Head-to-head · Course Authoring Software
H5P vs Xerte
H5P 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 scoreH5P · 8.4/10
- Free planboth
- Most featuresXerte · 6 of 6
H5P scores higher on our rubric for course authoring software: 8.4 against 7.4 out of 10; our editors rank them #9 and #17.
H5P is the better fit for open interactive content across LMS platforms. Xerte is the better fit for free shared authoring with SCORM.
- H5P fits best
Open interactive content across LMS platforms
- Xerte fits best
Free shared authoring with SCORM
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Side by side
| Feature | H5P 8.4/10 Visit ↗ | Xerte 7.4/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 8.4 | 7.4 |
| Ranking | #9 in Course Authoring Software | #17 in Course Authoring Software |
| Best for | Open interactive content across LMS platforms | Free shared authoring with SCORM |
| Pricing model | Free | Free |
| Starting price | Free | Free plan |
| Free plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Deployment | Cloud, Self-hosted | Self-hosted, Browser extension |
| Platforms | Web | Web |
| Support | Email, Community, Docs | Community, Docs |
| Integrations | 7 integrations | 3 integrations |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Features H5P 5/6 · Xerte 6/6 | ||
| Interactive content | ✓ | ✓ |
| Assessment builder | ✓ | ✓ |
| SCORM export | Not checked yet | ✓ (best) |
| Responsive output | ✓ | ✓ |
| Team collaboration | ✓ | ✓ |
| Content library | ✓ | ✓ |
| Specs | ||
| Author seats | 3 authors | Not checked yet |
| Our review | ||
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| Our verdict | H5P is an open-source authoring tool for creating, sharing, and reusing interactive HTML5 learning content. It suits educators, instructional designers, and organizations that need activities such as interactive videos, presentations,… 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
H5P — where it wins
- 50+ content types, including videos, quizzes, games, and scenarios
- Plugins and LTI integrations support major LMS and VLE platforms
- Responsive content, collaboration, libraries, and embed codes
Where it doesn't
- Does not provide verified SCORM package export
- Hosted pricing varies by author count and selected options
- Advanced enterprise features require the Enterprise plan
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
- H5P8.4/10 · Free plan
A flexible interactive authoring tool with broad LMS support, but no verified SCORM export.
Visit H5PFull 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