I recommend Podia because it simplifies the entire process of creating, marketing, and selling digital products. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned entrepreneur, Podia’s intuitive design eliminates tech headaches so you can focus on creating value for your audience. With zero transaction fees, built-in marketing tools, and a supportive community, it’s one of the most creator-friendly platforms out there. It’s my go-to recommendation for anyone serious about launching or growing a digital business online.
- All-in-one platform (courses, downloads, memberships, email)
- No transaction fees on paid plans
- User-friendly and beginner-friendly interface
- Built-in affiliate marketing system
- Great customer support
- Supports PayPal and Stripe
- Limited design/customization for advanced users
- No mobile app
- Lacks advanced course engagement features (e.g., certificates, gamification)
Price: $33/Month
I’m giving my honest and thorough assessment of Podia in this blog article, covering its positive aspects as well as its shortcomings.
This is for you if you’re a digital entrepreneur, coach, or course developer thinking about using Podia.
What Is Podia?
Podia was founded in 2014 by Spencer Fry, a serial entrepreneur who had previously built and sold other tech companies. The idea for Podia came out of a simple but persistent problem: creators were stuck using a confusing mess of tools just to run their businesses online.
Fry recognized that what creators really needed was a unified platform, something that would let them sell digital products, communicate with their audience, and run their businesses from one place. That vision became Podia (originally launched as Coach, before rebranding to Podia in 2017).
Over the years, Podia has steadily added new features, including email marketing, communities, coaching tools, and affiliate systems, while keeping its interface beginner-friendly.
Today, it competes with giants like Kajabi, Teachable, and Thinkific, but its strength lies in staying lean and creator-centric.
Podia is an all-in-one digital platform for creators, designed to help you build, grow, and monetize your online business without needing to juggle a dozen tools or write a single line of code.
Whether you’re a course creator, coach, freelancer, writer, or digital product seller, Podia brings together the essential tools you need to:
- Sell online courses
- Offer digital downloads (eBooks, templates, PDFs, etc.)
- Host webinars or live coaching
- Build a paid or free community
- Send email newsletters and automations
- Create landing pages and sales funnels
Podia was built by creators, for creators, with a mission to simplify digital entrepreneurship and make online business more accessible to everyone.
Features of Podia
🎓 Online Courses
The bread and butter. Podia makes course creation easy, with text lessons, video uploads, quizzes, and drip content all supported. You can add upsells, attach PDFs, or even integrate community features directly under each lesson.
My only complaint? There’s no native certificate generation, unlike platforms like Thinkific. I had to use a third-party tool for that.
📥 Digital Downloads
I sell templates and eBooks, and Podia handles delivery like a pro. Uploading files is a breeze, and you can even bundle downloads with courses or offer them as freebies in exchange for email signups.
It’s fast, simple, and secure. I haven’t had a single customer complain about access or delivery issues.
📧 Email Marketing
This was the biggest surprise. Podia’s email tools are better than I expected. I’m able to send:
- One-off broadcasts
- Automated sequences (welcome funnels, nurture campaigns)
- Product-triggered emails
It’s not as advanced as ConvertKit, but for most creators, it’s more than enough, especially since it’s included in your plan.
Bonus: You can segment based on purchases, email activity, or subscriptions.
🧑🤝🧑 Community Feature
This is still evolving, but I love where it’s going. You can create free or paid communities right inside Podia. Think “mini-Facebook group” but distraction-free, and directly connected to your product ecosystem.
Engagement is growing slowly for me, but I like being able to offer space for discussion without relying on external platforms.
💻 Webinars & Coaching
You can sell live sessions, either via Zoom integration or a custom link. Podia doesn’t host the webinar itself but handles signups, payments, and follow-up emails. Super useful for coaching calls or workshops.
🧾 Custom Checkout Pages
This is underrated. Podia’s checkout process is incredibly fast, just a few clicks, mobile-friendly, and conversion-optimized. You can also add custom fields or upsells.
📊 Analytics
Not as detailed as you’d get with Google Analytics, but the built-in dashboard gives me key metrics: sales, email performance, customer history, and engagement. For most creators, it’s enough to track what’s working.
🧑💻 My Experience Using Podia
I eventually decided to go to Podia after trying with a variety of solutions to sell my digital goods, such as Teachable for courses, Gumroad for downloads, and ConvertKit for emails.
I haven’t turned around. Everything just worked, the interface was clear, and the setup was quick. In the first week, I had a basic community area up and running, a course live, and my lead magnet linked to an email sequence.
The way Podia eliminated all the needless technical hassles was what I valued most. I didn’t have to worry about malfunctioning integrations or switching between platforms anymore.
I’ve been able to focus on what I do best, creating content and interacting with my audience, by managing my business from a single dashboard, which has also saved me time and decreased stress.
Overall, my experience with Podia has been easy, powerful, and very delightful, even though there are still some things that may be done better (such as more design flexibility).
Pricing: Is Podia Worth It?
| Plan | Monthly Price | Annual Price | Transaction Fees | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mover | $39/month | $33/month | 5% | Website, online store, email marketing, unlimited products, blog, custom domain, 7-days-a-week support |
| Shaker | $89/month | $75/month | None | All Mover features plus affiliate marketing, embedded checkout, and no transaction fees |
📝 Plan Comparison
- Mover Plan: Ideal for creators starting, offering essential tools to build and sell digital products.
- Shaker Plan: Designed for growing businesses, it includes advanced features like affiliate marketing and embedded checkout, with the added benefit of zero transaction fees.
📧 Email Marketing Add-On
Podia’s built-in email marketing is included in both plans, with the first 100 subscribers free. As your list grows, additional charges apply based on the number of subscribers.
Pros & Cons of using Podia
Pros
- Send broadcasts and automations without needing third-party tools.
- Live chat support is available 7 days a week.
- No Transaction Fees: Keep 100% of your sales on the Shaker plan.
- Intuitive and easy to set up without any coding.
- Transparent monthly or yearly plans with no surprise costs.
- Host a free or paid community right on your site, no Facebook groups needed.
Cons
- No native app for creators or students
- You’ll need external tools to offer course completion certificates.
Who Podia Is Best For?
Based on my experience, Podia is best for:
- Solo creators and small teams
- Course creators just starting out
- Coaches and freelancers selling services
- Writers and designers selling templates or downloads
- Anyone tired of duct-taping 5 tools together
🧭 Ease of Use: How Simple Is Podia to Navigate?
The ease of use of Podia is one of its greatest advantages and a key factor in my decision to utilize it. The user interface is clear, easy to use, and suitable for novices.
To get started, you don’t need to know how to code or be knowledgeable about technology. Everything is readily available as soon as you log in: analytics, emails, community, and products are all accessible from a single, neat dashboard.
Building sales pages is made easy by the drag-and-drop editor, and the integrated email marketing tools are seamless rather than an afterthought.
I also value the simple checkout process, which requires no complicated configuration and is streamlined by default.
The method is easy to use and makes sense whether you’re uploading videos, setting up email automations, or creating a coaching offer. Even customer service is easily accessible, with a helpful live chat feature available every day of the week.
To put it briefly, Podia is made to assist creators in completing tasks quickly and with less effort. Podia is the ideal platform if you’re looking for something that feels more like a useful helper than a puzzle.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Podia
Can I build a full website with Podia?
Yes. Podia includes a simple website builder with customizable pages, navigation, and branding. While it’s not as flexible as WordPress, it’s perfect for landing pages, sales pages, and lightweight content sites.
Does Podia have a mobile app?
As of 2025, Podia does not offer a dedicated mobile app for creators or students. However, its website is fully responsive and works well on mobile browsers.
Does Podia support memberships or subscriptions?
Yes! You can create paid memberships with recurring subscriptions. You can also create free community spaces or tiered plans for exclusive content access.
Can I offer coaching or live sessions on Podia?
Yes. Podia allows you to sell coaching services or schedule live sessions via Zoom or other video tools. Customers can book, pay, and get follow-up emails all managed within Podia.
Can I issue certificates to students?
Podia does not have built-in certificate functionality. You’ll need to use third-party tools (like Canva or Accredible) and manually issue them if needed.
Does Podia offer affiliate marketing?
Yes, on the Shaker and Earthquaker plans, Podia includes a full affiliate marketing system. You can invite affiliates, set commission rates, and track sales.
Quick Links
Final Verdict: Podia in 2025– Is Podia Worth The Hype?
Podia is a strong option if you’re searching for a creator-first, reasonably priced platform to manage your company without the hassle of numerous tools. Its strength is that it isn’t the most advanced tool available.
It places a high value on simplicity, integration, and support for the actual tasks that creators perform, such as connecting with clients, selling digital goods, and growing an audience.
In 2025, would I still suggest Podia? Absolutely, especially if you appreciate simplicity, a fair price, and clear design.
