In 2025, leadership coaching isn’t just a perk for the C-suite — it’s a business necessity. Teams are distributed, communication is asynchronous, and inclusive leadership matters more than ever.
That’s where platforms like BetterUp and Equal Time come in — both designed to help individuals grow, communicate better, and lead more effectively. But while they share a mission, they take very different approaches.
So which one is right for your team? Or better yet — how might they work together?
🤖 What Is Equal Time?
Equal Time is an AI-powered meeting assistant that joins your calls, transcribes them, and delivers instant coaching insights. Unlike traditional platforms, it doesn’t rely on scheduled sessions — it listens in real meetings, then surfaces:
- Speaker-level analytics (talk time, interruptions, dominance)
- Actionable meeting summaries
- Behavioral signals tied to leadership and inclusion
- Customizable templates for coaching, feedback, and more
Think of it as a real-time reflection engine — designed to help individuals and teams improve how they show up, communicate, and collaborate.
💼 What Is BetterUp?
BetterUp connects employees with certified human coaches for regular 1:1 sessions, long-term goal setting, and emotional support. It’s a great option for companies looking to invest deeply in personal growth and development for their top talent.
🔍 Equal Time vs. BetterUp — Key Differences
| Feature | Equal Time | BetterUp |
|---|---|---|
| Coaching Format | AI-powered insights from live meetings | Human-led 1:1 coaching sessions |
| Ideal Use Case | Daily feedback & scalable team coaching | Deep individual coaching for select employees |
| Scalability | Org-wide for $15/user/month | High-cost per seat (typically $200+/month) |
| Behavioral Data | Talk time, interruptions, inclusion metrics | Limited data unless paired with another tool |
| Real-Time Feedback | Yes — after every meeting | No — periodic sessions only |
| Works with Your Coach | ✅ Share Equal Time data with any coach | ❌ Not designed to integrate outside insights |
| Who Should Use It | Managers, teams, orgs scaling leadership culture | Executives, high-potential individuals |
🔄 Use Them Together: A Coaching Power Combo
One of the most powerful use cases we’ve seen is pairing Equal Time with human coaching — including platforms like BetterUp.
- Coaches can use Equal Time’s meeting data (e.g. speaking patterns, dominance, interruption dynamics) as fuel for better sessions.
- Clients can set coaching goals — like “speak less, listen more” or “encourage quieter voices” — and actually track their behavior in real meetings.
- It removes the guesswork and helps measure progress week to week, across real scenarios — not just hypothetical discussions.
This pairing makes coaching stickier, smarter, and more actionable.
👤 Who Should Use BetterUp?
BetterUp is a great fit for:
- Employees in formal coaching programs
- Individuals seeking deep personal development or emotional support
- Companies with budget for high-touch 1:1 coaching
👥 Who Should Use Equal Time?
Equal Time is perfect for:
- People managers, team leads, and ICs who want to improve meeting presence and communication
- Entire organizations looking to scale coaching-like insights at a fraction of the cost
- HR and DEI leaders who want measurable visibility into meeting dynamics
- Coaches and coaching platforms who want real-time behavioral data to amplify their impact
It’s especially powerful when rolled out org-wide — giving every employee access to feedback, not just the few who can afford a coach.
💬 Final Thoughts
If BetterUp is like having a personal trainer for your career, Equal Time is like having a smart mirror in your meeting room — reflecting back how you’re showing up, every single day.
The best part? You don’t have to choose one or the other.
Use BetterUp for deep, human-centered coaching.
Use Equal Time to make that coaching measurable, actionable, and scalable.
👉 Want to see how Equal Time works? Try it free for 7 days — or book a demo to explore team and coaching partner options.