LearnDash Pricing And Comparison with Affordable Alternatives
Selling courses online? Smart move. But is LearnDash the right platform for you? Let’s find out.
It’s a go-to LMS packed with features and a strong reputation, especially for WordPress users. But a great platform isn’t just about features — pricing matters too, and LearnDash is no different.
Is LearnDash actually worth it, or are you better off with alternatives like FreshLearn, Teachable, or Kajabi?
To figure that out, we’re breaking down everything: LearnDash pricing, what each plan includes, and the extra costs nobody talks about. Plus, a head-to-head comparison with its top competitors to help you make the right call.
What is LearnDash?
Founded in 2012, LearnDash quickly became a leading Learning Management system (LMS) within the WordPress space. It is a WordPress plugin that enhances the learning programs of universities, small to mid-size companies, bloggers, and entrepreneurs worldwide.
LearnDash’s top features
LearnDash features give course creators powerful tools to build and manage engaging online courses. Among its many capabilities, these three stand out for making course creation even smoother:
The platform also provides advanced features, including:
- Advanced quizzing & assignments: LearnDash supports various question types, including multiple-choice, true/false, and essays. It also provides features like timed quizzes, randomized questions, and auto-grading. Students can also submit assignments, with built-in tools for instructor feedback.
- Smart automation: Automated features reduce admin workload. They drip-feed content, auto-enroll students, generate completion certificates, and send email notifications, all without manual intervention.
- Smooth external integrations: LearnDash integrates with payment gateways like PayPal and Stripe, email tools like Mailchimp, and membership plugins like MemberPress. These integrations support educators in creating message boards, discussion forums, and student communities within their courses.
- Focus mode for distraction-free learning: This feature provides a clean, minimal interface with progress tracking, mobile optimization, and easy navigation to improve engagement.
- Custom dashboards: Personalized student dashboards display enrolled courses, progress bars, upcoming deadlines, and earned certificates, creating a seamless learning experience.
Advantages of using LearnDash
- ✅ Helps in course customization to match company needs, including branding and tailored content.
- ✅ Course creators can track student progress in real time, monitoring completion rates, quiz scores, and engagement.
- ✅ Access detailed reports to identify strengths, address knowledge gaps, and improve training programs.
- ✅ Modify the platform freely with its open-source flexibility, ensuring full control over customization.
- ✅ Offer bulk course access to organizations, making it easy for companies to enroll multiple employees.
Who is LearnDash best for?
LearnDash is a great choice for established businesses, universities, and training organizations that need a WordPress plugin with complete course control. It also works well for those willing to invest upfront and manage their course creation platform.
However, LearnDash is not ideal for small businesses or independent course creators looking for a low-cost, plug-and-play LMS solution other than WordPress.
Let’s see why.
All About LearnDash Pricing
LearnDash gives you two ways to build your online course platform: LearnDash LMS(self-hosted) and LearnDash Cloud(fully hosted). Let’s see how much each of the options costs.
LearnDash LMS
LearnDash LMS pricing differs based on the no. of WordPress sites you install it on.
- 1-site license: $199/ year.
- 10-site license: $399/year.
- Unlimited license: $799/year.
Each plan includes the same core features, but the number of sites you can use it on determines the cost.
Notice anything missing? Yes, a monthly payment option. The LearnDash pricing plan requires full annual payment upfront. It does not have a free plan with basic features, either.
If you want to discontinue LearnDash by mid-year, you won’t get a refund for the remaining months. LearnDash gives you a 15-day money-back guarantee, but after that, you must stick with the annual payment.
Also, the annual price does not include website hosting. You must purchase add-ons for a yearly charge to access extra features, such as the Gradebook, Propanel, and more.
LearnDash LMS does not offer a free trial for the price you pay. Instead, the platform provides access to a demo site to see how the platform works. However, you can’t install it on your own site, test integrations, or customize settings as you would with an actual purchase.
LearnDash Cloud
LearnDash Cloud subscription offers three pricing plans: Starter, Growth, and Pro. Both provide monthly and yearly payment options, with more features in higher tiers.
LearnDash Cloud might seem affordable with its monthly subscription options, but the costs add up quickly.
- ➢ The Starter plan is $29 per month, totaling $348 per year — even more than the $299 annual plan.
- ➢ The Pro plan jumps to $99 per month, costing nearly $1,900 annually, yet the free domain is only available with this high-priced tier.
- ➢ Plus, despite the premium pricing structure, add-ons like Groups Plus, Notes, and Gradebook still require separate purchases (Discounts on add-ons are not available in the Starter plan).
When you break it down, LearnDash Cloud is not only pricey but requires you to pay extra when you plan to pay as you go.
Also, though LearnDash Cloud provides a fully hosted website, it's still within WordPress, which means customization options are quite limited. LearnDash Cloud restricts you to pre-installed themes and LearnDash plugins, blocking access to the broader WordPress ecosystem for deeper customization.
Add-ons
Most LMS platforms have advanced reporting and managing ratings and feedback in their core plans. LearnDash? Not so much. If you need these basics, be ready to pay extra annually. What most LMS platforms consider standard, LearnDash locks behind premium add-ons, adding to your costs year after year.
The catch is that as your course offerings grow, the need for more add-ons increases, making it harder to predict total expenses upfront. LearnDash offers free and paid add-ons. While this expands functionality, it also means compatibility issues, inconsistent updates, and potential security risks.
Bundle options
LearnDash has 4 bundle options, each with different feature combinations. These bundles' prices vary based on the number. Of WordPress sites you install it on and are billed annually.
Ultimate Course Creator Bundle
- 1 site: $499 /year.
- 10 sites: $899/year
- Unlimited: $1699/year
Student Success Bundle
- 1 site: $249 /year.
- 10 sites: $499/year
- Unlimited: $1099/year
Professional Suite Bundle
- 1 site: $399 /year.
- 10 sites: $699/year
- Unlimited: $1299/year
Marketplace Suite Bundle
- 1 site: $399 /year.
- 10 sites: $699/year
- Unlimited: $1299/year
Two things to notice here:
- ➢ You pay for these bundles annually, making an upfront investment similar to purchasing the LearnDash LMS.
- ➢ Some bundles (like the student success bundle) provide very limited options. If you are just starting out, those options will suffice. However, as you grow within a year, you cannot upgrade to another bundle, and you will end up purchasing individual add-ons at a higher cost down the road.
Third-Party Integrations
LearnDash's integration pricing has several notable drawbacks:
- Premium integrations, premium costs: LearnDash integrates with BuddyBoss, Elementor, WP Fusion, and others, but most require separate purchases. If you need advanced community features (BuddyBoss), automation (WP Fusion), or affiliate tracking (Solid Affiliate), expect extra costs.
- Additional costs for upsell features: While LearnDash allows you to set up UpSells for courses, these features are available in the PRO version of the plugin. The free version provides a limited widget, and to unlock full functionality (like integration with WooCommerce and Easy Digital Downloads), you'll need to purchase the premium version.
- Hidden costs for growth: Expanding your LMS means adding more integrations. Private messaging, multilingual support (Weglot), or CRM tools (Memberium, ConvertKit) come at a price, making scalability more expensive than it seems.
- Compatibility and maintenance hassles: These integrations don’t always work seamlessly. Updates, conflicts, and troubleshooting require technical expertise or hiring a third-party developer.
- Slack integration isn’t native:Unlike platforms with built-in communication tools, LearnDash relies on external apps like Slack, which may require paid plans for full functionality
LearnDash Reviews
Here’s what LearnDash’s users say about the platform:
Source: https://www.g2.com/products/learndash/reviews/learndash-review-9541228
LearnDash Pricing: How Much Will You Actually Pay?
LearnDash’s base price might seem reasonable, but once you factor in essential add-ons and hosting, the costs can add up quickly. Let’s break down what you’d pay for both LearnDash LMS (plugin) and LearnDash Cloud as a typical course creator.
Scenario 1: LearnDash LMS (Self-Hosted on WordPress)
You’re an educator or business setting up an online course with the basic integrations and add-ons.
The one-time setup value depends on your tech skills. If you consider the scenario as the price required for a non-tech-savvy person, this will include the cost of hiring a developer to help you with the initial setup.
The total first-year cost would be around $1,063, excluding transaction fees for using the LearnDash LMS. This value will increase depending on the add-ons and integrations you choose.
Scenario 2: LearnDash Cloud (Hosted Solution)
You want an easier setup, so you opt for LearnDash Cloud, which includes hosting.
So, the total first-year cost will be $563, without including the payment transaction fees in the LearnDash Cloud. Depending on the add-ons and third-party paid integrations you prefer, this value will also add up.
LearnDash Alternatives
While there are many learning management systems out there, FreshLearn, Teachable, and Kajabi each offer their own pricing and feature sets.
Let’s see how they stack up.
1. FreshLearn
FreshLearn supports course creators by offering an intuitive platform that focuses on customization and scalability. Flexible pricing, easy course creation, and seamless student management help creators build and grow their online courses efficiently.
It’s a great choice for those who want to deliver engaging content with tools to enhance learning experiences and streamline administrative tasks.
Key features
- Customizable course builder: FreshLearn offers an intuitive drag-and-drop course builder, making course creation effortless. Upload and organize content in various formats, including videos, PDFs, quizzes, assignments, and interactive lessons, all without technical expertise. The flexibility ensures that course creators and businesses can develop engaging learning experiences tailored to their audience.
- Multiple payment gateways: Selling courses globally? FreshLearn supports multiple payment options, including PayPal, Stripe, and Razorpay, providing a smooth checkout experience for your students - all without a 0% commission cut.
- Custom branding & domain: Make your online academy truly yours. FreshLearn lets you customize your course portal with your logo, brand colors, and unique domain name. Complete branding with just your business front and center. This feature helps build credibility and brand recognition, ensuring a smooth learning experience for students.
- Flexible course pricing and discounts: Monetizing your courses has never been easier. FreshLearn lets you set up one-time payments, subscription models, or bundled offers. Offer discounts, run promotions, and create coupon codes to attract more students. Whether you're selling an individual course or an entire membership program, FreshLearn gives you control over price planning.
- Drip content: Keep students engaged with a structured learning approach. FreshLearn’s drip content feature lets you schedule lessons and modules to release at specific intervals. This prevents information overload, encourages course completion, and ensures that students understand the material at a steady pace.
- Student analytics and reporting: Get deep insights into student behavior and performance. FreshLearn provides real-time analytics on course completion rates, quiz scores, engagement levels, and more. With these data-driven insights, refine your course content, identify students needing support, and enhance the overall learning experience.
- Affiliate marketing: Turn students into brand ambassadors with FreshLearn’s affiliate marketing feature. Set up an affiliate program where students can promote your courses and earn a commission on sales. This helps expand your reach without additional marketing costs.
- Integrated email marketing: Stay connected with students through FreshLearn’s built-in email marketing tools. Send automated emails for course updates, reminders, promotions, and lead nurturing. Create sequences that guide students through the learning journey and increase retention rates.
Pricing
- FreshLearn offers a free plan with all core features.
- Pro Plan: $29/month
- No Brainer Plan: $49/month
- No Brainer+ Plan: $119/month.
2. Teachable
Teachable is an LMS platform known for its user-friendly interface and robust course-building tools, which are ideal for beginners and individual course creators.
Key features
- Course creation tools: An easy-to-use course builder with multimedia support (video, quizzes, assignments, etc.).
- Payment options & integrations: The platform supports various payment options, including Stripe and PayPal. It also integrates with payment processors, email marketing tools, and analytics.
- Marketing Features: Teachable has built-in email marketing to nurture leads. Course creators can also use coupons, promotions, and affiliate marketing to improve sales.
- Analytics and reporting: Teachable offers advanced reporting to track sales, revenue, and student progress. It also provides real-time insights into performance metrics, including course engagement.
- Student management: Course creators can manage students’ learning progress and engage them with custom certificates and feedback. Teachable also supports a mobile-friendly interface so students can access content anywhere.
Pricing
Teachable Pricing offers four main plans
- Basic plan: $39/month
- Pro plan: $119/month
- Pro+ plan: $199/ month
- Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing tailored to specific business needs.
3. Kajabi
Kajabi is an all-in-one solution for entrepreneurs. It offers advanced marketing automation, landing pages, and membership sites, making it perfect for scaling businesses.
Key features
- All-inclusive platform: Kajabi offers an integrated system to create, market, and sell courses, membership sites, and digital products in one platform.
- Course creation & delivery: Build courses with video, audio, quizzes, assignments, and more, and deliver them through a fully customizable, mobile-friendly platform.
- Landing pages & websites: Create professional, high-converting landing pages and websites using starter templates and a drag-and-drop builder.
- Email marketing & campaigns: Use Kajabi's email marketing tools to create, schedule, and send targeted email campaigns to your audience.
- Customer support & coaching: Provide personalized support and coaching with features like direct customer communication and live chat integrations.
- Analytics & reporting: To make informed decisions, monitor your business’s performance with detailed reports on sales, engagement, and course-completion rates.
Pricing
Kajabi Pricing offers four plans:
- Kickstarter Plan: $71/month
- Basic Plan: $119/month
- Growth Plan: $159/month
- Pro Plan: $319/month
Now let’s compare FreshLearn, Teachable, and kajabi's pricing for better insights:
|
$29/month (0%
transaction fees) |
$39/ month |
$71/month |
|
FreshLearn |
Teachable |
Kajabi |
After comparing the alternatives, migrating from LearnDash to FreshLearn is clearly beneficial. Why?
- ➢ At just $29/mo, FreshLearn offers a competitive price over the alternatives.
- ➢ Unlike Teachable & Kajabi, which charge transaction fees on their pricing plans, FreshLearn doesn’t charge any, allowing you to keep more of your earnings.
- ➢ FreshLearn offers customizable course creation and integrations, perfect for creators who want an easy-to-use platform without complex setups.
- ➢ Also, unlike LearnDash, which requires purchasing add-ons and external hosting, FreshLearn is an all-in-one solution with no surprises.
So, why are you still waiting? Sign up now to easily create your courses and see how FreshLearn can take them to the next level!
FAQs
- Is LearnDash free or paid?
LearnDash is a paid platform. It offers several pricing plans starting at $199 per year for a basic license, which includes core LMS features for a single site. Additional costs may apply for add-ons, external hosting, and third-party integrations, including the LearnDash course grid.
2. Is LearnDash an LMS?
Yes, LearnDash is a Learning Management System (LMS) designed for WordPress. It allows users to create, manage, and sell dynamic courses and offers flexible features like quizzes, certifications, and course tracking. It’s ideal for educators, businesses, and course creators who want advanced customization.
3. What is the difference between LearnDash and LearnPress?
LearnDash and LearnPress are both WordPress-based LMS plugins, but LearnDash is a premium, feature-rich platform with advanced customization options, while LearnPress is free with optional paid add-ons. LearnDash offers more robust features for course creators, while LearnPress is a more budget-friendly option for basic courses.
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