15 Best WordPress Course Builder LMS Plugin for coaches

How to Choose the Best WordPress LMS Plugin?

You can offer your Teaching services right from your website with the use of a WordPress LMS plugin. On a single dashboard, it offers a simple way to set up online courses, monitor student progress, and grade assignments.

However, there are some of the features that the best WordPress LMS plugin should offer, as Listed below.

Course Builder:

You may create many types of customer support, including videos, gradebooks, and PDFs, with the help of a competent LMS plugin.

Payment Integration:

You need a course plugin that supports smooth integrations with payment methods like PayPal, Stripe, and others if you want to monetize your content.

Student Enrollment:

You should easily register students, create membership plans, and manage them using the best LMS and membership plugins.

Course progress:

Show off your pupils’ accomplishments to the class. This is crucial to maintain user motivation and serve as a small incentive.

Content Dripping:

You can use this function for progressively releasing portions of the course content as the students advance for weekly, monthly, or even annual intervals.

Quizzes and tests:

You’ll need a WordPress LMS plugin that enables you to administer assessments, competitions, and quizzes if you want to enhance engagement in your courses.

Homework Features:

On most platforms, it’s not that difficult to give out assignments, but can students send back homework without any issues and do you have time to assess all of them can be a question.

Gamification:

These are rewards that appear once a particular task is performed or after a course is concluded for improving student participation.

Certificates:

Since people can print out certificates, they are usually much better than email confirmations of Course Completion.

Community Forums:

Integrations with programs like BuddyPress and bbPress are necessary if you want to create a student community for your e-learning platform.

Marketing Tools:

These are in the form of coupons, commission structures, and affiliate programs. The objective is to increase enrollment in your courses by providing incentives and encouraging word-of-mouth.

Automated Emails:

Integrating email marketing systems like MailChimp, Aweber, ConvertKit etc. so that your present students and upcoming Students get continuous mail updates of the Incentives of your course.

Honestly, a single LMS plugin that can do all the above stuff single-handedly is too much to ask for, and Frankly doesn’t exist.

You may need more other Plugins, Add-Ons, and third-party subscriptions to achieve these.

That’s why many Educators prefer All-in-One Educations Platforms like Thinkific, to start their Online Course Creation Journey.

But saying so, the below list of awesome WordPress LMS Plugins is of top-notch quality to serve your Online coaching needs. So let us Dive in deep and explore

Best WordPress LMS Online Course Builder Plugins

1. LearnDash

Learndash LMS was released on January 28th, 2013 by founder Justin Ferriman and is Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. As per Built With websites, 132,494 websites worldwide are using LearnDash. That’s quite   Lot of users, don’t you think.

FEATURES

• Starter Pricing: 1 Site – $199/Year
• Transaction fee: 0%
• Users: 1
• Courses: Unlimited
• Students: Unlimited
• Instructors: Add-on
• Certificates: YES
• Quizzes: YES
• Analytics: YES
• Communication: Notifications/Emails
• Membership: YES
• Gamification: Paid Add-on
• Payments: Free Add-on Community: Free Add-on

The finest WordPress LMS plugin, LearnDash, makes developing and selling courses incredibly simple. It has a straightforward drag-and-drop course builder that enables you to create an infinite number of courses, lessons, tutorials, and quizzes.

2. LifterLMS

LifterLMS was launched on Oct 14,2014 by founder Chris Badgett. This WordPress LMS plugin is being used by  27,103 websites worldwide till date and Growing.

?FEATURES

• Starter Pricing: 1 Site – $149/Year
• Transaction fee: 0%
• Users: 1
• Courses: Unlimited
• Students: Unlimited
• Instructors: Add-on
• Certificates: YES
• Quizzes: YES
• Analytics: YES
• Communication: Notifications/Emails
• Membership: YES
• Gamification: Add-on
• Payments: Add-on
• Community: Add-on

LifterLMS is a fantastic option if you’re a WordPress user seeking for a feature-rich course plugin for your website. With training modules, lessons, tutorials, categories, and more, you may create multi-tiered courses.

3. Tutor LMS

Using TutorLMS’s straightforward drag-and-drop course builder, you can make and personalize interactive courses. You also have access to a quiz maker, which enables you to make entertaining tests with various question formats.

FEATURES

• Starter Pricing: 1 Site – $149/Year
• Transaction fee: 0%
• Users: 1
• Courses: Unlimited
• Students: Unlimited
• Instructors: Unlimited
• Certificates: YES
• Quizzes: YES
• Analytics: YES
• Communication: Notifications/Emails
• Membership: YES
• Gamification: Paid Add-on
• Payments: Paid Add-on
• Community: Paid Add-on

This plugin’s core version, which includes the essential LMS features, is free. You may upgrade to a pro subscription, which includes additional features like content dripping, a grading system, and more, as your business expands.

4. MemberPress LMS

MemberPress, one the leading WordPress software for creating membership websites. It’s Ver 1.1 was launched in Sep 2017 by CEO Blair Williams.

FEATURES

• Starter Pricing: 1 Site – $179.50/Year
• Transaction fee: 0%
• Users: 1
• Courses: Unlimited
• Students: Unlimited
• Instructors: Unlimited
• Certificates: YES
• Quizzes: YES
• Analytics: YES
• Communication: Notifications/Emails
• Membership: YES
• Gamification: Paid Add-on
• Payments: Free Add-on
• Community: Free Add-on

You can effortlessly build and administer your courses on your WordPress dashboard thanks to its integrated LMS features. You can utilize a visual drag-and-drop course builder to modify your courses, grade books, quizzes, and other features.

5. Namaste LMS

The free core plugin lets you build a useful learning website. However, if you want access to more sophisticated features, you must upgrade to the Namaste! LMS premium edition. Namaste LMS! is build by Bulgarian based Kiboko Labs Ltd.

?FEATURES

• Starter Pricing: 1 Site – $97/Lifetime
• Transaction fee: 0%
• Users: 1
• Courses: Unlimited
• Students: Unlimited
• Instructors: Unlimited
• Certificates: YES
• Quizzes: YES
• Analytics: YES
• Communication: Notifications/Emails
• Membership: YES
• Gamification: YES
• Payments: WooCommerce Dependent
• Community: NO

So with that, Namaste! Anyone who wishes to make a free online course should consider using an LMS. If you wish to expand your learning platform, you can buy the pro options.

6. MasterStudy LMS

StylemixThemes developed the free WordPress LMS plugin called MasterStudy LMS. Amazing online lessons can be created, tailored, and managed on your website with its help. MasterStudy LMS was founded during 2017 and founded by CEO Igor Ligay.

FEATURES

• Starter Pricing: 1 Site – $59/Year
• Transaction fee: 0%
• Users: 1
• Courses: Unlimited
• Students: Unlimited
• Instructors: Unlimited
• Certificates: YES
• Quizzes: YES
• Analytics: NO
• Communication: Notifications/Emails
• Membership: YES
• Gamification: Paid Add-on
• Payments: Paid Add-on
• Community: Paid Add-on

MasterStudy Pro, its premium edition, gives you access to additional features like course packages, a point system for rewards, and Zoom classroom integration.

7. Academy LMS

Academy LMS is very new plugin in the market. Right now it is totally Free and the Pro version is in Beta Stage. Feels like they are of Bangladesh origin and building this LMS, still not sure about their antecedents.

FEATURES

• Starter Pricing: FREE | Pro Ver: Beta Stage
• Transaction fee: 0%
• Users: 1
• Courses: Unlimited
• Students: Unlimited
• Instructors: Unlimited
• Certificates: Free-Addon
• Quizzes: YES
• Analytics: YES
• Communication: NO
• Membership: YES
• Gamification: Paid-Addon
• Payments: Paid-Addon
• Community: NO

They claim to have a Robust LMS course builder that helps you create courses with video (self-hosted, YouTube, Vimeo), attachments, excerpt, additional data, the benefit of the course, requirement, topic, summary, announcement etc.

8. WPLMS by VibeThemes

WPLMS provides a straightforward yet very effective back end to add rich content to your website, while its shrewd front end draws in and retains students. This is available in Envato market and boosts 26,955 sales and a Review rating of 4.8. Best for people in a tighbudgetet and cannot afford LearnDash.

FEATURES

• Starter Pricing: 1 Site – $75/Lifetime
• Transaction fee: 0%
• Users: 1
• Courses: Unlimited
• Students: Unlimited
• Instructors: Unlimited
• Certificates: Free-Addon
• Quizzes: YES
• Analytics: NO
• Communication: NO
• Membership: YES
• Gamification: Add-on
• Payments: Free-Addon
• Community: NO

Authors and instructors may easily add, amend, and view lessons thanks to the straightforward lesson management system. You can upload text, PDF, and even media files. To create and manage quizzes, go to the quiz management page on the back end.

9. LearnPress

LearnPress is built by Thimpress a WordPress Theme company based in Hanoi, Vietnam and founded by Brian Porter CEO of Thimpress/Learnpress. As of now  159,101 websites are using LearnPress worldwide.

FEATURES

• Starter Pricing: 1 Site – $149/Year
• Transaction fee: 0%
• Users: 1
• Courses: Unlimited
• Students: Unlimited
• Instructors: Unlimited
• Certificates: Free-Addon
• Quizzes: YES
• Analytics: NO
• Communication: NO
• Membership: YES
• Gamification: Add-on
• Payments: Free-Addon
• Community: NO

LearnPress is a free WordPress LMS plugin that has every feature you may possibly need. LearnPress has a setup process that makes onboarding simple for users of all skill levels, in contrast to the majority of the other LMS plugins on this list.

10. Masteriyo

Masteriyo is React.js based LMS system as claimed by the Creators. This is most probably a Nepal-based Zakra themes Product as this is Publicized on their Site.  The free version is quite Competitive, and the Pro version comes with Multi-Instructor Support and white-label features.

FEATURES

• Starter Pricing: 1 Site – $49.75/Year
• Transaction fee: 0%
• Users: 1
• Courses: Unlimited
• Students: Unlimited
• Instructors: Unlimited
• Certificates: YES
• Quizzes: YES
• Analytics: NO
• Communication: NO
• Membership: YES
• Gamification: NO
• Payments: Paypal/Stripe
• Community: NO

Even a non-techie may add courses, lessons, and quizzes without any effort because to its user-friendly and straightforward course designer. There is good news: you can add as many courses, lessons, and tests as you need.

11. Cluevo

Cluevo is an Austria based company who has developed a SCROM complaint wordpress LMS plugin. They do have a Free version but as usual it has limitations, you need to pay for the Pro version to get the full potential of Cluevo. This was founded by CEO Enver Sonbay in 2018.

FEATURES

• Starter Pricing: 1 Site – € 119/Year
• Transaction fee: 0%
• Users: 1
• Courses: Unlimited
• Students: Unlimited
• Instructors: Unlimited
• Certificates: YES
• Quizzes: YES
• Analytics: NO
• Communication: NO
• Membership: YES
• Gamification: NO
• Payments: Paid Addon
• SCORM format: YES

Cluevo is a Woo-Commerce based LMS Plugin with which publishing SCORM module is simple as a pie. But with videos and podcasts, it moves even more quickly. You may view every course you have taken thanks to the cutting-edge Learningtree.

13. Dozent

Dozent is a Dhaka Bangladesh based LMS Company that has started off recently. There Pricing Page is as of Now not reachable, I can see there are few downloads and Active installs in wordpress Community.

FEATURES

• Starter Pricing: Free| Pro- Under Development
• Transaction fee: 0%
• Users: 1
• Courses: Unlimited
• Students: Unlimited
• Instructors: Unlimited
• Certificates: N/A
• Quizzes: N/A
• Analytics: N/A
• Communication: N/A
• Membership: YES
• Gamification: N/A
• Payments: N/A
• Community: N/A
• Affiliate Creation: N/A

They Claim that “No matter if you’re a solo educator, education institute or corporate organization. Dozent LMS empowers everyone to build their own eLearning platforms.”

They have a Handy Demo tour page that users can navigate and have a feel of the actual setup. But I would say lets give them a Pass for time being, as there are not much Downloads and real users as of now.

13. Good LMS by GoodLayers

GoodLMS is developed by WordPress Theme building company Good Layers.

You can get this Plugin from Envato Market and have recorded 1,372 sales so far.

FEATURES

• Starter Pricing: 1Site – $32/Lifetime
• Transaction fee: 0%
• Users: 1
• Courses: Unlimited
• Students: Unlimited
• Instructors: Unlimited
• Certificates: YES
• Quizzes: YES
• Analytics: NO
• Communication: NO
• Membership: YES
• Gamification: Paid Add-on
• Payments: Add-on
• Community: Add-on
• Affiliate Creation: YES

This LMS seems to very Basic LMS plugin with a Necessary Course builder to do get the Tasks needed to create a online course. Good LMS is designed to allow you to construct an endless number of online courses with in-depth content, subsections, and timed quizzes at the chapter and subsection levels.

14. WP Courseware

When WP Courseware, Co-founded by Ben Arellano was launched in 2012, it was the only WordPress LMS plugin on the market. And they’ve come a long way since then, with 74000 courses been created by this Plugin till date.

FEATURES

• Starter Pricing: 2 Sites – $129/Year
• Transaction fee: 0%
• Users: 1
• Courses: Unlimited
• Students: Unlimited
• Instructors: Unlimited
• Certificates: YES
• Quizzes: YES
• Analytics: YES
• Communication: Notifications/Emails
• Membership: YES
• Gamification: Paid Add-on
• Payments: Paid Add-on
• Community: Paid Add-on
• Affiliate Creation: NO

Advanced automation tools that send customized emails in response to student activity are included with WP Courseware. You can create personalized feedback messages that can be adjusted to be sent based on students’ performance in order to aid in the improvement of their competency.

15. Sensei LMS

Sensei LMS was built by company Automattic, the same company behind wordpress.com and WooCommerce. This is a powerful premium plugin that transforms your WordPress website into an advanced learning platform

FEATURES

• Starter Pricing: 1 Site -$ 149/Year
• Transaction fee: 0%
• Users: 1
• Courses: Unlimited
• Students: Unlimited
• Instructors: Unlimited
• Certificates: YES
• Quizzes: YES
• Analytics: NO
• Communication: NO
• Membership: Woo-Commerce Dependent
• Gamification: NO
• Payments: Woo-Commerce Dependent
• Community: YES (Groups)

Sensei is not a fully functional membership plugin. It manages the design and publication of online courses, but you must combine it with membership or eCommerce plugins in order to sell access.

When compared to the other top LMS plugins for WordPress, Sensei is less feature-rich.

Additionally, there aren’t many extensions available to improve basic functionality. I will rather recommend to go with MemberPress, if you want all the use cases to to filled in an ideal LMS plugin.

FAQ’s

Wrapping Up:

I have explored the top WordPress LMS plugins in the market and it is evident that each plugin comes with its unique features and capabilities.

When selecting the best LMS plugin for your online course business, you should consider your specific requirements such as course creation, management, student engagement, and progress tracking.

With the right LMS plugin, you can provide a user-friendly platform for your students and save time managing course content.

With the right LMS plugin, you can streamline the course delivery process, improve the student learning experience, and boost your revenue.

Choose the best WordPress LMS plugin that fits your needs and take your online course business to the next level.