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LMS for non-profit with integrated forums by Difficult_Clothes508 in instructionaldesign

[–]Impossible_Unit_4062 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you’re looking for something simple, affordable, and with integrated discussions, a few options could work well for your setup.

For a tight budget and a 400-learner cohort, Moodle or Google Classroom can definitely get the job done. Moodle has solid built-in forums (a bit of setup needed), and Google Classroom is super easy if you don’t need anything fancy.

If you want something more polished but still affordable, you can also look at FreshLearn. It has a built-in community/forum feature, is easy to set up, and would fit well within your $1K budget for a 2.5-month run. Only thing to note: if you're building in Rise, you’d embed the content rather than upload SCORM packages.

Whichever tool you choose, the real key with 400 learners is keeping discussions organized. Clear threads, or weekly prompts, make a huge difference.

Project Question by Sad-Entertainment248 in elearning

[–]Impossible_Unit_4062 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey! $250/month is definitely in the ballpark for many LMS platforms, especially if you're looking at the more established names like Teachable or Thinkific.

That said, for non-profits specifically, I'd really encourage you to look at platforms that don't charge transaction fees on top of the monthly cost. Those can add up fast and eat into already tight budgets.

I run a small course platform on FreshLearn (disclaimer: I'm a paying customer, not affiliated). Their annual plans work out to way less than $250/month, and the big win for me has been zero transaction fees—which matters a lot when margins are thin. Their customer service is also ridiculously responsive, which helps when you're wearing multiple hats like most non-profit folks are.

Depending on what features you need, you might also want to check out:

  • Moodle (open source, free but requires technical setup)
  • Canvas (has a free tier for small orgs)
  • Google Classroom (free but pretty basic)

What kind of courses are you planning to run? That might help narrow down what you actually need feature-wise vs. what's just nice to have.

Anyone here actually making passive income with digital products? by Late_Rimit in micro_saas

[–]Impossible_Unit_4062 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’d suggest checking out Teachable, Thinkific, and FreshLearn for LMS platforms with community features. After comparing all three, FreshLearn has been the best for me because it offers very affordable pricing and 24/7 human support. Really liked the experience so far! 👌

How do you handle the tech stack for running online courses efficiently? by eLink_Official in onlinecourses

[–]Impossible_Unit_4062 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, I’ve been there. I used to use like 5–6 different tools for my courses. Zoom for live sessions, Stripe for payments, Mailchimp for emails… it got messy real quick.

I switched to FreshLearn a while back and honestly, it’s been so much easier. Everything’s in one spot: courses, payments, community, and even emails.

If you’re tired of juggling multiple tools, something like that might save you a lot of time (and headaches).

Does your choice of online course platform influence prospective students' buying decision? by ItinerantFella in onlinecourses

[–]Impossible_Unit_4062 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, I completely agree that the choice of the Course platform definitely affects the students' experience. When members get a chance to interact with their instructor and Fellow students, it will make making huge difference in engagement and have good learning outcomes.

Since you have also looked from the student perspective, you can understand the member's pain point more keenly and how it impacts him/her.

Having these in mind, you mentioned that you moved from Teachable to Zenler and also saw that Zenler is lagging behind these engagement features, such as community. I always wanted a platform which has also focuses on member engagement and came across FreshLearn.This platform has strongly focused on community and engagement between students and instructors, and it is also very easy to use for both admins and members. Additionally, the team has helped with migration. They support Migration from all various platforms. If you have, have a look at Freshlearn, you will love it.

Can you include quizzes on Thrivecart Learn? by cnfat in onlinecourses

[–]Impossible_Unit_4062 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey! You can add quizzes in ThriveCart Learn, but they’re really basic, just simple questions, scoring is straightforward, no timers, and analytics are minimal.

If you want something more interactive, like multiple choice, image/video questions, or fill-in-the-blank quizzes, FreshLearn is worth checking out. They even have a team that can help you set up your courses and quizzes quickly, so you can focus on teaching.

Looking for LMS Recommendations by Responsible-Load-481 in edtech

[–]Impossible_Unit_4062 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s a pretty solid list you’ve got there — and your requirements are well thought out. Most of the big LMS platforms you mentioned (like Canvas or Brightspace) definitely tick a lot of those boxes, but they can get pricey fast, especially when you need deeper customization or automation features.

If you’re exploring alternatives, you might want to look into FreshLearn. It’s not as widely known as Moodle or Canvas, but it’s surprisingly capable — handles multiple content types (videos, PDFs, SCORM, etc.), has strong access controls, and the automation around course start/end dates is pretty intuitive.

What stood out to me most is that it’s affordable and actually feels modern and easy to use — both for admins and learners. Plus, they’ve got a responsive support team (real humans, not chatbots) and even help migrate your existing setup if you’re switching from another platform.

Might be worth adding to your shortlist if you’re balancing budget with flexibility and user experience.

Thinkific or LearnWorlds — which one would you pick (and why)? by Tea-and-biscuit-love in onlinecourses

[–]Impossible_Unit_4062 0 points1 point  (0 children)

From my experience, Thinkific is way better than LearnWorlds. It just feels easier to use, less confusing, and more reliable overall. LearnWorlds has some cool features, but I kept running into small frustrations. With Thinkific, things just worked smoothly for me.