What @judi and @Tbushell said is correct. Another factor is neck length: a shorter neck will result in lesser tension on the strings, and thus in less force needed to fret a note.
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āSilk & Steelā strings are also a good option. Much easier on the fingers than all metal strings.
Also, when my girlfriend put them on her guitar, she found that it was much easier to finger the A chord than with all metal strings. Much less pressure was required to make all the strings ring.
Just wanted to give an update.
I stopped playing completely for 2 or 3 weeks after my last post to give my wrist a break and to heal any strain I caused. Iāve been taking weekly in-person lessons since the beginning of January and moved away from Justinās course (not because Justin is bad, just following my teacherās lesson plan). My wrist pain is completely gone. I also know a few more chords than A and D by now. 
Cheers and happy playing! 
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Sounds like youāre off to a great start! Some discomfort is normal when building new muscle memory, but if itās actual pain, you might be gripping too hard or tensing up. Try keeping your thumb relaxed and not pressing harder than necessary. Also, take short breaks and stretch your hand/wrist. If it keeps bothering you, double-check your hand positionāsometimes small tweaks make a big difference.
That is great news! Although I have been an online learner only, I suspect there is tremendous value to in person lessons. I am glad you have resolved your issues and this helps you move forward.
Justinās course is excellent, but it canāt do everything. I followed the course for several years, but now I learn mostly elsewhere focusing on things that arenāt really Justinās focus (classical and finger style). However, Justinās primary material and some of the paid extra courses I took (or may take in the future) like the music theory course and strumming courses, are a gold mine reference I will use forever.
Most important, at this point and for me, is this community. I feel connected to other learning players of various experiences and learn or laugh here every day.
I hope I speak for the community in general, that regardless of how and where you learn, you are welcome here!
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