Podia vs Substack

Side-by-side comparison on fees, payouts, monetization, and audience ownership.

Podia
courses
Visit Podia →
Substack
newsletter
Visit Substack →
Platform fee
5% or 0% · of revenue depending on plan
10% · of revenue
Payout speed
instant
weekly
Minimum payout
Stripe default
$0 (Stripe)
Countries
Wherever Stripe or PayPal operate
Stripe-supported
Email list export
Full access (native email marketing included)
Full access
Custom domain
Yes (custom domain on paid plans)
Yes ($50 one-time)
Community features
Basic member-only community spaces on Shaker plan
Comments, paid Chat, DMs
Best for
Course creators and digital-product sellers who want email marketing bundled in
Newsletter writers, podcasters, established creators who want audience ownership

Podia vs Substack: which one wins?

Podia charges 5% or 0% (of revenue depending on plan) versus Substack at 10% (of revenue).

On payout speed, Podia pays instant while Substack pays weekly. For creators where cashflow matters, the faster cadence usually wins.

For audience ownership, Podia offers full access (native email marketing included) email export and Substack offers full access. Email portability matters most for creators planning to migrate later or build a list independent of any single platform.

Best for: Podia suits course creators and digital-product sellers who want email marketing bundled in. Substack fits newsletter writers, podcasters, established creators who want audience ownership.

See all Podia alternatives →See all Substack alternatives →