Fee-first verdict
Teachable reaches its fee-free break-even sooner.
Teachable Builder becomes cheaper than Starter above roughly $533 in monthly gross revenue. Podia Shaker becomes cheaper than Mover above $840. Feature fit still matters more than a small fee difference.
Published pricing
The four plans compared
| Platform and plan | Annual-plan equivalent | Platform transaction fee | Upgrade break-even |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teachable Starter | $29/month | 7.5% | Builder wins above ~$533 gross |
| Teachable Builder | $69/month | 0% | — |
| Podia Mover | $42/month | 5% | Shaker wins above $840 gross |
| Podia Shaker | $84/month | 0% | — |
USD annual-plan equivalents checked August 26, 2026. Monthly billing, payment processing, taxes, currency conversion, and optional services are separate.
Example economics
Lowest platform cost at three revenue levels
| Monthly gross | Lowest modeled plan | Platform cost | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| $500 | Teachable Starter | $66.50 | Podia Mover at $67 |
| $1,000 | Teachable Builder | $69 | Podia Shaker at $84 |
| $3,000 | Teachable Builder | $69 | Podia Shaker at $84 |
This isolates subscription and platform transaction fees. Payment processing is additional and is normally similar enough that it does not change the plan-level break-even calculation.
Beyond fees
Choose Podia for consolidation; inspect Teachable for course operations
Podia may fit when
- You want courses, downloads, community, and email in one place.
- You prefer a simpler product lineup and creator-business workflow.
- Shaker’s affiliate, PayPal, or Zapier tools replace other software.
Teachable may fit when
- Your business is centered primarily on courses and coaching.
- Integrated payment and student-management workflows matter.
- Builder’s lower fee-free price matters at growing sales volume.
Workflow comparison
Teachable vs Podia is also a software-stack decision
Subscription math understates the difference if one platform replaces software you would otherwise buy separately. The current official plan pages show the following practical distinctions.
| Capability | Podia | Teachable | What to test |
|---|---|---|---|
| Products sold | Courses, downloads, coaching, events, and community | Courses, downloads, coaching, and memberships | Build one real offer and checkout path |
| Website and audience tools | Website, blog, landing pages, and email are included on all paid plans | Site builder and built-in email tools are listed in the plan comparison | Recreate a landing page and one email sequence |
| Student experience | Web-based product and community experience | iOS and Android student apps are listed on all paid plans | Preview lessons on mobile before migrating |
| Sales recovery | Upsells begin on Shaker | Upsells and cart recovery are listed on Starter and above | Compare recovered revenue, not only subscription cost |
| Affiliates | Shaker and Earthquaker | Builder and Growth | Check payout operations and attribution controls |
| Payments and taxes | Built-in checkout, 20+ currencies, and sales-tax collection tools | Global payments and U.S. sales tax, VAT, and GST handling | Confirm gateway eligibility and payout route in your country |
“Included” does not mean identical depth. A trial should test the exact workflow you need, including checkout, tax display, student access, email automation, and refunds.
Plan limits
Compare capacity using the rules that apply to your account
Podia currently lists 50 products on Mover and 150 on Shaker. Teachable changed its usage policy on September 3, 2026. School creation and migration dates determine which student-usage rules apply; product allowances need confirmation.
| Operational limit or tool | Podia Mover | Podia Shaker | Teachable Starter | Teachable Builder |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Products | 50 | 150 | Confirm the applicable product entitlement | |
| Learner/customer limit | No customer limit | No customer limit | See the dated usage-policy distinction below | |
| Community | 25 spaces | 100 spaces | Not listed | Included |
| Built-in affiliate program | Not included | Included | Not included | Included |
| PayPal | Not included | Included for eligible purchases | Depends on the available Teachable payment gateway | |
Podia's subscriber limits apply to its email tool, not the number of customers or community members. Teachable’s legacy active-student overages are not the new-school default. Check the policy distinction below and verify payment eligibility before choosing.
Practical recommendation
Do not choose from subscription price alone
At $500 in monthly gross revenue, Teachable Starter is $0.50 cheaper than Podia Mover on subscription and platform fees. At that level, features and workflow can still outweigh the difference. Once revenue grows, both fee-charging entry plans become harder to justify.
Use the calculator with your course price, sales volume, and payment processing rate before making a final decision.
Frequently asked
Podia vs Teachable questions
Is Podia or Teachable cheaper?
Teachable is cheaper in all three modeled revenue examples, but the margin is only $0.50 at $500. Compare product limits, email, community, payment support, and course operations before choosing.
Which platform removes transaction fees sooner?
Teachable Builder reaches its modeled break-even above roughly $533 in monthly gross revenue. Podia Shaker reaches its modeled break-even above $840.
Does the comparison include payment processing?
No. The examples isolate subscription and platform transaction fees. Card processing, taxes, currency conversion, and optional services are separate.
Is Podia or Teachable better for an all-in-one creator business?
Podia bundles more creator-business components—such as a blog, community, events, and email—into every paid plan. Teachable puts more emphasis on course delivery, student apps, payments, and structured school operations. Test which option replaces more of your existing stack without weakening the student experience.
Affiliate offer
Does Teachable fit your course business?
Check current plans, payment eligibility, and the tools your course needs before committing.
Affiliate disclosure: if you purchase through this link, CourseProfit Lab may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Affiliate link. Eligibility, pricing, attribution, and commission decisions are controlled by Teachable and PartnerStack.
Official sources
Verify current pricing and limits
The official source links above are direct and non-affiliate. Any separate Teachable partner offer is explicitly labeled.
Teachable changed its usage policy on September 3, 2026. Check the new-school, legacy-school, and product-allowance distinctions before budgeting capacity.