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LMS · head to head

Claroline vs Udacity

Claroline logo

Claroline

LMS

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

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

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Claroline and Udacity actually diverge.

Attributes where Claroline and Udacity differ
AttributeClarolineUdacity
Starting priceFree$249/month
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, 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 Claroline

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

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.

Claroline

  • A French or Belgian training organisation that needs a francophone platform where the interface and support are French-first rather than translated.not Udacity
  • A public body required to keep learner data on European infrastructure under an open licence it can audit.not Udacity
  • A training provider assembling learning paths from a shared library of reusable resources across many client workspaces rather than duplicating courses.not Udacity
  • 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 Udacity

Udacity

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

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

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

Udacity

$249/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Udacity 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 Udacity if

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

Questions people ask

Is Claroline or Udacity better?
Neither clearly leads. Claroline 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, Claroline or Udacity?
Claroline has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Claroline and $249/month for Udacity.
Does Claroline or Udacity run on more platforms?
Claroline runs on Web, Linux. Udacity runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Claroline for free?
Yes. Claroline has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Udacity starts at $249/month.
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 Udacity is typically brought in for.
What can Claroline do that Udacity cannot?
Claroline covers Workspaces, Resource model, Learning paths, Quizzes and evaluation. Udacity covers Nanodegree programs, Real-world projects, Mentorship, Code review.

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.

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
Claroline: Is it still maintained?

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

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
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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