Kahunas vs PT Distinction: the honest comparison.
Kahunas and PT Distinction take different approaches. Kahunas bills per seat, lists meal plans and recipes built on a food database it advertises at 1.5 million+ foods, and offers a white-label branded web app from 200 seats (kahunas.io, checked 12 November 2026). PT Distinction is a UK-built platform with tier pricing, an AI program builder, group training, deep customization options and an AI meal planner. This is not about crowning a winner. The question is fit, which is what this page is built to answer. The short version and the side-by-side table are right below.
By Markus Evers · Updated November 2026
the short version
Pick Kahunas if you want per-seat pricing that falls as you grow (USD 5 per seat a month below 25 seats down to USD 1 from 200 and USD 0.50 from 1,000, 20 percent off yearly), a large food-tracking database, no commission on your client payments through your own Stripe or PayPal, and a white-label branded web app once you reach 200 seats. Pick PT Distinction if you want an AI program builder, group training, assessments, meal-planning tooling (an AI meal planner, your own recipes, hundreds of example plans), and tier pricing with per-client overage (USD 19.90 to 89.90 per month), with a custom-branded app from Pro. In short, Kahunas prices per seat on a falling scale and PT Distinction prices by tier with per-client overage; which fits depends on your client count and what you need the app to do. If you also want deep built-in meal planning and a client app in your clients' own language, Coachway is worth a look as a third option. The full side-by-side is below.
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Kahunas vs PT Distinction, side by side.
| Kahunas | PT Distinction | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Coaches who want per-seat pricing that falls as the roster grows | Coaches who want deep customization and breadth |
| Pricing model | Kahunas charges per seat: USD 5 / 2.50 / 2 / 1.50 / 1 / 0.50 per seat a month as you grow (20% off yearly) | PT Distinction has three tiers + per-client overage: USD 19.90 / 59.90 / 89.90 per month |
| Client caps | Kahunas: no caps; 3-seat minimum, seat price drops at 25 / 50 / 100 / 200 / 1,000 seats | PT Distinction: 3 / 25 / 50, then per-client overage |
| Branded client app | Kahunas white label unlocks at 200 seats (USD 1.00 per seat, so at least USD 200/mo) | PT Distinction: custom-branded iOS and Android apps on Pro and Master, not Basic |
| Nutrition | Kahunas: large food-tracking database (advertised 1.5 million+ foods with barcode scanning, checked 11 November 2026) with macro + micronutrient tracking | PT Distinction: MyFitnessPal tracking + photo diaries, plus AI meal planner, own recipes, example plans |
| Payments | Kahunas: Stripe and PayPal, states no commission on your sales | PT Distinction: Stripe and PayPal integrations; you keep the billing relationship |
| Free trial | Kahunas: 14-day free trial | PT Distinction: 1-month free trial, cancel anytime in the trial |
| Languages | Kahunas's site and help center are presented in English (kahunas.io, checked 12 November 2026) | PT Distinction is UK-built and presented in English; no advertised native-language localization |
Pricing and features change. Verify the current plan structure, client caps, and add-on costs with each provider before you commit. Thinking of leaving Kahunas? See our free migration offer, the steps to switch from Kahunas, a Kahunas alternative roundup, and what changed in the Kahunas 2.0 update. For a deeper look at each tool on its own, see our Kahunas review, our full Kahunas alternatives roundup (linked above) and our PT Distinction alternatives roundup. For the wider field beyond these two, see our ranked list of the best online coaching platforms for fitness coaches. If PT Distinction is the tool you are really weighing, we also line it up in FitBudd vs PT Distinction and HubFit vs PT Distinction, against My PT Hub in My PT Hub vs PT Distinction, and against Trainerize in our side-by-side of Trainerize and PT Distinction.
Where the two overlap, and where they differ.
Both of these cover the core checklist, and the overlap is real. Both give you a workout builder, a client app, messaging, progress tracking, habit tracking, nutrition tracking, and payments. So on raw features they are closer than they look at first glance. The differences are in pricing and emphasis. Kahunas lists per-seat pricing, a large food-tracking database, content drip and a white-label branded web app from 200 seats (kahunas.io, checked 12 November 2026). Kahunas says it is trusted by 15,000+ coaches and 1,000,000+ users (self-reported, kahunas.io, checked 11 November 2026). PT Distinction leans the other way, toward depth and flexibility: an AI program builder, group training, assessments, more meal-planning tooling, and customization that reviewers consistently call one of its biggest strengths, and it describes its own aim as "Train more clients in less time, with better results" (ptdistinction.com). Neither approach is wrong. The right one depends on your client count, how you build nutrition plans, and whether you want a branded app on your own app-store listings.
This comparison is built from each provider's own published pricing and feature pages, checked on the dates shown, and Coachway is a competitor of both. If you want the full feature checklist behind these criteria, our online coaching platform guide walks through the entire stack, and the companion piece on the best workout builder software for online coaches goes deeper on the programming side.
Pricing: per-seat tiers vs tiers plus overage.
The two shape the cost curve differently. Kahunas bills per seat, where a seat is an active client or a team member; you as the owner and your leads never take one, and the minimum is 3 seats. The seat price falls as you grow: USD 5.00 a month for 3 to 24 seats, USD 2.50 for 25 to 49, USD 2.00 for 50 to 99, USD 1.50 for 100 to 199, USD 1.00 for 200 to 999 and USD 0.50 from 1,000, with yearly billing 20 percent off. If a bigger tier costs the same or less, Kahunas bills that one, so 10 clients cost USD 50, 20 clients USD 62.50, 50 clients USD 100 and 100 clients USD 150 a month. Features unlock by seat tier: recipes, automations, leads and Zapier from 25 seats, team seats from 50, communities from 100 and white label from 200. There is a 14-day free trial. Kahunas processes payments through Stripe and PayPal and states it does not charge any commission on your sales.
PT Distinction uses three tiers plus per-client overage. Basic is USD 19.90 per month for up to 3 clients, then USD 6 per additional client. Pro is USD 59.90 for up to 25 clients, then USD 2.40 each. Master is USD 89.90 for up to 50 clients, then USD 1.60 each. Set against the Kahunas examples above, the two stay close at every size: Kahunas is cheaper on a small caseload (USD 25 against USD 31.90 at 5 clients) and at 100 clients (USD 150 against about USD 170), while PT Distinction Pro and Master come in a little lower at 20 to 25 clients (USD 59.90 against USD 62.50) and at 50 clients (USD 89.90 against USD 100). The bigger difference is the branded app: PT Distinction includes custom-branded iOS and Android apps from Pro, and Kahunas includes a branded web app from 200 seats. PT Distinction offers a 1-month free trial with no commitments, and you can cancel anytime during the trial and pay nothing.
The honest takeaway: do the math on your actual client count. The right answer flips depending on whether you are at 3 clients, 25, or 60-plus, and on whether a branded app below 200 clients matters to you. For a different model again, Coachway uses per-client pricing, EUR 69 per month for up to 5 active clients plus EUR 9 per additional active client; payments run through your own Stripe account, and Coachway takes 2.4% per transaction, plus Stripe's own fees. You can sanity-check that math against current Coachway pricing.
The feature differences that actually matter.
- Workout delivery. Kahunas lists a workout builder with a library of 1,700+ exercise videos (kahunas.io, checked 11 November 2026), sets, supersets, circuits and rest timers. PT Distinction lists an AI program builder and deep customization options. Try both trials to see which workflow suits you.
- Nutrition. The two take different angles. Kahunas lists meal plans with macros per meal built from a food database it advertises at 1.5 million+ foods, barcode scanning, macro and micronutrient tracking, and a recipe library on plans from 25 clients (kahunas.io/features/nutrition, checked 12 November 2026). PT Distinction handles day-to-day tracking through a MyFitnessPal integration and photo food diaries, and lists an AI meal planner, your own recipes and hundreds of example meal plans. Try each against the way you build nutrition plans.
- Branded client app. On both, the branded app depends on the plan. On Kahunas, white label unlocks at 200 seats (USD 1.00 per seat a month, so at least USD 200 a month) and is a branded web app with your logo, colour and kahunas.app address, with no App Store or Google Play listing (Kahunas, checked 11 November 2026); below that, clients use the standard Kahunas client app. PT Distinction includes your own custom-branded iOS and Android apps on Pro and Master, while Basic gets apps with no custom branding. Budget for the right tier if a branded app is important to you.
- Payments and commission. Neither advertises a commission on your client sales. Kahunas runs payments through Stripe and PayPal and states it does not charge any commission on your sales. PT Distinction supports Stripe and PayPal integrations and you keep the client billing relationship. On both, you connect your own processor; check each provider for any current per-transaction or platform fees. If you are coming from a platform that does take a share of client sales, see subscription-priced alternatives to revenue-share coaching platforms.
- Group and assessments. PT Distinction explicitly supports group training, assessments, and habit coaching as part of its broader toolkit, which suits coaches running more than straight 1:1 programs. Kahunas lists communities, group chats and challenges; communities unlock from 100 seats (kahunas.io/pricing, checked 11 November 2026).
- Language. Kahunas's site and help center are presented in English, and PT Distinction is a UK company presented in English. If you coach clients in their own language, check with each provider which languages its client app supports.
Which should you pick?
The decision comes down to a few questions: which pricing model fits your client count, how central is meal planning to your offer, which features you need in the app, and how much does a branded app on your own app-store listing matter? Here is the fair way to land it.
- You want per-seat pricing that falls as your roster grows. Kahunas. It bills per seat with a 3-seat minimum, advertises a food database of 1.5 million+ foods, and offers a 14-day free trial.
- You want deep customization, group training, and an AI program builder. PT Distinction. Its flexibility and breadth are its standout strengths, and the 1-month trial gives you time to explore them.
- Built-in meal planning is central to your offer. Both list meal-planning tools. PT Distinction lists an AI meal planner, your own recipes and example plans; Kahunas lists meal plans with macros per meal from its food database and a recipe library from 25 clients. Try both trials against the way you build plans.
- You want a custom-branded app on your own app-store listings. PT Distinction includes custom-branded iOS and Android apps on Pro (USD 59.90 per month) and Master. Kahunas's white label, from 200 seats (at least USD 200 a month), is a branded web app with no App Store or Google Play listing (kahunas.io/features/branded-app, checked 11 November 2026). Compare the published prices against your client count and the kind of branded app you want.
- You have a very small caseload and want the lowest entry price. Kahunas. Its 3-seat minimum is USD 15 per month and 5 clients cost USD 25, against USD 19.90 for 3 clients and USD 31.90 for 5 on PT Distinction Basic. As you grow the two stay close, so run your own client count through both.
- You want deep built-in meal planning and a client app in your clients' own language. Coachway is built for this: training, nutrition, and check-ins in one workflow, 1,100+ recipes and 3,900+ ingredients built in, your own Stripe, and a client app in eight languages (English, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish, German, Dutch and Spanish), with the Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish and German versions checked by native-speaking coaches.
Still weighing it up? Our walkthrough on choosing an online coaching platform turns this into a step-by-step shortlist, and our Coachway vs Kahunas and Coachway vs PT Distinction comparisons go deeper if either of these is on your shortlist next to Coachway.
Frequently asked.
Is Kahunas or PT Distinction better for online fitness coaches?
It depends on how you coach. Pick Kahunas if you want per-seat pricing that falls as you grow (USD 5 per seat a month below 25 seats, falling to USD 1 from 200 seats and USD 0.50 from 1,000), a large food-tracking database, no commission on your client payments through your own Stripe or PayPal, and a white-label branded web app once you reach 200 seats. Pick PT Distinction if you want an AI program builder, deep customization options, an AI meal planner, group training, and tier pricing with per-client overage (USD 19.90 to 89.90 per month) that puts a custom-branded app on Pro.
How does Kahunas pricing compare to PT Distinction pricing?
They use different models. Kahunas bills per seat (an active client or a team member), with a 3-seat minimum: USD 5.00 per seat a month for 3 to 24 seats, 2.50 for 25 to 49, 2.00 for 50 to 99, 1.50 for 100 to 199, 1.00 for 200 to 999 and 0.50 from 1,000, with yearly billing 20 percent off; it bills the bigger tier when that costs the same or less. PT Distinction runs three tiers plus per-client overage: Basic USD 19.90 per month (3 clients, +USD 6 each), Pro USD 59.90 (25 clients, +USD 2.40 each), and Master USD 89.90 (50 clients, +USD 1.60 each). At 10 clients that is USD 50 on Kahunas against USD 59.90 on PT Distinction Pro, at 20 to 25 clients USD 62.50 against USD 59.90, at 50 clients USD 100 against USD 89.90 on Master, and at 100 clients USD 150 against about USD 170. Confirm current figures with each provider before you commit.
Is the branded client app included on Kahunas and PT Distinction?
On both, it depends on the plan. On Kahunas, white label unlocks at 200 seats (USD 1.00 per seat a month, so at least USD 200 a month) and is a branded web app with your logo, colour and kahunas.app address, with no App Store or Google Play listing (Kahunas, checked 11 November 2026, kahunas.io/features/branded-app); below that, clients use the standard Kahunas client app. On PT Distinction, your own custom-branded iOS and Android apps come with Pro and Master, while Basic gets iOS and Android apps with no custom branding. So if a branded app matters below 200 clients, PT Distinction includes custom-branded iOS and Android apps from Pro (USD 59.90 per month), while Kahunas's white label starts at 200 seats (at least USD 200 a month) and is a branded web app. Compare what each format gives your clients.
Which has better nutrition tools, Kahunas or PT Distinction?
They take different angles. Kahunas lists meal plans with macros per meal built from a food database it advertises at 1.5 million+ foods, with barcode scanning, macro and micronutrient tracking and a recipe library from 25 clients (checked 12 November 2026). PT Distinction handles day-to-day tracking through a MyFitnessPal integration and photo food diaries, and adds an AI meal planner, your own recipes and hundreds of example meal plans. Try each against the way you build nutrition plans.
Do Kahunas and PT Distinction take a commission on my client payments?
Neither advertises a commission on your client sales. Kahunas processes payments through Stripe and PayPal and states it does not charge any commission on your sales. PT Distinction supports Stripe and PayPal integrations and you keep the client billing relationship. So on both, you connect your own processor and keep your payments; check each provider for any current per-transaction or platform fees before you commit.
I use Kahunas and want to move. What does Coachway do for the switch?
Our team does the migration for you, free, in one day, and we tell you what can move before you commit. Your first month is free when you sign up on coachway.io/kahunas/. Client payment subscriptions do not move: they are set up again on your own Stripe, which Coachway uses with a 2.4% fee per transaction plus Stripe's fees. The details are on our Kahunas switch page, and our guide on how to switch from Kahunas covers the steps.
What about coaches who want training, nutrition, and check-ins in one with native-language UI?
That is the need Coachway is built around. Kahunas is presented in English across its site and help center, and PT Distinction is a UK company presented entirely in English. Coachway offers deep built-in meal planning plus a client app in eight languages (English, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish, German, Dutch and Spanish), with the Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish and German versions checked by native-speaking coaches, per-client pricing and your own Stripe. Compare all three before deciding.
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