The way we learn and teach is constantly changing, and there’s no denying that the online classroom is the method of the future, with LearnDash being a popular choice for delivery.
If you’re already utilizing LearnDash for your online coursework or considering doing so, you probably want to know about the plugins that can be integrated with it.
What are the best LearnDash plugins? Astra, LoginPress, Uncanny Automator, and Zapier are just a few of the most commonly used plugins for LearnDash.
You can get plugins for automation, content creation, scheduling, notifications, and more, depending on what your online classroom needs.
This popular learning management system is made even better with the range of plugins and themes available for it.
If you want to know more about LearnDash and its possibilities, we’ve found the best plugins you can utilize, how much they cost and what their best and worst features are.
The Best LearnDash Plugins
As a fully customizable LMS, you can make LearnDash work for you by having the right themes and plugins in place.
When it comes to online learning, these are the plugins we consider essential for making the most of LearnDash.
#1 WISDM Instructor Role
WisdmLabs has created the Instructor Role plugin to help you manage the behind-the-scenes aspect of your digital classroom.
Using this plugin, you’ll be able to add internal and external instructors, share courses with other instructors, pay instructors, track and manage your students’ activity and performance, and take care of all administrative processes.
The Pros
- This is a one-stop-shop for the management of your LMS and it makes it easy to do everything a regular manager would do for a business.
- You can pay course instructors and set commission percentages using this plugin so it keeps track of finances as well.
- There are lots of features to utilize which makes it excellent value for money.
The Cons
- This type of plugin is better suited to smaller learning institutions as once you start adding more instructors it can get complicated.
Pricing
Instructor Role by WisdmLabs is offered over three pricing plans, each of them being charged annually.
The most basic is the Instructor Role by itself for $80 a year, otherwise, you can upgrade to get other tools and features for between $121 and $131 a year.
The more expensive LearnDash Essentials Addons Pack is the most popular seller and covers a huge range of functions possible on your learning site.
#2 LoginPress
The login page of your online classroom is the first impression you’ll make on students, so you want to make it perfect.
LoginPress is a plugin that lets you do just that and allows you to change designs, messages, fonts, logos, and more. You can also give users a magic URL instead of usernames and passwords (see also our article on LastPass alternatives), so it’s less work for them.
The Pros
- You can do a whole lot to your login page that will have a dramatic impact on its usability and overall design.
- The user interface is straightforward and it’s something that even beginners could make sense of.
- There’s a cheap plan option that lets you utilize basic features for less than $50 a year.
The Cons
- As a login plugin, there’s not much more to this than being able to change the login page, so don’t expect lots of features.
Pricing
As a fairly simple plugin, but one that every online classroom needs, it’s good to see that LoginPress is priced accordingly.
There are four plan types including Personal, Startup, Business, and Agency, and the cheapest costs just $49 for a one-year license. At the higher end of the scale, you’ll pay $299 a year but this is ideal for agents who manage many different website logins.
#3 Uncanny Automator
There’s a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes of a learning management system, and Uncanny Automator can take care of most of it for you.
This automation plugin does tasks like sending emails, changing roles, and triggering events when someone leaves a comment or logs into the classroom.
The Pros
- The simple design and features of this Automator make it a good choice for beginners and those without technical skills.
- Covers all of the basic triggers and functions that occur within an online classroom and in one simple plugin, so you have more spare time.
- The free version of this plugin is still extensive and should have enough features for first-timers to make use of.
The Cons
- This should be seen as a beginner automation plugin with only basic functionality, so you might want to upgrade as your website grows.
Pricing
This is another great plugin that comes with a free version, but that doesn’t mean it’s limited in any way. If you do want more from Uncanny Automator, the pro version includes more features and integrations.
You can manage one site for $149 a year or upgrade to their Business and Unlimited plans to manage more.
#4 Astra
Once you get your LearnDash site up and running, you’ll need to decide on a theme. Astra is one of the most popular themes because of its simplicity, user-friendliness, and price, with over 1.2 million active users.
The Astra theme is SEO friendly and is Schema.org integrated and Native AMP ready which means a better ranking for your online course.
The Pros
- The theme is fast and responsive, which means less waiting time for you and your students, and it’s just as fast to build a website too.
- This theme can be used for digital classrooms, virtual stores, personal portfolios, and more, so there are no limits on how you employ it.
- It’s been designed with SEO in mind so it can help you appear higher on search results.
The Cons
- As a simple builder, some people might feel limited in how much customization is possible with Astra.
Pricing
The Astra theme costs $49 for a one-year license, offering its most basic features, but you have the option to upgrade.
For $169 a year you’ll get the Essential Bundle and for $249 the Growth Bundle which gives you full access to a suite of tools that can help you build and manage your website.
#5 Content Cloner
Creating course content is one of the biggest challenges and time-wasters that educators have, so using a plugin like Content Cloner is essential.
With this plugin, you’ll be able to clone entire courses including quizzes, lessons, and more, so there’s no need to create them again from scratch.
The Pros
- Content Cloner is totally free but will save you hours of work, so you don’t have to pay a thing to enjoy it.
- You can perform mass updates on courses and content at the click of a button and without needing to access individual lessons, saving you a lot of time.
- A simple plugin that can be accessed by beginners and experts, with minimal features to get your head around.
The Cons
- As a free offering, it’s not the most comprehensive plugin and its functionality is limited to cloning course content.
Pricing
The best news about Content Cloner is that it’s free and there’s no need to upgrade to higher plans or get additional licenses for each website you’re using it with.
If you’re looking for quality plugins to help you customize the content of your digital classroom, it’s a truly free option with no strings attached.
#6 GamiPress
One of the biggest issues that online educators have is keeping their students engaged, so a plugin like GamiPress can be just what you need.
As the title suggests, GamiPress allows you to add gamification features to your digital classroom including badges, leaderboards, point creation, and achievements.
This is ideal for younger classrooms but works just as well if you’re trying to engage with an older audience.
The Pros
- Adds an element of fun to even the most boring classroom lessons, guaranteeing better engagement.
- The plugin is entirely free and there are no premium features that need to be unlocked by paying more.
- Access to unlimited support and upgrades for those already using LearnDash, which means it’s always modern and fresh.
The Cons
- Some people found that utilizing too many of the features offered by GamiPress meant their digital classroom felt cluttered or busy.
Pricing
There’s no need to pay a thing to utilize the gamification features of GamiPress, as it’s completely free. Better still, there are no further plans on offer which mean you get 100% of their offerings without paying a cent.
It works seamlessly with LearnDash and you’ll enjoy any updates, plus get ongoing support from their tech team, as long as you already have LearnDash.
#7 Zapier
As one of the most recognized automators, this plugin is a must if you have more advanced needs for your digital classroom.
This plugin lets you connect two separate applications automatically, with over 300 apps available to choose from, including those used within LearnDash.
The Pros
- Takes a lot of time off your hands by automatically connecting applications and triggering events without you having to do a thing.
- There’s a basic free option that helps you learn the ropes of what Zapier is about before investing more time and money.
- The plugin has been specifically designed to work with LearnDash so it can vastly increase what’s possible for you within your digital classroom.
The Cons
- The sheer number of features and functions means you need to spend more time getting to know Zapier, and it can be challenging for beginners.
Pricing
Zapier comes with a free plugin that can be helpful to use when you’re brand new to learning management systems. From there, you’ll probably want to upgrade to one of their paid pro plans to get access to the full suite of features.
The basic plan is $159 per year and allows you to manage one site, with the highest Pro level plan giving you up to 25 site licenses.
#8 Design Upgrade
If you’ve tested out the Astra plugin and want a little more from a website builder, we recommend Design Upgrade from Escape Creative.
The features of this plugin let you add new fonts, animations, login customization, and modern functions so that your digital classroom is as efficient and up-to-date as possible.
The Pros
- There’s a free version of the Design Upgrade plugin that gives you access to basic features so you don’t have a spend a cent to test it out.
- You can get deep into the customization and design of your digital classroom using this plugin so it won’t look like anyone else’s.
- There are over 110 customizable designs available to use for your online course which suits people who feel they’re lacking in creative skills.
The Cons
- It can be a lot to look through when you’re brand new to WordPress, so be prepared to spend longer than usual when building your website.
Pricing
The free version of Design Upgrade is surprisingly thorough and should give you everything you need to design a great website when you’re still on a smaller scale.
Otherwise, the pro version of the plugin comes in three options including one site for $29 a year, five sites for $49 a year, and 20 sites for $59 a year, so it’s still great value for money.
The Right Plugins For Every Classroom
With the freedom to use any of these plugins and more, you can create an online learning experience that’s efficient and user-friendly for you and your students.
Consider how these LearnDash plugins can make a difference in your online classroom and start building an LMS that works for you.
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