revenue reports and in-app contract e-signing cover core administrative chores. Clients pay through the coach’s own Stripe or GoCardless account, and Helms says it takes no cut of those payments. Instagram direct-message synchronisation and scheduling are included among the integrations, along with an MCP server for Claude or Codex.

AI actions require coach confirmation: the system does not independently message clients or create a programme. Every plan supports exporting a client’s complete record, including the Free tier. Coaches can delete a client’s account and data, while logged sets, check-ins and photos remain for as long as the account exists. Helms also offers free manual migration of clients, plans, supplements and check-in history from another platform on any plan; migration queries go to [email protected].

Pricing

Free is a sensible starting point for a solo coach with seven or fewer clients, but the missing AI suite, social scheduling and funnels are meaningful omissions for acquisition-focused businesses. Coach is the practical step up for a growing individual practice, adding the photo logger, mentor chat and Instagram scheduling while capping the roster at 30. Studio is aimed at established operations that need funnels and the complete AI set; Team is the only plan without a client ceiling and adds multi-coach capacity, but its £279 monthly price and paid extra seats make it difficult to justify for a small roster.

Platforms

Helms runs on the web and iOS. Coaches seeking Android access should look elsewhere.

Who it's for

Helms is best for online personal coaches and small coaching teams delivering combined training, nutrition and accountability programmes. It is particularly suitable when body metrics, biomarkers, blood-work documents or Apple Health data are part of the service, and when unrestricted record export matters. It is a poor fit for gym chains needing physical-access and front-desk operations, or for businesses built around integrations that Helms does not support; the maker acknowledges that its integration range is smaller than larger competitors and recommends checking any required connection before signing up.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Broad coaching scope: Training, nutrition, check-ins, progress and business administration share one platform.
• Portable records: Whole-client exports are available on every plan, including Free.
• Health-oriented tracking: Biomarkers, blood-work extraction and Apple Health auto-fill support data-rich coaching.
• No payment cut: Stripe and GoCardless payments use the coach’s own account.
• Migration help: Manual transfer from another platform is offered free on any plan.

Cons

• Small free roster: Seven clients limits its usefulness for a growing practice.
• Tiered feature gates: AI, social scheduling and funnels arrive only on paid plans.
• Integration gap: Helms has fewer integrations than larger competitors.
• Limited platform reach: There is no Android app.
• Team pricing: Unlimited clients starts at £279 per month, with extra coach seats costing £30–40 each.

Alternatives

Coach.me is a better choice for habit tracking and community Q&A, with Android, iOS and web access and a Habit Coaching plan at $87 per month.

My PT Hub suits coaches seeking Android support and lower-cost entry, with a Starter plan at $22.50 per month when paid annually each month.

Satori is worth considering for certification students or coaches needing unlimited pro-bono clients on its free Scholar plan.

Traneos is the cheaper option for very small rosters, offering a free five-client tier and a 14-day Pro trial.

ABC Trainerize is an alternative for coaches who prefer Android and iOS apps and can start with one client on its free Basic plan.

FitSW fits trainers who want selectable client limits from 5 to 1,000 on its Premium for Trainers plan.

Coachable is a web-only alternative with a free tier supporting up to 15 active athletes.

Delivvo is suited to lightweight client portals and project-style delivery, with a free three-client plan.

Verdict

Choose Helms if you are an online coach or small team that wants one system for programmes, nutrition, health progress and administration, especially with reliable record export and no payment commission. Look elsewhere if you need Android, a broad integration catalogue, gym-chain operations or a low-cost plan for more than seven clients.