Best WordPress LMS plugins compared

In today’s digital world, demand for e-learning has increased as more people want to pursue courses without going to a physical classroom. More e-learning means greater demand for WordPress LMS plugins. But which is the best?

Learning management systems (LMS) have become an essential tool for educational institutions, businesses, and individual educators. With so many options available, choosing the right WordPress LMS plugin for your website can be challenging. In this article, we'll provide a detailed comparison of the best WordPress LMS plugins to help you make the right decision.

If you're short on time and looking for a quick recommendation, our top pick for the best LMS plugin is LifterLMS. Read on to learn more about what sets LifterLMS apart, and discover other noteworthy WordPress LMS plugins in the market, such as Masteriyo.

What is a WordPress LMS plugin?

WordPress is a popular Content Management System (CMS) that can be used to build websites and manage content. It's a leading CMS because of its security, ease of use, SEO-friendliness, and customization options.

An LMS (Learning Management System) is a software application that helps to manage, deliver and track online learning materials. It is a platform that offers a comprehensive range of features such as course creation, student enrolment, progress tracking, assessments, and communication tools.

This software application simplifies the process of delivering educational content to learners. It also provides a centralized location for instructors to manage and organize their materials. An LMS can be used in a variety of settings, including corporate training, schools, universities, and other educational institutions.

The importance of LMS lies in its ability to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of learning. It offers numerous benefits to learners, such as the flexibility to access learning materials from anywhere, at any time. Learners can work at their own pace and can revisit content as often as needed.

It also provides a personalized learning experience, as learners can select courses that match their interests and goals. In addition, LMS offers numerous benefits to instructors, including the ability to track student progress, create and manage course content, and communicate with students easily.

Can I make an LMS with WordPress? Yes. You can create an LMS using WordPress, but you need a WordPress LMS Plugin to do it. The advantage of a WordPress LMS plugin is that it allows you to build an e-learning platform on your WordPress website without needing technical skills such as coding.

The best WordPress LMS plugins

LMS plugins are essential for creating and managing online courses. With so many options available, it can be overwhelming to choose the right one for your needs.

In this article, we will explore two of the best LMS plugins based on their user management, key features, course creation, etc. to help you make an informed decision. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced online course creator, we will show you how these plugins will enhance your e-learning experience.

Which LMS is best for teachers? LifterLMS and Masteriyo are two of the best WordPress LMS plugins available right now for instructors who are looking to educate students effectively online.

LifterLMS

Description

LifterLMS is a user-friendly all-in-one WordPress LMS plugin that offers various features for creating, managing, and selling online courses. This course plugin is a complete eLearning solution for WordPress websites and comes with many customization options. This makes it a great choice for businesses and entrepreneurs, and I think it's the best WordPress LMS plugin around.

Furthermore, the core of LifterLMS is totally free and works with a variety of WordPress themes and versions, making it simple for users to include the plugin in their website design. LifterLMS also has a premium version. This provides a number of paid add-ons that offer course builders more advanced features.

Finally, you do not need any technical or coding experience to develop courses and tutorials using LifterLMS. Additionally, the plugin is designed to be responsive and mobile-friendly. As a result, your website will look good on any desktop, tablet, or mobile screen size.

Key features

LifterLMS lets you secure your content by locking it. This means that only authorized people may view certain content, and this occurs only when you grant the WordPress user access. As a consequence, this helps to keep your eLearning platform secure and credible. If you're interested in any of the extra advantages offered by any of the other premium add-on apps, you may also add them to LifterLMS.

Only enrolled students may see the lessons and resources, which helps to secure your course content. Non-members are guided with customized messages to join the membership first. After having joined, you'll be able to see the course material.

Additionally, new students receive their own accounts on your site to contribute more. What’s more, learners can select their own passwords for your site. They can also reset it if they forget. Overall, this provides a secure environment for the online course.

User management

One of LifterLMS' essential features is the user management system, which enables developers to establish student accounts, track their progress, and generate reports effortlessly. With this tool, it is easy to customize students' learning experiences and monitor their development.

LifterLMS provides a comprehensive membership solution, allowing you to create a standard membership site that limits access to everything except the sales page. Additionally, you can restrict access to specific courses, pages, posts, or forums, or limit it to particular memberships only.

In addition, this plugin enables you to add downloadable lessons to your courses, such as worksheets, eBooks, PDFs, and audio, for offline learning. Each lesson can include dynamic multimedia quizzes and assignments, and you can set a maximum time limit for quizzes. With this feature, students must demonstrate their learning within a specific timeframe.

Moreover, LifterLMS comes with an automatic enrollment function, allowing members to enroll in some or all courses at checkout automatically. Additionally, you can add existing members to newly added courses with just a click, making it easier to manage and track their progress.

It's also worth noting that LMS have recently partnered with Paid Memberships Pro. This means that their membership offerings will keep getting better and better.

Course creation and management

The drag-and-drop course builder feature allows course creators to build and customize courses easily and quickly on a single screen, saving time and streamlining the process. The platform also provides a range of multimedia learning tools, such as videos, audio, images, and text, to cater to different learning styles. Additionally, course creators can attach downloadable materials like worksheets, ebooks, PDFs, and audio to their courses, making it easier for learners to access course materials offline.

To test learners' understanding of the course content, LifterLMS offers dynamic multimedia quizzes and assignments that can be set with time limits. This encourages learners to demonstrate their comprehension of the course content within a specific timeframe.

Furthermore, the platform has a social learning feature that allows course creators to create a community within their websites. This feature facilitates interaction among learners, providing them with a space to ask questions, share ideas, and collaborate. This, in turn, enhances learners' engagement and improves course completion rates.

Certification elements

When it comes to online learning, the ability to track student progress is vital. LifterLMS has a built-in analytics system that tracks the performance of your learners. You can see how many students have enrolled in your course, how many have completed it, and how many are currently enrolled. You can also view the progress of individual students and provide feedback and support as needed.

One of the key features is the grade book, which allows you to track the progress of your students and see how they are performing. You can also manage your students, add them to new courses, and view reports to gain insights into their performance.

The courses created with LifterLMS are designed to be impactful and engaging. Learners can earn printable certificates upon completion of a group of courses, and achievement badges can be provided through a gamification system. This creates a sense of accomplishment and motivates learners to progress through the course modules.

LifterLMS also offers various tools for engagement and communication, such as email notifications and private coaching. Learners can also communicate via text messaging, enabling them to discuss course material and get the most out of their learning experience.

Payment gateways

LifterLMS offers several features that allow course creators to monetize and sell their courses effectively. One way to earn income through the platform is to use it to create a strong teaching business or membership site. It supports one-time payments or recurring subscriptions.

One feature that enables monetization is the credit card payment option for learners. Additionally, courses or memberships can be sold using various payment options such as PayPal, Stripe, and others, with one-time or recurring payment options. The platform accepts any currency, allowing course creators to sell their courses worldwide.

Another monetization feature is the ability to create and sell bundles of courses. Course creators can also offer free courses to generate leads.

To track sales, LifterLMS provides an analysis of all sales made, allowing course creators to keep track of their revenue. Custom reports can also be generated for business intelligence and accounting purposes.

Advantages of using LifterLMS: What is better than LearnDash?

Masteriyo

Masteriyo is a game-changing WordPress LMS plugin designed to make course creation a breeze, even for beginners. This all-in-one LMS solution allows educators and trainers to easily build and sell online courses on their own websites, eliminating the need to rely on third-party platforms.

Masteriyo revolutionizes course creation in WordPress with its innovative Single Page Application (SPA) interface powered by React JS. This feature allows for immediate course creation and modifications without needing a page reload. Additionally, it enables the management of various course elements, such as lessons, quizzes, and assignments, within a single dynamic interface. These unique features set Masteriyo apart from the competition, establishing it as one of the best LMS options.

Packed with features, it boasts a robust quiz builder, assignment creator, certificate builder, and grade book addon. It encourages learner engagement through a distraction-free mode, a Q&A section, and a course rating system.

Masteriyo supports seamless course sales with its built-in order system and PayPal integration. You can also add Stripe support via a native addon. Plus, WooCommerce integration and the Coupons addon extend eCommerce capabilities.

In summary, Masteriyo simplifies creating comprehensive LMS websites.

Key features

Masteriyo offers a comprehensive set of features required for instructors and learners to have a full-fledged LMS experience. The plugin is well-thought-out and designed carefully for seamless learning.

The top feature you'll get is a 'distraction-free learning page.' This option enables you to hide the header, footer, and sidebar on the learning page so the learners can fully focus on the course content. As a result, it helps your students learn without any distractions.

On top of that, it lets you add a Q&A section to your course so that students can raise questions wherever they're confused. The instructors will answer the questions so students have their doubts cleared before moving to the next lesson.

Similarly, Masteriyo enables instructors and course creators to build a full-fledged online course business. You can create unlimited courses easily and sell them right from your own website.

It has an in-built order system and PayPal support, allowing you to start selling immediately. Additionally, integration with Stripe and WooCommerce makes it even more powerful. Also, you can enable a wishlist option for your courses and create custom coupons to grow your course sales.

As an instructor, you can set up advanced content dripping for better student engagement. Masteriyo Content Drip provides four robust content flow options, facilitating control over the availability of lessons and quizzes. These options include Free, Sequential, Date Selection, and X Days from Enrollment.

Furthermore, you can set up course requisites, offer download materials, and add assignments for your students.

Quizzes and assessments

Add interesting quizzes by customizing almost every part of them. You can add unlimited questions and answers to the quiz to assess your student's knowledge. Masteriyo offers 9 types of questions to make your quiz fun and interactive. True or False, Fill in the blanks, Match the following, Audio, Video, etc., are a few of its types.

The plugin makes it easy to control every quiz attempt from one location. Teachers can view and delete the answers from the dashboard. From there, you can learn and rank your students' performance. Additionally, you can limit the number of quiz attempts for a student. This option prevents redundancy and builds patience among them. Also, you can set a certain duration for the quiz to compel students to answer the quiz at an allotted time.

Further, you can use Masteriyo's Assignment addon, which helps teachers test their students' progress. Besides quizzes, teachers can give out assignments to their pupils to enhance their knowledge. When the students get homework, it helps them review things they learned in class. After submission, teachers can grade assignments to encourage and motivate students to improve.

Grading and certificates

Masteriyo offers a simple-to-use and highly customizable certificate builder. Create attractive and encouraging certificates to motivate the learners to accomplish more feats.

The only limitation to customizing Masteriyo's certificates is your imagination. From backgrounds to layout, you can modify everything per your brand or institution. There are three certificate building blocks that you can utilize, and they are customizable as well.

The plugin has a Gradebook addon that makes it simple to personalize, monitor, and distribute grades. You can view and mark a student's progress in their assignments or quizzes. Students can take feedback and improvise themselves according to the markings.

Powerful and secure LMS

Masteriyo is a powerful, highly customizable, and secure LMS solution. It allows you to add multiple instructors to any course with its Multiple Instructors addon. You can directly add new instructors to your LMS site from the Masteriyo dashboard or invite them to register from the front end. It comes with a pre-made instructor registration form shortcode for building an instruction registration page, which is, luckily, pre-installed when you run the setup wizard.

The student and instructor, registration and login forms, are made secure with password strength checker addon and Google reCAPTCHA integration. You can easily install these addons with one click from your Masteriyo dashboard and set them up in a few clicks. They help you protect your LMS website from spam registrations and brute-force attacks.
Additionally, Masteriyo enables complete white labeling. You can rename the Masteriyo plugin's title with your custom name and upload your own logo right from the simple interface. No need to use coding to make Masteriyo your own.

Advantages of using Masteriyo

LearnDash

Description

LearnDash is a learning management system (LMS) that is designed as a WordPress plugin. It is a powerful and flexible tool that allows users to create and manage online courses, memberships, and training programs with ease. It is one of the best LMS plugins for WordPress.

This LMS is good for businesses, educators, and entrepreneurs who want to create and sell their own courses or training programs. LearnDash has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to create, edit, and manage course content, quizzes, assignments, and assessments.

What sets LearnDash apart from other LMS plugins other than LifterLMS is its versatility and customization options. With LearnDash, users have the ability to create their own unique learning experiences by customizing course templates, adding multimedia content, and integrating third-party tools.

In addition, LearnDash offers a range of powerful features that allow users to create engaging and interactive courses. These include gamification, progress tracking, certificates, and drip-feed content.

All in all, LearnDash is a highly flexible and customizable LMS that is great for anyone looking to create and sell online courses, memberships, or training programs. With its intuitive interface and powerful features, it is a great choice for both beginners and advanced users.

Key features

LearnDash's key feature is its versatility which provides many features to create and manage online courses. It offers a wide range of official and third-party add-ons that add more functionality and customization options to the platform.

The official add-ons are developed by the LearnDash team and are fully supported by them. These add-ons provide additional features such as gamification, membership, content dripping, and certificate management. With these add-ons, users can create engaging and interactive courses that help learners achieve their learning objectives.

Third-party add-ons are also available that can enhance the functionality of LearnDash further. These add-ons are developed by independent developers and are available on the LearnDash marketplace. They offer many features such as course scheduling, video conferencing, course reviews, and social learning. Users can choose the add-ons that best fit their requirements and integrate them seamlessly into their LearnDash platform. The platform also supports unlimited courses for annual subscribers.

LearnDash can work with any WordPress theme, which gives users the freedom to choose the theme that best fits their brand and design requirements. It also allows users to customize their course pages and create a unique learning experience for their students.

Lastly, LearnDash can integrate with the most popular WordPress plugins. This includes ecommerce plugins such as WooCommerce, plus Gravity Forms and BuddyPress. This integration provides more functionality and customization options, allowing users to create a personalized learning experience for their students.

Course creation and management

One key feature of LearnDash’s course creation and management system is its drag-and-drop course builder. This tool allows course creators to build courses quickly and easily by simply dragging and dropping content elements onto a course timeline. The drag-and-drop course builder makes it easy to add text, images, videos, quizzes, and other interactive elements to the course. Course creators can also reorder, delete, or edit any element with just a few clicks, making course development a breeze. The question bank makes the course quizzes even easier to manage.

You can make courses available to anyone, or just WordPress users who meet the course prerequisites.

Another feature of LearnDash is its drip content functionality. Drip content enables course creators to deliver course content to their students at specific intervals. For example, a course creator may choose to release a new lesson every week. Or, they may decide to release content based on the student's progress through the course. This feature helps course creators to keep students engaged and motivated throughout the course.

Drip content also allows course creators to create customized learning paths for their students. By releasing content in a specific order, course creators can guide students through the learning process and ensure that they have the foundational knowledge they need before moving on to more advanced concepts.

User progress tracking

If you're running an online course, it's important to have a solid user progress-tracking system in place. This is something that LearnDash does really well. The plugin has a good user management system, which allows you to easily manage your learners and instructors.

User progress tracking in LearnDash involves the use of various tools and features such as progress bars, quizzes, assignments, and assessments. The system is designed to help both learners and instructors keep track of their progress and ensure that they are meeting their learning objectives.

One of the benefits of user progress tracking in LearnDash is that it provides learners with a sense of accomplishment and motivation as they move through the course. Progress bars, for instance, allow learners to see how much of the course they have completed and how much is left to be done. This helps learners to stay on track and motivated to complete the course.

In addition, user progress tracking in LearnDash also provides instructors with valuable insights into their learners' performance. For example, instructors can use the data collected from quizzes and assessments to identify areas where learners may be struggling and provide additional support or resources as needed.

Quizzes and assessments

The quizzes and assessments feature offered by LearnDash enables course creators to create quizzes and assessments that test students' knowledge and understanding of course content. This feature allows course creators to create a variety of quiz types, including multiple-choice, true/false, and open-ended questions. They can also set up timers and scoring systems to make the quizzes more challenging and engaging for students.

The assessment feature allows course creators to evaluate the progress of their students throughout the course. Assessments can be used to measure students' understanding of course material, identify areas where students are struggling, and provide feedback to students on their performance. Course creators can use the assessments feature to create mid-term and final exams that evaluate students' overall performance in the course.

LearnDash's quizzes and assessments feature is also customizable, which means course creators can design quizzes and assessments that fit their specific course requirements. Course creators can choose the number of questions, the difficulty level, and the types of questions they want to include in their quizzes and assessments. There is also an option for course bundles.

Payment gateways

LearnDash is capable of integrating with various payment gateways, which makes it easier for course creators to accept payments from students.

Payment gateways are online payment processors that allow businesses to securely accept payments from customers. LearnDash currently supports a number of payment gateways, including PayPal, Stripe, and 2Checkout.

PayPal is one of the most popular payment gateways and is supported by LearnDash. It allows students to pay for courses using their PayPal account or credit/debit card. Stripe is another popular payment gateway that LearnDash supports, and it allows course creators to accept payments from students all around the world. 2Checkout is a payment gateway that is similar to PayPal and Stripe, but it supports a wider range of payment methods, including bank transfers and e-wallets.

LearnDash also supports several other payment gateways, including Authorize.net, WooCommerce, and Shopify. These payment gateways offer additional features and functionality, such as subscription payments and recurring billing.

In summary, LearnDash's payment gateway integrations make it easy for course creators to accept payments from students. With support for a wide range of payment gateways, businesses, and individuals can choose the payment gateway that works best for them and their customers.

Advantages of using LearnDash

Additional WordPress LMS plugins

LifterLMS and LearnDash are the best plugins on the internet right now and the plugins I recommend. However, there are other plugins that are worth taking a look at depending on your website’s specific needs and requirements.

Tutor LMS

If you're looking for an easy-to-use LMS WordPress plugin to help create and manage online courses, Tutor LMS is worth considering. It's a plugin designed for WordPress that has a range of features to make course creation and customization a breeze, which is why it's ideal for entrepreneurs and businesses.

One of the great things about Tutor LMS is its compatibility with different WordPress themes and versions. This means you can choose a design that best suits your needs. The drag-and-drop frontend course builder also makes creating and organizing courses incredibly easy.

Monetizing your courses is made simple with payment gateway integration. You can accept payments from your students securely and with ease. Tutor LMS also integrates with other tools and services such as WooCommerce, Easy Digital Downloads, MailChimp, and Zapier, making it easy to automate processes and streamline workflows.

All things considered, Tutor LMS is a versatile solution that provides a range of features to help online course creators. If you're looking for a free course builder plugin that doesn't require advanced capabilities, then Tutor LMS is the perfect option for you.

Advantages of Tutor LMS

Disadvantages of Tutor LMS

• The free version lacks many features and paid version may be expensive for website owners on a tight budget
• Fewer integrations in comparison to other plugins

LearnPress

What is LearnPress? LearnPress is a free WordPress LMS plugin that offers various features for creating and managing online courses. The plugin is easy to use and comes with many customization options, making it a great choice for beginners.

LearnPress LMS is a comprehensive WordPress plugin for creating and managing online courses. The platform is designed to be user-friendly, allowing instructors to easily create, manage and track their courses without any coding experience. It is also highly compatible with different WordPress themes and versions, making it easy to integrate with any website.

LearnPress LMS comes with advanced course creation features, such as quizzes, assignments, and lesson plans, making it easy for instructors to deliver engaging content to their students.

Payment gateway integration is also seamless, allowing for easy enrollment and payment processing. Additionally, LearnPress LMS integrates with other website tools and services, such as WooCommerce, BuddyPress, bbPress, and Mailchimp, making it a versatile and powerful solution for any online education program.

Advantages: What are the benefits of using LearnPress over LearnDash

Disadvantages: Which is better LearnPress or LearnDash

• LearnDash is a premium plugin and this means that it has superior features
• LearnPress does not have as many integrations and add-ons as LearnDash

Sensei

Sensei is a WordPress LMS plugin offered by WooCommerce. It is a powerful tool for creating and managing online courses. The plugin is user-friendly and comes with many customization options, making it a great choice for businesses and entrepreneurs.

Like most current WordPress LMS plugins, Sensei has a course builder, which allows educators to easily create and organize their content. The drag-and-drop interface makes it simple to add lessons, quizzes, and assignments, while the ability to add multimedia elements like videos and images ensures that courses are engaging and interactive.

Sensei also offers a powerful reporting system that allows educators to track their student's progress, see which lessons they have completed, and view their quiz and assignment results. This information can be used to identify areas where students are struggling and adjust the course content accordingly.

The Sensei LMS plugin allows you to create courses with video lessons and generate quizzes with various question types to assess student progress, albeit it does not have as many features as the other plugins on this list.

When it comes to payments a key feature of Sensei is its integration with WooCommerce, the popular e-commerce plugin for WordPress. This integration allows educators to sell their courses directly from their website, with options for offering discounts, creating subscription plans, and setting up recurring payments.

Advantages of Sensei

Disadvantages of Sensei

• Sensei integrates well with WordPress but it can be limited in integrations with third-party tools and platforms
• Customization may require technical skills

WP Courseware

WP Courseware is a WordPress LMS plugin that offers various features for creating and managing online courses. The plugin is user-friendly and comes with many customization options, making it an option for businesses and entrepreneurs.

With WP Courseware, you can create multi-level courses, drip content, set prerequisites, and add multimedia content such as videos, images, and audio. You can also create quizzes and assignments to test learners' understanding of the course material.

One of the significant advantages of WP Courseware is its integration with WordPress. This means that you can easily add your courses to your website pages and posts, and users can access the course material through their WordPress accounts.

WP Courseware is also compatible with most popular WordPress themes and plugins, so you can integrate it seamlessly into your existing website.

Advantages of WP Courseware

Disadvantages of WP courseware

• May not be as feature-rich as other LMS plugins as a result some users may find it limiting

Final thoughts on choosing the best WordPress LMS plugin

I understand that choosing the right LMS plugin from the many options available can be daunting. To help you make an informed decision, there are several key factors you should consider.

First, think about the features that the LMS plugin offers. Does it have all the functionalities you need to create, manage, and sell your courses? Look for features such as course and quiz creation, student management, payment gateways, and third-party integrations.

Ease of use is another critical factor to consider, especially if you're not technically inclined. You'll want a plugin that is easy to install, set up, and use. A user-friendly interface, clear documentation, and reliable customer support are essential.

Compatibility with your WordPress site is also vital. You should ensure that the LMS plugin you choose is compatible with your WordPress theme and other plugins you use on your website. Check the compatibility list of the plugin before making a final decision.

Price is another consideration. While some LMS plugins offer a one-time fee, others charge a monthly or yearly subscription fee and some plugins have a free and paid version. Choose a plugin that fits within your budget and offers value for money.

All in all, consider features, ease of use, compatibility, price, and reviews when choosing a WordPress LMS plugin. With these factors in mind, you can choose the right LMS plugin that meets your needs and helps you create a successful online course or learning management system.

Bonus: Add a searchable resource library to your LMS courses

Whichever WordPress LMS plugin you end up using, there's one feature that they are all missing. Some LMS plugins have a basic 'Course assets' tab where you can add some links to handbooks, further reading, and so on. However, none of them are designed to let you add a more fully featured resources section to your LMS courses or lessons.

That's where Document Library Pro comes in. You can use this with any WordPress LMS plugin. It adds a searchable resource library to any course or lesson. For example, you can:

• Add a list of course resources to the main course page in your LMS.
• Add a dedicated 'Resources' module to the end of a course, where students can search for and download useful resources.
• Share any type of file or useful link to assist students with their learning. This might include downloadable worksheets or handouts to accompany each lesson. Maybe you want students to be able to download audio or video, or watch it online. You might include links to useful third party websites for further reading.

Whatever sort of resource you need to share with your learners, Document Library Pro offers the best way to do it. Simply add the resources, structure them into categories, and add a simple shortcode to list the appropriate resources in your course or lesson pages.

What is the best WordPress LMS plugin?

As you can see, finding the perfect WordPress LMS plugin for your specific needs can greatly impact the success of your online learning platform.

We've explored and compared various LMS plugins in this article, with LifterLMS emerging as our top recommendation. It offers all the necessary features, integration capabilities, and excellent customer support for both beginners and experienced users. It's easy to use, thanks to the drag-and-drop course builder, along with membership management and online quizzes. This makes it an ideal option for educators and businesses looking to develop their e-learning platforms.

Either use LifterLMS alone, or with Document Library Pro to add a searchable resource library to your courses and lesson pages.