Softwr

LMS · head to head

Edmodo vs Totara

E

Edmodo

LMS

Social learning network for K-12 education

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Totara logo

Totara

LMS

Open source learning, performance and collaboration platform derived from Moodle and sold through partners

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Edmodo has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • They diverge on capability: Edmodo covers Class management, Totara covers Organisational hierarchies.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Edmodo and Totara actually diverge.

Attributes where Edmodo and Totara differ
AttributeEdmodoTotara
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, IOS, AndroidWeb, iOS, Android, Linux
Founded2008Unknown

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 Edmodo

  • Class management
  • Assignments
  • Quizzes
  • Messaging
  • Library
  • Progress tracking
  • Parent accounts
  • Mobile app

Only in Totara

  • Organisational hierarchies
  • Compliance and certification
  • Totara Perform
  • Totara Engage
  • Self-hosting
  • Programs and learning plans

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Edmodo

  • Classroom communicationnot Totara
  • Assignment managementnot Totara
  • Resource sharingnot Totara
  • Parent engagementnot Totara

Totara

  • Health services and government bodies that must evidence mandatory training by job role across a large hierarchynot Edmodo
  • Organisations with data residency rules that require the platform to run on their own infrastructurenot Edmodo
  • Moodle users who need appraisal, competency and compliance features the academic product does not carrynot Edmodo
  • Buyers who want exit rights over the platform code rather than dependence on a single hosted vendornot Edmodo

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Edmodo

Nothing recorded yet. See the Edmodo review.

Totara

  • You cannot buy from the vendor. Every purchase runs through a partner who sets its own hosting, services and support pricing, so identical platforms are quoted at materially different totals and buyers must run a partner comparison as well as a product comparison.
  • Open source does not mean cheap. Subscription plus partner hosting plus implementation and version upgrade services commonly lands near commercial system cost, and the saving is in control and exit rights rather than in the invoice.
  • The administrative interface carries its Moodle lineage and is dense, so administrator training is a real project cost rather than an afterthought.
  • Major version upgrades are projects, especially where a partner has customised the deployment, and organisations that customise heavily find upgrades slower and dearer over time.
  • The learner facing experience is functional rather than engaging, and organisations wanting a consumer grade learning experience usually front it with something else.

Pricing, plan by plan

Edmodo

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Classes
    • Assignments
    • Messaging

Totara

On request
  • Totara subscription via partner$undefined/year
    • Sold only through distribution partners
    • Partner sets hosting, implementation and support pricing
    • Source available under the GPL, but subscription required for supported releases

Which should you pick?

Choose Edmodo if

  • You need class management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want assignments.
Edmodo review

Choose Totara if

  • You need organisational hierarchies.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Linux.
  • You also want compliance and certification.
Totara review

Questions people ask

Is Edmodo or Totara better?
Neither clearly leads. Edmodo starts at Free and Totara at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Edmodo or Totara?
Edmodo has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Edmodo and On request for Totara.
Does Edmodo or Totara run on more platforms?
Edmodo runs on Web, IOS, Android. Totara runs on Web, iOS, Android, Linux.
Can I use Edmodo for free?
Yes. Edmodo has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Totara starts at On request.
What is Edmodo best used for?
Edmodo is most often used for classroom communication, assignment management, resource sharing, parent engagement. Of those, classroom communication and assignment management are not what Totara is typically brought in for.
What can Edmodo do that Totara cannot?
Edmodo covers Class management, Assignments, Quizzes, Messaging. Totara covers Organisational hierarchies, Compliance and certification, Totara Perform, Totara Engage.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Totara: Is Totara free because it is open source?

No. The source is available under the GPL, but supported releases require a subscription, and it is sold through partners who add hosting, implementation and support costs.

Totara: How is it different from Moodle?

Moodle is built around courses and academic delivery. Totara adds organisational hierarchies, role based automatic assignment, recurring certification and appraisal, which is what workplace compliance reporting needs.

Totara: Can we host it ourselves?

Yes. Self hosting is a genuine option and is one of the main reasons regulated and public sector buyers choose it over a hosted only competitor.

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