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LMS · head to head

Chamilo vs D2L Brightspace

Chamilo logo

Chamilo

LMS

Open source learning management system with no licence fee and a Latin American and francophone user base

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
D2L Brightspace logo

D2L Brightspace

LMS

The LMS built to focus on the learning moment

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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.; D2L Brightspace no pricing tiers, subscription costs, or feature pricing published; requires contacting sales
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Chamilo and D2L Brightspace actually diverge.

Attributes where Chamilo and D2L Brightspace differ
AttributeChamiloD2L Brightspace
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Self-hosted, LinuxWeb

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 D2L Brightspace

Nothing recorded that Chamilo does not also cover.

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 D2L Brightspace
  • A ministry or NGO delivering vocational training over poor connectivity, where a lightweight PHP application on cheap hosting beats a heavyweight platformnot D2L Brightspace
  • A francophone institution in West Africa or Belgium where French interface and documentation quality decides adoption more than feature countnot D2L Brightspace
  • An organisation that requires the LMS to run entirely on its own infrastructure with no data leaving the countrynot D2L Brightspace

D2L Brightspace

  • Learning management system for educational institutionsnot Chamilo
  • Online course management and deliverynot Chamilo
  • Student engagement and retention trackingnot Chamilo
  • Course content creation and distributionnot Chamilo
  • Learner achievement and certification managementnot 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.

D2L Brightspace

  • No pricing tiers, subscription costs, or feature pricing published; requires contacting sales
  • Quote-based pricing model with no transparent cost information available
  • Multiple add-on modules (Lumi, Creator+, Achievement+, Performance+, Course Merchant, D2L Link) available but pricing not 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

D2L Brightspace

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the D2L Brightspace review.

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.
Chamilo review

Choose D2L Brightspace if

Nothing in the data separates D2L Brightspace from Chamilo on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

D2L Brightspace review

Questions people ask

Is Chamilo or D2L Brightspace better?
Neither clearly leads. Chamilo starts at Free and D2L Brightspace at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Chamilo or D2L Brightspace?
Chamilo has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Chamilo and On request for D2L Brightspace.
Does Chamilo or D2L Brightspace run on more platforms?
Chamilo runs on Web, Self-hosted, Linux. D2L Brightspace runs on Web.
Can I use Chamilo for free?
Yes. Chamilo has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. D2L Brightspace 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 D2L Brightspace is typically brought in for.
What can Chamilo do that D2L Brightspace cannot?
Chamilo covers Course and learning paths, Assessments, Gradebook and certificates, Attendance tracking.

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.

D2L Brightspace: How much does D2L Brightspace cost?

D2L Brightspace does not publish pricing on its website. Prospective customers must request a demo or contact D2L sales to receive pricing quotes customized to their institution's needs.

Source
Chamilo: 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.

D2L Brightspace: What add-on modules does Brightspace offer?

Brightspace offers multiple add-on modules including D2L Lumi, Creator+, Achievement+, Performance+, Course Merchant, and D2L Link. Specific pricing and features for each are available by contacting D2L.

Source
Chamilo: 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.

D2L Brightspace: What is D2L Brightspace's retention rate?

D2L reports an 82% retention rate among customers, though this does not reflect pricing or costs.

Source
Chamilo: 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.

D2L Brightspace: Can I see D2L Brightspace before purchasing?

D2L Brightspace is available by demo request only. Contact D2L directly to schedule a demo and discuss pricing options for your institution.

Source
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