LMS · head to head
Chamilo vs Screencastify
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
- 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.; Screencastify limited to Chrome browser only, cannot record on Firefox, Safari, or Edge
- They diverge on capability: Chamilo covers Course and learning paths, Screencastify covers Screen recording.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Chamilo and Screencastify actually diverge.
| Attribute | Chamilo | Screencastify |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Open source, no licence fee | freemium |
| Platforms | Web, Self-hosted, Linux | Chrome Browser |
| Founded | Unknown | 2013 |
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 Screencastify
- Screen recording
- Video editing
- Drawing tools
- Google Drive export
- Chrome support
- Edge 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 Screencastify
- A ministry or NGO delivering vocational training over poor connectivity, where a lightweight PHP application on cheap hosting beats a heavyweight platformnot Screencastify
- A francophone institution in West Africa or Belgium where French interface and documentation quality decides adoption more than feature countnot Screencastify
- An organisation that requires the LMS to run entirely on its own infrastructure with no data leaving the countrynot Screencastify
Screencastify
- Recording lessons for flipped classroom instruction without external toolsnot Chamilo
- Creating product demos and explainer videos for sales teamsnot Chamilo
- Documenting technical processes for customer support tutorialsnot Chamilo
- Collecting and grading video assignments from students with rubricsnot Chamilo
- Adding interactive assessments to video content to measure understandingnot 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.
Screencastify
- Limited to Chrome browser only, cannot record on Firefox, Safari, or Edge
- Free version watermark appears on all videos and requires upgrade to remove
- Free tier limited to 10 videos total before requiring paid plan
- Maximum 1080p resolution at 30fps, no support for higher framerates or 4K
- No free educator license for educational institutions
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
Screencastify
Free- FreeFree
- Up to 10 videos
- 30-minute recording limit
- Browser tab, full screen, and webcam recording
- Starter$7/month
- Unlimited videos
- 60-minute recording limit
- Basic editing
- Pro$10/month
- Unlimited videos
- 180-minute recording limit
- AI video enhancements
- Enterprise & EDU$null/month
- Custom pricing
- Central admin controls
- LMS 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 Screencastify if
- You need screen recording.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Chrome Browser.
- You also want video editing.
Questions people ask
- Is Chamilo or Screencastify better?
- Neither clearly leads. Chamilo starts at Free and Screencastify at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Chamilo or Screencastify?
- Chamilo starts at Free and Screencastify at Free.
- Does Chamilo or Screencastify run on more platforms?
- Chamilo runs on Web, Self-hosted, Linux. Screencastify runs on Chrome Browser.
- 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 Screencastify is typically brought in for.
- What can Chamilo do that Screencastify cannot?
- Chamilo covers Course and learning paths, Assessments, Gradebook and certificates, Attendance tracking. Screencastify covers Screen recording, Video editing, Drawing tools, Google Drive export.
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.
Screencastify: What's the free tier limit?
Free plan allows 10 total videos up to 30 minutes each, with watermark. After 10 videos, you must upgrade.
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.
Screencastify: Is Screencastify limited to Chrome?
Yes. Screencastify is exclusively a Chrome extension and does not work on other browsers like Firefox, Safari, or Edge.
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.
Screencastify: What's the maximum video quality?
Maximum resolution is 1080p at 30 frames per second. Videos can only be exported to MP4, audio to MP3, or as GIF.
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.
Screencastify: Does Screencastify work for educational use?
Screencastify lacks a free educator license for schools or non-profits, unlike some competitors who offer discounted or free plans for educational institutions.
SourceRelated pages
More on Screencastify
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