LMS · head to head
Chamilo vs Docebo
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
- 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.; Docebo no price is published, and cost depends on product tier plus an active user count
- They diverge on capability: Chamilo covers Course and learning paths, Docebo covers AI-powered learning.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Chamilo and Docebo actually diverge.
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 Docebo
- AI-powered learning
- Social learning
- Content marketplace
- Mobile app
- Gamification
- Analytics
- Extended enterprise
- Virtual classroom
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 Docebo
- A ministry or NGO delivering vocational training over poor connectivity, where a lightweight PHP application on cheap hosting beats a heavyweight platformnot Docebo
- A francophone institution in West Africa or Belgium where French interface and documentation quality decides adoption more than feature countnot Docebo
- An organisation that requires the LMS to run entirely on its own infrastructure with no data leaving the countrynot Docebo
Docebo
- Corporate learning management and compliance trainingnot Chamilo
- Delivering and tracking training to employees, partners or customersnot 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.
Docebo
- No price is published, and cost depends on product tier plus an active user count
- Three different user counting models exist, monthly active, yearly active and registered active, so what counts as a billable user is itself a negotiated term
- The vendor states the product is best suited to organisations training at least 250 learners
- Add ons sit on top of the tier and are not enumerated with prices
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$undefined/year
- Managed hosting, upgrades and support sold by BeezNest and other official providers
- Priced per deployment, quoted
Docebo
On request- Engage$undefined/month
- Course management
- Mobile learning
- Reporting
- Elevate$undefined/month
- All Engage
- AI features
- Social learning
- Enterprise$undefined/month
- All Elevate
- Extended enterprise
- Custom integrations
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 Docebo if
- You need ai-powered learning.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android, API.
- You also want social learning.
Questions people ask
- Is Chamilo or Docebo better?
- Neither clearly leads. Chamilo starts at Free and Docebo at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Chamilo or Docebo?
- Chamilo has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Chamilo and On request for Docebo.
- Does Chamilo or Docebo run on more platforms?
- Chamilo runs on Web, Self-hosted, Linux. Docebo 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. Docebo 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 Docebo is typically brought in for.
- What can Chamilo do that Docebo cannot?
- Chamilo covers Course and learning paths, Assessments, Gradebook and certificates, Attendance tracking. Docebo covers AI-powered learning, Social learning, Content marketplace, Mobile app.
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.
Docebo: How much does Docebo cost?
Docebo uses custom pricing designed to reflect how your organization engages with learning. Tiers include Elevate and Enterprise, with pricing based on selected tier, active user model, and user count.
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.
Docebo: What is Docebo's minimum learner requirement?
Docebo is typically suited for organizations training 250 or more learners. Specific pricing requires contacting their sales team.
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.
Docebo: What are Docebo's pricing tiers?
Docebo offers Elevate tier with personalization, white-labeled design, and AI-powered content. Enterprise tier includes advanced analytics, integration of up to 6 tools, and elite support.
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.
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