Thinkific vs Podia, and a third option.
Thinkific is a platform for online courses, communities and memberships. Podia is an all-in-one platform for courses, downloads, coaching and community. Here they are on price, fees and features, with Sherpo next to them.
- Thinkific and Podia, side by side
- A year of platform cost
- Sherpo as a third option
- 0% of your sales on Sherpo
- Thinkific Basic$648 a year
- Podia Mover$2,088 a year
- Sherpo Pro$588 a year
- Sherpo Lite$228 a year
Paid through Stripe, Thinkific Basic’s 5% fee adds $1,500, for $2,148 a year.
Thinkific Basic is $54 a month and takes 0% with Thinkific Payments, 5% through Stripe. Podia Mover is $49 a month and charges 5% of sales. For a business earning $2,500 a month in $50 orders, Thinkific Basic costs $648 a year and Podia Mover costs $2,088. Sherpo is a flat $19 or $49 a month and takes 0% of sales.
- Thinkific Basic
- $54 a month, 0% with Thinkific Payments, 5% through Stripe
- Podia Mover
- $49 a month, 5% of sales
- Sherpo
- From $19 a month, 0% of sales
- At $2,500 a month
- $648 and $2,088 a year
Thinkific, Podia and Sherpo, side by side.
Each platform’s entry plan. Features that need a higher plan or another tool are marked.
| Feature | Thinkific | Podia | Sherpo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry price | $54 a month | $49 a month | Lite $19 · Pro $49 |
| Fees on your sales | 0% with Thinkific Payments, 5% through Stripe | 5% of your sales | 0% of your sales |
| Your brand | |||
| Your own domain | Included | Included | IncludedPro |
| White-label | LimitedOn Thinkific Grow and up | LimitedPartly, login and receipts stay branded | IncludedPro |
| Site builder | Included | Included | Included |
| Export your customer list | Included | Included | Included |
| What you can sell | |||
| Online courses | Included | Included | Included |
| Quizzes | Included | Included | IncludedPro |
| Certificates | LimitedOn Thinkific Start and up | Included | IncludedPro |
| Blog with a paywall | Not offered | Not offered | Included |
| Files and downloads | Included5 on Basic | Included | Included |
| Downloads tied to the buyer | Not offered | Not offered | IncludedPDF and XLSX |
| Live portfolio | Not offered | Not offered | Included |
| Coaching and booking | IncludedWith Calendly | IncludedWith Calendly and others | IncludedWith Cal.com |
| Tips | Not offered | LimitedThrough a PayPal link | Included |
| Buyers’ AI access to every product (MCP) | Not offered | Not offered | Included |
| How you sell | |||
| Membership tiers | LimitedOn Thinkific Start and up | Included | Included |
| Bundles | LimitedOn Thinkific Start and up | Included | Included |
| Coupons | Included | Included | Included |
| Affiliates with commission | IncludedPayouts made outside Thinkific | LimitedOn Podia Shaker and up | Included |
| Built in | |||
| Video hosting | Included100 GB a month on Basic | Included500 videos on Mover | IncludedNo bandwidth fees |
| AI subtitles | LimitedThinkific Plus only | Not offered | IncludedOn Sherpo Pro |
| For developers and AI | |||
| API for your own front-end | LimitedGrow and up, read-only | Not offered | IncludedYour own codebase, on Pro |
| Webhooks | LimitedOn Thinkific Grow and up | LimitedThrough Zapier, on Podia Shaker and up | IncludedEvery plan |
| Run your store from your AI | LimitedThinkific Plus only, read-only | Included | IncludedEvery plan |
| Included | 10 of 23plus 8 with a limit | 13 of 23plus 4 with a limit | 23 of 23 |
- Included
- Included with a limit, or through another tool
- Not offered
A year on Thinkific, on Podia, and on Sherpo.
For a business earning $2,500 a month in $50 orders, Thinkific Basic costs $648 a year and Podia Mover costs $2,088. Sherpo Pro costs $588 and Sherpo Lite $228.
The Thinkific figure is $54 a month for Thinkific Basic, with sales through Thinkific Payments. The Podia figure is $49 a month for Podia Mover, plus 5% of sales. Card processing is charged by the payment provider on all three. Sherpo prices here are billed monthly. Competitor prices are from each platform’s own pages and published price trackers, checked in October 2026.
Put in your own numbers| Thinkific Basic | Podia Mover | Sherpo Lite | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price a month | $54 | $49 | $19 |
| Transaction fee | 0% | 5% | 0% |
| Plan price a year | $648 | $588 | $228 |
| Fees on $30,000 of sales | $0 | $1,500 | $0 |
| Total a year | $648 | $2,088 | $228 |
| Difference | Sherpo Lite costs $420 less | ||
What each is known for, and where Sherpo fits.
Thinkific is known for its course builder, with assignments and drip scheduling, and Thinkific Plus for business training. Podia is known for keeping a website, email marketing and its products in one subscription. Sherpo is the option for selling under your own brand, at a flat price.
One flat price
Sherpo is $19 or $49 a month and takes 0% of your sales, whatever you sell.
Your brand, your domain
On Pro your site runs on your own domain, with no Sherpo branding.
Every format in one account
Courses, paid blogs, files, live portfolios and memberships, with one login and one customer list.
Switching from Thinkific or Podia?
Contact us and tell us what you are moving. Our team handles the move with you, content and customers included.
Thinkific vs Podia: common questions.
Still curious? Talk to us
What is the difference between Thinkific and Podia?
Thinkific is a platform for online courses, communities and memberships. It is known for its course builder, with assignments and drip scheduling, and for Thinkific Plus, its business training offer. Podia is an all-in-one platform for courses, downloads, coaching and community. It is known for keeping a website, email marketing and its products in one subscription.
Which is cheaper, Thinkific or Podia?
With Thinkific Payments, at $2,500 a month, Thinkific Basic is the cheaper of the two. For a business earning $2,500 a month in $50 orders, Thinkific Basic costs $648 a year and Podia Mover costs $2,088. Sherpo Lite costs less than both: $228 a year. Paid through Stripe, Thinkific Basic’s 5% fee adds $1,500, for $2,148 a year.
Does Thinkific take a cut of sales?
On Thinkific Basic with Thinkific Payments, no. Where Thinkific Payments is offered, using Stripe adds a Thinkific fee: 5% of every sale on Basic, 2% on Start and 1% on Grow. That fee comes on top of the processor’s own card fees. Sherpo takes 0% on every plan.
Does Podia take a cut of sales?
Podia charges 5% of sales on its entry plan, Podia Mover. Card processing is charged separately by the payment provider. Sherpo takes 0% on every plan.
Can I use my own domain on Thinkific, Podia and Sherpo?
On Sherpo Pro, your site runs on your own domain, with no Sherpo branding. Thinkific and Podia also support custom domains.
Can AI run my store on Thinkific, Podia or Sherpo?
On Sherpo, yes: the Merchant MCP is on every plan, so Claude and other assistants can create products, prices and coupons in your account. Podia also has an MCP server. Thinkific has a read-only MCP server, on Thinkific Plus only.
Is there an alternative to Thinkific and Podia?
Yes, Sherpo. It charges a flat $19 or $49 a month and takes 0% of sales. It sells courses, paid blogs, files, live portfolios and memberships from one account. On Pro, it runs under your own brand and domain.
What does Sherpo offer that Thinkific and Podia do not?
Neither Thinkific nor Podia offers a blog with a paywall, downloads tied to the buyer, live portfolios or buyers’ AI access to every product through MCP. Sherpo includes them.
Can I switch from Thinkific or Podia to Sherpo?
Yes. Contact us and tell us what you are moving. Our team handles the move with you, content and customers included.
Can I try Sherpo before I leave Thinkific or Podia?
Yes. Lite and Pro start with a 14-day free trial, and your Sherpo site can stay offline until you launch. You can set everything up while your current account keeps running.
See what you would keep.
Start your free trial, or put your own numbers into the fee calculator.
- 14-day free trial
- Sherpo takes 0% of your sales
- Help moving over