What to Look for in a Platform
A paid consultation is a short, high-value meeting with someone you may never have met. That changes what you need from a platform. Before you compare prices, check five things:
- Does the client pay before the call? Payment at booking means you are not chasing invoices after the call.
- Can you ask questions before you accept the booking? Intake questions tell you what the client wants, so you can prepare or turn down a poor fit.
- Can you approve requests instead of accepting every booking? Some consultants only take clients they have screened.
- What happens when a client cancels or wants to move the call? You need a written policy that the client sees before paying.
- Is the video call included, or do you need a second tool? A separate video tool is one more subscription and one more link to send.
The sections below cover each one, then show what each platform charges, using numbers from each company's own website on November 4, 2026.
Payment at Booking
Here is what each platform's own pages say about collecting payment when the client books:
- Talkspresso: clients pay when they book. Payment runs on Talkspresso Payments, powered by PayPal.
- Calendly: its pricing page lists collecting payment during booking through Stripe or PayPal. It is not included on the Free plan.
- Acuity Scheduling: its pricing page lists payments and deposits through Stripe, Square, PayPal or Venmo on every plan.
- Zoom: its pricing page lists a Scheduler on the Workplace Business plan where clients can pay before the meeting. Zoom marks that payment feature as available in the US and UK only.
Intake Questions Before the Call
Intake answers let you prepare before the call. Ask what the client wants to solve, what they have already tried, and any documents you should see first.
On Talkspresso, you can add custom questions to a service and mark them as required. The client answers them before the Pay button works, so you never receive a paid booking without the answers. You can use different questions for different services.
Acuity Scheduling lists custom client forms on every plan. Calendly lists forms that screen and route invitees, but its pricing page shows that feature only on its higher plans, not on Free or Standard.
Keep intake short, a few questions at most. If you need more detail, ask for it in your confirmation email.
Approving Requests Before You Accept
If you only want to take on clients who are a good fit, use a request flow instead of instant booking.
On Talkspresso, you can set a service to require your approval. The client picks a time, answers your intake questions and pays when they send the request. Then:
- If you approve, the booking is confirmed.
- If you decline, the client gets a full refund.
Answer every request before its requested start time, so the client is not left waiting on a paid request.
This means the client has committed by paying, and you still choose who you work with. Tell clients on your service page that their payment is refunded if you decline, so the request does not feel risky to them.
Cancellation and Rescheduling Rules
Your cancellation policy protects your calendar. Set it before you share your booking link, and make sure the client sees it before paying.
On Talkspresso, for paid one-to-one sessions you choose:
- How much notice a client must give to cancel without a fee: 2, 6, 12, 24, 48 or 72 hours.
- The fee for a late cancellation: 25%, 50%, 75% or 100% of the price.
The client sees the terms at checkout, for example: "Free cancellation until [time]. After that, a 50% fee applies." You can also let clients move a session themselves, and set how many times they can move it and how close to the start time they can do it. These rules apply to single one-to-one sessions, not to packages or group sessions.
Calendly's pricing page lists a meeting cancellation policy feature, not included on the Free plan.
Scheduling Controls That Matter for Consultations
A few settings keep consultations from piling up or arriving with no warning:
- Minimum notice. Stops someone booking a call that starts in 20 minutes. On Talkspresso you can set it from zero up to 30 days.
- Buffers. Time before or after each call for notes and preparation. On Talkspresso, up to 120 minutes on each side.
- Calendar sync. Talkspresso syncs with Google Calendar, so busy times on your calendar are blocked on your booking page.
- Reminders. Talkspresso sends the client email reminders 24 hours, 1 hour and 15 minutes before the call.
Video: Built In or a Second Tool
Calendly and Acuity are scheduling tools. Acuity's pricing page lists integrations with Google Meet, Zoom and GoToMeeting for online meetings, which means a separate video account. Zoom is a video tool that adds scheduling on its Business plan.
On Talkspresso, the video call is part of the booking. The client joins in their browser from the link in their email, with no account or download. You can share your screen from a desktop computer and record a session from the video room.
Fees: What Each Platform Charges
Every number below comes from the platform's own website, checked on November 4, 2026. Prices change, so check the linked page before you sign up. The numbers in brackets point to the sources listed under the table.
| Talkspresso | Calendly | Acuity Scheduling | Zoom Workplace | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Booking page, video calls and payments | Scheduling | Scheduling | Video meetings, with scheduling on Business |
| Free option | Free plan, 10% per booking [1] | Free plan: one event type, one calendar connection [2] | 7-day free trial [3] | Basic is free, meetings up to 40 minutes [4] |
| Paid plans | Pro is $29.95/mo or $299/yr, 0% platform fee [1] | Standard $10 per seat per month, Teams $16 per seat per month, billed yearly [2] | Starter $16, Standard $27, Premium $55 per month billed annually; $20, $34 and $69 billed monthly [3] | Pro $14.16, Business $18.33 per user per month, billed annually [4] |
| Payment at booking | Yes, on every plan [1] | Stripe or PayPal, not on Free [2] | Stripe, Square, PayPal or Venmo, every plan [3] | Through Scheduler on Business, US and UK only [4] |
| Video included | Yes | Not listed on the pricing page | Through Google Meet, Zoom or GoToMeeting [3] | Yes |
| Processing fees | PayPal processing fees apply [1] | Not listed on the pricing page | Not listed on the pricing page | Not listed on the pricing page |
Sources (all checked November 4, 2026):
- Talkspresso plans: talkspresso.com/plans
- Calendly pricing: calendly.com/pricing
- Acuity Scheduling pricing: acuityscheduling.com/pricing
- Zoom pricing: zoom.us/pricing
What it costs at different volumes
A percentage fee costs less when you sell a little, and a monthly plan costs less when you sell a lot. On Talkspresso:
- $200 a month in consultations: the Free plan's 10% platform fee is $20. Pro is $29.95. The Free plan costs less.
- $500 a month in consultations: the Free plan's 10% is $50. Pro is $29.95. Pro costs less.
- The break-even point is about $300 a month in bookings on the monthly Pro plan.
For Calendly or Acuity, add the cost of a separate video tool if you do not already pay for one.
Which Setup Fits Which Consultant
- You sell a few consultations a month and want no monthly bill: a free plan with a per-booking fee keeps your cost tied to what you sell. On Talkspresso that is the Free plan.
- You screen every client before accepting: look for an approval or request flow with payment at the request. Talkspresso has one, with a full refund if you decline.
- You already pay for Zoom and only need scheduling: a scheduling tool may be enough. Acuity's pricing page lists integrations with Zoom, Google Meet and GoToMeeting.
- You need a signed BAA for HIPAA: Acuity's pricing page lists signing a BAA on its Premium plan.
For more comparisons, see Best Platform for Paid Video Calls, Best Platform for Online Coaching, Talkspresso vs Calendly and Talkspresso vs Zoom.
Getting Started
- Write one service per consultation type, with a clear length and price, such as "45-minute strategy call."
- Add a few intake questions and mark the ones you need as required.
- Decide on instant booking or approval. Use approval if you screen clients.
- Set your cancellation notice, late fee and reschedule limits.
- Set minimum notice and buffers, then connect Google Calendar.
- Book a test consultation yourself to see what the client sees at checkout and in their email.
- Share your booking link on LinkedIn, in your email signature and on your website.
Talkspresso handles booking, intake, video calls and payments in one place. Free plan, 10% per booking. Pro is $29.95/mo or $299/yr, 0% platform fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best platform for selling consultations?
It depends on what you need. If you want payment, intake questions, approval and the video call in one place, Talkspresso covers all four. If you already have a video tool and only need scheduling, Acuity's pricing page lists integrations with Zoom, Google Meet and GoToMeeting. Compare the fee table above against how many consultations you sell each month.
How do I start selling consultations online?
Create one service with a length, price and intake questions. Set your cancellation policy, connect your calendar, book a test call yourself, and then share the link with your network.
Can I sell consultations without a website?
Yes. A booking page gives clients a place to see your services, pick a time and pay. You can link to it from LinkedIn, email and social media. Add a website later if you need more pages.
How much should I charge for consultations?
Start from the result the client gets and the time you spend, including preparation and follow-up. Look at what others in your field charge for similar calls. Raise your price when your calendar is consistently full.
Are there free platforms for selling consultations?
Some have free plans with limits. Calendly's Free plan includes one event type and does not include payments. Zoom Basic is free with meetings up to 40 minutes. The Talkspresso Free plan has no monthly fee and a 10% platform fee per booking, with payments, intake and video included.
