Best Choices for Free and Open Source LMS

There are well established and commercially available Learning Management System (LMS) however for those who are opting for alternatives that are cheaper or perhaps even free. After all, it is a more practical approach for institutions or teachers on a tight budget and, most importantly, everyone loves free stuff!

In this blog, I’ve listed 6 of the popular free LMS alternatives that are open source, freemium (basic services are provided free of charge while more advanced features must be paid for), and/or 100% free.

1. Moodle Free LMS

Moodle is a famous, open source and free learning management system (LMS) designed to provide teachers, administrators and learners with a single robust, secure and integrated system to create personalized learning environments. It started with pedagogical ideals, Moodle is utilized for interactive learning, online education, flipped classroom and allows online learning projects in universities, companies and other organizations.

What Sets Moodle Free LMS Apart from Others

Moodle enhances existing learning environments. As an online learning tool, Moodle has a vast array of benchmarks and innovative features like calendar and Gradebook. Moodle is the premier virtual learning system and can be used in many kinds of training sessions like education, training and development and in corporate settings.

 2.  Open edX LMS

Open edX platform is a free and open source LMS system that powers edX courses. The Open edX platform is used worldwide to host Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) along with minor classes and modules.

What Sets Open edX LMS Apart from Others

The biggest edge of open edX here is that this free open source LMS software has backings from well-established tech school Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and tech giant Google. In addition, there is a large and ever growing community supporting Open eDX along with numerous guides and training manuals to get started or solve issues.  The platform also boasts advanced features along with Open edX LMS such as Open edX Studio, that lets users create online training manual and courses.

3. Eliademy

Eliademy is a freemium and open source LMS that provides teachers and learners the ability to create, share and manage online modules with real-time discussions and task management. Eliademy’s software is based from Moodle and Twitter Bootstrap.

The full version of the LMS includes online training course catalogs, assessment aids, and mobile applications for teachers wanting to improve their mobile training outlines for online learners anytime and anywhere.

What Sets Eliademy Apart from Others

Eliademy won various awards and got mentioned in several tech publications. For instance, Eliademy has been featured on TechCrunch. In June 2014, it was named by EdTech Europe as one of Europe’s 20 fastest growing and most Innovative e-Learning companies.

4. Opigno

Opigno is an open source LMS based on Drupal that allows users the capability to manage online trainings efficiently. Thus, online users can manage the virtual training program, track learner skill development, and integrate e-commerce using just one tool. This provides the student, employee and partner the chance to remain up to date with their required skills.

Opigno LMS is optimized for Companies, Corporations and Universities, looking for best open source LMS system that is both flexible and scalable.

What Sets Opigno Apart from Others

Opigno provides certificates for successful completion of some courses. In addition, instructors can lock courses to requirements, meaning that some modules must be completed before proceeding in the next step. Furthermore, Course owners can also opt for subscription services to their courses, so that they can track their active and enrolled learners easily. In addition, Opigno has capabilities for surveys, messaging, and chat, which allows for an effective suggestions and collaborations platform.

5.  Totara

Totara, or also known as Totara Learn, is an open source learning management system (LMS) that builds upon the core framework Moodle and specially designed for corporate, healthcare and government environments.

What Sets Totara Apart from Others

Totara closed a gap that Moodle, an education-focused LMS, left wide open. Developers of Totara recognized the need for an open source learning management system that addressed the core requirements expected of a high-end corporate learning management system. Rising quickly to the top, Totara won several awards due to its innovation to the learning technology market.

7. ILIAS

ILIAS is an open source, and online learning management system (LMS). It is free for online learning software developers and institutions, along with educational institutions. It supports learning content management and tools for collaboration, communication, evaluation and assessment. ILIAS is a proven LMS system that has flexibility, and scalability that has been adapted by several organizations. Also, ILIAS functions as an LMS tools that provides an online knowledge collaboration platform that allows users to communicate with their group and distribute files all in a centralized LMS system. Its user base (5,000 current installations) is a mix of universities and government and defense organizations, primarily in Europe.

What Sets ILIAS Apart from Others

ILIAS is accredited by security governing body NATO. It is primarily used in NATO’s high-security intranet along with by several national defense departments and armed forces. Moreover, the system allows users to set different user roles and control access to separate parts of the LMS system.

Conclusion

There are a lot of choices for best LMS platforms that are both free and open source in today’s online learning market.  The best LMS provides the ability to construct wide array of online learning modules along with powerful features. Some of the best free and open source LMS may have a steep learning curve, however the cost effective and potential is worth its weight in gold. If the best open source LMS features online training guide or a helpful community, then it is recommended to check them out first before deciding the best open source LMS system that will meet your standards.

Did you find a free open source LMS above that addresses all your requirements? If so, please share and like this article! Are there other free LMS you can recommend? Please leave a comment below! Thanks for reading!