AccessAlly vs LifterLMS (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, LifterLMS grades higher than AccessAlly: 2.2 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
AccessAlly grades higher on features. LifterLMS grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
LifterLMS
WordPress LMS plugin with a free core and paid bundles
Which one is for you
Pick AccessAlly if
- Fits if you already run a WordPress site and want courses and members on it
- Works for coaches who want their sales and CRM tool to share one list
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you don't want to host WordPress yourself, because it only runs there
- Watch out: the pricing page's figures conflict with other text on it, so check the price before you buy
- Not for you if you want a free start: the only safety net is a 14-day refund
- Tight if you want a community: it is a separate, dearer plan
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
| 1.8GPAAccessAllyWeak | 2.2GPALifterLMSFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CThe pricing page lists Essentials, Pro and Community at yearly prices, but the figures conflict with other text on the page, so the cost can't be checked and sits in the middle by default. | 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 | FNothing free. There is a 14-day money-back guarantee, which is not a trial. | BThe free core gives unlimited courses, memberships, students and teachers with quizzes and certificates. You pay for hosting yourself. |
| Features | BCourses, memberships, payments, CRM connections, a community plan, gamification and affiliates. Nothing in the listing is missing from the 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 runs only inside a self-managed WordPress site, so you host, update and connect it yourself. | DIt runs only on a WordPress site you host and update yourself. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb only, but it connects to ActiveCampaign, ConvertKit, Keap, Ontraport, Stripe and PayPal. | BWeb only, with Stripe, PayPal and WooCommerce connections. |
| Best for | courses and memberships on your own WordPress site | 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: AccessAlly and LifterLMS. How we grade
Where they differ
- AccessAlly also covers affiliate tracking.
- LifterLMS also covers reports.
At a glance
| AccessAlly | LifterLMS | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Free plan |
| Starts at | Not published | $398 per year for 1 site (Earth bundle), or a free core plugin |
| Free plan | None | Core plugin: unlimited courses, memberships, students and teachers, with quizzes, certificates and achievement badges. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | AccessAlly, Inc. | LifterLMS |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | lifterlms.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
AccessAlly
- It runs only inside a self-managed WordPress site.
- The pricing page lists Essentials, Pro and Community at yearly prices, but the figures conflict with other text on the page, so pricing is unverified.
- The page offers a 14-day money-back guarantee.
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
AccessAlly
- Courses and memberships
- Build courses, memberships, downloads and coaching programs, with progress tracking on member dashboards.
- Built-in payments
- Takes payments through Stripe or PayPal, so buyers get a login right after purchase; other carts work if they tag the CRM.
- CRM connections
- Version 4.0 connects directly to ActiveCampaign, ConvertKit, Keap and Ontraport, or manages contacts without a CRM.
- Community plan
- The Community plan lists unlimited community groups and discussion threads, with email or web notifications.
- Gamification and affiliates
- Pages list LMS gamification, quizzes, and affiliate management among the features.
- Translations
- Ships in English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Hebrew, Portuguese and Bulgarian.
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
AccessAlly
Pricing could not be confirmed. See accessally.com.
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
AccessAlly
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, AccessAlly or LifterLMS?
As of Nov 12, 2026, AccessAlly has no price we could confirm, and LifterLMS starts at $398 per year for 1 site (Earth bundle), or a free core plugin.
Which has a free plan, AccessAlly or LifterLMS?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only LifterLMS has a free plan. AccessAlly does not.
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.