The best CPD planning tools in 2026 compared - WorkplaceHero, CPD Logbook, myCPD Portal, CPDme, CIPD and BACP portals, Notion and Excel - on planning, logging, reflection and price.
The best CPD planning tools in 2026 are WorkplaceHero (best free all-rounder with UK regulator frameworks built in), CPDme (best for paramedics and healthcare), CPD Logbook and myCPD Portal (simple general-purpose logs), the CIPD and BACP portals (best if you belong to those bodies), and Notion or Excel (best for people who want to build their own). The right choice depends on whether you need a plan, a log, reflection prompts, or evidence ready for your regulator.
What makes a good CPD planning tool
A CPD tool should do more than store a list of courses. Look for four things:
- Planning: set yearly goals or hours targets and track progress against them.
- Logging: record any activity - courses, reading, supervision, shadowing - in seconds.
- Reflection: prompts that turn "attended training" into evidence of changed practice.
- Evidence and export: attach certificates and export a clean record when your regulator or appraiser asks.
1. WorkplaceHero - best free all-rounder
- Planning: yes - yearly hours targets, milestones and regulator presets (NMC, HCPC, GMC, GPhC, Social Work England, teachers, RICS, accountants, plus US and Canadian bodies).
- Logging: yes - any activity type, quick add, CSV import from other tools.
- Reflection: yes - reflective prompts on every entry.
- Evidence and export: yes - uploads plus PDF and CSV exports.
- Price: free for individuals.
- Best for: professionals who want planning, logging and reflection in one place without paying.
2. CPDme - best for paramedics and healthcare
- Planning: partial. Logging: yes. Reflection: yes, healthcare-focused templates.
- Price: subscription tiers.
- Best for: paramedics and clinicians who want profession-specific templates.
3. CPD logbook - simple general log
- Planning: limited. Logging: yes. Reflection: basic notes.
- Price: free and paid options.
- Best for: anyone who just wants a straightforward list of hours.
4. myCPD portal - straightforward tracking
- Planning: limited. Logging: yes. Reflection: basic.
- Best for: individuals who want a no-frills online record.
5. CIPD and BACP member portals
- Planning: yes, within each body's own cycle. Logging: yes. Reflection: yes, aligned to their standards.
- Price: included with membership.
- Best for: members of those bodies - but the record stays tied to that membership.
6. Notion - best DIY option
- Planning, logging, reflection: whatever you build.
- Price: free for personal use.
- Best for: people who enjoy building templates and don't need regulator presets.
7. Excel or google sheets - the fallback
- Planning: manual formulas. Logging: yes. Reflection: a free-text column.
- Best for: very light needs. Spreadsheets separate your hours from your evidence and are easy to lose or break.
How to choose
- You want everything free and in one place: WorkplaceHero.
- You work in paramedic or clinical practice and want specialist templates: CPDme.
- Your professional body provides a portal you must use: use it, and keep a personal copy you own.
- You like building your own systems: Notion.
Whichever you pick, the habit matters more than the tool: a short entry every week or two, with a line of reflection, beats rebuilding a year of CPD the night before your deadline.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best free CPD planning tool?
- WorkplaceHero is a free CPD planning tool that combines yearly targets, regulator presets, activity logging, reflection prompts and PDF or CSV exports in one place.
- What is the difference between a CPD log and a CPD planning tool?
- A CPD log records what you have done. A CPD planning tool also sets goals or hours targets up front and shows your progress, so you can plan learning rather than reconstruct it.
- Can I use Excel as a CPD tracker?
- Yes, but spreadsheets keep hours and evidence apart, have no reflection prompts and are easy to break. A dedicated tool is more reliable when you are audited.
- Which CPD tool is best for nurses?
- Nurses need 35 hours over three years for NMC revalidation, including 20 participatory. A tool with an NMC preset, such as WorkplaceHero, tracks this automatically.
Add this to your CPD log
Sign in to save what you've read - we'll create a free CPD log for you.