Trainers & clients
A simple app for a personal trainer and one client
Updated · by the Simpleban team
In short
Most trainer apps are programming platforms: exercise libraries, video, macros, billing. If what you actually manage with a client is the week — three sessions, two habits, a Sunday check-in — Simpleban is the simpler tool. It's a free shared kanban board for a trainer and one client: sessions and habits are cards that repeat on schedule, the client moves them to Done, a missed one just sits there visibly, and the check-in comes due on Sunday with a morning email. One board per client; the client never pays.
What a week looks like
| Card | Repeats | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| Session A — legs | Mon | Client |
| Session B — upper | Wed | Client |
| Session C — conditioning | Fri | Client |
| 10k steps | Daily | Client |
| Protein at every meal | Daily | Client |
| Sunday check-in: weight, sleep, how was the week | Every Sunday | Client → hand to trainer |
| Update next week's plan | Every Sunday | Trainer |
How it works
- Every card has an owner: you, your client, or either of you — so “who is on this?” is answered before anyone asks.
- Hand a card to your client and it moves to the top of their board under “waiting on you”. If they're not on the app, Simpleban emails them a few minutes later, and the next morning's 8am email mentions it once if it's still waiting — never every day. You never press a “remind” button.
- When your client is done, they hand it back and it reappears at the top of your board.
- Repeating cards come back on their own schedule — daily, weekly, chosen weekdays, every N days, monthly — and can alternate between the two of you.
- Due dates with a calm Today / This week filter, a private calendar feed for Google, Apple or Outlook, and a countdown on the board for the date that matters.
- Notes, checklists and comments live inside each card, so the context travels with the task.
- Your client joins from your invite link with a name and an email — no password, nothing to pay. Both of you have the full app on your own phone; it installs like an app and works offline for reading.
What it doesn't do
No exercise library, videos, macros, payments or a client roster. Use it for the plan and the habits; keep the programme detail in notes on the card or in whatever you use today. Simpleban is built for two people, so it's one board per client.
Templates to start from
Questions, answered
- Can my client tick off habits daily?
- Yes. A daily repeating card comes back every morning; dragging it to Done is the tick.
- Will I see if they miss a session?
- A card that isn't moved just stays where it is, and the morning email reminds them it's waiting. You'll see it the next time you open the board.
- Does it replace my programming software?
- No — it replaces the WhatsApp thread about this week. Keep the programming where it is.
- Does the other person need to pay or install anything?
- No. They open your invite link, type a name and an email, and they're on the board. Installing it as an app on their phone is optional. Simpleban is free forever for two: you and the one person you invite get every feature, unlimited boards and cards, no trial and no credit card. The promise is written into the Terms: nothing that is free today will ever move behind a paywall, and your +1 never pays. If you need more people or want to share boards beyond your +1, we'll soon introduce subscription tiers — a flat rate, never per seat.
This week's plan, on both phones
Start from the Habit tracker template and invite your client.
Your board starts as “Weekly habits” — columns and example cards you can change or delete.
Try the live demo board first