LifterLMS — WordPress Learning Management System Plugin

LifterLMS is a free WordPress LMS plugin that provides a complete platform for creating and selling online courses. It includes a drag-and-drop course builder, quiz engine, assignment management, certificate generation, and student analytics. Unlike LearnDash which requires a premium license for core features, LifterLMS offers a generous free version that includes course creation, quizzes, and student management. The premium version adds payment gateways, drip content, memberships, and advanced reporting. LifterLMS is designed to be extensible with add-ons for specific use cases — social learning, gradebooks, and private areas. For course creators who want a free-to-start LMS with professional features, LifterLMS is the strongest alternative to LearnDash.

The plugin stores course data as custom post types and includes built-in WordPress user role management for students, instructors, and administrators.

Competitive Features

• Course builder — drag-and-drop course creation with lessons, sections, and quizzes
• Quiz engine — automated and manual grading with multiple question types
• Certificates — custom certificate templates with course and student data
• Assignments — student file uploads with instructor grading and feedback
• Payment gateways — Stripe, PayPal, and WooCommerce integration (premium)
• Drip content — scheduled lesson release based on time since enrollment (premium)
• Student analytics — per-student course progress, grade reports, and completion tracking

Key Features

• Course elements — courses, sections, lessons, quizzes, assignments, and certificates
• Question types — multiple choice, true/false, fill-in-the-blank, short answer, essay, and matching
• Automated grading — instant quiz results with correct answer explanations
• Prerequisites — require specific courses or lessons before accessing new content
• Student dashboard — front-end dashboard showing enrolled courses, progress, and grades
• Instructor roles — separate instructor user role with course creation and student management
• REST API — complete API for course, enrollment, and student data management

Comparison with Competitors

LifterLMS vs LearnDash

Aspect	LifterLMS	LearnDash
Payment gateways	Premium (Stripe, PayPal, WooCommerce)	Built-in (Stripe, PayPal)
Quiz engine	Good (6 question types)	Advanced (10+ question types)
Drip content	Premium	Yes
Certificates	Yes	Yes
Assignments	Yes	Yes

Bottom line: LifterLMS has a better free version and lower pricing. LearnDash has a more advanced quiz engine and stronger group management. For budget-conscious course creators, LifterLMS is the better value.

Recommended Stack: LifterLMS handles online courses. For membership-based course access, integrate with MemberPress to restrict course content to paying members.

Official Changelog

Data sourced from WordPress.org plugin repository.

Version 10.2.0

Release Date: August 24, 2026

• Added: A read-only REST API endpoint for student grades with per-lesson course grade breakdowns.
• Added: Time-limited signed download URLs for protected media files.
• Added: A certificate merge code for the student display name.
• REST API: Added endpoints for quizzes, quiz questions, quiz attempts, orders, certificates, and more.

Version 10.1.1

Release Date: August 10, 2026

• Fix: Various bug fixes and performance improvements.
• Fix: Compatibility with latest WordPress version.

Version 10.1.0

Release Date: July 20, 2026

• Improvement: Course builder performance optimization.
• Fix: Quiz grading for essay questions.
• Fix: Certificate generation for completed courses.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is LifterLMS really free?

The core plugin is free and includes course creation, quizzes, assignments, certificates, student management, and instructor roles. The premium version adds payment gateways, drip content, memberships, and advanced reporting.

Can I accept payments with LifterLMS?

The free version supports manual payment methods. The premium version adds Stripe and PayPal payment gateways with automatic enrollment on payment confirmation.

Does LifterLMS support quizzes?

Yes. LifterLMS includes a quiz engine with support for multiple choice, true/false, fill-in-the-blank, short answer, essay, and matching question types. Quizzes can be auto-graded or manually graded.

Can I create certificates?

Yes. LifterLMS includes a certificate builder where you create custom templates with course name, student name, completion date, and your logo. Certificates are automatically issued on course completion.

What is the difference between LifterLMS and LifterLMS Pro?

LifterLMS is the free core plugin. The paid add-ons (available individually or as a bundle) add payment gateways, drip content, gradebooks, and advanced reporting features.