Compare
ACTION-CPT vs AFAA-CGFI
ACTION Certified Personal Trainer from ACTION Certification LLC and AFAA Certified Group Fitness Instructor from Athletics and Fitness Association of America, side by side: accreditation, eligibility, exam, cost and renewal, each fact from its cited source.
Key differences
- ACTION-CPT requires 2 continuing-education units per cycle versus 1.5 for AFAA-CGFI — note the providers use different CEU unit systems, so these figures are not directly comparable.
Differences are stated only where both credentials have a known value on record — never inferred against an unknown. No winner is declared; which credential fits depends on your goals. Methodology
ACTION Certified Personal Trainer
ACTION-CPT
Credential type
certification
certification
Verification
verified
verified
Accreditation
accreditedNCCA(directory-confirmed)
accreditedNCCA(directory-confirmed)
Accredited through
2029-07-31
2030-12-31
Target professional
Entry-level personal trainers working in individual and group settings with healthy clients
Group fitness instructors
Minimum age
unknown
unknown
Education requirement
unknown
High school diploma or equivalent (or within no more than 90 days of completing all requirements for a high school diploma/GED or recognized equivalency); candidates under 18 must present the NASM|AFAA Academic Partner High School Verification form or their GED/diploma to the proctor at testing
Degree required
unknown
no
Experience requirement
unknown
None – "You do not need prior experience before taking the CGFI course."
CPR/AED to enroll
yes
yes
Other prerequisites
unknown
Current Adult CPR and AED certification from an approved provider (e.g., American Heart Association, American Red Cross, American Safety and Health Institute) with a hands-on component; proof required prior to sitting for the exam. May enroll in the course before obtaining CPR/AED but must have it before the final exam. Valid government-issued photo ID required at the exam.
Exam format
130 multiple choice questions (100 scored, up to 30 non-scored research); online with live proctors (ProctorU)
Closed-book, 3rd-party (PSI) proctored exam; administered in-person at a testing center or via live remote online proctoring
Question count
unknown
120
Time limit
150 minutes
120 minutes
Passing score
72%
Scaled score of 70 or better
Retake policy
May re-test after a 90-day waiting period following the previous exam date.
Candidates who fail are subject to a retest wait period: 30 days after the first and/or second failed attempt; 1 year for each repeated failure after the 3rd attempt. A retest must be purchased (or a retest voucher activated) by calling Member Services.
Exam / application fees
$99 exam fee
unknown
Renewal required
yes
yes
Renewal cycle
2 years
2 years
CEUs per cycle
2
1.5
CEU unit system
CEC
AFAA CEU (contact-hour based: 1 contact hour = 0.1 CEU; 1.5 CEUs = 15 contact hours)
Renewal fees
unknown
$99 standard
Ethics requirement
unknown
no
CPR/AED at renewal
unknown
yes
Renewal deadline rule
unknown
All requirements must be met by the certification expiration date (materials mailed/submitted prior to expiration). Recertification applications may be submitted up to one year late provided all continuing education was completed before or within 90 days of the expiration date; late fees apply ($30 up to 90 days post-expiration, $50 after the grace period and before one year post-expiration).
Reinstatement
unknown
unknown
Credential status
active
active
Last verified
2026-09-12
2026-09-03
CEU recognition
unknown
Colleges/universities (post-certification collegiate coursework) (accepts ceus from) · American Heart Association, American Red Cross, American Safety and Health Institute, National Safety Council, St. John Ambulance, EMT programs (accepts ceus from) · AFAA-Approved Continuing Education Providers (accepts ceus from) · Non-AFAA-approved continuing education providers/courses (petition accepted)
Categories
Personal Training, Movement Assessment, Nutrition Coaching, Special Populations
Personal Training
Compare something else
Related comparisons
ACE-CPT vs AFAA-CGFIACE-GFI vs AFAA-CGFIACSM-CPT vs AFAA-CGFIACTION-CPT vs ACE-CPTACTION-CPT vs ACE-GFIACTION-CPT vs ACSM-CPTACTION-CPT vs IFPA-CPFTACTION-CPT vs IPTA CPTACTION-CPT vs NASM-CPTACTION-CPT vs NCCPT-CPTACTION-CPT vs NCSF-CPTACTION-CPT vs NESTA PFTACTION-CPT vs NETA-CGEIACTION-CPT vs NETA-CPTACTION-CPT vs NFPT-CPTACTION-CPT vs NPCP NCPT
Full records: ACTION Certified Personal Trainer · AFAA Certified Group Fitness Instructor
Look up a credential before you pay for it.
Browsing the register is free. Plans add tracking, alerts and team tools.