LMS · head to head
Chamilo vs ClassDojo
Chamilo
LMS
Open source learning management system with no licence fee and a Latin American and francophone user base
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Chamilo version 3.0 has been in beta since 2024 while production deployments stay on the 1.11 branch, so anyone planning a multi-year deployment is choosing between an ageing stable line and an unfinished rewrite.; ClassDojo the AI homework helper, the 2,000 plus digital book library, detailed progress reports, memory albums and calendar sync are all restricted to the paid ClassDojo Plus subscription
- They diverge on capability: Chamilo covers Course and learning paths, ClassDojo covers Behavior tracking.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Chamilo and ClassDojo actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (LMS).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Chamilo
- Course and learning paths
- Assessments
- Gradebook and certificates
- Attendance tracking
- Sessions and multi-tenancy
- Wide interface translation
- Plugins
- Low hosting requirements
Only in ClassDojo
- Behavior tracking
- Parent messaging
- Class story
- Student portfolios
- Dojo points
- Translation
- School story
- Mobile app
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Chamilo
- A Latin American university that needs an LMS with no per-student licence fee and Spanish-language support from people in a compatible time zonenot ClassDojo
- A ministry or NGO delivering vocational training over poor connectivity, where a lightweight PHP application on cheap hosting beats a heavyweight platformnot ClassDojo
- A francophone institution in West Africa or Belgium where French interface and documentation quality decides adoption more than feature countnot ClassDojo
- An organisation that requires the LMS to run entirely on its own infrastructure with no data leaving the countrynot ClassDojo
ClassDojo
- classroom communication and behavior trackingnot Chamilo
- teacher-parent communicationnot Chamilo
- student engagement toolsnot Chamilo
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Chamilo
- Version 3.0 has been in beta since 2024 while production deployments stay on the 1.11 branch, so anyone planning a multi-year deployment is choosing between an ageing stable line and an unfinished rewrite.
- Governance moved to BeezNest Belgium, a commercial company that also sells Chamilo hosting and services, which concentrates roadmap decisions in a vendor with a direct commercial interest in the support market.
- The English-language community and documentation are noticeably thinner than the Spanish and French, so an anglophone institution will find fewer answers, fewer contributors and fewer consultants than the project size implies.
- No licence fee is not no cost: hosting, upgrades, security patching, backups and integration work all fall on the institution or a paid partner, and that ongoing labour usually exceeds what a small institution would have paid for a hosted commercial LMS.
- The third-party plugin ecosystem is small compared with Moodle, so integrations with proctoring, publisher content and student information systems often have to be commissioned rather than installed.
ClassDojo
- The AI homework helper, the 2,000 plus digital book library, detailed progress reports, memory albums and calendar sync are all restricted to the paid ClassDojo Plus subscription
- ClassDojo Plus is sold to families rather than to schools, so parents pay for the premium tier
- The Plus page publishes no monthly or yearly price, only a 7 day free trial
- No pricing is published for the school leader or district offerings
Pricing, plan by plan
Chamilo
Free- Self-hostedFree
- GNU GPL licence, no per-learner fee
- Full source code
- Community support in Spanish, French and English
- Hosting and support from partners$undefined/year
- Managed hosting, upgrades and support sold by BeezNest and other official providers
- Priced per deployment, quoted
ClassDojo
Free- FreeFree
- Behavior points
- Messaging
- Class story
- Plus$7.99/month
- All free features
- Beyond School
- Dojo Islands
- School$undefined/month
- School story
- Admin tools
- Analytics
Which should you pick?
Choose Chamilo if
- You need course and learning paths.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Self-hosted, Linux.
- You also want assessments.
Choose ClassDojo if
- You need behavior tracking.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android.
- You also want parent messaging.
Questions people ask
- Is Chamilo or ClassDojo better?
- Neither clearly leads. Chamilo starts at Free and ClassDojo at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Chamilo or ClassDojo?
- Chamilo starts at Free and ClassDojo at Free.
- Does Chamilo or ClassDojo run on more platforms?
- Chamilo runs on Web, Self-hosted, Linux. ClassDojo runs on Web, IOS, Android.
- Can I use Chamilo for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Chamilo best used for?
- Chamilo is most often used for a latin american university that needs an lms with no per-student licence fee and spanish-language support from people in a compatible time zone, a ministry or ngo delivering vocational training over poor connectivity, where a lightweight php application on cheap hosting beats a heavyweight platform, a francophone institution in west africa or belgium where french interface and documentation quality decides adoption more than feature count, an organisation that requires the lms to run entirely on its own infrastructure with no data leaving the country. Of those, a latin american university that needs an lms with no per-student licence fee and spanish-language support from people in a compatible time zone and a ministry or ngo delivering vocational training over poor connectivity, where a lightweight php application on cheap hosting beats a heavyweight platform are not what ClassDojo is typically brought in for.
- What can Chamilo do that ClassDojo cannot?
- Chamilo covers Course and learning paths, Assessments, Gradebook and certificates, Attendance tracking. ClassDojo covers Behavior tracking, Parent messaging, Class story, Student portfolios.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Chamilo: Who owns and maintains Chamilo now?
The project has been governed by BeezNest Belgium since January 2026. The code remains under the GNU GPL, but roadmap stewardship sits with a commercial company that also sells Chamilo services.
ClassDojo: Is ClassDojo free?
Yes, ClassDojo core platform is free for teachers forever; the service is positioned as a free tool for educators without required payment.
SourceChamilo: Is Chamilo 3 ready for production?
No. The 3.0 line has been in beta since 2024 and production installations remain on the 1.11 branch. Plan on 1.11 and treat the 3.0 migration as a future project.
ClassDojo: What is ClassDojo Plus and how much does it cost?
ClassDojo Plus is the premium tier; specific pricing details are not published on the ClassDojo website and require direct inquiry with the company.
SourceChamilo: Is there a licence fee?
No. Chamilo is GPL software with no per-learner charge. Costs are hosting, support and whatever integration work you commission.
ClassDojo: Are parents charged to use ClassDojo?
ClassDojo does not charge parents for the service; the free platform includes parent-teacher communication features at no cost to families.
SourceChamilo: Where is it strongest?
Spanish-speaking Latin America, Spain, francophone West Africa and Belgium. Support and documentation quality in Spanish and French exceed the English.
ClassDojo: Why is ClassDojo free if there's a premium tier?
ClassDojo offers free core features to teachers to drive adoption; premium features for advanced needs or professional development are available as paid add-ons.
SourceRelated pages
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