Group Coaching Agreement Template: Template, Example and Tips
A group coaching agreement template is the contract every member signs before joining your cohort, mastermind or group program. It covers the usual coaching terms (fees, scope, refunds, liability) plus the four things a one-to-one contract never has to handle: group confidentiality, attendance at live calls, recordings of those calls, and the rules of the community space. Below you will find a free, copyable template written for group coaches, a section-by-section explanation, a filled example and the mistakes that cause most group disputes.
We make Coachful, a coaching platform where this agreement is sent with e-signature before the first call and stored on each member's client record, next to their intake answers, payments and program progress. You can use the template anywhere, though: paste it into a Word file, a Google Doc or an e-signature tool if that suits your practice better. The wording is the part that matters most.
What is in this group coaching agreement template?
The template has 16 numbered sections, each with [bracketed] fill-ins. Sections 6 to 9 are the group-specific core: attendance and missed calls, recordings, group confidentiality and community conduct. The rest are standard coaching terms rewritten for a cohort, where one member's payment, behaviour or exit affects everyone else in the room.
If you coach one to one as well, keep your individual contract separate. Our coaching agreement template covers the one-to-one case, and the group version below borrows its structure while adding the clauses a cohort needs.
The free group coaching agreement template (copy and adapt)
Copy everything from the title down to the signature lines. Replace every [bracket]. Delete any clause that does not apply rather than leaving it vague.
[PROGRAM NAME] Group Coaching Agreement
This agreement is between [COACH OR BUSINESS NAME], [registered address], [business registration number if any] ("the Coach") and [MEMBER FULL NAME], [member email] ("the Member"). It takes effect when both parties sign and covers the Member's place in [PROGRAM NAME], cohort starting [START DATE].
- The program. [PROGRAM NAME] is a [number]-week group coaching program for [who it is for, e.g. first-time managers in tech companies]. The cohort has a maximum of [number] members. The program runs from [start date] to [end date].
- What is included. The Member's place includes:
- [number] live group calls of [length] minutes, held [day and time, with time zone] on [video platform or "the link sent in the program app"];
- access to the program's online community space for the length of the program plus [number] weeks afterwards;
- [weekly worksheets / check-ins / habit tracking / course lessons] delivered through [platform];
- [number] individual [length]-minute calls with the Coach, to be booked by [date], or "no individual calls";
- written replies from the Coach in the community space on [days], usually within [number] business days.
- What group coaching is and is not. Group coaching is a partnership in which the Member sets goals and takes action, supported by the Coach and the other members. It is not therapy, counselling, medical care, legal advice or financial advice, and the Coach does not diagnose or treat any condition. The Member stays responsible for their own decisions and results. The Coach does not guarantee any specific outcome. If the Member is in crisis, under the care of a mental health professional, or experiencing something outside the scope of coaching, they agree to tell the Coach privately, and the Coach may recommend an appropriate professional.
- Fees and payment. The program fee is [amount and currency], paid [in full before the first call / in [number] instalments of [amount] on [dates]]. Payments are taken by [card through the Coach's payment provider / bank transfer]. If an instalment fails and is not paid within [number] days of a reminder, the Coach may pause the Member's access to calls, replays and the community space until it is paid. A paused Member still owes the remaining instalments, because their place in the cohort was reserved and cannot be resold.
- Cancellation, withdrawal and refunds. The Member may cancel within [number] days of signing for a full refund, provided the program has not started. [If the Member asks to start within the cancellation period, they agree that they pay for any part of the program already delivered.] After [the first call / date], fees are non-refundable, except [list exceptions, e.g. if the Coach cancels the program]. A Member who withdraws may [transfer their place to the next cohort once, within [number] months / receive no transfer]. If the Coach cancels the program or fails to deliver [number] or more of the scheduled group calls, the Member receives a pro-rata refund for undelivered calls.
- Attendance and missed calls. Group calls run on the published schedule, whether or not the Member attends. Missed group calls are not made up individually and are not refunded. Where a call is recorded, the Member can watch the replay. The Member agrees to join on time, with a working camera where possible, from a private space where others in their home or office cannot overhear. If the Coach must reschedule a group call, the Coach will give at least [number] hours' notice and offer a new date or a recording of a replacement session.
- Recordings. The Coach [records / does not record] group calls. Where calls are recorded:
- recordings are shared only with members of this cohort, inside [platform], and kept for [number] months after the program ends, then deleted;
- the Coach will not use any recording, or any clip or quote from one, in marketing, courses or public content without the separate written consent of every member who can be seen or heard;
- the Member may turn off their camera, use a first name or nickname, or write in the chat instead of speaking if they prefer not to be recorded;
- the Coach may pause the recording at a member's request when a personal topic comes up;
- members may not record, screenshot, transcribe with their own tools or share any part of a call.
- Group confidentiality. What members share about themselves in calls, chats and the community space stays in the group. The Member agrees not to repeat, post, forward or discuss another member's personal stories, names, workplaces or identifying details with anyone outside the cohort, during or after the program. The Member may talk about what they personally learned without identifying anyone. The Member understands that the Coach can set this rule and enforce it within the group but cannot guarantee that every member will keep it, so they choose what to share with that in mind.
- The Coach's confidentiality and its limits. The Coach keeps the Member's personal information, private messages and individual session content confidential. The Coach will break confidentiality only if [the Member or someone else appears to be at serious risk of harm / the law requires it / the Member gives permission]. Where the Member's employer pays for their place, the Coach will report to the employer only [attendance / nothing], and nothing the Member says.
- Community conduct. In calls and in the community space, members agree to:
- treat other members with respect, including when disagreeing;
- not sell, pitch, recruit or solicit other members for their own business, inside or outside the group, without the other member asking first;
- not give other members advice presented as professional medical, legal, financial or psychological advice;
- not post hateful, harassing, sexual or illegal content;
- keep content on the topic of the program, using the spaces set aside for off-topic chat;
- follow the group ground rules agreed at the first call.
- Removal from the group. If a member breaks sections 7, 8 or 10, the Coach will normally give one private written warning. For serious breaches (harassment, sharing another member's information, repeated soliciting), the Coach may remove the member from calls and the community space without warning. A removed member [receives a pro-rata refund for undelivered calls / receives no refund], and their posts may be deleted.
- Data and the platform. The Coach collects the Member's name, contact details, intake answers, check-ins, payment records and program activity to deliver the program, using [platform names]. Other members can see the Member's [display name, profile photo and community posts]. The Coach keeps records for [number] years after the program ends unless the law requires otherwise, and the Member may ask for a copy or deletion of their data at [email]. Full details are in the Coach's privacy notice at [URL].
- Intellectual property. The program materials, worksheets, recordings and course lessons belong to the Coach. The Member may use them for their own personal development and may not resell, copy, teach from or publicly share them. The Member keeps ownership of what they post. The Member gives the Coach permission to show their posts to the cohort for the length of the program and community access.
- Liability. The Coach's total liability under this agreement is limited to the fees the Member has paid. Nothing in this agreement limits liability that cannot be limited by law. The Coach is not responsible for outages of third-party video or community platforms, though they will reschedule any call lost to one.
- Changes, term and law. The Coach may change call times or platforms with [number] days' notice, without reducing the number of calls. This agreement ends when the Member's community access ends, except sections 8, 13 and 14, which continue. It is governed by the laws of [country / state]. Any disagreement will first be raised in writing at [email], and both parties will try to settle it within [number] days before taking other steps.
- Signatures.
- Member: [name], signature, date
- Coach: [name], signature, date
Why does each section matter, and what should you watch for?
Each section exists to settle a question before it turns into a dispute in front of the whole cohort. The table below explains the purpose of every clause and the most common drafting mistake for that clause in group programs.
| Section | Why it matters in a group | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|
| 1. The program | Sets the cohort size and dates, which members use to judge whether they got what was sold. | Write a maximum cohort size. "Small group" means 6 to one person and 40 to another. |
| 2. What is included | Members compare notes with each other, so vague promises get tested quickly. | Count calls and state reply times. "Unlimited support" invites a member who posts 20 times a day. |
| 3. Scope | Group settings bring up grief, trauma and health topics without warning. | Add the private disclosure line so a member tells you, not the group, about a clinical issue. |
| 4. Fees and payment | One seat in a cohort cannot usually be resold once the program starts. | Say what happens on a failed instalment. Our guide to payment plans and late fees goes deeper. |
| 5. Cancellation and refunds | Consumer law in many places gives a cooling-off right on distance sales. | Do not write "no refunds under any circumstances" if local law says otherwise. |
| 6. Attendance | The most common group complaint is "I missed calls, so I want money back". | Decide on make-ups once, for everyone, and write it down. |
| 7. Recordings | Several members appear in every recording, and each has their own view on it. | Never reuse group footage in marketing without every visible member's separate consent. |
| 8. Group confidentiality | The coach can promise their own confidentiality but not other members'. | Say plainly that you cannot guarantee member behaviour. It is honest and it protects you. |
| 9. Coach confidentiality | Sponsored places (employer pays) raise reporting questions. | Agree what the sponsor sees before the first call, in writing. |
| 10. Community conduct | Soliciting and unqualified advice are the two issues that empty a group fastest. | Link the rules to a ground-rules session so members co-own them. |
| 11. Removal | Without a removal clause, one disruptive member can hold the cohort hostage. | Keep a warning step for minor issues so removal never looks arbitrary. |
| 12. Data | Other members can see profiles and posts, which one-to-one clients never face. | List what other members see. Point to a real privacy notice. |
| 13. Intellectual property | Members sometimes run their own groups using your worksheets. | Separate "use for yourself" from "teach from". See our page on copyright and IP terms. |
| 14. Liability | Caps your exposure at what the member paid. | Some liability cannot be excluded by law; keep the carve-out sentence. |
| 15. Changes, term, law | Group calls move for holidays and time zones. | Promise the number of calls, not exact dates, and name a dispute email. |
| 16. Signatures | Proves the member agreed before joining the group space. | Collect the signature before granting community access, not after the first call. |
How is a group agreement different from a one-to-one coaching contract?
A one-to-one contract governs a private relationship between two people. A group agreement also governs how members treat each other, which means it carries rules about other people's information, shared recordings and behaviour in a shared space.
Three practical differences follow. First, attendance stops being a scheduling detail: a one-to-one client who cancels can rebook, but a group call happens without them. Second, confidentiality splits in two, because you can commit to your own conduct but only set expectations for everyone else's. The ICF Code of Ethics asks coaches to explain the limits of confidentiality clearly, and in a group those limits are wider. Third, the agreement sits alongside your ground rules. The contract creates the obligations; a ground-rules conversation at the first call turns them into norms people remember. Our group coaching ground rules template gives you seven norms to open with.
What must group coaches add for their own practice?
The template is a starting point, not a finished contract for every niche. Add clauses for your scope of practice, safety procedures, any sensitive data your group discusses, and the laws where you and your members live.
| Area | When it applies | What to add |
|---|---|---|
| Scope of practice | Health, grief, divorce, ADHD, money or recovery groups | A sentence naming what you do not do (diagnose, prescribe, give tax or legal advice) and a referral line naming the kind of professional you refer to. |
| Safety and crisis | Any group where distress may surface on a call | What you will do if someone discloses risk on a call: move them to a breakout room or private message, share local crisis lines, and follow up privately. |
| Sensitive data | Members discuss health, sexuality, religion or similar topics | Under the EU and UK GDPR, health and some other categories are special category data with stricter rules. State your lawful basis and keep clinical records out of coaching tools. |
| Recording consent law | You record calls with members in several countries or US states | Some places require all parties to consent to recording (see this overview of recording laws). Collect consent in the agreement and announce recording at the start of each call. |
| Consumer cancellation rights | You sell online to consumers in the UK or EU | A cancellation period on distance contracts, such as the 14-day right in the UK Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, and the "start early" wording in section 5. |
| Employer-sponsored places | Companies buy seats for staff | A three-way clause on what the sponsor sees, who pays, and what happens if the employee leaves the company mid-program. |
| Minors | Teen or student groups | Parent or guardian signature, safeguarding procedures and rules on private messaging between members. |
For health-related groups, keep one more point in mind: coaching is not medical care. If a member reports chest pain, disordered eating, thoughts of self-harm or a recent diagnosis that changes what they can safely do, they need a clinician before or alongside coaching. Write that referral step into section 3 in your own words.
What does a filled group coaching agreement look like?
Here is an example for a fictional coach and member. Names, prices and dates are illustrative only, chosen to show how the brackets read once filled in.
Example only. Steady Ground Group Coaching Agreement
This agreement is between Priya Nair Coaching Ltd, 14 Calder Street, Leeds ("the Coach") and Rosa Delgado, rosa@example.com ("the Member"). It covers the Member's place in Steady Ground, cohort starting 12 January 2027.
1. The program. Steady Ground is a 10-week group coaching program for first-time managers. The cohort has a maximum of 10 members and runs from 12 January to 16 March 2027.
2. What is included. Ten live 75-minute group calls on Tuesdays at 18:00 UK time, community access for the program plus 4 weeks, weekly check-ins and one 30-minute individual call to be booked by 9 February. The Coach replies in the community on Mondays and Thursdays, usually within 2 business days.
4. Fees. £1,200, or three instalments of £420 on 5 January, 5 February and 5 March. Access pauses if an instalment is unpaid 7 days after a reminder.
5. Cancellation. Full refund if cancelled within 14 days of signing and before 12 January. After the first call, fees are non-refundable, with one transfer to the next cohort allowed within 6 months.
6. Attendance. Missed calls are not made up individually; replays are available.
7. Recordings. Calls are recorded, shared only with this cohort and deleted 3 months after the program ends. No recording is used in marketing.
9. Sponsor reporting. Rosa's employer pays for her place and will receive attendance only.
15. Law. England and Wales. Concerns go first to hello@example.com.
Notice how specific it is. Rosa can see exactly how many calls she gets, when the Coach answers posts and what her manager will hear about her. That is the level of detail that keeps a cohort calm in week seven.
How can you send, sign and store a group agreement?
You have four broad options: a file you email, a shared Google Doc or Form, a standalone e-signature tool, or a practice platform that ties the signed agreement to the member's record and program access. The table compares them on what matters for groups.
| Option | Price (as listed in October 2026) | Signing | Group delivery after signing | Where the signed copy lives |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coachful | Solo: $49/month for up to 20 clients | E-signature sent before the first call | Programs, cohort groups created on enrollment, community, group calls, check-ins and habits | On the member's client record with intake answers, payments and sessions |
| PDF or Word file by email | No software cost | Print and scan, or a typed name in a reply | None; you add members to separate tools by hand | Your inbox and a folder you maintain |
| Google Docs or Google Forms | Included with a Google account | A checkbox and typed name in a form; no built-in e-signature in Forms | None | A spreadsheet of responses |
| Standalone e-signature tool | Varies by tool and plan | Proper e-signature with audit trail | None | The e-signature account, separate from client notes |
| HoneyBook | Essentials $59/mo ($49/mo annual); Starter $29/mo annual | Contracts | No programs, courses, habits, check-ins or community | The HoneyBook project |
| Dubsado | Starter $35/mo; Premier $55/mo | Contracts | No courses, client community, habits or check-ins | The Dubsado project |
| Paperbell | $97/mo ($80.83/mo annual) | Contracts | No community or habit tracking (older profile) | The client portal |
| CoachVantage | Clarity $39/mo (4 e-signatures/mo); Aha! $59/mo (unlimited) | E-signature, capped on Clarity | Group programs with cohorts; 2 on Clarity | The client record |
A file by email works for a first cohort of five. Past that, the trouble is not signing; it is checking, every time someone joins the community or a call link goes out, that this person actually signed. When the signature and the access live in different places, someone eventually slips through. For a broader look at that problem, see how to automate coaching agreement e-signatures.
Where does the agreement sit in a group client journey?
The agreement belongs between "accepted" and "first call". Members apply or book, answer intake questions, pay, sign, and only then get community access and the call link.
- Application or intake call. Ask screening questions so you only accept people the group suits. Our group coaching application form has 12 questions you can reuse.
- Payment. Full fee or first instalment.
- Agreement. Sent and signed before anything else opens.
- Onboarding. Welcome flow, profile, first check-in.
- First call. Ground rules conversation, recording announcement.
- Program weeks. Calls, check-ins, habits and community.
- Close. Final call, community access window, recording deletion date.
If you are still designing the program itself, how to start a group coaching business covers pricing, cohort size and launch.
How do you run this agreement in Coachful, step by step?
Coachful is a coaching platform where booking, payments, contracts, program delivery, community and email live behind one login for you and one branded app for your members. For group coaches, that means the signed agreement, the payment and the cohort access are all on the same member record. Here is how the flow looks.
Step 1: Collect intake answers on booking
Booking pages can ask intake questions, so a prospect's answers arrive before your intake call. The Intakes page shows upcoming calls and how many converted. If you want a scored, longer application, build it as a form; the answers land on the client record either way.
Step 2: Take payment through your own Stripe or Razorpay account
Payments run through your own Stripe Connect or Razorpay account, with one-time payments, subscriptions and payment plans, so the instalment option in section 4 of the template is something you can actually offer. Each transaction produces an invoice, and you can raise manual invoices too. Coachful charges a 0% platform fee; only the processor's fees apply.
Step 3: Send the agreement before the first call
Coaching agreements with e-signature are sent before the first call and stored on the client record. Paste in your adapted version of the template above. If a member signed on paper or in another tool, the Agreements tab also takes a signed PDF.
The coaching contracts page shows the full feature, and the contract generator drafts a starting version if you would rather not edit the template by hand.
Step 4: Let enrollment create the cohort group
When a member enrolls in a program, Coachful creates the cohort group automatically, so the community space in section 2 of your agreement exists without manual invitations. The Squads view lists each program-linked group and its members.
Step 5: Deliver the program, calls and check-ins
Programs run in weeks with weekly goals, daily tasks, habits and morning or evening check-ins. You can run group calls and webinars alongside one-to-one sessions, with built-in video or auto-created Zoom, Meet or Teams links, and reminders by email (plus SMS and WhatsApp once messaging is enabled). Here is a short walkthrough of building a client journey:
Step 6: What the member sees
Members open your branded app inside the Coachful app. They see the group program and its current week, the cohort's community feed, their habits and the Documents tab on their coaching hub. Your community rules from section 10 apply in the feed and the group chat.
The group coaching software page covers community, cohorts and group calls in more detail.
Why Coachful stands out: a free white-glove service. On every plan, you can open Create, choose "We'll build it for you · FREE", describe what you need and attach up to 8 links and 10 files. The Coachful team builds it inside your account, usually within about 24 hours. For a group coach that might be the program itself, a form or worksheet such as your application, the sales page for the cohort, or an email sequence for onboarding new members. Nothing is invented: no fake testimonials or prices, and gaps are left for you to fill. It does not include recording videos, logo design or ad management. Read more about the free white-glove service.
What Coachful does not do. It is not HIPAA-certified and offers no BAA, so it is not the place for clinical records or insurance billing. There is no PayPal and no permanent free plan. Your members' app ships under the Coachful listing with your branding, not under your own App Store account. To start, use a free trial and request the white-glove build. Current plans: (Lite: $29/month for up to 5 clients; Solo: $49/month for up to 20 clients; Pro: $99/month with unlimited clients; Studio: $199/month with unlimited clients).
What are the most common mistakes in group coaching agreements?
Most problems come from reusing a one-to-one contract for a cohort. These are the ones that cause real friction.
- No recording clause. The first time a member asks for a recording to be deleted, you have no agreed answer. Decide on retention and reuse before the cohort starts.
- Promising confidentiality you cannot deliver. "Everything shared is confidential" sounds kind but is not true of other members. Say what you will do and what you ask of them.
- Granting access before the signature. If a member joins the community first and signs later, the conduct rules were never in force for their first week.
- Vague support promises. "Ongoing support in the group" means different things to a member who posts daily and to you. Name days and reply times.
- No make-up policy. Make-ups decided case by case feel unfair to whoever was refused. Write one rule.
- Refund terms that contradict consumer law. An unenforceable clause can weaken trust in the rest of the agreement.
- No anti-soliciting clause. A group of engaged professionals is an attractive audience for someone's side business. Our article on non-solicitation and confidentiality terms covers the wording.
- Forgetting the sponsor. When an employer pays, decide what they see before the member says anything on a call.
- Using the contract as the ground rules. Members do not reread a contract. Repeat the key norms at the first call and pin them in the community.
Is this template legal advice?
No. This template is general information to help you draft, not legal, medical or financial advice. Contract, consumer, data protection and recording laws differ by country and US state, and some clauses (refunds, liability limits, recording consent) may not work as written where you or your members live.
Have a local lawyer review your final version before you use it, especially if you sell to consumers in several countries, take employer-sponsored places, work with minors, or record calls. If your group touches health, mental health or eating, ask a clinician to look at your scope and referral wording too. Check with an accountant on tax treatment of instalments and cross-border sales.
Frequently asked questions
Is this group coaching agreement template free to use?
Yes. Copy the template, adapt it and use it with your own members. You do not need any particular software to use it, though a lawyer should review your final version.
Do I need a separate agreement for each group member?
Yes. Each member signs their own copy, because each has their own fees, payment plan and data. The terms can be identical across the cohort; the signature and the record are individual.
Can I combine the agreement and the group ground rules?
Put the essential conduct rules in the agreement so they are binding, and run a separate ground-rules conversation at the first call. The contract creates the obligation; the conversation makes it stick.
Should I record group coaching calls?
Recordings help members who miss a call, but they raise consent and storage questions. If you record, state who sees the recording, how long you keep it and that you will not reuse it publicly without every visible member's consent.
What happens if a member breaks group confidentiality?
Follow the removal section: a private warning for minor slips and removal for serious breaches, such as posting another member's story publicly. You cannot undo the disclosure, which is why the agreement asks members to share with that risk in mind.
Can I refuse refunds for missed group calls?
Generally yes, if the agreement says so clearly and the calls ran as scheduled. Consumer cancellation rights before the program starts are a separate matter and may apply regardless of what your contract says.
How is a mastermind agreement different?
A mastermind leans more on peer contribution, so add expectations on attendance, preparation and hot-seat turns. Our mastermind group agenda template shows how a 90-minute session runs.
Can Coachful send this agreement automatically?
Coachful sends coaching agreements with e-signature before the first call and stores the signed copy on the client record, alongside payments, intake answers and program progress. It is included in your Coachful membership.
What is Coachful's free white-glove service?
It is a build service on every plan: you describe a program, form, funnel, website or email sequence, attach references, and the Coachful team builds it in your account, usually within about 24 hours. It does not include recording videos, logo design or ad management.
Is Coachful suitable for therapy or clinical groups?
No. Coachful is not HIPAA-certified and offers no BAA, so clinical records and insurance billing belong in a clinical system. It suits coaching groups where the work stays within coaching scope.
