Industry
Not all flat-rate platforms are equal. Six questions to ask before you switch.
The case for leaving a commission-based platform is straightforward: at 15–20% per lesson, an established coach with consistent volume is handing over thousands of dollars a year for infrastructure that costs a fraction of that to provide. Flat-rate alternatives have emerged specifically to address this.
But "commission-free" is not a standardized term. Platforms use it loosely, and the actual cost structure — and what you're giving up — varies significantly. Here are the six questions that matter most when evaluating a switch.
This is the most important question. Some platforms advertise no commission but still route payments through their own system before forwarding to you — introducing delays, holds, and a single point of failure. A true commission-free platform uses Stripe Connect or a similar direct payout system so the student's payment goes straight to your bank account. CoachCore does this. The platform never touches the money.
Flat-rate platforms vary significantly in what's covered. Some charge a base subscription and then add fees for additional features — more than a few students, calendar sync, custom domains, messaging. Before switching, get the full picture of what you'd actually pay per month at your usage level, not just the entry price.
On commission platforms, your student list technically belongs to the platform. They can market to your students, recommend other coaches, and make it difficult to export your data if you leave. A coach-first platform gives you full access to your student contact information and booking history, exportable at any time.
Commission platforms justify their fees partly through discovery — they surface your profile to new students searching the platform. Flat-rate platforms generally don't offer this. If most of your new students come through referrals, social media, or local outreach, you're paying for discovery you're not using. If you're still building your client base and relying on platform traffic, factor that in before switching.
The best platform is the one coaches actually use. Look for Google Calendar sync to block off personal time automatically, mobile-friendly booking pages since most students book on their phones, support for both packages and single sessions, and a setup process that doesn't require technical knowledge or a long onboarding call.
This is a real risk with any SaaS product. Look for platforms that give you data portability — the ability to export your student list, booking history, and payment records. A platform that locks your data in is extracting leverage over you even if the current pricing is fair.
Switching to a flat-rate platform means trading marketplace visibility for margin. That's a good trade for coaches who already have a full or near-full student roster. It's a more complicated trade for coaches who are still actively growing and depend on platform discovery to find new students.
The coaches who benefit most from commission-free platforms share a few common traits: they have an existing student base, most new students come through referrals or their own outreach, and they've noticed that their platform fees have grown alongside their revenue without any corresponding increase in value from the platform.
If that describes you, the math is simple. If you're still building, the right answer may be to use both — a marketplace for discovery while you grow, and a direct booking tool for the students you already have.
CoachCore is a flat-rate booking platform designed specifically for independent sports coaches — golf, tennis, and softball primarily. It is not a marketplace. There's no coach directory and no discovery algorithm.
What it provides: a branded booking website at your own subdomain, direct Stripe payouts, lesson package management, built-in student messaging, Google Calendar sync, and parent/child account support for youth coaching. Setup takes under 10 minutes. Pricing starts at $59/month for founding coaches.
It's built for coaches who have students and want a better way to manage bookings and get paid — not for coaches who need a platform to find students in the first place.
See if CoachCore is the right fit
First 100 founding coaches lock in $59/month for life. No setup fee, no commission, no commitment.