Podia vs Substack
Podia and Substack are both creator monetization tools aimed at creators. Only Substack has a free plan.
Podia
Simple storefront for courses, downloads and communities
Substack
Newsletters, podcasts and paid subscriptions
| Pricing | Paid · $49 | Free |
| Starting price | $49/mo | Not published |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Free trial | 14 days | — |
| Built for | Creators | Creators |
| Platforms | web | web, ios, android |
| Country | US · 2014 | US · 2017 |
| Rating | — | — |
Choose Podia if
Creators wanting simple all-in-one selling.
- Simple and friendly
- Email included
- 0% fees on Shaker
Look elsewhere if: Advanced funnels (Kajabi).
Choose Substack if
Writers starting out who value discovery and simplicity over control.
- Zero upfront cost; discovery network
- Simple, writer-focused
- Payments and hosting handled
Look elsewhere if: Publications with revenue that want to keep 100% and own SEO (Ghost, beehiiv).
Podia vs Substack pricing
Podia
- Mover$49/mo$42/mo billed annually; 5% fees, 50 products
- Shaker$99/mo$84/mo billed annually; no fees, affiliates, 150 products
- Earthquaker$179/mo$150/mo billed annually; no fees, unlimited products
Substack
- Free$0Free publishing, no monthly fee
- Paid subscriptions10%/of revenuePlus credit card processing fees
Podia · Key features
- Courses, downloads, webinars, coaching
- Community and memberships
- Email marketing included
- Website and landing pages
- Affiliate program
- Checkout and payments
Cons
- Fewer advanced features than Kajabi
- Design customization limited
- Transaction fees on lower tiers
Substack · Key features
- Newsletter, podcast and video publishing
- Paid subscriptions with free and paid tiers
- Recommendations network, Notes and Chat
- Hosted site with custom domain
- Mobile app for readers
- Basic analytics and import tools
Cons
- 10% revenue share
- Limited design and SEO control
- Platform dependence
Podia vs Substack: FAQ
Do Podia and Substack have a free plan?
Podia has no free plan, a 14-day free trial. Substack has a free plan.