TL;DR
Choosing the wrong email tool for your coaching funnel can cost you thousands in lost leads. Here’s what you need to know:
Systeme.io – Best for new coaches on a budget. Free up to 2,000 contacts with unlimited emails. Simple automation builder, but basic reporting. Perfect if you’re just starting out.
GoHighLevel – Best for established coaches. Starts at $97/month with unlimited contacts. Powerful automation, SMS integration, and detailed reporting. Steeper learning curve but worth it when scaling.
Kit – Best for content-first coaches. Free for newsletters and limited features, then $33/month+ to upgrade. Beautiful design, flexible tagging, and clean automation builder. Great for bloggers and podcasters.
Bottom line: Pick Systeme.io if you’re starting out and need everything in one place. Choose GoHighLevel when you’re ready to scale with serious automation. Go with Kit if you lead with content marketing and want simplicity.
Affiliate disclosure: some of the links are sponsored or affiliate links. If you decide to purchase a paid plan, we receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Nobody warns you about this when you’re choosing email sequence tools for coaches: Picking the wrong platform can lose you thousands of dollars in leads.
Here’s what I know after setting up email automation tools for coaches: some platforms are perfect for beginners. Others? They’ll have you wanting to throw your laptop across the room at 2am.
So let me break down the 3 best email sequence tools for coaches who want to nurture funnel leads without needing to be a tech genius.
We’re talking real prices. Actual ease of use. And which lead nurture software fits YOU-not just which one has a million features you’ll never touch.
Why Email Marketing Platforms Matter for Your Coaching Funnel
Most coaches think any email automation tool works fine.
That’s like saying any car gets you where you need to go. Sure, technically true. But you wouldn’t take a tiny sports car camping in the mountains, right?
Your email sequences are basically the heart of your coaching funnel.
Someone downloads your free guide or signs up for your webinar. What happens next? That decides if they become a paying client or just another person who never opens your emails.
Your lead nurture software needs to do three things really well:
- Deliverability – Your emails actually land in people’s inboxes (not spam)
- Automation – Sends the right email at the right time without you lifting a finger
- Segmentation – Treats different people differently based on what they do
Miss any of these? You’re basically yelling into an empty room.
I’ve seen coaches lose sales because their welcome email took 6 hours to send instead of going out right away. By the time the email showed up, the person had already forgotten who they were.
That’s not okay.
Pro tip: If your coaching funnel email sequences are set up but leads still aren’t converting, check out why your funnel is not converting to identify other potential issues.
Tool #1: Systeme.io – Best Email Automation Tool for New Coaches on a Budget
Let me be real with you.
Systeme.io isn’t the prettiest email marketing platform out there. But if you’re just getting started with email sequences and you’re not trying to build a million-dollar empire tomorrow, it’s honestly great.
The free plan gives you 2,000 contacts and unlimited emails.
Yes, unlimited. Most email sequence tools for coaches charge you for every single email you send. That gets expensive real fast when you’re sending welcome sequences and follow-ups.
What Makes It Good for Nurturing Leads
The automation builder is so simple that my most tech-challenged client figured it out in less than a day.
You can set up a basic welcome sequence. Tag people based on what links they click. Send different follow-ups based on what they do.
Here’s what I use it for with my coaching clients:
- Welcome sequences when someone joins your list
- Post-webinar follow-ups (people who showed up get different emails than no-shows)
- Simple abandoned cart emails for your courses
The email editor won’t win any design awards. But it works. Simple emails often convert better than those fancy newsletter designs anyway.
The Frustrating Parts
Deliverability can sometimes be hit or miss.
Some clients get great inbox rates. Others… not so much. It’s gotten better over the past year, but you gotta watch it.
Also, their customer support exists. That’s about all I can say. Response time is usually 24-48 hours. Fine for normal stuff, but stressful if you have an urgent problem right before a launch.
Pricing
Free up to 2,000 contacts.
Startup plan is $17/month for 5,000 contacts.
That’s crazy affordable compared to other email automation tools.
Who Should Use It
New coaches with small lists. Anyone on a tight budget. Coaches who want everything in one place-it includes landing pages and course hosting too.
Tool #2: GoHighLevel – Best Email Marketing Platform for Growing Coaches Ready to Scale
Let me break down the actual differences here.
Okay, this is where things get fun.
GoHighLevel (we just call it GHL) is like a Swiss Army knife of email sequence tools for coaches. It does email sequences, text messages, landing pages, calendars, and basically everything except make your morning coffee.
I advise most of my coaching clients to GHL when they know they are in this for the long haul. And this usually happens when coaches realize they need better email automation and they can afford to invest more.
Why It’s Amazing for Lead Nurturing
The automation is insane.
You can create coaching funnel email sequences that respond to basically anything. Email opens. Link clicks. Page visits. Form submissions. Even if someone books a call then cancels it.
You could have a quiz funnel built via GHL, and different responses get different email nurture sequences.
That kind of smart segmentation? It turns random leads into warm prospects who are ready to buy.
The text message part is huge too. Email open rates keep dropping. But text messages get read like 98% of the time.
Being able to mix email and texts in the same nurture sequence? That’s powerful stuff for any coaching business.
The Learning Curve Is Real
Not gonna lie- GHL is overwhelming at first.
There’s a million features and buttons. The interface isn’t super user-friendly when you first look at it.
Most coaches need either a good tutorial or someone to set it up for them at the start.
I usually share a loom video with clients just showing them the basics. But once they get it? They’re golden.
The Reporting Makes Me Happy
You can see exactly which emails convert. Where people drop off in your sequences. Track money made from specific campaigns.
This data is gold when you’re trying to make your funnel better.
Pricing
Starts at $97/month for the basic plan (unlimited contacts-which is huge).
Some coaches end up on the $297/month plan for the advanced features depending on what they need.
Who Should Use It
Established coaches who can afford $97 every month. Anyone who wants an all-in-one email marketing platform. Coaches ready to invest in serious automation.
Need help deciding between these two platforms? I wrote a detailed GoHighLevel vs Systeme.io comparison for coaches that breaks down every feature.
Tool #3: Kit – Best Lead Nurture Software for Content-First Coaches
Kit has a cult following with online creators. And I get why.
It’s built specifically for people who make money from content-coaches, bloggers, course creators.
What makes this email automation tool different? How easy it makes sending the right content to the right people.
If you’re the type of coach who wants to send targeted emails based on what your audience actually cares about, this is your platform.
Why It’s Great for Nurturing
The visual automation builder is clean and easy to understand.
You can literally see the paths your subscribers take through your email sequences. Makes fixing problems so much easier.
Tagging is super flexible. Tag based on interests. Behavior. What they’ve bought. Whatever matters to your coaching business. Then create sequences that only go to people with specific tags.
I love it for coaches who do lots of content marketing. The signup forms and landing pages actually look good.
You can grow your list and nurture it all in one place.
The Email Editor Is Solid
Templates are modern and look good on phones.
You can add images, buttons, and formatted text without wanting to scream.
Plus there’s a plain-text email option if you want that personal, one-on-one feel. (Side note: plain-text emails often get better responses than fancy designed ones.)
What Could Be Better
It costs more than Systeme.io and doesn’t include landing pages or course hosting in the base price.
You’re paying specifically for email marketing.
The automation is powerful but not quite as advanced as GHL. If you need super complex coaching funnel email sequences with a dozen different paths, you might feel limited.
Customer support is good during US work hours but can be slow on weekends. They do have tons of tutorials though.
Pricing
Free up to 10,000 subscribers (with limited features).
Creator plan is $33/month for 1,000 subscribers. Goes up based on list size.
Who Should Use It
Coaches who lead with content (blogs, podcasts, YouTube). Anyone who wants beautiful emails without design skills. Coaches comfortable with email marketing who don’t need text messages or fancy CRM features.
How to Choose the Right Email Sequence Tools for Coaches
Here’s my quick guide:
Pick Systeme.io if:
- You’re just starting
- Budget is tight (under $50/month)
- You want everything in one place
- You’re okay trading some fancy features for simplicity
Pick GoHighLevel if:
- You’re making money and ready to invest in growth
- You want the best email automation tools
- Text marketing matters to your coaching business
- You need an all-in-one system
- You’re willing to learn something new
Pick Kit if:
- You’re a content creator first, coach second
- Email marketing is how you grow
- You love beautiful, simple design
- You’re okay paying more for email-specific features
- You don’t need texts or CRM stuff
The wrong email marketing platform costs you money, time, and leads.
The right choice? It just works quietly while you focus on coaching.
Want to see your complete funnel setup before choosing email sequence tools for coaches? Use my coaching funnel audit checklist to identify exactly what you need.
Final Thoughts
There’s no perfect lead nurture software that works for everyone.
What matters is finding the email automation tool that fits where you are RIGHT NOW in your coaching business.
Just starting? Systeme.io gives you everything you need without emptying your wallet.
Established and scaling? GoHighLevel‘s email marketing platform is worth the investment.
Building an audience through content? Kit makes that smooth and easy.
The biggest mistake I see? Coaches picking email sequence tools based on what some internet guru uses instead of what they actually need.
Start with where you are. Not where you wanna be in two years.
And honestly? If you’re reading this thinking “I still don’t know which email marketing platform to pick” or “this sounds like too much tech stuff”- that’s exactly why I offer done-for-you funnel setup.
Sometimes the smartest choice is letting someone who’s set up coaching funnel email sequences a hundred times just handle it for you.
Want to understand the psychology behind effective email sequences? Check out my guide on funnel psychology secrets for coaches to write emails that actually convert.
Your Next Steps: Choose Your Email Sequence Tool
Based on everything we’ve covered, here’s where to get started:
Just starting out? → Try Systeme.io free
Ready to scale? → Get GoHighLevel’s 14-day free trial
Content-focused? → Start Kit free
All three platforms offer free trials or free plans – test them out and see which one feels right for your coaching funnel.
Once you’ve chosen your email platform, you’ll need to know what to actually send. These email template ideas for coaches give you 7 email ideas to start with.
Need Help Deciding or Setting Up?
Want done-for-you setup? If tech overwhelms you or you just want it handled properly the first time, book a free 30-minute funnel audit. I’ll recommend the right email marketing platform for your business stage and can set everything up for you – email sequences, landing pages, and all the automation.
FAQ
What’s the difference between email sequence tools and regular email newsletters?
Email sequence tools for coaches send automated emails in a specific order when someone takes an action (like downloading your freebie). A newsletter is a one-time email you send to your whole list at once.
Think of sequences like a welcome path that new people walk through automatically. Newsletters are like announcements you shout to everyone at the same time.
How many emails should be in a coaching funnel email sequence?
Most coaching funnels work best with 5-7 emails in a welcome sequence spread over 2-3 weeks. You don’t want to overwhelm people with daily emails, but you also don’t want them to forget about you.
A typical flow: Welcome email (day 1), value email (day 3), story email (day 5), offer email (day 7), FAQ email (day 10), testimonial email (day 14), and final offer email (day 17). Adjust based on what feels right for your audience.
Can I switch email automation tools later if I pick the wrong one?
Yes, but it’s a bit of a pain. Most email marketing platforms let you export your contact list as a CSV file, so you won’t lose your subscribers. However, you’ll need to rebuild your automation sequences from scratch in the new tool.
That’s why it’s worth taking time to choose the right lead nurture software upfront. But if you do need to switch, it’s totally doable-just budget a few hours (or hire someone) to set everything up again.
Do I need to write all my emails before setting up sequences?
Yep, write them all first. You want to see how the whole sequence flows together before you automate anything. Plus, once your email automation tool is running, new subscribers will start getting emails immediately-you can’t pause halfway through to write email #4.
I recommend writing all your emails in a Google Doc first, getting feedback, editing them, and THEN copying them into your email marketing platform. Saves you from scrambling later.
What’s a good open rate for email sequences?
For welcome sequences using best email automation tools, aim for 40-60% open rates on the first email (people just signed up, so they’re expecting it). Follow-up emails usually get 20-35% open rates, which is normal and totally fine.
If you’re getting under 20%, check your subject lines or make sure emails aren’t landing in spam. Commercial emails (when you’re selling something) naturally get lower open rates than educational content.
Can these email sequence tools for coaches send text messages too?
Systeme.io and Kit are email-only platforms. GoHighLevel includes both email and SMS (text messages) in the same automation, which is one of its biggest advantages.
If text messaging matters to your coaching business (like appointment reminders or time-sensitive offers), GoHighLevel is worth the extra cost. If you’re fine with just email, the other two work great.
What happens if my email list grows past the subscriber limit?
Each email marketing platform automatically bumps you to the next pricing tier when you hit the limit. You’ll get a notification before it happens, so there’s no surprise charges.
For example, if you’re on Systeme.io’s free plan (2,000 contacts) and subscriber #2,001 joins, you’ll need to upgrade to the $17/month plan. Your coaching funnel email sequences keep running-nothing breaks-you just pay more as you grow.
