TL;DR
Podium publishes prices again. As of October 5, 2026 the pricing page lists Core at $399 a month, Pro at $599 and Signature on custom pricing, with the note that HVAC businesses "should contact sales for applicable pricing" and that plans "may vary based on industry, partnerships, integrations, volume, and carrier fees." Every plan includes unlimited contacts, one-to-one texts and team members. The lines that move the bill are the usage ones: 250 bulk-message credits on Core and 500 on Pro, five phone numbers on Core and fifteen on Pro with extra numbers at $5 each, a $5 monthly 10DLC carrier fee per US location, high-volume carrier-verified messaging at $15 a month on Core (included on Pro), Podium Phones seats at $30 a user for one to four users or $25 at five-plus, and a $500 network optimization fee per location for Phones. AI Employee is an add-on to any plan with no listed price. Budget $500 to $800 a month per location for a working single-location deployment, confirm the contract term (twelve months with auto-renewal is what customers report), and price Jobber's built-in review requests or NiceJob first if reviews are the only job you are hiring Podium for.
Disclosure: Skill Mammoth builds websites and runs local SEO and Local Services Ads for the trades. We do not resell Podium, we have no affiliate arrangement with it, and review acquisition is part of our own SEO plans, so it competes with a slice of what we sell. Every number below is from Podium's pricing page, read and screenshotted on October 5, 2026, with the customer-reported items labelled as such.
The three plans
| Plan | Price | Included | What it adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core | $399/mo | Unlimited contacts, texts, team members; 250 bulk credits; 5 phone numbers | Unified inbox, review management with AI responses, basic automations and reporting, mobile app, 200-plus integrations, dedicated customer success manager, one-on-one onboarding, chat, phone and email support |
| Pro | $599/mo | Same, with 500 bulk credits and 15 phone numbers | AI Concierge, AI Reputation Specialist, AI phone call summaries, automatic lead routing, advanced automations, lead capture forms, hosted and text surveys, text marketing with images and GIFs, advanced segmentation, high-volume carrier-verified messaging included, lower payment processing fees |
| Signature | Custom | Custom usage | AI Scheduler, AI Salesperson, AI Marketer, multi-location management, advanced branding, discounts on phones, desk phones, POS hardware and bulk messages, account migration, quarterly business reviews, custom billing and processing rates, priority phone support |
| Verdict | Core is the review-and-inbox product most contractors are actually shopping for. Pro's $200 premium buys the AI responders, lead routing and text marketing, which is worth it only if someone on your team will run campaigns. Signature is for multi-location operators and should be negotiated, not accepted. | ||
Two things on the page deserve a second read. The HVAC note under every card ("HVAC businesses should contact sales for applicable pricing") means the published figures are not the HVAC figures; the trade with the highest text and call volume gets a different rate card. And the footer line that plans "may vary based on industry, partnerships, integrations, volume, and carrier fees" is the written basis for a quote that does not match the page. Get the quote in writing with every usage line itemized.
The usage lines that move the bill
The plan price is the cover charge. Podium's comparison table lists the meters, and they are where a $399 quote becomes a $650 invoice.
| Item | Core | Pro | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bulk messages | 250 credits/mo | 500 credits/mo | Higher limits available; Signature gets a discount |
| Phone numbers | 5 included | 15 included | Each additional number $5/mo |
| 10DLC carrier registration | $5/mo per US location | Charged on every plan; required to send business texts | |
| High-volume carrier-verified messaging | $15/mo | Included | Custom on Signature |
| Podium Phones seats | $30/user/mo (1 to 4 users), $25/user/mo (5-plus) | Discounts on Signature | |
| Phones network optimization fee | $500 per location | One-time; usage rates apply on top | |
| Automations and AI usage | "Usage rates apply" | Not listed on the page; in the FAQ and the contract | |
| AI Employee | Add-on to any plan | No published price | |
| Verdict | A one-location shop on Core with four phone seats pays $399 + $5 (10DLC) + $15 (carrier-verified) + $120 (seats) = $539 a month plus a $500 setup fee for Phones, before any AI usage or extra numbers. On Pro with the same seats it is $724. | ||
What customers report paying
Podium went quote-only for a stretch, which is why most pricing posts still say it does not publish prices. Reviews from that period are useful for one thing: they show how the bill drifts after signing. The pattern across G2, Trustpilot and the independent reviews we track is a $399 entry quote that reaches $600 to $800 a month within a few months as phone seats, carrier fees and messaging overages land, on a twelve-month initial term that auto-renews with roughly a month's notice required to cancel. The product scores well (4.6 out of 5 on G2 across more than 2,000 reviews) and the billing experience scores badly (1.5 out of 5 on Trustpilot), and both are real. Our Podium vs Skill Mammoth page covers the category difference, which is that Podium manages conversations you already have and does not create new ones.
Buying Podium to get more reviews?
Review-request automation is included in our local SEO plans, and your CRM probably has it already. Ten minutes on a call will tell you whether you need a $399 tool or a $0 setting.
Podium vs the tools you may already own
Most contractors shopping Podium want three things: review requests that fire after every job, a shared inbox for texts and webchat, and missed-call text-back. Price those against what is already in the stack before signing a twelve-month term.
| Tool | Price | Reviews | Shared inbox and webchat | Missed-call text-back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Podium Core | $399/mo plus usage | Automated requests, AI responses | Yes, with Phones at $30 a seat | Yes |
| Jobber Connect | $99/mo annual | Automated review requests included | Two-way SMS on Grow ($149) | AI Receptionist add-on $29 |
| Housecall Pro Essentials | $149/mo annual, 5 users | Included | Two-way texting included | Voice add-on |
| NiceJob | $75 to $175/mo (reported) | The whole product | No | No |
| GoHighLevel Starter | $97/mo plus usage | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Verdict | If you run Jobber or Housecall Pro, turn on the review automation you already pay for and test it for 60 days before buying Podium. If you need the inbox and the phones, Podium is the most polished option and you should budget $540-plus, not $399. The GoHighLevel route is cheapest and the most work; the rate card is in GoHighLevel pricing. | |||
The review-velocity target that justifies any of these is eight to fifteen new Google reviews a month, which is what moves map rankings for a single-location contractor. The process, with or without software, is in how to get 100 Google reviews, and the missed-call piece can be built for the cost of a Twilio number; see missed call text back.
Three things to skip on a Podium quote
Signing before the usage lines are itemized. The page says plans vary by industry and volume and that usage rates apply to automations, AI and Phones. A quote that shows one number is not a quote. Ask for bulk credits, phone numbers, seats, 10DLC, carrier-verified messaging, the $500 Phones fee and the AI usage rate on separate lines.
Pro for the AI, without someone to run it. AI Concierge, lead routing and text marketing are Pro's reasons to exist, and they only pay off when a person builds the campaigns and the routing rules. A two-truck shop with nobody in the office will use Pro like Core and pay $200 a month for the difference.
The twelve-month term at list price. Customers consistently report an annual initial term with auto-renewal. If you are going to sign one anyway, the published Core price is the ceiling; the "may vary" line on the page cuts both ways, and a month-to-month pilot or a waived Phones fee is a normal ask.
Want the demand before the inbox?
Podium manages the conversations you have. We build the website, map rankings and Local Services Ads that create them. A fifteen-minute call sorts out which problem you actually have.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Podium cost per month?
Podium's pricing page on October 5, 2026 lists Core at $399 a month, Pro at $599 and Signature on custom pricing. HVAC businesses are told to contact sales for their own pricing. Usage fees sit on top: a $5 monthly 10DLC carrier fee per location, $15 a month for high-volume messaging on Core, $5 per extra phone number, $30 or $25 per Phones seat, and a $500 one-time network fee per location for Phones.
Does Podium have a free plan or free trial?
Not on the current pricing page. The plans are sold through a demo and a sales conversation, and third-party listings that mention a 14-day trial are out of date. Ask the rep for a month-to-month pilot instead of a trial.
What is the difference between Podium Core and Pro?
Core is the inbox, review management with AI responses, basic automations and five phone numbers for $399. Pro at $599 adds AI Concierge, an AI reputation specialist, call summaries, automatic lead routing, lead capture forms, surveys, text marketing with images, 500 bulk credits instead of 250, fifteen phone numbers, included carrier-verified messaging and lower payment processing fees.
How much is Podium AI Employee?
Podium lists AI Employee as an add-on to any plan without a price. It is quoted on the sales call and usage rates apply. Get the per-conversation or per-month rate in writing before adding it.
Does Podium require a contract?
Customers consistently report a twelve-month initial term that auto-renews, with about a month's notice required to cancel. The pricing page does not state the term. Confirm it, the renewal clause and the cancellation notice period in the order form.
Is Podium worth it for a small contractor?
Only if you need the unified inbox and phones and have someone in the office to work them. If reviews are the goal, Jobber Connect at $99 and Housecall Pro Essentials at $149 include automated review requests, and NiceJob is reported at $75 to $175. Budget $540 or more a month for a real Podium deployment and compare it to those first.