The Paperbell alternative
By Martijn Mauritz · Last updated 2026-07-15
For coaches based in the EU, Exantur is the stronger choice over Paperbell: fully hosted in the European Union and GDPR-ready by design, with a data processing agreement and export and deletion built in. You get client management, sessions, notes, goals and invoicing in one workspace — with no US-cloud exposure.
Exantur publishes this comparison. Competitor facts are checked against each vendor's own public sources on the date shown, and features and pricing can change. We aim to be fair and flag where another tool may suit you better.
Paperbell is strong on the commercial side of coaching, packages, checkout, scheduling and payments, on a single $57/month plan. Exantur is an alternative for coaches who want depth on the coaching work and EU data residency rather than a sales-and-booking front end.
An honest comparison of two different centres of gravity.
Where Exantur is different
Exantur goes deep on documentation and engagement: structured session notes, accountability tracked across sessions, check-ins, goals, assessments and a coachee portal, all EU-hosted under GDPR.
The centre of gravity is the ongoing relationship, not the sale. After a client buys, Exantur is where the coaching actually happens: they log in to their portal, follow their program, update commitments between sessions and see their own progress, while you keep a clean, retrievable record of every session.
Where Paperbell is strong
Paperbell’s package shop and buy-sign-pay-book flow are purpose-built for selling coaching packages. Exantur covers booking and invoicing too, online self-booking with session reminders and client invoicing through your own connected Stripe account, but it is built around running the coaching relationship rather than a productized checkout and package storefront.
Switching from Paperbell
If you already sell through Paperbell, you do not have to rip anything out on day one. Many coaches keep their existing checkout while moving the delivery of coaching, notes, programs, accountability and the client portal, into Exantur, then consolidate once the workflow feels natural. Your active clients come across first; historic ones follow at your own pace.
| Feature | Exantur | Paperbell |
|---|---|---|
| Primary focus | Coaching work (notes, accountability, portal) | Sales, checkout & scheduling |
| EU data residency | Yes, EU | US-hosted |
| Structured session notes | Yes | Basic notes |
| Coachee portal + accountability | Yes (across sessions) | Limited |
| Online booking + session reminders | Yes (all plans) | Yes |
| Invoicing / payments | Yes (via your own Stripe, Starter+) | Yes |
Frequently asked questions
- Does Exantur handle payments like Paperbell?
- Yes. Client invoicing runs through your own connected Stripe account (Stripe Connect, 0% platform fee, EU-valid VAT invoices paid by iDEAL, Bancontact, SEPA or card) from the Starter plan up, alongside online self-booking. The difference is focus: Exantur is built around the coaching work rather than a package storefront.
- Is Exantur hosted in the EU, unlike Paperbell?
- Yes. All personal data is stored in the European Union under the GDPR, with a Data Processing Agreement available on request. Paperbell is US-hosted, which is the main reason European coaches look for an alternative for sensitive client data.
- Can I keep selling packages if I switch?
- Yes. You can keep an existing checkout and use Exantur for the coaching delivery, notes, programs, accountability and the client portal, or handle booking and Stripe invoicing inside Exantur. Most coaches move the delivery first and consolidate the commercial side later.
See the coaching-first alternative
Request a demo of Exantur, no sales pressure, no obligation.