Last Updated on May 26, 2024 by Paula

Suppose you are thinking of starting your own online course, looking for a place to sell your digital products, or even just looking to sell seats to your next webinar. In that case, Podia can be the all-in-one membership platform you need to create everything you need for your online business. Podia is still kind of new to the game, but I use it myself and it gives Teachable and Thinkific a run for their money. If you want to know what makes Podia so great, take a look at this in-depth overview.

What is Podia?

If you haven’t heard of Podia* yet, then you may be a little bit confused here. Podia is the plural of podium, which means to be heard and seen. The plural form of podium is certainly a fitting name for the platform. Podia is a digital storefront where you can sell your online courses, digital downloads and even host your memberships. You will have to create them first, but Podia can serve as a place for you to send your customers to and host your digital content.

Why is Podia different?

Podia is unique in many ways, but two features make Podia stand out from other competitors. First, they have excellent customer service. Podia has one of the best customer service support that is available on a course hosting platform. They may only offer live chat support, they are responsive, and you even get an email to keep for your reference.

The second feature that makes Podia stand out from its competitors is its affordable plans. Podia is very affordable and has a lot of value despite the low cost. Out of all the other online course platforms out there, the lowest plan award would go to Podia at just $39/month. Their step-up plan known as the Shaker at just $79/month has the same features but added functionality for affiliates and further membership options.

What types of products can be purchased through Podia

Podia supports nearly any kind of content you could think of! If you have it on your computer, then you can add it to your product! You can choose video, audio, text, or even PDFs. You can add links and other text into the product, too, to do a wide range of products on Podia.

Podia* specializes in creating:

• Online courses: create a series of lessons with files, posts, and quizzes.
• Digital files: offer a file or collection of files for download.
• Webinars: sell access to your Zoom or YouTube webinar.
• And Bundles: sell an array of products for a new price.

Podia pros

Podia has a surprising amount of pros for its platform. Some of these include:

• There are no transaction fees.
• Podia offers affordable pricing for all users.
• Podia’s platform is easy to use.
• You can have an unlimited number of courses and users.
• Podia will help migrate up to 2,000 customers from another platform for free.
• Recurring subscription and payment plan options.
• You can use custom domains.
• There is built-in email marketing within the platform to allow you to email your students.
• Podia has excellent customer service.
• Podia is constantly adding new features to its platform.
• You have the option to even give your products away for free if you wish.

Podia cons

Podia offers some fantastic features that are indeed one of a kind. However, there are some cons to using the platform as well. Some of these include:

• There is no phone support. All support is done through a chat feature.
• There are no completion certificates for courses or memberships.
• There are no free plans available.
• Podia still lacks some course and site customization. The design options are minimal.
• You need a 3rd party platform for sales funnels.
• There is no course marketplace.

Overview and pricing

Podia offers users the ability to use their intuitive framework with everything you need to start and sell your course, membership, or host digital downloadable products. You can even sell through Podia’s sales page to handle the payment processing too. 

Podia offers two price plans at $39 and $79, respectively. Both plans allow users to create unlimited courses, a custom domain, quizzes, and integrated email marketing to work with their products.

Final thoughts on Podia

Podia* is becoming a significant player in the online space and is starting to gain popularity and its competitors, such as Thinkific and Teachable. However, while this platform is creator-friendly, with zero fees and a one-stop-shop for unlimited everything, it still has a long way to go. Podia might not be the cheapest solution out there, but the user experience is perfect for a hands-off and easy-to-build membership or course site. New users or those who want something pretty hands-off design-wise will enjoy using Podia. However, if you are a designer who wants to customize even the smallest detail, you might not find that Podia is a good fit for you at this point.