Podia Pricing vs Payhip (2026): What You Actually Pay
Podia bundles courses, community, email and a website for $49–$179 a month. Payhip starts free. Here is what each costs at real sales levels, and the tax work Podia leaves to you.
Short answer: Payhip costs the same or less than Podia at every sales level we tested. Podia has no free plan: Mover is $49/month plus 5% per sale, so it always costs $49 more than Payhip’s free plan, which also takes 5%. At $1,000/month in sales you pay $50 on Payhip Free or $49 on Payhip Plus, versus $99 on Podia Mover or Shaker. Pick Podia only if you want its community spaces, events and website in one place and will use them.
Podia vs Payhip plans side by side
| Plan | Monthly price | Billed yearly | Platform fee per sale | Main limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payhip Free | $0 | — | 5% | All features, unlimited products |
| Payhip Plus | $29 | — | 2% | All features |
| Payhip Pro | $99 | — | 0% | All features |
| Podia Mover | $49 | $42/mo ($504/yr) | 5% | 50 products, 100 email subscribers, no PayPal |
| Podia Shaker | $99 | $84/mo ($1,008/yr) | 0% | 150 products, 500 email subscribers, 1 assistant |
| Podia Earthquaker | $179 | $150/mo ($1,800/yr) | 0% | Unlimited products, 1,000 email subscribers |
Both platforms add the payment processor’s fee on top. Podia lists Stripe or PayPal at 2.9% + 30¢ (it can vary by country). Payhip says Stripe and PayPal charge their standard rates on every plan. Podia offers a 14-day free trial; Payhip’s free plan has no time limit.
Take-home per sale
Card payment at 2.9% + $0.30, before any monthly subscription.
| Price | Payhip Free / Podia Mover (5%) | Payhip Plus (2%) | Payhip Pro / Podia Shaker / Earthquaker (0%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $10 | $8.91 | $9.21 | $9.41 |
| $20 | $18.12 | $18.72 | $19.12 |
| $50 | $45.75 | $47.25 | $48.25 |
Per sale, Podia Mover and Payhip Free keep the same amount. The difference is that Mover also bills $49 every month.
Total platform cost by monthly sales
Monthly subscription plus the platform’s percentage. Card processing is left out because it is the same on both.
| Monthly sales | Payhip Free | Payhip Plus | Payhip Pro | Podia Mover | Podia Shaker | Podia Earthquaker |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $500 | $25 | $39 | $99 | $74 | $99 | $179 |
| $1,000 | $50 | $49 | $99 | $99 | $99 | $179 |
| $2,500 | $125 | $79 | $99 | $174 | $99 | $179 |
| $5,000 | $250 | $129 | $99 | $299 | $99 | $179 |
Paying Podia yearly lowers Mover to $67, $92, $167 and $292 at the same four levels, and Shaker to $84. Payhip Plus still wins up to $2,500.
Break-even points
- Payhip Free → Plus: about $967/month in sales (3% saved covers $29).
- Podia Mover → Shaker: $1,000/month (5% saved covers the extra $50).
- Payhip Plus → Pro, and Payhip Plus vs Podia Shaker: $3,500/month.
- Payhip Pro vs Podia Shaker: both $99 with 0%, so features decide.
- Podia Mover vs Payhip Free: never. Same 5%, plus $49.
Costs people miss
- Sales tax and VAT. Payhip collects, reports and remits EU/UK VAT and US/Canadian sales tax for you. Podia calculates and collects tax only where you register, and its help center says it does not file or remit it. You do that, or pay an accountant.
- PayPal on Podia. The Mover plan card does not list PayPal; it appears from Shaker up.
- Email caps. Podia includes 100 / 500 / 1,000 email subscribers by plan; more costs extra. Payhip’s plans do not differ by feature.
- Product caps. Mover allows 50 products and Shaker 150.
- Refund window on Podia billing. Podia refunds a subscription only if you ask within 72 hours of your latest payment, and no partial refunds on annual plans.
- Processor fees on tax. On Podia, Stripe/PayPal fees are charged on the full price including VAT.
Who should pick which
Payhip fits you if you sell downloads, ebooks, templates, a course or memberships, you are under about $3,500/month, or you sell to EU/UK buyers and do not want to file VAT yourself.
Podia fits you if you want a community, live events, a website and blog and email in one subscription, you already make over $1,000/month (so Shaker beats Mover), and you are ready to handle tax filing.
Comparing more than two? See every platform’s fees on Creator platform fees compared, or compare the course platform Kajabi vs Payhip.
FAQ
Does Podia have a free plan?
No. Podia’s pricing page lists three paid plans, Mover ($49/month), Shaker ($99/month) and Earthquaker ($179/month), and a 14-day free trial with no card required.
What transaction fee does Podia charge?
Podia takes 5% of each sale on Mover and nothing on Shaker or Earthquaker. Stripe or PayPal also charge their fee, which Podia lists as 2.9% + 30¢.
Is Payhip cheaper than Podia?
At every sales level we checked, yes or equal. At $1,000/month Payhip costs $49–$50 in platform fees versus $99 on Podia. At $5,000, Payhip Pro and Podia Shaker both cost $99.
Does Podia handle VAT for me?
Podia calculates and collects sales tax and VAT where you register, but it does not file or remit it. Payhip collects and remits EU/UK VAT and US/Canadian sales tax on your behalf.
When does Podia Shaker beat Mover?
At $1,000 in monthly sales. Below that, Mover’s 5% costs less than Shaker’s extra $50 a month.
Can I sell courses on Payhip like on Podia?
Yes. Payhip includes online courses, coaching and memberships on every plan, including the free one. Podia adds community spaces and live events.
Not sure which platform fits your numbers? Put in your price and monthly sales and see what you keep on every platform at once. If you are just starting, a Payhip store costs $0 until you sell, so you can set it up first and decide later.
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