How Podia and WordPress 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.
WordPress powers a huge share of the web for good reason. This page compares WordPress.com hosted plans. You get the block editor, thousands of themes, comments and likes, Jetpack newsletters, and on higher plans the full plugin ecosystem and WooCommerce. Nothing else offers this much freedom to extend, and your content is exportable and yours.
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.
WordPress
- WordPress extends by plugin: a form plugin, a booking plugin, an email plugin, each with its own settings.
- WordPress email is Jetpack newsletters or a plugin.
- WordPress accessibility and SEO depend on your theme and plugins.
Choose Podia when courses, downloads, and paid memberships are what you sell and you want checkout, tax, and delivery handled for you.
Choose WordPress when you want maximum control, plugins for anything, and the option to self-host.
Compare features
What's on Podia and WordPress
A check means that capability is available. Podia and WordPress are marked only when the offer is comparable, not the same product.
Site and brand
- Workspace sitePodia: IncludedWordPress: Included
- Custom domainPodia: IncludedWordPress: Included
- Editor ModePodia: IncludedWordPress: Included
- Theme and fontsPodia: IncludedWordPress: Included
Public content
- BlogPodia: IncludedWordPress: Included
- Reader engagementPodia: IncludedWordPress: Included
- Showcase pagesPodia: IncludedWordPress: Included
- Shop pagesPodia: IncludedWordPress: Included
Reach and quality
- SEOPodia: IncludedWordPress: Included
Audience and email
- AudiencePodia: IncludedWordPress: Included
- Marketing emailsPodia: IncludedWordPress: Included
- Bulk email workflowsPodia: IncludedWordPress: Included
- Campaign workflowsPodia: IncludedWordPress: Not included
Messaging
- Built-in chatPodia: IncludedWordPress: Not included
Commerce
- Shop paymentsPodia: IncludedWordPress: Included
- Orders and fulfillmentPodia: IncludedWordPress: Included
Team
- Admin usersPodia: IncludedWordPress: Included
* Note: This table does not capture every feature of Podia or WordPress, and is not intended as a comprehensive list. We keep this page current, but Podia or WordPress may add or remove features that are not shown here.
Podia vs WordPress pricing
Compare plans, prices, and what it costs to get started.
Podia
Current plans and prices
See what Podia charges on their pricing page.
WordPress
Current plans and prices
See what WordPress charges on their pricing page.
Cardel: An alternative to
Podia and WordPress
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 WordPress?
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 WordPress when you want your work, audience, and sales in one place. The feature list on this page shows where Podia and WordPress are marked.
Can I use Cardel with Podia or WordPress?
Yes. Cardel pages can link out to other products, so you can keep Podia or WordPress for what it does best and bring the rest of your work to Cardel.
How much does Cardel cost compared with Podia and WordPress?
You don't pay for Cardel until you publish. Choose Starter, Pro, or Studio when your site goes live. Podia and WordPress set their own prices, so check their pricing pages on this page for current plans.
How do I switch from Podia or WordPress 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.