Choosing an LMS platform is important, especially when there is no one-size-fits-all option.
Here are some comparison points between WordPress-based and independent LMSs, as well as the benefits and drawbacks of each!
In which LMS platform should you invest your time and money? This review will tell you more about it
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Pros And Cons Of Using A WordPress Learning Management System
It’s that time of year again when the eLearning sector prepares to buckle down and crank out some fantastic new courses in preparation for the coming academic year.
Many first-time authors are likely grappling with the million-dollar question of which Learning Management System, or LMS, they should begin working on.
This is a real issue because the platform you choose will serve as the foundation for your entire eLearning program, so it must be reliable.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution for eLearning websites, given the many LMS platforms on the market today and their varying capabilities.
However, several systems, such as LearnDash, Sensei, LifterLMS, Moodle, Canvas, and others, stand out clearly among the throng of Learning Management Systems.
Here, we’ll contrast two approaches to creating a course website:
- LearnDash is a WordPress-based Learning Management System that uses an LMS plugin.
- A native Learning Management System (LMS) for the eLearning niche, such as Moodle.
Both systems offer their own set of benefits and drawbacks, which we’ll discuss in a moment. It’s important to note that both WordPress and Moodle are open-source platforms, which means they can be customized as needed.
Moodle has been in the eLearning industry for over a decade and is well-versed in the field. WordPress joined the party in early 2010 and has since expanded by leaps and bounds.
Now that we’ve cleared everything up, let’s dig down and analyze these systems based on a few crucial characteristics.
1. Ease Of Use
The course author must put in a lot of time and effort to design, create, and manage a course. One of the most significant factors to consider when choosing a learning management system is how easy it is to use.
In this regard, WordPress provides unrestricted design and management options. It is one of the best content management systems available, with a simple learning curve and minimum training requirements. There is no need for coding knowledge, and the method is really simple.
Moodle and other native solutions fall short on the ease-of-use front since they often necessitate a thorough understanding of coding and web development in order to construct a course and all of its aspects.
Moodle is widely utilized in colleges, businesses, and other educational institutions. As the platform’s number of features grows, the platform’s complexity grows as well. Although there is a steep learning curve here, it becomes easier to use after the fundamental concepts are understood.
2. User Interface
All of your students engage with the course through the User Interface or front-end of the website. The thousands of WordPress themes available make choosing the style of the eLearning course website a breeze. A WordPress-based website has several advantages, including an amazing User Interface and simple navigation.
Moodle’s User Interface, on the other hand, is adequate at best. The platform has worked hard to address the situation, with themes like Edwiser RemUI and others providing the much-needed interactive touch.
However, in terms of superior User Interface and front-end experience, WordPress still outperforms other native eLearning systems.
3. Native Features
Basic course, lesson, quiz, and assignment design capabilities, course improvement choices such as gamification, an integrated payment gateway for transactions, progress trackers, and student analytics tools are all considered native elements in every LMS.
The basic feature of most WordPress-based LMSs is the ability to create courses (and related features). All other functions, on the other hand, require the installation of individual plugins, which increases the size of the website over time.
All of the functions listed above are included in the core bundle of native learning management systems. This is understandable given that they were created to support only e-learning websites.
Nonetheless, the vast list of features available for native LMSs cuts down on the time and effort required to set up and install each plugin individually. Furthermore, unlike WordPress, where a faulty plugin may sometimes damage your website, there are no compatibility issues here.
4. Extensions
Extensions are used to extend the functionality of your website beyond the basic features. In terms of extensions, WordPress easily outperforms Moodle.
At the time of writing, WordPress has over 51,000 plugins, and the number continues to rise. Though the number includes plugins for eCommerce, eLearning, and other WordPress applications, it is substantially greater than the number of Moodle extensions accessible.
Furthermore, even if an extension isn’t designed expressly for eLearning, WordPress’ versatility allows you to customize a plugin to meet your specific needs.
Moodle includes over 1000 extensions, many of which are aimed to improve your e-learning platform’s capabilities. You may use this feature set to integrate live videos, drip-feed content, merge courses, and more. Because Moodle offers such a large feature set, extension development is limited.
5. Cost
The cost of hosting an eLearning website is determined by factors such as hosting, extensions, renewals, and more, and is a recurring annual expense.
Both platforms provide different hosting plans depending on the size and scope of the website. When it comes to extensions, however, there is a significant difference. Many WordPress plugins are premium, needing regular renewals in order to maintain support.
As you add newer and more complicated functions day after day, the total cost of these plugins rises significantly over time.
For example, WooCommerce’s recent announcement to charge the full price of its extensions means you may end up spending anywhere from $150 to $2,000 each year, depending on how many plugins you have on your site.
Furthermore, when your site expands, the cost of hosting increases exponentially, forcing you to pay large sums of money at a rate that may eventually become unsustainable.
Moodle, on the other hand, is fully free, including the majority of the addons in the Moodle directory.
The only cost is the hosting plan you choose or a premium plugin/theme you utilize, which, although not free, is far less than a comparable-sized Learning Management System on WordPress.
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