Podia competitor Kartra review
Updated September 30, 2026 · AcademyCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 30, 2026
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Our verdict
Kartra suits creators and small teams who run a paid course, host it in one place and commit to a full year of billing. The 30 days money-back period ranks at 3 of 159 brands rated, so buyers have room to judge the platform before settling on a plan.
Key facts
- Best for
- Creators and small teams selling courses who will pay yearly.
- Price from
- $52 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Price per month
- $59 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Price per year
- $52 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Free tier
- No (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Free trial length
- 14 days (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Money-back period
- 30 days (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Platform type
- Subscription (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Graded assessments
- Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Team plan
- Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Kartra Inc. (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Headquarters
- United States (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Support channels
- Chat, Help-centre, Community (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Official website
- kartra.com
Apps and profiles
- Elsewhere
- LinkedInXfacebook.com
Pros and cons
Pros
- Annual billing at $52 ranks at 8 of 78 brands rated, near the front of the yearly price field.
- The 30 days money-back period gives buyers room to change their mind after a first purchase.
- A 14-day free trial runs against a category median of 14 days, so the test period is not token.
- A team plan is available, so several people can work from the same account and content.
Cons
- There is no free tier, so a creator cannot host a course at no cost before committing.
- Support runs on chat, help centre and community, which leaves a phone line out of the mix for buyers who prefer to talk to someone.
- Kartra plans start at $52, above DRCertifications at $19.99 and Academy for Health and Fitness at £25.
- Monthly billing at $59 costs more than the annual $52, so short commitments pay extra.
Who it suits
- Course creators who host their own content and want assessments inside their own plan.
- Buyers who can commit to a full year, since annual Kartra plans run at $52.
- Teams that judge a platform during a trial, with 14 days to look before paying.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone who needs a free way in. Hotmart's entry price is $0, while Kartra charges from $52.
- Buyers after a single certification rather than a hosting platform: DRCertifications starts at $19.99 and Academy for Health and Fitness at £25 in the UK.
How it compares on our data
Kartra ranks at 8 of 78 brands on yearly price, close to the front of the field. Monthly price sits at 61 of 78, and the entry price at 114 of 220, so the annual route is the one that ranks well. The money-back window ranks at 3 of 159, and the free trial at 21 of 63.
Core features
Assessments are built in, so a course can carry graded checks without a separate testing product. A team plan is available for colleagues who need access to the same content. There is no free tier, so every plan is paid, but the 14-day free trial covers testing before a purchase, and the 30 days money-back period follows it.
Plans and prices
Kartra plans start at $52. On those same plans, annual billing is $52 and monthly billing is $59, so a full year is the cheaper commitment. Higher tiers sit above the entry figure. A buyer who starts on a trial and then stays month to month ends up on the monthly figure, the highest of those listed.
What you get free
There is no free tier at Kartra, so hosting a course costs money from the start. The 14-day free trial is the only no-cost window, and it gives room to build and test a course before paying. After a purchase, the 30 days money-back period is the fallback if the product does not fit.
The company behind it
Kartra is operated by Kartra Inc. from US, so contracts, invoices and tax treatment follow US practice. Support reaches buyers through chat, help centre and community, which covers chat, a help centre and a community. No phone line appears in that list, so buyers who want to talk do it in chat.
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Frequently asked questions
What does a Kartra plan cost to start and to keep?+
Kartra plans start at $52. On those same plans, annual billing is $52 and monthly billing is $59, so a full year is the cheaper commitment. Higher tiers sit above the entry figure, and a buyer who stays month to month ends up on the monthly figure, the highest of those listed.
Does Kartra have a free tier or a free trial?+
Kartra has no free tier, so hosting a course costs money from the start. The 14-day free trial is the way in: build a course, watch how it behaves with students, then decide on a paid plan. After a purchase, the 30 days money-back period is the fallback.
How long is the Kartra money-back window?+
The window is 30 days, which places Kartra at 3 of 159 brands rated. Across this category the usual range runs 10 days to 30 days, so Kartra sits at the upper end of what buyers in this field usually see.
Do Kartra plans include assessments and certificate charges?+
Assessments are included on Kartra plans, so graded checks are part of the course build rather than a separate purchase. Certificate fees across the platforms compared here sit at a median of €0, with an upper quartile of €15.10, so a buyer weighing certificate costs should set them beside the $52 hosting figure.
Can a team share a Kartra plan?+
A team plan is available, so several people can work from the same account. Because Kartra is a subscription, the team sits inside a shared billing relationship rather than a seat-by-seat purchase. Support for the whole group runs on chat, help centre and community, which covers chat, a help centre and a community.
Who runs Kartra and where is it based?+
Kartra is operated by Kartra Inc. with headquarters in the United States, so contracts, invoices and tax treatment follow US practice. That matters for buyers billing customers in other markets. Support reaches the same company through chat, help centre and community, with chat, a help centre and a community.
How does the Kartra price compare with cheaper course platforms?+
Kartra plans start at $52. DRCertifications lists $19.99 for its certifications, Academy for Health and Fitness starts at £25 in the UK, and Hotmart's entry price is $0. Each sits under the Kartra figure, though the products differ: certification courses or a marketplace against a hosting subscription.
What type of platform is Kartra?+
Kartra is a subscription, so the relationship is a recurring plan rather than a single course sale or a marketplace listing. Subscription setups account for 40.5% of this category, which puts Kartra with the most common group here, and the entry figure of $52 is a recurring cost.
Sources
- kartra.com checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Headquarters, Legal entity
“Las Vegas, Nevada 89119”
- kartra.com/feature/online-course-platform checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Free tier
“There is not a free plan.”
- kartra.com/kartra-14-days checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Free trial length
“Start your free 14-day trial.”
- kartra.com/plans-and-pricing checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Graded assessments, Money-back period, Platform type, Price from, Price per month, Price per year, Support channels, Team plan
“Surveys and Quizzes Gather insights with quizzes”
Compiled from 4 source pages, checked September 30, 2026. We did not open an account.
Related by the facts
Podia competitor Kartra
Creators and small teams selling courses who will pay yearly.