Moodle review (2026): is the free plan enough?
Open-source learning platform you host yourself or on MoodleCloud
Black Friday: is there a Moodle sale?
Moodle report card
Fair · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 13, 2026
Best for a free LMS you run yourself
Moodle is a free open-source LMS you download and run on your own server, or try on MoodleCloud for 28 days. Self-hosting needs a server with PHP and a database, and paid hosting prices are not listed.
Who Moodle is for
- Fits if you have IT staff who can run a server
- Works for schools that want a free, extendable LMS
Who Moodle is not for
- Skip it if you can't host and update a server, as that is your job
- Tight if you want MoodleCloud, as the trial is 28 days and paid prices are not listed
- Watch out: Moodle Solutions, the enterprise service, is quoted case by case
- Watch out: the page does not list the mobile app's platforms
Why Moodle gets a 2.4
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- CValue for moneyFree to download, but only useful if you host it yourself, so it sits in the middle. MoodleCloud's paid prices are not on the downloads page.
- BFree plan and trialMoodle LMS is free to run with no limit stated. MoodleCloud has a 28-day trial with no card.
- BFeaturesSelf-hosted LMS, MoodleCloud, a plugin marketplace and an official mobile app. The listing shows no gap in the core job.
- DEase of useSelf-hosting needs a web server with PHP, a database and upkeep. No store rating is on record.
- BPlatforms and integrationsWeb plus an official mobile app, whose platforms the page does not list, and a plugin marketplace.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Moodle's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
Make Moodle? Put this grade on your site
Paste this where you want the badge. It links here and follows the grade if it changes. About badges
<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/moodle#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/moodle.svg" alt="Moodle: 2.4 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where Moodle stands among course and community platforms
Moodle's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 66 of the 98 other course and community platforms we grade, and level with 16.
It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 71 of 98) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 99 course and community platforms we grade, cut by the letter each got. Moodle’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 17 of 98, level with 61
- BFree plan and trialAbove 71 of 98, level with 26
- BFeaturesAbove 56 of 98, level with 42
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 98, level with 22
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 25 of 98, level with 72
Keep Moodle, or make your own?
Your call
You could make the core of Moodle for yourself: online courses.
What you would give up is listed below. Whether that is worth the price is your call. Moodle is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself.
What you could make
- Online courses: an app builder makes this well.
- It runs in a browser, which is where something home-made would run too.
What you could not
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Moodle’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is Moodle?
Moodle is an open-source learning management system released under the GPL-3.0 license. Institutions and companies download it to run on their own web server, or use MoodleCloud, a hosted version with a free trial. A plugin marketplace, an official mobile app and a custom enterprise service for larger organizations sit around the core software.
Worth knowing
- Self-hosting requires your own web server with PHP and a database, plus upkeep and security updates.
- MoodleCloud's paid prices are not listed on the downloads page; the trial runs 28 days.
- The enterprise Moodle Solutions service is quoted individually.
- The vendor's page mentions an official mobile app but does not list its platforms.
Key features
- Self-hosted open source
- The full LMS is a free download under GPL-3.0, with total control over customization and source code on GitHub.
- MoodleCloud
- A hosted option for teachers and small teams with unlimited courses and activities and no server maintenance.
- Plugin marketplace
- Thousands of plugins and themes extend a site, available through the Moodle Marketplace.
- Official mobile app
- Students can reach course materials from the Moodle app, including offline.
- Enterprise service
- Moodle Solutions offers unlimited users, bespoke branding, custom theme and feature development and full-service support.
Moodle pricing
As of Nov 13, 2026, Moodle has a free plan.
- Starts at
- Not published
- Free plan
- Moodle LMS is free to download and run on your own server; hosting, maintenance and support are your own cost.
- Free trial
- MoodleCloud: free 28-day trial, no credit card required
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Moodle LMS (self-hosted) | $0 | Free open-source download. You host it yourself; it needs a web server with PHP and a database. |
Read from download.moodle.org on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Moodle before you buy.
Moodle alternatives
- Moodle vs Canvas LMS
Free plan
- Moodle vs TalentLMS
Free plan · from $119/mo
- Moodle vs LearnDash
Free trial · from $350/yr
Common questions
Does Moodle have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Moodle is listed for Web.
Does Moodle have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Moodle is listed for Web.
Is Moodle open source?
Yes. Moodle is open source, according to its own site. It can also be run on a server of your own.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026.