As a coach, your time and energy should be devoted to your clients, not to wrestling with software that wasn’t built for your business. If you’re using HoneyBook, you might already feel like you’re forcing a square peg into a round hole.
While it’s a great option for photographers and freelancers, it often lacks the tools that coaching businesses truly need. The good news? Switching to a better, coaching-focused platform doesn’t mean sacrificing client relationships or starting from scratch.
With the right steps, you can make the transition smoothly, retain your clients, and even improve their experience. In this blog, we’ll show you exactly how to switch from HoneyBook without disrupting your workflow, and why Simply.Coach is leading the charge among HoneyBook alternatives.
Why Coaches Outgrow HoneyBook
HoneyBook is often praised for its sleek interface and project management features, but its generalized design limits its usefulness for you. Here are a few common challenges:
- Lack of coaching-specific tools: HoneyBook doesn’t support comprehensive goal tracking or client progress monitoring, which are essential features for effective coaching.
- Limited automation for coaching workflows: It offers basic automations, but nothing close to what’s needed for nurturing client journeys from intake to impact.
- Generic templates: While it includes templates for contracts and proposals, it lacks structured coaching templates like session plans, feedback loops, and reflection tools.
- Insufficient security: HoneyBook lacks in providing security to you and your clients that is compliant with HIPAA, SOC2, or GDPR compliance.
- Better pricing: For many of you, the cost of HoneyBook’s pricing plans doesn’t justify the features you need. Competitors often offer more affordable options with more relevant features.
If any of these sound familiar, it might be time to explore HoneyBook competitors that cater directly to your coaching.
Step-by-Step: How to Switch From HoneyBook Without Disrupting Your Business
Making the switch from HoneyBook doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does require a clear process. Here’s how to do it confidently and effectively:
1. Audit your current setup
Take stock of how you use HoneyBook today, client intake forms, invoicing, contracts, scheduling, etc. Make a list of all the workflows, features, and integrations you rely on. This will help you identify what your new platform must offer.
2. Define your coaching-specific needs
Ask yourself: What’s missing in your current setup? Do you need goal tracking? Progress reports? Coaching templates? A better client portal? Security? Use this to guide your search for a platform purpose-built for coaching.
3. Research the best HoneyBook alternatives
Compare top HoneyBook alternatives like Simply.Coach, Paperbell, and CoachAccountable. Prioritize those that offer coaching-centric tools, robust automations, data security, and integrations with CRM and accounting apps.
4. Notify your clients proactively
Send a thoughtful message letting your clients know you’re upgrading to a new platform to better serve them. Focus on the benefits, like improved communication, easier scheduling, and more personalized sessions.
5. Start a phased migration
Move your client data over in stages. Start with active clients and upcoming sessions, then import historical data. Many platforms, including Simply.Coach, offer migration assistance or bulk data import via CSV.
6. Set up integrations early
To avoid manual data entry, connect your new platform to tools like QuickBooks, Xero, Zoho, or HubSpot early in the process. Platforms like Simply.Coach make this easy with native integrations that automate your backend.
7. Rebuild and automate workflows
Recreate your coaching flows, from session scheduling to invoicing and feedback in your new platform. Use automations to reduce repetitive tasks and free up your time.
8. Test before going live
Create a test client profile and run through a mock journey, booking a session, sending an invoice & sharing resources, to make sure everything works smoothly.
9. Provide onboarding for your clients
Offer a simple video walkthrough or PDF guide to introduce your clients to the new system. Many clients will appreciate the improved experience and transparency.
10. Monitor and adjust
After going live, pay attention to client feedback and system performance. Tweak automations or settings as needed to ensure everything runs like clockwork.
Why Simply.Coach Makes Switching Easy and Worth It
Once you’re ready to move away from HoneyBook to one of HoneyBook alternatives, you need a platform that won’t just replace it, but truly elevate your business. That’s where Simply.Coach stands out among HoneyBook competitors.
Simply.Coach is built specifically for coaches and offers all the tools you need to manage and grow your business, with zero guesswork. Here’s how it supports a seamless transition:
✓ Full coaching workflow support
Set & track goals, manage sessions while taking automated session notes, measure progress with progress reports, personalize client journeys & more, all in one place.
✓ Deep CRM & accounting integrations
Simply.Coach integrates with top CRM platforms like HubSpot, Zoho, Salesforce, Pipedrive, and connects with QuickBooks, Xero & more for streamlined accounting and billing. No more juggling multiple tools or spreadsheets.
✓ Built-in automation
From onboarding sequences to recurring check-ins and follow-ups with nudges, you can automate time-consuming tasks and focus more on coaching. The onboarding process is made easy and very supportive by the customer support team, quality Simply.Coach has.
✓ Customizable templates
Access a rich library of coaching templates, forms, or customize your own for session feedback, impact assessments, reflection forms, and more.
✓ Compliance & data security
With GDPR, HIPAA, and SOC2 compliance, Simply.Coach is the only platform with three compliances, ensuring your client data is safe and professionally managed.
The Simply.Coach team helps you import data, set up automations, and go live without losing a step, all done at affordable pricing. You can try it all out with a free 14-day trial from Simply.Coach.
Ready to Make the Switch?
Switching from HoneyBook to a more specialized coaching platform is a strategic move, but like any transition, it’s important to plan wisely. Before you move to one of the top HoneyBook alternatives, keep these essential takeaways in mind:
- Prioritize platforms built specifically for coaching, not general freelancers.
- Choose a platform that offers strong integrations with your current CRM and accounting tools.
- Communicate clearly with your clients about the switch—transparency builds trust.
- Take advantage of onboarding and migration support where available.
- Automate as much as possible to reduce friction and manual tasks.
The right platform won’t just replace what you had—it will elevate your entire coaching experience. That’s where Simply.Coach comes in. It’s a powerful, affordable, and scalable solution built for modern coaching professionals like you.
With integrations that streamline your backend, tools that deepen client engagement, and a support team that ensures your transition is smooth and stress-free, Simply.Coach is built not just for where your business is now, but for where it’s going.
Schedule a demo with Simply.Coach and experience its feature set today!
