Accountants for online fitness coaches and personal trainers
AFE Accountants handles accounts, tax returns and VAT for UK online fitness coaches and personal trainers, including income from coaching apps and digital programmes. The practice is led by Adam Feyzi FCCA and works remotely with clients across the UK.
Accounts, tax and VAT support for online coaches, personal trainers and studio owners.
- Led by Adam Feyzi FCCA
- UK-wide, remote-first
- Free first consultation
Which UK accountant suits an online fitness coach or personal trainer?
AFE Accountants is led by Adam Feyzi FCCA, a member of the ACCA. Start with a free consultation, or read the guides: What online fitness coaches and personal trainers need from an accountant and Sole trader or limited company: what UK influencers should weigh up.
How we help fitness businesses.
Accounts and tax returns
Preparation of your accounts and tax returns, with clear explanations at every step.
VAT and business structure
Advice on VAT, company formation and the right structure for your goals.
Accounts and bookkeeping
Stay organised and in control.
Tax and VAT
Clear advice and compliant reporting.
Where your income comes from
Fitness businesses often earn through several channels at once. AFE records each one and matches platform payouts to what you actually earned.
- Coaching apps and platforms: payouts, platform fees and refunds.
- Memberships and subscriptions: regular income and cancellations.
- Digital programmes: training plans, meal plans and video courses.
- In-person sessions: one-to-one training, classes and bootcamps.
Expenses fitness businesses ask about
Whether a cost can be claimed depends on what it is for and the facts [VERIFY WITH HMRC / ADAM]. AFE reviews your costs and keeps a clear record of each claim.
- Equipment used with clients.
- Studio hire or rent for sessions.
- Coaching software, apps and website costs.
- Insurance and professional memberships.
- Courses and training linked to your work.
- Advertising and marketing.
VAT on digital services
Selling online programmes and memberships can raise VAT questions. Digital services sold to customers outside the UK may follow different rules [VERIFY WITH HMRC / ADAM].
AFE checks whether you need to register and how your sales should be treated. See VAT and business structure for more.
Sole trader or limited company
Many coaches start as sole traders. Some later move to a limited company as profits grow, although it depends on your circumstances.
AFE compares both with your own figures. The guide on sole trader or limited company explains the main differences.
Fitness creators
If you also earn from brand deals, sponsored posts or social media, see how AFE works with content creators.
Who we work with.
- Online coaches
- Personal trainers
- Studio owners
- Fitness creators
Questions fitness businesses ask us.
Do I need to register as self-employed as a personal trainer?
Usually, yes, if you work for yourself rather than as an employee. Most self-employed trainers register with HMRC and file a Self Assessment return [VERIFY WITH HMRC / ADAM].
Small amounts of income may be covered by an allowance instead [VERIFY WITH HMRC / ADAM]. AFE looks at what you earn and tells you what applies.
How are payments through coaching apps treated?
Platforms often pay you after taking their fees. Your accounts usually need to show the full amount your clients paid, with the platform fees recorded as a cost [VERIFY WITH HMRC / ADAM].
AFE matches your payout reports to your bank account so the income and fees are recorded correctly.
Do I charge VAT on online coaching programmes?
Only if you are VAT registered or need to be. Registration depends on your taxable turnover against the VAT registration threshold [VERIFY WITH HMRC / ADAM].
Where your customers are based can also affect how VAT works on digital sales [VERIFY WITH HMRC / ADAM]. AFE reviews your sales and explains the position.
Can I claim my own gym membership?
Usually not, where it is mainly for your own fitness [VERIFY WITH HMRC / ADAM]. Costs that are purely for your business, such as hiring space to train clients, are treated differently.
The line depends on the facts. AFE reviews each cost with you and records why it was or was not claimed.
I work in a gym and coach online. Is that one business?
It depends on how you are engaged. If the gym employs you, that income is usually taxed through payroll, and your online coaching is a separate self-employment [VERIFY WITH HMRC / ADAM].
If you are self-employed in both, they may count as one trade or two. AFE looks at how you work and sets up your records to match.
Questions before you book?
AFE’s AI assistant
AFE AI assistant
Hello, I am the AFE AI assistant. I can answer general questions and help you book a time with the team.
Visitor: I coach clients online and in person. Can you help?
Assistant: Yes. AFE works with online coaches and personal trainers. The first consultation is free, so you can talk your income through with the team.
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AI service guidance. Personal advice from the team.
From first question to your next step.
Tell us what you need
Share how you coach, where your clients come from and how you are paid.
Speak with the team
Talk your situation through in a free, no-obligation consultation.
Receive a clear proposal
Straightforward advice and next steps, with no jargon.
We reply within [RESPONSE TIME: confirm with Adam].
Meet Adam Feyzi, FCCA, and the team
Adam Feyzi, FCCA
Founder and director, AFE Accountants
Frequently asked questions
Do you only work with online coaches?
No. AFE works with online coaches, personal trainers, studio owners and fitness creators. Many clients mix online coaching with in-person sessions, classes or brand work, and the team records each income stream separately. If most of your income comes from social media, the creators service may suit you as well.
Can you help if I am just starting as a personal trainer?
Yes. Starting out is a good time to get your records and registration right. AFE can explain how to register with HMRC, what records to keep and whether a sole trader or company structure makes sense for you. The first consultation is free, so you can ask questions before you commit to anything.
Do you work with fitness businesses across the UK?
Yes. AFE Accountants is UK-wide and remote-first, so coaches and trainers anywhere in the UK can work with the team by phone, video call and email. Payout reports and receipts can be shared online. Clients who prefer to meet in person can also be seen in North London.
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Your coaching is a business. Keep it on track.
Book a free consultation and talk your income through with the AFE team.
Book a free consultationPrefer to talk? Call 020 3404 0144.