LearnDash vs Moodle 2023: Which is better LMS Plugin? It’s High Time You Migrate to LearnDash!

It’s never simple to pick an e-Learning platform. When you start an e-Learning company, this is one of the first and most important decisions you’ll have to make.

A sound LMS system should offer you adequate tools to teach your students in the early days properly and scale to meet your growing needs as your business grows.

This is where open-source e-Learning solutions such as Moodle and WordPress+LearnDash come in. They have all of the required capabilities for developing any e-Learning site, and their open-source nature allows you to adapt the platform to your changing needs.

Now the issue is, which of these two options should you choose? In this article, we’ll compare LearnDash vs Moodle so you can figure out which platform is ideal for you. 

In this article, I’ll go over the differences, but first, let me give you some background on each system.

LearnDash is an e-learning platform that offers courses, quizzes, completion certificates, and tracking tools in one unified dashboard.

Moodle is open-source software that enables educators to create their course content from scratch or to use online resources such as YouTube videos and Wikipedia articles.

There are numerous other significant differences between these two systems, which I will discuss briefly.

So, let us begin with the comparison!

LearnDash vs Moodle: Which One to Choose? (Pros & Cons Compared)

One of the most significant distinctions between LearnDash and Moodle is that the former is not a full-fledged learning management system in and of itself.

Rather, it extends the capabilities of a very strong, scalable, and adaptable CMS platform (WordPress) to serve as an excellent LMS platform.

It has a learning curve because a major portion of its functionality is taken from WordPress, which is a general-purpose CMS for all sorts of websites and not an LMS per se. Before you can learn how to use LearnDash, you must first learn how to use WordPress.

Moodle, on the other hand, is a full-fledged LMS with every aspect of its functionality built specifically for the creation of e-Learning. This substantially decreases the amount of technical knowledge required to access your LMS.

Another significant distinction is the nature of both services.

LearnDash is a paid plugin for the open-source WordPress open-source CMS, whereas Moodle is open-source software. While it is built on open-source platform features and capabilities, it is not an open-source solution in and of itself.

LearnDash vs Moodle: Features

While both LearnDash and Moodle have all of the functionality that every e-Learning site needs, it’s only logical that one of them has more than the other because they’re two entirely distinct products. The following is a list of their features:

Common features

• Compatibility with eLearning Standards: Both Moodle LMS and LearnDash LMS are compatible with eLearning standards such as SCORM and xAPI.
• Free and Open-Source: Both platforms are free and open-source software, providing users with the flexibility to customize and adapt to their specific needs.
• Activity Management: Both platforms include features for activity management, such as quizzes, assignments, and assessments.
• Synchronous and Asynchronous Learning: Both platforms allow for the delivery of live lessons through synchronous learning or recorded classes through asynchronous learning.
• Dashboards: Both platforms provide dashboards for students, professors, and administrators.
• Gamification: Both platforms offer the integration of gamification elements to enhance the learning experience.
• Blended and Mobile Learning: Both platforms offer the option for blended learning and mobile learning.

LearnDash vs Moodle: Fundamental Difference

One of the most significant differences between LearnDash and Moodle is that the former is not a standalone learning management system.

Instead, it expands the capabilities of a robust, scalable, and adaptable CMS platform (WordPress) to serve as an excellent LMS platform.

It has a learning curve as a significant portion of functionality is derived from WordPress. It would be best if you first learned how to use WordPress before you could use LearnDash.

Moodle, on the other hand, is a full-fledged LMS with every feature designed specifically for the creation of e-Learning. This significantly reduces the amount of technical knowledge needed to access your LMS.

The nature of both services is another significant distinction.

LearnDash is a paid add-on for the open-source WordPress CMS, whereas Moodle is free software. Despite being built on open-source platform features and capabilities, it is not an open-source solution in and of itself.

LearnDash vs Moodle: Basic Structure Difference

LearnDash is a WordPress plugin that allows educators to create courses quickly and easily. It offers lots of customizable features, such as learner profiles, certificates, advanced quizzes, and more.

Moodle LMS is a pure Learning Management System that is focused solely on e-Learning. It is user-friendly and easy to use, even for those who are not experts in LMS. 

Additionally, it functions as a Content Management System, allowing users to design and build their e-Learning platform without the need for an additional CMS such as WordPress. 

As an LCMS (Learning and Content Management System), Moodle LMS prioritizes both content management and learning management.

LearnDash vs Moodle: Content Creation and Management

Both LearnDash and Moodle have enough features to help you create and organize professional course content.

There is no doubt, however, that WordPress is the best content management system available.

It is the most popular CMS ever created for various reasons, including its excellent content generation and organization features. It’s no surprise that LearnDash outperforms Moodle regarding course content because they both use the same features.

There are no restrictions on what you can do with your course content on this platform. It’s yours to design, organize, and display however you want!

It’s versatile enough for that, and even if the feature(s) you want isn’t included, there’s a good chance you’ll find a suitable extension to fill the gap.

Because of WordPress, LearnDash also provides many relevant themes that you can use to make your e-Learning site look professional.

Moodle, on the other hand, has a lot of tools to let you build and arrange your course content however you want, but it doesn’t have as many themes as LearnDash to give you the freedom to design your site however you want without knowing how to code.

This is only possible with WordPress and LearnDash.

LearnDash vs Moodle: Customer Support

In the e-Learning industry, customer service plays a crucial role. Technical issues can cause disruptions to your website and delay learning for your students. 

Therefore, it is essential to consider the level of support offered by different e-Learning platforms. LearnDash and Moodle have dedicated support teams that assist users, but LearnDash has an added advantage. 

Being built on WordPress, which powers 30% of the internet, LearnDash has access to a vast pool of talent and resources. This means that solutions to most issues can be found in the LearnDash and WordPress forums, reducing the need for direct support.

On the other hand, while Moodle also has a dedicated community of users in its forums, the chances of finding a solution may be lower.

LearnDash vs Moodle: eCommerce Integration

Moodle LMS is a rigid LMS platform that does not allow you to sell your courses. There is no eCommerce integration on this LMS platform.

You must instead rely on third-party integration solutions to connect your website to a content management system (CMS), most commonly WordPress.

You can now sell your products online with the help of WordPress and eCommerce plugins such as WooCommerce. This means you’ll have to coordinate the administration of two platforms.

LMS LearnDash: Payment methods can be easily connected with the help of specialist eCommerce plugins such as WooCommerce, EDD, Stripe, and others. Keeping track of multiple platforms to sell courses is optional.

LearnDash vs Moodle: Pricing

Pricing is another spot where LearnDash and Moodle differ considerably from one another.

While LearnDash is a commercial platform that costs $199 per year.

LearnDash’s premium extensions are more expensive than Moodle’s extensions, but the fees are well justified considering LearnDash’s capabilities and versatility.

The expensive charges of LearnDash and its extensions are just a disadvantage if you can’t pay them; otherwise, users rarely complain about them.

LearnDash charges an annual subscription fee. Sadly, there’s no option to break this expense down into monthly payments. In addition, each plan comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can check it out without risking your money.

It includes a demo site design that will help you learn the ropes before diving head-first! Following is a list of the costs:

Basic: $199

• One site license
• You can create unlimited courses
• You can register an infinite number of users
• Course content protection
• You can drip-feed lessons
• Access to advanced quizzing blocks
• You can issue certificates and badges
• You can run course forums
• Email notifications 
• Free integrations 
• One year’s worth of support and updates

Plus: $399

• Includes ProPanel advanced reporting dashboard and ten site licenses
• Allows for real-time monitoring of student activity
• Ability to approve, remove, and manage assignments and essays
• View and download student course progress and quiz scores

Pro: $799

• Includes everything from the Plus plan
• Unlimited sites
• Scalable options for growing over more sites.

Moodle is an open-source platform that is absolutely free..

LearnDash vs Moodle: PROS and CONS

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LearnDash vs Moodle: Frequently Asked Questions 

How does LearnDash stack up against Moodle?

LearnDash is a WordPress plugin that incorporates cutting-edge elearning techniques. More than simply a plugin, we provide people and organizations interested in creating online courses with practical and experience-based help. Moodle is a learning platform that allows educators, administrators, and students to construct customized learning environments using a single, resilient, secure, and integrated system. You may either install the program on your web server or contact one of our Moodle Partners for help.

Is it possible to use Moodle with WordPress?

Yes! Using the Edwiser Bridge plugin, you can easily integrate Moodle and WordPress. The best aspect is that, if it still needs to be, you can make it entirely compatible with your Moodle theme.

Is it possible to charge for Moodle courses?

You may charge for your courses using Moodle and PayPal. Anyone interested in purchasing a system must create an account on your website. You can enable sign-up.

Who should make use of LearnDash?

Anyone who wants to use WordPress to create a learning management system. This includes, but is not limited to, WordPress developers with clients who wish to an LMS, training businesses, and educational institutions.

Is it possible to use LearnDash without using WordPress?

LearnDash is a WordPress plugin, which means it will only function with WordPress and nothing else. WordPress is the most popular content management system (CMS). LearnDash takes those features and enhances them to include e-learning.

Is LearnDash easy to use?

For third-party add-ons, go with recognized developers like those listed on their website. It would be best if you used LearnDash: LearnDash was more user-friendly and versatile, and its interface with WordPress gave it access to a larger audience.

Is Moodle safe to use?

Moodle is built to be highly secure. However, many depend on the web server, Moodle’s configuration, and the Moodle Administrator’s frequent package upgrades.

LearnDash vs Moodle Final Verdict: Which One is Better LearnDash or Moodle?

If you can afford it, LearnDash is far superior to Moodle. It’s a comprehensive package containing all the necessary themes, plugins, and functionality for selling your courses.

Moodle is fantastic, but due to a lack of e-commerce capabilities, it needs to meet expectations when selling your courses. Even though it provides extensions and other connectors to add functionality, it needs to include the LearnDash, WordPress, and WooCommerce combination.

As a result, if money is not an issue, LearnDash should be your first choice. Otherwise, Moodle is a good option if you want to offer free courses or build a small e-learning site with a few courses.

However, if you want to use Moodle to create a large e-Learning marketplace, you’ll likely have to tinker with its open-source code to meet your needs (like many international universities have done).

Finally, the decision is based on your platform expectations, technological expertise, and target audience.

What platform are you planning to use? Please notify us by leaving a comment.