7 Best Podia Alternatives For Online Creators in 2023

Podia has been a popular LMS solution choice among online creators. While some are satisfied with its capabilities, others prefer to explore more options.  Apparently, Podia still has certain drawbacks and lacks some essential features which would allow course creators to run their online teaching business effectively. 

Let’s find out whether Podia can fit all your demands. We will look for powerful alternatives to help you make the best choice when it comes to online teaching platforms. 

Podia overview  

Podia is an all-in-one platform that has been on the market since 2014. Of course, it has changed a lot since the year of starting, and now Podia is offering services for more than 100.000 creators. 

Here you can create and sell your online courses, offer digital products, have online communities, and build your website. It comes with different integrations and tools to market your online courses, coaching services, and products. There are several things course creators like about Podia:

• Intuitive and user-friendly interface that makes navigation easy.  
• Features for email marketing and customer messaging.
• Opportunities to sell courses in bundles (it is, however, available for higher pricing plans).
• Website builder with built-in themes. 
• No limitations for courses and students (of course, depending on your plan)
• Integration and embedding of more than 1900 tools using the link
• Stripe & PayPal as your main payment gateways

After all, you can choose the free plan and use some essential features. 

Podia Review

Before you buy a service, you should read its reviews. Podia has an average of 4.6 stars on Capterra. Let’s read its reviews:

Podia is a helpful and user-friendly platform. As well it has excellent customer support. It offers value for its ease of use and is chosen by frugal entrepreneurs. However, there is a desire for options to host URLs and blogs within Podia or through a partnered company. The user mentioned Kajabi as the alternative to Podia. 

• Podia has a helpful and responsive support team.
• Chosen for its ease of use and value.
• Lack of the feature to host your URL and blog.

Podia has an average of 3.9 stars on Trustpilot. 

The reviewer had been using Podia for over two years without any issues. However, during a product launch, their account was locked for security reasons without prior notice. Despite waiting for 3 days and contacting customer service, there was no response from Podia. 

• No response or support from Podia despite contacting customer service.
• Membership and members were affected by the account lockout.
• As a result, the reviewer decided to move their membership to a WordPress site.

Why still consider another platform? 

At first sight, you may think Podia offers everything you need for your business. However, is that really the perfect choice for you? As with many other platforms, Podia has certain drawbacks. This is why you may consider other options before making a final choice. 

Podia lacks advanced customization options. If you are planning to have a fully customized and white-label website, note that Podia will not be able to meet your demands in this regard fully. Compared to other platforms, it lacks flexibility in website customization and design. You cannot completely remove Podia’s branding from your website. 

Besides, it has no mobile app solution for course creators. Mobile learning is gaining popularity day after day. So you would not like to miss providing mobile-learning opportunities to your students. You will also need advanced reporting tools, which are lacking on Podia. 

These were the features not available in Podia that have high demand in the course-making industry. Check out their website for the full list of features available in Podia.

#1 Uteach 

The first online teaching platform opening our list of the best 7 Podia alternatives is Uteach. It is an all-in-one LMS solution that gives you opportunities to manage your course creation business from A to Z. Whether it is the website setup or course marketing, Uteach will get you covered. Let’s see some essential and exciting features that make Uteach a good alternative to Podia.  

Features 

Uteach offers every feature that will help you provide a full learning experience to your students. The main ones are the following:

• Website builder with customization. You can not only set up your website easily with built-in website builder tools but also customize it to your own likes and preferences. 
• Automation to save you time. You can automate creating and teaching with messages, notifications, assignments, calendars, quiz checking, and attendance tracking.
• Mobile App to make your online school available from anywhere and anytime.
• Opportunities to sell digital & physical products, coaching & live sessions in addition to online courses. 
• Opportunities to award learners with custom certificates and make the learning engaging with quizzes, 
• Marketing and SEO tools to reach a wider audience, 
• Affiliate programs, membership, and bundle options for you to offer the best deals in the market
• Integrations with helpful tools (for example, Zapier, Pabbly, Mailchimp, Google & Facebook integrations)
• Your desired payment gateway as your main payment option  

The ones mentioned above are just the tip of the iceberg. 

Pricing

Uteach offers flexibility in terms of pricing as well. You can choose one of the three plans available. 

• Starter- $29/month
• Expert- $79/month
• Business- $199/month

Rating

According to the most credible review platforms, Uteach has an average rating of 4.8:

•  Capterra- 4.8 stars
• Trustpilot- 4.6 stars
• G2- 5 stars 

Uteach is one of the best Podia alternatives. It has 4.8 stars on Capterra. It is highly recommended for users’ ideas. 

Uteach is a user-friendly and reliable educational platform. The ability to prepare certificates of recognition alongside courses is highly appreciated. The platform offers excellent customer service, including quick resolution of translation issues. Overall, Uteach is a great choice due to its ease of use, reliability, and fair pricing.

• It is user-friendly, making it accessible even for non-technical experts.
• It is easy to use.
• Uteach offers excellent customer service, including quick resolution of translation problems.
• The platform is praised for its ease of use, reliability, and fair pricing.
• The reviewer is very happy with their choice of Uteach.

Uteach has 4.6 stars from 5 on Trustpilot. Let’s read users' ideas about this app.

Uteach is a great LMS platform that is easy to set up. Also, it offers convenient instructions for connecting domains. It supports multiple payment gateways, making selling courses and products fast and easy. The team provides regular updates and offers excellent support. The reviewer hopes that categories will be added soon for efficient course searching.

• Uteach is a great LMS platform.
• Quick and easy setup process.
• Convenient instructions for connecting domains.
• Supports multiple payment gateways (Stripe, Paypal, etc.).
• Regular software updates.
• Excellent customer support.
• Request for categories to be added for efficient course searching.

Pros 

Some pros of Uteach include:

• Setting up your website for free
• Doesn’t keep any transaction fees
• It is easy to use, even for beginners
• Has flexible pricing options

Cons 

Uteach does not currently have a built-in community. However, you can make use of other platforms, such as Facebook. 

Best for 

Uteach is best for online creators who are looking to have a full 360-degree view of their business at affordable prices. So, Uteach is an excellent alternative to Podia. 

#2 Kajabi 

Kajabi is another platform you can consider as a Podia alternative. It is a good solution that enables you to create, market & sell your courses and products, offer memberships, and customize your website. 

Consequently, it offers many useful tools for the operations mentioned above. Let’s analyze its features and understand whether Kajabi can be a good Podia alternative for you. 

Features 

The main features Kajabi offers are the following:  

• AI tools to help you structure the course and build suitable marketing campaigns
• Drag-and-drop website building tools to give your website a customized look.
• Ability to create courses, coaching programs, memberships, podcasts, and much more to provide content diversity for your students. 
• Integration with Stripe, Paypal, and other third-party integrations to easily collect payments and manage finances.
• Marketing tools and templates to help you create successful campaigns
• Opportunities to build and run a community with live video calls, newsfeeds, and events. 

Pricing

Kajabi pricing is more expensive if we compare it to Uteach. It offers three main plans:

• Basic- $149/month
• Growth- $199/month
• Pro- $399/month

Rating 

The average rating of Kajabi is 4.5 stars if we consider the following review platforms:

• Trustpilot- 4.6 starts
• G2- 4.5 stars
• Capterra- 4.4 stars 

Kajabi has an average of 4.4 stars on Capterra. Let’s read its reviews:

Kierra says, “Kajabi is a great platform, although it can be pricey. It offers personalized course customization and impressive course template buildouts. However, the sales/transaction page is confusing for potential customers, leading the reviewer to stop using it for transactions. The pricing of Kajabi is comparatively higher than other options on the market. The decision to choose Kajabi was influenced by its popularity among acquaintances.

• Ability to hold up to 15 courses with a membership.
• Quizzes can be enabled between modules for student understanding.
• The sales/transaction page is confusing for potential customers.
• High pricing compared to other options on the market.
• Choose Kajabi based on its popularity among acquaintances.

Kajabi has 4.6 stars on Trustpilot. Now we are going to explore users’ ideas.

The reviewer is 90% happy with Kajabi. He finds it extremely easy to run an online business using the platform. However, the lack of comprehensive analytics, especially for podcasts, is a significant drawback. The reviewer desires Google Analytics-level analytics for better insights. Despite this, they highly recommend Kajabi to individuals who are committed to advancing their business to the next level and beyond.

• Kajabi makes it easy to run an online business.
• The lack of comprehensive analytics, particularly for podcasts, is a concern.
• Strong recommendation for those serious about business growth.

Pros 

The advantages of Kajabi making it a good alternative to Podia are the following: 

• It fosters community-building opportunities
• Offers a mobile app solution
• Has a good variety of website design templates
• Has training resources to help you on the way to creation,  like Kajabi University

Cons 

Having good reviews and rich features is one side of the platform. Let’s not forget about the limitations. 

• The prices are too high for the same features other platforms have. 
• It does not offer a free plan. 
• Not user-friendly administrator dashboard.

Best for

Considering the pros & cons and main features of Kajabi, we conclude that Kajabi is best for creators who like courses, podcasts, coaching, and e-books.

#3 Mighty Networks 

Mighty Networks is a well-known solution for many online creators. It is a unique platform that combines online courses and community under one umbrella. Unlike the community Kajabi has, Mighty Network gives you full control over your community. You can create a space for each course where you engage with the audience. 

Features

What can you do with Mighty Networks? Take a look at the main features it has. 

• Simple and easy course builder. (Compared to the other available platforms, Mighty’s course builder is not advanced).
• Ability to sell courses and memberships in a shared community 
• Drip content scheduling options so you have more control over when each piece becomes available for the students. 
• Student discussions inside the platform using the “Activity Feed” feature. It is one of the unique Mighty features. 
• Reporting and analytical tools to help you gain a deep understanding of your sales and student activity.
• Live streaming and automation save you more time for creation. 

MightyNetworks integrates well with ThriveCart, HubSpot, WordPress, and 1000s more apps 7 tools. 

Pricing

Regarding pricing, Mighty Networks is not one of the affordable options. You can start with one of the three plans Mighty offers. You can also choose to pay monthly or yearly. So, the main plans include:

• Community, for beginners - $33 per month
• Business for coaches and course creators - $99 per month
• Mighty Pro, intended for brands - to get detailed information about the price, you will need to contact their team. 

Rating 

Besides helpful features, Mighty Networks also has good ratings. Users left their reviews about Mighty Networks in the following way:

• Captera- 4.6 stars
• Trustpilot- 3.9 stars
• G2 - 4.5 stars

Mighty Networks has 4.6 stars from 5 on Capterra. We are going to read its reviews.  
Mighty Networks is a valuable app for connecting with people in a community. It provides a focused group environment where information can be easily shared among community members. Users appreciate the ability to post, share ideas, and engage in discussions. While the interface may not be the easiest to use compared to other platforms, it is still functional. 

• Mighty Networks is useful for connecting with community members.
• Facilitates sharing of information among community members.
• Allows posting, sharing ideas, and commenting.
• The interface may not be the most user-friendly compared to other platforms.

Now, let’s read Mighty Networks' reviews on Trustpilot. This LMS software has 3.9 stars on Trustpilot. 

Mighty Networks offers numerous options that make it an excellent membership platform. The support staff is responsive, typically addressing questions or issues.

• Mighty Networks provides a range of options for a great membership platform.
• The support staff is prompt in addressing inquiries or providing assistance.

Pros 

The Pros of Mighty Networks making it a good alternative to Podia are the following:

• Great tools for those who like building strong communities
• Features for Livestream events
• Has a mobile application for iOS and Android systems
• Unlimited members, hosts, and spaces

Cons 

• The available affiliate marketing tools are not in-platform. They are covered with a separate program called “Ambassador.” 
• The email marketing tools are limited.
• Keeps transaction fees even if you use a higher-priced plan. 

Best for 

Mighty Networks is best for online creators who prefer community-focused platforms. However, if you like advanced course creation tools, consider Uteach, Kajabi, and LearnWorlds. If you are on a budget, we still have four more platforms to consider. 

All in all, Mighty Networks can be a good option to consider when you are looking for Podia alternatives. 

#4 Gumroad 

The next one on our list of best Podia alternatives is Gumroad. What makes it unique is that Gumroad is an e-commerce platform specially designed for online creators. With the help of this platform, you can sell any type of content you can imagine. Whether it is books, courses, stories, memberships, tips, or emoji packs - everything you create will get you revenue. 

Features 

The main features that make Gumroad worth considering as a Podia alternative include the following: 

• A page editor to build a site and personalize it. If you already have your website, you can connect it to Gumroad and make it a custom domain.  
• Create memberships and subscriptions to offer flexible paying options for your customers.
• Offer digital products, eBooks, courses, digital downloads, and any type of content you prefer to sell. Multocontent opportunities create flexibility both for you and the students. 
• Copyright protection with the help of digital rights management system (DRM). 
• Automated workflows and email broadcasts to reach a wider audience. 
• Use discounts and coupons for the products to attract students. 

All the features seem to be wonderful. So let’s see what the pricing options have to say. 

Pricing

Unlike other platforms, Gumroad does not have fixed pricing plans. Instead of charging monthly or annually, it keeps 10% of each of your sales.  This is a great opportunity for especially beginner creators. You will not have to pay for a subscription when you don’t make sales. 

Rating 

Many users have already rated Gumroad on some of the most credible review platforms. We hope the rating results will contribute to your best choice. 

• 172 reviews and 1.6 stars on Trustpilot
• 14 reviews and 4.4 stars on G2

 Gumroad doesn’t have any reviews on Capterra. But it has 1.6 stars on Trustpilot. We are going to explore its reviews.

Gumroad is highly appreciated as a free, open-source platform for selling valuable work. However, there are concerns regarding the uploader, as it often doesn't work properly and results in slow upload times. Assistance is needed to address this issue.

• Gumroad is praised for being a free, open-source platform.
• Concerns are raised about the uploader's functionality and slow upload times.

Pros 

What are the advantages of using Gumroad as a Podia alternative? 

• Lots of flexibility in the type of content you sell: courses, tips, books, emojis, etc.
• User-friendly administrator dashboard. You will not rack your brain trying to figure out where you should create and how you should publish. 
• You can see where the sales were made - from your website, Google, email, etc.
• Responsive and active support team.  

Cons 

As with any other platform, Gumroad also has certain disadvantages. 

• As you make more sales, you will have to pay a larger amount of money to the platform (that is, 10% of each sale).
• You will compete with creators who offer various types of content. Thus, it can be difficult to find an audience and stay in competition. 

Best for 

Gumroads is best for creators who like offering diverse content, from courses to emoji packs. However, if you prefer more advanced and customizable website-building options, it will be better to consider Uteach, Kajabi, or Mighty Networks. All in all, Gumroad is an excellent option for beginner online creators who haven’t decided on what they want to offer or do not have huge sales yet. 

#5 Kartra 

Kartra is an all-in-one cloud-based marketing platform. It has a wide range of features connected with marketing and building sales funnels. Here you can offer online courses, send automated emails, create affiliate programs and manage everything connected with your business. 

Features 

How can Kartra help you when it comes to the online teaching business? Let’s find out by analyzing its main features. 

• Drag-and-drop page builder with various mobile-friendly templates.
• Opportunities to organize your leads and customers into groups and manage your customer database easily.
• Tools to create sales funnels and successful campaigns that convert prospects into customers.
• Creation of forms and quizzes to better understand your students’ needs & wants.
• Opportunities to schedule sessions and mark them on your calendar
• Integrations with Stripe, PayPal, Zapier, Zoom, and many other tools to make the management process easier.
• Creation of automated emails and email campaigns to reach a wider audience. 

Pricing

Kartra offers 4 main plans with the option to pay monthly or annually. The pricing includes:

• Starter- $99/month
• Silver - $199/month
• Gold - $299/month
• Platinum- $499/month

The pricing options are flexible, however, they are also expensive. 

Rating  

Sometimes ratings by other users play an important part while choosing a platform. So, it will be great to consider what other users say about Kartra. 

It has an average of 4.5 stars on Capterra. Here you can read its reviews.

One of the users says: “Kartra has been instrumental in streamlining my coaching business, allowing me to manage everything on one platform. It empowers me to operate a successful business and present a professional image.”

Key Points from the Review:

• Kartra has helped streamline the coaching business into a manageable platform.
• Enables running a successful business single-handedly.

Kartra has 2.8 stars on Trustpilot. Now we are going to read its reviews.

Kartra offers a solid membership platform and provides prompt and helpful customer service. The platform excels in automating email campaigns and overall online business management.

• Kartra has a robust membership platform.
• Customer service is prompt and helpful.

Pros  

Why is it a good idea to use Kartra as a Podia alternative? 

• Lots of built-in marketing tools, so you will not need integrations
• Advanced sales funnel builder 
• Flexible and easy-to-use tools for converting prospects into clients
• Has excellent analytics and report tools. 

Cons 

• The marketing and management tools are advanced, so they can be hard to use for beginners.
• If you plan to offer courses, coaching sessions, or products, non-marketing-related tools are limited. 
• It is not user-friendly.
• The pages are slow-loading. 

Best for 

Taking all the features and opportunities into account we can conclude that Kartra is a nice option for online creators who look for advanced marketing features in a platform. However, you can consider other platforms when planning to focus on products, coaching & live sessions, courses, and the like. 

#6 LearnWorlds 

Another platform you can consider when looking for Podia alternatives is LearnWorlds. It is an easy-to-use platform trusted by many course creators. With LearnWorlds, you can build your customizable teaching website with your desired templates and offer courses.  

Features 

The primary features helping you generate an increasing income are the following:

• Website builder with full white-labeling solutions
• Interactive video courses with synchronized transcripts and element to make the video content even more engaging. 
• Email marketing built-in funnels for your campaigns
• Various payment gateways; make purchasing your digital products widely available 
• Built-in marketing tools, plus integrations such as GoogleAnalytics, and Facebook Pixel to expand your reach
• Advanced analytics reporting tools for sales and student insights
• White-label mobile app solution for course creators

Pricing

The pricing plans LearnWorlds offers are simple and not so flexible. You have three options to choose from:

• Starter- $24 per month (+$5 per course sale)
• ProTrainer- $79 per month
• Learning center- $249 per month
• High Volume & Corporate - you will need to contact their sales team for the price. 

You can start with a free trial or choose to pay monthly or annually. 

Rating 

For most people, ratings are a good indicator when it comes to making a choice. So it’s a good idea to look through LearnWorlds ratings on review platforms. 

4.1 stars on Trustpilot

4.5 stars on G2

4.7 stars on Capterra 

LearnWorlds is a platform that enables you to set up your online course website quickly and effortlessly. You can start selling your courses within 24 hours, making it a perfect package for creating a Learning Academy with abundant resources for success. However, the platform can be expensive.

• Easy and quick setup of online course websites.
• Rapid start to selling courses within 24 hours.
• The abundance of resources for creating a Learning Academy.
• It is expensive.
• Switched from Podia.

LearnWorlds has 3.6 stars on Trustpilot. We are going to read users' reviews about LearnWorlds.

LearnWorlds is the perfect solution for hosting and marketing online courses. With affordable pricing starting at $29 per month. It offers all the necessary features and a great platform for course hosting. You can also provide marketing incentives to attract learners.

• Affordable pricing starting at $29 per month
• Great platform for hosting courses
• Includes marketing incentives

Pros  

What is good about LearnWorlds? 

• Keeps no transaction fees. 
• Opportunities to add custom branding.
• Has interactive video editing tools.
• The learning curve is easy.
• You will not have to waste much time on post-production. 

Cons 

The Pros look quite promising. What about the Cons?

• Pricing plans are too expensive; you can have the low-end tier. However, you’ll be left with few features and a $5 fee for every course sold.
• There is no free version available.
• The reporting and analytics features are not advanced.  

Best for 

If you are focused mainly on creating courses, LearnWorlds can be an excellent option for you to start. However, if you also want to offer podcasts, coaching, or other products, we recommend considering another platform. 

Having said that, you can choose LearnWorlds instead of Podia.  

#7 SamCart 

The final platform on our list that can be a great alternative to Podia is SamCart. It is an eCommerce platform offering everything for your online teaching business, from creation to monetization. You can sell eBooks, consulting, membership, coaching, and other products on SamCart. 

Features 

SamCart has a variety of exciting features to help you on your online creation and selling journey. 

• Multiple payment gateways to make your products accessible for customers to buy
• Drag and drop page builder with customization options
• Advanced reporting and analytical tools for getting business insights (sales, student activity, etc.)
• Calculators for sales tax & VAT support for customers in 30+ countries around the world
• Affiliate center to create affiliate programs and expand your network
• Ability to A/B test; find out what website visuals or texts work better for your business
• Customer management using their Customer Hub feature

Pricing

The pricing for SamCart works in the following manner. It offers three main plans plus a VIP plan. 

• Launch- $59 per month
• Grow- $119 per month
• Scale - $299 per month

As usual, you can choose to be charged monthly or annually. There is an option to start with a 7-day free trial. 

Rating 

SamCart has an average rating of 3.6 stars. How do we know this? Online review platforms will help to get insights in this regard. 

It has a rating of 2.2 stars on Trustpilot. Samcart has already earned 4.3 stars on G2. And it has a rating of 4.5 stars on Capterra. 

Let’s read its reviews:

SmartCart is a valuable tool for newcomers to the online course industry. With user-friendly features, including drag-and-drop customization, it offers a great visual experience. The training videos provided by SamCart are highly appreciated for their quality and informative content. 

• User-friendly with drag-and-drop customization
• Excellent training videos for learning
• Limited integration with Square or another point-of-sale system

One of the users says: "My experience with SmartCart was entirely positive. Their communication was easy and fast. Also, they promptly issued a refund when I requested it. As a newcomer, I initially had some skepticism but am now open to exploring their platform further for future cooperation and learning".

• Easy and fast communication
• Refund processed promptly
• Willingness to learn more and consider future cooperation

High rates come to prove once again, SamCarts can be a suitable alternative to Podia. 

Pros 

Besides ratings and features, let’s also look at the advantages SamCart offers. 

• It comes with upsell features, which help you get more money.
• The platform is easy to set up and beginner-friendly. 
• Does not keep any transaction fees. 
• Unlimited courses, products, and uploads. 

Cons 

• Some essential features are not available for the Launch plan.
• Not enough tools for analytics, marketing & email marketing.
• The features are simple and basic, making it a nice choice for beginners. 

Best for 

SamCart is best for coaches, course creators, consultants, and entrepreneurs who seek a simple and easy-to-use solution. It is a great opinion for beginners. However, you can consider other platforms for more advanced tools and opportunities. 

Most affordable 3 alternatives 

In case you are looking for the most affordable Podia alternatives, here is our list in a nutshell. 

• Uteach - $29/month, $79/month, $199/month
• Mighty Networks - $39/month, $119/month, to be decided
• Gumroad - 10% from each of your sales

Most feature-rich 3 alternatives 

To sum up our list of the 7 best Podia alternatives, we will also present the platforms that come with rich features. 

• Uteach - $29/month, $79/month, $199/month
• LearnWorlds - $79 per month, $249 per month, to be decided
• Kajabi- $149/month, $199/month, $399/month

The best Podia all-in-one alternative for you 

If you're looking for a robust platform specifically designed for online course creators and entrepreneurs, Uteach stands out as an excellent alternative to Podia. With its comprehensive features and user-friendly interface, it provides a seamless experience for both you and your learners alike.

It will be interesting to note that Uteach provides customization options. This means you can build your strong brand and present your unique style apart from engaging courses. 

You will have limitless opportunities to create live & coaching sessions, courses, products, and more. So, do not lose your chance to try Uteach for free. 

Start for FREE