OpenOLAT
Learning management systems
Education software
- Features
- Ease of use
- Ease of management
- Quality of support
- Affordability
- Market presence
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CHF 249 per month
Free Trial unavailable
Free version
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Medium
Large
- Agriculture, fishing, and forestry
- Public sector and nonprofit organizations
- Education and training
What is OpenOLAT
OpenOLAT is an open-source learning management system used to deliver and manage online courses, blended learning, and internal training programs. It supports course authoring, assessments, collaboration tools, and user/group administration for education providers and organizations that want self-hosted control. The platform is typically deployed on an organization-managed infrastructure or via a hosting partner, with extensibility through modules and integrations.
Open-source and self-hostable
OpenOLAT can be deployed on-premises or in a customer-controlled cloud environment, which helps organizations meet internal security and data residency requirements. The open-source model allows code-level customization when in-house expertise is available. This can be a fit for institutions that prefer avoiding vendor lock-in and want long-term control over the platform roadmap.
Broad LMS feature coverage
The platform includes course management, content delivery, tests/quizzes, assignments, and tracking features expected in a full LMS. It also provides collaboration capabilities such as forums and group work areas that support instructor-led and cohort-based learning. This breadth can reduce the need for multiple point tools for common teaching and training workflows.
Flexible roles and administration
OpenOLAT supports role-based access and group management suited to multi-course and multi-department environments. Administrators can structure learning offerings across organizational units and manage permissions for authors, coaches, and learners. This is useful for universities, vocational training providers, and enterprises running multiple programs in parallel.
Higher operational responsibility
Self-hosting typically requires internal resources for installation, upgrades, monitoring, backups, and security patching. Organizations without dedicated IT support may find ongoing operations more complex than fully managed SaaS LMS options. Total cost of ownership can shift from licensing to infrastructure and support services.
UI/UX varies by configuration
User experience can depend on how the instance is configured, themed, and integrated with other systems. Compared with some modern SaaS platforms, the interface and authoring workflows may require more training for instructors and administrators. Organizations often need governance and templates to keep course structures consistent.
Integrations may need effort
While OpenOLAT can integrate with identity providers and external tools, integration depth and ease can vary by use case and available connectors. Some scenarios may require custom development or partner support to connect HR systems, analytics stacks, or content libraries. This can lengthen implementation timelines compared with platforms offering extensive prebuilt integration marketplaces.
Plan & Pricing
| Plan | Price | Key features & notes |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | Initial CHF 1,000 (excl. MwSt); CHF 249 per month (excl. MwSt) — "ab 249.-" | Targeted at smaller institutions. Options Basic 250/500/1000 (250/500/1000 users). Concurrent users: 25/40/60. Storage/bandwidth limits (40/60/100 GB storage; 100 GB traffic/month). Hosting in Switzerland, hourly backups, SLA "Standard" (office hours). Includes hosting, operation, license to use the software within scope, regular updates, technical support (ticket); BigBlueButton integration included (1 classroom for 15 + 1 meeting room for 5). Add‑ons/integrations/modules limited or at extra cost; support/training billed separately. |
| Individual | Initial CHF 5,000 (excl. MwSt); CHF 410 per month (excl. MwSt) — "ab 410.-" | Configurable for 250–9,000 users (stepwise). Higher concurrent user counts (25–450). More customization (own layout, interfaces, optional add‑ons). Higher availability than Basic (min. 99.5%). Add‑ons/modules and integrations available (some at extra cost). |
| Enterprise | Initial CHF 25,000 (excl. MwSt); CHF 890 per month (excl. MwSt) — "ab 890.-" | Scales to large organisations (250–500,000 users). High concurrency (up to 15,000). Availability min. 99.5%. Enterprise options (dedicated hosting, premium SLAs, custom integrations, additional modules) — many are offered at extra cost or on enquiry. |
Seller details
frentix GmbH
Zurich, Switzerland
2000
Private
https://www.openolat.com/
https://x.com/openolat
https://www.linkedin.com/company/frentix-gmbh
