Softwr

LMS · head to head

Chamilo vs iSpring Learn

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
iSpring Learn logo

iSpring Learn

LMS

Fast LMS for corporate training

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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.; iSpring Learn the smallest published plan is 100 users at $8,286 a year, so there is no entry point for a small team
  • They diverge on capability: Chamilo covers Course and learning paths, iSpring Learn covers Course player.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Chamilo and iSpring Learn actually diverge.

Attributes where Chamilo and iSpring Learn differ
AttributeChamiloiSpring Learn
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feesubscription
PlatformsWeb, Self-hosted, LinuxWeb, IOS, Android
FoundedUnknown2001

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 iSpring Learn

  • Course player
  • Quiz builder
  • Learning paths
  • Certifications
  • Mobile app
  • Analytics
  • PowerPoint import
  • SCORM support

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

iSpring Learn

  • employee trainingnot Chamilo
  • corporate learning managementnot Chamilo
  • staff developmentnot 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.

iSpring Learn

  • The smallest published plan is 100 users at $8,286 a year, so there is no entry point for a small team
  • Per user rates fall steeply with volume, from $6.91 a month at 100 users to $3.97 at 500, so smaller buyers pay nearly twice as much per head
  • Billing is per active user, defined as anyone who logged in at least once in a month, so a single login costs a full seat
  • Plans are sold in fixed user bands rather than by actual headcount

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

iSpring Learn

Free
  • Business 100 users$6.91/user/month
    • 100 users at this rate
    • unlimited learning content
    • reports and analytics
  • Business 300 users$4.46/user/month
    • 300 users at this rate
    • unlimited learning content
    • reports and analytics
  • Business 500 users$3.97/user/month
    • 500 users at this rate
    • unlimited learning content
    • reports and analytics
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • custom pricing
    • dedicated support

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 iSpring Learn if

  • You need course player.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want quiz builder.
iSpring Learn review

Questions people ask

Is Chamilo or iSpring Learn better?
Neither clearly leads. Chamilo starts at Free and iSpring Learn at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Chamilo or iSpring Learn?
Chamilo starts at Free and iSpring Learn at Free.
Does Chamilo or iSpring Learn run on more platforms?
Chamilo runs on Web, Self-hosted, Linux. iSpring Learn 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 iSpring Learn is typically brought in for.
What can Chamilo do that iSpring Learn cannot?
Chamilo covers Course and learning paths, Assessments, Gradebook and certificates, Attendance tracking. iSpring Learn covers Course player, Quiz builder, Learning paths, Certifications.

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.

iSpring Learn: Does iSpring Learn offer a free trial?

Yes, iSpring Learn provides a free 30-day trial with no credit card required.

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.

iSpring Learn: Are there hidden costs in iSpring Learn pricing?

No, iSpring Learn emphasizes transparent pricing with no hidden costs and offers a money-back guarantee.

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.

iSpring Learn: How does iSpring Learn pricing scale with user count?

iSpring Learn uses per-user monthly pricing that decreases as you add more users: 100 users at $6.91/user, 300 users at $4.46/user, or 500 users at $3.97/user per month.

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.

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