Education & Learning Software
Moodle
The world's most widely used open-source LMS — free to self-host, or run as paid MoodleCloud hosting.
Solo / FreelancerSmall businessMedium businessEnterpriseGlobal
Last reviewed Jul 17, 2026 · Pricing verified Jul 17, 2026
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DEV-TOP · horizontalOur take
Best for schools, nonprofits, and organizations with technical capacity (or budget for Certified Service Providers) who want full control and zero licensing cost — MoodleCloud's per-user tiers get expensive quickly if you outgrow the low user caps on lower plans.
Choose this if...
- Institutions and nonprofits with IT capacity to self-host and customize an open-source LMS
- Small organizations wanting a low-cost hosted option (MoodleCloud) without managing servers
Look elsewhere if...
- You have no technical resources and don't want to pay for a Certified Service Provider — self-hosted Moodle has a real setup/maintenance burden
- You need more than 750 users on MoodleCloud — pricing beyond Standard requires a custom quote
Visit Moodle
We don't earn anything from this link — we list it because it's good.
Pricing
Verified Jul 17, 2026 against Moodle's own pricing page.
| Plan | Monthly | Annual | Key limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moodle LMS (self-hosted) | Free | Free | Free, open-source software — unlimited users/courses; you provide your own hosting, setup, and maintenance |
| MoodleCloud Starter | — | 170 USD/yr | 50 users, 1 GB storage, Premium Mobile App included, billed annually |
| MoodleCloud Mini | — | 270 USD/yr | 100 users, 2.5 GB storage |
| MoodleCloud Small | — | 490 USD/yr | 200 users, 5 GB storage, Stripe sales enabled |
| MoodleCloud Medium | — | 1190 USD/yr | 500 users, 20 GB storage, Stripe sales, custom domain available as add-on |
| MoodleCloud Standard | — | 2100 USD/yr | 750 users, 50 GB storage, custom domain included |
Free tier reality
The core Moodle LMS software is genuinely free forever as open source — the catch is you must self-host, configure, and maintain it yourself. For anyone who wants it hosted, MoodleCloud starts at $170/year (50 users, 1 GB storage) with a 28-day free trial and no credit card required, scaling up to $2,100/year for 750 users.
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DEV-MID · rectanglePros
- Genuinely free, unlimited-user, open-source core — not a crippled free tier
- Enormous global install base and plugin ecosystem built over two decades
- MoodleCloud gives a low-cost hosted path for those who don't want to self-manage
Cons
- Self-hosted Moodle requires real technical setup, hosting costs, and ongoing maintenance to run well
- Interface feels dated next to modern creator-focused platforms like Kajabi or Thinkific
- MoodleCloud user caps (50/100/200/500/750) mean costs scale in large steps as you grow
Key features
- Fully open-source, self-hostable LMS core
- Extensive plugin ecosystem for quizzes, forums, and grading
- MoodleCloud hosted option for those who don't want to self-manage
- Support for SCORM and other e-learning content standards
- Multi-language interface used worldwide
Integrations
- VERIFY
Platforms
- web
- ios
- android
Regional fit
MoodleCloud is billed annually in Australian Dollars (AUD) with pricing shown converted to USD/EUR/GBP/CAD/INR; self-hosted Moodle has no billing region at all since the software itself is free and open source.
- Global
Best for
Try free first
Not ready for Moodle? Start with our free tools — come back when you outgrow them.
Alternatives
Kajabi
Pick this instead if: Established creators/coaches who want courses, marketing, and funnels under one roof
Teachable
Pick this instead if: Solo creators and coaches selling a handful of premium courses or coaching programs
Thinkific
Pick this instead if: Creators building a catalog of multiple courses under one price cap
Articulate 360
Pick this instead if: Instructional designers and corporate L&D teams authoring interactive SCORM/xAPI training content
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DEV-BOTTOM · horizontalWas this review of Moodle helpful?
Moodle FAQ
Questions about this tool
Is Moodle free?
Yes, there's a free tier. The core Moodle LMS software is genuinely free forever as open source — the catch is you must self-host, configure, and maintain it yourself. For anyone who wants it hosted, MoodleCloud starts at $170/year (50 users, 1 GB storage) with a 28-day free trial and no credit card required, scaling up to $2,100/year for 750 users.
How much does Moodle cost?
Free. We verify pricing directly against Moodle's own pricing page — see the pricing table above for the full breakdown of plans, and check the verified date before making a decision, since software pricing changes often.
Who is Moodle best for?
Institutions and nonprofits with IT capacity to self-host and customize an open-source LMS Small organizations wanting a low-cost hosted option (MoodleCloud) without managing servers
Who should avoid Moodle?
You have no technical resources and don't want to pay for a Certified Service Provider — self-hosted Moodle has a real setup/maintenance burden You need more than 750 users on MoodleCloud — pricing beyond Standard requires a custom quote
Does Moodle work well outside the US?
MoodleCloud is billed annually in Australian Dollars (AUD) with pricing shown converted to USD/EUR/GBP/CAD/INR; self-hosted Moodle has no billing region at all since the software itself is free and open source.
What are the best alternatives to Moodle?
Worth comparing: Kajabi, Teachable, Thinkific, Articulate 360. See the Alternatives section above for why you might pick one of these instead.