LMS · head to head
Claroline vs Cornerstone Learning
Claroline
LMS
Open source French-language learning platform, now developed as Claroline Connect
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Cornerstone Learning
LMS
Enterprise talent management and learning
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Claroline has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Claroline two products share the name and the abandoned original, last released in December 2021, dominates search results, so institutions regularly install unmaintained software believing it is current.; Cornerstone Learning no pricing is published and no tier structure is shown
- They diverge on capability: Claroline covers Workspaces, Cornerstone Learning covers Learning management.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Claroline and Cornerstone Learning actually diverge.
| Attribute | Claroline | Cornerstone Learning |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Pricing model | Open source, no licence fee | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, Linux | Web, IOS, Android, API |
| Founded | Unknown | 1999 |
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 Claroline
- Workspaces
- Resource model
- Learning paths
- Quizzes and evaluation
- Competency framework
- Planning and events
- Self-hosting
- SaaS option
Only in Cornerstone Learning
- Learning management
- Compliance tracking
- Content marketplace
- Skills development
- Social learning
- Analytics
- Mobile app
- AI recommendations
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Claroline
- A French or Belgian training organisation that needs a francophone platform where the interface and support are French-first rather than translated.not Cornerstone Learning
- A public body required to keep learner data on European infrastructure under an open licence it can audit.not Cornerstone Learning
- A training provider assembling learning paths from a shared library of reusable resources across many client workspaces rather than duplicating courses.not Cornerstone Learning
- An institution already running the abandoned Claroline 13 line that needs to plan a migration onto the maintained Connect codebase before its dependencies become unsupportable.not Cornerstone Learning
Cornerstone Learning
- Enterprise learning management and compliance trainingnot Claroline
- Talent development and skills tracking across a workforcenot Claroline
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Claroline
- Two products share the name and the abandoned original, last released in December 2021, dominates search results, so institutions regularly install unmaintained software believing it is current.
- The community is small compared with Moodle, so plugin choice, third-party integrations and the pool of people who can administer it in production are all thin.
- Documentation and community discussion are French-first and English coverage is partial and inconsistent, which raises the effort for any non-francophone team.
- The commercial hosting is offered by a small operator rather than a large partner network, so an institution depending on paid support has concentrated supplier risk.
- The workspace and resource model is different enough from a conventional course-based LMS that staff moving from Moodle or Canvas have to relearn how content is organised, and migrations do not map cleanly.
Cornerstone Learning
- No pricing is published and no tier structure is shown
- The vendor states cost depends on organisational needs and size, with an estimate available only after a demo
- No minimum purchase or user count is disclosed
Pricing, plan by plan
Claroline
Free- Claroline ConnectFree
- GPL licence, no fee
- Full source on GitHub
- You provide Symfony and PHP hosting and operations
- Hosted distribution$undefined/year
- Managed hosting, maintenance and updates
- Support from the commercial operator
- Quoted by user count
Cornerstone Learning
On request- Learning$undefined/month
- Course management
- Compliance
- Mobile
- Talent Suite$undefined/month
- All Learning
- Performance
- Recruiting
Which should you pick?
Choose Claroline if
- You need workspaces.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Linux.
- You also want resource model.
Choose Cornerstone Learning if
- You need learning management.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android, API.
- You also want compliance tracking.
Questions people ask
- Is Claroline or Cornerstone Learning better?
- Neither clearly leads. Claroline starts at Free and Cornerstone Learning at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Claroline or Cornerstone Learning?
- Claroline has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Claroline and On request for Cornerstone Learning.
- Does Claroline or Cornerstone Learning run on more platforms?
- Claroline runs on Web, Linux. Cornerstone Learning runs on Web, IOS, Android, API.
- Can I use Claroline for free?
- Yes. Claroline has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Cornerstone Learning starts at On request.
- What is Claroline best used for?
- Claroline is most often used for a french or belgian training organisation that needs a francophone platform where the interface and support are french-first rather than translated., a public body required to keep learner data on european infrastructure under an open licence it can audit., a training provider assembling learning paths from a shared library of reusable resources across many client workspaces rather than duplicating courses., an institution already running the abandoned claroline 13 line that needs to plan a migration onto the maintained connect codebase before its dependencies become unsupportable.. Of those, a french or belgian training organisation that needs a francophone platform where the interface and support are french-first rather than translated. and a public body required to keep learner data on european infrastructure under an open licence it can audit. are not what Cornerstone Learning is typically brought in for.
- What can Claroline do that Cornerstone Learning cannot?
- Claroline covers Workspaces, Resource model, Learning paths, Quizzes and evaluation. Cornerstone Learning covers Learning management, Compliance tracking, Content marketplace, Skills development.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Claroline: Which Claroline should I install?
Claroline Connect, the Symfony and React codebase currently on version 15. The original PHP Claroline stopped at 13.1.3 in December 2021 and should not be deployed.
Cornerstone Learning: How does Cornerstone Learning determine pricing?
Cornerstone Learning uses custom pricing based on each organization's needs and size. The company does not publish standard pricing and requires organizations to contact their sales team for a personalized estimate through a free demo.
SourceClaroline: Is it still maintained?
Yes. Point releases in the 15.0 line continued into 2026 with active commits on GitHub.
Cornerstone Learning: Is there a free trial or demo available?
Yes, Cornerstone Learning offers a free personalized demo where you can discuss your requirements and receive a pricing estimate tailored to your organization.
SourceClaroline: Is it free?
The software is GPL and free. Hosted distribution with maintenance and support is a paid service from the commercial operator.
Cornerstone Learning: Does pricing vary by organization size?
Yes, pricing depends on your organization's needs and size. Each organization receives a different cost estimate based on these factors.
SourceClaroline: Does it work in English?
The interface has English, but documentation and community support are French-first, so a non-francophone team will hit gaps.
Claroline: How big is the ecosystem compared to Moodle?
Much smaller. If you need a wide plugin market or an easy administrator hiring pool, Moodle is the safer open source choice.
Related pages
More on Cornerstone Learning
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