Big Cartel vs Podia
A side-by-side look at Big Cartel and Podia. On our scoring, Podia comes out ahead — but the right pick depends on your priorities.
| Platform | PodiaCreator & digital | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| SellingScene score | 3.8/5 | 4.2/5 |
| User rating | 3.9 | 4.2 |
| Reviews | 690 | 760 |
| Pricing | ||
| Starting price | Free | Free |
| Pricing model | free up to 5 products + paid tiers | free plan + paid tiers |
| Transaction fees | 0% (processing applies) | 8% on free plan, 0% on paid plans |
| Hosting & setup | ||
| Hosting type | Fully hosted (SaaS) | Fully hosted (SaaS) |
| Free trial | Free plan available | Free plan available |
| Staff accounts | Single account | By plan |
| Product limit | 5 / 50 / 500 by plan | Unlimited |
| Payments & security | ||
| Payment gateways | Stripe, PayPal | Stripe, PayPal |
| SSL included | Yes | Yes |
| PCI compliant | Yes | Yes |
| Gift cards | No | No |
| Catalog & content | ||
| Themes / templates | Customizable themes | Customizable storefront |
| App marketplace | Limited integrations | Integrations & embeds |
| Multi-currency | No | No |
| Multi-language | No | No |
| POS included | No | No |
| Abandoned cart recovery | No | Yes |
| Built-in blog | No | Yes |
| Tools & flexibility | ||
| Drag-and-drop editor | No | Yes |
| API access | No | No |
| Mobile app | Yes | No |
| Support channels | Email & help center | Live chat & email |
| Actions | Read review | Read review |
Why pick Big Cartel?
Big Cartel is purpose-built for artists who want a clean, no-fuss shop without commerce overwhelm, and the free plan is genuinely useful. Its hard product limits and minimal features mean growing brands will outgrow it.
Best for: Artists and makers with small product counts
Read the full Big Cartel reviewWhy pick Podia?
Podia is an approachable all-in-one for creators who sell knowledge, combining courses, downloads, memberships, and email in one tidy dashboard. It is not the most powerful course tool, but its simplicity is the point.
Best for: Educators selling courses and memberships
Read the full Podia review