Podia is the better pick for most creators, even though Teachable is a few dollars cheaper at higher sales. On $1,000 of $10 sales, Teachable’s $89 Builder plan leaves $852 and Podia’s $99 Shaker plan $842, a $10 gap that comes entirely from the plan price. Podia gives you ten times Teachable’s product allowance on the entry plan, a website on every plan and your money in your own Stripe or PayPal account.
How much do Teachable and Podia take?
Teachable takes 7.5% on Starter and Podia takes 5% on Mover, and both take 0% on their middle plans and up, as of October 2026. Card processing is 2.9% + $0.30 per US card on both, through Teachable Payments or your own Stripe account on Podia.
| Detail | Teachable Starter | Teachable Builder | Podia Mover | Podia Shaker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price, billed monthly | $39 | $89 | $49 | $99 |
| Price, billed yearly | $29 a month | $69 a month | $42 a month | $84 a month |
| Transaction fee | 7.5% | 0% | 5% | 0% |
| US card processing | 2.9% + $0.30 | 2.9% + $0.30 | 2.9% + $0.30 | 2.9% + $0.30 |
| Products | 5 | 10 | 50 | 150 |
The spec table above compares the cheapest plans, Teachable Starter at $827 and Podia Mover at $842. The 0% plans are the fairer match once you sell steadily.
What do you keep at $300, $1,000 and $3,000 a month?
The figures below are arithmetic on published fees, not reported earnings. They assume $10 one-time sales, US cards, no sales tax assessed and monthly billing.
| Monthly sales | Teachable Starter | Teachable Builder | Podia Mover | Podia Shaker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $300, 30 sales | $221 | $193 | $218 | $183 |
| $1,000, 100 sales | $827 | $852 | $842 | $842 |
| $3,000, 300 sales | $2,559 | $2,734 | $2,624 | $2,724 |
Processing is the same on every plan, so the plan price and the percentage fee decide the order. Teachable Starter is cheapest below $400 a month, where its lower price outweighs a fee 2.5 points higher than Mover’s. Podia Mover leads from $400 to $800. Above $800, Teachable Builder leads and stays exactly $10 ahead of Podia Shaker, because both take 0%.
That $10 lead can disappear. Teachable’s Standard bundle adds 0.5% to sales where it assesses tax, and Podia publishes no fee for its own sales tax handling. If every sale is taxed, Builder and Shaker cost the same at $2,000 a month and Shaker is cheaper above it. Yearly billing pulls the other way, widening Builder’s lead to $15 a month and shrinking Mover’s best band to $520 through $540.
Subscriptions cost the same extra on both. Teachable’s Standard bundle adds 0.7% to recurring charges, and Stripe Billing charges 0.7% on Podia’s recurring charges. Our guide to creator platform fees shows how plan prices and processing stack up elsewhere.
Which pays out faster, Teachable or Podia?
Podia, because it never holds your money. Each sale goes straight into the Stripe or PayPal account you connect, and you move it to your bank on their schedule.
Teachable Payments pays your bank daily, about 2 business days after each sale, with no reserve. New accounts can wait 4 to 6 weeks for a first payout while Stripe verifies them, and Teachable holds payouts once earnings pass $500 until you file tax forms. Refunds come out of your Teachable Payments balance, and Teachable debits your bank if that balance runs short. We score Podia 8 and Teachable 7 on payouts.
Does Teachable or Podia help you find students?
Neither Teachable nor Podia finds students for you, and both score 1 out of 10 for discovery in our reviews. Each offers an affiliate program from its middle plan, Builder on Teachable and Shaker on Podia, so other people can sell your course for a commission.
Podia scores 8 for ownership and Teachable 6. Podia includes a website, blog, custom domain and landing pages on every plan, and buyers pay into a processor account in your name. Podia also includes email marketing, but caps it at 100 subscribers on Mover, 500 on Shaker and 1,000 on Earthquaker, which is tight for anyone with a real list. If you leave Podia, your site goes offline at the end of the billing cycle and Podia deletes the data after 180 days, so export before you cancel.
Teachable runs payments through its own Stripe-based gateway. Schools can connect their own Stripe account through a custom gateway, but Starter’s 7.5% fee still applies there.
What features actually differ?
Podia is the broader storefront, and Teachable is the more complete course host for a global audience.
| Feature | Teachable | Podia |
|---|---|---|
| Products on the 0% plan | 10 on Builder | 150 on Shaker |
| Communities | From Builder | 25 spaces on Mover, 100 on Shaker |
| Sales tax | Calculated, collected and remitted in more than 45 countries | Sales tax handling on every plan |
| Payment options | Teachable Payments, more than 35 local methods with Go Global | Stripe and PayPal, PayPal from Shaker |
| Upsells | Up to 10 at checkout | From Shaker |
Teachable’s tax service is the strongest reason to pick it. It collects and remits sales tax, VAT and GST across more than 45 countries and issues a tax-compliant invoice for every sale. Teachable also includes iOS and Android student apps from Starter, and Growth at $189 adds certificates, imported students and the removal of Teachable branding.
Podia’s limits are strict. You cannot exceed a plan limit, Podia sells no single limit increases, and it offers no Afterpay, Klarna or SEPA debit at checkout.
Which should you choose?
Choose Podia unless you sell only a handful of courses to a worldwide audience. Teachable’s money advantage tops out at $10 a month on monthly billing, while Podia’s product limits, website and direct payouts matter every day. Our list of the best platforms for educators ranks the other options, and Kajabi vs Teachable covers the pricier all-in-one.
- Pick Teachable if you sell 10 or fewer courses and want the lowest monthly bill at 0%, which is Builder at $89.
- Pick Teachable if you want sales tax, VAT and GST collected and remitted for you in more than 45 countries.
- Pick Teachable if you want iOS and Android student apps included.
- Pick Teachable Starter if you sell less than $400 a month and want to test an idea.
- Pick Podia if you sell more than 10 products, or mix courses, downloads, coaching and a community.
- Pick Podia if you want each sale paid into your own Stripe or PayPal account.
- Pick Podia if you want a website, blog and custom domain without paying for a separate site builder.
- Pick Podia Mover if you sell between $400 and $800 a month and pay monthly.