Moodle Reviews & Pricing

by Moodle | Founded 2002, West Perth, Australia

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What is Moodle?

Industry Specialties: Serves all industries

Moodle is a customizable, open-source training solution used by corporate organizations, K-12 schools and higher educational institutions. From interactive lessons for K-12 to complex courses at large campuses, it lets you create tailored learning experiences to suit your students’ unique needs.

You can track student progress using analytics and reports, and integrate with third-party video conferencing tools like BigBlueButton. Out-of-the-box capabilities include course creation, calendars, dashboards, text editing, SCORM compatibility, reporting, learning paths and group management.

Moodle is an excellent choice for small businesses with technical expertise or access to IT resources. Its open-source nature allows for significant customization, making it a cost-effective solution for those who can manage their hosting and support.

User reviews praise its flexibility, user-friendly interface, interactive features and cost-friendliness. However, its sharp learning curve and lack of certain capabilities, like video conferencing, could be improved.

Moodle’s starter plan with up to 50 users costs $130 per year, while more advanced plans range from $400 to $1,730 per year.t

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User Sentiment

Based on 4011 reviews:

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Moodle Pricing

Based on our most recent analysis, Moodle pricing starts at $130 (Annually).

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Starting From: $130
Pricing Model: Annually
Free Trial: Yes, Request for Free

Training Resources

Moodle is supported with the following types of training:

Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars

Support

The following support services are available for Moodle:

Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Help Desk
Knowledge Base
Tickets
Training
24/7 Live Support

Moodle Benefits and Insights

Why use Moodle?

Key differentiators & advantages of Moodle

Simplifies Data Exchange: Moodle uses open industry standards to support integration and content usage from third-party sources. It allows authentication via protocols like LDAP, direct database lookup, Shibboleth, IMAP and FirstClass. It also supports content import using SCORM, AICC and IMS Content Packaging standards.
Offers Key LMS Features: For those seeking an all-in-one LMS solution, Moodle is an excellent choice. Our analysis indicates that it delivers 82% of essential LMS functionalities straight out of the box, with only 5% of key features missing. Supported features include collaboration, mobile capabilities, reporting and dashboard, user management and gamification, and compliance.
Award-Winner: In the 2024 SelectHub Awards, our research analysts awarded Moodle best-in-class honors for assessments, collaboration, compliance, learning delivery, mobile capabilities, user management, gamification, and integrations and extensibility. it also achieved an 'excellent' rating as a user favorite.
Easily Accessible: Moodle offers features like text-to-speech tools and accessibility checkers to support learners with disabilities.
Provides Greater Customization: You can customize to fit a varied range of learning needs, no matter how specific or unique. Modify the source code or add functionality from a library of over 1,600 plugins.
User-Friendly: In our testing, we found that Moodle's interface is modern, intuitive and user-friendly, making navigation effortless. For organizations with learners unfamiliar with LMS platforms and limited training budgets, Moodle offers an accessible solution. The layout is designed to display all key features prominently, and all team members can effortlessly locate and access courses, resources and tools without the need for additional support.
Top-Performer: With an analyst rating of 85, Moodle stands out as our top LMS product, comparable to top-tier systems like D2L Brightspace and LearnUpon. It offers a comprehensive set of features, including collaboration, compliance, reporting and dashboard, and user management and gamification, all of which are fully supported.
Supports Collaborative Learning: Moodle supports social constructionist pedagogy, a teaching method that focuses on collaboration and active learning. It encourages students to interact with the course material and each other to create a more engaging and participative learning environment. Students can work together on projects, share ideas and engage in discussions and more.
Facilitates Community-Building: Attend online conferences broadcast worldwide to gain and share knowledge amongst Moodle users. MoodleMoot Global is an annual event where Moodle enthusiasts from around the world gather to share ideas, collaborate and learn from one another. This event is perfect for both newcomers and experienced Moodle users, and offers a chance to connect with like-minded individuals and contribute to the future of education and lifelong learning.
Provides Insights into Key Training Activities: Our testing revealed that Moodle offers extensive reporting features, allowing you to generate custom reports on nearly every aspect of your training. It offers insights into comments, backups, configuration changes, event lists, antivirus failures, logs, live logs, performance overviews, question instances, security checks, system status and theme usage.

Industry Expertise

Moodle primarily offers learning solutions to educational institutions. Its workplace version fulfills corporate learning needs such as onboarding, compliance training and skills development. Built using multi-tenancy architecture, it can support a range of business structures and types.

Moodle Reviews

Average customer reviews & user sentiment summary for Moodle:

4011 reviews

86%

of users would recommend this product

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Based on an aggregate of Moodle reviews taken from the sources above, the following pros & cons have been curated by a SelectHub Market Analyst.

Pros

Customizability: According to 80% of users who reviewed this, Moodle lets users add custom HTML and CSS, integrate with third-party applications, and select modules related to rubrics and outcomes.
Ease of Use: 90% of users praise its intuitive interface which is easy to navigate, especially for students. Its simple and intuitive features make it suitable for beginners.
Advanced Feature Set: 75% of reviewers highlighted Moodle’s wide range of features, such as course creation, third-party integrations, notifications and feedback, and grading rubrics.
Mobile Compatibility: According to 60% of users who discussed this aspect, Moodle's mobile app is very user-friendly and offers all necessary tools to support on-the-go learning. It lets users access course content, connect with team members, download learning materials and more.
Affordability: 80% of reviewers who discussed costs appreciated that Moodle is free to download and use and offers flexible pricing models for various needs.

Cons

Steep Learning Curve: Regarding this, 45% of users said Moodle has a steep learning curve for administrators. They feel its interface can be confusing to explore since it has a lot of features, and users need to know what they’re looking for to use the platform effectively.
Lack of Video Conferencing: 45% of users who discussed this con point out Moodle's lack of built-in video conferencing capabilities, which are increasingly important for online learning.

Researcher's Summary:

Moodle is an open-source LMS that's really popular among educational institutions like K12 schools and colleges. Its workplace version is designed to address various corporate training needs such as onboarding, compliance training and skill development.

Moodle is packed with features – you can create courses, collaborate with learners, grade assignments and more. Plus, it works quickly on mobile devices so that learning can happen anywhere. We love how flexible it is, and it can be customized to your heart's content with HTML, CSS and third-party integrations.

Its user-friendly interface is another highlight, and it is known for its intuitive navigation and ease of use, particularly for students. This makes Moodle a suitable choice even for those new to LMS platforms. A strong focus on social constructionist pedagogy emphasizes collaboration and active learning. And with Moodle’s large and active global community, you can get active support and contribute to its ongoing development.

While its interface is great for instructors and students, we found that it may be complex for admins, and an extensive feature set can require time and effort to master. The lack of built-in video conferencing capabilities is another drawback, though the solution does integrate with virtual classroom tools like BigBlueButton.

Being open-source, Moodle eliminates licensing fees, making it an attractive option for budget-conscious institutions. The availability of free plugins and themes further adds to its cost-effectiveness.

Moodle is a fantastic choice if you're looking for a powerful and adaptable LMS, especially for education. Its multi-tenancy architecture supports various business structures and types, making it adaptable to different corporate environments. Its open-source nature, emphasis on collaborative learning, and scalability make it a viable option in the LMS market.

Key Features

Course Development: Create courses from scratch or upload existing ones to the system. The course builder tool allows you to:
- Add name, category, start and end date, ID number, summary, number of sections, cover image, participants, tags, groups and other specific details.
- Insert resources like checklists, files, forums, quizzes, wikis and more into sections. You can also set up virtual classroom sessions via BigBlueButton.
- Add questions, files, competencies, course completion conditions, add-on apps and badges.
- Generate reports to analyze competencies, log actions, live logs, training activities and course participation rates.
- Import, back up, restore, copy and reset courses to reuse them.
- Enable learners to request new courses and download course content.
Assignments: Use the assignment activity module to communicate tasks, collect tests and quizzes, and provide grades.
- Allow students to submit any type of digital content, such as documents, spreadsheets, images or audio and video clips, or type text directly into the text editor.
- Use assignments to remind students of offline tasks without having to make digital submissions.
- Let students submit work individually or as a group. When reviewing, leave feedback comments and upload files like marked-up submissions, commented documents or audio feedback.
- Grade assignments using numerical scales, custom scales or advanced methods like rubrics. Record final grades in the gradebook.
Forums: Use forums to encourage students to socialize, make course announcements, discuss learning content, host face-to-face sessions online and more.
Checklists: Allow teachers to create checklists and help students track tasks and to-do lists.
HTML5 Packages: Upload and add HTML5 Packages (H5P) to the platform. H5P allows you to integrate interactive content like presentations, videos, quizzes, games and more into course materials. Automatically grade questions attempted in H5P activities and record them in the gradebook.
Calendar: Log important events like assignment deadlines, upcoming meetings, and course start and end dates and more on the company calendar.
BigBlueButton Integration: Integrate with BigBlueButton and conduct live online classes, virtual office hours or group collaborations. Use features like audio, video, chat, slides, screen sharing, a multi-user whiteboard, breakout rooms, polling and emojis in real time. Record sessions for playback later.
Feedback: Design surveys with multiple-choice, yes/no or text-input questions to gather participant input. Keep responses anonymous if needed, and decide whether to share results with participants or restrict them to teachers only.
Notifications: Track updates and alert users when a new event occurs. Enable triggers for new course additions, upcoming deadlines, published grades, schedule changes and more.
Course Tracking: Monitor course progress and the number of activities completed by each learner. View their completed assignments, course start and end times, achievements and other details for each course.
Quizzes: Create assessments with various question types, such as multiple-choice, matching, short-answer and numerical questions, and include them in course exams, topic tests, practice sessions and more.
- Configure options for multiple attempts, randomize question order from the question bank and set time limits.
- Automatically grade each attempt, excluding essay questions and record results in the gradebook.
- Customize when to display hints and feedback and correct answers to students.
Multi-Device Support: Access the site from any device via the free mobile app for Windows, iOS and Android. It's compatible with mobile layouts and can be used in any browser for a consistent experience.
Plugin Management: Manage all plugins from one interface for quick access. Provides plugins for different types of educational needs (e.g., universities). Connect with MS Office 365 and Google Apps.
Personalized Dashboards: Organize and access training information like checklists, badges, latest announcements, timelines and course overviews on a customizable dashboard.
User Management: Add new users, set user preferences, define user profile fields, upload user pictures and more.

Approach to Common Challenges

Saving Costs: Moodle LMS is an excellent option for users looking to save costs while having access to all key LMS capabilities. Moodle’s free trial supports features like course creation, user management, grading and reporting, content management and more.
Scaling the Existing Platform: You can customize and extend the platform through a large ecosystem of plugins, and tailor it to your specific needs. Moodle also scales well and can accommodate thousands of users and courses without performance issues.
Ensuring Industry Compliance: Moodle can be used, modified and shared freely under the GNU General Public License. You can find documentation, course content and resources on Moodle.org, which are available under various licenses. It also complies with the SCORM 1.2 standard for delivering web-based eLearning content, and meets WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility standards.
Improving Learning Opportunities: Join Moodle Academy to advance your skills through specialized programs like Moodle Teaching Basics, Moodle Developer Basics and the Educator Pathway. These programs consist of short courses that offer badges on completion, and you can also purchase certificates of completion. You can attend webinars, complete courses and enroll in pathways tailored for educators, administrators and developers.

Cost of Ownership

Frequently asked questions about Moodle’s pricing include:

Q. Is Moodle free to use

A. Yes, Moodle is free to download and use. However, there are additional costs associated with hosting, maintaining and customizing a Moodle site.

Q. What are the typical costs of running a Moodle site

A. The main costs of running a Moodle site include:

Hosting fees (if not self-hosting)
IT support and administration costs
Costs for any custom development or integrations
Potential training and consulting fees

Q. Can I self-host Moodle for free

A. Yes, you can self-host a Moodle site for free on your own server. However, you need technical expertise to set up and maintain the server infrastructure.

Q. What is the cost of a hosted Moodle solution

A. Moodle offers a hosted solution called MoodleCloud, which starts at $130 per year for the Starter plan with up to 50 users. Given below are the details of more advanced plans:

Mini: $210, 100 users, 500 MB storage
Small: $400, 200 users, 1 GB storage
Medium: $920, 500 users, 2.5 GB storage
Standard: $1730. 1000 users, 5 GB storage

Q. Are there any discounts available for Moodle

A. Moodle does offer discounted or free plans for non-profit organizations and educational institutions in some cases. You can apply for these through the Moodle website.

Q. What is included in the Moodle hosting costs

A. Moodle hosting plans include features like a customizable site, unlimited courses, video conferencing, file storage and support. Additional costs may apply for custom integrations or advanced functionality.

Q. Where can I find my MoodleCloud Standard plan invoices

A. Log into your MoodleCloud Customer Portal and click on the Billing tab to view your MoodleCloud invoices. This will show you all invoices related to your MoodleCloud Standard plan.

Q. Can I use a custom domain

A. If you have a Medium or Large plan, you can use a custom domain purchased from another provider for your MoodleCloud site. This service costs $160 AUD per year, with additional country-specific taxes, and is billed annually in Australian Dollars. You can request this through the customer portal.

Q. Can I upgrade or downgrade my Moodle plan

A. Yes, with MoodleCloud, you can easily upgrade or downgrade your plan at any time to accommodate changes in your user base or storage needs.

Q. How do I upgrade my MoodleCloud standard plan

A. You can upgrade your MoodleCloud Standard plan anytime through the MoodleCloud Customer Portal.

Q. What are the benefits of the Moodle pricing model

A. The main benefit of Moodle's pricing model is its flexibility and control. Organizations can self-host for free or choose a hosted solution that fits their budget and needs, without being locked into long-term contracts.

Limitations

Doesn’t Offer Built-In eCommerce Capabilities: Moodle supports eCommerce capabilities only with partner integrations. It doesn’t support features like course selling, discounts and promotions, transaction history and subscription management entirely out of the box. On the contrary, its competitors, Docebo and Cornerstone offer a full suite of ready-to-use eCommerce tools.
Doesn’t Support Video Conferencing Capabilities: The solution doesn’t offer features like virtual classrooms, screen sharing, on-demand recording and breakout rooms fully out of the box and requires partner integrations to run these tools.
Limited AI Capabilities: If you’re looking for an open-source LMS with AI capabilities, Moodle may not be the best choice for you. It doesn’t support features like AI-based content translation, course recommendations, tagging and search, and it doesn’t use NLP technology, either. However, it does offer AI-based reporting and conversational AI tools.

Training Resources

MoodleDocs: Access an extensive collection of product training articles and guides. Learn how to create courses, manage users, use the Moodle app, access your site and more.

FAQs

Frequently asked questions about Moodle include:

Q. Who created Moodle

A. Moodle was initially developed by Martin Dougiamas, an Australian computer scientist and educator, who released the first version in 2002. Moodle is now maintained and developed by Moodle HQ, a company based in Australia, with the help of a global community of contributors.

Q. What are the critical features of Moodle

A. Some of Moodle's key features include a modern and responsive user interface, personalized dashboards, collaborative tools like forums and wikis, file management, a simple text editor, and support for a wide range of activities and assessments.

Q. How is Moodle licensed

A. Moodle is distributed under the GNU General Public License, which means it’s free and open-source software. You are free to download, use, modify and even distribute Moodle as long as you adhere to the terms of the license.

Q. What types of organizations use Moodle

A. Moodle is used by a wide range of educational institutions, from K-12 schools to universities, as well as corporate training departments and other organizations that need to provide online learning opportunities.

Q. How is Moodle different from other LMS platforms

A. Moodle is known for its focus on social constructionist pedagogy, which emphasizes collaboration and active learning. It also has a large and active global community that contributes to its development and provides support to users.

Q. Can I customize Moodle

A. Yes, you can customize Moodle. You can change the appearance and branding of your Moodle site, create custom user roles and permissions, and even develop your own plugins and integrations to enhance its functionality.

Q. Is Moodle mobile-friendly

A. Yes, Moodle has a mobile-responsive design and offers a dedicated mobile app for iOS and Android devices. This app allows users to access courses and learning materials on the go.

Q. What kind of support is available for Moodle users

A. Moodle users can access a wide range of support resources, including a comprehensive documentation wiki, community forums and a global network of Moodle Partners who provide professional services and support.

Q. How is Moodle kept secure and up-to-date

A. The Moodle HQ team regularly updates Moodle to address security vulnerabilities and add new features. You can also take advantage of Moodle's security features, such as user authentication, role-based permissions and support for SSL/HTTPS.