Running an education website—whether for online courses, schools, tutoring services, or fitness coaching—requires the right tools to manage students, content, and user experience. Fortunately, there are plenty of free and affordable plugins that can help you run your education website without breaking the bank.
This article covers the best plugins for:
✅ Learning Management Systems (LMS)
✅ Student & Teacher Management
✅ Quizzes & Assignments
✅ Membership & Payment Handling
✅ Live Classes & Video Integration
✅ Event Scheduling & Attendance Tracking
Let’s dive into the best free and budget-friendly plugins to supercharge your education website!
1. Learning Management System (LMS) Plugins
An LMS plugin is the core of any online education website. It helps create and manage courses, lessons, quizzes, and student progress.
| Plugin | Free Version | Premium Pricing | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tutor LMS | ✅ Yes | Starts at $199/year | Drag-and-drop course builder, quizzes, assignments, student dashboards |
| LearnPress | ✅ Yes | Add-ons available | Easy-to-use, supports WooCommerce, PayPal integration |
| LifterLMS | ✅ Yes | Starts at $199/year | Memberships, course certificates, payment gateways |
| Sensei LMS | ✅ Yes | Starts at $149/year | Built by WooCommerce, good for course monetization |
⭐ Best Pick for Free Users:
LearnPress – If you want a fully functional free LMS, this is your best option. It allows you to build courses, accept payments, and manage students efficiently.
⭐ Best Pick for Affordability & Features:
Tutor LMS – With a powerful free version and an affordable premium option, it’s perfect for structured online courses.
2. Student & Teacher Management Plugins
For an educational website, handling student enrollment, teacher profiles, and progress tracking is essential. These plugins help manage students and teachers effectively.
| Plugin | Free Version | Premium Pricing | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| MasterStudy LMS | ✅ Yes | Starts at $69/year | Student progress tracking, instructor dashboard, course certificates |
| WP User Manager | ✅ Yes | Starts at $99/year | Custom user registration, profile management, student roles |
| UsersWP | ✅ Yes | Add-ons available | Lightweight user profile and login system |
⭐ Best Free Option:
MasterStudy LMS – It includes a free student management system along with course creation.
⭐ Best for Membership Sites:
WP User Manager – If you want to build a membership-based education platform, this is a great choice.
3. Quiz & Assignment Plugins
A well-structured education website needs quizzes and assignments to evaluate student progress. Here are some top free and budget-friendly plugins:
| Plugin | Free Version | Premium Pricing | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quiz and Survey Master | ✅ Yes | Starts at $79/year | Multi-choice quizzes, surveys, timed tests |
| H5P | ✅ Yes | Free forever | Interactive content, drag-and-drop quizzes, fill-in-the-blanks |
| WP Quiz | ✅ Yes | Starts at $57/year | Multiple quiz types, leaderboards, personality tests |
⭐ Best Free Quiz Plugin:
H5P – 100% free and provides interactive content features beyond just quizzes.
⭐ Best Affordable Quiz Plugin:
Quiz and Survey Master – Perfect for structured tests, certificates, and student evaluation.
4. Membership & Payment Handling Plugins
To sell courses, charge subscriptions, or manage memberships, you need a reliable payment and membership plugin.
| Plugin | Free Version | Premium Pricing | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paid Memberships Pro | ✅ Yes | Starts at $247/year | Membership tiers, course access control |
| Restrict Content Pro | ✅ Yes | Starts at $99/year | Restrict lessons, WooCommerce integration |
| WooCommerce Subscriptions | ❌ No | Starts at $199/year | Subscription-based course payments |
⭐ Best Free Option:
Paid Memberships Pro – The free version allows membership control, but the premium version adds more advanced features.
⭐ Best for One-Time Payments:
Restrict Content Pro – If you want to sell individual courses, this is a good, budget-friendly option.
5. Live Classes & Video Integration
If you want to conduct live lessons, host recorded videos, or integrate Zoom, these plugins will help.
| Plugin | Free Version | Premium Pricing | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video Conferencing with Zoom | ✅ Yes | Starts at $99/year | Zoom integration, scheduled meetings |
| Presto Player | ✅ Yes | Starts at $69/year | Private video hosting, student engagement features |
| WP Video Lightbox | ✅ Yes | Free forever | Embed YouTube & Vimeo videos |
⭐ Best Free Live Class Plugin:
Video Conferencing with Zoom – Perfect for adding live Zoom classes to your website.
⭐ Best for Video Hosting & Playback:
Presto Player – If you want professional video playback with engagement tracking, this is a good choice.
6. Event Scheduling & Attendance Tracking
For educational websites that conduct live classes, workshops, or exams, event scheduling and attendance tracking are crucial.
| Plugin | Free Version | Premium Pricing | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Events Calendar | ✅ Yes | Starts at $99/year | Create event schedules, integrate Google Calendar |
| Amelia Lite | ✅ Yes | Starts at $59/year | Booking system for tutoring, coaching, and classes |
| WP Simple Booking Calendar | ✅ Yes | Starts at $39/year | Simple event and class bookings |
⭐ Best for Free Users:
The Events Calendar – It’s a full-featured event plugin that helps you organize classes, exams, and meetings.
⭐ Best Affordable Scheduling Plugin:
Amelia Lite – A powerful yet affordable tool for managing appointments and bookings for tutors or private educators.
Final Thoughts: Which Plugins Should You Use?
Depending on your education website’s needs, here are some recommended combinations:
🔹 For Online Course Websites: Tutor LMS + Quiz and Survey Master + Paid Memberships Pro + Video Conferencing with Zoom
🔹 For Coaching & Tutoring: LearnPress + WP User Manager + Amelia Lite
🔹 For Schools & Colleges: MasterStudy LMS + The Events Calendar + Restrict Content Pro
With these free and affordable plugins, you can build and manage a professional education website without spending a fortune.
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