Softwr

LMS · head to head

Chamilo vs Open edX

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
Open edX logo

Open edX

Education

Open-source platform powering online learning

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.; Open edX no license fees for software but requires separate spending on hosting, infrastructure, and maintenance
  • They diverge on capability: Chamilo covers Course and learning paths, Open edX covers Course authoring.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Chamilo and Open edX actually diverge.

Attributes where Chamilo and Open edX differ
AttributeChamiloOpen edX
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feefree
PlatformsWeb, Self-hosted, LinuxWeb, IOS, Android
CategoryLMSEducation
FoundedUnknown2012

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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
  • Gradebook and certificates
  • Attendance tracking
  • Sessions and multi-tenancy
  • Wide interface translation
  • Plugins
  • Low hosting requirements

Only in Open edX

  • Course authoring
  • Interactive videos
  • Discussions
  • Certificates
  • Analytics
  • Mobile apps
  • xBlocks
  • LTI tools

Both cover

  • Assessments

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

Open edX

  • MOOC creationnot Chamilo
  • Corporate trainingnot Chamilo
  • Blended learningnot Chamilo
  • Degree programsnot 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.

Open edX

  • No license fees for software but requires separate spending on hosting, infrastructure, and maintenance
  • Customization and support from third-party providers requires additional investment

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

Open edX

Free
  • Self-HostedFree
    • Full platform
    • Community support
    • All features
  • Managed Hosting$undefined/month
    • Hosted solution
    • Support
    • Maintenance

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 gradebook and certificates.
Chamilo review

Choose Open edX if

  • You need course authoring.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want interactive videos.
Open edX review

Questions people ask

Is Chamilo or Open edX better?
Neither clearly leads. Chamilo starts at Free and Open edX at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Chamilo or Open edX?
Chamilo starts at Free and Open edX at Free.
Does Chamilo or Open edX run on more platforms?
Chamilo runs on Web, Self-hosted, Linux. Open edX 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 Open edX is typically brought in for.
What can Chamilo do that Open edX cannot?
Chamilo covers Course and learning paths, Gradebook and certificates, Attendance tracking, Sessions and multi-tenancy. Open edX covers Course authoring, Interactive videos, Discussions, Certificates. Both handle Assessments.

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.

Open edX: How much does Open edX cost?

Open edX software itself is completely free with no license fees. Organizations must cover their own hosting, infrastructure, maintenance, and customization costs.

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.

Open edX: Are there hosting options for Open edX?

Open edX offers three deployment options: self-hosted (organizations deploy independently), managed providers (third-party companies offer cost-effective managed services), and a free sandbox for testing.

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.

Open edX: What does free mean for Open edX?

There are no license fees to use the Open edX software. Organizations can download and deploy it independently or use managed hosting providers for a fee.

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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