How Podia and Shopify compare
Podia is the all-in-one that stays friendly. Courses with drip and quizzes, digital downloads delivered the second someone pays, coaching products, events, a community with paid plans, a website with a real blog, and Podia Email with broadcasts and campaigns, all under one login and one bill. Sales tax across 230 jurisdictions, 20 plus currencies, coupons, bundles, and payment plans come standard, and Shaker and Earthquaker drop the transaction fee to zero. For a creator selling digital products, Podia removes a lot of glue.
Shopify is what you use when the store is the business. World-class checkout, inventory and shipping, taxes, POS, thousands of apps, Shopify Email, Shopify Inbox, and a theme store make it the standard for merchants of every size. It scales from one product to a warehouse without changing platforms.
Where they are different
Podia
- Podia's coaching product takes payment and then hands booking to Calendly, SavvyCal, Acuity, or YouCanBookMe.
- Podia Email sends from Podia and includes 100 to 1,000 subscribers by plan.
- Podia's chat inbox gathers chat.
- Podia gives one assistant on Shaker with full access.
Shopify
- Shopify's blog and pages serve the store.
- Shopify Inbox handles chat.
- Shopify doesn't manage scheduling natively.
Choose Podia when courses, downloads, and paid memberships are what you sell and you want checkout, tax, and delivery handled for you.
Choose Shopify when you sell products at volume and need inventory, shipping, tax, and apps.
Compare features
What's on Podia and Shopify
A check means that capability is available. Podia and Shopify are marked only when the offer is comparable, not the same product.
Site and brand
- Workspace sitePodia: IncludedShopify: Included
- Custom domainPodia: IncludedShopify: Included
- Editor ModePodia: IncludedShopify: Included
- Theme and fontsPodia: IncludedShopify: Included
Public content
- BlogPodia: IncludedShopify: Included
- Reader engagementPodia: IncludedShopify: Included
- Showcase pagesPodia: IncludedShopify: Included
- Shop pagesPodia: IncludedShopify: Included
Reach and quality
- SEOPodia: IncludedShopify: Included
Audience and email
- AudiencePodia: IncludedShopify: Included
- Email templates and From addressesPodia: IncludedShopify: Included
- AI Email Template BuilderPodia: Not includedShopify: Included
- Marketing emailsPodia: IncludedShopify: Included
- Campaign workflowsPodia: IncludedShopify: Included
Messaging
- Built-in chatPodia: IncludedShopify: Included
- Messaging CenterPodia: Not includedShopify: Included
Commerce
- Shop paymentsPodia: IncludedShopify: Included
- Orders and fulfillmentPodia: IncludedShopify: Included
Team
- Admin usersPodia: IncludedShopify: Included
* Note: This table does not capture every feature of Podia or Shopify, and is not intended as a comprehensive list. We keep this page current, but Podia or Shopify may add or remove features that are not shown here.
Podia vs Shopify pricing
Compare plans, prices, and what it costs to get started.
Podia
Current plans and prices
See what Podia charges on their pricing page.
Shopify
Current plans and prices
See what Shopify charges on their pricing page.
Cardel: An alternative to
Podia and Shopify
You don't pay until you publish.
Cardel provides a home for your craft. Share and sell your work, grow your audience, and bring your community together on a site of your own.
Common questions
Is Cardel an alternative to Podia or Shopify?
Cardel is a home for your craft: a site of your own with a blog, newsletter, shop, community, and one inbox. It can replace Podia or Shopify when you want your work, audience, and sales in one place. The feature list on this page shows where Podia and Shopify are marked.
Can I use Cardel with Podia or Shopify?
Yes. Cardel pages can link out to other products, so you can keep Podia or Shopify for what it does best and bring the rest of your work to Cardel.
How much does Cardel cost compared with Podia and Shopify?
You don't pay for Cardel until you publish. Choose Starter, Pro, or Studio when your site goes live. Podia and Shopify set their own prices, so check their pricing pages on this page for current plans.
How do I switch from Podia or Shopify to Cardel?
Start with Build Your Site, set up your home, and bring your work over at your own pace. You do not have to move everything on day one.
