Tutor LMS Review (2020): The Best New WP LMS Plugin?

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Tutor LMS is a smart, simple, and scalable WordPress LMS plugin that transforms your WordPress website in an All-in-one learning management system that covers everyone! Tutor LMS has powerful features like quizzes, questions, dashboards that make it possible for training centers, educational institutions, and even individuals to create an online learning platform in the shortest possible time.

Tutor LMS core plugin is free.

Tutor LMS Pros
  • Freemium version – Free and Paid options
  • Simple Pricing Model
  • Frontend Course Builder – Unique amongst other WordPress LMS plugins
  • Quiz Question Types – Various quiz options
  • Certificates — You can create custom certificates using Tutor LMS
  • Frontend Dashboard — This feature is useful for your students and instructors

Tutor LMS Cons
  • Limited Integrations
  • Limited Email Marketing – No bulk email options
  • No Coupons, Bundles, Upsells

Tutor LMS is a relatively new, but fast-growing and highly-reviewed WordPress LMS plugin.

Tutor LMS is used by course creators to either sell individual courses or to create an eLearning platform (to sell multiple courses from various instructors).

Is Tutor LMS the best WordPress LMS plugin, and should you purchase and install this plugin for your online school?

I created this extensive Tutor LMS review to answer that question. Before you invest a few hundred dollars in an LMS software, wouldn’t it be useful to know all the features, the pros, the cons, installation, etc.? I cover all that in this guide. This review of Tutor LMS will also cover the differences between the free and paid versions.

Finally, I’ll also be comparing Tutor LMS to some of the other popular WordPress LMS plugins (LearnDash, WP Courseware, and LifterLMS).

After reviewing this Tutor LMS Review you will have the knowledge and confidence to decide if Tutor LMS is the best WordPress LMS Plugin for your online courses and which version (free or paid) to choose. 

Let’s get started.

What is Tutor LMS? Who is Tutor LMS for?

Tutor LMS is a WordPress LMS Plugin created by the team at Themeum. Launched in 2019, even though Tutor LMS is a new-kid-on-the-block, they have done an exceptional job in capturing the WordPress LMS market with over 10,000+ downloads and over 190+ 5-star reviews in such a short time.

Here’s what you can do with Tutor LMS: 

  • Create, launch, and sell online courses on your WordPress website. 
  • Create courses with interactive learning centers quizzes, certificates, announcements, etc.
  • Easily add multiple instructors to the course. 
  • Create a course marketplace or an eLearning platform, and host multiple courses (similar to Udemy or SkillShare)
  • Create a revenue-sharing arrangement with your instructors.
  • Get comprehensive reporting on all activities — courses, instructors, students, sales, etc. 

Here’s who Tutor LMS is ideally suited for:

  • Individual course creators. 
  • Online business owners, solopreneurs.
  • WordPress developers, webmasters, etc.
  • eLearning Platforms.
  • Online Schools. 
  • Corporate Learning.
  • Blended Learning.
  • Private training Institutions.
  • Private schools.
  • Industry-certification Programs.

Tutor LMS Pricing

Tutor LMS offers a free plan and 3 different premium/pro plans. The difference between the Free and the Pro plans is the inclusion of add-ons and extensions (which will discuss in detail later). 

The 3 different Pro plans differ in how many sites/domains (one or five or unlimited) they can be used on. All the Pro Plans have the same features.  

  • Single License —— $149 (per year) OR $399 (Lifetime).
  • 5 License Pack —— $199 (per year) OR $599 (Lifetime).
  • Unlimited Licenses —— $299 (per year) OR $999 (Lifetime).

All pricing is annual (not monthly). 

All the Tutor LMS Pro Plans include:

  • Pugin updates.
  • Priority support.
  • 1 free installation service. (not included in the Lifetime purchase options).
  • Access to extensions and add-ons.

Tutor LMS  does offer a 30-day money-back guarantee if you are not satisfied with the product and choose to cancel your subscription; and refunds are processed within 24 hours of the request.

Tutor LMS Extensions and Add-ons:

To use any of these extensions or add-ons, you need the premium plans (Tutor LMS Pro).  Here are just a few popular Tutor LMS Add-ons to consider:

  • Content Drip Enables you to drip-feed lessons, assignments, and quizzes. 
  • Manual Enrolments Enables you to add or remove students manually to your courses. 
  • Gradebook Enables you to set up and configure a grading system for your online courses.
  • Assignments Enables you to create as many assignments you want, and assign tasks to students inside your courses.
  • Certificate Enables your students to download their course completion certificates.
  • Tutor Assignments  Assign tasks to students.
  • Tutor Course Attachments   Add files and attachments (unlimited) to your courses.
  • Tutor Course Preview   Show some course content to students before enrollment/purchase. 
  • Tutor E-Mail   Send email communications to students.
  • Tutor Multi Instructors   Create and display a course with multiple instructors.
  • Tutor Prerequisites   Specify other courses a student must complete before they can enroll in a new one.
  • Tutor Reports   Course performance and reports.
  • Quiz Import/Export  Allows you to export or import course options.

Tutor LMS Support

  • Support Options  Live Chat and Email. There’s no clear indication on the website about the SLA or response times. 
  • Documentation Detailed documentation covering many aspects of the software (installation, requirements, compatibility, troubleshooting,etc.)
  • Tutorials Detailed tutorials (with screenshots) on course installation, setup, and other aspects of managing online courses on Tutor LMS. However, there is no step-by-step installation guide or video tutorials. 
  • Facebook Group A private community (Tutor LMS Community) with more than 1200 members and active daily management.
  • Feature Request Board/Forum Public Trello board (Tutor LMS Feature Request) allowing users to request new features and also comment on upcoming features. 
  • Changelog  It’s common to notice WordPress plugins and themes display their changelog. Tutor LMS also has a publicly visible Changelog.

Tutor LMS Integrations

  1. WordPress Themes 

Tutor LMS supports all WordPress themes. 

However, Tutor LMS provides the best integration and course experience with a few themes, since they have been tested extensively by the team. 

Here are the most compatible WordPress themes:

  • Skillate.
  • Edumax.
  • Docent Pro.
  • Language School.
  • Storefront.
  • Astra.
  • OceanWP.
  • Divi.
  1. WordPress Plugins

Tutor LMS supports most WordPress plugins. 

However, as is the case with any WordPress website, there could be compatibility issues. I recommend you check with your plugin developer to see if they have had any compatibility issues with Tutor LMS. 

Here are some approved and compatible WordPress plugins tested by the Tutor LMS team:

  • Cart2WP/ThriveCart.
  • Groundhogg.
  • WP Fusion.
  • MathJax – LaTex
  • WooCommerce PDF Invoices & Packing Slips.
  • Yoast SEO.
  • Funnel Builder by CartFlows.
  • WPML (for multilingual capabilities).
  • Oxygen Builder.
  1. eCommerce and Membership
  1. LMS Tools

Tutor LMS Technical Requirements

Here are the minimum technical requirements for installing Tutor LMS:

  • WordPress version  7.3+ or higher.
  • PHP version 5.4 or higher.
  • Database  MariaDB 10.1 or higher. OR MySQL 5.7 or higher.
  • Server Modules  mod_rewritw, cURL, fsockopen, imagick.

In general, most WordPress plugins and themes such as Tutor LMS are hosting-provider agnostic, however, only a few select hosting providers have been tested for stability and compatibility by the Tutor LMS team.

  • Recommended Hosting Providers  GoDaddy, Bluehost, Liquid Web, EasyWP, Kinsta, WP Engine, NameCheap.
  • Potential Conflicts   Tutor LMS’s Certificate features are not supported on WordPress.com Hosting and SiteGround.

I recommend that you contact your web hosting provider directly, and check for potential compatibility issues. In many cases, they might be able to provide the exact information.

Installing and Configuring Tutor LMS

Installing and activating the Tutor LMS plugin is as simple as installing any WordPress plugin.

You can download the plugin directly from WordPress.org, by searching for Tutor LMS. Once downloaded, you can upload the plugin in your WordPress account.

Or you can install it directly from your WordPress admin dashboard

  • Go to Plugins, and Add New.
  • Click on Install Now.
  • Next, Activate the plugin.

The intuitive Tutor LMS Setup Wizard walks you through step-by-step for configuring your online course platform. 

The wizard gives you the option to choose your installation or configuration: 

  • Individual For solopreneurs and individual course creators who just want to create and sell their own courses. 
  • Marketplace To create an eLearning platform thus enabling others (your instructors or partners) to crate and sell their own courses (similar to Udemy or SkillShare).

Next, you will choose the General Settings, with the ability to turn off the following features: 

  • Public Profile  Enable users (students) to display their completed courses and awards.
  • Spotlight Mode  Enable a focused-learning environment, by blocking out all distractions.
  • YouTube Player   Option to turn this off/on.
  • Vimeo Player  Option to turn this off/on.
  • Lesson Slug  choose a URL prefix for your course lessons. 

Next, you will configure the Course Settings, where you configure how your courses will be displayed: 

  • Show Instructor Bio  Choose if you want to display more information about your instructors (experience, credentials,etc.)
  • Question and Answer  Enable Q&A form on each course.
  • Courses Per Row Choose how many courses you would like to display your students (1, 2, 3, or 4).
  • Courses Per Page  Choose how many courses you want to display. Option to choose from 1-30 courses.

Next, you will configure the Quiz Settings:

  • Time Limit  Choose if you want to time your quizzes (1-60 minutes).
  • Number of Attempts Allowed  Choose a specific number of allowed attempts or provide an option for unlimited attempts.
  • Final Grade Calculation Choose how the final grade is calculated, based on the student’s number of attempts. 

Next you will configure the Profile Settings:

  • Show Reviews on Profile Choose if you want to show students’ reviews and ratings. 
  • Show Completed Courses  Choose if you want to display students’ completed courses.

Next, you will configure the Payment Settings, to enable/disable the Guest checkout option where you can choose if you want to allow students to buy and review your content without logging in. 

At this point, you are given the option to start creating your new course or reviewing the Tutor LMS Add-ons.

At any point, you can always access the Tutor LMS settings in your WordPress admin dashboard. Let’s review some of the available settings:

  • General settings.
  • Course —  Option to turn on/off display settings for course sections such as instructor info, question, and answer, course duration, etc. 
  • Lesson —  Option to enable/disable classic editor during course building, changing permalinks for courses, etc. 
  • Quiz —  (same as the settings as seen in the Setup Wizard above).
  • Instructors —  Control the options instructors have to publish courses (for the course marketplace) and choose the registration options for instructors.
  • Students —  Control student registration options.
  • Earning —  Setup commissions for instructors and admins.
  • Withdrawal —  Choose the earnings withdrawal options for commissions earned. Choose one of the three payment options (PayPal, Bank Transfer, or E-check). 
  • Style —  Choose the color scheme for your course website (primary color, hover color, text color).
  • Monetization —  Only enabled in the Pro version. Allows you to set up your monetization (course sale) options. 
  • Email Notification —  Only enabled in the Pro version. Choose email communication settings. 
  • WooCommerce —  Enable unregistered users to purchase any course.

Tutor LMS Free vs Tutor LMSPro

Many of the best features that are available on Tutor LMS are actually on the Pro (paid plans). To build a fully functional LMS, you would need many of the features on the Pro plans. 

However, there are more than enough amazing features in the free version for you to create and launch your online courses. 

What’s Included in Tutor LMS Free?

  • Course Builder.
  • Unlimited Lessons & Courses.
  • Unlimited Students.
  • Unlimited Instructors.
  • Quiz Creator (Time expiration prompts, limit quiz attempts, set passing grade, fill-in-the-blanks, True-or-False questions, Single-choice questions, Multiple-choice questions, open-ended questions). 
  • Q & A Section.
  • Video Player.
  • YouTube & Vimeo videos.
  • Course Announcements.
  • Student Dashboards and Instructor Dashboards.
  • Course Ratings & Reviews.
  • Content Security.
  • Spotlight Mode (distraction-free learning).
  • WooCommerce Support.
  • Easy Digital Download Support.

What’s Not Included in Tutor LMS Free?

Here are the features (add-ons_ you will unlock after purchasing and installing Tutor LMS Pro:.

  • Certain Quiz Options (Short Answer, Matching, Image Matching, Image Answering, Ordering).
  • Certificate Templates.
  • Advanced Reporting.
  • Advanced Prerequisites.
  • Multimedia Attachments.
  • Course Preview.
  • Email Notifications.
  • Assignment Submission.
  • Frontend Course Builder.
  • Content Drip. 
  • Grading System. 
  • Quiz Import/Export.
  • Multiple Instructors.
  • Manual Enrollments.
  • Paid Memberships Pro Support.
  • Restrict Content Pro Integration.
  • WooCommerce Subscription Support.
  • BuddyPress Integration.

The Best Features of Tutor LMS (Both Free and Paid)

  1. Course Builder

Since Tutor LMS is accessible within the WordPress Dashboard, creating a course is similar to creating other pieces of content using WordPress. 

Under the Tutor LMS section of your WordPress instance, click on “Course”, and next “Add New”.

You can also add and edit most of the course information and settings on the same page, without having to jump between multiple tabs.

  • Number of Students  (0 to Unlimited).
  • Difficulty Level (Beginner, Intermediate, Expert, or All Levels)
  • Course Author Name.
  • Additional Course Data.
    • Course Duration.
    • Course Excerpt or Description.
    • Targeted Audience.
    • Video Sources (YouTube, Vimeo, others)
    • Announcements associated with the course.

Adding individual course topics or sections is straightforward. The Drag-and-Drop Course Builder is visible on the same page. Under Course Builder, click “Add New Topic

Once all the Topics are added, you can rearrange their order, or start adding the lesson details.

To add an individual course lesson, expand the Topic and then “Add Lesson”.

The Lesson Editor is similar to editing any WordPress post. I also like the fact that instead of taking me to a new tab or page, the Lesson Editor is displayed as a popup. It provides a seamless editing experience.

If you are adding a course introduction video, then you can choose the source. There’s an option to choose and embed a video from multiple sources (YouTube, HTML5, Vimeo, External URL); all you need to do is add the source URL.

You can also upload an attachment to the course lesson. For multimedia attachments, you need the Tutor LMS Pro version.

If you are looking for a more interactive course building experience, then Tutor LMS Pro includes a Frontend Course Builder

Instead of adding and editing course content on the back-end, you can build the course on the front-end.

The Front-end Builder also empowers individual instructors to create and launch their own courses. (Only available in Tutor LMS Pro version). It’s one of the most unique features of Tutor LMS. None of the current competing WordPress LMS Plugins (WP Courseware, LearnDash, LifterLMS) currently have this feature.

As you are adding and editing your course topics, the frontend editor also displays additional tips to help you with the process. In this way, you are not jumping back and forth between your course editor and support documentation.

Once you have added all the course information, you can preview the course looks like on the frontend (to your students).

Image Source: Themeum (Tutor LMS Course Builder)

As discussed here are a few more additional updates or edits you can make to your course (All of these require Tutor LMS Pro version)

  • Add multiple instructors to the same course.
  • Add course prerequisites (restrict your course in a way that a student can only enroll if they have finished other courses).
  • Enable Course Preview (any visitors can see the modules and course topics without having to register or purchase).
  • Course Attachments Add-on (upload all types of attachments supported by WordPress).
  1. Enhanced Quizzes Functionality

Tutor LMS has one of the most comprehensive quiz options I have seen across all WordPress LMS plugins.  

Creating quizzes for your courses is easy and straightforward as building the course content. 

To create a quiz, go to one of your course lessons, and click “Quiz”.

When adding Quiz questions, here are the following types of questions you can choose for your course lessons:

  • True/False Questions.
  • Single Choice Questions.
  • Multiple Choice Questions.
  • Open-Ended/Essay Questions.
  • Fill in the blanks Questions.

The following advanced quiz options are only available for Tutor LMS Pro:

  • Matching Enable students to drag and drop the right answer and match them with the correct option.
  • Image Matching Invite your students to match the right images with the right word/ question.
  • Image Answering Students will have to match the right image with the question. It’s usually a single-choice question.
  • Ordering  Students have to order/rearrange the right sequence using the visual drag-and-drop feature.
  • Short Answers  It is similar to open-ended questions, but you can set up a word-limit. 

Once you choose a question type, you can choose additional options for each question:

  • Is the Answer Required?
  • Choose to Randomize the quiz questions.
  • Set Points for this answer.
  • Display Points to the student.
  • Add an optional Description.

As you add answers, the Quiz editor will guide you through setting up the answers and the other parameters.

Once you have created all your Quiz Questions, the wizard next prompts you to adjust the settings for that particular quiz. 

Here are the following options:

  • Set a time limit (1 to 60 minutes).
  • Display/ hide quiz time.
  • Quiz Feedback Mode (choose how you want the right answers to be displayed.
  • Number of attempts allowed.
  • Set a passing grade.
  • The maximum number of questions  the student is allowed to answer.

Also, there are some additional settings for the quizzes:

  • Option to autostart quiz.
  • The order of the questions displayed (random or ascending or descending).
  • The layout of the questions displayed (single question, pagination or questions below each other).
  • Display or hide question number.
  • Character limit for short answer questions.
  • Character limit for open-ended questions/essays.

Once you have completed the quiz questions and settings, your quiz is now ready. At any point, you can open your quiz and update the questions or settings.

  1. Payments and Monetization

Once you have set up your course and created all the course content, the next step is to start monetizing your courses. 

There are a few options that are available in the free version:

  • Using PayPal.
  • Using WooCommerce.
  • Using Easy Digital Download.

If you have WooCommerce already installed, then the following settings will show up on your course creation page. 

You will need to first set up the product on WooCommerce, and set pricing options. The sale price will show up in your course listings. When creating your course, you can then add the WooCommerce product from a list.

The process is similar when using TutorLMS in conjunction with Easy Digital Download. You first need to configure the settings for Easy Digital Download.

Next, you need to create a download (product) using EDD and then link that to a course in Tutor LMS. Then, you can add the EDD Product to your course content.

If you are looking for additional payment/pricing flexibility, you can do so in the paid version (Tutor LMS Pro). You can enable additional monetization options using:

  • Sell subscriptions using WooCommerce Subscriptions.
  • Sell memberships using Paid Memberships Pro.
  • Sell subscriptions using Restrict Content Pro.

The final thing I want to discuss in the section is that you can pay your instructors a commission rate. Let’s say you have created a course marketplace (like Udemy or Skillshare) using Tutor LMS you can set up a revenue sharing program. Once you adjust the settings, the platform will take care of the rest.

You can also set up the earnings withdrawal method amount and methods (PayPal, BankTransfer, E-Check) for your instructors.

  1. Reporting and Analytics

Using the Frontend Dashboard you can view all your course stats. You can get an overview of the number of students, number of courses, earnings,etc.

Image Source (Theme: Tutor LMS Reports)

Both students and instructors get a dedicated dashboard to view their courses and activities.

The dashboard for students is also comprehensive. They can view:

  • Their profile.
  • Enrolled courses.
  • Wishlist (future courses they want to attend).
  • The reviews they have written.
  • Their Quiz attempts.
  • Purchase history.

The Dashboard for instructors has a similar layout, however,they can see additional information such as:

  • Earnings Report.
  • Earning Statements.
  • Withdrawals (option to Withdraw payments).

For advanced and detailed reporting, you need the Tutor Report (add-on) in the paid version (Tutor LMS Pro)

Once the Tutor Report add-on is enabled, it will show up in the WordPress dashboard under Tutor LMS. 

As the online school admin, you will get an extensive report on all the activities pertaining to your school:

  • Number of courses.
  • Number of students enrolled.
  • Number of course lessons.
  • Number of quizzes.
  • Number of questions (Q&A).
  • Number of instructors.
  • Number of reviews placed.

You will also have another report that shows the monthly activity (most popular courses, latest enrollments,etc.) Additional reports show latest reviews,latest Q&As, etc.

Review Report You can view the reviews by each student, or can sort by individual course. It also shows you when the review was submitted, and you also have the option to delete a review. 

Sales Report You can view all orders/purchases with additional details (date of purchase, instructor for that course, sale price,course name, etc.) 

Student Report You can get a high-level overview of all the students enrolled in your online school. The information will allow you to gauge the success of all your courses. You can also export the student report in a CSV format.

Tutor LMS (Pros)

  • Freemium version  Its competitors (LearnDash, LifterLMS, WP Courseware) don’t offer a free version. It gives Tutor LMS an edge, since it enables many newbie course creators and solopreneurs to test the platform for free, and later upgrade to the paid versions. 
  • Simple Pricing Model   Compared to other WordPress LMS plugins in the market, Tutor LMS probably has one of the most simple and straightforward pricing. All the add-ons and extensions are included in all the Tutor LMS Pro plans. In contrast, the cost of purchasing the individual add-ons on LearnDash and LifterLMS can become cost-prohibitive. 
  • Frontend Course Builder  This particular feature is unique amongst other WordPress LMS plugins. It makes course-building easy for both you (the admin) and also the instructors.
  • Course Marketplace  Using TutorLMS, anyone can create an eLearning marketplace similar to Udemy or Skillshare. You can also easily set up revenue-sharing, payment, and withdrawal options between you (admin) and the course instructors. 
  • Quiz Question Types  I have discussed this in length in one of the sections above; there’s extensive functionality to set up various quiz options (see above for the list) in both the free and the paid version of Tutor LMS. 
  • Certificate   You can create custom certificates using Tutor LMS. The certificate library comes with 12 pre-made templates. You can give your certificates a professional look by customizing your company name, signature, etc. Also, students have the options to download their course completion certificates. Please note that for the certificate functionalities, you need Tutor Certificate add-on and Certificate Customizer extension (both are included in Tutor LMS Pro).
  • Frontend Dashboard  — This feature is useful for your students and instructors, and they don’t need to have extensive WordPress knowledge to use this. The interface is intuitive and easy-to-use.
  • UI/UX  — I am impressed with both the frontend and back-end course editor’s minimalistic and simplistic interface. The course preview also has a simple layout. Tutor LMS is also mobile-responsive.
  • Course Prerequisite  — This is useful if you are running certification and training programs, and there is a minimum requirement for students to enroll in a course. The feature is available only in Tutor LMS Pro.
  • Q & A  — This optional feature helps show commonly asked questions on your course preview. Students can easily submit questions to instructors; and instructors can publicly respond to them. 
  • WooCommerce AND Easy Digital Download Integration  — Leverage the existing eCommerce capabilities of WooCommerce’s and Easy Digital Download. No need for expensive 3rd party shopping carts to sell your online courses. 
  • Spotlight Mode  — Provide a distraction-free learning experience for your students. This feature allows students to hide the page-header and page-footer temporarily when reviewing the course lesson.
  • Migration Tool   — If your courses are already on LearnDash or LearnPress, then you can easily transfer all your course content, sales information,reviews, etc., over to Tutor LMS using a free migration tool/plugin.

Tutor LMS (Cons)

  • Limited Integrations  Though the paid version (Tutor LMS Pro) integrates with some of the widely-used WordPress eCommerce and membership plugins (list above), there is a huge gap compared to its peers (LearnDash, LifterLMS). However, TutorLMS is a relatively new company, and I hope they improve this integration list in the future. 
  • Limited Email Marketing  There is no current capability to send bulk emails or individual emails to students. You can not currently do any email marketing to boost your course sales. There is also no current integration with MailChimp, ConvertKit, AWeber, etc. In contrast, LearnDash and LifterLMS both integrate with the top email marketing platforms.
  • No Coupons, Bundles, Upsells  Currently, there is no option on Tutor LMS to create discount coupons or course bundles. All the courses have to be purchased individually. To enable coupons functionality, you might need additional WooCommerce extensions (possible additional cost).
  • No Mobile App If you are building an eLearning or Course Platform with multiple courses, providing a native mobile app might be a huge bonus. Unfortunately, there is no current integration or API options to build a native mobile app. In contrast, LearnDash provides add-ons or integrations at an additional cost to build a native app.
  • No Use Cases or Customer Examples   This is not a technical feature issue. I could not find any customer case studies or use cases. When building a course platform, it’s useful to what other customers have done. In contrast, Lifter LMS and WP Courseware have detailed case studies of customers and how they have used the platform to sell courses and build businesses.

Tutor LMS Alternatives

1. Tutor LMS vs LearnDash

LearnDash is a popular WordPress LMS plugin used by course creators, corporations, and educational institutions. 

There are many similarities between Tutor LMS and LearnDash  both WordPress LMS plugins enable you to create courses, drip content, quizzes, etc. LearnDash doesn’t offer a free plan currently, and the cost to purchase additional add-ons can really add up. However, LearnDash has an extensive integration list that will help you build a complete course marketing platform.

Let’s review the differences between Tutor LMS and LearnDash in detail:

Tutor LMSLearnDash
DeveloperThemeumLearnDash
Total WordPress Installations(As of July 2020)10,000+ N/A
Launched in20192013
5-star Ratings190+N/A
Freemium Option or Free Trial Yes, Free version availableNo
PricingFree version.
Pro version starts at $149 per year
Single License  $149.5 License Pack  $199.Unlimited  $299.
Starts at $199 per year
Basic $199 (1 site)
Plus $229 (5 sites)
Pro  $369 (25 sites)
Integrations, Extensions or Add-onsLimited integrations 
WooCommerce
Easy Digital Download
Paid Memberships Pro.
Restrict Content Pro.
Extensive (both free and paid) extensions, add-ons, and integrations. One of the most comprehensive integrations list amongst WordPress LMS plugins.
Free Add-onsNoYes
Premium Add-onsAll extensions and add-ons are included in all the Pro plans.Average pricing $39 per add-on  
Bundled Premium Add-onsYes. All included in the Pro Plans.No, only individual purchases are required for add-ons. 
PayPal IntegrationYes (All Plans)Yes (All Plans)
Additional Payment GatewaysNot directly.Using WooCommerce, you can connect to additional payment gateways.No, requires add-ons (WooCommerce, Stripe, SamCart)
Content CreationUnlimited courses.Unlimited courses
UsersUnlimited students.
Unlimited  instructors.
Unlimited students.
Instructor-Led CoursesYes. Instructors can create their own courses.No.
eLearning Platform or Course PlatformYesRequires 3rd-party add-on (WISDM Instructor Role) at an additional $80 per year.
Course BuilderYes, drag-and-drop builderYes, drag-and-drop builder
Frontend Course BuilderFree  No.
Single License  Yes.
5 License Pack  Yes.
Unlimited  Yes
Not included in LearnDash.
But, possible with Premium Add-on from WISDM.
Drip-feed Course LessonsFree  No.
Single License  Yes.
5 License Pack  Yes.
Unlimited  Yes
Basic Yes.
Plus Yes.
Pro  Yes.
Content ProtectionRequires Restrict Content Pro Add-on (All the  Pro Plans).
Free  No.
Single License  Yes.
5 License Pack  Yes.
Unlimited  Yes
Basic Yes
Plus Yes
Pro  Yes

Quizzes Free  No.
Single License  Yes.
5 License Pack  Yes.
Unlimited  Yes
Basic Yes
Plus Yes
Pro  Yes
AssignmentsRequires Tutor Assignments Add-on (All the Pro Plans).
Free  No.
Single License  Yes.
5 License Pack  Yes.
Unlimited  Yes
Basic Yes
Plus Yes
Pro  Yes
CertificatesFree  No.
Single License  Yes.
5 License Pack  Yes.
Unlimited  Yes
Basic Yes
Plus Yes
Pro  Yes
BadgesNoRequires integration with BadgeOS (Free Add-on).
Basic Yes
Plus Yes
Pro  Yes
Coupons, Discounts and Course BundlesNoNo
User/Student ManagementFree  No.
Single License  Yes.
5 License Pack  Yes.
Unlimited  Yes
Basic Yes
Plus Yes
Pro  Yes
eCommerceCompatible with WooCommerce and Easy Digital Download.
Free  Yes.
Single License  Yes.
5 License Pack  Yes.
Unlimited  Yes 
Requires WooCommerce (Free Add-on).

Basic Yes
Plus Yes
Pro  Yes
Subscriptions Plans and Recurring PaymentsRequires WooCommerce Subscriptions Add-on (All the Pro Plans).
Free  No.
Single License  Yes.
5 License Pack  Yes.
Unlimited  Yes
Basic Yes
Plus Yes
Pro  Yes
Email Communications and NotificationsRequires Tutor Email Add-on (All the Pro Plans).
Free  No.
Single License  Yes.
5 License Pack  Yes.
Unlimited  Yes
Basic Yes
Plus Yes
Pro  Yes
ReportingFree  No.
Single License  Yes.
5 License Pack  Yes.
Unlimited  Yes
Basic Limited
Plus Advanced reporting (includes ProPanel)
Pro  Advanced reporting (includes ProPanel)
Knowledgebase and documentationDocumentation
Facebook Group (1200+ members).
Tutorials.
Blog posts
YouTube tutorials.
Module tutorials.
Facebook Group (12000+ members).
SupportEmail Support.
Live Chat.
Support Hours — Unknown
Helpdesk Ticketing system
Support Hours — Monday to Friday (0700 to 1600 EST)

2. Tutor LMS vs LifterLMS

LifterLMS is another WordPress LMS popular plugin that you can use to create, launch, and sell your online courses.

There are many similarities between LifterLMS and Tutor LMS  both allow you to create courses, drip content, add quizzes, etc. 

Both have freemium pricing models (free and pro plans), however, Tutor LMS has a simpler pricing model (includes all add-ons). Adding each individual add-ons can become quite expensive when using LifterLMS. 

LifterLMS does include a stronger support system (extensive resource library, Slack groups, Facebook groups, tutorials,etc.) compared to Tutor LMS. 

Let’s review the differences between Tutor LMS and LifterLMS in detail.

Tutor LMSLifterLMS
DeveloperThemeumLifterLMS
Total WordPress Installations
(As of July 2020)
10,000+ 10,000+
Launched in20192013
5-star Ratings190+130+
Freemium Option or Free Trial Yes, Free version available.
No trial for Tutor LMS Pro is available.
No Free version.
A 30-day demo of the premium platform for $1 is available. 
PricingFree version.
Pro version starts at $149 per year
Single License  $149.5 License Pack  $199.
Unlimited  $299.
Pricing starts at $99 per year
Individual  $99 (1 site)
Universal Bundle $299 (5 sites)
Infinity Bundle  $999 (Unlimited sites)
Integrations, Extensions or Add-onsLimited integrations 
WooCommerce
Easy Digital Download
Paid Memberships Pro.
Restrict Content Pro.
More Comprehensive Integrations. 
Individual  Requires $99 purchase for each add-on
Universal Bundle Few integrations are included
Infinity Bundle  All integrations included.
Free Add-onsNoNo
Premium Add-onsAll extensions and add-ons are included in all the Pro plans.Average pricing for each add-on $99/year  
Bundled Premium Add-onsYes. All included in the Pro Plans.Included in the Universal Bundle and Infinity Bundle
PayPal IntegrationYes, included as a default optionNot included requires an add-on purchase of $99/year
Additional Payment GatewaysNot directly.
Using WooCommerce, you can connect to additional payment gateways.
No requires add-ons
(WooCommerce, Stripe)
Content CreationUnlimited courses.Unlimited courses
UsersUnlimited students.
Unlimited instructors.
Unlimited users/students
Instructor-Led CoursesYes. Instructors can create their own courses.Yes. Instructors can create their own courses.
Course BuilderYes, drag-and-drop builderYes, drag-and-drop builder
Create a Course Marketplace or eLearning PlatformYesYes
Frontend Course BuilderFree  No.
Single License  Yes.
5 License Pack  Yes.
Unlimited  Yes
No.
Drip-feed Course LessonsFree  No.
Single License  Yes.
5 License Pack  Yes.
Unlimited  Yes
Individual  Yes.
Universal Bundle Yes.
Infinity Bundle  Yes.
Content ProtectionRequires Restrict Content Pro Add-on (All the Pro Plans).
Free  No.
Single License  Yes.
5 License Pack  Yes.
Unlimited  Yes
Individual  Yes.
Universal Bundle Yes.
Infinity Bundle  Yes.
Quizzes Free  No.
Single License  Yes.
5 License Pack  Yes.
Unlimited  Yes
Individual  Basic.
Universal Bundle Advanced
Infinity Bundle  Advanced
AssignmentsRequires Tutor Assignments Add-on (All the Pro Plans).
Free  No.
Single License  Yes.
5 License Pack  Yes.
Unlimited  Yes
Individual  No
Universal Bundle No
Infinity Bundle  Yes
CertificatesFree  No.
Single License  Yes.
5 License Pack  Yes.
Unlimited  Yes
Individual   Yes
Universal Bundle Yes
Infinity Bundle  Yes
BadgesNoIndividual  Require add-on ($99/year).
Universal Bundle Yes.
Infinity Bundle  Yes.
Coupons, Discounts and Course BundlesNoIndividual  Yes.
Universal Bundle Yes.
Infinity Bundle  Yes.
User/Student ManagementFree  No.
Single License  Yes.
5 License Pack  Yes.
Unlimited  Yes
Individual  Yes.
Universal Bundle Yes.
Infinity Bundle  Yes.
eCommerceCompatible with WooCommerce and Easy Digital Download.
Free  Yes.
Single License  Yes.
5 License Pack  Yes.
Unlimited  Yes 
Single License  Requires WooCommerce Add-on ($99/year).
5 License Pack  Yes.
Unlimited  Yes
Subscriptions Plans and Recurring PaymentsRequires WooCommerce Subscriptions Add-on (All the  Pro Plans).
Free  No.
Single License  Yes.
5 License Pack  Yes.
Unlimited  Yes
Individual  Yes.
Universal Bundle Yes.
Infinity Bundle  Yes.
Email Communications and NotificationsRequires Tutor Email Add-on (All the Pro Plans).
Free  No.
Single License  Yes.
5 License Pack  Yes.
Unlimited  Yes
Individual  Yes.
Universal Bundle Yes.
Infinity Bundle  Yes
ReportingFree  No.
Single License  Yes.
5 License Pack  Yes.
Unlimited  Yes
Individual  Yes.
Universal Bundle Yes.
Infinity Bundle  Yes
Knowledgebase and documentationDocumentation
Facebook Group (1200+ members).
Tutorials.
Blog posts
YouTube tutorials.
Webinar training sessions..
Learning Academy Podcasts
Slack Groups
Facebook Group Mastermind (Infinity Bundle)
SupportEmail Support.
Live Chat.
Support Hours Unknown
Individual  Standard Support.
Universal Bundle Priority Support.
Infinity Bundle  Priority Support.
Guaranteed 12 hour response time.

3. Tutor LMS vs. WP Courseware

WP Courseware has been supporting WordPress users in building online courses since2012 (one of the first WordPress LMS plugins). 

There are many similarities between Tutor LMS and WP Courseware  create courses, create marketplaces, etc. The pricing model is also similar, however, the starting price point for WP Courseware is higher than that of Tutor LMS.

Let’s review the differences between Tutor LMS and WP Courseware in detail. 

Tutor LMSWP Courseware
DeveloperThemeumFlyPlugins 
Total WordPress Installations(As of July 2020)10,000+ 21,000+
Launched in20192012
5-star Ratings190+N/A
Freemium Option or Free Trial Yes, Free version availableNo
PricingFree version. Pro version starts at $149 per year
Single License  $149.5 License Pack  $199.Unlimited  $299.
Pricing starts at $249 per year
Teacher  $249 (2 websites).Professor  $299 (10 websites)Guru   $399 (Unlimited websites)
Integrations, Extensions or Add-onsLimited integrations 
WooCommerceEasy Digital DownloadPaid Memberships Pro.Restrict Content Pro.
More comprehensive. Supports major WordPress plugins.
WooCommerce.Easy Digital Downloads.MemberPress.RestrictContent Pro.Wishlist Member.Paid Memberships Pro.ConvertKit.And many more…
Free Add-onsNoNo
Premium Add-onsAll extensions and add-ons are included in all the Pro plans.All extensions and add-ons are included in all the plans.
Bundled Premium Add-onsYes. All included in the Pro Plans.Yes. All included in the Plans.
PayPal IntegrationYes, included as a default optionYes
Additional Payment GatewaysNot directly.Using WooCommerce, you can connect to additional payment gateways.Stripe.
Content CreationUnlimited courses.Unlimited courses.
UsersUnlimited students.Unlimited instructors.Unlimited students.Unlimited instructors.
Instructor-Led CoursesYes. Instructors can create their own courses.Yes. Instructors can create their own courses.
Create a Course Marketplace or eLearning PlatformYesYes
Course BuilderYes, drag-and-drop builderYes, drag-and-drop builder
Frontend Course BuilderFree  No.Single License  Yes.5 License Pack  Yes.Unlimited  YesNo
Drip-feed Course LessonsFree  No.Single License  Yes.5 License Pack  Yes.Unlimited  YesTeacher  Yes.Professor  Yes.Guru   Yes.
Content ProtectionRequires Restrict Content Pro Add-on (All the Pro Plans).
Free  No.Single License  Yes.5 License Pack  Yes.Unlimited  Yes
Not included by default. Works with Wishlist Member or RestrictContent Pro.
Teacher  Yes.Professor  Yes.Guru   Yes.
Quizzes Free  No.Single License  Yes.5 License Pack  Yes.Unlimited  YesTeacher  Yes.Professor  Yes.Guru   Yes.
AssignmentsRequires Tutor Assignments Add-on (All the Pro Plans).
Free  No.Single License  Yes.5 License Pack  Yes.Unlimited  Yes
No
CertificatesFree  No.Single License  Yes.5 License Pack  Yes.Unlimited  YesTeacher  Yes.Professor  Yes.Guru   Yes.
BadgesNoNo
Coupons, Discounts and Course BundlesNoNo
User/Student ManagementFree  No.Single License  Yes.5 License Pack  Yes.Unlimited  YesTeacher  Yes.Professor  Yes.Guru   Yes.
eCommerceCompatible with WooCommerce and Easy Digital Download.
Free  Yes.Single License  Yes.5 License Pack  Yes.Unlimited  Yes 
Compatible with WooCommerce and Easy Digital Download.
Teacher  Yes.Professor  Yes.Guru   Yes.
Subscriptions Plans and Recurring PaymentsRequires WooCommerce Subscriptions Add-on (All the Pro Plans).
Free  No.Single License  Yes.5 License Pack  Yes.Unlimited  Yes
Teacher  Yes.Professor  Yes.Guru   Yes.
Email Communications and NotificationsRequires Tutor Email Add-on (All the Pro Plans).
Free  No.Single License  Yes.5 License Pack  Yes.Unlimited  Yes
Teacher  Yes.Professor  Yes.Guru   Yes.
ReportingFree  No.Single License  Yes.5 License Pack  Yes.Unlimited  YesN/A
Knowledgebase and documentationDocumentationFacebook Group (1200+ members).Tutorials.Limited documentation.
SupportEmail Support.Live Chat.Support Hours UnknownTicketing system.Support Hours 0800 to 1700 MST.

Tutor LMS Review: Conclusion

Tutor LMS is one of the newest entrants in an already competitive WordPress LMS plugin space. In a market dominated by strong incumbents with a track record such as LearnDash, AccessAlly, or LifterLMS, it might seem like a tough climb for any new player however, Tutor LMS has been growing rapidly. 

Since its launch in 2019, it has already been installed on over 10,000+ websites and is actively gaining popularity and garnering solid & favorable reviews. 

How do you decide if Tutor LMS is the best WordPress LMS plugin to install on your website? 

Here are the scenarios when Tutor LMS would be an ideal fit for you:

  • You have a limited budget and want peace-of-mind pricing.
  • You want to create an LMS with limited student engagement options (quizzes, certificates,etc.).
  • You want to create a course marketplace where your instructors can create their own courses, and you want to share revenues with those instructors.
  • You are familiar with using WooCommerce, Easy Digital Download, Restrict Content Pro.

If you have an email marketing program such as MailChimp, ConvertKit,etc., and want to build a powerful course marketing platform then LearnDash or LifterLMS is a better fit.

If you are looking for enhanced student engagement features such as assignments and more robust email communications — LearnDash or LifterLMS are better options.

My final verdict Tutor LMS is a fantastic WordPress LMS Plugin that you can start creating and selling online courses. Course creators and online school entrepreneurs can benefit from the straightforward pricing model, easy setup, and configuration options.

Did I miss anything in this comprehensive review of Tutor LMS?

Let us know in the comments below.

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