HoneyBook has made a name for itself as a sleek and intuitive client management platform, especially among creative freelancers like photographers, designers, and event planners. But if you’re a coach, whether in life, executive, or business, you may have noticed it doesn’t quite fit your unique workflows.
As the coaching industry in the US grows more sophisticated, coaches need more than just invoicing and contracts. They need a platform built to support client progress, accountability, and compliance. That’s why many coaching businesses are searching for the best HoneyBook alternative — one that’s purpose-built for the needs of modern coaching practices.
In this blog, we’ll walk you through what coaches really need from a business management tool, why HoneyBook might not meet those needs, and which alternatives are worth exploring in 2025 and beyond.
What Coaches Really Need in a Business Management Tool
Before you start shopping for alternatives, it’s crucial to understand what sets coaching businesses apart from other service providers. Unlike creatives, coaches don’t just deliver a project—they guide clients through a transformative journey over weeks or months.
That journey requires features like:
- Session tracking with notes & goals
- Action item accountability between sessions
- Program templates & assessments
- Stakeholder feedback for corporate clients
- Secure data handling to maintain confidentiality
Of course, coaches also need standard business tools like contracts, invoicing, CRM, and scheduling. But these coaching-specific needs are what often get overlooked in general-purpose platforms. This brings us to the question: where exactly does HoneyBook fall short?
Why HoneyBook Falls Short for Coaching Businesses
HoneyBook shines where it was designed to shine: helping creatives send polished proposals, collect payments, and manage projects. It’s beautifully designed, affordable, and easy to set up.
But coaching businesses face a different set of challenges that HoneyBook isn’t built to address. For example:
- No built-in goal tracking or progress monitoring
- No stakeholder feedback mechanisms
- No HIPAA or GDPR certifications for handling sensitive client data
- No support for team or group coaching models
- No scalable white-label options for enterprise-level branding
So while it might feel like a convenient choice early on, coaches soon realize they need something more specialized to support their clients effectively and grow their business.
Fortunately, there are better options designed with coaches in mind.
Key Criteria to Look for in a HoneyBook Alternative
When evaluating alternatives, it’s tempting to just look for what HoneyBook already offers—CRM, invoicing, scheduling—and assume that’s enough. But as a coach, you’ll want to look deeper and prioritize features that align with your unique business model.
Here are some non-negotiables to consider:
- End-to-end coaching workflows (from intake to feedback)
- Compliance with data privacy standards like HIPAA and SOC2
- Group and team coaching support
- Custom branding and white-label capabilities
- Integrations with calendars, Zoom, Teams, CRMs, and more
- Scalability for when your business grows from solo to team-based
Keeping these in mind will help you choose a solution that serves you now and into the future.
Next, let’s explore some of the most viable HoneyBook alternatives that meet these criteria.
Top HoneyBook Alternatives for Coaching Businesses
Not all alternatives are created equal, and what works for a photographer won’t necessarily work for a coach. Below are four platforms worth considering if you’re serious about running a coaching business that scales and delivers measurable impact.
#1 – SimplyCoach
Simply.Coach was built specifically for coaches, by coaches, and it shows. It’s the best HoneyBook alternative to be known in 2025.
- All-in-one client management: intake forms, contracts, invoices, progress notes, and stakeholder feedback.
- HIPAA, SOC2, and GDPR compliant, perfect for US-based and corporate clients.
- Supports group coaching, multi-coach teams, and enterprise-level engagements.
- Goal tracking, action plans, and client accountability built in.
- White-label and custom branding options to elevate your practice.
For coaches who want to focus on client outcomes and business growth, without juggling a patchwork of tools — Simply.Coach is the clear winner.
#2 – Practice
Formerly known as Advizr, Practice offers a modern, simple interface with key features for solo coaches.
- Pros: Affordable, clean design, and good for new coaches.
- Cons: Lacks depth for scaling beyond a solo practice.
#3 – CoachAccountable
A veteran in the coaching software space, CoachAccountable offers strong client accountability tools.
- Pros: Comprehensive goal tracking and progress tools.
- Cons: Outdated UI and less intuitive for team-based coaching.
Now that you have an idea of your options, how do you go about choosing the right one?
How to Evaluate and Transition to the Right Tool
Switching platforms can feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Start by identifying your top priorities: Are you planning to scale into team coaching? Do you work with corporate clients who expect data privacy compliance? Do you want to brand the platform as your own?
Once you’ve narrowed down your needs:
- Sign up for free trials and test usability.
- Check integration capabilities with your existing tools.
- Look into onboarding support to migrate client data smoothly.
- Gather feedback from your clients if the platform has a portal for them.
Taking a thoughtful, step-by-step approach ensures that the transition is smooth and future-proof.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, your business management platform isn’t just about staying organized, it’s about unlocking your ability to create real, measurable impact in your clients’ lives.
HoneyBook may be a fit for creatives, but as a coach, you deserve a solution designed for the way you work, one that empowers your unique workflows, elevates your client journeys, and fuels your growth every step of the way.
