ISSA review

Name: ISSA
Item: ISSA
Author: AcademyCue

Updated September 30, 2026 · AcademyCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 30, 2026

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Our verdict

ISSA suits adults who want a fitness certification they can finish at their own pace, with accreditation from ncca plus tutor support and job support in the fee. The Certified Personal Trainer plan starts at $868, and that entry price is what to weigh before you enrol.

Key facts

Best for: Adults who want a NCCA-accredited fitness certificate, tutor support and the exam fee handled in a single online enrolment.
Certification type: Fitness (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Price from: $868 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Teaching practicum: No (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Exam fee included: Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Tutor support: Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Job support: Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Typical completion time (weeks): 12 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Recertification period: 2 years (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Money-back period: 7 days (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Legal entity: ISSA, LLC (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Headquarters: United States (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Founded: 1988 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Support channels: Email, Phone, Help-centre, Community (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Accreditation: Ncca
Delivery: Online
Official website: issaonline.com

Online courses

Price from: $868 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Price per month: $89 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Free tier: No (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Money-back period: 7 days (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Platform type: Curated (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Number of courses: 25 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Course languages: English, Spanish (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Access period: 6 to 8 months (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Graded assessments: Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Team plan: Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Legal entity: ISSA, LLC (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Headquarters: United States (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Founded: 1988 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Support channels: Email, Phone, Help-centre, Community (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Subjects: Business
Certificate types: Completion, Professional

Apps and profiles

Elsewhere: Trustpilot X

Pros and cons

Pros

The Certified Personal Trainer plan folds tutor support, job support and the exam fee into one payment, so the headline price covers the test and the help around it.
Assessments are part of the program and the certificate comes as completion and professional, so a completion route and a professional route sit side by side.
Support runs on email, phone and help centre, so help is available by phone and email as well as through the help centre and the community.
The Certified Personal Trainer plan can be paid at $89 a month, with access lasting 6 to 8 months, which spreads the entry fee across the study period.

Cons

There is no free tier, so the only way to see the material is to pay $868 for the Certified Personal Trainer plan up front.
The practicum is not part of the program, so anyone needing supervised placement hours has to source that elsewhere.
The entry fee ranks 69 of 87 brands by price from, and the money-back period of 7 days is shorter than the 14-day median across the site.
Renewing the credential every 2 years means a repeat charge later in a working career, so the cost is not settled at signup.

Ready to try ISSA?

Scored 8.9 / 10 by AcademyCue.

See alternatives

Who it suits

Adults fitting study around work, since delivery is online and access to the material runs 6 to 8 months.
Learners who want the test cost handled up front, because the exam fee is included in the Certified Personal Trainer plan.
Spanish speaking candidates, since course material runs in English and Spanish and the company is ISSA, LLC in the United States.

Who should look elsewhere

IT candidates: CrackCerts and Testprep Training cover it and it certifications, while ISSA is fitness.
Coaching candidates: Marisa Peer awards coaching qualifications, a different track from the ISSA Certified Personal Trainer plan.
Learners who need supervised placement hours, because the practicum is not part of the ISSA program.

Core features

The Certified Personal Trainer plan arrives with tutor support and job support, so academic help and career help come from the same enrolment rather than a separate purchase. The exam fee is included, which removes a second payment once you reach the assessment stage. The practical side is thinner: there is no practicum in the program, so the hours you finish are study and assessment hours rather than supervised placement. After you qualify, the credential is renewed every 2 years, and the money-back period runs 7 days from purchase, which makes the first payment the one that matters most.

What you get free

Short answer: there is no free tier on the Certified Personal Trainer plan. The nearest thing to a free look is the money-back period of 7 days, which gives you room to start the material and claim a refund inside that window if the course is not for you. Once that window closes the offer ends and the full fee stands, so the first payment carries the whole weight of the decision.

The company behind it

The business behind the brand is ISSA, LLC, headquartered in the United States and founded in 1988. A long record matters in this field because a certificate only holds its worth while the body behind it is still recognised. Support runs on email, phone and help centre, so a question can start in the help centre, go out by email, be picked up over the phone, or be raised with other learners in the community.

How ISSA compares

Frequently asked questions

How much does the ISSA Certified Personal Trainer plan cost to start?+

Entry is $868 for the Certified Personal Trainer plan, which places it at 69 of 87 brands by starting price, so this is a premium tier fee rather than a budget one. The monthly option is $89, and access to the material runs 6 to 8 months.

Do I have to pay again later to keep the certificate?+

The exam fee is included in the Certified Personal Trainer plan, so the assessment stage carries no separate charge. The credential itself is renewed every 2 years, which is the point to plan for later in a career. Buying the plan does not lock in a lifelong certificate.

Is there a free tier or a free trial?+

There is no free tier, and the plan is paid from the first click. The nearest fallback is the money-back period of 7 days, which is shorter than the 14-day median across the wider site. If you want to sample before paying, that window is the only opening on offer.

What support do I get while studying?+

Support runs on email, phone and help centre, so a question can start in the help centre, go out by email, be picked up over the phone, or be raised with other learners. Tutor support sits inside the Certified Personal Trainer plan, so academic help is part of the fee rather than an add-on, and job support is part of the same plan.

Which languages is the course in?+

Course material runs in English and Spanish, so Spanish speaking candidates do not have to work through an English only course. Delivery is online, which keeps everything on one platform rather than a classroom timetable. The company behind the plan is ISSA, LLC, based in the United States.

Is the ISSA certificate accredited?+

The program carries accreditation from ncca, and the certificate comes as completion and professional, so learners can pick the completion route or the professional route. Assessments are part of the program, which is what an employer reads on a fitness certificate. Recertification is due every 2 years.

Does the program include a practicum?+

There is no practicum in the Certified Personal Trainer plan, so the hours you finish are study and assessment hours rather than supervised placement. Practical work is something you arrange yourself once you are working. If placement hours matter for your goal, compare the alternatives listed here before enrolling.

Can a gym or studio sign up several trainees at once?+

A team plan is available, which suits gyms and studios enrolling several learners together. On a single seat, the entry figure is $868 for the Certified Personal Trainer plan, or $89 a month with access for 6 to 8 months. The catalogue holds 25 courses, so one platform covers adjacent qualifications.

How long does the course take?+

The plan is designed around 12 weeks to finish, and access to the material runs 6 to 8 months, so there is room to move at a slower pace without losing the login. The business has been running since 1988, a long record in this field. Expect a self-paced rhythm, since delivery is online.

Sources

issaonline.com checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Typical completion time (weeks)
“become a certified personal trainer in as little as 3 months”
issaonline.com checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Subjects
“Business of Personal Training”
issaonline.com/pages/about-us checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Number of courses, Course languages, Founded, Platform type
“25+ Specializations”
issaonline.com/pages/faqs checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Access period, Graded assessments, Support channels
“Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) Course: 6 months to complete - Specialization Courses: 8 months to complete”
issaonline.com/pages/issa-certification-accreditation checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Accreditation, Exam fee included
“ISSA offers its NCCA accredited personal trainer exam through its subsidiary”
issaonline.com/pages/terms-and-conditions checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Headquarters, Legal entity, Money-back period, Recertification period, Team plan
“2942 N 24th Street, Ste 115 PMB 28058 - Phoenix, AZ 85016-7849 - USA”
issaonline.com/products/certified-personal-trainer checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Certification type, Certificate types, Delivery, Free tier, Job support, Teaching practicum, Price from, Price per month, Tutor support
“Certified Personal Trainer - fitness certification”

Compiled from 7 source pages, checked September 30, 2026. We did not open an account.

Not confirmed yet: Course hours.

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ISSA

Adults who want a NCCA-accredited fitness certificate, tutor support and the exam fee handled in a single online enrolment.

8.9/10See alternatives