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LMS · head to head

Moodle vs Skilljar

Moodle logo

Moodle

LMS

Open-source LMS designed by educators for educators

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Skilljar logo

Skilljar

LMS

Customer education platform that treats training completion as a commercial signal in the CRM

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Moodle has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Moodle self-hosted deployment requires significant IT resources and technical expertise; Skilljar pricing is an enterprise annual commitment, so a first certification pilot costs more than it can demonstrate and teams should prove the programme elsewhere first.
  • They diverge on capability: Moodle covers Course management, Skilljar covers Branded course catalogue.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Moodle and Skilljar actually diverge.

Attributes where Moodle and Skilljar differ
AttributeMoodleSkilljar
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android
Founded2002Unknown

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 Moodle

  • Course management
  • Quiz builder
  • Forums
  • Assignments
  • Gradebook
  • Badges
  • Competencies
  • Mobile app

Only in Skilljar

  • Branded course catalogue
  • CRM data write-back
  • Certification with expiry
  • Domain and theme control
  • Self-paced and instructor-led
  • Engagement analytics

What people use each for

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

Moodle

  • Online learningnot Skilljar
  • Blended learningnot Skilljar
  • Corporate trainingnot Skilljar
  • Compliance trainingnot Skilljar

Skilljar

  • A software company whose support ticket volume is driven by customers who were never trainednot Moodle
  • Customer success teams that want training engagement visible next to renewal risk in Salesforcenot Moodle
  • Partner certification programmes where credentials must expire and be renewednot Moodle
  • Reducing time to first value during onboarding by giving customers self serve training before implementationnot Moodle

Where each one falls short

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

Moodle

  • Self-hosted deployment requires significant IT resources and technical expertise
  • Managed hosting has higher costs for large institutions compared to self-hosting

Skilljar

  • Pricing is an enterprise annual commitment, so a first certification pilot costs more than it can demonstrate and teams should prove the programme elsewhere first.
  • The commercial value depends on the Salesforce integration being properly configured, and companies with messy CRM data get engagement reporting joined to accounts that do not reflect reality.
  • It is built for external audiences, so using it for internal employee compliance means paying for capability that internal training does not need.
  • Content authoring is not a strength, so most customers licence an authoring tool separately and run two content workflows.
  • Attribution remains contested. The platform shows that trained accounts renew better, but establishing that training caused the renewal rather than that engaged customers train more is a problem the reporting cannot solve for you.

Pricing, plan by plan

Moodle

Free
  • Self-HostedFree
    • Full feature access
  • MoodleCloud Starter$200/year
    • 50 users
    • Managed hosting

Skilljar

On request
  • Skilljar$undefined/year
    • Annual enterprise contract, quoted
    • Entry point sits well above self-serve course platforms
    • Implementation and integration services quoted separately

Which should you pick?

Choose Moodle if

  • You need course management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want quiz builder.
Moodle review

Choose Skilljar if

  • You need branded course catalogue.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want crm data write-back.
Skilljar review

Questions people ask

Is Moodle or Skilljar better?
Neither clearly leads. Moodle starts at Free and Skilljar at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Moodle or Skilljar?
Moodle has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Moodle and On request for Skilljar.
Does Moodle or Skilljar run on more platforms?
Moodle runs on Web. Skilljar runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Moodle for free?
Yes. Moodle has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Skilljar starts at On request.
What is Moodle best used for?
Moodle is most often used for online learning, blended learning, corporate training, compliance training. Of those, online learning and blended learning are not what Skilljar is typically brought in for.
What can Moodle do that Skilljar cannot?
Moodle covers Course management, Quiz builder, Forums, Assignments. Skilljar covers Branded course catalogue, CRM data write-back, Certification with expiry, Domain and theme control.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Moodle: Is Moodle free or paid?

Moodle is free and open-source software. However, self-hosting requires IT resources and server infrastructure. Managed cloud hosting through MoodleCloud starts at $200/year for 50 users.

Source
Skilljar: How is Skilljar different from a corporate LMS?

A corporate learning platform reports on employees for compliance. Skilljar reports on customers for retention and expansion, and writes that activity into the CRM so account teams see it.

Moodle: What languages does Moodle support?

Moodle is available in over 160 languages, making it accessible to educators and learners worldwide.

Source
Skilljar: Do learners need accounts before they can browse?

No. Catalogues can be public so prospects and customers browse and enrol without a sales conversation, which is a large part of the self serve onboarding case.

Moodle: Is Moodle suitable for corporations and enterprises?

Yes, Moodle is suitable for K-12, higher education, vocational training, and corporate learning. Moodle Workplace is the enterprise edition with multi-tenancy and compliance tooling.

Source
Skilljar: Is it worth it for a small customer education team?

Usually not at the start. The contract floor assumes an established programme, so prove the value on a cheaper platform and move once retention or revenue evidence exists.

Moodle: What learning standards does Moodle support?

Moodle supports various e-learning standards including SCORM and Tin Can API for compatibility with other educational systems.

Source
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