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LMS · head to head

Claroline vs Padlet

Claroline logo

Claroline

LMS

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Padlet logo

Padlet

LMS

Collaborate on digital walls and canvases

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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.; Padlet the Internet Archive's capture of Padlet's premium plans page on 10 January 2020 named three distinct paid editions, Padlet Backpack for schools, Padlet Briefcase for businesses, and Padlet Pro for individuals, but the page itself carried no price figures.
  • They diverge on capability: Claroline covers Workspaces, Padlet covers Digital boards.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Claroline and Padlet actually diverge.

Attributes where Claroline and Padlet differ
AttributeClarolinePadlet
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feefreemium
PlatformsWeb, LinuxWeb, IOS, Android
FoundedUnknown2008

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 Claroline

  • Workspaces
  • Resource model
  • Learning paths
  • Quizzes and evaluation
  • Competency framework
  • Planning and events
  • Self-hosting
  • SaaS option

Only in Padlet

  • Digital boards
  • Multimedia posts
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Templates
  • Privacy controls
  • Reactions
  • Comments
  • Export options

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

Padlet

  • Brainstormingnot Claroline
  • Collaborationnot Claroline
  • Portfoliosnot Claroline
  • Exit ticketsnot 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.

Padlet

  • The Internet Archive's capture of Padlet's premium plans page on 10 January 2020 named three distinct paid editions, Padlet Backpack for schools, Padlet Briefcase for businesses, and Padlet Pro for individuals, but the page itself carried no price figures.

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

Padlet

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 3 padlets
    • Basic features
  • Pro$8/month
    • Unlimited padlets
    • Privacy controls
    • Custom branding
  • Team$12/month
    • Shared workspace
    • Admin controls
    • Priority support
  • Classroom$99/month
    • Unlimited padlets
    • Student accounts
    • No ads

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 Padlet if

  • You need digital boards.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want multimedia posts.
Padlet review

Questions people ask

Is Claroline or Padlet better?
Neither clearly leads. Claroline starts at Free and Padlet at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Claroline or Padlet?
Claroline starts at Free and Padlet at Free.
Does Claroline or Padlet run on more platforms?
Claroline runs on Web, Linux. Padlet runs on Web, IOS, Android.
Can I use Claroline for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Padlet is typically brought in for.
What can Claroline do that Padlet cannot?
Claroline covers Workspaces, Resource model, Learning paths, Quizzes and evaluation. Padlet covers Digital boards, Multimedia posts, Real-time collaboration, Templates.

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.

Claroline: Is it still maintained?

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

Claroline: Is it free?

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

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.

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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