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Open eLMS vs Moodle for corporate training in the UK

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Moodle is free, open-source software with a very large global community. It suits organisations that want full control over their platform and have the skills to host, configure and support it, either in-house or through a Moodle Certified Partner. Open eLMS is a hosted LMS from a UK company that comes with over 4,500 editable SCORM courses, an AI course builder and compliance reporting ready to use. It suits UK organisations that want corporate and compliance training running quickly, without looking after the software themselves.

At a glance

Open eLMS Moodle
Who makes it Open eLMS Ltd (formerly e-Learning WMB), a UK company founded in 2003. Moodle LMS has been developed since 1999, backed by a global community and a network of Moodle Certified Partners.
Hosting and ownership Hosted LMS and LXP, run for you by Open eLMS. Open source under the GNU General Public License. You can download and host it yourself, use MoodleCloud (Moodle's own hosted service, where plugins can't be installed), or buy hosting from a Moodle Certified Partner.
Corporate edition One platform; features depend on the plan. Moodle Workplace is Moodle's corporate training edition. It is licensed software sold only through Moodle Premium Certified Partners and Service Providers.
Pricing model Per user, per year: Professional £10, Enterprise £35, Enterprise AI £69 (prices on our pricing page, 15/10/2026). Moodle LMS is free to download, modify and share; your costs are hosting, set-up and support. MoodleCloud is sold on annual plans, and adding users means moving up a plan. Moodle Workplace pricing depends on the hosting and services your partner provides.
Course library Over 4,500 editable SCORM courses in 28 languages in the Learning Store. Professional includes 200 eLearning credits; Enterprise AI includes unlimited credits. Moodle Workplace lets you bring in SCORM and LTI content from third-party sources. A bundled course library isn't described on the Moodle pages we checked, so ask your partner what they include.
AI course authoring Learning Generator builds courses with AI and exports them as SCORM 1.2 or 2004 files (separate plans from £19.99 a month). Since Moodle 4.5, an AI subsystem offers "generate text", "generate image" and "summarise text" actions. Your site administrator connects an AI provider and chooses where the tools appear.
SCORM, xAPI and LTI SCORM 1.2 and 2004 tracked in full (completion, pass/fail, score, time and resume), including Storyline, Rise and Captivate packages. xAPI is used to track video learning. Built to the LTI v1.3 standard. Moodle achieved 1EdTech LTI Advantage certification (announced for Moodle 3.7 in 2019). MoodleCloud supports LTI 1.1/2.0 and LTI 1.3 Advantage. Moodle Workplace integrates SCORM and LTI content.
Compliance and reporting Compliance reporting with automatic refresher re-assignment, forms and sign-off sheets, and smart classroom sessions on Teams or Zoom. Moodle Workplace offers automated recertification, completion tracking for courses, programmes and certifications, dynamic rules that assign learning automatically, and reports that can be scheduled.
UK public sector buying routes Dynamic Purchasing System RM6219 and framework Y25003. Moodle hosting and support are offered by partners on G-Cloud 14 (for example, GP Strategies). The route depends on the partner you choose.
Support Direct from Open eLMS, with a 99.9% uptime SLA. Enterprise plans include 2nd and 3rd line support. MoodleCloud customers get a knowledge base and support tickets. Moodle says 24-hour response times are available through a Certified Partner solution.
Security certifications ISO 27001 (certificate 373282021), ISO 9001, ISO 20000 and Cyber Essentials Plus. ICO registration ZB031013. Depends on who hosts it. MoodleCloud says the services it uses are accredited with ISO certifications; if you use a partner, ask to see their certificates.

Where Moodle is a good fit

Moodle is a strong choice in plenty of situations, and it's worth saying so plainly:

  • You want free, open-source software. Moodle LMS is free to download, modify and share under the GNU General Public License.
  • You have the skills to run it, or a partner who does. If you have developers and server admins, or you're happy to pay a Moodle Certified Partner, you can shape Moodle exactly how you like.
  • You value a huge community. Moodle reports more than 153,000 Moodle sites and over 3.4 billion course enrolments, so help, plugins and experienced people are easy to find.
  • You teach as well as train. Moodle is used by thousands of educational institutions, so it's very flexible for academic-style courses.
  • You need lots of separate training spaces. Moodle Workplace can give each division, department or franchise its own LMS space.
  • LTI matters to you. Moodle holds 1EdTech LTI Advantage certification.

Where Open eLMS is a good fit

  • You want training running quickly, without managing servers. Open eLMS is hosted for you, with a 99.9% uptime SLA.
  • You need content on day one. Over 4,500 editable SCORM courses in 28 languages are included in the Learning Store, so you can edit a course to match your policies rather than write it from scratch.
  • You want AI to build courses you can take anywhere. Learning Generator creates courses with AI and exports them as SCORM 1.2 or 2004.
  • Compliance is a big part of your training. Compliance reports, automatic refresher re-assignment, forms and sign-off sheets are built in.
  • You buy through UK public sector routes. Open eLMS is on DPS RM6219 and framework Y25003.
  • You want one UK supplier to answer to. Open eLMS Ltd has been a UK company since 2003 and holds ISO 27001, ISO 9001, ISO 20000 and Cyber Essentials Plus.
  • You want predictable pricing. You pay per user, per year, and the prices are published.

Questions to ask both in a demo

  1. What will it cost over three years? Include licences, hosting, set-up, support, plugins and any partner fees, not just year one.
  2. Who hosts it, and where? Ask for the hosting provider, data location and the supplier's own security certificates.
  3. Can you load one of our SCORM courses now? Watch completion, pass/fail, score and resume being recorded.
  4. Show us our compliance report. For example, mandatory training completion by department, with overdue staff highlighted, and how refreshers are re-assigned when they expire.
  5. What content comes with it? Can we edit it, and in which languages?
  6. How do we sign in? Show single sign-on working with Microsoft Entra ID or Google.
  7. Who do we call when something breaks? Get response times and the support hours in writing.
  8. How do we buy it? Ask which public sector framework or route applies, if you need one.

Frequently asked questions

Is Moodle free for corporate training?

Moodle LMS is free to download, modify and share under the GNU General Public License. You still pay for hosting, set-up, support and any paid plugins, whether you do it yourself or use MoodleCloud or a Moodle Certified Partner. Moodle Workplace, the corporate edition, is licensed software sold through Moodle Premium Certified Partners and Service Providers.

What is the difference between Moodle LMS and Moodle Workplace?

Moodle Workplace is Moodle's edition for corporate training. Moodle describes features such as separate tenant spaces for divisions or departments, dynamic rules that assign learning automatically, automated recertification and scheduled reports. It is bought through Moodle Premium Certified Partners and Service Providers rather than downloaded for free.

Does Open eLMS come with ready-made courses?

Yes. The Open eLMS Learning Store includes over 4,500 editable SCORM courses in 28 languages. Professional plans include 200 eLearning credits and Enterprise AI plans include unlimited credits.

Can I move my SCORM courses from Moodle to Open eLMS?

Open eLMS tracks SCORM 1.2 and SCORM 2004 in full, including completion, pass/fail, score, time and resume, and handles packages built in Storyline, Rise and Captivate. Ask us to load one of your own courses during the demo so you can see it working before you decide.

Can UK public sector organisations buy Open eLMS or Moodle through a framework?

Open eLMS is available through the Dynamic Purchasing System RM6219 and framework Y25003. Moodle hosting and support are offered by Moodle partners on G-Cloud 14, so the route depends on the partner you choose.

Which security certifications should I check?

Ask each supplier for current certificates rather than logos. Open eLMS holds ISO 27001 (certificate 373282021), ISO 9001, ISO 20000 and Cyber Essentials Plus, and is registered with the ICO (ZB031013). For Moodle, the certifications depend on who hosts it, so ask MoodleCloud or your partner for theirs.

How much does Open eLMS cost?

Open eLMS is priced per user, per year. On 15/10/2026 the published prices were £10 for Professional, £35 for Enterprise and £69 for Enterprise AI. Check the pricing page for current prices.

See both side by side with your own content

The quickest way to compare is to bring one of your own courses and your most-asked-for report to a demo. We'll load the course, run the report and show you the costs in writing.

Sources, checked 15/10/2026

Moodle:

Open eLMS: