Fee-first verdict
Teachable reaches its base-plan-fee break-even sooner on annual billing.
Teachable Builder becomes cheaper than Starter above roughly $533 in monthly gross revenue. Podia Shaker becomes cheaper than Mover above $840 in this no-refund annual model. Feature fit still matters more than a small fee difference.
Podia's $840 annual-budget and $1,000 regular-monthly Mover–Shaker crossovers assume no refunds. Returned Podia fees reduce Mover's cost: the fictional 20% full-refund example moves those original-gross ties to $1,050/$1,250. Processing is separate. Check the refund assumptions; verify the other platform's refund policy separately.
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 no-refund gross |
| Teachable Builder | $69/month | 0% | — |
| Podia Mover | $42/month | 5% | Shaker wins above $840 no-refund gross |
| Podia Shaker | $84/month | 0% | — |
October 4 scoped price/payment check: annual commitments are $348/$828 for Teachable Starter/Builder and $504/$1,008 for Podia Mover/Shaker. Regular monthly billing is $39/$89 and $49/$99 respectively. Payment, tax, usage and other operating costs are not included; the latest complete cross-platform audit remains September 2.
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 base plan transaction fees, not total deductions or profit. Identical processing can cancel out in a same-route plan upgrade, but different gateways, bundles, tax handling, recurring fees or capacity charges can change a cross-platform winner. At $500 gross, an omitted charge above $0.50 overturns the displayed Teachable Starter lead.
Sensitivity example, not a customer result
A $2.50 omitted charge reverses a $0.50 lead
For a fictional comparison, use ten one-time payments and a $500 base for every percentage fee. Assume the same 2.9% + $0.30 processing on both routes: $17.50 each. The plan-only totals above then become $84.00 for Teachable Starter and $84.50 for Podia Mover.
If every Teachable Standard transaction also attracts its published 0.5% tax-handling addition, that adds $2.50: $86.50 versus $84.50, so Podia is $2.00 lower under these assumptions. Collected taxes, refunds, recurring payments, other tax tools and usage costs are outside this example. The Podia processing rate is an illustrative input, not an account quote; actual tax/fee bases and eligibility must be checked.
The lesson is to test the omitted-cost margin, not assume either platform always wins. Compare annual and monthly upgrade thresholds before buying an annual plan. The calculator's editable processor rate does not automatically add Teachable's bundles or usage fees.
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 subscription fits after payment and usage costs are included.
Workflow comparison
Teachable vs Podia is also a software-stack decision
Check Podia integration limits before counting software-replacement savings.
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 | New payment checkout/lesson offers; advertised cart recovery requires verification | Test actual availability; do not assume recovered revenue |
| 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 has the lower plan-only total in all three examples, but its $0.50 lead at $500 can reverse after payment additions. This is not proof of the cheapest complete operating cost. Compare the actual payment route, usage, features and software stack.
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. Both figures assume annual billing and no refunds, and compare base-plan fees only.
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.