Guide
Coaching platform fees compared
Comparing coaching platforms on price is harder than it looks, because they charge in different shapes — flat subscriptions, per-transaction percentages, or both. The trick is to convert everything to a monthly dollar figure at your real volume.
Three fee shapes to separate
Platforms charge in some mix of: a flat monthly subscription (e.g. a tool like TrueCoach or Kajabi billed monthly regardless of sales), a per-transaction percentage on payments collected through them, and the underlying processor fee (Stripe/PayPal) that exists no matter what. Compare like with like by pulling these apart.
Convert to dollars at your volume
A percentage and a flat fee aren't comparable until you plug in your numbers. At $3,000/month gross, a 3% platform cut is $90/month; a $49 flat tool is $49 regardless. The flat tool looks cheaper now but flips as you grow — so always run the comparison at your actual monthly volume, not in the abstract.
Track the totals automatically
Once you're paying several tools plus processor fees, eyeballing your total platform cost stops working. CheckMargin lets you set each tool's monthly cost once — TrueCoach, Zoom, Kajabi, anything — and subtracts them automatically every month alongside the captured Stripe/PayPal fees, so the all-in number is always in front of you.
Frequently asked questions
How do I compare two coaching platforms on cost?
Convert every fee to a monthly dollar amount at your real volume: flat subscriptions stay flat, per-transaction percentages multiply by your monthly gross, and the processor fee sits under both. Only then are they comparable.
Is a flat-fee tool always cheaper than a percentage?
Not always. A flat monthly tool is cheaper at low volume but a percentage can win — or lose — as you scale. Run the numbers at your current and expected gross before deciding.