We Rank the 8 Best Learndash Themes

WordPress has become more than just a website builder in recent years and is now even a hub for e-learning.

Using the LearnDash plugin, you can offer courses and educational tools to your customers and students, opening up a whole new world of possibilities for the content management system.

What are the best LearnDash themes? Among the most popular LearnDash themes are Astra, eLumine, Edumodo, BuddyBoss LearnDash, and University, but they’re not the only ones.

These themes vary in scope and features, as well as pricing, so they should be chosen to suit the needs of the educational organization using them.

Before you jump in and start delivering online course content to the masses you want to be sure have the right tools in your arsenal.

We’ve counted down some of the most popular LearnDash themes you can use on WordPress and what makes each of them a top contender.

The 8 Best LearnDash Themes

As one of the most popular learning management systems on the WordPress platform, you’re guaranteed to find a theme you like using LearnDash.

To narrow down the choices and help you weigh up the good and bad, we’ve ranked some of the best-rated themes available today and what sets them apart from the rest.

Theme #1: Astra

Arguably the biggest LearnDash theme with over 1.6 million active installs, you can put your faith into Astra to deliver.

This theme has been specifically built by Brainstorm Force for LearnDash so it’s got great functionality and is easy to use. You’ll enjoy over 180 templates that are ready to use and fully customizable to suit your needs.

The Pros

• Almost everything can be customized and edited using this theme so you can make it exactly to your specifications.
• The software is lightweight and easy to navigate which makes it ideal for beginners.
• Astra is compatible with the other page builders on WordPress and was made specifically for this platform.

The Cons

• Although enticing, the free version of this plugin is limited and you’ll need at least a Pro membership to unlock its best features.

Pricing

One of the best things about Astra is that there’s a free version available so you can test out the software and see what’s possible. From there, you’ll have three paid plans to choose from each offering more features than the last.

They include Astra Pro for $49 a year, Essential Bundle for $169, and the top-tier Growth Bundle at $249 per year.

Read more here.

Theme #2: eLumine

eLumine is another big name in LearnDash themes, coming to you from WisdmLabs, and giving you all the tools you need to create and share an online course.

Some of the features included with this theme are quiz reporting, content cloner, instructor role, and reviews and feedback, all of which are handy when you’re working with an LMS.

The Pros

• Their customer support is among some of the best for those who predict they’ll need a helping hand setting up their site.
• A high-tech but smooth user interface and the latest tech mean a more modern experience for your users.
• You’ll find integrations with all of the popular plugins like WooCommerce, LearnDash, BuddyPress, and more.

The Cons

• To get the best value from this theme, upgrading to the more expensive LEAP pack is required.

Pricing

The pricing for eLumine can be a little confusing as their basic $100/year plan doesn’t come with LearnDash support.

However, the next two plans are eLumine LearnDash Advisor for $141 a year or the eLumine + LearnDash Essential Addon Pack (LEAP) for $148 thanks to a current promotion.

If you decide you want to stick with eLumine, you can purchase a lifetime plan for savings of up to 60%.

Theme #3: University

University goes above and beyond other LearnDash themes because it provides an LMS in itself.

Using this theme, you’ll be able to create learning modules, sell tickets, host events, and engage users in all kinds of activities, so it’s more than just a learning space.

The Pros

• Price-wise, University is one of the cheaper options and on the $49 plan you’re still able to get all of its best features.
• This theme provides more tools to utilize for your students and users, going above just the aesthetics that others offer.
• There are currently seven functional and modern home page demos that you can easily insert your data into and start using right away.

The Cons

• The list of integrations isn’t as long as others, but they’re working on adding more all of the time.

Pricing

Unlike other themes, there’s only one fee for using University and it gives the account full access to everything on offer.

You’ll only have to pay $49 per year to use this theme and it includes six months of support from Cactus Themes with the option to extend to 12 months for just a little more.

Theme #4: BuddyBoss

Using the free BuddyBoss platform, you can utilize the LearnDash LMS plugin to create an entire online course from start to finish, and you’ll get all of the regular support that BuddyBoss offers.

You can enjoy custom-built integrations and the option to deliver or sell your online course content, all with the click of a button.

The Pros

• This theme focuses on selling courses as well as delivering them, so it’s a smart pick for businesses who want to do the same.
• As one of the biggest platforms on WordPress, the support and usability of the BuddyBoss product range are second to none.
• There are social integrations and virtual classrooms for your users that allow them to make learning more social.

The Cons

• If you’re not already using BuddyBoss, there can be some extra work involved when transferring over to this plugin.

Pricing

BuddyBoss pricing is based on how many websites you have, with greater savings to be made for businesses with 5-10 sites.

If you only have one, you’ll pay $228 a year which makes it one of the more expensive but comprehensive platforms you can use on WordPress.

Theme #5: Edumodo

Edumodo is often praised for its simplicity and if you’re after a LearnDash theme that’s easy to navigate for you and your students, it’s one of our favorites.

With features like course builders, quiz builders, lesson builders, and certificates of completion, it’s an affordable way to make your online course a reality, and without needing any coding or expert knowledge..

The Pros

• With a drag-and-drop user interface, it’s a great pick for people who aren’t confident with their website-building skills.
• Edumodo supports most of the LMS plugins like LearnPress, Sensi, and Tutor so it’s fully compatible.
• The single plan price each year means everyone gets to access the full suite of features and nothing is off-limits.

The Cons

• There aren’t as many areas for customization as you’ll find with other LearnDash themes so it might not work for those wanting to personalize their course content.

Pricing

If you’re looking for a more affordable WordPress theme for your educational site, the $49 yearly fee for Edumodo should be right up your alley.

There’s no need to sign up for a higher plan just to access its features either, as this does it all, and gives you six months of support from ThemeXpert in case you need it.

Theme #6: Talemy Education

Talemy Education is a LearnDash theme with a lot to offer and you can make as detailed of a course as you want, thanks to all of its features.

Among its best features are tools like advanced quizzing, an intelligent course builder, detailed reporting, powerful add-ons, and more. It comes with support from LearnDash, WooCommerce, Gutenberg, and more, so it’s highly compatible.

The Pros

• There are six uniquely modern website demos to choose from without you needing to lift a finger, or you can design your own using various customizations.
• You’ll get a lot more features here so you can make your learning site as detailed as possible, earning yourself a higher price.
• It’s reasonably priced and there are no higher levels of plans, which means you get to use all of its features from the jump.

The Cons

• There are some bugs with the software but the support team has always been quick to rectify them.

Pricing

This is another LearnDash theme that comes with a single purchase price, so you don’t have to weigh up different plans and see what features they offer before signing up for one.

The annual price for Talemy Education is just $59 and it includes six months of support from Theme-Spirit with the option to extend to 12 months for less than $20 more.

Theme #7: Education Center

Education Center is a simple and straightforward LearnDash theme that offers three homepage layouts to use and insert your data into.

Using this plugin, you can create courses, quizzes, dynamic forums, lesson timing and schedules, and certificates and awards for your students.

The Education Center theme was designed to be used by a variety of organizations like schools, universities, informal learning institutions, and language schools.

The Pros

• The theme is versatile enough to be used by a wide range of learning institutions and can be built to be child friendly.
• Having a one-off affordable payment for a full year of use makes this theme one of the more fairly priced options.
• The various layouts are colorful and appealing, giving a much more vibrant. appearance than some of the other sterile themes on offer.

The Cons

• There are only three homepage layout demos to choose from which is a lot less than the competition has to offer.

Pricing

This simple WordPress theme for LearnDash is reasonably priced at just $59 for a year, and there’s no need to upgrade to other plans just to utilize all of its best features.

Education Center will also include six months of support from ThemeREX and they have options to extend for a full year of coverage if you think you’ll need it.

Theme #8: Invent

Invent is one of the most detailed but affordable LearnDash themes with one of the biggest libraries of layouts and features on offer.

Designed for use by secondary learning and universities, but accessible to all others, it allows you to create course content that gives your institution a professional touch.

The Pros

• With over 30 layouts to choose from, it’s easy to find something that suits your branding and the image you want to convey when delivering your online course content.
• As well as being suitable for learning institutions, Invent has enough features to also cater to corporate websites, small businesses, and design agencies, so you get more bang for your buck.
• 17 premium widgets are included with this theme so you can make your website as advanced as you like.

The Cons

• Novice users might find it a little hard to access all of the features on this theme so it’s not recommended for absolute beginners who don’t have time to learn.

Pricing

A regular license for one year with Invent will cost you $59, and that includes all of the features.

They don’t offer a variety of plans so everything comes with this license and it also offers six months of support from LiveMesh which built this specific LearnDash theme.

For those who want more, you can get a full year of support from LiveMesh for less than $18.

Related Articles:

➡️ LearnDash Shortcodes – How To Use Them
➡️ Top LearnDash Alternatives
➡️ LearnPress Vs LearnDash
➡️ LearnDash Vs LifterLMS – Which Is Best For You?

A Better Theme for Learning

A website can only be as good as the tools that helped build it, and choosing the right LearnDash theme will ensure that your course content is created and delivered as smoothly as possible.

With our top picks for LearnDash themes you’re bound to find one that ticks all of the boxes, so consider how they could work for your business.

Resources:

• LearnDash.com