Creating an online course sounds exciting, doesn’t it? Then you’re stuck wrestling with clunky tools, scattered content, and no way to track student progress. Not so good…
If you’ve ever tried to build a learning experience on your WordPress site and ended up overwhelmed by tech headaches, confusing interfaces, or limited control, you’re definitely not alone!
But the good news is that this all can be simplified with the help of the right LMS plugin for WordPress. Needless to say, there are a lot of options available, which is enough to make you feel overwhelmed.
That’s why we’ve done the research and put together a list of the 6 best LMS plugins that can help you build, manage, and scale your online course business using WordPress.
But before we jump into the list, let’s go through what you need to look for in an LMS plugin.
What to Look for in a WordPress LMS Plugin
Choosing the right LMS plugin isn’t just about flashy features; it’s about finding a solution that makes your life easier and your students’ experience better. That’s why we wanted to let you know about the key aspects you should look for in an LMS plugin.
Intuitive Course Builder
A solid LMS plugin should offer a drag-and-drop course builder that lets you structure lessons with ease. You shouldn’t need a developer just to organize your curriculum.
If the builder also integrates AI or visual design helpers, even better. These tools can help you quickly generate lesson thumbnails, visual aids, or diagrams, which makes content creation smoother and less time-consuming.
Quizzes and Assignments That Keep Students Engaged
It’s absolutely essential to have interactive quizzes and assignments to reinforce knowledge and keep your learners active. So look for an LMS that lets you build custom quizzes, along with options like time limits, randomized questions, multiple formats (MCQs, short answer, matching), and automated grading.
Motivate with Gamification and Certificates
Gamifying your course adds an element of fun and keeps students engaged and keen to progress. You can use features like badges, points, leaderboards, or unlockable content, which will make the learning experience much more rewarding and interactive.
Secure and Flexible Payment Options
Your LMS plugin should also make it easy for students to pay, not send them running in circles! You should look for plugins that support a wide range of payment gateways like Stripe, PayPal, and Authorize.net. Thay way, you’ll ensure global reach … and secure transactions.
Easy Student and Instructor Management
On top of teaching and producing course materials, managing your learners is another full time job. But a good LMS plugin help you by providing a clean, intuitive dashboard to monitor enrollments, track lesson completions, and manage memberships.
Detailed Analytics and Reporting Tools
You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Choose an LMS plugin with detailed insights into student progress, quiz scores, and engagement. Bonus if it tracks course revenue, sales trends, and customer value for smarter planning.
6 Best LMS Plugins for WordPress
Before finalizing your LMS plugin, make sure your WordPress site is up and running. If you are new to WordPress, check out our guide on
how to set up & host a WordPress website.
Once your site is ready, you are good to get started with an LMS plugin. And we’ve picked the 6 best LMS plugins available for WordPress, so you can find the perfect fit for your needs.
1. MemberPress
Downloads: 300,000+
Rating: 4.9/5
Price: Premium, starting at $179.50/year.
MemberPress is a premium WordPress plugin known primarily for its membership features, but its
Courses add-on turns it into a complete LMS solution. It's a fantastic option if you're building a membership-based eLearning site and want to manage access to digital content, community forums, coaching programs, and online courses all in one place.
Its standout feature is the
ReadyLaunch system, which auto-generates beautiful, mobile-responsive course pages without needing a designer. MemberPress also includes
interactive quizzes,
certificate generation, and flexible
content drip schedules.
It allows you to sell courses individually or as part of bundled memberships, with granular control over who gets access to what.
Key Features:
- ReadyLaunch visual course templates
- One-on-one coaching integration
- Quizzes and certificate builder
- Multi-level memberships with coupons and bundles
- Granular access rules for individual content
- Built-in reporting and analytics
Pros:
- Strong membership + LMS combo
- Secure, flexible content control
- Works with Stripe, PayPal, Apple Pay, and more
Cons:
- Slightly steep learning curve for beginners
2. Tutor LMS
Downloads: 100,000+
Rating: 4.6/5
Price: Freemium, with premium plans starting at $199/year.
Tutor LMS is one of the fastest-growing WordPress LMS plugins, and for good reason. It offers a modern, beginner-friendly interface that works right out of the box, along with advanced features like
multi-instructor support,
frontend course submission, and
student Q&A boards.
Tutor LMS also makes monetization easy. It integrates with
WooCommerce,
Easy Digital Downloads, and
Restrict Content Pro, allowing you to sell courses via one-time payments or subscriptions. You can also build a Udemy-style marketplace where instructors submit their own courses.
Key Features:
- Drag-and-drop frontend and backend course builder
- Quiz, assignment, and grading tools
- WooCommerce and EDD integration
- Multi-instructor support
- Email notifications for students and instructors
- Built-in certificate builder
Pros:
- Great free version with generous features
- Developer-friendly with hooks and REST API
- Ideal for multi-author eLearning platforms
Cons:
- Some advanced features (e.g., Zoom, assignments) locked behind Pro
- UI translations may need manual tweaking for multilingual sites
3. WishList Member
Downloads: 110,000+
Rating: 4.7/5
Price: Premium, starting at $149/year.
WishList Member is one of the most established WordPress membership plugins on the market and it’s built with course creators in mind. It focuses on letting you control who gets access to what and when. And this is perfect for structured online courses.
With WishList Member, you can create unlimited membership levels and lock content based on user status. Whether you want to deliver an entire course at once, drip lessons week by week, or require prerequisites for advanced modules, it’s all built-in.
You can also integrate with tools like ConvertKit, ThriveCart, Zapier, and many CRMs to automate onboarding, course delivery, and follow-ups.
Key Features:
- Drip content and sequential lesson access
- One-click content protection for lessons and modules
- Built-in course builder with quizzes via CourseCure
- Student activity tracking and membership dashboards
- Custom login, registration, and error pages
- Payment options with free trials, one-time, or recurring billing
- WooCommerce and ThriveCart integrations
- 50+ third-party integrations including CRMs and email platforms
- Beginner-friendly setup wizard for fast course launch
Pros:
- Flexible content protection and access logic
- Compatible with most WordPress page builders
- Easy to run promotions or upgrades between plans
Cons:
- No native course builder – manual layout needed
4. LearnPress
Downloads: 90,000+
Rating: 4.4/5
Price: Freemium, with premium add-ons available individually or in bundles.
LearnPress is a lightweight and modular LMS plugin built for scalability. It’s one of the most downloaded free LMS plugins on WordPress.org and is ideal for users who want a solid foundation they can expand with optional premium add-ons.
The free version already includes a drag-and-drop course builder, basic quiz creation, student enrollment tracking, and WooCommerce integration. Premium add-ons unlock certificates, content dripping, grade books, instructor commissions, and more.
Key Features:
- Modular design with free and premium add-ons
- Drag-and-drop course and lesson builder
- WooCommerce, Stripe, and PayPal integration
- Student profile dashboards
- SCORM support and course import/export
- Compatible with Elementor and WPBakery
Pros:
- Lightweight and fast-loading
- Ideal for simple course websites or MVPs
- Affordable and flexible pricing model
Cons:
- Requires multiple add-ons to match other LMS features
- Support and documentation can be inconsistent
5. AccessAlly
Downloads: 5,000+ (premium only)
Rating: 4.8/5
Price: Premium, starting at $99/month.
AccessAlly is more than just an LMS plugin , it's a powerhouse built for course creators who care about automation, personalization, and sales funnels. Designed by a woman-led team, AccessAlly combines LMS, membership, and CRM logic into a single plugin.
With its intuitive
drag-and-drop course builder, you can easily create visually appealing course pages. What makes AccessAlly stand out is its
native CRM integration, which lets you trigger automations like abandoned cart emails, progress-based follow-ups, and dynamic content access based on user behavior.
Key Features:
- Visual course builder with progress tracking
- Built-in affiliate tracking and commission tools
- CRM-driven automation and segmentation
- Team licenses and multi-student access
- Advanced upsell/downsell flows
- Integration with Stripe, PayPal, and CRM platforms
Pros:
- Ideal for marketing-savvy course creators
- Replaces multiple plugins with one ecosystem
- Clean UX and mobile-optimized course pages
Cons:
- Premium pricing may not suit early-stage creators
- Learning curve for advanced automation setup
6. LearnDash
Downloads: 100,000+
Rating: 4.6/5
Price: Premium, starting at $199/year.
LearnDash is one of the most established LMS plugins for WordPress, trusted by universities, startups, and Fortune 500 companies. If you want to build a complete eLearning platform with advanced features and full control over course structure and monetization, this might be the perfect solution for you.
Its
drag-and-drop course builder makes it easy to create complex curriculums with lessons, topics, and quizzes. You can drip content, set prerequisites, track video progress, and use
Focus Mode to offer a distraction-free learning environment.
For monetization, LearnDash integrates with
Stripe,
PayPal,
WooCommerce, and platforms like
CartFlows to let you sell courses as one-time purchases, subscriptions, or bundles. Additional features like
certificates,
badges,
course points, and a full
group management system make it ideal for both individual educators and enterprise training teams.
Key Features:
- Drag-and-drop course builder with lesson and topic hierarchy
- Advanced quiz builder with timers, banks, and auto-grading
- Focus Mode for a distraction-free learning interface
- Drip content and lesson prerequisites
- Built-in gamification with badges and certificates
- Stripe, PayPal, and WooCommerce payment support
- Group management and bulk enrollments
- ProPanel add-on for reporting and analytics
- Email triggers and integrations with CRM
Pros:
- Enterprise-grade features with a professional UX
- Flexible course access and pricing models
- Clean, mobile-friendly learner interface
Cons:
- Requires extra plugins for analytics and some integrations
- Slightly higher learning curve for non-tech users
Conclusion
We hope this blog helped you get a clearer understanding of WordPress LMS plugins and what to look for when choosing the right one. Whether you're building your first online course or scaling up a full eLearning platform, picking the right tool can make all the difference.
Take your time to review the list we’ve provided, compare the features, pricing, and strengths of each plugin to see what fits your goals best. Some tools are perfect for solo creators, while others are built for teams, coaches, or large-scale course businesses.
At the end of the day, the best LMS plugin is the one that helps you create a seamless, engaging experience for your learners, and supports the growth of your business.
Now go ahead and take that next step toward building the online learning platform of your dreams!
