Short summary
Masteriyo is the strongest free LMS for WordPress in 2026: its free core includes multiple payment gateways, certificates, SCORM import, content drip, and no limits on courses or students. The other four — LearnPress, Academy LMS, Tutor LMS, and Fox LMS — are solid choices for specific needs but tend to reserve important features behind paid upgrades.
Overview of the five options
This comparison focuses on real-world usefulness in launching and monetizing online courses without paying for an LMS plugin up front. Each plugin’s strengths, free-plan limits, user experience, and notable Pro add-ons are summarized so you can pick the best fit for your project.
1) Masteriyo — best overall free option
Why it stands out: Masteriyo provides the most fully featured free core. You can create unlimited courses, lessons, quizzes and accept payments through Stripe, PayPal, SureCart, Lemon Squeezy, and Mollie without forcing an immediate upgrade.
Free plan highlights:
– Drag-and-drop course, lesson, and quiz builder with unlimited content
– Built-in e-commerce (cart, checkout, coupons, order management) independent of WooCommerce
– Multiple native payment gateways
– Certificate builder with online QR verification
– SCORM import and AI-assisted course creation (OpenAI)
– Sequential content drip and frontend dashboards
– One-click migration from several other LMS plugins
When to consider upgrading: Multi-instructor revenue sharing, cohorts, gradebooks, advanced quiz types, assignments, and live-session integrations require Pro. If you need those from day one, upgrade; otherwise, Masteriyo’s free core often suffices.
User experience: The admin balances depth and clarity — intuitive menus and a modern builder. Connecting Stripe and OpenAI is straightforward and you can build a basic course quickly.
Pro add-ons include: multi-instructor revenue sharing, advanced drip and prerequisites, assignments + gradebook, cohort/team features, Zoom lessons, white labeling, advanced quiz types, and HubSpot/2FA integrations.
Note: Masteriyo is part of the same company family that maintains the original review source.
2) LearnPress — flexible lesson content and many free add-ons
Why it stands out: Long track record and a flexible lesson model that lets you mix video, audio, text, and images in a single lesson using a standard editor.
Free plan highlights:
– Unlimited courses and lessons with multimedia support inside each lesson
– Reusable lesson and question banks
– Quizzes (MCQ, true/false, fill-in-the-blank) with timers
– Built-in checkout with PayPal and offline payments
– Several useful free add-ons (Coming Soon, Student List, Prerequisite Courses, Course Review, Wishlist)
When to consider upgrading: Most advanced monetization gateways, certificates, assignments, detailed drip scheduling, and live-class integrations are add-ons or Pro features. If you need wider payment options or certificates without buying many add-ons, consider Masteriyo instead.
User experience: The core is beginner-friendly but the admin has a slightly dated wp-admin feel that can hide the modern course builder until you find it.
Pro add-ons include: certificates, assignments/gradebook, content drip, live course integrations, many payment gateways, and WooCommerce/WMPL integrations.
3) Academy LMS — best fit for multi-instructor marketplaces
Why it stands out: The free version uniquely bundles multi-instructor functionality, revenue-sharing basics, instructor withdrawals, and WooCommerce integration — useful for marketplace-style platforms.
Free plan highlights:
– Frontend course builder and student/instructor dashboards
– Multi-instructor revenue sharing and withdrawal management
– Video lessons from multiple sources and a unified video player skin
– Basic certificates, Q&A, course wishlist, CSV import/export for lessons
– Built-in analytics and frontend editing
When to consider upgrading: Academy’s free core lacks drip content, assignments/gradebook, SCORM, advanced notifications, and several integrations — these are Pro features. Also, payments often require managing the companion StoreEngine plugin, which makes setup longer.
User experience: Powerful but slower on-ramp; you’ll likely install and configure two plugins (Academy + StoreEngine) and spend more time on initial setup. Good for a detailed marketplace if you accept the learning curve.
Pro add-ons include: advanced quiz types, email/push notifications, drip, prerequisites, Zoom/Meet integrations, assignments, gradebook, SCORM, white labeling, and extra integrations.
4) Tutor LMS — commerce-focused free plan with many paywalled learning features
Why it stands out: The free plan emphasizes commerce and order features (coupons, taxes, refunds) while restricting some learning features to Pro.
Free plan highlights:
– Unlimited courses, students, and instructors
– Accept payments via PayPal or via WooCommerce products
– Coupon and tax management, order management with refunds
– Quiz builder, student and instructor dashboards, Q&A and lesson comments
When to consider upgrading: Certificates, content drip, assignments, gradebook, live classes, course bundles, and many payment gateways are Pro-only. If your priority is commerce back-end rather than advanced learning features, Tutor LMS is a good free start.
User experience: Clean setup wizard and a strong course builder, but some aspects (like adding instructors) require using WordPress user roles rather than a single unified flow.
Pro add-ons include: live classes (Zoom/Google Meet), drip, certificates, multi-instructor enhancements, many payment gateways, subscriptions, and advanced notifications.
5) Fox LMS — simple, beginner-friendly free option
Why it stands out: Newer and lightweight, Fox LMS covers essential course features and is easy for beginners to navigate. It includes coupons and custom branding in the free plan — features often paywalled elsewhere.
Free plan highlights:
– Unlimited courses, lessons, students, and instructors
– Drag-and-drop builder, text/video lessons, sequential lesson drip inside a course
– Instructor and student dashboards, unlimited quizzes, Q&A, course announcements
– PayPal payments, coupon system, and compatibility with Elementor/Gutenberg
When to consider upgrading: Certificates, reviews, site-wide drip, revenue sharing, and non-PayPal gateways require Pro. Fox LMS is best for quick launches and creators who want a guided, low-friction experience.
User experience: Very beginner-friendly with tutorial links and focused setup wizards. Less granular control than the heavier plugins, which some users will appreciate.
Pro add-ons include: certificate builder, AI lesson builder, content drip, revenue sharing, Stripe/WooCommerce, advanced quizzes, bundles, and notifications.
Is a free LMS plugin enough?
Yes — depending on your project. If you want to launch and monetize a small-to-medium course business without paying for an LMS immediately, Masteriyo is the most complete free option. If you need marketplace-style instructor revenue sharing, Academy LMS is a strong free starting point. LearnPress excels when you need flexible lesson composition and some useful free add-ons. Tutor LMS is best if commerce/order features are your top priority. Fox LMS is ideal for fast, low-friction launches.
How to choose
1) List must-have features (payment gateways, certificates, SCORM, drip, multi-instructor, assignments, live classes). 2) See which plugin’s free core covers the most of your list. 3) If critical items are Pro-only for every plugin, compare the Pro price/features you’ll need. If you want help narrowing choices based on specific needs, describe your use case and I’ll recommend the best fit.
Closing note
All five plugins have trade-offs. Masteriyo minimizes trade-offs in the free tier, but no free plugin covers everything. Prioritize the features you truly need now and pick the plugin that reduces upfront cost while leaving a clear upgrade path if your project grows.