LearnWorlds alternatives · Courses
Self-hosted alternatives to LearnWorlds
The LearnWorlds listing does not say it can be self-hosted. 10 of the 98 other course and community platforms in this directory can be self-hosted, according to their own sites.
LearnWorlds is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $24 per month, billed annually ($29 billed monthly). 9 of them are free or have a free plan.
10 tools · Listings checked up to Nov 13, 2026 · Where the facts come from
How each one differs from LearnWorlds
- Free trial · from $12/mo
CourseLit
Open-source course, download and community platform
- CourseLit starts at $12 per month, billed yearly ($15 billed monthly). LearnWorlds starts at $24 per month, billed annually ($29 billed monthly).
- CourseLit is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- CourseLit also covers digital downloads.
- Free plan · from $15/mo
Sensei LMS
WordPress course plugin with a free core and a paid Pro tier
- Sensei LMS starts at $15 per month, billed yearly ($179), for Sensei Pro; the core plugin is free. LearnWorlds starts at $24 per month, billed annually ($29 billed monthly).
- Sensei LMS has a free plan. LearnWorlds does not, though it has a free trial.
- Sensei LMS is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Sensei LMS also covers templates.
- Free
Flarum
Free open-source forum software you host yourself
- Flarum is free. LearnWorlds starts at $24 per month, billed annually ($29 billed monthly).
- Flarum has a free plan. LearnWorlds does not, though it has a free trial.
- Flarum is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- LearnWorlds also covers email campaigns and online courses.
- Free
Open edX
Free open-source learning platform stewarded by Axim Collaborative
- Open edX is free. LearnWorlds starts at $24 per month, billed annually ($29 billed monthly).
- Open edX has a free plan. LearnWorlds does not, though it has a free trial.
- Open edX is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Open edX also covers reports.
- Free plan · from $49/mo
Paid Memberships Pro
Open-source WordPress membership plugin with managed hosting
- Paid Memberships Pro starts at $49 per month for Standard (self-hosted), or a free self-hosted core. LearnWorlds starts at $24 per month, billed annually ($29 billed monthly).
- Paid Memberships Pro has a free plan. LearnWorlds does not, though it has a free trial.
- Paid Memberships Pro is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Paid Memberships Pro also covers templates and paid newsletters.
- Free plan
Moodle
Open-source learning platform you host yourself or on MoodleCloud
- Moodle has a free plan. LearnWorlds does not, though it has a free trial.
- Moodle is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- LearnWorlds also covers email campaigns and community.
- Free plan · from $20/mo
NodeBB
Open-source forum software with managed hosting plans
- NodeBB starts at $20 per month for hosting; self-hosting is free. LearnWorlds starts at $24 per month, billed annually ($29 billed monthly).
- NodeBB has a free plan. LearnWorlds does not, though it has a free trial.
- NodeBB is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- LearnWorlds also covers email campaigns and online courses.
- Free
phpBB
Free open-source bulletin board software written in PHP
- phpBB is free. LearnWorlds starts at $24 per month, billed annually ($29 billed monthly).
- phpBB has a free plan. LearnWorlds does not, though it has a free trial.
- phpBB is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- LearnWorlds also covers email campaigns and online courses.
- Free
MyBB
Free open-source forum software with plugins and themes
- MyBB is free. LearnWorlds starts at $24 per month, billed annually ($29 billed monthly).
- MyBB has a free plan. LearnWorlds does not, though it has a free trial.
- MyBB is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- LearnWorlds also covers email campaigns and online courses.
- Free
Simple Machines Forum
Free open-source community forum software (SMF)
- Simple Machines Forum is free. LearnWorlds starts at $24 per month, billed annually ($29 billed monthly).
- Simple Machines Forum has a free plan. LearnWorlds does not, though it has a free trial.
- Simple Machines Forum is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- LearnWorlds also covers email campaigns and online courses.
Common questions
Is there a self-hosted alternative to LearnWorlds?
Yes. CourseLit, Sensei LMS, Flarum, Open edX, Paid Memberships Pro, Moodle, NodeBB, phpBB and 2 more can be self-hosted, according to their own sites.
Can LearnWorlds be self-hosted?
The LearnWorlds listing does not say it can be self-hosted. The listing was checked on Oct 17, 2026 against the pages it cites.
Which of these course and community platforms are free?
Sensei LMS, Flarum, Open edX, Paid Memberships Pro, Moodle, NodeBB, phpBB, MyBB and 1 more are free or have a free plan.
When was this checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 17, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026. Vendors change prices and plans without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.
This page is built from the listings. A tool is here because its listing says so, and the order is how close each is to LearnWorlds: the alternatives its listing names first, then the tools that share the most features with it.