TL;DR: WinLactat pricing is not on the mesics software page, but its WinLactat brochure lists three software license plans: Basic from €55 per month for up to 50 performance tests a year, Professional from €140 per month for up to 100, and Clinical & Performance from €200 per month with unlimited tests (WinLactat brochure). The brochure does not say whether these prices include VAT; the authorised retailer cardiozone lists the same plans plus 19% VAT and a provision fee of €599. You also need a lactate meter and test strips, so hardware adds to the cost: the mesics shop lists the Metabol Pro at €599 and its lactate strips at €124.50 per box of 50, both incl. VAT (Metabol Pro, lactate test strips, mesics terms). The total cost of ownership can also include a paid Lactate Express app edition if you test several athletes on mobile, which the App Store lists as an in-app purchase (App Store), and paid support, since mesics also sells a support ticket (mesics FAQ). For comparison, Coachbox publishes its prices: lactate testing comes with coaching subscriptions from 19 EUR per month billed yearly (excl. VAT), with free lactate tests at the start and 3 to 6 EUR per test after that, or with a standalone Lactate Module at 49 EUR per month billed yearly (excl. VAT) for labs and occasional testers. Coachbox sells no meter, so there is no hardware lock-in: you type in the values from the meter you already use.
Why WinLactat Pricing Takes Some Digging
If you search the mesics website for WinLactat prices, you land on a software page with two buttons: download a free trial, or schedule a demo (WinLactat software page). We did not find a pricing page with plans on mesics.de. The prices sit in the WinLactat brochure you can download from that same page, under “Pläne und Preise” (WinLactat brochure).
The brochure lists “from” prices, so what you pay depends on your setup. The demo is free when you meet online or by phone; an on-site appointment costs extra, according to the same brochure. You book the demo through mesics’ calendar (WinLactat demo booking).
In our view this is common for B2B software in sport science, and it means one extra step before you can put a number in your budget. Here is what mesics’ own pages say, as of September 2026.
Hardware Costs
WinLactat analyzes the values you measure, so you need a lactate meter next to it. mesics sells its own meters. All shop prices below come from mesics.de. mesics’ terms of service say its prices include statutory VAT (mesics terms, section 4); mesics is based in Germany, where the standard VAT rate is 19%.
Metabol Pro (5-in-1 Meter)
The mesics shop lists the Metabol Pro at €599.00 incl. VAT (Metabol Pro). It measures five blood parameters (mesics FAQ):
- Lactate
- Glucose
- Beta-ketones
- Total cholesterol
- Uric acid
If you only need lactate, you pay for parameters you may never use. mesics also has an entry-level meter, the Lactate Express, which measures lactate and glucose. It is not sold on mesics.de; in Germany, Austria and Switzerland mesics names cardiozone.de as its authorised retailer (mesics FAQ).
The Metabol Pro works without WinLactat. mesics’ FAQ says you can read measurements on the device and analyze them in the free Lactate Express app, and calls WinLactat optional, though highly recommended for professional users (mesics FAQ). We did not find a list of other meters that WinLactat imports from on mesics.de, so ask about your meter in the demo.
Test Strips
Every blood sample uses a strip, and the strips are single-use (lactate test strips). This cost comes back with every test, whichever software you use.
| Item | Price as mesics lists it | Excl. VAT (for business buyers) |
|---|---|---|
| Metabol Pro | €599.00 incl. VAT (shop) | €503.36 |
| Lactate test strips, 50 per box (Metabol Pro only) | €124.50 incl. VAT, about €2.49 per strip (shop) | €104.62, about €2.09 per strip |
| Lactate control solution | €22.90 incl. VAT (shop) | €19.24 |
| Lactate Express test strips | “from €1.98 per strip” (FAQ); VAT basis not stated | Not converted |
mesics’ shop prices include statutory VAT (terms). We divided them by 1.19, the standard German VAT rate, to show the excl. VAT amount a coach or lab usually compares. The Lactate Express is sold through retailers, not on mesics.de (FAQ), and the FAQ does not say whether its strip price includes VAT, so we do not convert it. mesics says the Metabol Pro strips work only in the Metabol Pro, and that the two mesics meters each use their own strips (lactate test strips, FAQ).
How much you spend on strips depends on how many stages you sample per test and how many tests you run. A step test with eight samples uses eight strips.
Additional Supplies
- Lancets and hygiene supplies: needed for every test, whichever meter you use
- Calibration and control solutions: mesics’ FAQ says both meters are calibrated with solutions sold separately (FAQ); the shop lists a lactate control solution for the Metabol Pro in the table above (shop)
- Ergometer or treadmill: likely already owned, but a significant cost if not
Software Costs
WinLactat (Desktop)
WinLactat is PC software for Windows (mesics FAQ). The brochure lists three plans (WinLactat brochure):
| Plan | Price as mesics lists it | For | What the plan adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | From €55 / month (brochure) | Individual users and small practices, up to 50 performance tests a year | Lactate diagnostics, custom training plans, custom reports |
| Professional | From €140 / month (brochure) | Sport scientists and coaches, up to 100 performance tests a year | Everything in Basic, plus spiroergometry import and analysis, VLaMax, MaxLaSS and ready-made training plans (marathon, running) |
| Clinical & Performance | From €200 / month (brochure) | Clinics, labs and performance centers, unlimited tests | Everything in Professional, plus multi-seat use, API access, AI support, premium support, custom adjustments and training, extra integrations and services |
The brochure states the prices per month and does not say whether they include VAT or how they are billed, so we do not convert them. The authorised retailer cardiozone lists the same plans “zzgl. 19% MwSt. und Bereitstellung € 599”, meaning plus 19% VAT and a provision fee of €599. Before you buy, ask mesics for the billing period, the VAT basis, the provision fee and the contract term.
You can try WinLactat first: the software page offers a free trial download (WinLactat software page).
Lactate Express (iOS and Mac App)
The Lactate Express app runs on iPhone, iPad and Mac. mesics’ app page lists three editions: Athlete for 1 subject, Team for up to 25 and Professional for an unlimited number of subjects. The table marks a custom logo and a commercial-use (reselling) license for only part of the editions (Lactate Express app).
mesics’ FAQ says the app is completely free for both mesics devices, with no subscription fees (mesics FAQ). The German App Store lists the app as a free download with in-app purchases: Team at €29.99 per month or €290.00 per year, and Professional at €49.99 per month or €469.00 per year (App Store). The listing does not state its VAT basis, so we show these amounts as listed. If you test more than one athlete, ask mesics which edition you need and what it costs.
Support
mesics’ FAQ points you to its support team for technical questions and links to a paid “preferred support ticket” (mesics FAQ). We could not read the price on that checkout page. The brochure lists premium support as part of the Clinical & Performance plan (WinLactat brochure). Ask what support your plan includes.
Total Cost of Ownership: How Each One Bills in Year 1 and Beyond
The two products charge in different ways, and WinLactat’s brochure gives “from” prices without a VAT basis (brochure), so we do not add up a yearly total per test volume. Any such number would rest on our guess about your WinLactat plan.
What we can say from mesics’ own pages:
- Software: a WinLactat plan priced per month, tiered by how many performance tests you run a year; the brochure does not say how it is billed (brochure)
- Meter: a one-time purchase, €599 incl. VAT for the Metabol Pro (shop), unless you already own a meter
- Strips: per sample, about €2.49 incl. VAT per Metabol Pro strip (shop)
- App: a free download (FAQ), with Team and Professional editions listed as in-app purchases on the App Store (App Store)
- Support: depends on your plan, with a paid support ticket as an option (FAQ)
On Coachbox you pay a plan and, after the free tests, a published price per test. The meter and strips are a cost with either software. Which one costs less depends on your test volume, the WinLactat plan mesics offers you, and whether you also need a coaching platform.
How Coachbox Pricing Compares
Coachbox publishes its prices on the website (Coachbox pricing). All Coachbox prices below exclude VAT.
Option 1: Coaching Plans (for coaches)
Lactate testing is part of every Coachbox coaching plan. Each plan includes free lactate tests at the start of your license, and after that you pay per test.
| Plan | Price excl. VAT | Athletes | Lactate tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base | 19 EUR/month billed yearly, or 25 EUR billed monthly | 5 included, 2.50 EUR per extra | 5 free at the start, then 6 EUR per test |
| Build | 49 EUR/month billed yearly, or 65 EUR billed monthly | 25 included, 2 EUR per extra | 10 free at the start, then 5 EUR per test |
| Peak | 79 EUR/month billed yearly, or 99 EUR billed monthly | 50 included, 1.75 EUR per extra | 15 free at the start, then 4 EUR per test |
| Prime | 149 EUR/month billed yearly, or 190 EUR billed monthly | 100 included, 1.50 EUR per extra | 20 free at the start, then 3 EUR per test |
The extra-athlete fee counts active athletes only, meaning athletes with workouts planned in the future. On top of lactate testing you get the coaching platform: training planning, athlete communication, calendars and analytics.
Option 2: Lactate Module Standalone (for labs and occasional testers)
For sports labs, physiologists and practitioners who do not need a coaching platform, there is a standalone Lactate Module at 49 EUR per month billed yearly, excl. VAT, plus one-time test bundles: 50 tests for 250 EUR, 100 tests for 400 EUR or 250 tests for 750 EUR (Coachbox pricing).
What’s Included in Both Options
| Feature | Included? |
|---|---|
| Automatic LT1/LT2 detection | Yes |
| Multiple threshold methods | Yes |
| Spirometry data added to a lactate test | Yes |
| Customizable zone models | Yes |
| Branded PDF reports | Yes |
| HR/power/speed zone calculations | Yes |
| Values typed in or read from a photo of a paper protocol | Yes |
| Support | Yes, included |
Much of this is common ground. WinLactat also offers configurable threshold models (Mader, Dickhuth, Stegmann, LT1 and more), spiroergometry import from Cortex, COSMED and other systems, and a report designer with your logo that exports to PDF, Word and Excel (WinLactat brochure, WinLactat software page).
Testing and Coaching in One Place
With Coachbox, zones from a lactate test update the athlete’s profile and flow into their training plan. WinLactat also creates training plans from a test (WinLactat software page). The difference is what comes after the plan: in Coachbox the athlete follows the plan in the same platform, with a calendar and messages to the coach. We did not find an athlete calendar or coach-athlete messaging on the software page or in the brochure (WinLactat software page, brochure). The older WinLactat 4.6 manual, German PDF, 2012 describes a training calendar per subject that you print or export to Outlook, not a calendar the athlete follows in an app.
If you test in one tool and coach in another, you copy zones by hand. As our own example: at 15 minutes per test and 300 tests a year, that is 75 hours of admin a year.
Entering Test Data
In Coachbox you type in the lactate values from your meter, or photograph a paper protocol and let Coachbox read it. Coachbox detects LT1 and LT2 in under a minute.
Price Comparison Summary
| WinLactat (mesics) | Coachbox | |
|---|---|---|
| Prices published? | In the WinLactat brochure, not on the software page (brochure) | Yes (pricing) |
| Software price (coach or lab) | From €55, €140 or €200 per month by plan; VAT basis not stated in the brochure (brochure); the authorised retailer lists them plus 19% VAT and a €599 provision fee (cardiozone) | Coaching plans from 19 EUR/month billed yearly, or Lactate Module 49 EUR/month billed yearly, excl. VAT |
| How test volume counts | Plan tiers of up to 50, up to 100 or unlimited tests a year (brochure) | 5 to 20 free tests at the start, then 3 to 6 EUR excl. VAT per test; or bundles of 50, 100 or 250 tests |
| Platform | Windows PC (FAQ); Lactate Express app on iPhone, iPad and Mac (app) | Web and mobile app |
| Mobile app price | Free download (FAQ); Team from €29.99 and Professional from €49.99 per month as in-app purchases, VAT basis not stated (App Store) | Included in every coaching plan |
| Training plans from a test | Yes (software page) | Yes |
| Athlete calendar and messaging | Not on the software page or in the brochure; the older 4.6 manual describes a printable training calendar with Outlook export (software page, manual) | Included |
| Spiroergometry data | Yes, from the Professional plan (brochure) | Yes |
| Branded reports | Yes (brochure) | Yes |
| Meter from the same vendor | Metabol Pro, €503.36 excl. VAT (listed at €599 incl. VAT), optional (shop, FAQ) | Not applicable; you type in the values from your meter or photograph the protocol |
| Support | Premium support in Clinical & Performance; paid support ticket available (brochure, FAQ) | Included |
| Try before you buy | Free trial download (software page); free demo online or by phone (brochure) | Free trial, first test on the day you sign up |
mesics’ shop prices include statutory VAT (terms); we show the excl. VAT amount next to them for business buyers, divided by 1.19, the standard VAT rate in Germany, where mesics is based. The WinLactat brochure and the App Store listing do not state their VAT basis, so we show those prices as listed and do not convert them. All Coachbox prices exclude VAT.
The Real Question: What Are You Paying For?
In our view, the pricing comparison between WinLactat and Coachbox is less about which lactate tool costs less and more about what you need next to lactate testing.
If lactate diagnostics is your core work, you use a Windows workstation, and you want deep lab features such as spiroergometry, VLaMax, MaxLaSS and HL7 or GDT links to a patient management system (software page, brochure), a WinLactat plan gives you a dedicated diagnostics tool.
If you also coach, you need a place where athletes follow their plan and talk to you. In our view, when you pay for a testing tool and a coaching platform separately, one Coachbox subscription that covers both is often simpler to budget.
Tips for Getting the Best WinLactat Price
If you decide WinLactat is right for you, here are some practical suggestions:
- Download the brochure and the free trial from the software page before the demo, so you know the plans and how the software feels (WinLactat software page).
- Ask for the full quote: the billing period, whether the price includes VAT, the contract term and what happens when you go over your yearly test count.
- Check whether your institution already has a license before you buy one yourself.
- Decide whether you need the Metabol Pro. mesics says WinLactat is optional for the Metabol Pro (FAQ); ask the reverse too, which meters WinLactat works with, before you buy hardware.
- Ask what support your plan includes, since mesics also sells a paid support ticket (FAQ).
- Factor in strip costs from the start. They come back with every test, whichever software you choose.
Who Should Use WinLactat
Use WinLactat if you run a clinic, a sports medicine practice, a rehab center or a performance lab where lactate diagnostics is the core service. mesics says it developed WinLactat with Germany’s Olympic training centers and many testing institutions (software page), and it lists medical customers such as Charité in Berlin and the university hospitals of Heidelberg and Aachen (brochure). WinLactat fits when you want combined lactate and spiroergometry analysis, Wasserman plots, HL7 or GDT links to your patient system, multi-user or server setups, or workshops on performance diagnostics that mesics runs (software page, brochure). It is also a good fit if you already have a coaching platform you like and want a dedicated diagnostics tool next to it.
Choose Coachbox if you want lactate testing inside your coaching workflow, want to see the full price before you talk to anyone, work across devices, and want zones from a test to flow straight into your athletes’ plans.
Both are professional tools. The right one depends on how you work, not just what you pay.