Teachable alternatives: 6 free & open-source picks
Compare recorded free and open-source options, their capabilities and operating requirements. Source dates are shown below; licenses, hosted limits and project activity can change.
A website, course catalog, forums and payments inside an ERP; subtle it is not.
licenseLGPL-3.0
runsyour server
installUse Odoo's packaged installer, source install or Docker image, backed by PostgreSQL
dataBusiness and website records in PostgreSQL; uploaded attachments in Odoo's filestore
the catch vs TeachableOdoo's course experience is secondary to its ERP and lacks Teachable's creator-friendly coaching, authoring, marketing and student polish.
setupA production deployment needs PostgreSQL, workers/reverse proxy configuration, backups and ongoing administration of a very large suite
facts verified 2026-08-10
The most complete free LMS here, with the least creator-friendly first impression.
licenseGPL-3.0+
runsyour machine or their cloud
installUpload the PHP release to a web server, create a database and moodledata directory, then complete the browser installer
dataCourses, users, grades and settings in SQL; uploaded files in the separate moodledata directory
the catch vs TeachableMoodle's administration and learner interface are far less creator-friendly, and selling/coaching requires configuration or plugins.
setupPHP and database requirements, protected writable storage, cron, SMTP, backups and upgrades are all the operator's responsibility
facts verified 2026-08-10
Courses, cohorts, assignments, quizzes, certificates and payments in a modern UI; coaching workflows are lighter.
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour machine or their cloud
installRun Frappe's easy-install script or the official Docker Compose deployment
dataCourse and user records in the Frappe/MariaDB site database; public/private site files on disk, while video lessons commonly embed external hosts
the catch vs TeachableFrappe Learning is less creator-commerce and coaching focused than Teachable, and self-hosting means learning the Frappe stack.
setupSelf-hosting still needs Docker or a Frappe server, DNS/SSL and email; payments require separate gateway configuration
facts verified 2026-08-10
Courses, coaching-style communities, downloads and sales pages in one stack; you run the stack.
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour machine or their cloud
installDocker Compose, with SUPER_ADMIN_EMAIL set before first start
dataApplication records in MongoDB; production media uploads use MediaLit plus S3-compatible object storage
the catch vs TeachableCourseLit has less mature coaching, reporting, marketing automation and creator-commerce polish, while the owner runs the infrastructure.
setupDocker starts the app, but a production setup also needs SMTP for email login and MediaLit/S3-compatible storage for uploads
facts verified 2026-08-10
A full course shop inside WordPress; low GitHub stars, but current releases and more than 100,000 active installs.
licenseGPL-3.0
runsyour server
installInstall from WordPress Plugins → Add New, then run Tutor LMS's setup wizard
dataCourses, enrollments and settings in the WordPress database; lesson media in the WordPress Media Library
the catch vs TeachableTutor LMS depends on WordPress and key creator features such as subscriptions, certificates, assignments and drip content may require paid add-ons.
setupIt first requires a maintained WordPress site, and subscriptions, certificates, assignments, drip content and several integrations sit outside the free core
facts verified 2026-08-10
One hosted course, bookings, digital products and payments free; useful until your catalog becomes plural.
licenseproprietary, free
runstheir cloud
installHosted signup
dataContacts, funnels, course/community content, orders, emails and uploaded files in systeme.io's vendor-managed cloud; the underlying storage format is not published
the catch vs TeachableThe free plan's one-course ceiling and lighter assessment/creator-school tooling become the first major limit.
setupSelling requires connecting a payment gateway; the free plan is capped at 2,000 contacts, three funnels, one course, one community and one custom domain
facts verified 2026-08-10
latest recorded source check 2026-08-10 · check current terms at the source
| tool | license | running it | platforms | stars | active |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Odoo Community | LGPL-3.0 | self-host, real ops | web, self-hosted | 53,527 | 2026-08 |
| Moodle | GPL-3.0+ | self-host, real ops | web, ios, android, self-hosted | 7,300 | 2026-08 |
| Frappe Learning | AGPL-3.0 | docker to self-host | web, self-hosted | 3,100 | 2026-07 |
| CourseLit | AGPL-3.0 | docker to self-host | web, self-hosted | 1,200 | 2026-07 |
| Tutor LMS | GPL-3.0 | self-host, real ops | web, self-hosted | 124 | 2026-08 |
| systeme.io | proprietary, free | they host it | web | — | — |
They pay because course businesses need checkout, access, progress, and support to just work. The recorded subscription totals $468 a year before any costs of an alternative.
Questions about these alternatives
Is there a free alternative to Teachable?
Yes: Odoo Community, Moodle, Frappe Learning and 3 more. These are recorded free or open-source options. Compare their feature limits, licenses, hosting costs and current availability before choosing.
Should I just build my own Teachable?
Our verdict is KINDA. A basic course site with Stripe can be built, but student apps, tax/payments, course compliance, certificates, upsells, affiliates, and support make full parity hard. Review the scope, implementation prompt and trade-offs in the Teachable build guide.
