Comparison

Fitness Tests vs Fitnessgram

The legacy standard vs a modern, mobile-first platform

Fitnessgram is the long-running US-centric fitness assessment standard developed by The Cooper Institute, widely mandated in US school districts. It's well-researched, curriculum-aligned, and backed by decades of normative data. For schools outside the US — or schools that want a faster, more flexible workflow — the experience gap with modern software is real.

Where Fitnessgram is strong

Gold-standard brand recognition in US school districts
Deep research backing from The Cooper Institute
Aligned with Presidential Youth Fitness Program and many state PE standards
Long track record of normative data

Where Fitness Tests has an edge

Works anywhere in the world, not just US school districts
Modern mobile apps for iOS and Android with offline capture
29 tests vs Fitnessgram's 6 core test battery — use the right test for your class
Self-serve setup: onboard in minutes, not weeks
Transparent pricing from $99/yr, no district procurement needed
Real-time multi-teacher capture on the same testing day

Feature-by-feature

Feature	Fitness Tests	Fitnessgram	Winner
Availability	Global — any school, any country	Strong US presence, limited internationally	FT
Number of tests	29 tests across endurance, strength, speed, flexibility	6 core tests (PACER, curl-up, push-up, trunk lift, sit and reach, BMI)	FT
Research backing / norms	Published normative data cross-referenced by age and gender	Healthy Fitness Zone standards from Cooper Institute research	Theirs
Mobile apps	Native iOS + Android, offline capture	Limited — primarily web-based	FT
Pricing transparency	$99-$999/yr published on site, self-serve	District-level licensing, quote-based	FT
Onboarding time	Minutes (sign up, invite teachers, import students)	Weeks (district procurement, IT integration)	FT
Curriculum alignment	Generic age/gender bands	Aligned with US PE standards, PYFP	Theirs
Custom tests	Yes, on Growth and above	No — fixed battery	FT
Real-time multi-teacher capture	Native — every teacher sees live results	Single-teacher workflow	FT

Bottom line

If you're a US public school that has to report to Presidential Youth Fitness Program or a state standard that mandates Fitnessgram, use Fitnessgram for those reports. For everything else — international schools, private schools, any school that wants a modern, fast, flexible workflow, or anyone who tests more than the 6 core Fitnessgram items — FitnessTests is the better day-to-day tool.

Start a 14-day free trial Browse all 29 tests

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This comparison reflects a best-effort, publicly-documented view of Fitnessgram as of writing. For their latest features and pricing visit fitnessgram.net.