Comparison
Podium pricing: plan prices, published fees, and what to negotiate
Direct answer
As of October 2026, Podium's pricing page lists three plans: Core at $399 per month, Pro at $599 per month, and Signature at "Custom pricing." The page has no monthly or annual billing toggle, and it notes that pricing can vary by industry, partnerships, integrations, volume, and carrier fees, and that HVAC businesses should contact sales. Podium also publishes several add-on and usage fees: a $5 per month 10DLC texting fee for each US location, $5 per month for each extra phone number, Podium Phones seats at $30 per user per month (1-4 users) or $25 (5+ users), and a $500 network optimization fee per location for Phones. Per Podium's terms of service, the default contract is 12 months, paid annually in advance, and renews automatically unless you give at least 30 days' notice.
What Podium publishes and what it doesn't
All figures below are from Podium's pricing page or its legal terms, as of October 2026.
| Item | Core | Pro | Signature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base plan price | $399/month | $599/month | Custom pricing |
| Bulk message credits | 250 per month | 500 per month | Custom |
| Phone numbers included | 5 | 15 | Custom |
| Extra phone number | $5/month each | $5/month each | $5/month each |
| High-volume carrier-verified messaging | $15/month | Included | Custom |
| Podium Phones seats | $30/user/month (1-4 users), $25 (5+) | Same | Discounts available |
| 10DLC fee (US locations) | $5/month per location | Same | Same |
| Phones network optimization | $500 per location | Same | Same |
Contacts, one-to-one text messages, conversation history, call recordings, and team members are listed as unlimited on all three plans. The AI Employee is an add-on to any plan, and its price isn't published.
Podium's FAQ says the monthly cost "may vary depending on your specific business needs and operations," and the page says plan pricing may vary based on industry, partnerships, integrations, volume, and carrier fees. Treat the listed plan prices as a starting point and confirm the number on your order form.
Usage limits that can add overage charges
Podium's pricing FAQ lists "Scope of Use" limits. Usage past them is billed at Podium's then-current rates, which the page doesn't publish:
- Automations: 4,000 message segments per location per month, of which up to 1,000 can be MMS.
- Voice AI: 300 minutes per month.
- AI Messaging: 1,500 segments per month.
Bulk message credits work differently. Each plan includes a small monthly allocation, credits expire at the end of the month and don't roll over, and once you hit the limit you can't send more bulk messages until the next month unless you buy a bulk messages plan or add-on. The 10DLC fee covers 3 message segments per second and up to 2,000 T-Mobile messages per day per location.
What changes your Podium price
1. Plan tier. Core covers the inbox, review management with AI responses, and basic automations. Pro adds AI features such as AI Concierge and AI call summaries, lead routing, surveys, and lower payment processing fees. Signature adds AI Scheduler, AI Salesperson, AI Marketer, multi-location management, custom billing, and discounts on phones and hardware.
2. Number of locations. Several published fees are per location, including 10DLC, network optimization, and the automation segment allowance.
3. Phones. If you replace your phone system with Podium Phones, seats are priced per user per month, plus the per-location network optimization fee.
4. AI Employee and AI usage. The AI Employee is an add-on with no published price, and Voice AI and AI messaging have monthly allowances with overages.
5. Payments. Podium's plans mention lower processing fees on Pro and custom processing rates on Signature. We didn't find a current published rate card, so ask for processing rates in writing.
6. Industry and volume. The FAQ names industry, partnerships, integrations, volume, and carrier fees as pricing inputs.
Contract terms that affect total cost
From Podium's terms of service as of October 2026, unless your order says otherwise:
- Term: 12 months initially, renewing automatically for the same length.
- Notice: either side can stop renewal with written notice at least 30 days before the term ends.
- Billing: subscription fees are paid annually in advance. Usage fees are invoiced monthly in arrears, and overages are charged in arrears.
- Refunds: fees are non-refundable and non-creditable except in the cases the terms list. One-time fees paid before termination are non-refundable.
- Price changes: if fees are on your order, Podium can raise them with 45 days' written notice, effective at your next term. Published usage rates can change with 30 days' notice.
Agreeing to the order means agreeing to pay for the whole term, so read the order form before you sign.
A total cost example built from published fees
This example uses only prices Podium publishes. Take one US location on Core at the listed $399 per month that adds Podium Phones for 3 users and turns on high-volume messaging.
| Line item | Published rate | First-year cost |
|---|---|---|
| Core plan | $399/month | $4,788 |
| Phones seats, 3 users | $30/user/month | $1,080 |
| 10DLC fee | $5/month per location | $60 |
| High-volume carrier-verified messaging | $15/month on Core | $180 |
| Network optimization | $500 per location | $500 |
| Total, year one | $6,608 |
With 6 Phones users instead of 3, seats drop to $25 per user per month, or $1,800 a year, which brings the year-one total to $7,328. On Pro at $599 per month, high-volume messaging is included, so the same 3-user setup comes to $8,828 in year one. Add $60 a year for each extra phone number beyond those included (5 on Core, 15 on Pro), any AI Employee add-on, overages past the usage limits, and payment processing on money you collect through Podium.
How to negotiate a Podium quote
- Ask for every line item. Get the plan price as quoted for your industry, AI Employee price, phone seats, carrier fees, and payment processing rates on one page, so you can compare it with other options.
- Ask about overage rates. The usage limits are published but the overage rates are not. Get them in writing for Voice AI, AI messaging, and automations.
- Match the plan to the features you'll use. If you don't need AI lead routing or surveys, Core may be enough. Paying for Pro or Signature only makes sense if you'll use what they add.
- Negotiate the renewal. The terms allow fee increases at renewal with 45 days' notice. Ask for a cap or a multi-year price lock in the order form.
- Mark the 30-day notice date. Put it on your calendar the day you sign, since the contract renews for another full year otherwise.
- Question the network optimization fee if your network is already set up for internet phones, and ask what the $500 covers at your location.
Where TeamShift fits on cost
TeamShift doesn't replace Podium's live-conversation tools. It doesn't run webchat or a review widget, manage listings, or take payments or text-to-pay, and while its AI answers calls, it doesn't book on the call. The overlap is that our Customer success worker drafts review requests and reminders for your OK, and Support answers calls and drafts replies to customer email and missed-call texts for your approval.
The pricing model is different. Creating a TeamShift workspace is free. Work is billed by usage at 3x its compute cost, quoted with a maximum before each job starts. There are no seats, no subscription, no annual term, and you can set daily and monthly spend caps. Details are on the pricing page, and AI front desk cost vs hiring compares AI help with staff costs.
Who should pay for Podium
Podium is worth a look if most of your sales start as a text, call, or web chat, and you want reviews, webchat, phones, and payments from one vendor. Auto dealers, home services, med spas, and retailers are its core buyers. For the product evaluation, see our Podium review. If you're weighing it against a reputation-first platform, see Birdeye pricing.
FAQ
How much does Podium cost per month?
As of October 2026, Podium's pricing page lists Core at $399 per month and Pro at $599 per month, and Signature shows "Custom pricing." Pricing can vary by industry and volume. Published extras include $5 per month per US location for 10DLC, $5 per month per extra phone number, and Phones seats at $30 per user per month for 1-4 users.
Does Podium require a contract?
Yes, by default. Podium's terms set a 12-month initial term, paid annually in advance, that renews automatically unless either side gives written notice at least 30 days before it ends.
What is the Podium 10DLC fee?
It's a $5 per month fee per US location that covers carrier registration for business texting. Podium says it includes 3 message segments per second and up to 2,000 T-Mobile messages per day per location.
Do Podium bulk message credits roll over?
No. Credits expire at the end of each month. Core includes 250 a month, Pro 500, and Signature a custom amount, and you can buy more through a bulk messages add-on.
Is the Podium AI Employee included?
No. Podium lists the AI Employee as an add-on to any plan and doesn't publish its price. Usage limits apply to Voice AI minutes and AI messaging.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Podium?
It depends on what you use. If webchat, text-to-pay, and booking customers during a call are central, compare other messaging platforms. If your gap is follow-up and back-office work, TeamShift bills by usage with no subscription or contract.