The Podio Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Podio 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.
Podio
The Insider’s Guide
Customizable work management built from no-code apps
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among project management tools, read from Podio’s own pages.
Made by Progress Software Corporation · checked Oct 5, 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 Podio’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Podio’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.2
GPA, above 3 of the 79 other project management tools we grade
Podio is a work management platform where teams build their own apps and workspaces with a no-code, drag-and-drop builder, then use them for projects, CRM, approvals and other processes. Items can be viewed as tables, kanban boards or calendars, and workflows automate assignments and status updates. Podio now belongs to Progress Software and is branded Progress Podio; its marketing site moved to progress.com in November 2025, while podio.com remains the login address.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Podio, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It's drag and drop with pre-built templates, but you are still designing your own apps and fields before anyone can use them.
- 1
Best for building your own work apps without code
Podio lets a team build its own apps for projects, CRM or approvals with a drag-and-drop builder, and invite clients in for free.
- 2
Paid plans start at $11.20 a month for each person
As its pricing page puts it: $11.20 per user / month, billed annually.
- 3
There is a free plan
Free plan for up to 5 users with task management, apps, workspaces and webforms, capped at 100 items across the organization.
- 4
It runs on 3 platforms
Web, iOS and Android.
- 5
Custom apps and workspaces
A no-code drag-and-drop builder sets the fields and structure of each app, and relationship fields link items across apps. Apps and workspaces are unlimited on every plan.
- 6
Table, kanban and calendar views
Items can be shown as a table, a kanban board, a calendar or badges, with personalized dashboards and pre-built templates to start from.
- 7
Workflow automation
Simple when/then workflows come with Plus. Premium adds advanced automation with 25,000 actions a month, email integrations, PDF generation and date and time triggers.
- 8
A 2.2 GPA, above 3 of 79
That is against the other project management tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Podio you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Podio at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $11.20 per user / month, billed annually
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 30-day free trial of Premium for eligible Free plan organizations
- Runs on
- Web, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Progress Software Corporation
- Category
- Project Management
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
- Store rating
- 4.6 on the App Store, 3,690 ratings
The report card
Best for building your own work apps without code
Podio lets a team build its own apps for projects, CRM or approvals with a drag-and-drop builder, and invite clients in for free. It belongs to Progress Software now. Plus is $11.20 a user a month billed annually, advanced automation needs Premium at $19.20, free stops at 100 items for the whole organization, and Gantt charts and time tracking aren't built in.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D | Plus is $11.20 a user a month billed annually, $14 monthly, past the dear end of this category before you've automated anything. Advanced automation means Premium at $19.20, and extra API or automation capacity is a further add-on from $23 a month. |
| Free plan and trial | C | Free covers up to 5 users with unlimited apps and workspaces, tasks and webforms, but it's capped at 100 items across the entire organization. Automated workflows need a paid plan too. It's a look round, not a home. |
| Features | C | A no-code builder for your own apps, with table, kanban and calendar views, when/then workflows, chat, webforms and free client access. The gaps are the listing's own: no Gantt chart and no time tracking built in, with Podio pointing at community-built extensions instead. |
| Ease of use | B | 4.6 on the App Store from 3,690 ratings. It's drag and drop with pre-built templates, but you are still designing your own apps and fields before anyone can use them. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web, iPhone and Android, with no desktop app. It connects to ShareFile, Dropbox, Google Drive, GoToMeeting, Excel and Gmail, and the API allows 1,000 calls an hour before you buy more. |
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 Podio is for
- Fits if you want to build your own CRM or project tracker without writing code
- Works for agencies and firms that bring clients into shared workspaces
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you plan with Gantt charts or track time, as neither is built in
- Tight if you're staying free, since 100 items across the whole organization goes fast
- Pricey if you need advanced automation, which is Premium at $19.20 a user a month billed annually
- Watch out: extra API and automation capacity are add-ons from $23 and $39 a month, and listed prices exclude taxes
- Not for you if you want a desktop app, as it's web, iPhone and Android only
Good to know
Good for
- Teams that want to build their own CRM or project tracker without code
- Agencies and firms that bring clients into shared workspaces
- Groups of up to 5 people trying it on the Free plan
Worth knowing
- The Free plan allows up to 5 users and 100 items across the whole organization.
- Automated workflows need a paid plan: simple workflows on Plus and advanced automation on Premium.
- Gantt charts and time tracking are not listed as built-in features; Podio points to community-built extensions for them.
- More API and automation capacity are paid add-ons, from $23 and $39 a month on annual billing, and listed prices exclude taxes.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$11.20
A month to start, for each person. There is a free plan too
Podio has a free plan. Paid plans start at $11.20 per user / month, billed annually.
Automated workflows need a paid plan too.
Free
$0
Up to 5 users. Task management, unlimited apps and workspaces and webforms, limited to 100 items across the organization.
Plus
$11.20
per user / month, billed annually ($14 billed monthly)
Unlimited items and client users, user management, a light user role, read-only access and simple workflows.
Premium
$19.20
per user / month, billed annually ($24 billed monthly)
Adds advanced workflow automation with 25,000 actions a month, email integrations, PDF generation, and ShareFile and e-signature integration.
The free plan
Free plan for up to 5 users with task management, apps, workspaces and webforms, capped at 100 items across the organization.
Trying it first
30-day free trial of Premium for eligible Free plan organizations
Read from progress.com on Oct 5, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
20% less on annual billing
Plus is $11.20 per user / month billed annually against $14 billed monthly, and Premium is $19.20 against $24, a 20% difference.
Stated on progress.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: Web, iOS and Android
Customizable work management built from no-code apps. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, tasks, kanban boards, workflow automation, no-code, forms.
A no-code builder for your own apps, with table, kanban and calendar views, when/then workflows, chat, webforms and free client access.
- Custom apps and workspaces
- A no-code drag-and-drop builder sets the fields and structure of each app, and relationship fields link items across apps. Apps and workspaces are unlimited on every plan.
- Table, kanban and calendar views
- Items can be shown as a table, a kanban board, a calendar or badges, with personalized dashboards and pre-built templates to start from.
- Workflow automation
- Simple when/then workflows come with Plus. Premium adds advanced automation with 25,000 actions a month, email integrations, PDF generation and date and time triggers.
- Tasks and collaboration
- Tasks, comments, mentions, file sharing and integrated chat sit next to the data, with user activity and revision history kept for each item.
- Client access
- Clients, freelancers and other outside parties can be invited free with limited permissions. Paid plans allow unlimited client users and add a light user role.
- Webforms and API
- Webforms capture submissions from outside the organization on every plan. The API allows 1,000 calls an hour, and paid add-ons raise that limit.
Where it runs
- Web
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- ShareFile
- Dropbox
- Google Drive
- GoToMeeting
- Excel
- Gmail
Podio is made by Progress Software Corporation.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
3/79
Other project management tools it is graded above
Podio's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 3 of the 79 other project management tools we grade, and level with 16.
It stands best on ease of use (B, above 65 of 79) and worst on value for money (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $11.20 a month for each person, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 57 of the 74 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 24 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 80 project management tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Podio’s own letter is outlined.
- DValue for moneyAbove 0 of 79
- CFree plan and trialAbove 4 of 79
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 79
- BEase of useAbove 65 of 79
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 6 of 79
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 78 project management tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Podio 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 Podio you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 60 of the 79 other project management tools grade higher. It costs $134.40 a year.
What you could make
- Tasks, kanban boards and forms: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
- A builder that other people can use without writing code.
- A real app for iOS and Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
- It is priced for each person, which means accounts and billing for a team.
- What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: roles and permissions.
What this rests on. Podio’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
Airtable, monday.com, Smartsheet, ClickUp and Asana
The 5 tools Podio is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.0GPA
Airtable
Free plan · from $20/mo
Relational database platform for building team workflows and apps.
- Only Airtable lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Podio also covers tasks, no-code and forms.
- Airtable also covers databases, calendar and Gantt & timelines.
- 2.8GPA
monday.com
Free plan · from $9/mo
Board-based work management with automations and dashboards.
- Only monday.com lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Podio also covers no-code and forms.
- monday.com also covers Gantt & timelines and time tracking.
- 3.0GPA
Smartsheet
Free trial · from $9/mo
Spreadsheet-style project and work management for teams.
- Podio has a free plan. Smartsheet does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Smartsheet lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Podio also covers no-code and forms.
- 3.0GPA
ClickUp
Free plan · from $7/mo
Work platform combining tasks, docs, chat and dashboards.
- Only ClickUp lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- Only ClickUp lists a browser extension.
- Podio also covers no-code and forms.
- 3.0GPA
Asana
Free plan · from $10.99/mo
Work management for projects, goals and cross-team workflows.
- Only Asana lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Podio also covers no-code and forms.
- Asana also covers Gantt & timelines and goals.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
16
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 Podio free?
Podio has a free plan. Free plan for up to 5 users with task management, apps, workspaces and webforms, capped at 100 items across the organization.
How much does Podio cost?
Podio lists 3 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Podio work on?
Podio is available on Web, iOS and Android.
Does Podio offer any discounts?
Podio publicly lists the following: 20% less on annual billing.
How is Podio rated?
Podio's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.6 out of 5 from 3,690 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
Does Podio have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Podio is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Does Podio have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Podio is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Is Podio open source?
Podio is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
Does Podio have an API?
Yes. Podio offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Podio integrate with?
Podio's listing names ShareFile, Dropbox, Google Drive, GoToMeeting, Excel and Gmail.
Does Podio have a free trial?
Yes. 30-day free trial of Premium for eligible Free plan organizations.
Who makes Podio?
Podio is made by Progress Software Corporation.
What are the alternatives to Podio?
The closest alternatives to Podio in our directory are Airtable, monday.com, Smartsheet, ClickUp and Asana.
How does Podio compare with other project management tools?
Podio's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 3 of the 79 other project management tools we grade, and level with 16.
Is Podio good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Podio D for value for money. Its paid plans start at $11.20 a month for each person, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 57 of the 74 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Podio?
To replace Podio you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Podio’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Progress Software's own pages on 5 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-02-11.
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 Progress Software Corporation. Prices change, so check progress.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 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.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Podio, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/podio
- 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, "Podio: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/podio
Know someone choosing between project management tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/podio/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded project management tools after Podio, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Project Management Insider's GuideEvery one of the 80 project management tools we grade, compared
- GitHub Issues Insider's GuideIssue tracking and project planning built into GitHub3.4 GPA
- Freedcamp Insider's GuideProject management suite with a free plan for unlimited users3.2 GPA
- Huly Insider's GuideOpen-source project management with chat, docs and video calls3.2 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 Podio’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. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Podio is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Progress Software Corporation. Prices and plans change: check progress.com before you buy.