How to Migrate from Podia to Thinkific Easily in 2025

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Podia has built a strong reputation as a simple all-in-one platform for selling courses, memberships, and digital products. Its low cost and easy-to-use setup have made it especially attractive for beginner creators and small businesses.

But by 2025, many course creators are finding that Podia’s simplicity can also be limiting. If your business has grown, you may want more advanced learning features, deeper customization, or more robust analytics to track student progress. That’s where Thinkific comes in.

Thinkific has become one of the leading platforms for online course delivery, offering advanced learning tools, flexible customization, and strong integrations. If you’re ready to move from Podia to Thinkific, the process doesn’t have to be painful. With a step-by-step plan, you can migrate your content, students, and payments without losing momentum.

This guide will show you exactly how to migrate from Podia to Thinkific easily in 2025.

Why Creators Are Moving From Podia to Thinkific in 2025

Podia is still a fantastic entry-level option, but it’s not always the best choice once your business matures. Here are some of the most common reasons creators are making the switch:

  • More Advanced Course Features
    Podia keeps things simple, but that means limited assessment options, no certificates, and fewer ways to track learner engagement. Thinkific offers quizzes, assignments, certificates of completion, and detailed student analytics.
  • Greater Customization
    Podia offers clean templates but limited design flexibility. With Thinkific, you can create fully branded schools with custom domains, themes, and layouts.
  • Scalability
    If you’re running multiple courses or building a large academy, Thinkific handles scaling more smoothly than Podia.
  • Better Analytics
    Podia provides basic sales and engagement metrics. Thinkific goes deeper with student progress tracking, completion rates, and revenue breakdowns.
  • Third-Party Integrations
    Podia’s all-in-one model limits integration flexibility. Thinkific plays well with tools like Zapier, ConvertKit, Mailchimp, and CRMs, giving you more control over your tech stack.

In short: Podia is great when you’re starting out, but Thinkific gives you the room to grow.

Step-by-Step Podia to Thinkific Migration Plan

Migrating between platforms can feel overwhelming, but breaking it down into a clear process makes it much more manageable. Here’s how to do it.

Step 1: Audit Your Podia Setup

Start by taking inventory of everything you currently have in Podia. This will help you create a migration checklist. Make sure you include:

  • Courses (number of lessons, videos, downloads, and written content)
  • Digital products (ebooks, templates, bundles)
  • Memberships or communities
  • Subscribers and email lists
  • Payment plans and active subscriptions
  • Brand assets (logos, banners, course thumbnails)
  • Any automations or integrations currently running

This full audit will serve as your migration roadmap.

Step 2: Export Your Content From Podia

Podia doesn’t have a one-click export feature for everything, so you’ll need to manually gather your assets:

  • Videos: Download from your hosting service (Podia or external host like Vimeo/YouTube).
  • Lesson Text: Copy text-based lessons into Google Docs or Notion for easy reuse.
  • Attachments: Save PDFs, templates, worksheets, and other resources into organized folders.
  • Digital Products: Export or save any files you’ve been selling.
  • Email Lists: Export your subscriber and customer data as a CSV.
  • Payment Data: Note any recurring subscriptions or payment plans so you can handle transitions smoothly.

Pro Tip: Begin with your flagship course so you can relaunch it quickly and ensure continuity before migrating everything else.

Step 3: Rebuild Your School on Thinkific

With your content ready, it’s time to set up your Thinkific school. This is where you start creating a better student experience.

  • Upload Courses: Add your videos, text, and downloads to Thinkific. Recreate your course structure with modules and lessons.
  • Enable Advanced Features: Add quizzes, assignments, and certificates to improve student engagement.
  • Customize Your Design: Apply your logo, colors, and branding. With Thinkific’s themes, you can create a professional, branded school that feels like your own.
  • Set Up Payments: Connect Stripe or PayPal and recreate your pricing models (one-time payments, subscriptions, or installment plans).
  • Test Student Experience: Preview your school as a student to ensure lessons are smooth, downloads work, and everything feels intuitive.

This is also a chance to refresh outdated materials. Update videos, reorganize content, or add new bonus lessons.

Step 4: Migrate Your Students

Your students are the most important part of your business, so moving them carefully is key. Here’s how to handle it:

  • Bulk Import: Thinkific allows bulk enrollment of students via CSV on higher-tier plans.
  • Manual Enrollment: Invite students manually with enrollment links.
  • Incentives: Offer bonuses, discounts, or early-bird perks to encourage students to switch quickly.
  • Clear Instructions: Create a simple guide or video walkthrough showing students how to access their courses on Thinkific.

Important: If you have recurring subscriptions in Podia, decide whether to migrate billing to Thinkific immediately or let those subscriptions finish in Podia before moving.

Step 5: Redirect Links and Access Points

To avoid confusing your students and prospects, update all your public-facing links:

  • Website: Replace Podia course and product links with Thinkific links.
  • Emails: Update your sequences, campaigns, and customer access links.
  • Social Media: Update bio links, pinned posts, and call-to-action buttons.
  • Affiliate Links: Send updated affiliate links to partners if you run an affiliate program.

This ensures new students will always land on your Thinkific school instead of Podia.

Step 6: Communicate With Your Audience

Clear communication is what makes migrations smooth for your students. Here’s how to handle it:

  • Announce the Change Early: Let your audience know you’re moving platforms, and explain why.
  • Highlight the Benefits: Emphasize what they’ll gain (better learning features, smoother experience, easier access).
  • Set a Timeline: Share when the switch will happen and how long Podia will remain active.
  • Offer Support: Provide email support, FAQs, or even a live Q&A session to answer questions.

This builds trust and helps students feel excited instead of confused.

Step 7: Run Both Platforms Temporarily

Don’t cancel Podia right away. Run both platforms side by side for at least 2–4 weeks.

This overlap gives you:

  • A buffer for students who are slower to move.
  • Time to fix technical issues without stress.
  • Confidence that nothing important gets lost.

Once all students are comfortable in Thinkific, you can close your Podia account.

Bonus Tips for a Smooth Podia to Thinkific Migration

  • Test as a Student: Go through the Thinkific experience like one of your learners. Check logins, lesson access, and payment flows.
  • Archive Important Data: Save Podia analytics, community posts, or email campaigns before shutting it down.
  • Start Small, Then Scale: Migrate your most popular offer first, then move the rest once you’re confident.
  • Treat the Migration as a Relaunch: Use the switch as a marketing opportunity to reintroduce your flagship course.
  • Plan Subscription Moves Carefully: Decide whether to immediately transition billing or phase it out gradually.

Conclusion

Migrating from Podia to Thinkific in 2025 is more than just a tech change, it is a chance to level up your course business.

By auditing your setup, exporting your materials, rebuilding in Thinkific, and guiding your students carefully, you’ll ensure a smooth transition that sets you up for growth.

Podia may have been the perfect place to start, but Thinkific is built to help you scale, customize, and deliver richer learning experiences. With the right plan, your students will love the upgrade, and your business will be ready for its next stage.

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