LearnDash vs Teachable 2023: Which Is The Best E-Learning Platform?

If you offer online courses or subscriptions, you want the best software to run your business smoothly.

Finding the perfect learning management system (LMS) plugin can be challenging, but fortunately, there are various software options available that make it simple to create and sell courses without coding knowledge.

Teachable and LearnDash both allow you to create online courses, but that’s where the similarities end and the differences begin.

Teachable is a standalone platform, while LearnDash is a WordPress plugin. As a result, some users may benefit more from one than the other. The following are the primary distinctions between Teachable and LearnDash:

• Teachable focuses on online course development and marketing, whereas LearnDash focuses on online course creation.
• Teachable is a separate platform, whereas LearnDash is a WordPress LMS plugin.
• Teachable does not provide learning exams; however, LearnDash does.
• Teachable does not have any integrations, whereas LearnDash does.

In this in-depth comparison of Teachable vs. LearnDash, we will go over the key features and decision factors so that you can select the best software for your specific needs.

So, let’s begin with the comparison.

How Is LearnDash Different from Teachable?

LearnDash:

LearnDash is a learning management system (LMS) plugin for WordPress that enables you to create multimedia courses on your website.

With LearnDash, you have full control over the hosting of your content. It focuses on LMS functionality and requires additional plugins and add-ons to enhance its basic capabilities and provide a seamless user experience.

Fortunately, LearnDash offers a comprehensive marketplace of connectors and add-ons to make this possible.

Teachable:

Teachable enables you to create online schools and store a variety of lessons on the platform, which can then be published on the Teachable platform.

The schools can be filled with courses designed to educate students, and individuals can create their own schools and use Teachable to teach classes.

This is an excellent option for those who are just starting out online and looking to save money. However, as you gain more experience, it’s advisable to explore solutions that provide greater flexibility and complete control over your content.

Design & Flexibility

LearnDash is a WordPress learning management system (LMS) plugin that works with any theme or builder plugin.

Most website builders‘ built-in course templates and focus modes are compatible. The drag-and-drop editor in the built-in course builder makes it simple to create content and reuse lessons or themes from previous courses.

However, it is limited in terms of the look and feel of your course pages. Aside from a few color options, you won’t have complete control over the course layout and design.

Because LearnDash is a WordPress plugin, you can access many UI/UX and sensitive themes. LearnDash offers a simple drag-and-drop builder for those without design experience who want to create their own course (though this tool needs more flexibility).

Furthermore, LearnDash is compatible with any existing theme. If you prefer, you can even create your own theme.

Teachable’s only disadvantage for brand-conscious businesses is that the basic plan does not allow you to customize themes. Still, the company is expanding to keep up with the popularity of WordPress page builders.

One thing to keep in mind is that you will not be able to remove Teachable’s logo if you sign up for the cheapest pricing tier.

Teachable is an excellent resource for beginners who want to build their own websites. Designers can make it look however they want.

However, if you want more control, there are other options. Teachable offers more customization on the business and professional tiers. There are also themes available to help you make your site look good.

There are a few theme options in the Basic package. The course will include Teachable’s watermark if you choose the Basic subscription. Page builders are available in the Pro and Business subscriptions to assist you in making your course look good, and they can even code courses for you.

Learning Experience

In one crucial way, LearnDash outperforms Teachable. A quiz can be added at any point in the course.

There are numerous options with LearnDash, including eight different question types and the option for timed tests.

You can also assign homework to students after specific lessons or subjects to keep track of their progress and provide them with report cards.

Progress tracking has been improved in the most recent version of LearnDash. You can see how students are progressing through the course. You can also use LearnDash’s certificates to thank them after they finish a course. This will encourage students to complete the course.

Teachable does not have questions or quizzes, but they have multiple choice and accurate/false responses as options; no other types of questions are available on this platform.

When your students complete a course, you can award them with certificates in Teachable. You can also go over their homework assignments with them.

Teachable is more complex than LearnDash, so content is found in a single location, whereas LearnDash contains content in multiple locations and a help desk for homework assignments.

Teachable lets you keep track of your student’s homework. You can also use the website to monitor their academic progress. Students who complete the course successfully will receive report cards and certificates from their teachers.

Teachable has a few more tests than LearnDash. Teachable also has true/false and multiple-choice quizzes. If you want your students to improve at something they’ve been struggling with in class, give them assignments or make them take a test.

These reinforcements may be found in the curriculum section of your course. Teachable has some excellent assessment tools, but they need to gain LearnDash.

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Integrations

To connect Teachable to your preferred email service provider, you’ll need to use Zapier, a third-party software. You can also use Zapier or custom APIs to set up webhooks to send updates between your two systems.

You can also use Teachable’s email automation tool to send out specific emails based on user activity directly from the platform. Transferring your assets to a different platform is difficult because Teachable stores all your material on its closed platform.

Its native integrations are currently limited to the following:

• Google Analytics 
• Zapier
• Mailchimp
• Sumo
• ConvertKit
• Segment
• Calendly

You’ll need a third-party solution like Zapier or WPFusion to connect your online courses hosted on your WordPress site to your CRM using LearnDash. There are no native connections with email service providers such as ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit in either case.

LearnDash

Because LearnDash does not host your content, transferring it to another e-learning platform is much simpler if you decide LearnDash is not for you.

Some of the most popular LearnDash integrations are:

• Mailchimp
• WooCommerce
• PayPal
• Stripe
• Slack
• ConvertKit
• 2checkout
• GamiPress
• Easy Digital Downloads

Teachable

Teachable has a broader feature set, so third-party integrations are less necessary.

You also don’t have as much control over your properties because your content is hosted on Teachable servers. Switching platforms can be complicated even if you own the rights to your course material.

LearnDash, on the other hand, includes a plethora of valuable integrations. 

Plugins that extend LearnDash’s capabilities, from payment processing to marketing and everything in between, are almost certainly required and available.

Extensibility

Teachable

If you’re hosting your website and courses on Teachable’s closed platform, there’s no easy way to export your content if you decide to cancel or move on.

As a result, you will feel trapped and powerless if they decide to raise their rates or change their business strategy.

Teachable is a closed framework, which means you can’t extend its capabilities by simply installing add-ons or plugins. You’ll be limited to Teachable’s basic capabilities if you want to add an interactive forum, gamification, or other elements to your courses.

LearnDash

LearnDash is the polar opposite in terms of extensibility.

They allow integrations to augment their basic capabilities. LearnDash users have been known to install six or more plugins to ensure that everything works together to provide a successful learning experience.

However, keep an eye on your tech stack because the more plugins you install, the more likely something will go wrong.

Because LearnDash is a WordPress plugin, you are not building your site on leased property, which is a plus.

LearnDash, on the other hand, uses a unique Custom Post Type to create courses that allow you to assign modules and lessons. Your content is no longer accessible if you revoke your LearnDash license.

If you decide to uninstall this plugin, some plugins, such as AccessAlly, will allow you to retrieve and migrate your data.\

Marketing Capabilities

Teachable

Teachable may be helpful if you use email frequently. They provide email automation tools for connecting with platform users and delivering newsletters. You can also use custom APIs or a third-party platform like Zapier to connect Teachable to your favorite email service provider.

Other integrations are also supported by Teachable. For example, you can use Facebook Pixels and Google Analytics to track your online and social media results. Teachable is also unique because you can personalize your courses with your company’s logo and other information.

Teachable has a few things that could be improved in this area. For example, if you spend a lot of time creating content, there are better options than this. They cannot connect your CRM, but you can inquire about other options by contacting their customer service.

LearnDash

Because LearnDash is a WordPress plugin, it is highly convenient. WordPress provides access to the world’s most powerful content management system, allowing you to create content and optimize your website for search engine optimization.

LearnDash, on the other hand, includes several marketing tools. If you already have a CRM, you can connect it to LearnDash via Zapier or another third-party service.

More integrations are also supported by LearnDash. You can handle email correspondence, for example, with their alerts add-on, MailChimp, or another email automation software. Google Analytics may also be linked to your WordPress website. Any WordPress website can use Facebook Pixel.

Overall, LearnDash outperforms Teachable in terms of marketing features. Teachable is the way to go if you only want to host email marketing campaigns and track their results on the web and social media.

Customer Support

Teachable

Teachable’s customer service team is available to all clients via email and has extensive knowledge. Live chat is also available for technical and business accounts from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday. TeachableU, their online course collection, is available to all paying clients.

You’ll also get access to an onboarding webinar when you sign up, which will help you get up and running quickly. LearnDash, on the other hand, is available by email from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday.

But don’t let this deter you. Email assistance has proven reliable, especially when dealing with more complex issues.

LearnDash

When it comes to customer support, LearnDash offers email support from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday. While this may seem limited compared to Teachable’s availability, LearnDash’s email support has been reliable, especially when dealing with more complex issues.

The LearnDash support team is thorough in investigating problems and providing confident solutions. Though Teachable may outperform LearnDash in terms of customer service availability, LearnDash’s email support is still an effective and dependable option.

Also, read:

• Udemy vs Teachable: Which Platform Is Best For Online Learning?
• The 7 Best Teachable Alternatives

Pricing Plans:

When we compared the prices of the two platforms, we discovered that LearnDash is the more affordable option. But LearnDash does not offer a free trial, whereas Teachable does with their Professional plan (not for their Basic and Business plans).

LearnDash

LearnDash charges a yearly fee. Unfortunately, this cost cannot be divided into monthly installments. Each plan includes a 15-day money-back guarantee, allowing you to test the plugin at your leisure to see if it’s right for you without risking your money.

You’ll also receive a demo site template to use while learning the ropes before diving in headfirst. The costs are as follows:

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

• Everything mentioned above, as well as the ProPanel advanced reporting dashboard and 10 site licenses, are included.

The ProPanel improves your administrative control. You can view real-time student activity and approve, delete, and manage all assignments and essays from this page. Course progress and quiz scores for your student can also be viewed and downloaded.

Pro: $799

• Everything from the first two options is included, as well as unlimited site licenses. As you can see, LearnDash does not restrict your access to functionality based on your membership level. Instead, if you want to expand to more sites, simply upgrade.

👉 Get Started With LearnDash Now

Teachable

Teachable’s pricing is more in line with a standard SaaS model. Its three plans can be paid monthly or annually, with annual billing less expensive.

You can also try Teachable for 14 days for free. You will receive a full refund if you cancel your plan within the first 30 days.

The rates below are based on annual billing to provide a more accurate comparison to LearnDash’s yearly pricing.

Each Teachable plan includes the following features:

• Unlimited video uploads, course creation, hosting, and student enrollment
• Access to integrated payment processing
• Student management feature
• Students can leave comments on your lectures in a designated comments box
• Basic quizzes 
• No additional charge for selling your “Free” courses
• Automatic VAT calculation for EU users

The following are the plans:

Basic: $39 per month (annual) and $59 per month (month)

You can offer courses and live coaching with this package, and you have access to

• A members-only community
• Instant payouts
• You can register two admins
• Email support
• Course creator training 
• You can use your own custom domain 
• You can create coupon codes for customers to use
• You can drip-feed course content
• You get access to integrated email marketing
• Access to third-party integrations

Pro: $119 per month (monthly) and $99 per month (annual)

Transaction costs are eliminated under this plan. You get everything stated in the Basic plan along with the below-mentioned features:

• Priority product support
• You can grade quizzes
• Advanced reports
• An unbranded website
• You can issue course completion certificates
• Course compliance
• An integrated affiliate marketing platform
• You can register five admins

Business: $159 per month (monthly) and $119 per month (annual)

This adds up everything pro plan and

• Manual student imports
• You can register 5 admins
• Bulk student enrollments 
• You can set custom user roles
• Advanced theme customization through developer access
• You can host group coaching calls

LearnDash Vs Teachable: PROS and CONS

Here are the pros and cons of LearnDash and Teachable that you must know:

LearnDash

Here are the pros and cons of LearnDash:

Teachable: 

Here are the pros and cons of Teachable:

FAQs on LearnDash Vs Teachable 

Which platform provides the most effective learning exercises?

In general, LearnDash’s platform is more user-friendly than Teachables’. Course content, quizzes, and other supplements can be found on a single tab. In LearnDash, quizzes can be used at any point during the course. You may also select from various exams, such as Assessments with a time limit and Quizzes with multiple choices. Any sort of media can be submitted. And there’s more.

Do These Platforms Take a Percentage of Your Earnings?

Teachable gets 5% of your purchased courses on the Basic plan. Earnings are not taken from the Pro or Business plans. It needs to be clarified if LearnDash deducts a fee from your courses.

Which platform offers better customer support?

To be honest, both companies provide poor customer support, but Teachable goes above and beyond LearnDash. The Teachable service is different based on the package you choose. Everyone gets access to TeachableU, a learning library, and all plans include email assistance. When customers join up, they can attend a webinar that guides them through the product, but only Pro and Business accounts will have access to live chat. LearnDash only offers email support and is open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

What are the key features of Teachable?

Teachable provides various marketing tools, including discounts, deals, pricing customization, affiliate schemes, and sales pages. The drag-and-drop website builder is one feature that stands out.

What are the key features of LearnDash?

LearnDash offers multi-tier courses, drip-feed information, lesson timings, configurable requirements, forums, certifications, badges, and more.

What is the best platform for WordPress websites?

If you’re familiar with WordPress, you’ll appreciate how similar LearnDash’s content creation tool is. Because LearnDash is based on WordPress, you have a lot of flexibility when adding features like advertisements, membership levels, and payments. On the dashboard, you’ll find these options.

Should I use Teachable or LearnDash?

Teachable also allows you to accept assignments, which may help assess student progress. For those who wish to concentrate on building rigorous courses, LearnDash is a superior tool. Educators will like the flexibility to build complicated tests and give certification, as well as the easy connection with WordPress.

LearnDash vs Teachable Conclusion: Which Is Better? 

LearnDash is the clear winner. They are less expensive and include additional marketing, integrations, architectural, and learning reinforcements.

They lose points for not providing a free trial and having limited customer support options, but LearnDash provides excellent value for money.

That isn’t to say Teachable isn’t available to all teachers. LearnDash is an excellent option for educators who already have a WordPress website. Teachable may be the best option to create a course from the ground up.