Why Experts Who Value Revenue Need an Alternative
Here is the concrete math on what the fee difference means over time:
An expert charging $200 per 45-minute advisory call, running 15 sessions per month:
On Intro.co at 28% average fee:
Gross monthly: $3,000. Fee: $840. After payment processing (approx 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction): approximately $2,025 net.
On Talkspresso free plan at 10% fee:
Gross monthly: $3,000. Fee: $300. After payment processing: approximately $2,565 net.
On Talkspresso Pro at $29.95/month, 0% platform fee:
Gross monthly: $3,000. Fee: $0. After payment processing: approximately $2,890 net. Subtract Pro plan: approximately $2,860 net.
The fee difference between Intro.co and Talkspresso Free at this volume is approximately $540 per month. Between Intro.co and Talkspresso Pro, approximately $835 per month.
For a broader look at how to set advisory rates before choosing a platform, the how to charge for consulting calls guide covers rate ranges by niche and the value-based pricing method.
What to Look for in an Intro.co Alternative
Experts evaluating alternatives should check these criteria:
Platform fee. Understand the total cost including payment processing. A 10% platform fee plus 2.9% processing is different from a 25% platform fee plus 2.9% processing.
No curation gate. If you want to start selling immediately, the platform should not require approval or invitation.
Built-in live video. Some expert call platforms still require external Zoom calls. The best alternatives include native HD video so clients join from a single link.
Automatic session recording. Experts who send clients recordings of advisory calls see higher satisfaction and return rates. The recording should happen automatically, not by manual intervention.
Intake forms. Pre-session questionnaires help experts prepare and make sessions more efficient. This is especially valuable at higher price points where clients expect the expert to arrive informed.
Discovery vs direct booking. Some platforms offer marketplace discovery. Others are direct-booking tools you drive traffic to yourself. Know which you need. If you already have an audience or a LinkedIn presence, direct booking at a lower fee may outperform a marketplace at a higher fee.
Talkspresso as the Live-Video Alternative
Talkspresso covers every criterion above. Compared to Intro.co, it trades marketplace curation for lower fees, faster access, and a more complete feature set.
Platform fee. 10% on the free plan. $86.80 kept from a $100 session. $172.30 kept from a $200 session. Pro at $29.95/month with 0% platform fee keeps more per session once volume justifies the monthly cost.
No curation gate. Sign up and start selling the same day. No approval process.
Built-in HD video. Sessions run on platform-native video. No Zoom. No external link. Clients join from the booking confirmation.
Automatic recording. Every session records without manual action. Recordings are stored in the platform and can be shared with clients or sold as products.
Intake forms. Custom pre-session questions per service. A client booking a startup advisory call sees different intake than one booking a marketing strategy session.
Digital products. Sell reports, frameworks, or recorded past sessions from the same profile as your live calls. For a broader look at combining products with calls, the how much money can you make from paid video calls guide covers the revenue math across service types.
Take-home math: 10 sessions/month at $200. Intro.co (28% fee): approximately $1,350 net. Talkspresso Free (10% fee): approximately $1,710 net. Talkspresso Pro (0% fee, $29.95/month): approximately $1,927 net.
Other Alternatives Worth Knowing
Topmate. 15% platform fee, strong marketplace in tech and startup niches, no curation gate. Good middle ground between Intro.co's marketplace positioning and Talkspresso's lower fee. No automatic recording. Weaker outside tech/career niches.
Clarity.fm. Per-minute billing model, 15% platform fee. Good for short advisory interactions but undervalues longer strategy sessions. The Clarity.fm alternatives guide covers when the per-minute model makes sense versus flat-rate.
Own website. Set up a booking page on your site using Talkspresso's embed or a direct booking link. No marketplace discovery, but zero platform fee with the Pro plan and full control over your brand experience.
Cost Comparison
| Tool | Platform Fee | Monthly Cost | Built-in Video | Recording | Intake Forms | Access |
|---|
| Intro.co | 25-30% | $0 | Yes | No | No | Curation required |
| Talkspresso (Free) | 10% | $0 | Yes (HD) | Yes (auto) | Yes |
How to Switch in an Afternoon
For experts who want to move their session bookings off Intro.co or set up a direct alternative:
Step 1: Create your profile. Sign up at app.talkspresso.com. Use the same bio and credentials you have on Intro.co.
Step 2: Set up your expert services. Create one listing per session type. Name sessions by the outcome the client gets: "Startup Fundraising Strategy Call" rather than "60-Minute Advisory Session."
Step 3: Add intake questions. Build 3-5 pre-session questions. At premium price points, clients expect you to arrive knowing something about their situation.
Step 4: Set your price and connect your calendar. Set your rate. Connect Google Calendar for real-time availability. You can maintain the same price you charge on Intro.co or adjust now that you are keeping more per session.
Step 5: Get your link and drive traffic to it. Copy your booking link. Add it to your LinkedIn profile, website bio, email signature, and any content you publish. For guidance on promoting expert calls to an existing professional network, the how much money can you make from paid video calls guide covers the promotional tactics alongside the earnings math.
The Bottom Line
Intro.co is a legitimate marketplace with real traffic and a curation signal that some experts value. For experts who are early in building their own audience and need marketplace discovery to get their first bookings, it can be worth the 25 to 30 percent fee, at least initially.
For established experts with an existing audience, client base, or professional network, paying 25 to 30 percent of every session is a significant ongoing cost. A 10% platform fee on the free plan or the $29.95/month Pro plan returns $150 to $835 per month at typical session volumes, depending on your pricing and volume.
The other practical consideration is features. Intro.co does not include automatic recording, AI session summaries, intake forms, or digital product sales. Those features matter for experts who want to run professional, high-retention sessions and generate passive revenue from recordings. The lower-fee alternative includes all of them.
For most experts who have a professional presence and a way to drive traffic to their booking page, the math of keeping more per session outweighs the marketplace positioning Intro.co provides. Start with the free plan, validate your pricing, build your testimonials, and upgrade to Pro once the volume makes the math clear.
