Tutor LMS vs Masteriyo: Which Free LMS Wins in 2026?

You’ve made the wise choice to create your online course using WordPress. Now comes the challenging decision: selecting the right plugin to power it.

The plugin you’ll need is known as a Learning Management System (LMS). It manages your lessons, assessments, pupils, and payment processes. If you’re exploring free options in 2026, two contenders stand out: Tutor LMS, a long-standing favourite, and Masteriyo, an emerging competitor.

Both plugins allow you to create and market courses without relying on WooCommerce, and both are genuinely free to begin with. However, they offer distinct advantages, and choosing the wrong one could result in the cumbersome task of migrating your entire course later. Nobody enjoys that.

This comparison will explore Tutor LMS versus Masteriyo in various rounds: features available for free, course creation, quizzes, sales processes, supporting ecosystems, and pricing. Each category will have a declared winner. No fence-sitting here!

Let’s dive in!

DISCLAIMER: Masteriyo is part of the Themeisle product family, which is behind this blog. Regardless, we will provide an unbiased opinion: Tutor LMS triumphs in several rounds below, and we acknowledge it every time.

Short on time? Here’s a quick overview:

Read on for an in-depth analysis, or skip straight to the final verdict.

The contenders at a glance

Tutor LMS (by Themeum) is the seasoned player. WordPress.org shows over 100,000 active installations along with a 4.4 out of 5 rating, with the significant version 4.0 update arriving in July 2026, featuring a revamped student interface. It’s a comprehensive LMS that includes course creation, assessments, built-in eCommerce capabilities, subscription options, and a setup for multiple instructors that can support full course marketplaces.

The homepage exudes the confidence you’d expect from an industry leader:

Masteriyo is the newer contender. It shows 5,000+ active installations and boasts a high rating of 4.8 out of 5. Although its user base is significantly smaller, the free plugin excels in monetization: it includes a built-in order system, complimentary payment gateways, and certificates right from the start.

Both plugins have made it to our list of the best free LMS plugins available for WordPress, so there are no terrible options here. It ultimately comes down to which one suits your needs better. Let’s dissect the differences.

Free features

This is where the diverging philosophies of the two plugins become evident.

Masteriyo’s free version is designed for transactions. For no cost, you gain access to:

• Unlimited courses, lessons, and quizzes, with no restrictions
• Course certificates: featuring a visual builder and one basic template with QR-code validation
• Free SCORM import to ease the transition of existing e-learning content
• Free H5P support for creating interactive content
• Integrations with Google Meet and Google Classroom (both free add-ons)
• Course reviews, Q&A, wishlists, groups, and integrated email notifications

A note about certificates: the free plugin provides the builder and one template; however, access to the complete template gallery requires an upgrade to Masteriyo Pro ($149/year intro, renewing at $299; more on pricing to come):

Tutor LMS covers the essentials well in its free offering: unlimited courses, students, course creation, assessments, and a built-in checkout feature. However, several features that you may assume are included at no cost are actually Pro features:

• Certificates → Pro add-on
• H5P → Pro add-on
• Content dripping → Pro add-on
• Assignments → Pro add-on

In fairness, Tutor LMS does provide something valuable for free that Masteriyo lacks: front-end dashboards. Each student and instructor has a dedicated front-end dashboard featuring enrolled courses, progress tracking, results, and announcements. While Masteriyo offers a student account section and a streamlined learning page, it doesn’t provide a front-end dashboard for instructors.

Also, it’s important to note that Tutor’s plugin documentation mentions SCORM under its attachment feature, but the actual SCORM add-on is not detailed anywhere in the documentation. If SCORM compliance is a critical factor for you, Masteriyo’s free import add-on is the more reliable option.

Winner: Masteriyo. With free certificates, SCORM support, and H5P functionality, it offers more than Tutor’s free tier.

Course building

Both plugins feature a drag-and-drop course builder for creating courses, adding sections, and inserting lessons and quizzes. If you’ve used any LMS before, you’ll find both platforms easy to navigate.

Masteriyo’s builder is straightforward and efficient. It offers three main sections (Overview, Builder, Settings), allowing you to easily drag lessons and quizzes between modules. Here’s how it looks:

Free lesson types include text, video, and live streaming via YouTube Live. However, paid options are required for Zoom lessons, assignments, and PDF/audio lessons. If you need a comprehensive guide, there is a detailed article on creating an online course using WordPress.

Tutor LMS has a more advanced builder in comparison. Its “spotlight mode” conceals your site’s header and footer while you construct courses, and the 4.0 redesign provides students with a modern learning environment that includes light/dark mode and an app-like mobile layout. Coupled with those front-end dashboards, the day-to-day experience feels more complete.

Concerning page builders, Masteriyo shines with free integrations for Elementor, Divi, Bricks, Beaver Builder, and Oxygen, along with support for Gutenberg blocks. Tutor LMS supports Elementor (through a dedicated add-ons plugin), Divi, and Oxygen, as verified on its WordPress.org listing. If your website employs Bricks or Beaver, this gives Masteriyo a significant edge.

Additionally, both companies promote AI course creation. Both plugins include this feature, requiring you to have your own OpenAI API key. Masteriyo’s “Create with AI” is functional in the free version once you input your key, while Tutor’s AI Studio comes with its paid plans, still under the requirement of supplying your own key. Note that neither offers “free AI” despite what their marketing materials may suggest.

Winner: Tutor LMS. Thanks to the 4.0 overhaul and front-end dashboards, it offers a superior day-to-day experience for both you and your students. While Masteriyo’s builder is effective, Tutor’s is more refined.

Quizzes & assessments

In this round, our own product doesn’t come out on top.

The free version of Masteriyo includes three quiz question types: True/False, Single Choice, and Multiple Choice. That’s somewhat limited. Beyond those three, you’ll need to upgrade to Masteriyo Pro ($149/year intro):

Upgrading unlocks six additional types (Text Answer, Match the Following, Fill in the Blanks, Audio, Video, and Sortable), bringing the total to nine.

Free Tutor LMS provides five question types: True/False, Single Choice, Multiple Choice, Matching, and Fill in the Blanks. Tutor Pro adds essay, short answer, and image-based options, while the 4.0 update introduced five interactive types (draw image, pin image, graph, puzzle, and range), all of which are marked as Pro in the changelog.

Both plugins offer quiz timers, attempt limits, and passing grade setups for free. Additionally, Masteriyo’s free tier includes an AI quiz generator (with your OpenAI key), albeit it can only create the three free question types. Assignments are additional features on both sides, as is Masteriyo’s gradebook.

Winner: Tutor LMS. Five question types available for free outweighs the three from Masteriyo, with Matching and Fill in the Blanks being crucial types you’ll want as you progress beyond simple multiple-choice questions.

Selling & payments

Firstly, the positive aspect: both plugins facilitate course sales without the need for WooCommerce, and neither takes a cut of your earnings. There are zero transaction fees with both (Tutor confirms this in its pricing FAQ; Masteriyo also states this on its pricing page).

The key difference lies in the payment gateways available for free.

With Masteriyo free, you have:

• Built-in PayPal and offline payments
• Free add-ons for Stripe, Mollie, and Lemon Squeezy
• Support for multiple currencies (free)
• WooCommerce and SureCart integrations (free)

With Tutor LMS free, you have:

• Built-in PayPal, along with manual payment methods (bank transfers, etc.)
• Stripe requires an active Tutor LMS Pro subscription, as confirmed in Tutor’s own documentation

This point carries more significance than it may seem. For most course sellers, Stripe is the gateway, the standard that customers expect. Having access to Stripe for free is one of Masteriyo’s most significant advantages.

While we’re on the topic, it’s worth noting that features like coupons, subscriptions/recurring pricing, and course bundles are all part of Masteriyo Pro ($149/year intro). Tutor also promotes built-in subscriptions and memberships, so check its current free/pro split if this is a priority, considering version 4.0 has shifted the line-up.

Winner: Masteriyo. The inclusion of free Stripe, Mollie, Lemon Squeezy, multiple currency support, and zero transaction fees. It’s a strong offering.

Ecosystem & support

This round comfortably goes to Tutor. Here’s why:

• Install base: Over 100,000 compared to 5,000+ active installs on WordPress.org. A larger user base results in more tutorials, additional third-party support, and more real-world testing.
• Reviews: Tutor holds an average of 4.4/5 based on 580+ ratings, providing a robust feedback pool. Masteriyo’s rating of 4.8/5 is impressive but from a much smaller pool of 177 reviews.
• Add-ons and themes: Tutor hosts a comprehensive ecosystem of add-ons and its own LMS themes. Masteriyo operates as a single plugin, offering less complexity but a smaller variety, with its own theme that works with any properly coded theme (Neve and Astra are compatible).
• Languages: Tutor lists 39 language packs on WordPress.org compared to just three for Masteriyo. This could be a deciding factor if you aim to create a non-English course site.
• Guarantees: Tutor has a 30-day money-back guarantee while Masteriyo provides just 14 days.

Helpful Tip: If you begin with Tutor LMS and decide to switch later, Masteriyo’s free migration tool can transfer your courses, lessons, quizzes, orders, and students from Tutor LMS, as well as from LearnDash, LearnPress, LifterLMS, and MasterStudy. You’re less committed than you might think.

Winner: Tutor LMS. It’s not close, and it’s only fair to be transparent about that.

Pricing if you opt for Pro

Both free plugins are genuinely functional on their own. However, if you choose to upgrade, here’s what you’ll encounter.

Tutor LMS maintains a simple approach: every paid plan includes all pro add-ons.

• Individual: $199/year for one site
• Business: $399/year for ten sites
• Agency: $799/year for unlimited sites
• Lifetime: $499 / $999 / $1,999 as a one-time payment

There’s often a 15% discount available on the pricing page, along with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Masteriyo offers a lower introductory price:

• Basic: $99/year introductory price, renewing at $199
• Pro: $149/year introductory price, renewing at $299
• Elite: $399/year introductory price, renewing at $799 for ten sites
• Lifetime Elite: $499 one-time payment

Here’s the catch: Masteriyo’s headline rates are introductory. The annual price escalates to full price upon renewal, which is twice what you pay in the first year. Thus, in the initial year, Masteriyo’s Basic for $99 is significantly cheaper than Tutor’s Individual at $199. From the second year onwards, both are priced at $199. Don’t forget to budget for the renewal costs as opposed to just focusing on the introductory price.

A comparison of the lifetime options is intriguing, as well. Masteriyo’s $499 Lifetime Elite caters to 10 sites, whilst Tutor’s $499 Lifetime plan is limited to just a single site. If you prefer to avoid subscriptions, Masteriyo offers more for the same amount.

Winner: Masteriyo, just slightly. Lower initial cost ($99 versus $199) and better lifetime value. However, it’s worth noting Tutor’s flat pricing can provide fewer renewal surprises, potentially saving you money in the long run.

Final verdict

Here’s the assessment:

Tied across three rounds, but it’s not an equal matchup; the categories hold different significance.

Select Masteriyo if you are a solo entrepreneur selling your first courses and desire the best free offerings available, including free Stripe, complimentary certificates, SCORM support, H5P, and no transaction fees. Begin for free, then upgrade when advanced features like quiz types, content dripping, or subscriptions justify the Pro cost of $149/year for you. It also holds up well against paid alternatives; check our Masteriyo vs. LearnDash analysis.

Opt for Tutor LMS if you’re constructing a larger operation: a multi-instructor academy, a site in a language other than English, or if you simply prefer the plugin that boasts over 100,000 installs and a well-established ecosystem. Just be ready to upgrade to Pro sooner, since certificates, content dripping, assignments, and Stripe integration are all paid features in that plan.

In summary, for most readers (initial course, constrained budget, need to sell from the get-go), Masteriyo’s free plan is the optimal choice. For those developing a multi-instructor environment, Tutor LMS might be the better option, leaving you without regrets.

Wrapping things up…

In brief: Tutor LMS shines in maturity, quizzes, and ecosystem. Masteriyo excels in free features, sales capabilities, and introductory pricing. Both are free to set up, both impose 0% transaction fees, both will enable you to create a substantial course business on WordPress.

The decision lies with you: install whichever fits your vision, and launch your first lesson.

Have you experienced either plugin? Which one did you choose, and how has it been working for you? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below!

FREE GUIDE

4 Essential Steps to Speed Up Your WordPress Website

Follow the simple steps in our 4-part mini series and reduce your loading times by 50-80%.

Congratulations! You’ve reached the conclusion of the article!