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Coaching runs on conversations, so your first tools should make it easy for clients to book and pay for a session, and to find out who you are. Everything else can wait until your diary starts filling up.
Start with the three essentials below, then add the rest as your client list grows. Each step links to listings picked for WebTools.directory, where you'll find current plan and deal details.
Start with these
1. Session booking
Why: Let clients book sessions with you without the back-and-forth emails.
- TidyCal: booking pages with paid, group and recurring bookings and Zoom or Meet links, as a one-payment deal. Good for regular sessions and group calls.
- Cal.com: scheduling with unlimited event types and calendars on the free plan, plus Stripe and PayPal payments.
- Calendly: the familiar option, with one event type and a customisable booking page on the free plan.
2. Payments
Why: How clients pay you, ideally at the moment they book, so you're not chasing payment afterwards.
- Square: take card payments online, by invoice and in person, with no monthly fee on its free plan. Square's listed pricing is for the US, so check the page for your country.
- Zoho Invoice: free invoicing with recurring invoices and payment reminders, which is useful for monthly coaching packages.
- Invoice Ninja: forever-free, open-source invoicing for up to 5 clients, with recurring invoices, online card payments, a client portal and time tracking.
TidyCal and Cal.com can both take payment as part of the booking, which may be all you need at first.
3. Website
Why: A simple page that explains who you help, how you work and how to book.
- Carrd: quick one-page sites, free to start. Custom domains are on its Pro plan.
- Framer: a no-code website builder for a more designed site. The free plan publishes on a Framer domain, and a custom domain needs a paid plan.
Add these later
4. Intake forms
Why: Ask new clients the right questions before the first session, so you can make the most of your time together.
- Tally: unlimited forms and submissions on the free plan, with signatures, file uploads and conditional logic.
- Deftform: unlimited forms on your own domain with Stripe payments, as a one-payment deal.
5. Newsletter
Why: A regular email keeps you in touch with past and future clients, and it's where many coaches find their next booking.
- Kit: a newsletter platform for creators with landing pages and forms. Its free plan covers a large list.
- SendFox: a simple newsletter tool with automations and landing pages, available as a one-payment deal.
- Brevo: email marketing with a free plan and a daily sending limit.
6. Client CRM
Why: Keep notes, sessions and conversations for each client in one place.
- HubSpot Free CRM: contacts, deals, tasks and meetings for up to two users, with no expiry.
- Zoho CRM: leads, deals, workflows and reports for up to 3 users, with a mobile app.
- FuseBase: branded client portals with shared workspaces, as a one-payment deal. Useful once you want to share resources with clients.
Browse the categories
Compare more options in each category:
- Take Bookings, for session booking
- Accept Payments
- Build a Website
- Generate Leads, for intake forms
- Create Content, for newsletters
- Manage Customers
