Plans, fees and email limits
Prices from the vendors' pricing pages on 30 October 2026, in US dollars. systeme.io advertises annual billing as two months free but does not print annual prices in the page text, so its monthly prices are shown. [1][2]
| Plan | Price | Platform transaction fee | Email included | Products or courses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| systeme.io Free | $0 | 0% | 2,000 contacts, unlimited emails | 1 course |
| systeme.io Startup | $17/mo | 0% | 5,000 contacts | 5 courses |
| systeme.io Webinar | $47/mo | 0% | 10,000 contacts | 20 courses |
| Podia Mover | $49/mo, or $42/mo billed annually ($504) | 5% | 100 subscribers | 50 products |
| Podia Shaker | $99/mo, or $84/mo billed annually ($1,008) | None | 500 subscribers | 150 products |
| Podia Earthquaker | $179/mo, or $150/mo billed annually ($1,800) | None | 1,000 subscribers | Unlimited products |
How each counts your email list
systeme.io limits contacts per plan and lists unlimited emailing on all plans. Exceeding the contact limit triggers its restriction process, and the Free plan also stops new sales at $10,000 in lifetime revenue. [1][5]
Podia counts active email subscribers, not contacts; people marked Not subscribed or Unconfirmed do not count. If you go over, broadcasts and campaigns are disabled until you upgrade the subscriber tier or remove subscribers. Podia's pricing data lists subscriber add-ons on every plan, for example 2,500 subscribers for $28 a month, or $22 a month billed annually. Podia says it does not auto-upgrade you. [2][3][4]
Worked example: 2,000 contacts, one course, one year
Assumptions: 2,000 email subscribers, one $149 course, 40 sales in the year ($5,960 gross), US cards through Stripe at 2.9% + 30 cents, which is $184.84 on these sales. Card fees apply on both platforms; Podia lists the same 2.9% + 30 cents processor rate. [2][6]
systeme.io Free fits at exactly 2,000 contacts, but any new signup pushes the list over the limit, so budget for Startup once the list grows. Podia needs the 2,500-subscriber tier at this list size.
| Setup | Platform, 1 year | Podia 5% fee | Card fees | Kept from $5,960 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| systeme.io Free | $0 | Not applicable | $184.84 | $5,775.16 |
| systeme.io Startup, monthly | $204 | Not applicable | $184.84 | $5,571.16 |
| Podia Mover + 2,500 subs, annual | $768 | $298.00 | $184.84 | $4,709.16 |
| Podia Shaker + 2,500 subs, annual | $1,272 | None | $184.84 | $4,503.16 |
| Podia Mover + 2,500 subs, monthly | $924 | $298.00 | $184.84 | $4,553.16 |
When Podia Shaker beats Mover
Shaker costs $504 a year more than Mover on annual billing and removes the 5% fee. The fee equals $504 at $10,080 in yearly sales, so below about $10,000 a year Mover is cheaper, and above it Shaker is. Shaker also adds affiliate marketing, upsells, PayPal and Zapier, which the pricing page does not list on Mover. [2]
On systeme.io the decision point is different: the Free plan stops new sales at $10,000 lifetime, with a warning banner at $8,000, so plan the move to Startup before a launch rather than during it. [5]
Feature differences that matter for a course
- Affiliate program: systeme.io lists it on all plans including Free; Podia lists affiliate marketing from Shaker. [1][2]
- Community: Podia includes community spaces on every plan (25, 100 or unlimited). [3]
- Funnels: systeme.io limits sales funnels per plan (3, 10, 50 or unlimited). [1]
- Trial: Podia offers a 14-day trial without a card; systeme.io has a permanent free plan. [1][2]
- Custom domain: Podia includes it on all plans; systeme.io Free includes 1. [1][2]
- Sales tax handling and 20+ currencies are listed on every Podia plan. [2]
Who fits each
This guide is based on vendor pages read on 30 October 2026, not on running either account. Recheck prices before buying.
- systeme.io: you want funnels, email and one course for little or no fixed cost, and your list is in the low thousands.
- Podia Mover: a small list (100 subscribers or a paid add-on) and you value Podia's storefront, coaching and community over funnels.
- Podia Shaker: yearly sales above about $10,000, or you need affiliates, upsells or PayPal on Podia.
- Skip systeme.io Free if you expect to pass $10,000 in sales soon; skip Podia if a 2,000-plus list makes the add-on cost outweigh what you use.
Questions before you decide
Does Podia charge a transaction fee?
Podia lists a 5% transaction fee on Mover and none on Shaker or Earthquaker. Stripe or PayPal processing, listed at 2.9% + 30 cents, applies on top.
How many email subscribers does Podia include?
100 on Mover, 500 on Shaker and 1,000 on Earthquaker. Larger lists need a subscriber add-on, such as 2,500 subscribers for $22 a month billed annually.
Is systeme.io free for 2,000 contacts?
Yes, the Free plan allows 2,000 contacts and 1 course, with unlimited emails. It stops accepting new sales after $10,000 in lifetime revenue.
Which is cheaper for one course?
In our example with 2,000 subscribers and $5,960 in sales, systeme.io Free kept $5,775 and Podia Mover with the subscriber add-on kept $4,709 after a year.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- systeme.io pricing and plan FAQ Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Podia pricing Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Podia help: Understanding Podia plan limits Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Podia help: Podia Email FAQs Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- systeme.io help: How systeme.io subscription plans are moderated Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Stripe pricing Accessed 30 Oct 2026
Sources link directly to providers. Product buttons may use separately labeled affiliate links. Read our disclosure.