Head-to-head · Course Authoring Software
eXeLearning vs Xerte
eXeLearning leads on 0 checks, Xerte on 0, and 7 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 7 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreeXeLearning · 8.3/10
- Free planboth
- Most featuresXerte · 6 of 6
eXeLearning scores higher on our rubric for course authoring software: 8.3 against 7.4 out of 10; our editors rank them #11 and #17.
eXeLearning is the better fit for free open-source desktop and web authoring. Xerte is the better fit for free shared authoring with SCORM.
- eXeLearning fits best
Free open-source desktop and web authoring
- Xerte fits best
Free shared authoring with SCORM
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Side by side
| Feature | eXeLearning 8.3/10 Visit ↗ | Xerte 7.4/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 8.3 | 7.4 |
| Ranking | #11 in Course Authoring Software | #17 in Course Authoring Software |
| Best for | Free open-source desktop and web authoring | Free shared authoring with SCORM |
| Pricing model | Free | Free |
| Starting price | Free plan | Free plan |
| Free plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Deployment | Cloud, Self-hosted, Desktop | Self-hosted, Browser extension |
| Platforms | Web, Windows, macOS, Linux | Web |
| Support | Email, Community, Docs | Community, Docs |
| Integrations | 3 integrations | 3 integrations |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Features eXeLearning 5/6 · Xerte 6/6 | ||
| Interactive content | ✓ | ✓ |
| Assessment builder | ✓ | ✓ |
| SCORM export | ✓ | ✓ |
| Responsive output | ✓ | ✓ |
| Team collaboration | ✓ | ✓ |
| Content library | Not checked yet | ✓ (best) |
| Specs | ||
| Author seats | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Our review | ||
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| Our verdict | eXeLearning is a free, open-source course authoring tool for teachers, educators, and content creators. It supports interactive educational resources built from text, images, video, games, quizzes, and other activities. Authors can work… Read the review → |
Xerte is a free, open-source course authoring toolkit for teachers, tutors, and organizations creating teaching and learning materials. Authors work in a browser through template-driven forms, interactive activities, automatically scored… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
eXeLearning — where it wins
- Free AGPL-licensed authoring across web, Windows, macOS, and Linux
- Exports SCORM, HTML, EPUB, PDF, and IMS formats
- Includes interactive activities, assessments, previews, and cloud collaboration
Where it doesn't
- Integration coverage centers on Moodle, WordPress, and Omeka-S
- Responsive output depends on the selected style
- Collaborative editing is available in the cloud version
Xerte — where it wins
- Free and open source with browser-based authoring
- Exports SCORM 1.2 and SCORM 2004 packages
- Supports sharing, co-authoring, LTI, xAPI, and responsive HTML5
Where it doesn't
- Requires web-server installation for organizational use
- Ongoing maintenance generally needs IT support
- Not a conventional SaaS product with managed hosting
- eXeLearning8.3/10 · Free plan
A flexible free authoring tool for educators who need exportable interactive content.
Visit eXeLearningFull verdict → - Xerte7.4/10 · Free plan
A free, self-hosted authoring toolkit with SCORM, collaboration, and responsive delivery.
Visit XerteFull verdict →
All course authoring software comparisons → · Full ranking →
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update