Tutor LMS vs Open edX
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?
Tutor LMS
Complete WordPress LMS for selling online courses
VS
Open edX
Scalable open-source platform for online courses
| Feature | Tutor LMS | Open edX |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Learning & Courses | Learning & Courses |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 8,192 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | docker, kubernetes, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 124 | ★ 8,156 |
| First released | 2019 | 2013 |
| Replaces | Teachable, Thinkific | Coursera, Canvas |
Why pick each one
Choose Tutor LMS if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in PHP
Choose Open edX if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Mature project with 8.2k GitHub stars
Frequently asked questions
Is Tutor LMS or Open edX better?
Neither is universally better. Open edX has the larger community, while Tutor LMS is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Tutor LMS and Open edX free and open-source?
Yes. Tutor LMS is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Open edX under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Tutor LMS and Open edX with Docker?
Tutor LMS: check the project docs for container support. Open edX: yes.