Tutor vs Gibbon
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
Docker-based distribution of the Open edX platform
VS
Gibbon
Open-source school management and learning platform
| Feature | Tutor | Gibbon |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Learning & Courses | Learning & Courses |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 4,096 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes | bare-metal, docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,123 | ★ 620 |
| First released | 2018 | 2010 |
| Replaces | Coursera for Campus, Canvas | PowerSchool, Blackboard |
Why pick each one
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)
Choose Gibbon if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in PHP
Frequently asked questions
Is Tutor or Gibbon better?
Neither is universally better. Tutor has the larger community, while Gibbon is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Tutor and Gibbon free and open-source?
Yes. Tutor is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Gibbon under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Tutor and Gibbon with Docker?
Tutor: yes. Gibbon: yes.