9 Best Podia Alternatives in 2026
Podia costs $468-$1,068/year. Save up to 96% with these better alternatives for selling digital products and courses.
Why Creators Are Leaving Podia
High Monthly Costs
Podia's plans cost $468-$1,068/year. That's $468+ you could save with better alternatives.
Transaction Fees Add Up
Mover plan charges 5% transaction fees on top of $39/month. At $5k/month sales, that's $3,000/year in fees.
No Mobile App
Podia lacks a mobile app for students, which modern learners expect in 2026.
1. PengDrop
The Best Podia Alternative for Digital Products
- 96% cheaper than Podia ($89/year vs $900-$1,068/year)
- Free plan with only 5% commission
- $89/year for 0% fees forever
- Perfect for ebooks, templates, PDFs, courses
- Custom storefront builder
- Instant digital delivery
- Built-in analytics
- No transaction fees on annual plan
- Unlimited products & storage (10GB)
- 96% cheaper than Podia Shaker plan
- 0% fees on $89/year plan
- No monthly subscription required
- Perfect for digital downloads
- Simple, fast setup
- Your Stripe account = instant access to money
- Focused on digital products (not full course platform)
- No built-in community features
Creators selling digital products who want the lowest costs and maximum profit margins
2. The Leap
100% free digital product store
- Completely free platform
- No monthly fees or transaction fees
- Digital product store
- Mobile app friendly
- Email marketing included
- Custom branding
- Truly free (no platform fees)
- Only standard Stripe fees apply
- Great for beginners
- No lock-in or commitments
- Fewer features than full course platforms
- Limited customization
New creators who want zero upfront costs
3. Kajabi
All-in-one platform for scaling creators
- Comprehensive marketing automation
- Email campaigns built-in
- Website builder included
- Course creation tools
- Membership sites
- Funnel builder
- Powerful all-in-one platform
- Advanced marketing features
- Great for course creators
- No transaction fees
- Very expensive ($119-$399/month)
- Steep learning curve
- Overkill for simple digital products
Established creators with budget who need full marketing suite
4. Teachable
Course-focused platform
- Course creation tools
- Student management
- Quizzes and certificates
- Drip content scheduling
- Coaching features
- Compliance tools
- Designed specifically for courses
- Good student experience
- No transaction fees on higher plans
- Integrates with Zapier
- Monthly fees required
- Transaction fees on Basic plan
- Not ideal for one-time digital products
Course creators who need student management features
5. Thinkific
Free plan available for courses
- Free plan with 10% fees
- Course builder included
- Unlimited students
- Quizzes and assignments
- Drip content
- Custom domain
- Free plan available
- No transaction fees on paid plans
- Good for course creation
- Scales well
- 10% transaction fee on free plan
- Paid plans start at $49/month
- Focused only on courses
Educators and trainers building online courses
6. Gumroad
Simple creator platform
- Very easy to use
- Email marketing included
- Memberships supported
- Pre-orders available
- Discover page for exposure
- Quick checkout
- Super simple setup
- Good for beginners
- Built-in audience
- Workflow automation
- 10% transaction fees are high
- Limited customization
- No custom storefront
Creators who prioritize simplicity over cost
7. Payhip
All-in-one selling platform
- Free plan available
- Courses and memberships
- Built-in marketing tools
- EU VAT handling
- Affiliate program
- Coaching features
- Free plan option
- Lower fees than Podia on free plan
- Good course features
- VAT automation
- Pro plan is expensive ($99/month)
- Limited design options
- Transaction fees on lower tiers
International sellers needing VAT automation
8. Sellfy
Digital products and subscriptions
- Print-on-demand integration
- Email marketing included
- Product subscriptions
- Upsells and cart recovery
- Custom domain
- Store customization
- No transaction fees
- Email marketing built-in
- Good for digital products
- Print-on-demand options
- No free plan
- Monthly costs add up
- Starter plan caps revenue
Creators wanting email marketing and no transaction fees
9. Graphy
AI-powered course platform
- AI agents for sales and support
- Mobile app included
- Community features
- Course hosting
- Advanced analytics
- White-label options
- AI-powered assistance
- Modern platform
- Good for communities
- Mobile app included
- Pricing not transparent
- Newer platform
- May be overkill for simple products
Creators who want AI assistance and mobile apps
Quick Comparison Table
| Platform | Pricing | Transaction Fees | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| PengDrop | $89/year | 0% | Max savings |
| Podia Mover | $468/year | 5% | Courses |
| Podia Shaker | $1,068/year | 0% | Scaling |
| The Leap | Free | 0% | Beginners |
| Kajabi | $1,428/year | 0% | Marketing |
Ready to Save on Platform Costs?
Join creators who switched from Podia and are saving $811-979/year with PengDrop's $89/year plan.
Start Free TodayNo credit card required • 0% fees on annual plan • Cancel anytime