Business Coaching Pricing Models: Hourly vs Monthly Retainers vs Packages

When you’re shopping for a business coach in Sydney, you’ll quickly notice that different coaches structure their fees in completely different ways. Some charge by the hour. Others want monthly retainers. Some sell packages. Which model is best? And more importantly, which model gives you the best value for your money?

This guide breaks down the three main pricing models for business coaching, explains the pros and cons of each, and helps you determine which structure makes sense for your situation.

The Three Main Coaching Pricing Models

Business coaches typically use one of three pricing structures: hourly rates, monthly retainers, or package-based pricing. Some use hybrid models that combine elements of each. Understanding how these work helps you compare coaches accurately and avoid paying for the wrong structure.

Model 1: Hourly Pricing

How It Works

With hourly pricing, you pay for each coaching session or consultation based on time. The coach sets an hourly rate, and you’re billed for the actual time spent in coaching sessions. If you have a 90-minute session, you pay for 1.5 hours.

Typical Rates in Sydney

Research shows that business coaching hourly rates vary significantly based on experience. General business coaches typically charge $100-250 per hour for small business clients. Executive coaches command higher rates, typically ranging from $200-3,000 per hour, with a median of $717 per hour according to industry data.

For Sydney specifically, expect to pay at the higher end of these ranges due to the cost of doing business in a major city. A mid-level business coach with solid experience might charge $200-350 per hour. Highly experienced coaches with proven track records can charge $400-600+ per hour.

Pros of Hourly Pricing

The main advantage is flexibility. You only pay for the time you use, which works well if you need occasional input rather than ongoing support. There’s also clarity—you know exactly what you’re paying per session, and you can stop anytime without feeling locked into a commitment.

Hourly pricing can make sense for one-off consultations when you have a specific question or need an outside perspective on a particular decision. It’s also lower commitment, which might feel more comfortable if you’re trying coaching for the first time.

Cons of Hourly Pricing

The significant drawback is that hourly pricing doesn’t create the ongoing relationship that drives real transformation. Business problems rarely get solved in one-hour increments. Real change requires consistent work over months, and hourly arrangements don’t encourage that.

Hourly pricing also creates misaligned incentives. The coach benefits from longer sessions and more frequent meetings, while you benefit from efficient, focused work. This doesn’t mean coaches deliberately drag things out, but the structure doesn’t incentivise efficiency.

Industry research indicates that hourly pricing typically undervalues coaching expertise and caps both the coach’s income and your results. When coaches worry about billing enough hours, they can’t focus solely on delivering maximum value in minimum time.

When Hourly Pricing Makes Sense

Hourly pricing works best for specific, limited engagements: a one-time consultation to gut-check a major decision, an initial meeting to see if you want to work together (though many coaches offer this free), or occasional check-ins when you have specific questions but don’t need ongoing support.

For most Sydney business owners looking for real transformation in their business, hourly pricing isn’t the right model. You need consistent support over time, which the other models provide better.

Model 2: Monthly Retainer Pricing

How It Works

With retainer pricing, you pay a set monthly fee for ongoing access to your coach. The retainer typically includes a defined amount of coaching time each month (like two 60-minute sessions), plus often some level of email or phone support between sessions.

Typical Retainer Fees

Industry data shows that business coaching monthly retainers typically range from $500-5,000 depending on the coach’s experience and what’s included. For executive coaching specifically, monthly retainers generally run $1,000-5,000 per month.

In Sydney, quality mid-tier coaching retainers sit at $1,500-3,000 per month. Building Great Businesses’ Elite programme is structured as a weekly investment of $400 (approximately $1,600-1,700 per month), which includes weekly coaching sessions, full framework access, and quarterly events.

Pros of Monthly Retainer Pricing

Retainers create ongoing relationships that drive results. You’re working with your coach consistently, which means they deeply understand your business and can provide more valuable guidance over time. The consistent schedule creates accountability—you know you’ll be meeting with your coach regularly, which motivates you to make progress between sessions.

The predictable monthly cost makes budgeting easier. You know exactly what you’re paying each month, which helps with cash flow planning. Retainers also typically include support between formal sessions, so if you’re stuck on something midweek, you can reach out for guidance.

Research shows that ongoing coaching relationships deliver better results than sporadic hourly consultations because real transformation requires time to implement changes, encounter obstacles, adjust course, and build new capabilities.

Cons of Monthly Retainer Pricing

The main challenge is the ongoing financial commitment. If cash flow is tight in a particular month, you’re still paying the retainer. Some coaches require minimum commitment periods (3, 6, or 12 months), which means you can’t easily stop if the coaching isn’t working.

There’s also potential for the relationship to become routine or lose intensity if neither party stays focused on driving results. Some retainer arrangements can drift into casual check-ins that don’t move the needle.

When Retainer Pricing Makes Sense

Monthly retainers work well for business owners who need ongoing support and accountability to make consistent progress. If your goal is to transform how your business operates, build better systems, develop your team, or grow sustainably, a retainer relationship over 6-12 months will deliver far better results than occasional hourly sessions.

At BGB, we use a retainer model because business transformation requires ongoing work. You can’t build a high-performing team or create systems that run without you in a few one-hour consultations. It takes consistent effort with regular coaching support.

Model 3: Package-Based Pricing

How It Works

Package pricing bundles a set number of coaching sessions and other services into a fixed-price programme with a defined duration and outcome. For example, a 6-month coaching package might include 12 coaching sessions, access to frameworks and tools, quarterly reviews, and email support—all for a single price.

Typical Package Prices

Research indicates that coaching packages vary widely from $1,500-25,000+ depending on the transformation promised, the coach’s positioning, and what’s included. Shorter programmes (8-12 weeks) targeting specific outcomes might be $3,000-8,000. Comprehensive six-month programmes often run $10,000-20,000. Year-long intensive programmes can exceed $25,000.

Pros of Package Pricing

Packages create clarity on both investment and expected outcomes. You know upfront what you’re paying and what you’re getting. This makes the value proposition easier to evaluate compared to open-ended retainers where the endpoint isn’t defined.

Good packages are structured around specific transformations or results. Instead of buying “coaching sessions,” you’re buying a solution to a specific problem. The package might focus on building your leadership team, implementing specific systems, or achieving defined revenue targets.

Packages often include additional resources beyond just coaching time: assessments and diagnostic tools, implementation templates, group workshops or masterclasses, or access to a community of other clients. These extras add value beyond what simple hourly or retainer arrangements provide.

From a financial planning perspective, packages can be easier because you know the total investment upfront. Some coaches offer payment plans that spread the package cost over the programme duration, making higher-priced packages more accessible.

Cons of Package Pricing

The main risk is paying for a package that doesn’t deliver the promised results. Once you’ve paid, you’re committed even if the coaching isn’t working. This is less flexible than retainer arrangements where you can potentially end the relationship after a month.

Package pricing also requires bigger upfront commitment (even with payment plans, you’re committing to the full amount). If your circumstances change significantly during the programme, you’re still locked in.

Some packages are too rigid—they follow a set curriculum regardless of your specific needs. The best packages balance structure with flexibility to adapt to your situation, but not all do this well.

When Package Pricing Makes Sense

Packages work well when you have a specific goal and timeline. If you want to solve a defined problem (like “build a team that runs operations without me” or “increase profit margins by 15%”) within a set timeframe, a package designed around that goal makes sense.

Packages can also be valuable when you need more than just coaching sessions—when the frameworks, tools, community access, or additional components create value beyond the core coaching time.

Hybrid Models: Combining Approaches

Many effective coaches use hybrid models that combine elements of different pricing structures. Common hybrids include packages with monthly payment plans (you buy a 6-month package but pay monthly), retainers with defined outcomes (ongoing monthly relationship but with specific goals and review points), or tiered offerings (clients can choose hourly consultations, monthly retainers, or packages depending on their needs).

BGB’s structure is essentially a retainer model (weekly investment, ongoing relationship) but with package-like elements (defined framework, clear methodology, quarterly milestones). This combines the ongoing accountability of retainers with the structured approach of packages.

Comparing Value Across Models: What Actually Matters

When evaluating different pricing models, the structure itself matters less than the value delivered. Here’s what to focus on regardless of pricing model.

Total Time and Access

Calculate the actual coaching time you’re getting. An hourly coach at $300/hour providing two sessions per month costs $600. A retainer of $2,000/month that includes four sessions plus email support might be better value even though the monthly cost is higher, because you’re getting more time and support.

Relationship Depth and Continuity

One-off hourly sessions don’t allow your coach to really understand your business. Ongoing relationships (retainers or longer packages) mean your coach knows your context, remembers previous discussions, and can track your progress over time. This continuity increases the value of each session.

Accountability Structure

The pricing model should create accountability for both parties. You should be accountable for making progress, and your coach should be accountable for helping you achieve results. Retainers and packages typically create stronger accountability than hourly arrangements.

Flexibility and Risk

Consider what happens if the coaching isn’t working. Can you exit without major financial loss? BGB doesn’t lock clients into long contracts because we’re confident the value will be clear. If a coach requires 12-month payment upfront with no out clause, that’s higher risk for you.

What BGB Recommends (And Why)

At Building Great Businesses, we use a weekly retainer model ($400/week) rather than hourly or package pricing. Here’s why. Business transformation requires ongoing work over 6-12 months minimum. You can’t build a high-performing team or create systems in a few sessions. The weekly structure creates consistent accountability without being overwhelming.

We don’t lock anyone in because we believe coaching should be valuable enough that you choose to stay, not stay because you’re trapped. This puts healthy pressure on us to deliver value every week. The retainer includes both group and one-on-one elements, giving you the efficiency of group learning plus personalised support.

Our approach works because we have a proven system (the Black Diamond System) that provides structure while adapting to each client’s specific situation. It’s not a rigid package curriculum, but it’s also not unstructured hourly consulting. It’s ongoing coaching with clear methodology.

The Bottom Line: Choose Based on Your Needs

The best pricing model depends on what you need. If you want one-off advice on a specific issue, hourly might work. If you’re serious about transforming your business and need ongoing support to make it happen, retainers or packages make more sense. If you have a specific goal and timeline, a well-designed package could be perfect.

Don’t choose based solely on which seems cheapest upfront. A $150/hour coach you meet with once a month will deliver less value than a $2,000/month retainer with weekly support if your goal is real business transformation.

Book a Quick Fit Call with BGB to discuss which pricing structure makes sense for your situation and what results you can expect.

Related Reading:

• How Much Does Business Coaching Cost in Sydney?

• What Factors Influence Business Coaching Fees?

• Is Business Coaching Worth the Investment?

• Coaching pricing models data: Industry research 2024-2025

• Hourly rates: Quenza coaching services analysis

• Retainer fees: ICF member surveys

• Package pricing: Luisa Zhou coaching statistics