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LMS · head to head

LearnWorlds vs Podia

LearnWorlds logo

LearnWorlds

LMS

Create and sell online courses with interactive experiences

From
Free
Rated
-
Podia logo

Podia

LMS

Sell online courses, memberships, and digital downloads

From
$42/month
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only LearnWorlds has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: LearnWorlds the $24 Starter plan charges $5 for every paid enrollment, so selling a cheap course can cost more in fees than the plan; Podia mover tier charges 5% transaction fees on all sales; higher tiers offer fee-free processing
  • They diverge on capability: LearnWorlds covers Course builder, Podia covers Course hosting.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which LearnWorlds and Podia actually diverge.

Attributes where LearnWorlds and Podia differ
AttributeLearnWorldsPodia
Starting priceFree$42/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, IOS, AndroidWeb

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), category (LMS), founded (2014).

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 LearnWorlds

  • Course builder
  • Interactive video
  • Website builder
  • Certificates
  • Assessments
  • Mobile app
  • Analytics
  • HubSpot

Only in Podia

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

Both cover

  • Community
  • Zapier
  • Mailchimp
  • Google Analytics
  • Stripe
  • PayPal
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

LearnWorlds

  • Online course platformnot Podia
  • Employee trainingnot Podia
  • Corporate learning managementnot Podia

Podia

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

Where each one falls short

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

LearnWorlds

  • The $24 Starter plan charges $5 for every paid enrollment, so selling a cheap course can cost more in fees than the plan
  • Escaping the enrollment fee requires the $79 Pro Trainer plan
  • Active learners are capped monthly, at 1,000 on Starter and 2,000 on both Pro Trainer and Learning Center
  • The $249 Learning Center plan allows no more learners than the $79 plan, differing on admins and AI credits instead
  • Admin seats are rationed at 1, 5 and 25
  • AI credits are metered monthly at 300, 500 and 1,000

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

LearnWorlds

Free
  • Starter$24/month
    • 1,000 active learners/month
    • 1 admin
    • 300 AI credits/month
  • Pro Trainer$79/month
    • 2,000 active learners/month
    • 5 admins
    • 500 AI credits/month
  • Learning Center$249/month
    • 2,000 active learners/month
    • 25 admins
    • 1,000 AI credits/month
  • Corporate$null/mo
    • Custom active learners/month
    • Custom admins
    • Dedicated success manager

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 LearnWorlds if

  • You need course builder.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want interactive video.

Choose Podia if

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

Questions people ask

Is LearnWorlds or Podia better?
Neither clearly leads. LearnWorlds starts at Free and Podia at $42/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, LearnWorlds or Podia?
LearnWorlds has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for LearnWorlds and $42/month for Podia.
Does LearnWorlds or Podia run on more platforms?
LearnWorlds runs on Web, IOS, Android. Podia runs on Web.
Can I use LearnWorlds for free?
Yes. LearnWorlds has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Podia starts at $42/month.
What is LearnWorlds best used for?
LearnWorlds is most often used for online course platform, employee training, corporate learning management. Of those, online course platform and employee training are not what Podia is typically brought in for.
What can LearnWorlds do that Podia cannot?
LearnWorlds covers Course builder, Interactive video, Website builder, Certificates. Podia covers Course hosting, Digital downloads, Memberships, Email marketing. Both handle Community, Zapier, Mailchimp, Google Analytics.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

LearnWorlds: How much does LearnWorlds cost?

LearnWorlds pricing starts at $24/month (annual) or $29/month (monthly) for Starter, $79/$99 for Pro Trainer, and $249/$299 for Learning Center. Corporate plans have custom pricing.

Source
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
LearnWorlds: Does LearnWorlds charge per student enrollment?

The Starter plan charges $5 per enrollment. Pro Trainer and higher tiers include unlimited enrollments with no per-enrollment fees.

Source
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
LearnWorlds: Does LearnWorlds offer a free trial?

Yes, LearnWorlds offers a 30-day free trial with access to core features and functionality. No credit card is required.

Source
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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