This is the right place to find alternative options and competitors for your LMS site.
There are various WordPress Learning Management System (LMS) plugins, both free and paid, as well as independent platforms, that can be used to launch online learning sites. LearnDash, however, is widely recognized as one of the most popular plugins for creating LMS sites with WordPress.
If you are not convinced to use LearnDash and are looking for alternative plugins and SaaS options, we can help you find what you need.
In this article we will provide an overview of LearnDash alternatives and competitors that may be a better fit for you. Before diving into the list, let’s take a brief look at LearnDash.
LearnDash Overview
LearnDash is a popular WordPress LMS plugin created by a team of experts to assist in creating a robust LMS platform with WordPress. It is an effective eLearning solution suitable for various educational institutions, training organizations, entrepreneurs, and more.
The plugin follows online learning principles by offering a structured course and content to provide learners with an immersive learning experience using LearnDash.
Key Features
- Courses can be created and edited using a user-friendly drag-and-drop course builder.
- Options for course display and content settings.
- Content is delivered on a specific schedule through drip-feeding.
- The course navigation is user-friendly.
- The quiz offers advanced options.
- Certificate builders for courses.
- Efficient assignment organization.
- Reports on enrollment, course progression, and performance provide detailed information.
- You have the option to create courses that are either free, paid, or time-limited, and you can accept payments through PayPal, Stripe, or 2Checkout.
- It is possible to connect with various other tools and plugins to facilitate the creation of a distinctive LMS site.
Pricing
LearnDash is a WordPress LMS plugin that offers three different plans and pricing options to suit your needs and budget.
- 1 Site: $199/year
- 10 Sites: $399/year
- Unlimited Sites: $799/year
Why Look for the LearnDash Alternatives & Competitors?
LearnDash offers a comprehensive range of LMS features, however, additional add-ons are required to access many of these functionalities. It is worth noting that there is an additional cost associated with obtaining most of the LearnDash add-ons.
Therefore, if you desire enhanced features for your LMS site, the cost will rise significantly, resulting in LearnDash being relatively expensive.
Additionally, here are some other disadvantages of LearnDash.
- To use LearnDash, you will need to install WordPress. If you do not have a WordPress website, you will need to set one up first by selecting a reliable web hosting service such as Bluehost or SiteGround.
- LearnDash offers a limited range of membership options, so integrating it with other membership plugins is necessary for full membership functionality, which may result in additional expenses.
- The plugin restricts monthly subscription options and does not allow for the use of coupons or promotional offers.
- The course would benefit from implementing a marketing strategy to increase its reach to a broader audience.
Now, let’s explore the list of the top LearnDash alternatives and competitors for your LMS sites.
Top 7 LearnDash Alternatives:
LearnDash Alternative #1: Thinkific
Thinkific is a self-hosted platform that allows you to publish and sell online courses, products, live lectures, and other instructional content. Unlike LearnDash, it does not require any additional plugins to fully operate your online teaching website.
Thinkific offers self-paced, scheduled, and cohort courses, allowing you to effectively engage with your students. Additionally, you can connect with them in real time through live streaming or Zoom.
Additionally, content can be protected by keeping classes private or hidden. Text can also be prevented from being copied. Social media sharing platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn can also be utilized to reach a wider audience.
Advantages of Thinkific:
- Extensive Library of Pre-BuiltCourse Templates: There are multiple course templates available, created by experts, or you have the option to begin from scratch.
- Measure and Track Your Students’ Success: By incorporating assignments, quizzes, exams, and surveys, you have the ability to assess and monitor your students’ progress within the courses.
- Integrated with Tcommerce for Simple Payments: Tcommerce is available with Thinkific, allowing users to easily accept payments without any additional fees.
- Bulk Import of Course Content: Thinkific offers the option to bulk import courses, enabling you to quickly launch them.
- Complete Analytics: A comprehensive report and analytics will help you understand your learner’s behavior and interests, allowing you to make informed decisions to optimize your content and enhance the user experience.
Disadvantages of Thinkfic:
- The pricing plans are often very expensive.
- There is a learning curve associated with back-end tools.
Pricing:
Monthly basis:
- The cost of the basic plan is $49 per month.
- The starting plan is priced at $99 per month.
- The Grow Plan is priced at $199 per month and is highly recommended.
- The plan is available for a monthly fee of $499.
Customers who choose the annual plan can receive a 25% discount.
- The cost of the basic plan is $39 per month.
- The starting plan is $119 per month.
- The cost of the grow plan is $499 per month.
- The plan expansion costs $374 per month.
LearnDash Alternative #2: Teachable
Teachable is an online teaching platform that is often recommended as an alternative option for LearnDash. It is well-known and provides all the necessary tools for creating and selling online courses.
The course builder allows for the creation of engaging courses through a simple drag-and-drop feature. It also provides multimedia support to enhance lesson content. Another benefit is the flexibility to receive payment according to your preferred schedule (daily, weekly, monthly, etc.).
Teachable is a separate SaaS (Software as a Service) platform, not a WordPress plugin like LearnDash. This means you can easily access it using a web browser and an internet connection.
Advantages of Teachable:
- Unlimited Students: There is no restriction on the number of students allowed in your Teachable online school.
- Advanced Reporting: Data reporting is available on student enrollment, engagement, and sales, allowing you to monitor your progress and make informed decisions.
- Affiliate Marketing Tools: Teachable offers affiliate marketing tools that enable you to find partners who can assist you in promoting and expanding your business.
- Connects with Powerful technologies: Teachable integrates with various powerful technologies like Google Analytics, Mailchimp, Zapier, and others to enhance the functionality of the platform.
- Secure Data and Business: Teachable provides reliable protection and backups to ensure the safety of your valuable data and business.
Disadvantages of Teachable:
- Subscription plans may be considered costly for individuals who are new to the sector.
- The mobile app is exclusively compatible with iOS devices.
- The plans include costs related to transactions.
Teachable Pricing:
Monthly basis:
- The cost of the basic plan is $59 per month.
- The Pro plan is priced at $159 per month.
- The cost of the business plan is $665 per month.
Customers who choose the annual plan are eligible for a 33% discount.
- The cost of the basic plan is $39 per month.
- The Pro Plan is priced at $119 per month.
- The cost of the business plan is $499 per month.
LearnDash Alternative #3: Kajabi
Kajabi is a platform similar to LearnDash that offers a range of features, including an integrated LMS that is effective for creating courses with video content (hosted on Wistia), quizzes, and various delivery methods such as dripped content distribution options.
Kajabi is known for its extensive marketing tools, including a marketing engine that enables the creation of landing pages, funnels, and email sequences. It also offers advanced features like triggers and upselling.
Advantages of Kajabi:
- Pipelines and sales funnels are methods used in business and marketing.
- Email marketing integration.
- CRM integration is implemented.
- The application process is simple.
- There is an online community called Kajabi.
Disadvantages of Kajabi :
- The web and course design have limited flexibility.
- The learning features are limited.
- Marketing tools may not fully meet complex requirements.
- The price of these tools is higher when compared to similar ones.
- The functionality is limited to two payment gateways, specifically Stripe and PayPal.
Pricing:
Monthly plan :
- The cost of the basic plan is $149 per month.
- The cost of the growth plan is $199 per month.
- The Pro plan costs $399 per month.
Customers who choose to purchase the annual plan are eligible for a 20% discount.
- The basic plan costs $119 per month.
- The cost of the Growth Plan is $159 per month.
- The Pro Plan is priced at $319 per month.
LearnDash Alternative #4: FreshLearn
FreshLearn is a comprehensive platform for developers that can be used as an alternative to LearnDash. It allows producers to quickly create and sell online courses. It also empowers creators to share their knowledge in various learning formats, including online courses, masterclasses, and digital downloads.
FreshLearn is a non-coding platform that enables users to create and sell courses through their own online storefront. It is a learning management system that helps brands develop and organize eLearning sessions, as well as enhance their knowledge in their respective industries.
Advantages of FreshLearn :
- FreshLearn can be used without any coding or design experience.
- It is not necessary for one to have design experience in order to create impressive courses using the straightforward drag-and-drop interface.
- The live workshop function of the platform allows you to conduct live sessions with your pupils at any time.
- Various payment methods are available to meet your needs, including membership and one-time payments.
- Create impressive landing pages even if you don’t have any design experience.
- Increase student engagement through the use of innovative homework assignments and assessments.
- Automate the process of sending personalized emails to every student.
- Creating a custom course website can enhance brand recognition and customer loyalty.
Disadvantages of FreshLearn:
Pricing:
Monthly plan:
- The free plan is available for $0 per month.
- The Pro Plan is priced at $39 per month.
- The plan is available for $69 per month.
Customers are eligible for a 30% discount when purchasing the annual plan.
- The Free Plan is available for $0 per month.
- The Pro Plan costs $29 per month.
- The price for the plan is $49 per month.
LearnDash Alternative #5: Podia
Podia is a platform that offers edupreneurs the opportunity to market and sell courses, webinars, digital downloads, and build a community.
The dashboard is aesthetically pleasing and the platform is user-friendly and versatile. However, it does have a few educational aspects that may not be ideal for providing effective learning experiences.
Podia is a good choice for companies prioritizing marketing efforts. It offers features such as mass email sending, automated email funnels, in-depth analytics, flexible payment options, and support for affiliate programs and promotions.
Advantages of Podia :
- The product is easy to use.
- A community that is integrated.
- Email marketing.
- Chat now.
- Instant payments, no fees.
Disadvantages of Podia :
- The learning program does not include important elements such as gamification, detailed reporting, and advanced learner assessment.
- It is not compatible with SCORM and HTML5 files.
- There are limited options available for customizing websites.
- There are not enough personalization fields available in the email composer.
Pricing:
Monthly plan:
- The cost of the free plan is $0 per month.
- The monthly cost of the Mover Plan is $39.
- The Shaker Plan costs $89 per month.
Customers who choose to purchase the annual plan are eligible for a discount of 17%.
- The Free Plan is available at no cost per month.
- The cost of the Mover Plan is $33 per month.
- The Shaker Plan is priced at $75 per month.
LearnDash Alternative #6: TalentLMS
TalentLMS is a LearnDash alternative that targets small and medium-sized enterprises. It offers an integrated authoring tool and is a suitable choice for extended enterprise, client education, or employee training.
The TalentLMS UI is known for its user-friendly design and offers a range of options for student evaluation, reporting, certificates, learner paths, and live sessions, among other features that enhance the learning experience. It also allows for customized user roles and permissions and automation of administrative tasks.
Talent LMS is primarily designed as a course management system and does not have extensive sales and marketing features. Its main strength lies in meeting internal business training requirements rather than generating revenue from knowledge monetization. However, it is worth noting that Talent LMS can be integrated with various eCommerce solutions such as Shopify, WooCommerce, and PayPal, enabling the offering of online courses.
Advantages of TalentLMS:
- The product is user-friendly and easy to install.
- The individual has strong learning attributes.
- There are various types of integrations.
- A mobile application is a software program designed for use on mobile devices.
Disadvantages of TalentLMS:
- There are no integrated sales tools available.
- There are no incorporated marketing tools.
- The system has a limited capacity to accommodate users.
Pricing:
Monthly plan : Standard Plan
- Starter Plan : $89 / month
- Basic Plan : $189 / month
- Plus Plan : $369 / month
- Premium Plan : $569 / month
Monthly plan : Active Plan
- Starter Plan : $179 / month
- Basic Plan : $339 / month
- Plus Plan : $489 / month
- Premium Plan : $649 / month
Annual plan : Standard Plan
- Starter Plan : $69 / month ( billed yearly)
- Basic Plan : $149 / month (billed yearly)
- Plus Plan : $279 / month (billed yearly)
- Premium Plan : $459 / month (billed yearly)
Annual plan : Active Plan
- Starter Plan: $149 / month ( billed yearly)
- Basic Plan: $269 / month (billed yearly)
- Plus Plan: $389 / month (billed yearly)
- Premium Plan: $519 / month (billed yearly)
LearnDash Alternative #7: TutorLMS
Tutor LMS is another alternative to LearnDash that offers a simple course design and monetization process. It provides a user-friendly front-end course builder and customized dashboards for both instructors and students.
The LMS plugin includes various add-ons that are available across all pricing tiers, except for the free tier. These add-ons include the advanced quiz builder with 10 different quiz possibilities, the certificate builder, the Q&A tab, the content drip, email templates, course preview, multiple instructors, course prerequisites, gamification, and reports.
The Tutor LMS provides a learning community and live sessions through integration with video conferencing software and BuddyPress.
Advantages of TutorLMS:
- There is a free version available.
- The learning features are modern and comprehensive.
- The integration of marketing automation is being implemented.
- The design has the ability to adapt to different needs and purposes.
Disadvantages of TutorLMS :
- The client service needs improvement.
- The software is not compatible with SCORM.
Pricing:
Annual Plan:
- Basic Plan: Free
- Individual Plan: $ 199 / year
- Business Plan: $399 / year
- Agency Plan: $799 / year
Lifetime Plan:
- Basic Plan: Free
- Individual Plan: $ 499 ( 1 – time)
- Business Plan: $899 / year( 1 – time)
- Agency Plan: $1899 / year ( 1 – time)
Conclusion:
After conducting a comprehensive study we provided information about alternative learning platforms to LearnDash.
So, why stick to one choice when you’ve got many options that can work better for you? That’s exactly why this Learndash alternatives article is proposed for you.
After reading this article, you will have the necessary information to choose the appropriate LearnDash alternative.
LearnDash FAQs
LifterLMS vs LearnDash: which one is more stable?
LifterLMS and LearnDash are excellent WordPress LMS plugins. They are fast, stable, reliable, and work well with WordPress themes and plugins.
WordPress LMS vs cloud LMS: which one is better?
Most WordPress LMSs have a lower starting price compared to cloud-based LMS, which may be a factor that influences your decision, especially if you already have a WordPress site.
Most WordPress LMSs have extra costs for hosting, add-ons, and technical issues.
Cloud-hosted LMSs have straightforward pricing and minimal technical issues. The vendor takes care of all the technical stuff, so you can concentrate on creating and marketing.
Can I add an LMS on my WordPress site?
Yes, there are various plug-ins available that allow you to create and sell courses through your WordPress site. Today, we reviewed some of the top options.
- LearnDash
- AccessAlly
- LifterLMS
- Tutor LMS
However, if you have a WordPress site, you have the option to choose an LMS plug-in or a cloud-based LMS like LearnWorlds, which can be integrated into your WordPress site. For more information, you can read our post on how to connect your website with LearnWorlds.
Can I use LearnDash without WordPress?
LearnDash is an LMS plugin that is specifically designed to be compatible with WordPress sites.
Is there a free version of LearnDash?
LearnDash does not offer a complimentary version or a trial period.
How much does LearnDash cost?
LearnDash offers three different pricing plans:
- 1 site license – $159/year
- Up to 10 site licenses – $189/year
- Up to 25 site licenses – $329/year
Is there an easier LearnDash alternative?
A simpler alternative to LearnDash is LearnWorlds, a cloud-based LMS that handles technical issues and provides everything you need: an online course builder, customizable website builder, and marketing tools.
Is LearnDash a good Learning Management System (LMS)?
Yes, LearnDash has great features like discussion forums, gamification, drip content, advanced quizzing, and an intuitive user interface. However, it also has some drawbacks like hidden costs and technical challenges.
