LMS · head to head
Chamilo vs edX
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.; edX individual course costs not displayed; pricing requires enrollment to view
- They diverge on capability: Chamilo covers Course and learning paths, edX covers Video lectures.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Chamilo and edX 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 edX
- Video lectures
- Interactive exercises
- Discussion forums
- Certificates
- MicroMasters
- Professional certificates
- Degrees
- Mobile learning
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 edX
- A ministry or NGO delivering vocational training over poor connectivity, where a lightweight PHP application on cheap hosting beats a heavyweight platformnot edX
- A francophone institution in West Africa or Belgium where French interface and documentation quality decides adoption more than feature countnot edX
- An organisation that requires the LMS to run entirely on its own infrastructure with no data leaving the countrynot edX
edX
- Learners seeking university-level credentials from elite institutions (MIT, Harvard, Cambridge)not Chamilo
- Career changers pursuing MicroMasters or professional certificatesnot Chamilo
- Individuals in regions with limited access to higher educationnot 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.
edX
- Individual course costs not displayed; pricing requires enrollment to view
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
edX
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the edX 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.
Choose edX if
- You need video lectures.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want interactive exercises.
Questions people ask
- Is Chamilo or edX better?
- Neither clearly leads. Chamilo starts at Free and edX at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Chamilo or edX?
- Chamilo has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Chamilo and On request for edX.
- Does Chamilo or edX run on more platforms?
- Chamilo runs on Web, Self-hosted, Linux. edX runs on Web, iOS, Android.
- Can I use Chamilo for free?
- Yes. Chamilo has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. edX 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 edX is typically brought in for.
- What can Chamilo do that edX cannot?
- Chamilo covers Course and learning paths, Assessments, Gradebook and certificates, Attendance tracking. edX covers Video lectures, Interactive exercises, Discussion forums, Certificates.
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.
edX: Does edX offer free courses?
Yes, edX allows you to audit courses for free, as indicated by their 'How to Audit a Course' resource. Auditing provides access to course content without earning a certificate.
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.
edX: Do you have to pay for certificates on edX?
Yes, edX offers Verified Certificates which require payment. Exact pricing varies by course but is available when you view individual course pages.
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.
edX: What types of credential programs does edX offer?
edX offers Professional Certificates (multiple bundled courses), Degree Programs (Master's, Bachelor's, MicroMasters, MicroBachelors), and Executive Education premium offerings.
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.
edX: Are there current discounts on edX?
Yes, edX offers periodic discount codes. Currently they have a code ACTION2026 providing up to 20% off for a limited time.
SourceRelated pages
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