Oliver Robien is a personal coach heart and soul. Strength and endurance training, health and back fitness, as well as individual goal planning (weight loss, marathon preparation): for him, every athlete is an exciting challenge. But the everyday life of a modern coach is more than just training. It is about communication, organisation and, along with that, the right technology. And this is exactly where Oliver had a headache for a long time.

The problem: communication chaos and forced technology

"I reached a point where communicating via WhatsApp simply no longer worked for me," Oliver explains in a conversation with SportJoe. "Private and business requests got mixed up and it became confusing. On top of that came the news from Fitogram: the service will be discontinued in early 2025. I had to act fast."

Oliver had been thinking about switching for a while, but hesitated until now because the many subscription models are expensive and he did not want to be tied to a rigid contract that limits his flexibility. He was looking for a customisable app that is technically high-quality yet affordable. 

The turning point: SportJoe as a tailored alternative

The SportJoe team recognised Oliver’s challenges and developed a tailor-made solution that supported the coach as a solo operator, without any initial development costs.

"It was clear that we could help Oli," says SportJoe founder and managing director Sebastian Dietze. "We understand what coaches need. The big platforms are often not the answer, because they focus too heavily on their own business model or on one area, while pushing the real needs of coaches into the background."

The downside of sports aggregators

Large sports aggregators such as Urban Sports Club (USC) have found their place in the fitness industry. But behind the supposed convenience for users lies an often unsettling business model that drives coaches into dependency.

"I took a close look at Urban Sports Club’s contract terms," Oliver reports. "Many of the clauses and conditions really worried and upset me. The confidentiality clauses and opaque offer and class conditions in particular would have tied me strongly to this one provider and severely limited my flexibility. The payout rates also make it very difficult for an individual coach to make classes financially viable," he says.

He is not alone in his thinking. Other trainers also find themselves in a dilemma: either accept the contract terms and fill classes with sheer numbers, or keep prices and quality at an acceptable level with fewer participants. Oliver did not let USC’s dominant market position win him over and focuses on quality and individuality instead of quantity.

SportJoe: the alternative to Fitogram, Urban Sports Club and Eversports

SportJoe sees itself as the fairer alternative to the big aggregators. The model is simple: "We are like an 'Amazon for sport'," says Sebastian. "Coaches use our platform for free. They only pay a comparatively low platform fee once they have successfully sold a paid offering. So there is no financial risk." Platform fees up to 80% lower than those of large app platforms and the ability to communicate with customers directly in the app make SportJoe a strong app alternative for trainers. 

Oliver’s verdict: "Finally the freedom and flexibility I wanted!"

"SportJoe gave me back my flexibility," Oliver says happily. "I can now finally focus fully on my clients, without running private and business matters through the same communication channel, without committing long-term and without endless contract texts. And I know that technical help is just a call away, and if clients stay away, my costs stay away too, which was very important to me."

What does this mean for you?

• As a coach: If you are frustrated by the problems with the big platforms, take a closer look at SportJoe, the best app for personal trainers.  
• · As a recreational athlete: support coaches who are treated fairly and offer high-quality activities.

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