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LMS · head to head

Chamilo vs Udacity

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
Udacity logo

Udacity

LMS

Nanodegrees for in-demand tech skills

From
$249/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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.; Udacity expensive compared to many online learning alternatives at $249/month or annual commitments
  • They diverge on capability: Chamilo covers Course and learning paths, Udacity covers Nanodegree programs.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Chamilo and Udacity actually diverge.

Attributes where Chamilo and Udacity differ
AttributeChamiloUdacity
Starting priceFree$249/month
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Self-hosted, LinuxWeb, iOS, Android
FoundedUnknown2011

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 Udacity

  • Nanodegree programs
  • Real-world projects
  • Mentorship
  • Code review
  • Career services
  • Industry partnerships
  • Mobile learning
  • Enterprise platforms

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

Udacity

  • Tech skill developmentnot Chamilo
  • Career transitionnot Chamilo
  • Upskillingnot Chamilo
  • Team trainingnot 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.

Udacity

  • Expensive compared to many online learning alternatives at $249/month or annual commitments
  • Course certificates lose value after subscription ends if not continuously maintained
  • Limited offline access to course materials
  • May lack breadth of non-tech courses compared to general learning platforms

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

Udacity

$249/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Udacity 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.
Chamilo review

Choose Udacity if

  • You need nanodegree programs.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want real-world projects.
Udacity review

Questions people ask

Is Chamilo or Udacity better?
Neither clearly leads. Chamilo starts at Free and Udacity at $249/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Chamilo or Udacity?
Chamilo has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Chamilo and $249/month for Udacity.
Does Chamilo or Udacity run on more platforms?
Chamilo runs on Web, Self-hosted, Linux. Udacity runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Chamilo for free?
Yes. Chamilo has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Udacity starts at $249/month.
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 Udacity is typically brought in for.
What can Chamilo do that Udacity cannot?
Chamilo covers Course and learning paths, Assessments, Gradebook and certificates, Attendance tracking. Udacity covers Nanodegree programs, Real-world projects, Mentorship, Code review.

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.

Udacity: How is Udacity priced?

Udacity offers subscription-based pricing: $249/month or $846 for 4 months (approximately $212/month with 15% discount). One subscription covers 500+ courses and all 80+ Nanodegree and Executive programs. Month-to-month subscriptions are cancellable anytime.

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.

Udacity: Does Udacity offer degree programs?

Yes, Udacity offers a Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence ($199 enrollment fee plus subscription) and MBA in AI Product Management, both priced under $5,000 total, approximately 90% cheaper than traditional programs.

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.

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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