How much should I charge for 1:1 reformer Pilates sessions?

What to charge for a 1:1 reformer Pilates session is the question every new private teacher asks, and the question most established teachers answer with a number that's been static for two or three years. The right number is region-specific, shape-specific (your training, your space, your client base), and time-sensitive (your prices should move). This post lays out the realistic ranges, the maths for derived pricing (packs, duets, initial assessments), and the signals that say it's time to raise prices.

The full operational case for private practice setup, including how Junocal handles different price points per service, lives on the Junocal for solo reformer Pilates instructors page.

The realistic 1:1 ranges

These numbers reflect what private reformer teachers are charging across the US, UK, and Australia in 2026, based on publicly visible pricing across studios and what teachers report when asked. Your number should fit inside the range; if it doesn't, that's not necessarily wrong, but the reason should be one you can name.

United States.

• Smaller metros (Phoenix, Charlotte, Indianapolis, Salt Lake): $80 to $100.
• Mid-size metros (Denver, Austin, Seattle, Atlanta, Minneapolis): $90 to $120.
• Major metros (NYC, LA, SF, Boston, DC, Chicago): $110 to $150.
• Premium positioning (10+ years experience, specialised training): $150 to $220.

United Kingdom.

• Outside London (Manchester, Edinburgh, Bristol, Leeds): £50 to £70.
• Greater London (zones 3-6, Surrey commuter belt): £65 to £85.
• Central London (zones 1-2): £75 to £100.
• Premium positioning: £100 to £130.

Australia.

• Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth: AUD $90 to $110.
• Sydney and Melbourne suburbs: AUD $100 to $140.
• Inner Sydney and Melbourne: AUD $120 to $160.
• Premium positioning: AUD $150 to $190.

Pricing toward the lower end of your range is fine if you are early-career, building reputation, or your space is shared. Pricing toward the upper end requires you to be specific about why: a particular lineage, a specialism (postnatal, rehab, athletic performance), an unusual physical space, or a long track record with verifiable results.

How to set duet and trio prices

The simple formula: take your 1:1 price, multiply by the per-client coefficient, and that's the per-client price for the group size.

Duet (1:2). Per-client price: 60 to 70 percent of the 1:1 rate. Your hourly revenue: 120 to 140 percent of the 1:1 rate.

Worked example. Your 1:1 is £75. Duet per client: £45 to £52. Hourly revenue at full booking: £90 to £105. The duet works for clients who want a friend to train with, often costs more per couple than a single client paying the 1:1 rate, and earns you 20 to 40 percent more per hour.

Trio (1:3). Per-client price: 45 to 55 percent of the 1:1 rate. Your hourly revenue: 135 to 165 percent.

Worked example. £75 1:1. Trio per client: £34 to £41. Hourly revenue at full booking: £102 to £124. Trios work for clients of similar level who train together regularly; harder to fill with random three-person groups.

A common configuration: 1:1 at full price, 1:2 at 65 percent per client, 1:3 at 50 percent per client. Mathematically clean, defensible to clients who ask, and the per-hour economics for you are strictly better as the group size grows.

Pack pricing: less discount than you think

The most common mistake new teachers make is over-discounting packs. A 20 percent discount on a 10-pack feels generous; it also trains every regular client to wait for pack pricing, eroding your drop-in revenue.

5-session pack. Discount the per-session rate by 5 to 10 percent.

Worked example. £75 1:1. 5-pack: £71 to £67 per session. Pack price: £355 to £335. The 5-pack works as a small commitment, not as a price-cutting mechanism.

10-session pack. Discount by 10 to 15 percent.

Worked example. £75 1:1. 10-pack: £68 to £64 per session. Pack price: £680 to £640. The 10-pack works for committed regulars. The discount is enough to justify the commitment but not enough to make the drop-in feel overpriced.

20-session pack. Discount by 15 to 20 percent.

Worked example. £75 1:1. 20-pack: £64 to £60 per session. Pack price: £1,280 to £1,200. The 20-pack is for clients who train weekly and want to lock in pricing for 4 to 5 months. Some teachers don't offer this at all; offer it only if you have clients asking for it.

Cash-flow note. Packs collect revenue upfront. You receive £680 today for sessions you'll deliver over 10 to 16 weeks. The cash-flow benefit is the underweighted reason packs work for solo teachers; it lets you smooth income across slower months.

The 90-minute initial assessment

The first session for a new client is typically 90 minutes (postural assessment, movement screen, goal-setting conversation, first session of work) rather than the standard 60 minutes. Pricing should reflect this.

Common pricing. 1.3 to 1.5 times the standard 1:1 rate.

Worked example. £75 standard 1:1. Initial assessment: £100 to £115.

The premium serves two purposes: it covers your time (the 90-minute slot takes 90 minutes of your working hours), and it signals that the initial is a distinct service that requires planning and care. Clients accept the premium readily because it matches the structure of the session.

Alternative pattern. Some teachers offer the initial at the standard 60-minute price as a loss leader, with the explicit expectation that the client commits to a 5-pack after. This works if your conversion rate from initial to pack is high (70 percent or more); it doesn't if conversion is below 50 percent.

When to raise prices

Two reliable signals:

Waitlist of 3+ clients trying to book regularly. If you regularly turn away clients because you're full, your prices are below market. Raise by 10 to 15 percent. The waitlist clients are typically the ones who care about quality and time; they accept the new pricing.

90 percent booked for 6 consecutive weeks. If your weekly capacity is consistently at 90 percent across the standard hours (not just peak weeks), demand exceeds supply at your current price. Raise by 10 to 15 percent.

When you raise prices, two patterns work:

The 30-day notice pattern. Email existing clients 30 days before the new pricing takes effect. Give them the option to buy a final pack at the old pricing. Most committed clients buy the pack; you collect upfront revenue and they lock in the old rate for the next 10 sessions.

The new-client-only pattern. Existing clients keep their current rate; new clients book at the new rate. After 6 to 12 months, raise existing clients with another 30-day notice. This works for client retention but you're sub-pricing your loyal base.

Either pattern works. Avoid the third pattern (silent overnight price change), which feels poor to clients and damages trust.

What goes wrong with under-pricing

Two failure modes worth naming.

You attract the wrong clients. Clients who choose you primarily on price are more likely to negotiate, cancel late, no-show, and churn. The bottom 20 percent of your client base by price-sensitivity drives 80 percent of your administrative friction.

You can't afford the fixed costs of professionalisation. Insurance, booking software, accounting subscription, CPD courses, equipment maintenance. Under-pricing means these costs come out of your effective hourly wage. A solo teacher charging £45 in central London is netting maybe £25 after fixed costs and tax; the same teacher at £75 is netting £45. The difference is whether the business is sustainable.

What goes wrong with over-pricing

Two failure modes the other way.

You don't fill the schedule. Empty slots are zero revenue. £100 per hour at 70 percent capacity is £70 average hourly revenue; £75 per hour at 90 percent capacity is £67.50. The maths usually favour pricing where you'll fill the room.

Reputation damage if quality doesn't match the price. A client paying £120 for a session that feels like a £75 session tells their friends. Word travels in local Pilates communities. Pricing toward the upper end requires the practice to match.

The booking-software part

The right booking software lets you price per service: different rates for 1:1 vs 1:2 vs 1:3, different deposits, different cancellation policies, different intake forms. Generic appointment apps (Calendly, Acuity Starter) treat every service the same. Junocal Starter at $39/month handles per-service pricing as a first-class concept, including the higher deposit for the 90-minute initial and the standard deposit for the 60-minute regular session.

The operational case lives on the Junocal for solo reformer Pilates instructors page. 14-day free trial, no card; pricing on /pricing.