LearnDash vs Sensei LMS
Updated 5 Oct 2026. 25 features compared side by side.
Premium WordPress LMS for selling and managing courses, with drip content, quizzes, certificates, groups and native Stripe/PayPal checkout.
Block-based WordPress LMS from Automattic with courses, quizzes and certificates free; Sensei Pro adds WooCommerce selling, drip and groups.
Choose LearnDash if…
- You need sell courses (built-in checkout) and points, badges & gamification
- You want the more complete feature set (99/100 vs 82/100)
- You prefer the more widely used option
Choose Sensei LMS if…
- You want to start with a free version
- You want the lower entry price ($60/yr vs $259/yr)
LearnDash includes 2 features that Sensei LMS lacks, including Sell courses (built-in checkout) and Points, badges & gamification. Both include 23 of the 25 features we track.
At a glance
Feature comparison
Click a screenshot to see both plugins side by side.
LearnDash Sensei LMSCourse building6/66/6
Drag-and-drop course builder plus a course creation wizard in all plans.
Course Outline block builds modules and lessons inside the editor.
Lessons and topics take any block content, with video progression to require watching videos.
Lessons use any blocks, with YouTube, Vimeo and VideoPress embeds.
Lessons can unlock X days after enrolment or on a specific date; no extra plugin needed.
Scheduled content drip and access periods need Sensei Pro.
Linear course progression plus course and quiz prerequisites.
Lesson and course prerequisites in the free plugin.
Core assignment uploads with approval, grading and comments.
No assignment type; file-upload and free-response questions are graded manually.
20+ Gutenberg blocks; shortcodes and an Elementor add-on cover page builders.
Built on Gutenberg with dedicated Sensei blocks.
Quizzes & certificates5/55/5
Quiz builder with eight question types, including essay, sorting and matching.
Seven question types including gap fill and file upload; ordering is Pro.
Shared questions across quizzes and display of a random subset of questions.
Question bank with categories for random question pools.
Per-quiz time limit, retake limits and passing percentage.
Retakes and pass marks free; quiz timer requires Sensei Pro.
Certificate builder for courses, quizzes and groups in every plan.
Certificate builder included free.
Gradebook with weighted grading and report cards comes with the Pro plan.
Grading screen for quiz results; no cross-course weighted gradebook found.
Selling courses5/54/5
Built-in checkout with Stripe and PayPal; Razorpay and 2Checkout integrations documented.
No built-in checkout; selling requires Sensei Pro plus WooCommerce.
Free official WooCommerce integration add-on links courses to products.
WooCommerce course sales are a Sensei Pro feature.
Recurring payments plus memberships via bundled MemberDash in all plans.
WooCommerce Subscriptions and Memberships support via Sensei Pro.
Bundles included in Essentials; groups can also sell several courses together.
Pro lets one WooCommerce product grant several courses.
Native flat or percentage coupons for courses and groups (one-time payments only).
Uses WooCommerce coupons once Sensei Pro selling is enabled.
Students & engagement6/65/6
Profile block shows enrolled courses, progress and certificates.
Learner courses block / My Courses page lists enrolments and progress.
Lesson, topic and course completion tracking with progress bars.
Lesson and course progress tracking in the free plugin.
Achievements add-on (badges, points, leaderboards) included with all plans.
No native badges or points; GamiPress Sensei add-on was closed in 2023.
Lesson comments in Focus Mode and an official bbPress integration for forums.
Lesson comments via WordPress comments; no Q&A or forum module.
Learner notifications for enrolment, completion and more in all plans.
Customisable email notifications for learners and teachers.
Core groups with group leaders; seat sales and org hierarchy need Elite (Groups Plus).
Groups and cohorts with access periods are Sensei Pro.
Admin & reporting3/33/3
Core reports and CSV exports in all plans; ProPanel analytics need the Pro plan.
Free learner, course and lesson reports; Pro adds group reporting.
Instructor Role add-on with commissions and front-end course creation is Elite-only.
Teacher role free, co-teachers in Pro; no revenue sharing.
Official Migration add-on imports from LearnPress, Tutor, Sensei, LifterLMS; SCORM needs a third party.
CSV import/export of courses, lessons and questions; no SCORM or LMS importer.
Statuses: Yes Pro Add-on Partial 3rd-party No ?
Pricing compared
LearnDash Premium
| Essentials | $259 per year, 1 site |
|---|---|
| Pro | $399 per year, 1 site |
| Elite | $599 per year, 1 site |
Sensei LMS Freemium
| Free | $0 |
|---|---|
| Sensei LMS | Free per year, Unlimited |
| Interactive Blocks | $60 per year, 1 site |
| Sensei Pro | $179 per year, 1 site |
| Sensei Agency | $360 per year, 20 sites |
Downloads trend
LearnDash
No WordPress.org download data (premium-only plugin).
Sensei LMS
2,083 downloads last week
Verdict
LearnDash scores higher on our feature checklist (99/100 against 82/100) and includes sell courses (built-in checkout) and points, badges & gamification that Sensei LMS does not. Only Sensei LMS has a free version. Check the features you rely on in the table below before deciding.
Biggest differences
LearnDash: included. Sensei LMS: not included. Built-in checkout with Stripe and PayPal; Razorpay and 2Checkout integrations documented.
LearnDash: included. Sensei LMS: not included. Achievements add-on (badges, points, leaderboards) included with all plans.
Written from the feature, pricing and install data on this page, not from hands-on testing. How we compare.
Which would you choose?
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FAQ
Which is better, LearnDash or Sensei LMS?
LearnDash scores higher on our feature checklist (99/100 against 82/100) and includes sell courses (built-in checkout) and points, badges & gamification that Sensei LMS does not. Only Sensei LMS has a free version. Check the features you rely on in the table below before deciding.
Which has more features?
LearnDash includes 25 of the 25 features we track, against 23 for Sensei LMS. Feature count is only part of the picture; check which of the differences matter to you.
Is LearnDash free?
LearnDash is premium only. Paid plans start at $259/yr.
Is Sensei LMS free?
Sensei LMS has a free version on WordPress.org. Paid plans start at $60/yr.
Feature data last changed 5 Oct 2026. Spotted something wrong? Suggest an edit to LearnDash or Sensei LMS. Some links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no cost to you; it never affects our data or rankings.