What to Look for in WordPress LMS Plugins
WordPress LMS Plugins
Online learning has taken off in a big way. Companies are using it, governments are using it, even schools are offering some online courses. This is why the WordPress LMS plugins industry has exploded, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic! Even after the pandemic, the learning economy is still thriving.
If you have knowledge to share, or want to earn a little money by sharing online courses, WordPress and its various LMS System, Learning Management Systems, make it easy.
This article will describe the top 10 WordPress LMS plugins available right now. It will describe the plugin, what it can do, its pros and cons, the cost and whether it is a good bet or not.
It’s the only WordPress LMS plugin guide you’ll ever need!
As you will quickly realize, investing in a WordPress LMS plugin can be a significant investment in time and money. Choosing the right LMS for your needs is therefore vital.
Setting up an LMS takes time and a lot of effort, and the last thing you want is to create a selection of online courses only to find that an important feature isn’t available in the one you’ve chosen.
So what are some of the key features?
- content layout
- monetization options
- Content restriction options
- Assessments and questionnaires
- Multiple media support
- WordPress plugin integration
content layout
Online course layout is an important factor in determining how accessible and engaging your courses are. The cleaner the layout and the easier it is to navigate, the more involved it will be and the happier students will be.
Most WordPress LMS plugins use a page builder or viewer similar to building posts or pages to help build online courses. However, some implement these features better than others.
Take a good look at your layout options before purchasing your plugin.
monetization options
Some LMS handle payment options, while others rely on external plugins for payment or subscription. Your courses should support one-time payments, recurring payments, subscriptions, trials, free trials, and discount options to be as affordable as possible.
Make sure your plugin or payment solution also supports multiple payment gateways and multiple currencies.
Content restriction options
Content restriction is useful for offering free trials or drip-feed course material for a semester. Not all LMS sites will utilize these features, but if you plan on using them, make sure your plugin supports it.
Assessments and questionnaires
Assessments and quizzes can be an important part of learning. Whether you’re grading or using a certification or not, assessments and quizzes are useful learning tools to reinforce learning, check key learning points, and grade.
Most WordPress LMS plugins support some sort of assessment or quiz. Some will include it in their core features, while others will charge more with an addon.
multimedia support
Many online courses will include written content or transcripts, but a good LMS should also include video, audio, PDF, and support for other media as well. The more media types your plugin supports, the more integrated your online course will be.
You can also offer a wide selection of courses. Some may be purely video driven, while others may be written or include audio.
WordPress LMS plugins integration
Many LMS come with many features, but few can do it all. Consider email reach, payment gateways, international payments, downloadable course material, WooCommerce for merchandise, BuddyPress for engagement, sales funnels, and all the complementary resources you need to build a successful online school.
The more compatible your WordPress LMS plugin is, the easier it will be for you to build a coherent online school.
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WordPress LMS plugins Themes
Some WordPress LMS plugins that we present come with a theme included. In case you need one, here are some great options for changing the look of your eLearning site.
- Astra
Astra is a multipurpose WordPress LMS plugins theme with four education demo templates. We like University as it has a predefined course page that you can immediately implement to host courses and build your LMS.
Astra is lightweight, loads quickly, is SEO-optimized and capable of handling courses with ease. It comes with Elementor, Brizy and other page builder compatibility and a one-click installer.
At just $47 a year, it’s cheap too!
- Divide
Divi is another multipurpose WordPress LMS plugins theme with educational templates that you can use. Like Astra, it has several LMS templates to choose from and each one offers a completely different look and feel. They don’t quite meet Astra standards, but they still work fine.
Divi themes also load quickly, are SEO-optimized, are compatible with most WordPress plugins, and come with Divi Builder, their own page builder. The themes are well thought out and cover many niches.
Also check out our Head to Head Divi Builder vs Elementor .
Divi is a little more expensive at $89 a year. But we have a special offer where you can get it for 10% OFF!
- Eduma
Eduma is an excellent choice for an WordPress LMS plugins theme. It’s fast, includes clean code, and also looks good. Not only is the design first class, it also has some advanced integrations with Elementor, Zoom Meeting, SiteOrigin, LearnPress and WPBakery.The various demo themes cross many eLearning types and tastes. The inclusion of drag and drop page builders means you can also customize it to your needs.
Eduma costs $69 as a one-time fee.
