LMS · head to head
Chamilo vs Cornerstone Learning
Chamilo
LMS
Open source learning management system with no licence fee and a Latin American and francophone user base
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Cornerstone Learning
LMS
Enterprise talent management and learning
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Chamilo has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- 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.; Cornerstone Learning no pricing is published and no tier structure is shown
- They diverge on capability: Chamilo covers Course and learning paths, Cornerstone Learning covers Learning management.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Chamilo and Cornerstone Learning actually diverge.
| Attribute | Chamilo | Cornerstone Learning |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Pricing model | Open source, no licence fee | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, Self-hosted, Linux | Web, IOS, Android, API |
| Founded | Unknown | 1999 |
Identical on both: 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 Cornerstone Learning
- Learning management
- Compliance tracking
- Content marketplace
- Skills development
- Social learning
- Analytics
- Mobile app
- AI recommendations
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 Cornerstone Learning
- A ministry or NGO delivering vocational training over poor connectivity, where a lightweight PHP application on cheap hosting beats a heavyweight platformnot Cornerstone Learning
- A francophone institution in West Africa or Belgium where French interface and documentation quality decides adoption more than feature countnot Cornerstone Learning
- An organisation that requires the LMS to run entirely on its own infrastructure with no data leaving the countrynot Cornerstone Learning
Cornerstone Learning
- Enterprise learning management and compliance trainingnot Chamilo
- Talent development and skills tracking across a workforcenot 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.
Cornerstone Learning
- No pricing is published and no tier structure is shown
- The vendor states cost depends on organisational needs and size, with an estimate available only after a demo
- No minimum purchase or user count is disclosed
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$undefined/year
- Managed hosting, upgrades and support sold by BeezNest and other official providers
- Priced per deployment, quoted
Cornerstone Learning
On request- Learning$undefined/month
- Course management
- Compliance
- Mobile
- Talent Suite$undefined/month
- All Learning
- Performance
- Recruiting
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 Cornerstone Learning if
- You need learning management.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android, API.
- You also want compliance tracking.
Questions people ask
- Is Chamilo or Cornerstone Learning better?
- Neither clearly leads. Chamilo starts at Free and Cornerstone Learning at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Chamilo or Cornerstone Learning?
- Chamilo has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Chamilo and On request for Cornerstone Learning.
- Does Chamilo or Cornerstone Learning run on more platforms?
- Chamilo runs on Web, Self-hosted, Linux. Cornerstone Learning runs on Web, IOS, Android, API.
- Can I use Chamilo for free?
- Yes. Chamilo has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Cornerstone Learning starts at On request.
- 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 Cornerstone Learning is typically brought in for.
- What can Chamilo do that Cornerstone Learning cannot?
- Chamilo covers Course and learning paths, Assessments, Gradebook and certificates, Attendance tracking. Cornerstone Learning covers Learning management, Compliance tracking, Content marketplace, Skills development.
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.
Cornerstone Learning: How does Cornerstone Learning determine pricing?
Cornerstone Learning uses custom pricing based on each organization's needs and size. The company does not publish standard pricing and requires organizations to contact their sales team for a personalized estimate through a free demo.
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.
Cornerstone Learning: Is there a free trial or demo available?
Yes, Cornerstone Learning offers a free personalized demo where you can discuss your requirements and receive a pricing estimate tailored to your organization.
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.
Cornerstone Learning: Does pricing vary by organization size?
Yes, pricing depends on your organization's needs and size. Each organization receives a different cost estimate based on these factors.
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.
Related pages
More on Cornerstone Learning
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