Tutor vs Tsugi
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
Tsugi
Framework for building LTI learning tools
| Feature | Tutor | Tsugi |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Learning & Courses | Learning & Courses |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Python | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 4,096 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,123 | ★ 371 |
| First released | 2018 | 2014 |
| Replaces | Coursera for Campus, Canvas | LTI Marketplace tools |
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 Tsugi if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- Written in PHP
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Tutor or Tsugi better?
Neither is universally better. Tutor has the larger community, while Tsugi is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Tutor and Tsugi free and open-source?
Yes. Tutor is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Tsugi under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Tutor and Tsugi with Docker?
Tutor: yes. Tsugi: check the project docs for container support.