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LMS · head to head

Claroline vs D2L Brightspace

Claroline logo

Claroline

LMS

Open source French-language learning platform, now developed as Claroline Connect

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
D2L Brightspace logo

D2L Brightspace

LMS

The LMS built to focus on the learning moment

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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.; D2L Brightspace no pricing tiers, subscription costs, or feature pricing published; requires contacting sales
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Claroline and D2L Brightspace actually diverge.

Attributes where Claroline and D2L Brightspace differ
AttributeClarolineD2L Brightspace
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, LinuxWeb

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 D2L Brightspace

Nothing recorded that Claroline does not also cover.

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 D2L Brightspace
  • A public body required to keep learner data on European infrastructure under an open licence it can audit.not D2L Brightspace
  • A training provider assembling learning paths from a shared library of reusable resources across many client workspaces rather than duplicating courses.not D2L Brightspace
  • 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 D2L Brightspace

D2L Brightspace

  • Learning management system for educational institutionsnot Claroline
  • Online course management and deliverynot Claroline
  • Student engagement and retention trackingnot Claroline
  • Course content creation and distributionnot Claroline
  • Learner achievement and certification managementnot 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.

D2L Brightspace

  • No pricing tiers, subscription costs, or feature pricing published; requires contacting sales
  • Quote-based pricing model with no transparent cost information available
  • Multiple add-on modules (Lumi, Creator+, Achievement+, Performance+, Course Merchant, D2L Link) available but pricing not 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

D2L Brightspace

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the D2L Brightspace review.

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.
Claroline review

Choose D2L Brightspace if

Nothing in the data separates D2L Brightspace from Claroline on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

D2L Brightspace review

Questions people ask

Is Claroline or D2L Brightspace better?
Neither clearly leads. Claroline starts at Free and D2L Brightspace at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Claroline or D2L Brightspace?
Claroline has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Claroline and On request for D2L Brightspace.
Does Claroline or D2L Brightspace run on more platforms?
Claroline runs on Web, Linux. D2L Brightspace runs on Web.
Can I use Claroline for free?
Yes. Claroline has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. D2L Brightspace 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 D2L Brightspace is typically brought in for.
What can Claroline do that D2L Brightspace cannot?
Claroline covers Workspaces, Resource model, Learning paths, Quizzes and evaluation.

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.

D2L Brightspace: How much does D2L Brightspace cost?

D2L Brightspace does not publish pricing on its website. Prospective customers must request a demo or contact D2L sales to receive pricing quotes customized to their institution's needs.

Source
Claroline: Is it still maintained?

Yes. Point releases in the 15.0 line continued into 2026 with active commits on GitHub.

D2L Brightspace: What add-on modules does Brightspace offer?

Brightspace offers multiple add-on modules including D2L Lumi, Creator+, Achievement+, Performance+, Course Merchant, and D2L Link. Specific pricing and features for each are available by contacting D2L.

Source
Claroline: Is it free?

The software is GPL and free. Hosted distribution with maintenance and support is a paid service from the commercial operator.

D2L Brightspace: What is D2L Brightspace's retention rate?

D2L reports an 82% retention rate among customers, though this does not reflect pricing or costs.

Source
Claroline: 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.

D2L Brightspace: Can I see D2L Brightspace before purchasing?

D2L Brightspace is available by demo request only. Contact D2L directly to schedule a demo and discuss pricing options for your institution.

Source
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.

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Related pages

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