3 Most Affordable Life Coaching Certification Programs in 2022
There are many life coach certification programs available, but not all of them are created equal. When choosing a program, it's important to consider the pros and cons of each option. In addition when you're just starting out you want to be mindful of the investment you need to make in order to get the certification. In this blog post, we'll take a look at three of the most affordable and best value life coaching certification programs available. These recommendation are based on personal experiences & research and we are not being compensated for any of these recommendations (so we’re not biased:)
What is a life coach certificate?
A life coaching certification is a program that gives you a certificate that shows you've taken the classes and done the work you need to do to become a life coach. In its essence, the school that issues the certificate credits you with having the necessary skills to be able to coach on your own. This is also why choosing the right institution for your certificate is so important - not all life coaching courses are created equal!
Do I need to get certified?
In short, no. You don't actually need a life coaching certificate to be a coach. But, before you run off to start your new life coaching career, consider this...
We live in a world where anybody can call themselves a life coach because it's not a regulated industry. This means that there are more life coaches out there than there are episodes of Simpsons. Okay maybe this method doesn't work, but you get the drift!
If you get started in the coaching industry, then you don't have anything to set you apart from the rest of your competition. Unless you get certified! Plus, when you're just starting out, you probably don't know a lot of things about life coaching, that you should know in order to be successful. So taking a good course is a great way to educate yourself on everything you don't yet know (what coaching tools to use, how to conduct the coaching sessions, how to market yourself, etc.) and get accredited in the process.
Once you've completed a certification program you (and your clients) can be much more comfortable that you can actually help them with their problems and guide them through obstacles.
So, in the end, the choice is yours, but think of getting certified as a life coach as an investment in your career that can help you make great new connections, learn all about coaching, get better at helping people and learn how to market yourself all at the same time!
Where to get accredited as a life coach?
If you're choosing your life coach certification program, then make sure it's accredited by a well-known governing body or institution. This means that the course you are taking has been reviewed by industry professionals and the content you are being taught is correct and according to common practices.
The two most well-known accrediting institutions for life coaches are:
ICF - International Coaching Federation - Website Here
CPD Standards - Continuing Professional Development Standards Agency - Website Here
So if you're choosing a life coaching certification program, make sure it has the stamp of approval from either of the institutions so you can be sure that the curriculum has been approved by professionals.
If the course you're taking has not been accredited by either of the organizations, make sure you're taking a course from a reputable business with thousands of clients and a long history.
Otherwise, if you take some random course you might just be throwing money out of the window..
What does a life coaching certificate cost?
Good question, but you will not like the answer: It depends:)
Courses come in various shapes and sizes and can vary quite a bit on how much curriculum you will cover (even if they are accredited). In this article, you'll find3 options (with pros and cons) for becoming an accredited life coach in different price ranges. All of them are a great starting point for your coaching career that will not break the bank, but in the end, you'll have to decide which one suits your needs the best!
What you need to know before you get started comparing all of the packages is that getting ICF accredited life coaching course below $1000 is pretty much impossible. These types of courses often cost between $3000-$8000, depending on the length of the program. Since ICF is the most recognized coaching organization in the world, their requirements for getting their stamp of approval are the most stringent - hence the price (there is one ICF-accredited program on the list though!)
In this list you'll find the best ICF Accredited Life Coaching Program out there + alternative courses you can take to start your coaching business.
Top 3 Life Coach Certification Programs in 2022 are:
Certified Life Coach Institute
The certified Life Coach Institute takes the first place on the list since they are ICF accredited, have been around for a while, offer a great curriculum, and have 5-star customer feedback.
They offer two different courses with different with curriculums depending on how in-depth you want to get. As far as pricing goes, they have THE BEST prices for any ICF-accredited life coaching course.
If you're just getting started then their Level 1 Certified Life Coach course will cost $995 and covers all the basics you will need to get started as a practicing life coach.
Their Level 2 offer more in-depth course on how to apply different life coaching tools in real life and get your coaching business thriving.
💰Price: Starting from $995 for Level 1 Life Coach Accreditation ($1295 for Level 2)
✅Pros:
3-Day Immersive Course
ICF Accredited
Great Prices for ICF Accreditation
Well Known Organization
4.5 Stars on Yelp
❌Cons:
$995 for Level 1 Training is still a considerable investment
2. Transformation Academy
Transform Academy is run by Joeel and Natalie - a power couple who helps aspiring entrepreneurs and life coaches realize their dreams. Over the years, they have taught over 700,000+ students from 200+ countries to reach their greater potential.
What's great about Transform Academy is that they offer not only Life Coaching Certification Program, but also offer done-for-your coaching tools that will help you get started with your own practice. Also, all of the curricula is self-paced so you can take the course even if you're busy with a full-time job.
Their Master Life Coach Program costs $497 and includes 20+ hours of self-paced learning and the tools & worksheets required.
Now they are not ICF accredited, but their course does offer CPD credits!
💰Price: $497 For Master Life Coach Course (or $197 for Separate Modules)
Tip! From time to time you may find Transformation Acemdy's Courses available on Udemy.com for very affordable prices. They don't offer the Master Life Coach Course on Udemy, but they offer modules that are part of it for the fraction of the original price. You can keep an eye on their Udemy page here.
✅Pros:
Self Paced Learning
20+ Hours Of Video Material
Tools & Worksheets Included
Well Rounded Curriculum
CPD Credits Included
4.8 Star Rating on Indeed.com
❌Cons:
Not ICF Accredited
3. Integrative Wellness Academy
Integrative Wellness Academy has one of the most versatile and in-depth courses for coaches available anywhere. Their Integrated Life Coach (ILC) program not only teaches students about the core principles and techniques of life coaching but also touches on health coaching, performance coaching, career coaching, relationship coaching, and more!
The course itself is 50 hours that you can take online and must finish in 6 months. After you've taken the course you'll have to take the exams to become accredited.
While it's not the cheapest option on the list, it's the one with the most in-depth and rigorous curriculum on coaching you'll find (which covers both the coaching techniques and the business side of running a coaching practice).
While they're not ICF accredited, it's not always a bad thing. The company says that they are not seeking accreditation from ICF because the industry (and best practices) change so quickly and it would not be practical to seek accreditation after making small updates to its program.
Besides, they've been around since 2010 and have thousands of coaches taking their course, which speaks volumes about the quality of their curriculum
💰Price: The price for Integrative Life Coaching (ILC) starts from $1200
✅Pros:
In-Depth Course
Gives You a Wide Base of Knowledge (Covers Not Only Life Coaching But Also Health Coaching, Wellness Coaching, Relationship Coaching, and more!)
Teaches Advanced Coaching Techniques
Does Have It's Own Certification Program
❌Cons:
Not ICF Accredited
Over to You!
So there you have it. If you're looking for ICF accredited coaching course that costs less than $1000, then you really have only one option - Certified Life Coach Institute.
But if you're just starting out and you have a more limited budget, then taking the life coaching courses offered by Transformation Academy would be your best bet (especially if you're keeping an eye on their Udemy page for discounts!). While their courses do not have ICF accreditation, they are still certified by CPD and offer the best value for the money.