7 Best WordPress LMS Plugins for Online Courses (Free & Paid)

Looking for the top WordPress LMS plugins to create your online courses with WordPress?

LMS plugins let you build and run online courses like Udemy and LearnDesk. A great WordPress LMS plugin will give you all you need to manage your online courses, run and grade quizzes, collect cash, and more.

In this post, we’ll compare the best WordPress LMS plugins to help you choose the best solution for your online learning website.

Before we start, let’s quickly review what an LMS is and what to watch out for in an LMS plugin.

How to Select the Best WordPress LMS Plugins?

There is no doubt that the need for eLearning platforms is expanding. People search online for interactive and engaging LMS solutions for academic courses, technical topics, and children’s learning.

However, with the help of WordPress LMS plugins, you may give such learning services directly on your website. It makes it simple to create online courses, track students’ progress, and grade coursework from a single dashboard.

Many LMS and membership plugins are available that allow you to deliver eLearning courses on your website. However, the following are some of the features that the best WordPress LMS plugins give:

  • Course Creation: A decent LMS plugin will enable you to create many forms of course content, such as pdfs, videos, grade books, etc.
  • Enrollment: The top LMS and membership plugins make it simple to register students, create membership plans, and manage them.
  • Payment Integration: If you want to monetize your content, you need a WordPress course plugin that supports smooth integrations with payment methods like PayPal, Stripe, and others.
  • Content Dripping: This feature allows you to schedule the publication of your courses at weekly, monthly, or yearly intervals.
  • Quizzes and Tests: To enhance course engagement, you’ll need a WordPress LMS plugin that allows you to organize quizzes, competitions, and assessments.
  • Course Progress: This is a front-end indicator that shows your students their course progress.
  • Community Forum: If you want to create a student community for your eLearning platform, you’ll have integrations with tools like BuddyPress and bbPress.

With that said, let’s take a look at our top selections of WordPress LMS plugins that provide all of these essential features.

WordPress LMS Plugins

Here are some best LMS plugins for WordPress to help you start your own WordPress course platform.

1. LearnDash

LearnDash WordPress LMS Plugin

When it comes to WordPress LMS plugin options, LearnDash is one of the most well-known names. It’s a popular product used by many companies and even universities worldwide to create engaging online courses via an online learning website.

The drag-and-drop course builder is a core feature of LearnDash. This online course builder functions similarly to a page builder when it comes to creating a website. It’s simple to use and lets you quickly create courses with a logical hierarchy, including all course material and quizzes.

LearnDash has all the features we look for in LMS plugins, including tests and quizzes, certification support, course tracking, and more. Some of these features are included in the core plugin, and they don’t charge extra.

One best things about LearnDash we like is the gamification element. You can earn Course Points by completing an online course. Collect more points, and you can unlock free courses or content or other incentives. It’s a very cool feature that may be quite useful in the proper hands.

Furthermore, if you want to make money from your online teaching, LearnDash provides various options. If you want to sell memberships, LearnDash integrates with MemberPress.

Additionally, if you have an online store, you’ll be happy to hear that LearnDash works with popular WordPress eCommerce plugins, like WooCommerce.

When it comes to collecting your payments, LearnDash accepts payment through a number of payment gateways, including PayPal, Stripe, and 2Checkout.

LearnDash Features

  • Drag and drop course builder
  • Pre-designed course templates
  • Complete LMS with lots of features
  • Supports content dripping and scheduling
  • Options for quizzes and assignments
  • Compatible with many other WordPress plugins
  • Includes forum elements
  • Automated email notifications
  • Zapier integration

LearnDash Price

LearnDash costs $199 per year for a single WordPress site, $399 per year for ten sites, and $799 for unlimited sites.

2. MemberPress Courses

MemberPress - Membership & LMS WordPress Plugin

MemberPress is the best membership plugin for WordPress. It also includes built-in features for creating and managing online WordPress courses.

MemberPress has a Classroom Mode, so you don’t have to spend hours creating a completely personalized online classroom. Classroom Mode handles the design for you, so your courses always look beautiful.

MemberPress automatically adds an easy-to-navigate design to your online training. As a result, your students will always know what to do next and can complete their course without confusion.

The MemberPress course builder is built on top of the WordPress block editor.

This means you can use the WordPress tools you’re already familiar with to add lessons, topics, categories, embed videos, images, and more.

Additionally, the course builder fully supports custom CSS, allowing you to customize the look of your online courses.

You can monitor each student’s progress from the WordPress dashboard and determine how close they are to finishing their course.

Additionally, you can use MemberPress to build free courses or earn income by selling membership subscriptions.

MemberPress also includes a strong content dripping feature that allows you to show members restricted content after a certain time.

MemberPress Courses Features

  • Fully featured Learning Management System
  • Drag and drop course builder
  • Flexible content restriction, including content dripping
  • Integrates with ConvertKit, Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, etc.
  • Support for most major payment gateways
  • Subscription management built-in
  • Compatible with any WordPress theme
  • Forum integration with bbPress
  • Integration with other WordPress plugins

MemberPress Courses Price

MemberPress plans start from $179.50 for a single site. You’ll also receive the MemberPress Courses add-on for free, allowing you to build unlimited courses and have an unlimited number of students.

3. LifterLMS

LifterLMS – WordPress LMS Plugin

LifterLMS is a good option for WordPress users looking for a feature-rich online course plugin for their site. It allows you to create LMS courses with training modules, lessons, tutorials, categories, and more.

With LifterLMS, you can simply build courses that are customized to your preferences. You can even use it with a page builder like Elementor to customize your LMS training platform to match your brand.

LifterLMS allows you complete control over your courses using content dripping, course prerequisites, and group memberships.

LifterLMS, like LearnDash, focuses on engagement by offering significant features like achievement badges, certificates, social learning, etc.

Furthermore, LifterLMS offers a great collection of add-ons that you can use to manage affiliates, integrate with eCommerce plugins, and more.

If you want to monetize your online courses, LifterLMS can accept one-time or recurring payments with a credit card or through popular payment gateways like PayPal and Stripe.

Overall, LifterLMS is ideal for anyone who wants to create and sell an online membership course on their website.

LifterLMS Features

  • Build unlimited courses with a drag-and-drop course builder
  • Drip-feed course content on a set schedule
  • Integration of email marketing providers
  • Options to sell course bundles
  • Personalized email notifications
  • Offers course discussion areas like lesson comments, forums, etc

LifterLMS Price

Because the core version is free to use, this is a free LMS WordPress plugin. However, you will need to pay for additional advanced features. Plans for an online course bundle start at $149 a year, but you can try out a demo for $1.

4. Tutor LMS

Tutor LMS – eLearning and Online Course Solution

Tutor LMS is the latest addition to the list of the best WordPress LMS plugins. Due to its extensive feature set, it has also become a well-liked learning management system plugin.

TutorLMS allows you to design and personalize interactive courses using a simple drag-and-drop course builder. Additionally, you have access to a quiz maker, which allows you to make entertaining tests with various question formats.

Furthermore, you can use this LMS plugin to define timers and retake restrictions for your questions. This improves the overall user experience.

Tutor LMS also includes an LMS theme, complete support, good documentation, and access to paid add-ons for additional functionality.

The plugin core version is free and includes the basic LMS functionalities. As your business expands, you may upgrade to a pro plan, which includes extra features such as content dripping, a grading system, and more.

Tutor LMS Features

  • Frontend Drag & Drop Course Builder
  • Ready to use LMS WordPress themes
  • Powerful quiz creator to create custom-tailored quizzes
  • Course completion certificates
  • Personalized dashboard for teachers & students
  • Advanced analytics and reports
  • access courses anywhere, anytime, through mobile devices
  • Easy integration with Elementor, Divi, etc., to create the best eLearning platform.

Tutor LMS Price

Tutor LMS free version is available on WordPress.org. The pricing for the premium version starts at $149 per year.

5. LearnPress

LearnPress – WordPress LMS Plugin

LearnPress is the best free LMS plugin for WordPress. Unlike most of the other LMS plugins on our list, LearnPress includes a setup process that makes onboarding simple for users of all levels.

It is simple to reuse your content using LearnPress. You can use lessons and quizzes from one course within another. Even better, you may export your content to any other WordPress site that uses LearnPress.

After creating a course, you can make it available for free or charge a fee, which can be a one-time or recurring payment. LearnPress also allows you to publish some lessons as a free preview, which may encourage visitors to purchase the whole course.

LearnPress Features

  • Work with any WordPress themes
  • Supports WordPress multisite
  • Export and import your courses to LearnPress powered website
  • Bunch of add-ons for advanced features
  • Integrations with WooCommerce and membership plugins
  • User-generated review for social proof

LearnPress Price

LearnPress free version is available on WordPress.org. You can buy the premium add-ons separately or purchase the LearnPress Pro add-ons bundle for $249.99.

6. Sensei LMS

Sensei LMS: Free WordPress LMS Plugin

Sensei is a strong premium plugin that turns your WordPress website into an advanced learning platform. It was created by the same group that created WooCommerce, the most popular WordPress-based eCommerce plugin.

Sensei is not a complete membership plugin. It manages the creation and publishing of online courses, but to sell access, you must use it in conjunction with membership or eCommerce plugins.

Using Sensei to create courses is simple. It offers basic functionality that provides an overview of your content, grades, and students enrolled with the site.

However, Sensei is not as feature-rich as the other best WordPress LMS plugins. Furthermore, there are just a few extensions available to expand core functionalities.

Overall, Sensei is a great option if you want to create a professional online course for free.

Sensei LMS Features

  • Work with any WordPress themes
  • Integrates seamlessly with WooCommerce plugins
  • Course progress tracking
  • Certifications for completed courses
  • Quiz creation and grading feature
  • Course expiration feature
  • Advanced Quiz features

Sensei LMS Price

Sensei LMS free version is available on WordPress.org with limited features. However, for features like content dripping, WooCommerce integration, etc., you need a pro version which starts at $149 per year for a single site.

7. WP Courseware

WP Courseware

WP Courseware is another excellent WordPress LMS plugin that includes a drag-and-drop course builder. This comprehensive builder includes several features you may use to create small or large online courses.

When you publish a course, WP Courseware will automatically build a listing to advertise that course on your website and encourage students to join.

Every course may contain many modules, units, and quizzes. WP Courseware allows students to download courses in any format, including PDF, media files, and text, to promote offline study.

If you want to build a guided learning experience, WP Courseware offers both course prerequisites and course tracks.

If you wish to sell your online training, WP Courseware offers comprehensive monetization features. This includes a shopping cart that you can connect straight to PayPal or Stripe to begin selling your courses as either a one-time purchase or a monthly subscription.

WP Courseware Features

  • Drag and drop course builder
  • Supports content dripping and course prerequisites
  • Grades and certificates built-in
  • Automated notifications
  • Built-in shopping cart functionality
  • Extra features available with addons

WP Courseware Price

WP Courseware licenses start at $129 a year for two sites with one year of support and updates.

8. Bonus: Teachable

Teachable is a robust drag-and-drop course builder. Teachable, unlike the other LMS on this list, is not a WordPress plugin. Instead, you may use Teachable on a sub-domain, a custom domain name, or just put a link to your school’s page.

Teachable hosts your course and gives you all of the tools you need to create highly engaging online courses. It also has built-in email marketing integration and an excellent sales page builder that you can use to sell your new training business.

Teachable Features

  • User-friendly interface to create multimedia-rich courses quickly and easily.
  • Customizable course templates to create a course the way you want it to.
  • Integrates with many payment gateways such as PayPal and Stripe.
  • Manage your students and track their progress through your courses.
  • Affiliate program integration to incentivize others to promote and sell your courses.
  • Reporting and analytics to track student progress, sales, and other metrics.

Teachable Price

You can use Teachable for free with limited features. However, to use more features, you need a higher plan, which starts from $59 per month ($39 billed annually).

Which WordPress LMS Plugins Is Best for You?

We’ve seen some of the best WordPress LMS plugins on the market. You can choose any of these LMS plugins based on your needs.

If you need help in deciding which one is best for your WordPress website, here are some of our suggestions:

  • MemberPress: The best LMS WordPress plugin, complete with industry-standard LMS features and membership functions. Additionally, it provides helpful extensions that improve the essential features of your WordPress website.
  • LearnDash: This learning management system plugin lets you build an unlimited number of courses and add gamification to increase student engagement.
  • LifterLMs: It gives you access to comprehensive course creation and management capabilities, allowing you to deliver courses easily.

And that’s all! We hope this list of the best WordPress LMS plugins helped you find the best LMS platform for your site. Once you select the WordPress LMS plugins, you can start creating your first course.

You may also be interested in our helpful resources on:

These posts are packed with information to help you expand your learning platform, improve user experience, and increase enrollment in your online courses.