TL;DR: WinLactat pricing isn’t published transparently on the mesics website, which makes comparison shopping harder than it should be. The total cost of ownership goes well beyond the software license. You’ll need to factor in the Metabol Pro hardware (EUR 599), test strips (ongoing consumable cost), potential Lactate Express mobile licenses, and paid support. Coachbox offers lactate testing through coaching subscriptions (with free tests and per-test pricing) or a standalone Lactate Module for labs and occasional testers, all without hardware lock-in.
Why WinLactat Pricing Is Hard to Pin Down
One of the most common frustrations coaches have when evaluating WinLactat is that mesics doesn’t publish clear pricing on their website. There’s no pricing page with tiers and feature lists. Instead, you need to contact mesics directly or go through a regional distributor like athlete.be in the Benelux region.
This isn’t unusual for traditional B2B software companies in the sport science space, but it creates friction. You can’t quickly compare costs, and you may end up in a sales conversation before you even know if the tool fits your budget.
What we do know comes from distributor pricing, user reports, and publicly available information. Here’s our best breakdown as of early 2026.
Hardware Costs
Metabol Pro (5-in-1 Meter)
The mesics Metabol Pro is priced at EUR 599. It’s a capable device that measures:
- Lactate
- Glucose
- Beta-ketones
- Cholesterol
- Uric acid
For coaches who only need lactate, the multi-analyte capability is a nice bonus, but you’re also paying for features you may never use. If you already own a lactate meter (Lactate Scout, Lactate Pro 2, EKF Biosen), you may not need the Metabol Pro at all, though WinLactat’s integration is tightest with their own hardware.
Test Strips
This is the cost that keeps on giving. Every lactate test requires test strips, and this is a recurring expense regardless of which meter you use.
| Strip Type | Approximate Cost | Tests per Box |
|---|---|---|
| Lactate strips | EUR 2-4 per strip | Varies by supplier |
| Glucose strips | EUR 0.50-1.50 per strip | If using glucose feature |
| Multi-analyte strips | Varies | Depends on parameters tested |
For a coach running 5-10 tests per week (a common volume for active testing practices), strip costs alone can run EUR 40-160 per month, or EUR 480-1,920 per year. This is true for any lactate testing setup, not just WinLactat, but it’s important to include in total cost calculations.
Additional Hardware
- Lancets and safety supplies: EUR 10-20 per month
- Capillary tubes (for some protocols): EUR 15-30 per 100
- Ergometer or treadmill: Likely already owned, but a significant cost if not (EUR 2,000-15,000+)
Software Costs
WinLactat 6 (Desktop)
WinLactat 6 is sold as a desktop license for Windows. Based on available information:
| Component | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| WinLactat 6 license | EUR 300-600+ (varies by edition) |
| Major version upgrades | Additional fee |
| Support contract | Paid separately (via Stripe) |
The exact pricing depends on the edition (there are different feature levels) and whether you’re buying directly from mesics or through a distributor. Academic and institutional pricing may differ from individual coach pricing.
Important: WinLactat licenses are typically perpetual (you buy once), but major version upgrades require paying again. Support is a separate paid service. This means your initial purchase is just the beginning.
Lactate Express (iOS App)
For field testing on iOS, mesics offers Lactate Express 4.2 with three pricing tiers:
| Tier | Subjects | Estimated Price |
|---|---|---|
| Athlete | 1 subject | Lowest tier |
| Team | Up to 25 subjects | Mid tier |
| Professional | Unlimited subjects | Highest tier |
Again, exact pricing isn’t publicly listed. The app is a separate purchase from WinLactat, so if you want both desktop analysis and mobile field testing, you’re paying for two products.
Support Costs
mesics charges for support separately, processed via Stripe. This means:
- Basic troubleshooting may require an active support subscription
- You can’t assume email support is included with your license
- The cost of support adds to annual expenses
Total Cost of Ownership: Year 1 and Beyond
Let’s build a realistic picture of what the mesics ecosystem costs over time.
Year 1: Getting Started
| Item | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| Metabol Pro hardware | EUR 599 |
| WinLactat 6 license | EUR 300-600 |
| Lactate Express (Team tier) | EUR 100-200 |
| Test strips (assuming 300 tests/year) | EUR 600-1,200 |
| Lancets and supplies | EUR 120-240 |
| Support contract | EUR 50-150 |
| Total Year 1 | EUR 1,769-2,989 |
Year 2+: Ongoing Costs
| Item | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| Test strips (300 tests/year) | EUR 600-1,200 |
| Lancets and supplies | EUR 120-240 |
| Support contract renewal | EUR 50-150 |
| Potential upgrade fees | EUR 0-300 |
| Total Year 2+ | EUR 770-1,890 |
Over a 3-year period, you’re looking at roughly EUR 3,300-6,770 depending on test volume and options selected.
How Coachbox Pricing Compares
Coachbox takes a fundamentally different approach to pricing, with two paths depending on your needs.
Option 1: Coaching Plans (for coaches)
Lactate testing is built into the Coachbox coaching subscription. Each plan includes a number of free tests per month, with additional tests at a per-test rate:
| Plan | Free Tests/Month | Per Extra Test |
|---|---|---|
| Start | 5 | EUR 6 |
| Build | 10 | EUR 5 |
| Peak | 15 | EUR 4 |
| Prime | 20 | EUR 3 |
On top of lactate testing, you get the full coaching platform: training planning, athlete communication, calendars, analytics, and more.
Option 2: Lactate Module Standalone (for labs and occasional testers)
For sports labs, physiologists, and practitioners who don’t need a full coaching platform, there’s a standalone Lactate Module. It includes a monthly subscription plus one-time test bundles (50, 100, or 250 tests). This is ideal for testing facilities, sports medicine clinics, and anyone who needs professional lactate analysis without the coaching features.
What’s Included in Both Options
| Feature | Included? |
|---|---|
| AI-powered lactate analysis | Yes |
| Automatic LT1/LT2 detection | Yes |
| Multiple threshold methods | Yes |
| Spiroergometry integration | Yes |
| Customizable zone models | Yes |
| Professional branded PDF reports | Yes |
| HR/power/speed zone calculations | Yes |
| Mobile and desktop access | Yes |
| All future updates | Yes |
| Support | Yes, included |
The Integration Value
With Coachbox, zones calculated from a lactate test automatically flow into athlete profiles, training plans, and workout prescriptions. There’s no manual data transfer, no separate software to manage, and no additional cost for connecting testing to coaching.
This integration is hard to put a price on, but consider the time cost: if you spend 15-20 minutes per test transferring data from WinLactat to your coaching platform (finding the file, opening Excel, copying zones, entering them into your planning tool), and you run 300 tests per year, that’s 75-100 hours of admin work annually. At any reasonable hourly rate, the time savings alone can justify a subscription.
Hardware Flexibility
Coachbox is hardware-agnostic. You enter lactate values from whatever meter you already own. This means:
- No forced hardware purchase
- Use whatever meter your lab, clinic, or university already has
- Switch meters without switching software
- No vendor lock-in
If you already own a lactate meter, your “switching cost” to Coachbox for lactate testing is effectively zero on the hardware side.
Price Comparison Summary
| WinLactat (mesics) | Coachbox | |
|---|---|---|
| Software license | One-time + upgrade fees | Monthly subscription (coaching plan or standalone module) |
| Lactate analysis | Included in license | Included with free tests + per-test pricing, or standalone bundles |
| Mobile access | Separate purchase (Lactate Express) | Included |
| Training planning | Not included | Included |
| Athlete communication | Not included | Included |
| Calendar & scheduling | Not included | Included |
| Analytics & reporting | Limited to test reports | Full coaching analytics |
| Hardware required | Metabol Pro recommended | Any lactate meter |
| Support | Paid separately | Included |
| Updates | Major versions cost extra | Always included |
The Real Question: What Are You Paying For?
The pricing comparison between WinLactat and Coachbox isn’t really about which lactate tool costs less. It’s about what you need alongside lactate testing.
If lactate analysis is the only thing you need, and you have a Windows workstation, and you want the deepest possible analytical toolkit, WinLactat’s one-time license fee might make financial sense. You pay once (plus upgrades), and you have a powerful standalone tool.
But most coaches also need a training platform, athlete management, communication tools, and a way to connect test results to daily coaching. If you’re paying separately for all of those, the total monthly cost of separate tools often exceeds a single Coachbox subscription that includes everything.
Tips for Getting the Best WinLactat Price
If you decide WinLactat is right for you, here are some practical suggestions:
- Contact mesics directly rather than assuming distributor pricing is final. Ask about academic or multi-license discounts if applicable.
- Check if your institution already has licenses. Many universities and national federations have site licenses that you may be able to use.
- Evaluate whether you need the Metabol Pro or if your existing meter is supported. Don’t buy hardware you don’t need.
- Ask about the support contract before you buy. Understand what’s included and what costs extra.
- Factor in strip costs from the start. They’re the largest ongoing expense regardless of software choice.
Making Your Decision
The best pricing choice depends on your situation:
Choose WinLactat if you’re in an institutional setting with existing Windows infrastructure, need the absolute deepest analysis, and already have a separate coaching platform that handles everything else.
Choose Coachbox if you want lactate testing integrated with your coaching workflow, prefer transparent subscription pricing, work across devices, and want to eliminate the friction between testing and training.
Both are professional tools. The right one depends on how you work, not just what you pay.