Academy LMS vs LifterLMS (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Academy LMS grades higher than LifterLMS: 2.8 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Academy LMS grades higher on value for money and features. They get the same grade on the free plan, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Academy LMS
WordPress LMS plugin with a free core and Pro licenses by site count
LifterLMS
WordPress LMS plugin with a free core and paid bundles
Which one is for you
Pick Academy LMS if
- Fits if you run WordPress and want the cheapest paid course plugin around
- Works for agencies who need 10 to 200 sites on one license
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a hosted service, as it runs only on your own WordPress site
- Tight if you stay on the free core, because SCORM, H5P, live classes, drip and revenue sharing are Pro
- Watch out: the page does not say what renewal costs after the first year
- Watch out: prices are shown as discounts with a countdown timer, so the list price is the higher one
Pick LifterLMS if
- Fits if you already have a WordPress site and want courses on it for free to start
- Works for developers who will add paid extensions as needed
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you don't want to run WordPress yourself
- Pricey if you want the add-ons: bundles start at $398 a year and renew at full price
- Tight if you run several sites: the Earth bundle covers 1 site and the Universe covers 5
- Watch out: advanced quizzes and assignments need the $1,598 Infinity bundle
How we grade them
| 2.8GPAAcademy LMSGood | 2.2GPALifterLMSFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A$99 a year for one site is about $8.25 a month, under 60% of the $20 where the cheapest quarter of courses tools starts. The page shows it as a discount from $199, so the list price is higher. | CThe core plugin is free but needs your own WordPress hosting, so it counts as a middle price. Bundles run $398, $598 and $1,598 a year. |
| Free plan and trial | BThe free core has the course, lesson and quiz builders, a question bank, certificates and a student dashboard. SCORM, H5P, live classes, drip and revenue sharing are Pro. | BThe free core gives unlimited courses, memberships, students and teachers with quizzes and certificates. You pay for hosting yourself. |
| Features | BCourse and lesson builders, quizzes, certificates, instructors and revenue sharing, SCORM and H5P. The listing shows no gap in the core course job. | CCourses, memberships, ecommerce and reporting add-ons. The listing's gap: advanced quizzes, assignments and continuing education tracking need the Infinity bundle. |
| Ease of use | DIt needs a self-hosted WordPress site, so setup and updates are yours. No store rating is on record. | DIt runs only on a WordPress site you host and update yourself. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb only, with WooCommerce, SureCart, Easy Digital Downloads, Elementor and H5P on the list. No phone or desktop app. | BWeb only, with Stripe, PayPal and WooCommerce connections. |
| Best for | low-cost WordPress course sites | a free WordPress course plugin you host yourself |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Academy LMS and LifterLMS. How we grade
Price against what you get
Academy LMS starts at $8.25 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. LifterLMS starts at $33.17 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.0.
Academy LMS scores higher and starts $24.92 a month lower. Of the other course and community platforms on the chart, 1 scores higher than Academy LMS for less, and 26 score higher than LifterLMS for less.
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
Where they differ
- LifterLMS also covers marketing automation and reports.
At a glance
| Academy LMS | LifterLMS | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $99 per year for 1 site | $398 per year for 1 site (Earth bundle), or a free core plugin |
| Free plan | A free core edition with the course, lesson and quiz builders, question bank, certificate builder and student dashboard. | Core plugin: unlimited courses, memberships, students and teachers, with quizzes, certificates and achievement badges. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Kodezen | LifterLMS |
| Price read from | academylms.net | lifterlms.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Academy LMS
- It runs only inside a self-hosted WordPress site; hosting and updates are your job.
- Advanced assignments, live classes, SCORM and H5P, drip content and revenue sharing are labeled Pro.
- Licenses include 1 year of support and updates; the page does not say what renewal costs.
- Paid plans are shown as discounts from higher list prices, with a countdown timer on the page.
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.
Key features
Academy LMS
- Course and lesson builders
- Drag-and-drop curriculum with videos, text and downloads, plus an AI course builder for drafting lessons.
- Quizzes and question bank
- Ten-plus question types with timers, attempt limits and pass marks, and a shared question bank with CSV import and export.
- Certificates and grading
- A certificate designer with a public verification ID for each certificate; smart grading and advanced assignments are Pro.
- SCORM, H5P and live classes
- Pro imports existing SCORM and H5P courses and schedules live classes and meetings into the curriculum.
- Instructors and revenue sharing
- Multi-instructor courses, public instructor profiles, and per-instructor commission splits (revenue sharing is Pro).
- Selling and ecosystem tools
- Sell through WooCommerce, StoreEngine, SureCart or EDD, or add Kodezen's own community, CRM, mobile app and gamification plugins.
LifterLMS
- Courses and memberships
- The free core plugin has unlimited courses, memberships, students and teachers, plus quizzes, certificates and badges.
- Ecommerce add-ons
- Paid bundles add checkout through Stripe, PayPal or WooCommerce, cart abandonment recovery and name-your-price.
- Advanced add-ons
- Advanced Quizzes, Assignments and continuing education tracking are included only in the Infinity bundle.
- Reporting
- Every plan exports student, course and quiz reports to CSV, including enrollment and completion dates.
- Email and forms add-ons
- Universe and Infinity add email marketing, CRM and forms integration add-ons.
- Lifetime license
- A lifetime Infinity Bundle license is sold separately, with no later renewal payments.
Plans
Academy LMS
Individual$99
per year for 1 site
All Pro features, 1 year of support and updates. Shown as $99 against a crossed-out $199.
Business$129
per year for up to 10 sites
Same features on 10 sites, shown against a crossed-out $299.
Business Plus$149
per year for up to 25 sites
Same features on 25 sites, shown against a crossed-out $349.
Agency$199
per year for up to 100 sites
Same features on 100 sites, shown against a crossed-out $399.
Agency Plus$229
per year for up to 200 sites
Same features on 200 sites, shown against a crossed-out $449.
LifterLMS
Core Plugin$0
Free LMS plugin for WordPress with unlimited courses, memberships, students and teachers; you host it yourself.
Earth Bundle$398
per year for 1 site, renews at full price
Core plugin plus ecommerce add-ons for Stripe, PayPal and WooCommerce, cart recovery and name-your-price.
Universe Bundle$598
per year for 5 sites, renews at full price
Adds the Sky Pilot theme, email marketing and CRM add-ons, forms add-ons and a weekly mastermind.
Infinity Bundle$1598
per year for unlimited sites, renews at full price
Everything in Universe plus 15 advanced add-ons and support for 3 users.
Ways to pay less
Academy LMS
No public discounts listed.
LifterLMS
- Other savings
First year at 50% off
The pricing page says first-year bundle purchases are discounted by 50%, and an upgrade to a larger bundle gets the discount again.
- Lifetime license
Infinity Bundle lifetime license
The pricing page offers a lifetime Infinity Bundle license with updates, support and future products and no renewal payments.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Academy LMS or LifterLMS?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Academy LMS is cheaper to start with: $8.25 a month when paid by the year, against $33.17 a month when paid by the year for LifterLMS. Academy LMS starts at $99 per year for 1 site, and LifterLMS starts at $398 per year for 1 site (Earth bundle), or a free core plugin.
Which has a free plan, Academy LMS or LifterLMS?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Academy LMS and LifterLMS have a free plan.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.