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New to credits? Think of them like punch cards or arcade tokens—athletes buy credits upfront, then redeem them for sessions instead of paying each time.
Where to configure credits: Payments → Products → [Product] → Credits section. Credits are optional—many coaches use products for payment only and never issue credits.

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What are credits?

Credits are a pre-paid booking currency that athletes purchase in packages and redeem when booking sessions with you. Instead of paying 50 each time they book, an athlete might buy a “10-Credit Package” for 450 upfront, then use 1 credit per session. Real-world analogy: Like a gym membership punch card or Starbucks rewards—pay once, use credits multiple times.

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The basic credit flow

1

Athlete purchases credits

Athlete buys a credit package from you:
  • “10-Credit Package - $450”
  • “20-Credit Package - $800”
  • “Monthly Unlimited - 8 Credits/month”
Result: Credits added to athlete’s account balance
2

Athlete books sessions

When booking, athlete chooses to pay with credits:
  • Selects “60-Min Private Training” (costs 1 credit)
  • Clicks “Book with Credits” instead of paying $50
  • 1 credit deducted from their balance
Booking payment screen showing the option to use a credit instead of paying
Result: Session booked, credit consumed, athlete has 9 credits remaining
3

Athlete uses remaining credits

Athlete continues booking sessions using their credit balance:
  • Books again next week (8 credits left)
  • Books again (7 credits left)
  • Continues until credits run out
Result: Predictable booking experience, no payment friction each time
4

Athlete runs out, buys more

When credits run low, athlete purchases another package:
  • Receives low-balance notification
  • Buys new 10-credit package
  • Balance replenished, continues training
Result: Recurring revenue cycle established

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Why use credits instead of direct payment?

Financial benefits:✅ Upfront cash flow: Get paid 450 today instead of 50 × 10 over 10 weeks
✅ Higher commitment: Athletes who buy packages stick around longer (80%+ retention vs 50% pay-per-session)
✅ Predictable revenue: Know exactly how much money is “in the bank” via sold credits
✅ Reduced transaction fees: 1 transaction for 10 sessions instead of 10 separate charges
✅ Package discounts: Sell 10 credits for 450 (45/credit) vs 50 per session—athlete saves, you secure $450 upfrontOperational benefits:✅ Faster booking: No payment processing at booking time (credit already owned)
✅ Fewer no-shows: Athletes less likely to waste pre-paid credits
✅ Flexible offerings: Different credit packages for different athlete types
✅ Easier refunds: Refund credits instead of money (keeps cash in business)
✅ Subscription compatibility: Combine with monthly credit subscriptions for recurring revenue
Bottom line: Credits improve cash flow, increase retention, and reduce administrative overhead.

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How credits work in CoachIQ

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Credit packages (Products)

Credits are sold through Products in CoachIQ’s payment system. There are two ways to issue credits: Product Types That Issue Credits:
How it works: Single purchase, all credits issued immediatelyExample: “10-Credit Package - $450”
  • Athlete pays $450 once
  • Receives 10 credits instantly
  • Uses credits until depleted
  • Purchases another package when ready
Best for: Pay-as-you-go coaching, flexible commitments, trial packagesConfiguration: Create product → Enable “Add credits once purchased” → Set credit amount
CoachIQ product setting to add credits once a one-time payment is purchased
What you set in the Product Builder (Credits section):
  • Toggle credits ON (“Add credits once purchased”)
  • Number of credits issued (e.g., 10 credits)
  • Expiration (30 days, 90 days, never, etc.)
  • Which schedulers accept these credits (Usage Limits → Redeemable Schedulers)
Credit Limits in Product Builder
What athlete receives:
  • Credits added to their account balance immediately after purchase
  • Ability to use credits when booking schedulers that accept them
  • Credit balance tracked in Athlete Portal and mobile app
Important: You create credit-issuing products in Payments → Products, then configure schedulers to accept those credits in Schedule → Schedulers. It’s a two-way linkage—both sides must be configured. Step-by-step: Setting up credit-based sessions.

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Two types of credits

CoachIQ has two distinct credit types that work together:
What they are: Credits that can be used for ANY credit-enabled schedulerHow they work:
  • No restrictions on which sessions they can book
  • Used LAST (after scheduler-specific credits are exhausted)
  • Displayed as “Master Credits” in athlete profile
When to issue:
  • General-purpose credit packages
  • Flexibility for athlete to book any service
  • Simple credit system without restrictions
Note: Master credits are only added manually by admins, under the athlete’s profile → Credits tab. All other credits purchased by users will have a product specific credit bank on their account.
Master Credits UI
Athlete sees:
  • “Master Credits: 10”
  • “These credits can be used for any session and have no restrictions”
Credit Priority System: When athlete books a session, CoachIQ checks credits in this order:
  1. First: Scheduler-specific credits for that particular scheduler
  2. Last: Master credits (if scheduler-specific exhausted or don’t exist)

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Credit-enabled schedulers

Once athletes have credits, they need schedulers configured to accept them. Scheduler pricing options:
Configuration: Session costs 1 credit (or 2, or 3, etc.)Athlete requirement: Must have credits to book (no direct payment option)When to use:
  • Package-deal businesses
  • Want to enforce credit purchases
  • Simplify booking (credits only, no payment decisions)
Example: “60-Min Private Training - 1 Credit”

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Credit balance and tracking

Athletes can see their credit balance within the Billing section of the athlete portal How to navigate as an athlete:
  1. Log into your respective athlete portal
  2. Click or press the profile icon at the top right hand corner of the page
  3. Visit **Billing **to view your credit balance
Athlete portal billing page showing credit balance and redeemable sessions
Athlete’s Billing Settings Page includes:
Lists all active credit sources:
  • “10-Credit Package” - Balance: 6 credits
  • “Monthly Membership” - Balance: ∞ (unlimited this period)
  • “Master Credits” - Balance: 3 credits
Shows when subscription credits renew:
  • “10/18/2025 (active)”
  • Indicates next billing date for credit refresh
Tracks expiring credits:
  • “10/18/2025 (0/5)”
  • Meaning: 0 credits expired out of 5 total issued
  • Helps athletes know if they need to use credits soon
Shows which schedulers accept current credits:
  • “Rising Stars Class: 0/∞” (unlimited available for this scheduler)
  • “Elite Class: 0/∞” (unlimited available for this scheduler)
  • “Private Sessions: 6” (6 credits available for redemption during the current billing cycle)
Per-scheduler tracking: Each scheduler shows individual usage if restricted credits
Active subscriptions that issue credits:
  • “Monthly Rising Stars Membership - $250/month”
  • Next renewal date and status
What coaches can see:
  • Individual athlete credit balances (in athlete profile → Credits tab)
  • Separate tabs for each credit source (Master Credits tab, product-specific tabs)
  • Total credits outstanding (all athletes combined)
  • Credit usage trends and analytics
  • Low-balance athletes (proactive outreach opportunity)
CoachIQ coach dashboard showing athlete credit balances and usage details
Configured vs. managed: Credits are configured in Products, but day-to-day they’re managed on the athlete’s profile—viewing balances, manually adding or removing credits, tracking expirations, reviewing usage logs, and troubleshooting. See Managing Athlete Credits.

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Understanding credit display notation

Athletes will see specific symbols and formats in their credit balance: Product-specific format: When credits are restricted to a scheduler, the scheduler name follows the count—3/∞ Rising Stars (3 used of unlimited for “Rising Stars”) or 5/10 Youth Training (5 of 10 for “Youth Training”). The same notation appears in the athlete’s profile under the Credits tab and during booking flows.
Common confusion: ∞ does NOT mean unlimited forever. It means unlimited WITHIN the current billing period. For monthly subscriptions, unlimited credits reset each month.
Examples in context: Scenario 1: One-time package
  • Athlete bought “10-Credit Package”
  • Display: “Credit Balance: 6”
  • Meaning: 6 credits remaining from original 10
Scenario 2: Monthly subscription
  • Athlete has “Unlimited Monthly Membership”
  • Display: “Credit Balance: ∞”
  • Meaning: Can book unlimited sessions this month, resets next month
Scenario 3: Subscription with usage
  • Athlete used 3 sessions from monthly unlimited
  • Display: “Credit Balance: 3/∞”
  • Meaning: Used 3 this month, unlimited remaining until renewal
Scenario 4: Scheduler-specific credits
  • Athlete has “Rising Stars Membership”
  • Display under Redeemable Sessions:
    • “Rising Stars Class: 0/∞”
    • “Rising Stars Shooting Lab: 0/4”
  • Meaning: Unlimited bookings for Rising Stars Class and only 4 more bookings available for Rising Stars Shooting Lab this month

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Credit package strategy

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Pricing your packages

The discount formula: Calculate your per-session price, then offer tiered discounts based on package size. Example pricing structure: Why this works:
  • Small discount for small package = low barrier to entry
  • Larger discount for larger package = incentive to commit
  • Pay-per-session stays highest price = drives package sales
Sweet spot: 10-credit packages are most popular. Price aggressively here (10-15% discount) to drive volume.

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Package sizing recommendations

Best for: New athletes, trial periods, testing your serviceTypical duration: 2-3 weeks (2x/week training) or 1 month (1-2x/week training)Pricing strategy: Small discount (5-8% off)Why it works: Low commitment, easy “yes” for trying you outExample: “$240 for 5 Credits - Try before you commit!”
Best for: Most athletes, 1-2 month commitmentsTypical duration: 5 weeks (2x/week) or 10 weeks (1x/week)Pricing strategy: Meaningful discount (10-12% off)Why it works: Enough sessions to see results, not overwhelming commitmentExample: “$450 for 10 Credits - Our most popular package!”
Recommended: Make this your flagship package. Most coaches sell 60-70% of credits in 10-packs.
Best for: Committed athletes, 2-3 month programsTypical duration: 10 weeks (2x/week) or 20 weeks (1x/week)Pricing strategy: Strong discount (15% off)Why it works: Serious commitment, positions athlete as dedicatedExample: “$850 for 20 Credits - Best value for committed athletes!”
Best for: High-frequency athletes, predictable revenueStructure: Fixed monthly fee, set number of credits per month (e.g., $400/month = 12 credits)Pricing strategy: Significant savings for frequent athletesWhy it works: Predictable recurring revenue, athlete locks inExample: “$400/month Unlimited - 12 Credits/month (up to 3x/week)”See Subscription Scheduling for full details.

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Common credit configurations

Three product setups that cover most coaching businesses:
10-Session PackageProduct setup:
  • Type: One-Time
  • Price: $650
  • Credits: 10
  • Expiration: 90 days
  • Usage: Any credit-enabled scheduler (no restrictions)
Client pays $650 once, gets 10 sessions over 3 months.
Many coaches offer both: single-session products (no credits) and package products (with credits). Gives clients choice.

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Advanced credit concepts

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Credit expiration

Should credits expire? Depends on your business model.
Policy: Credits never expireBenefits:
  • Athlete-friendly, removes pressure
  • Simpler to manage
  • No refund disputes
  • Better for seasonal athletes (ski coaches, summer camps)
Drawback: Athletes might not use credits for months/yearsBest for: Building goodwill, long-term athlete relationships
Legal note: Some jurisdictions have laws about stored value/gift card expiration. Check local regulations before setting expiration policies.

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Credit refunds and transfers

Common scenarios:
Your options:
  1. Full refund: Return unused credits as money (minus transaction fees)
  2. Partial refund: Refund minus a processing/admin fee
  3. No refunds: Credits are final sale (most common)
  4. Credit freeze: Pause expiration for athlete on extended break
Recommended policy: “No refunds on credit packages, but credits never expire and can be gifted to others.”Why: Protects your cash flow, maintains simplicity
Your options:
  1. Allow transfers: Build goodwill, potential new athlete acquisition
  2. No transfers: Protect against credit resale market
  3. Conditional transfers: Allow with admin fee or approval
Recommended: Allow transfers with coach approval—turns athletes into referral sources.
Standard practice: Refund credit back to athlete’s balanceSystem should handle automatically: CoachIQ refunds credits when coach cancelsNo cash refund needed: Credit goes back into athlete’s account for future use

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Multi-credit sessions

When to use multiple credits per session: ✅ Longer sessions: 90-min session = 1.5 credits or 2 credits
✅ Premium services: Video analysis session = 2 credits
✅ Group training value: Small group (max 4) = 1 credit, but individual value maintained
✅ Specialty add-ons: Nutrition consult = 0.5 credits Configuration in CoachIQ:
  • Set scheduler to require 2 credits (or 1.5, 0.5, etc.)
  • System automatically deducts correct amount at booking
  • Athlete sees credit cost before confirming
Example tiered structure:
  • 30-min session = 0.5 credits
  • 60-min session = 1 credit
  • 90-min session = 1.5 credits
  • 120-min intensive = 2 credits

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Credit-based vs subscription scheduling

Understanding the difference: Can combine both: Offer packages for some athletes, subscriptions for others. See Subscription Scheduling for full comparison.

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Credit system best practices

Start Simple

First 3 months: Offer just TWO packages:
  • 5-Credit Starter ($240)
  • 10-Credit Standard ($450)
Why: Test demand, keep operations simple, learn pricingExpand later: Add larger packages once you understand athlete buying patterns

Price to Incentivize

Make packages clearly better than pay-per-session:
  • 10% discount minimum
  • 15-20% for large packages
Psychology: Athlete should feel “stupid” not buying package if they’ll train regularlyExample: 50/session vs 450/10-pack (45/session) = 50 savings

Communicate Value

At every touchpoint, remind athletes of credit value:
  • “You’re saving $5 per session with your package!”
  • “9 credits remaining—book your next session!”
  • “Low balance alert—buy now and save!”
Result: Reinforces smart purchase decision, encourages renewals

Track Credit Economics

Monitor monthly:
  • Credits sold (how much cash came in)
  • Credits used (how many sessions delivered)
  • Outstanding credit liability (credits sold but not used)
Goal: Credits sold ≥ credits used = healthy cash flowWarning sign: Credits used > credits sold = burning through old sales

Seasonal Adjustments

Back-to-school (Sept): Offer bonus credits (buy 10, get 1 free)New Year (Jan): Promote 20-packs for “commitment month”Summer slowdown: Offer “no expiration” messaging to keep summer creditsResult: Maintain cash flow during seasonal dips

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Common questions

System behavior: CoachIQ prevents booking if insufficient creditsAthlete sees (if credit renewal link is enabled): “Add more credits”Your action: None required (system handles automatically)
Yes! This is the “hybrid” model.Configuration: Set scheduler to accept “1 Credit OR $50”Athlete experience: Chooses payment method at booking timeWhy do this: Flexibility for new athletes, while incentivizing packages for regulars
Important: If a client is only on recurring booking then credits are not needed. Simply collect their payment with a one time or monthly product and create their recurring booking.See Recurring Bookings for full details.
Your policy decision:Option 1: No sharing (default)—each athlete has their own credit balanceOption 2: Family/couple accounts—allow credit sharing among linked accountsCoachIQ default: Individual credit balances per athleteWorkaround for sharing: Create “family package” product that grants credits to multiple athlete accounts
Financially: This is your profit margin bufferExplanation: Some unused credits offset administrative costs, marketing, and credit card feesTypical unused rate: 10-20% of credits go unused (industry standard)To minimize:
  • Send re-engagement campaigns to inactive athletes
  • Offer credit transfer to friends
  • Allow gifting unused credits
  • No expiration policy keeps athletes willing to return later
Master Credits:
  • Added manually by an admin/coach
  • Universal—can be used for any credit-enabled scheduler
  • Used LAST (after scheduler-specific credits exhausted)
Product Bank Credits
  • Credits that are added when a user makes a product purchase (one time or subscription)
  • Non Scheduler Specifc: Universal—can be used for any credit-enabled scheduler
  • Scheduler Specific: Restricted to designated schedulers only
  • Used FIRST (priority over master credits)
  • Great for tiered memberships and program-specific packages

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Decision guide: Should you use credits?

Your business has these traits:✅ You want upfront cash flow
✅ You want clients to be able to book their own sessions
✅ You offer packages or programs (not just drop-ins)
✅ Athletes train regularly (2+ times per month)
✅ You want higher commitment from athletes
✅ You’re comfortable with package sales conversations
✅ You can handle some administrative overhead (credit tracking)Athlete types that love credits:
  • Committed long-term athletes
  • Athletes on structured programs
  • Those who value convenience
  • Package/deal shoppers
Verdict: Credits will improve your business metrics

Setting Up Credit-Based Sessions

Step-by-step: create credit products, connect schedulers, test the flow.

Product Builder: Credits

The product side: number of credits, expiration, which schedulers accept them.

Credits on a Scheduler

The scheduler side: Paywalled → How they pay: Credit, credit cost, the Buy more credits link, refunds on cancellation, edge cases.

Managing Athlete Credits

View balances, grant credits manually, track usage, handle refunds

Credit Usage Limits

Advanced restrictions and scheduling limits for credit-based sessions

Creating Schedulers

Set up bookable sessions that accept credits

Manual Booking

How to manually book athletes using their credit balance
You now understand: What credits are, why they benefit your business, how they work in CoachIQ, the two credit types (Master vs Scheduler-Specific), and whether they’re right for your coaching model.
Ready to implement credits? Continue to Setting up credit-based sessions for step-by-step setup instructions, or contact support for personalized credit strategy consultation. Contact Support