The Podia Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Podia in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Podia
The Insider’s Guide
Website, store, courses, community and email for creators in one place
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among course and community platforms, read from Podia’s own pages.
Made by Podia Labs, Inc. · checked Oct 17, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Podia’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Podia’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 17, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 8 of the 18 other course and community platforms we grade
Podia lets creators sell online courses, digital downloads, coaching, events and paid community memberships from their own website and blog. Email marketing with newsletters and automations is built in, priced by the number of subscribers. Podia Labs is an independent company that has been running Podia since 2014.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Podia, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Email is capped by subscriber count too, so a big list costs extra.
- 1
Best for creators selling a mix of courses and downloads
Podia gives you a website, blog, store, courses, community and email on one bill, and it's one of the friendlier all-in-ones.
- 2
Paid plans start at $42 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $42 per month for up to 100 subscribers, billed annually ($49 monthly).
- 3
You can try it first
14-day free trial of every feature, no credit card required
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Courses, downloads and coaching
Courses with drip lessons, quizzes, certificates and unlimited students, plus digital downloads, bookable coaching, and live or in-person events.
- 6
Community
Topic spaces, group chat, member-to-member messages, badges and paid membership tiers. Everyone who signs up or buys joins the community.
- 7
Website, blog and checkout
Pages, a blog and your own domain, with a one-page checkout, payment plans, coupons, subscriptions and tax handled for 230 jurisdictions.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 8 of 18
That is against the other course and community platforms we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Podia you would be making newsletters sent to thousands of people that still reach the inbox. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Podia at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $42 per month for up to 100 subscribers, billed annually ($49 monthly)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 14-day free trial of every feature, no credit card required
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Podia Labs, Inc., since 2014
- Category
- Courses & Communities
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for creators selling a mix of courses and downloads
Podia gives you a website, blog, store, courses, community and email on one bill, and it's one of the friendlier all-in-ones. Mover looks cheap at $42 a month billed yearly, but it keeps 5% of sales, so most sellers end up on Shaker at $84. Email is capped by subscriber count too, so a big list costs extra.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Mover is $42 a month billed yearly but adds a 5% fee, $100 on $2,000 of sales: $142. Shaker at $84 takes no fee, so $84 a month is what you'd pay, inside this category's usual range but above its dearer quarter ($59). Shaker includes 500 email subscribers. |
| Free plan and trial | C | No free plan. There's a 14-day trial of every feature with no card needed, and once you pay, refunds only within 72 hours of the latest payment. |
| Features | B | Courses with quizzes and certificates, downloads, coaching, events, a community with chat, a website and blog, checkout with tax for 230 jurisdictions, email automations and an MCP connection. No gap in the job; PayPal, Zapier and affiliates just need Shaker. |
| Ease of use | C | No App Store rating on record. Everything's in one place, which helps, but you still build a site, a store and your emails before selling. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web only, with Stripe, PayPal, Zapier, Zoom, Calendly, Kit, Mailchimp and Discord, plus MCP for Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor. No phone or desktop apps listed. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Podia is for
- Great if you sell courses, downloads and coaching to one small audience
- Handy when your email list is still small, since email is priced by subscribers
- A treat if you'd like to run your store from Claude or ChatGPT over MCP
Who it is not for
- Pricey if you have a big list, as 10,000 subscribers adds $56 a month
- Skip it if you plan to stay on Mover, because 5% of every sale goes to Podia
- Not for you if your members expect a phone app, as none is listed
Good to know
Good for
- Creators who want site, store, community and email in one bill
- Small lists, since email is priced by subscriber count
- Sellers of a mix of courses, downloads and coaching
Worth knowing
- Mover adds a 5% Podia fee to each sale; Stripe or PayPal also charge their own fee of about 2.9% plus 30 cents.
- Plans include only 100, 500 or 1,000 email subscribers; 10,000 adds $56 a month billed annually ($70 monthly) on any plan.
- PayPal, Zapier, affiliate marketing, upsells and assistant seats need Shaker or Earthquaker.
- Refunds are given only within 72 hours of the latest payment; there is no free plan.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$42
A month to start
Podia is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $42 per month for up to 100 subscribers, billed annually ($49 monthly).
Mover
$42
per month for up to 100 subscribers, billed annually ($49 monthly)
50 products, 500 videos, 25 community spaces. Podia takes a 5% transaction fee. $98 a month at 10,000 subscribers, billed annually.
Shaker
$84
per month for up to 500 subscribers, billed annually ($99 monthly)
150 products, 1,000 videos, 100 spaces, no transaction fee, 1 assistant, affiliates, upsells, PayPal and Zapier. $140 a month at 10,000 subscribers.
Earthquaker
$150
per month for up to 1,000 subscribers, billed annually ($179 monthly)
Unlimited products, videos, spaces and assistants, no transaction fee. $206 a month at 10,000 subscribers, billed annually.
Trying it first
14-day free trial of every feature, no credit card required
Read from podia.com on Oct 17, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Lower monthly price with yearly billing
Billed yearly, Mover is $42 a month instead of $49, Shaker $84 instead of $99 and Earthquaker $150 instead of $179.
Stated on podia.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Website, store, courses, community and email for creators in one place. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: AI features, marketing automation, email campaigns, online courses, community.
No gap in the job; PayPal, Zapier and affiliates just need Shaker.
- Courses, downloads and coaching
- Courses with drip lessons, quizzes, certificates and unlimited students, plus digital downloads, bookable coaching, and live or in-person events.
- Community
- Topic spaces, group chat, member-to-member messages, badges and paid membership tiers. Everyone who signs up or buys joins the community.
- Website, blog and checkout
- Pages, a blog and your own domain, with a one-page checkout, payment plans, coupons, subscriptions and tax handled for 230 jurisdictions.
- Email marketing
- Broadcasts to the whole list or a segment, welcome sequences and automations, and blog posts sent to subscribers as newsletters.
- Podia Agent and MCP
- A built-in AI assistant that works inside your account, and an MCP connection for Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor. Both are on every plan.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- Stripe
- PayPal
- Zapier
- Zoom
- Calendly
- Kit
- Mailchimp
- Discord
Podia is made by Podia Labs, Inc., and has been around since 2014.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
8/18
Other course and community platforms it is graded above
Podia's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 8 of the 18 other course and community platforms we grade, and level with 6.
It stands best on features (B, above 10 of 18) and worst on ease of use (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $42 a month, against a middle price of $41 for the category: 9 of the 17 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 1 tool scores higher and costs less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 19 course and community platforms we grade, cut by the letter each got. Podia’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 3 of 18
- CFree plan and trialAbove 3 of 18
- BFeaturesAbove 10 of 18
- CEase of useAbove 0 of 18
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 18
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 19 course and community platforms. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Podia is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Podia you would be making newsletters sent to thousands of people that still reach the inbox. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It costs $504 a year.
What you could make
- Online courses: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Newsletters sent to thousands of people that still reach the inbox.
- Email sent in volume that still reaches the inbox.
- A members' space with posts, chat and events that people keep coming back to.
- It plugs into other products, Stripe, PayPal and Zapier among them.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- People on the other end: coaches. No app builder makes those.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Podia’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Kajabi, Teachable, Thinkific, Kit and systeme.io
The 5 tools Podia is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.0GPA
Kajabi
Free trial · from $143/mo
All-in-one platform for selling courses, coaching and communities.
- Only Kajabi lists iOS and Android apps.
- Kajabi also covers paid newsletters.
- 2.4GPA
Teachable
Free trial · from $29/mo
Online course, coaching and membership platform with its own checkout.
- Only Teachable lists iOS and Android apps.
- Podia also covers marketing automation and community.
- 2.4GPA
Thinkific
Free trial · from $40/mo
Course, community and membership platform for experts and academies.
- Podia also covers marketing automation and email campaigns.
- Thinkific also covers invoicing.
- 2.6GPA
Kit
Free plan · from $33/mo
Email marketing and paid newsletters for creators.
- Kit has a free plan. Podia does not, though it has a free trial.
- Podia also covers online courses and community.
- Kit also covers forms and paid newsletters.
- 2.8GPA
systeme.io
Free plan · from $17/mo
All-in-one marketing suite with funnels, email, courses and community.
- systeme.io has a free plan. Podia does not, though it has a free trial.
- systeme.io also covers booking links and sales pipeline.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Podia free?
No, Podia is a paid product, but you can try it first. 14-day free trial of every feature, no credit card required.
How much does Podia cost?
Podia lists 3 plans. Mover: $42 per month for up to 100 subscribers, billed annually ($49 monthly).
What platforms does Podia work on?
Podia is available on Web.
Does Podia offer any discounts?
Podia publicly lists the following: Lower monthly price with yearly billing.
Does Podia have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 17, 2026. Podia is listed for Web.
Does Podia have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 17, 2026. Podia is listed for Web.
Is Podia open source?
Podia is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 17, 2026.
What does Podia integrate with?
Podia's listing names Stripe, PayPal, Zapier, Zoom, Calendly, Kit, Mailchimp and Discord.
Who makes Podia?
Podia is made by Podia Labs, Inc. It dates from 2014.
What are the alternatives to Podia?
The closest alternatives to Podia in our directory are Kajabi, Teachable, Thinkific, Kit and systeme.io.
How does Podia compare with other course and community platforms?
Podia's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 8 of the 18 other course and community platforms we grade, and level with 6.
Is Podia good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Podia C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $42 a month, against a middle price of $41 for the category: 9 of the 17 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Podia?
To replace Podia you would be making newsletters sent to thousands of people that still reach the inbox.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Podia’s own pages on Oct 17, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 17, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Podia's own pages on 17 October 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Podia Labs, Inc. Prices change, so check podia.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
1,880
Tools graded, in 47 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
ToolGPA is free to read. It may earn a commission from affiliate links and it works with sponsors, but anything paid for is labelled and no one can pay for a grade. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
1,880
tools graded
47
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Podia, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/podia
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Podia: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 17, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/podia
Know someone choosing between course and community platforms?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/podia/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded course and community platforms after Podia, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Courses & Communities Insider's GuideEvery one of the 19 course and community platforms we grade, compared
- Circle Insider's GuideCommunity platform with courses, events, payments and branded apps2.8 GPA
- Simplero Insider's GuideAll-in-one platform for courses, community, email and coaching2.8 GPA
- systeme.io Insider's GuideAll-in-one marketing suite with funnels, email, courses and community2.8 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Podia’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. ToolGPA uses affiliate links and may earn a commission from them, and it works with sponsors; anything paid for is labelled, and no one can pay for a grade. Podia is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Podia Labs, Inc. Prices and plans change: check podia.com before you buy.