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LMS · head to head

Podia vs Seesaw

Podia logo

Podia

LMS

Sell online courses, memberships, and digital downloads

From
$42/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Seesaw logo

Seesaw

LMS

Student-driven digital portfolios and family communication

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Seesaw has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Podia mover tier charges 5% transaction fees on all sales; higher tiers offer fee-free processing; Seesaw seesaw Starter limited to 1 active class per teacher and 35 students maximum
  • They diverge on capability: Podia covers Course hosting, Seesaw covers Digital portfolios.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Podia and Seesaw actually diverge.

Attributes where Podia and Seesaw differ
AttributePodiaSeesaw
Starting price$42/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, IOS, Android, Chromebook
Founded20142013

Identical on both: 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 Podia

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

Only in Seesaw

  • Digital portfolios
  • Creative tools
  • Family messaging
  • Activity library
  • Assessment
  • Translation
  • Multimodal responses
  • Mobile apps

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Podia

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

Seesaw

  • Student portfoliosnot Podia
  • Family communicationnot Podia
  • Formative assessmentnot Podia
  • Student voicenot Podia

Where each one falls short

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

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

Seesaw

  • Seesaw Starter limited to 1 active class per teacher and 35 students maximum
  • Free tier only offers 35 activities and 5 multimedia items per post
  • No individual teacher subscriptions available; requires school or district purchase
  • Paid licenses start at $2,500 USD minimum per school or district

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Seesaw

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Digital portfolios
    • Family messaging
    • Basic activities
  • Seesaw Plus$12/month
    • All free features
    • Advanced activities
    • Skill-based learning
  • Seesaw for Schools$undefined/month
    • Admin tools
    • Analytics
    • SSO

Which should you pick?

Choose Podia if

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

Choose Seesaw if

  • You need digital portfolios.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android, Chromebook.
  • You also want creative tools.
Seesaw review

Questions people ask

Is Podia or Seesaw better?
Neither clearly leads. Podia starts at $42/month and Seesaw at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Podia or Seesaw?
Seesaw has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $42/month for Podia and Free for Seesaw.
Does Podia or Seesaw run on more platforms?
Podia runs on Web. Seesaw runs on Web, IOS, Android, Chromebook.
Can I use Seesaw for free?
Yes. Seesaw has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Podia starts at $42/month.
What is Podia best used for?
Podia is most often used for content creators selling digital courses with email marketing integration, coaching businesses managing memberships and community spaces, newsletter publishers monetising subscriber base with events and digital products. Of those, content creators selling digital courses with email marketing integration and coaching businesses managing memberships and community spaces are not what Seesaw is typically brought in for.
What can Podia do that Seesaw cannot?
Podia covers Course hosting, Digital downloads, Memberships, Email marketing. Seesaw covers Digital portfolios, Creative tools, Family messaging, Activity library. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Seesaw: Is Seesaw free to use?

Seesaw offers a free tier called Seesaw Starter. Effective June 30, 2026, Seesaw Starter is limited to 1 active class per teacher, 35 students maximum, 35 activities, and 5 multimedia items per post. Paid plans are available for schools and districts only.

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
Seesaw: What grade levels does Seesaw support?

Seesaw is designed for elementary education from pre-kindergarten through 6th grade. It serves as the only elementary Learning Experience Platform with award-winning tools for joyful, inclusive instruction.

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
Seesaw: What new features are coming to Seesaw in 2026?

As of June 30, 2026, Seesaw Starter users gain AI-powered tools with included credits, Student Highlights Folders, and Post Visibility Settings to control who can see sensitive student work.

Source
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