SOFTWARE COMPARISON

Academy LMS vs Skillplate

Compare Academy LMS and Skillplate by price, plan limits, features and the work each tool supports.

Prices in USD

Choose tools to compare

Select two or three tools to compare prices, plans and features.

Tool 1Tool 2Tool 3 (optional)

Comparison table

Academy LMS vs Skillplate: price, availability and purpose
Compare	Academy LMS	Skillplate
Offer status	Live	Live
Starting price	$59 one-timeLicense Tier 1	$79 one-timeLicense Tier 1
What it does	Academy LMS is a WordPress plugin for selling courses, managing instructors and tracking learners on your own site. Its lifetime tiers primarily change site licences, but the current free-core download restriction deserves attention before you buy.	Skillplate combines a hosted storefront, courses, digital products and AI assistance. Its lifetime price is only one part of the cost: platform commission, streaming capacity, a paid bring-your-own-key option and a non-refundable white-label add-on can change the purchase considerably.
Included capabilities	Course builder, assessments and certificates Site licences from one to two hundred SCORM import advertised for existing training content	Video storage and monthly streaming included by tier Unlimited course and administrator counts listed Optional lifetime zero-commission add-on

Starting prices can cover different workloads. Compare the named tiers and allowances below before treating a price difference as a saving.

Which tool should you choose?

Academy LMS

For a new school, resolve installation and update access before paying. If that is satisfactory, Tier 1 is enough for one site; a larger tier is justified by real site activations, not a claim that every Kodezen product is included.

Suitable for

WordPress site owners who need assessments and multi-instructor courses; Agencies that can maintain client WordPress installations

Consider another option if

The free core is temporarily closed on WordPress.org pending review.; Hosting, maintenance, payment processing and separate ecosystem products are not automatically paid for.; A native mobile app was still described as coming soon in the October 27 founder answer.

Buy now Read the Academy LMS buying guide

Skillplate

Tier 1 can fit a first course business within its storage and streaming caps. Upgrade for measured capacity, not unlimited-course wording. Price the commission separately, and postpone a non-refundable white-label purchase until the actual checkout and delivery workflow fit.

Suitable for

Creators selling hosted video courses and downloads; Small course businesses comfortable with Stripe and explicit platform commission

Consider another option if

The current community implementation uses Discord; a native community was still a roadmap item in the founder reply.; Standard tiers charge platform commission in addition to payment processing.; The deal excludes anyone with a previous Skillplate account, trial or paid plan.

Buy now Read the Skillplate buying guide

Feature comparison

Compare documented coverage and the conditions attached to it. A higher feature count does not establish better quality or reliability.

IncludedLimitedPaid add-onNot includedNot confirmed

Features are grouped by documented coverage. “Not confirmed” means the evidence is incomplete, not that a feature is absent.

Course creation: documented features and conditions
FEATURESFeature comparison	Academy LMSLifetime deal	SkillplateLifetime deal
Included in every compared tool3 features
Course builderPages and course organization	Included Lessons, chapters, prerequisites and content drip are advertised.	Included Hosted course and digital-product creation with unlimited course count listed.
Custom domainBranded publishing	Included Self-hosted WordPress runs on the domain you supply.	Included A custom storefront domain is advertised; complete white-label removal is a separate paid add-on.
CollaboratorsAdditional author accounts	Included Multi-instructor support and course management roles are listed.	Included Unlimited administrator accounts are explicitly included.
Shared limitations and conditions1 feature
AI authoringOperation-specific generation usage	Limited AI course creation is included; provider billing and exact usage allowances are not established.	Limited Tier-based dollar-denominated Gemini credits; renewal and per-action costs need clarification.
Evidence still incomplete4 features
Interactive learningQuestions and activities	Included Quizzes, assignments, certificates and learner engagement features are listed.	Not confirmed Certificates are listed and reviewers discuss assessments, but exact lifetime quiz/gamification entitlements were not established.
MCP connectionConversational authoring	Not confirmed No documented lifetime MCP entitlement was established.	Not confirmed No AppSumo MCP entitlement was established.
SCORMLMS interoperability scope	Limited SCORM import is advertised; package versions and detailed tracking compatibility need confirmation.	Not confirmed SCORM package import/export rights are not established in the lifetime offer.
Enterprise API and SSOFeatures outside the lifetime plan	Not confirmed Webhooks are included, but full external API scope is not established.	Limited Founder describes API enrolment with external checkout automation; exact endpoint limits need confirmation.

Check each product’s plan notes for tier limits and additional costs. Feature coverage is not a quality rating.

Plans, prices and allowances

Compare every recorded tier. Daily, monthly and one-time balances are separate; an unspecified allowance is not unlimited.

Academy LMS plans

PLAN DETAILS

Compare each plan’s price and allowance. Confirm any limit marked ‘Not specified’ before buying.

Academy LMS plans and limits · USD
Plan comparison4 plans	For 1 WordPress siteLicense Tier 1	For 25 WordPress sitesLicense Tier 2	For 100 WordPress sitesLicense Tier 3	For 200 WordPress sitesLicense Tier 4
PriceUSD	$59one-time	$129one-time	$249one-time	$349one-time
Billing	One-time payment	One-time payment	One-time payment	One-time payment
Site licences	1sites	25sites	100sites	200sites
Who this tier fits	Choose this only when the lower tier cannot cover your real site activations.	Choose this only when the lower tier cannot cover your real site activations.	Choose this only when the lower tier cannot cover your real site activations.	Choose this only when the lower tier cannot cover your real site activations.
Keep in mind	Resolve free-core installation and update delivery before purchase; confirm staging-site counting.	Resolve free-core installation and update delivery before purchase; confirm staging-site counting.	Resolve free-core installation and update delivery before purchase; confirm staging-site counting.	Resolve free-core installation and update delivery before purchase; confirm staging-site counting.
Plan notes	Same displayed core feature set; site activation capacity changes. Future Individual plan updates. Hosting and third-party service charges are separate.	Same displayed core feature set; site activation capacity changes. Future Business Plus plan updates. Hosting and third-party service charges are separate.	Same displayed core feature set; site activation capacity changes. Future Agency plan updates. Hosting and third-party service charges are separate.	Same displayed core feature set; site activation capacity changes. Future Agency plan updates. Hosting and third-party service charges are separate.

Select the final tier on AppSumo. The product link opens the same listing for every tier.

Buy now

Skillplate plans

PLAN DETAILS

Compare each plan’s price and allowance. Confirm any limit marked ‘Not specified’ before buying.

Skillplate plans and limits · USD
Plan comparison6 plans	First course businessLicense Tier 1	More measured audience/video capacityLicense Tier 2	More measured audience/video capacityLicense Tier 3	More measured audience/video capacityLicense Tier 4	Large audience with the same finite video capLicense Tier 5	Plus-only lower commissionLicense Tier 6 (Plus)
PriceUSD	$79one-time	$149one-time	$239one-time	$349one-time	$529one-time	$549one-time
Billing	One-time payment	One-time payment	One-time payment	One-time payment	One-time payment	One-time payment
Businesses	1business	1business	1business	1business	1business	1business
Contacts	5,000contacts	10,000contacts	20,000contacts	50,000contacts	Unlimitedcontacts	Unlimitedcontacts
Active users	1,000users	5,000users	10,000users	25,000users	Unlimitedusers	Unlimitedusers
Streaming per month	15,000minutes / month	30,000minutes / month	45,000minutes / month	60,000minutes / month	75,000minutes / month	75,000minutes / month
Video storage	15hours	30hours	50hours	75hours	100hours	100hours
Platform commission	10% of sales	9% of sales	8% of sales	7% of sales	5% of sales	3% of sales
Gemini AI credit value	5USD; renewal unconfirmed	10USD; renewal unconfirmed	15USD; renewal unconfirmed	20USD; renewal unconfirmed	25USD; renewal unconfirmed	50USD; renewal unconfirmed
Zero-commission lifetime add-on	449USD once	449USD once	449USD once	449USD once	449USD once	449USD once
Bring-your-own-Gemini-key add-on	199USD once	199USD once	199USD once	199USD once	199USD once	199USD once
White-label add-on	299USD once; non-refundable	299USD once; non-refundable	299USD once; non-refundable	299USD once; non-refundable	299USD once; non-refundable	299USD once; non-refundable
Who this tier fits	Use the smallest tier that covers stored hours, viewing minutes, contacts and active users.	Use the smallest tier that covers stored hours, viewing minutes, contacts and active users.	Use the smallest tier that covers stored hours, viewing minutes, contacts and active users.	Use the smallest tier that covers stored hours, viewing minutes, contacts and active users.	Use the smallest tier that covers stored hours, viewing minutes, contacts and active users.	Use the smallest tier that covers stored hours, viewing minutes, contacts and active users.
Keep in mind	Budget commission and add-ons separately. Tier 6 does not increase video capacity over Tier 5.	Budget commission and add-ons separately. Tier 6 does not increase video capacity over Tier 5.	Budget commission and add-ons separately. Tier 6 does not increase video capacity over Tier 5.	Budget commission and add-ons separately. Tier 6 does not increase video capacity over Tier 5.	Budget commission and add-ons separately. Tier 6 does not increase video capacity over Tier 5.	Budget commission and add-ons separately. Tier 6 does not increase video capacity over Tier 5.
Plan notes	Unlimited courses, admin accounts, bundles and downloads listed. Commission is in addition to payment-provider charges. AI credit renewal and usage conversion not established. White-label add-on applies to one business and is non-refundable.	Unlimited courses, admin accounts, bundles and downloads listed. Commission is in addition to payment-provider charges. AI credit renewal and usage conversion not established. White-label add-on applies to one business and is non-refundable.	Unlimited courses, admin accounts, bundles and downloads listed. Commission is in addition to payment-provider charges. AI credit renewal and usage conversion not established. White-label add-on applies to one business and is non-refundable.	Unlimited courses, admin accounts, bundles and downloads listed. Commission is in addition to payment-provider charges. AI credit renewal and usage conversion not established. White-label add-on applies to one business and is non-refundable.	Unlimited courses, admin accounts, bundles and downloads listed. Commission is in addition to payment-provider charges. AI credit renewal and usage conversion not established. White-label add-on applies to one business and is non-refundable.	Unlimited courses, admin accounts, bundles and downloads listed. Commission is in addition to payment-provider charges. AI credit renewal and usage conversion not established. White-label add-on applies to one business and is non-refundable. Buy with Plus shown: AppSumo Plus membership required. Future-plan mapping in the terms names Tiers 1–5 but not Tier 6; confirm mapping.

Select the final tier on AppSumo. The product link opens the same listing for every tier.

Buy now

Credits, limits and extra costs

Academy LMS

The free core is temporarily closed on WordPress.org pending review.
Hosting, maintenance, payment processing and separate ecosystem products are not automatically paid for.
A native mobile app was still described as coming soon in the October 27 founder answer.

Budget for the school around the plugin

The one-time licence does not buy your domain, WordPress hosting, video delivery, transactional email or payment processing. If you already pay for those, the extra cost may be modest; if not, include them in the school budget. Self-hosting large lesson videos also consumes storage and bandwidth.

The listing mentions ZenCommunity, GemCRM, StoreEngine and other connected products. It does not establish that every paid plan in the Kodezen ecosystem comes with this licence. Confirm the exact add-on and licence required for a community, email workflow or mobile app. AI course creation is listed, but a numerical AI allowance and provider-payment rules were not established in the checked offer.

See all Academy LMS tier guidance

Skillplate

The current community implementation uses Discord; a native community was still a roadmap item in the founder reply.
Standard tiers charge platform commission in addition to payment processing.
The deal excludes anyone with a previous Skillplate account, trial or paid plan.

A lifetime licence still takes a share of sales

Tier 1’s platform commission is 10%; Tier 5’s is 5%, and the Plus-only Tier 6’s is 3%. This applies in addition to payment-provider charges. A higher purchase price can therefore change continuing costs, but paying for unused video capacity solely to lower commission may not be the best choice.

The zero-commission add-on is listed at $449 once. Compare it with the platform commission you expect to pay: add-on price divided by the commission percentage expressed as a decimal gives the gross-sales break-even point. This calculation excludes processor fees, refunds, taxes and the value of paying upfront.

A September 26 founder answer says that add-on covers current and future product types and payment plans for the account’s lifetime. Keep the purchase terms. It removes Skillplate’s commission, not every payment or operating charge.

See all Skillplate tier guidance

How the tools fit common workflows

Academy LMS

Run paid lessons from an existing WordPress site

Your school needs enrolment, lesson access, assessments and payments without sending learners to a separate hosted school.

Install the free core and licensed Pro plugin using a verified vendor route.
Build lessons, quizzes and certificates, then configure the supported checkout.
Check enrolment, lesson completion and payment refunds on a staging copy before launch.

Expected outcome: A self-hosted setup keeps the course experience and its administration on your WordPress installation.

Limitation: The current directory restriction interrupts the normal installation route. You also own backups, updates, hosting capacity and compatibility checks.

Manage several instructors without buying a separate school for each

Different teachers need course roles, revenue shares and progress reporting.

Assign instructor roles and the relevant course permissions.
Set up the supported revenue-sharing and course management workflow.
Review access using an instructor role before giving staff production access.

Expected outcome: The plugin advertises multi-instructor management within a school.

Limitation: A site licence is not an instructor seat. External apps in the Kodezen ecosystem may have their own licences; their logos do not prove inclusion.

Skillplate

Sell courses and downloads from a hosted storefront

A creator wants a website, checkout and learner access without maintaining a WordPress installation.

Build the course or download product and its sales page.
Configure checkout and delivery using the supported payment flow.
Measure the stored video hours and likely viewing minutes before choosing a tier.

Expected outcome: The platform combines those business functions with tiered hosting capacity.

Limitation: Unlimited courses does not mean unlimited storage, streaming or free sales. Each of those has its own cost or limit.

Lower platform fees once sales justify an add-on

A growing course business pays more commission as sales rise, even after buying a lifetime licence.

Estimate gross processed sales rather than profit.
Apply the chosen tier’s platform commission separately from processor fees.
Compare that result with the one-time zero-commission add-on before purchasing it.

Expected outcome: The optional add-on can replace Skillplate’s percentage commission with a known upfront cost.

Limitation: It does not remove payment processing, tax services, AI-provider usage or higher-capacity needs.

What buyers report

Buyer experiences can vary with the plan, product version and workflow.

Academy LMS

Older usability complaints need a version-specific check

AppSumo reviewer Webkiter reported translation loss in October 2025; the founder replied in September 2026 that a later release addressed it. Another October 2025 reviewer described lesson-completion problems; the founder later pointed to video fixes. A release announcement does not establish that every affected setup is fixed.

Support experiences differ

climateforwardpakistan’s September 2025 review described responsive troubleshooting despite quiz bugs; another purchaser reported repeated workarounds. The current version should be evaluated with your theme, cache and lesson types rather than inferred from the average rating.

Skillplate

Support praise does not settle checkout suitability

October AppSumo reviews praised presentation and direct founder support. Chef_Steph’s October 9 review reported compulsory account creation, country entry and layout problems during checkout. That is a specific workflow to evaluate for low-friction digital-download sales, not proof of universal failure.

Community expectations caused a costly mismatch

DaudelinPhoto’s September review described buying Tier 5 and add-ons for a native community, then discovering Discord delivery. The founder confirmed the current implementation. The account illustrates why non-refundable branding should follow a feature fit check.

Academy LMS vs Skillplate: common questions

Which product costs less for my workload?

Choose the smallest tier that covers your actual usage in each product, then add any required membership, credits or outside subscriptions. A cheaper starting price is not a saving if it leaves essential work uncovered.

Can I buy every lifetime plan shown here?

Only offers marked available have a current recorded purchase option. Sold-out plans are historical context. The merchant confirms the final price, availability and terms when you buy.

Academy LMS: Does Tier 1 include the same displayed features as higher tiers?

The current plan table shows the same listed features across all four tiers; the site allowance changes. Future updates are mapped to different named plans, so keep the purchase terms.

Academy LMS: Is Academy LMS currently downloadable from WordPress.org?

No. The directory says it is temporarily closed pending review. The founder directs buyers to the official website download.

Skillplate: Does Skillplate charge commission after the lifetime purchase?

Yes. The current tiers list platform commission from 10% down to 3%, with Tier 6 marked Plus-only. A separate lifetime zero-commission add-on is available; payment-processing charges remain.

Skillplate: Are Gemini credits renewed monthly?

The checked table gives dollar values but does not establish the renewal period. Confirm renewal, consumption and top-up rules before relying on a recurring AI budget.

Related categories

Course creation