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The Best FreshBooks Alternative for Self-Employed Canadians
FreshBooks is invoicing-first and priced for agencies. If you're a self-employed Canadian who needs a T2125 and GST/HST tracking, here's a leaner, cheaper fit.
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Accountly Team·
Built for self-employed
Bookkeeping for Canadian personal trainers
Track session income, deduct your gym chargebacks and certifications, log mileage between clients, and keep a T2125 that's ready, whether you train on a gym floor, in a park, or online.
Start free for 30 days No credit card required
You train clients all day. The gym isn't your employer.
When you pay the gym for floor access instead of collecting a paycheque, nobody withholds your tax, and the chargebacks, certs, and gear are all on you to track. Most trainers under-claim simply because they never logged it. Accountly keeps it organized between sessions.
Every session and chargeback, tracked
Log income from sessions, packages, and online coaching, and capture the gym chargebacks that come straight off the top. Accountly keeps your real numbers so your T2125 is accurate, not estimated.
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Track in-person, package, and online coaching income - Gym rent and chargebacks logged as deductions
- Income organized for your T2125 automatically
Snap a receipt, claim the deduction
Certifications, gear, insurance, branded apparel. Photograph the receipt and Accountly helps you file it in the right category, so the deductions trainers usually forget actually make it onto your return.
- Receipt capture from your phone camera
- Certifications, gear, and insurance categorized
- GST/HST input tax credits tracked on eligible expenses once you're registered
T2125-ready all year, not just in April
Your T2125 totals update with every session and expense. When tax season hits, the numbers are done, backed by receipts and organized by CRA category. File yourself or hand it to your accountant.
- T2125 line items calculated in real time
- Every expense backed by a receipt or note
- Invite your accountant for direct access
Deductions personal trainers actually claim
Built into Accountly's categories from day one.
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Gym rent & chargebacks
The rent or commission split you pay to train at a gym is usually your single biggest deduction.
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Certifications & recerts
CPT, CanFitPro, NASM, CPR and First Aid renewals, and specialty courses are deductible professional development.
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Liability insurance
The coverage you need to train clients is a deductible business expense.
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Equipment
Bands, kettlebells, mats, and gear. Smaller items deduct now; bigger purchases depreciate over time.
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Coaching apps & software
Trainerize, TrueCoach, booking and payment tools, and the streaming you use for classes.
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Mileage between clients
Driving between gyms, parks, and client homes is deductible. Keep a log of your business kilometres.
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Home or garage studio
Train clients from a dedicated space at home? Claim a percentage of rent, utilities, and internet.
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Branded apparel
Clothing with your logo generally counts. Plain gym wear generally does not.
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Marketing & website
Instagram ads, your booking page, business cards, anything you spend to bring in clients.
Tax guides for trainers
Written for self-employed Canadians in fitness.
Guide
House Cleaner & Housekeeper Taxes in Canada: Cash, Supplies, and the T2125
A tax guide for self-employed Canadian house cleaners — reporting cash income, deducting supplies and mileage, paying helpers, and the GST/HST $30K threshold.
A
Accountly Team·
Guide
New to Canada and Self-Employed? Your First Tax Return, Explained
A first-timer's guide to filing self-employed taxes as a newcomer to Canada — the T2125, GST/HST, your SIN, CPP, what to set aside, and the deadlines that matter.
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Accountly Team·
Guide
Personal Trainer & Fitness Instructor Taxes in Canada: Gym Rent, Certs, and the T2125
A tax guide for self-employed personal trainers and fitness instructors in Canada — deducting gym rent and chargebacks, certifications, gear, and online coaching income.
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Accountly Team·Personal trainer tax FAQs
Am I self-employed if I train clients at a commercial gym?
Usually yes. If you set your own rates, bring your own clients, and pay the gym rent or a chargeback rather than being on payroll, you are an independent contractor who files a T2125. The gym is your landlord, not your employer.
Can I deduct the percentage the gym takes from my sessions?
Yes. Gym chargebacks, floor rent, and monthly access fees are fully deductible, often a trainer’s largest expense. Accountly logs them from the gym’s statements so nothing is missed.
Are my certifications and recertifications deductible?
Yes. Initial certifications, recerts, CPR and First Aid renewals, and continuing-education courses related to training are deductible professional development.
When do personal trainers need to register for GST/HST?
Once revenue crosses $30,000 over four consecutive quarters, registration is mandatory and you charge GST/HST on your sessions. Accountly tracks your revenue so you know when you cross it.
Can I track in-person and online coaching income together?
Yes. In-person sessions, app-based programs, online coaching — Accountly pulls it all into one place and onto your T2125.
Can I invite my accountant?
Yes. Invite your accountant for direct read or edit access to your income, expenses, and T2125 totals, no exports or email attachments.
Coach your clients. Let Accountly handle the books.
Free for 30 days. No credit card required.