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LMS · head to head

LearnUpon vs Podia

LearnUpon logo

LearnUpon

LMS

Multi-portal learning management for training employees, customers and partners from one instance

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Podia logo

Podia

LMS

Sell online courses, memberships, and digital downloads

From
$42/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: LearnUpon pricing counts registered users, so a partner or customer audience with many dormant accounts pays full price for people who log in once a year, and the finance case degrades as the population grows.; Podia mover tier charges 5% transaction fees on all sales; higher tiers offer fee-free processing
  • They diverge on capability: LearnUpon covers Multiple portals, Podia covers Course hosting.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which LearnUpon and Podia actually diverge.

Attributes where LearnUpon and Podia differ
AttributeLearnUponPodia
Starting priceOn request$42/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb
FoundedUnknown2014

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (LMS).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in LearnUpon

  • Multiple portals
  • Central course library
  • Compliance and recertification
  • Learning paths
  • Ecommerce
  • SCORM and xAPI support

Only in Podia

  • Course hosting
  • Digital downloads
  • Memberships
  • Email marketing
  • Webinars
  • Community
  • Affiliate marketing
  • Custom website

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

LearnUpon

  • A software company that must train staff, certify customers and enable resellers without three separate systemsnot Podia
  • Compliance training where the auditor asks for a dated completion record per named employeenot Podia
  • Selling certification courses to customers as a revenue line rather than a cost centrenot Podia
  • Franchise or dealer networks needing separately branded portals under central content controlnot Podia

Podia

  • Content creators selling digital courses with email marketing integrationnot LearnUpon
  • Coaching businesses managing memberships and community spacesnot LearnUpon
  • Newsletter publishers monetising subscriber base with events and digital productsnot LearnUpon

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

LearnUpon

  • Pricing counts registered users, so a partner or customer audience with many dormant accounts pays full price for people who log in once a year, and the finance case degrades as the population grows.
  • The multi-portal design carries administration overhead that a single audience organisation pays for without benefit.
  • Reporting is adequate for completion and compliance and thin for measuring whether training changed behaviour, so organisations needing that add a separate analytics layer.
  • Content authoring is not included at the depth of a dedicated authoring tool, so most customers also licence something like an authoring suite and manage two vendors.
  • Complex competency frameworks, multi year programme structures and academic style progression are not modelled well, which limits it in regulated professions with formal qualification pathways.

Podia

  • Mover tier charges 5% transaction fees on all sales; higher tiers offer fee-free processing
  • Mover plan capped at 50 products maximum; Shaker at 150 products; only Earthquaker offers unlimited
  • Video storage limited by plan: 500 videos (Mover), 1,000 (Shaker), unlimited (Earthquaker)
  • Email subscriber limits tiered: 100 (Mover), 500 (Shaker), 1,000 (Earthquaker); overage model not stated
  • Annual billing required for all plans with 72-hour refund window; partial refunds excluded

Pricing, plan by plan

LearnUpon

On request
  • LearnUpon$undefined/year
    • Quoted by registered user tier and number of portals
    • Annual contracts
    • Not comparable with per active user or per course competitors without modelling

Podia

$42/month
  • Mover$42/month
    • Up to 100 email subscribers
    • 5% transaction fees
    • 50 products
  • Shaker$84/month
    • Up to 500 email subscribers
    • No Podia fees
    • 150 products
  • Earthquaker$150/month
    • Up to 1,000 email subscribers
    • No Podia fees
    • Unlimited products

Which should you pick?

Choose LearnUpon if

  • You need multiple portals.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want central course library.
LearnUpon review

Choose Podia if

  • You need course hosting.
  • You also want digital downloads.
Podia review

Questions people ask

Is LearnUpon or Podia better?
Neither clearly leads. LearnUpon starts at On request and Podia at $42/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, LearnUpon or Podia?
LearnUpon starts at On request and Podia at $42/month.
Does LearnUpon or Podia run on more platforms?
LearnUpon runs on Web, iOS, Android. Podia runs on Web.
What is LearnUpon best used for?
LearnUpon is most often used for a software company that must train staff, certify customers and enable resellers without three separate systems, compliance training where the auditor asks for a dated completion record per named employee, selling certification courses to customers as a revenue line rather than a cost centre, franchise or dealer networks needing separately branded portals under central content control. Of those, a software company that must train staff, certify customers and enable resellers without three separate systems and compliance training where the auditor asks for a dated completion record per named employee are not what Podia is typically brought in for.
What can LearnUpon do that Podia cannot?
LearnUpon covers Multiple portals, Central course library, Compliance and recertification, Learning paths. Podia covers Course hosting, Digital downloads, Memberships, Email marketing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

LearnUpon: How is LearnUpon priced?

By registered user tier and the number of portals, quoted rather than published. That unit is not comparable with per active user or per course pricing, so model your own population before comparing quotes.

Podia: How much does Podia cost?

Podia offers three plans: Mover at $42/month, Shaker at $84/month, and Earthquaker at $150/month. All plans include a 30-day free trial and can be billed monthly or annually with cost savings on annual billing.

Source
LearnUpon: Can customers and employees be kept separate?

Yes, that is the main design point. Separate portals have their own branding, administrators and catalogues, while sharing courses from one library.

Podia: Does Podia charge transaction fees?

Yes, the Mover plan charges 5% Podia transaction fees. Higher tiers (Shaker and Earthquaker) include no Podia fees. However, all plans are subject to payment processor fees of 2.9% + 30 cents per transaction.

Source
LearnUpon: Does it handle recurring compliance training?

Yes. Recertification cycles, automatic reassignment and per user dated completion records are built in and are a common reason for purchase.

Podia: Is there a free trial for Podia?

Yes, Podia offers a 30-day free trial. No credit card is required to start the trial, allowing you to explore all features before deciding on a plan.

Source
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