How Much Does a Life Coach Cost? Life Coaching Fees Explained

How Much Does a Life Coach Cost?

Life coaching fees vary greatly, ranging anywhere from around $50 to $2,000 per hour or session and $200 to $3,000 per month. These ranges include a variety of coaching types, from personal to corporate; the average price for an hour-long individual life coaching session is about $120.

We compiled these figures by collecting session quotes from life coaches across the U.S., as well as rates listed through online coaching finder services like Life Coach Hub and Noomii.

Life Coaching Cost Factors

Now that you know the range you can expect to pay for life coaching, consider the following factors, which can greatly impact the cost of your coaching program:

Credentials and Specialization

Coaches with a particular area of expertise often charge more for their sessions. Specializations in the field of life coaching include:

• Career coaching: $50 to $100 per hour
• Corporate/business coaching: $250 to $500; expert coaches and well-known speakers may charge up to $2,000 per hour
• Crisis coaching: $100 to $175 per hour
• Health and wellness coaching: $100 to $150 per hour
• Retirement coaching: $75 to $200 per hour
• Relationship coaching: $50 to $300 per hour
• Spiritual coaching: $50 to $200 per hour
• Stress management coaching: $50 to $100 per hour

Session Frequency and Type

How often do you want to meet with your life coach? You may choose to meet with the coach bi-weekly, monthly, or for sporadic sessions every few weeks or months as you need them. Coaching prices may be based on an hourly, per-session, or monthly rate. In general, the more frequent your sessions are, the more coaching will cost — but the cost may be lower per session if you purchase a package (more on that below).

Life coaches may also offer either group or individual coaching. Group coaching is often discounted by $20 to $100 per hour compared to the usual hourly rate since you won’t receive as much to attention from the coach. It is designed for people who are beginning a new project or looking to improve in a certain area, such as small group sessions for incoming college students or people planning to start businesses.

Coach Availability

A life coach may make themselves available to clients by email, phone, video conferencing, or in-person sessions. Coaches may also offer their services only during normal business hours or provide 24-hour support, allowing clients to contact them on nights and weekends. When and how you meet with your coach will impact the cost of your sessions; for example, the coach may charge more for night or weekend sessions.

While many life coaches only accept face-to-face sessions of an hour or longer, those who offer phone coaching will typically grant thirty-minute sessions, which are less expensive and allow clients to schedule consultations at times that work for their schedules.

Online or phone coaching allows a client to have access to coaches who do not necessarily live in the same geographical area. One important consideration regarding this option is whether or not the coach works in the same time zone where you live.

Materials

Your coach may suggest materials to help your development as you go through the coaching sessions. These may include:

• Books: Around $10 to $30 each
• Coaching journal: Around $25
• Weekly action plans: Typically included in the session cost
• Meditative or visualization exercises: Free to $10; often included in the session cost
• Coaching workbooks: Around $15 to $25

The fees for these resources are typically small compared to the coach’s session fees, but you’ll still want to account for them when making a budget for your life coaching program. Altogether, additional materials may cost about $50 to $100, but you will usually use them throughout several sessions. You may want to ask potential coaches about the supplemental materials they suggest or require before booking a session or moving forward with regular coaching.

How to Save on Life Coaching

While life coaching can be expensive, there are options available at varying price points. To find a life coach at a reduced price, keep the following tips in mind:

Negotiation

Some coaches may be willing to negotiate and reduce their fees for a motivated client in a difficult financial situation. However, bear in mind that it’s best to be open and honest about your finances from the beginning. If your coach is not willing to budge on the price itself, you might be able to negotiate an installment-based payment plan.

Keep in mind that new coaches are sometimes willing to provide free or discounted sessions as a way to build up a client base when they are entering the market. Coaches offering this type of deal may request a written recommendation or video review at the end of the process in order to help them attract new clients, especially if your experience was a particularly positive one.

Packages

Some coaches offer a reduced hourly rate when clients buy a package of several sessions (usually five, 10, or 20) or several months (usually three, six, or 12). However, note that the coach will generally expect you to pay the cost for the entire package before the first or second session in one lump sum.

Trial Sessions

If you’re unsure whether you want to invest in life coaching, you may be able to try out a complimentary first session. The trial session is your chance to ask questions about the coach’s style and methods to decide if they are the right fit for you and your needs.

While there is no obligation to continue with a coach after a trial session, you should only book a free session if you are seriously considering working with that coach. As a courtesy, you should let the coach know promptly and courteously if you decide to pursue another option after meeting with them.

Some coaches also offer a money-back satisfaction guarantee (giving you a trial period) or a value-back guarantee (free, additional sessions or coaching methods if you aren’t satisfied). Either way, this allows you to try coaching in a risk-free environment.

In Summary

A variety of factors will impact the cost of life coaching, from the life coach’s expertise to how often you wish to attend sessions. The price of a life coach generally ranges from $50 to $2,000 per hour or more, with the most expensive sessions coached by experienced, well-known corporate coaches. Remember that the coach may suggest or require additional materials, such as books or journals, which can add to the cost of your coaching program.

If you have budgetary constraints, you may be able to negotiate with your life coach, create a payment plan, get a discounted hourly rate by buying a package of sessions, or receive a free trial session before you decide to invest.