Claroline Connect vs Tutor
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted learning & courses options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Claroline Connect
Open-source LMS for collaborative online courses
VS
Tutor
Docker-based distribution of the Open edX platform
| Feature | Claroline Connect | Tutor |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Learning & Courses | Learning & Courses |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 4,096 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | docker, kubernetes |
| GitHub stars | ★ 349 | ★ 1,123 |
| First released | 2002 | 2018 |
| Replaces | Moodle, Blackboard | Coursera for Campus, Canvas |
Why pick each one
Choose Claroline Connect if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Written in PHP
Choose Tutor if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Active community (1.1k GitHub stars)
Frequently asked questions
Is Claroline Connect or Tutor better?
Neither is universally better. Tutor has the larger community, while Claroline Connect is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Claroline Connect and Tutor free and open-source?
Yes. Claroline Connect is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Tutor under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Claroline Connect and Tutor with Docker?
Claroline Connect: check the project docs for container support. Tutor: yes.