Best software for coaching programs in 2026: a comparison

Best software for coaching programs in 2026: a comparison

The best software for coaching programs is software built around the program itself: intake, appointments, goals, sessions, assignments and check-ins between sessions, all tied to the right client. A calendar with a payment button doesn't do that, and neither does a general customer system. For solo coaches and small practices running paid programs, we recommend Exantur. Exantur is built from the ground up around the coaching relationship, runs in the EU (Frankfurt) and gives your coachee their own portal. Below you'll read what to look for, how the well-known options differ, and how to build a program you can reuse again and again.

In short

• Choose software that follows the whole program, from intake to final report, and not just appointments and payments.
• Watch for four things: a fixed program structure, notes per session, follow-up between sessions and a portal for your coachee.
• Privacy is part of the choice: ask about EU hosting, logging in with an extra code and a data processing agreement.
• Exantur combines all this in one workspace, from €19 per month or €190 per year.
• A good program template includes intake, appointments, goals, sessions, check-ins, assignments and a closing stage.

Table of contents

• What to look for in software for coaching programs
• The well-known options side by side
• Why Exantur is the best choice for program work
• How to build a coaching program
• A template for your coaching program
• Privacy and the GDPR: what to watch for
• What does software for coaching programs cost?
• Our perspective
• Frequently asked questions
• Sources

What to look for in software for coaching programs

Many coaches now work with a mix: a spreadsheet for clients, Word for reports, email and WhatsApp for contact, and a calendar reminder for check-ins. That works with three clients. With fifteen, you start missing things. You search for a report, you no longer remember which assignment you gave, or you notice too late that a client has dropped off.

Good program software solves exactly that. These questions help you choose:

1. Can you capture a program as a template? You want to create a fixed structure (for example six sessions over four months) once and then use it for every new client.
2. Are your notes structured and searchable? An empty text box is too little. You want to be able to find back what you observed, what the client realized and which actions were agreed.
3. Does something happen between the sessions? That's where real change takes place. Software should support check-ins, assignments and accountability. Accountability here means: the client sticks to what they agreed and shows what they have done.
4. Can your client see their own progress? A dedicated portal gives the client an overview and makes them more active.
5. Is the data secure? Coaching deals with personal matters. EU hosting, solid access protection and a data processing agreement are not optional extras.
6. Does it also handle the practice side? Online booking, reminders, calendar sync and invoices are part of it, but they are not the core.

Anyone looking mainly for a calendar, payment page or online course platform needs a different kind of package. This article is about software for coaches who guide clients through programs.

The well-known options side by side

In the Netherlands your search mainly turns up Dutch platforms, plus a few international names. They differ above all in what they are built around.

What stands out? The Dutch platforms focus on the Dutch coach and speak your language. The American tools are often strong in sales and payment, but don't run in the EU by default. That matters when you work with sensitive conversations.

Exantur sits in a different corner. It's not a customer system (CRM, a program for keeping track of customer data and points of contact) with coaching bolted on later. It's built around the coaching process itself. You see that in the way notes are structured, in the check-ins between sessions and in the assessments such as DISC and Wheel of Life that are tied directly to the client. You can read more about how that looks in the Netherlands on our page about coaching software for the Netherlands.

Why Exantur is the best choice for program work

Let's go through the points from the checklist.

Programs. You build a coaching program once and use it for every new client. Sessions, assignments, documents and courses stay tied to the right program. See software for coaching programs.

Notes. You capture sessions as observations, insights, breakthroughs and action points. Everything is searchable. So you quickly find back when a client had a breakthrough or which action is still open. Read more about structured session notes.

Between sessions. You track goals, progress, accountability and check-ins. You see which actions a client carries out, where progress is happening and where extra attention is needed. Have a look at check-ins between sessions and accountability for coaches.

Client portal. Your coachee gets their own environment. There they see goals and progress, fill in check-ins, prepare for sessions and open shared documents, assignments and courses. See the coaching client portal.

The practice side. Online booking with automatic reminders, two-way calendar sync with Google Calendar and Outlook, a Zoom integration, and invoices via your own Stripe account. Exantur takes no commission on this.

AI assistant (optional). It creates session summaries, session preparations and final reports based on your own notes. This happens with your own Anthropic key, and no data that could identify a client is sent to the model.

Growth. If you work with multiple coaches, there are teams and roles, 360° feedback, insight into what coaching delivers for the client organization, audit logs, your own branding and integrations with other systems.

How to build a coaching program

A good program has a fixed structure. It gives you calm and the client clarity. These are the steps, with what can go wrong at each one.

1. Intake

You map out the client's question, situation and expectations. The risk: an intake by email that you later can't find. In Exantur the intake form stays tied to the client and the program.

2. Setting agreements

The International Coaching Federation (ICF), the large international professional association for coaches, asks coaches to set agreements with the client about goals, logistics and confidentiality. According to the ICF, you set those agreements together with the client. So record how many sessions there are, how often, how you stay in contact and what remains confidential. Our free coaching agreement generator helps you get started.

3. Goals and baseline measurement

Make goals concrete and measurable. An assessment provides a starting point. In Exantur you use, for example, DISC and Wheel of Life, tied to the client. That way you can show at the end what has changed.

4. Sessions

Every session has a preparation, a conversation and a report. The risk: reports that are structured differently every time. With fixed fields (observation, insight, breakthrough, action point) your notes stay comparable across the whole program.

5. Between sessions

This is where things often go wrong. A client promises something and you don't hear about it again until two weeks later. Schedule check-ins, give assignments and follow up on the actions. That way you see in time where someone gets stuck. Our guide on improving accountability goes into this in more depth.

6. Completion

Close with an evaluation and a final report. Compare against the baseline measurement and the goals. The optional AI assistant drafts a first version of the final report from your own notes. You decide what goes into it.

A template for your coaching program

Use this structure as a basis and adapt it to your own type of coaching.

The specifics differ per field. A career coach often starts with an exploratory conversation about direction and wishes, like a session to explore your career, and turns the outcome into goals and assignments. An executive coach involves the client organization earlier and works with 360° feedback. The phases stay the same. If you want to set up the template step by step, read our guide managing coaching programs.

Privacy and the GDPR: what to watch for

The GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) is the European privacy law. As a coach you process sensitive information: about work, relationships, health and doubts. You are responsible for how you handle that, even when the data sits in software.

Ask every provider these questions:

• Where is the data stored? With Exantur, in the EU, in Frankfurt.
• How do you log in? Exantur supports MFA: logging in with a password and an extra code, for example via your phone.
• Who can see what? With Exantur each organization is separated from the others, and access to data is tightly restricted per row.
• Is there a data processing agreement? That's a contract in which the provider sets out how it handles your clients' data. Exantur has one available.

An honest note for your own practice: software helps you work in a GDPR-aware way, but it doesn't automatically make your practice fully GDPR-proof. Your own agreements with clients, your retention periods and your way of working are part of it too. If you're unsure about your own situation, consult a privacy lawyer.

What does software for coaching programs cost?

Exantur's prices as published on the pricing page:

Which plan fits depends on the number of active coachees and coaches. There are extra options: an additional coach (€25 per month), 50 GB extra storage (€29 per month), your own branding (€39 per month) and agreements (€19 per month). With annual billing you pay ten months for twelve.

Weigh that against what you currently spend on separate tools and, above all, on time: searching for reports, sending reminders, tracking check-ins by hand. Our free admin time audit shows how many hours per month that costs.

Try it yourself. With Exantur you put your programs, notes, check-ins and client portal in one workspace, with hosting in the EU. You can start a free trial and set up a first program. View the plans and start your trial.

Our perspective

Many coaches choose software based on the calendar or the payment button. Understandable, because that's what you see every day. But that's not where the value of your work lies.

The value lies in the program. In the goals you set together, in what you observe during a session and above all in what happens between the sessions. That's where a client either makes the step or doesn't.

That's why we built Exantur around the coaching relationship, and not around a customer list. Notes with fixed fields, check-ins, accountability and a dedicated portal for the client: these are not separate features, it's a way of working. And because it's about confidential conversations, the data sits in Frankfurt and there is a data processing agreement.

Our advice: choose software that supports your program from the first intake to the final report. The rest follows.

Martijn

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between coaching software and a CRM?

A CRM is a system for keeping track of customers and points of contact, mainly for sales. Coaching software like Exantur is built around the program: goals, session notes, check-ins, assignments and progress. So you don't have to work around the system.

Can I reuse a program as a template?

Yes. In Exantur you create a coaching program once and use it for every new client. Sessions, assignments, documents and courses are then immediately tied to the right program.

How do I keep clients engaged between sessions?

Schedule regular check-ins, give concrete assignments and follow up on the agreed actions. In Exantur the client fills in check-ins through their own portal, and you see where progress is happening or where extra attention is needed. You'll find more tips in our comparison of software for coaching assignments.

Is Exantur suitable for a practice with multiple coaches?

Yes. You can add coaches for €25 per month per coach. Larger practices and organizations get teams and roles, 360° feedback, audit logs and their own branding.

Do I have to pay before I can try it?

No. Exantur offers a free trial, so you can set up a program first.

Sources

• ICF Core Competencies, Dutch translation (International Coaching Federation)
• Career Discovery Session, Professional Resumes

Recommendations

• Best goal-tracking software for coaches (2026)
• Best practice management software for coaches