Alternatives · Courses
LifterLMS alternatives
As of Nov 12, 2026, the highest-graded LifterLMS alternative is Paid Memberships Pro (2.4 GPA). It's also the best free one.
LifterLMS compared with 5 alternatives: LearnDash, Sensei LMS, AccessAlly, MemberPress and Paid Memberships Pro.
LifterLMS has a free plan. Paid plans start at $398 per year for 1 site (Earth bundle), or a free core plugin. 2 of the 5 alternatives are free or have a free plan. One more offers a free trial.
Listings checked up to Nov 12, 2026 · Where the facts come from
Black Friday: is there a LifterLMS sale?
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| LifterLMSThis tool | Free plan · from $398/yr | Yes | Web |
| LearnDash | Free trial · from $350/yr | Trial only | Web |
| Sensei LMS | Free plan · from $15/mo | Yes | Web |
| AccessAlly | Paid | No | Web |
| MemberPress | From $399/yr | No | Web |
| Paid Memberships Pro | Free plan · from $49/mo | Yes | Web |
Price against what you get
LifterLMS starts at $33.17 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. 1 of the 4 alternatives on this chart scores higher and starts lower: LearnDash.
MemberPress and Paid Memberships Pro score higher without starting lower. Sensei LMS starts lower without scoring higher.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
How each one differs from LifterLMS
LearnDash
WordPress plugin for building and selling online courses
- LearnDash starts at $350 per year for 1 site.
- LearnDash has no free plan, only a free trial, unlike LifterLMS.
- LearnDash does not cover templates, marketing automation, reports and community, which LifterLMS does.
Suits: Course sellers who already run a WordPress site
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.
- Sensei LMS is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Sensei LMS does not cover marketing automation, reports and community, which LifterLMS does.
Suits: WordPress users who want to start with a free LMS
AccessAlly
WordPress plugin for courses, memberships and communities
- AccessAlly has no free plan, unlike LifterLMS.
- AccessAlly also covers affiliate tracking.
- AccessAlly does not cover reports, which LifterLMS does.
Suits: Coaches and trainers who already run WordPress
MemberPress
WordPress plugin for paid memberships, courses and communities
- MemberPress starts at $399 per year at renewal, after a first year for $199.50.
- MemberPress has no free plan, unlike LifterLMS.
- MemberPress does not cover templates, marketing automation and reports, which LifterLMS does.
Suits: Site owners who want to sell memberships on their own WordPress site
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.
- Paid Memberships Pro is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Paid Memberships Pro also covers paid newsletters.
- Paid Memberships Pro does not cover marketing automation, reports and online courses, which LifterLMS does.
Suits: WordPress site owners who want an open-source membership base
Limits worth knowing in LifterLMS
- It runs only on a WordPress site you host yourself.
- Bundles renew at the full price, and the number of active sites is capped by tier.
- Advanced quizzes, assignments and continuing education tracking need the Infinity bundle.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to LifterLMS?
The alternatives to LifterLMS in this directory are LearnDash, Sensei LMS, AccessAlly, MemberPress and Paid Memberships Pro. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with LifterLMS.
Is there a free alternative to LifterLMS?
Yes. Sensei LMS and Paid Memberships Pro have a free plan alongside paid ones.
Is there an open-source alternative to LifterLMS?
Sensei LMS and Paid Memberships Pro are described as open source on their own sites.
When were these prices checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 17, 2026 to Nov 12, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.