Academy LMS vs LifterLMS (October 2026)
Updated October 22, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Academy LMS and LifterLMS both appeared in the WordPress.org LMS Plugins top 10 recently. LifterLMS leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Academy LMS
Academy LMS – AI Course Builder, Quizzes, Certificates & eLearning
Free WordPress LMS plugin. Create and sell online courses with an AI course builder, quizzes, certificates and multi-instructor revenue sharing.
LifterLMS
LifterLMS – WP LMS for eLearning, Online Courses, & Quizzes
Complete e-learning platform to sell online courses, protect lessons, offer memberships, and quiz students. WP Learning Management System.
Who leads on what
LifterLMS leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
LifterLMS has more users: 10,000+ active installs against 2,000+.
Academy LMS is rated higher: 4.9 out of 5 from 120 reviews, against 4.8 from 393 reviews.
LifterLMS has more reviews behind its score: 393 against 120.
LifterLMS was updated more recently, on October 9, 2026; Academy LMS on October 8, 2026.
LifterLMS was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 24,321 times against 8,116.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Academy LMS
Pick Academy LMS if the review score matters most to you.
LifterLMS
Pick LifterLMS if you want the plugin more sites already run, you want the score backed by more reviews, you want the one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Academy LMS vs LifterLMS side by side
| Academy LMS | LifterLMS | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.9 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 120 | 393 |
| Active installs | 2,000+ | 10,000+ |
| Total downloads | 204,300 | 1,785,968 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 8,116 | 24,321 |
| Last updated | Oct 8, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
| First published | Jun 5, 2021 | Feb 12, 2016 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free + paid version |
Downloads per day, last 37 days
Academy LMS ratings
LifterLMS ratings
How we compare these two
Every figure here is pulled from the WordPress.org plugin API every day at 03:00 UTC, for both plugins in the same run, so the two are always read on the same day. We compare only what the directory reports: active installs, the rating and how many reviews stand behind it, the last release date and, once we have a month of history, downloads over the last 30 days. Ratings are only called a win above 50 reviews each, because a handful of five-star reviews is not evidence. Nothing is weighted into an overall score, no measure is worth more than another, and neither Academy LMS nor LifterLMS can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the LMS Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Academy LMS vs LifterLMS: common questions
Is Academy LMS better than LifterLMS?
LifterLMS leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. LifterLMS has more users: 10,000+ active installs against 2,000+.
Which has more users, Academy LMS or LifterLMS?
LifterLMS has more users: 10,000+ active installs against 2,000+.
Which is rated higher, Academy LMS or LifterLMS?
Academy LMS is rated higher: 4.9 out of 5 from 120 reviews, against 4.8 from 393 reviews.
Are Academy LMS and LifterLMS free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Academy LMS is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. LifterLMS is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist.
Alternatives to Academy LMS and LifterLMS
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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Weekly · free
What moved this week
One email a week, built from the same daily snapshots these rankings come from: the plugins that climbed, what launched, and one ranking worth a look.