In 2024, Podia made major changes to its pricing structure, which included scaling down the number of plans and doing away with the free plan.
Although the pricing structure seems simple, there’s a bunch of hidden costs to watch out for.
Therefore, it may not be as affordable as it seems.
Key Takeaways:
- Mover plan costs $39/month, Shaker plan costs $89/month
- Pay between $7/month and $330/month extra for emails
- There’s a 5% transaction fee on all sales if you’re on the Mover plan
How Much Does Each Podia Plan Cost?
Podia has recently trimmed down its plans and reduced them from four to two options.
You can choose the Mover plan, which costs $39 per month, or the Shaker plan, which costs $89 per month.
If you pay annually, you will receive a 15% discount. This is a little low compared to similar platforms, such as Kajabi, which offers an annual discount of 20%.
Here’s a quick overview of the costs:
| Plan | Monthly cost | Monthly cost paid annually | Total annual cost | Discount for paying annually |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mover | $39 | $33 | $396 | 15% |
| Shaker | $89 | $75 | $900 | 15% |
The two plans are similar in terms of what you get for your money, except for the transaction fee (more on that in a moment). The Shaker plan also gives you access to affiliate marketing.
Podia Email Pricing Explained
Podia charges extra for its email tool. And this can add up to a lot if you plan to send thousands of them.
Good news: Your first 100 subscribers are free. After that, you have to put your hand in your pocket.
I won’t bore you with all the prices, but here’s a quick reference on what you can expect to pay:
| Number of subscribers | Cost |
|---|---|
| 1,500 | $13/month |
| 5,000 | $34/month |
| 20,000 | $109/month |
| 50,000 | $198/month |
| 100,000 | $330/month |
Although these prices are cheaper than a dedicated platform like ActiveCampign or Mailchimp, keep in mind that Podia is nowhere near as sophisticated as a dedicated tool.
For example, don’t expect amazing automation capabilities—they’re basic at best.
The bottom line is that if you’re planning to send emails en masse and make them a central focus of your business, you’ll probably be better off using a proper emailing platform.
Podia Transaction Fees
I have beef with additional transaction fees. We already pay them for using a payment processor, so I just feel like this is a sneaky money grab.
When you’re already paying a monthly fee for a platform, having additional costs on every single sale is frustrating.
Podia has a 5% transaction fee on its Mover plan.
So, if you sell 100 courses at $50 each, you’ll pay a whopping $250 in fees!
These costs can clearly rack up quickly, especially if you start making decent numbers of sales.
Given there’s really no difference between the two pricing plans, I recommend shifting up to the Shaker plan (which has 0% transaction fees) as soon as the fees overtake the monthly cost of the plan.
Podia Additional User Costs
You won’t find this on Podia’s pricing page, but I can assure you that it exists.
If you want to give additional people access to your account as “teammates,” you must pay extra for that:
- 1 teammate: $20/month
- 5 teammates: $50/month
- 20 teammates: $100/month
For most solopreneurs, this won’t be too much of an issue, but if you plan to expand, this is something to also watch out for.
What Happened to the Podia Free Plan?
Back in the day, Podia had a free-for-life plan that gave you limited platform functionality. It wasn’t the best free plan I’d ever seen, but it at least got your business started before having to commit to the platform.
But, in 2024, it disappeared for good.
Podia argues that the free plan didn’t benefit anyone and that it made it too easy for people to set up a business and then not launch it.
Personally, I suspect that Podia just wanted to stop giving away things for free. Other platforms, such as Thinkific and Teachable, have also done away with their free plans, so it seems to be the trend these days.
So, if you came here hoping for some good news on this front, I’m sorry to disappoint you!
Podia Money-Back Guarantee
While Podia does have a money-back guarantee, you have to be quick about using it.
If you pay and then change your mind about using the platform, you must contact Podia customer services within 72 hours.
If you do manage to do it within this timeframe, you can get a full refund. If you don’t, well, you’re out of pocket.
How Does Podia Pricing Compare to Similar Platforms?
Yes, Podia does come off as cheaper than most platforms—especially on the top-tier plan.
However, none of the alternative options charge extra for sending emails. Thinkific and LearnWorlds have transaction fees on their cheapest plans, but the other platforms don’t charge them at all.
| Platform | Cheapest Plan (per month) | Most Expensive Plan (per month) | Discount for Paying Annually |
|---|---|---|---|
| Podia | $38 | $89 | 15% |
| Kajabi | $149 | $399 | 20% |
| Kartra | $119 | $549 | 17% – 22% |
| LearnWorlds | $29 | $299 | 20% |
| Thinkific | $49 | $199 | 25% |
| Systeme.io | $27 | $97 | 30% |
Overall, if you’re looking for a cheap and cheerful platform with no hidden costs, Systeme.io is a much better option than Podia.
If you want lots of features and a high-quality platform, Kajabi is your best bet.
Bottom Line: Does Podia Offer Value for Money?
In my honest opinion, there are platforms out there that may cost a bit more in subscription fees but will give you much better value in terms of functionality and features.
Podia isn’t a bad platform, but the hidden costs can definitely mean you end up paying more than it’s worth.
If you do decide to go for it, you’ll get the most bang for your buck if you pay for an annual Shaker plan subscription.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Pause My Podia Subscription?
No, you cannot pause your Podia subscription. You can only continue paying for it or cancel your account.
Can I Use Podia for Free?
You can use Podia for free for 30 days by signing up for a free trial. Unfortunately, the Podia free plan no longer exists.
