Best Lumen Learning Alternatives in 2026
The top Lumen Learning alternatives are MERLOT, OER Commons and LibreTexts: 15 open educational resource platforms our editors would look at instead of Lumen Learning, in our ranking order.
Lumen Learning: Lumen pairs remixable OER with supported courseware, assessments, and LMS grade return. Where it falls short: interactive courseware requires payment or institutional coverage.
Switching from Lumen Learning? For most open educational resource platforms buyers the best Lumen Learning alternative is MERLOT, built for broad OER discovery, creation, and integration. On a budget, LibreTexts starts at $15/user/mo.
Why People Look for a Lumen Learning Alternative
- Interactive courseware requires payment or institutional coverage
- Paid support and training add costs beyond free public OER
- Designed primarily for colleges and universities, not general audiences
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallMERLOT9.4
Broad OER discovery, creation, and integration
Visit MERLOT - Lowest priceLibreTexts9.2
Paid plans from $15/user/mo
Visit LibreTexts - Best free optionMERLOT9.4
Has a free plan
Visit MERLOT
All 15 Lumen Learning Alternatives, Ranked
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
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Best forBroad OER discovery, creation, and integration
- Better than Lumen Learning:
- Editor score 9.4 vs 8.7
A free OER platform with strong discovery, authoring, review, and LMS integration.
- Open-license filter
- API access
- Authoring tools
9.4/10★★★★★Visit MERLOT -
Best forSchools and educators building reusable OER
- Better than Lumen Learning:
- Editor score 9.3 vs 8.7
A broad, free OER library with creation, remixing, review, and LMS connections.
9.3/10★★★★★Visit OER Commons -
Best forInteractive open textbooks and institutional programs
- Better than Lumen Learning:
- Editor score 9.2 vs 8.7
A free, remixable textbook platform with optional assessment and authoring tools.
9.2/10★★★★★Visit LibreTexts -
Best forAuthoring and publishing OER with LMS delivery
- Better than Lumen Learning:
- Editor score 9.0 vs 8.7
Curriki combines OER discovery, interactive authoring, remixing, review, and LMS publishing.
- Authoring tools
- Publishing workflow
- Remix and adaptation
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit Curriki -
Best forReviewed open textbooks and course packs
- Better than Lumen Learning:
- Editor score 8.9 vs 8.7
A reviewed, remixable resource collection for post-secondary teaching teams.
- Publishing workflow
- Remix and adaptation
- Content review
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit BCcampus -
Best forWorkforce-development OER repositories
A searchable, remixable OER repository for workforce-training content and program support.
- API access
- Publishing workflow
- Remix and adaptation
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit SkillsCommons -
Best forInteractive K–12 science learning resources
A free, science-focused platform combining editable textbooks, simulations, practice, and assessments.
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit CK-12 -
Best forFree textbooks with optional assignments
A strong free textbook library with optional paid assignments and LMS syncing.
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit OpenStax -
Best forMultilingual children's storybook creation
A free web platform for creating, adapting, and sharing multilingual children's storybooks.
- Open-license filter
- Authoring tools
- Remix and adaptation
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit StoryWeaver -
Best forAfrican-language early literacy resources
A free platform for reading, creating, adapting and publishing African-language picture books.
- Authoring tools
- Publishing workflow
- Remix and adaptation
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit site -
Best forReviewed open academic textbooks
A free repository for reviewed open academic books, chapters, and author workflows.
- Authoring tools
- Publishing workflow
- Content review
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit Kallipos -
Best forProfessional book production and export
A focused web platform for collaborative book creation and professional exports.
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit Pressbooks -
Best forCommunity-created textbooks and manuals
A free, community-built library for creating, reading, reviewing, and exporting educational books.
- API access
- Authoring tools
- Remix and adaptation
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Wikibooks -
Best forCurriculum-linked learning in low-connectivity settings
A free, curriculum-linked learning platform built for Indian school education.
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit DIKSHA -
Best forFree self-paced courses with certificates
A free learning platform for self-paced study, certificates, and college-credit options.
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit Saylor Academy
Lumen Learning Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to Lumen Learning?
MERLOT: #1 in our Open Educational Resource Platforms ranking, with an editor score of 9.4 out of 10. A free OER platform with strong discovery, authoring, review, and LMS integration.
Is there a free alternative to Lumen Learning?
Yes. MERLOT, OER Commons, LibreTexts, Curriki and BCcampus Open Collection have a free plan or a free tier (14 of the 15 alternatives on this page).
Why do people look for Lumen Learning alternatives?
Interactive courseware requires payment or institutional coverage; Paid support and training add costs beyond free public OER; Designed primarily for colleges and universities, not general audiences.
How do I switch from Lumen Learning?
Export your data from Lumen Learning (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Lumen Learning.
How to Switch from Lumen Learning
- Export your data from Lumen Learning (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Lumen Learning.
Lumen Learning vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Remix and adaptation | Download formats | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Lumen Learning | Yes | Yes | PDF, EPUB | 8.7 | |
| 1 | MERLOT | Yes | Free | Yes | Common Cartridge, PDF, Zip, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, RTF, TXT, CSV, SAV, SCORM, website, audio, video, image | 9.4 |
| 2 | OER Commons | Yes | Free | 9.3 | ||
| 3 | LibreTexts | Yes | $15/user/mo | 9.2 | ||
| 4 | Curriki | Yes | Free | Yes | 9.0 | |
| 5 | BCcampus Open Collection | Yes | Free | Yes | PDF, EPUB, Microsoft Word | 8.9 |
| 6 | SkillsCommons | Yes | Free | Yes | zip, imscc, doc, docx, pdf, mp4, mov, ogm, webm, flv, avi, mp3, ogg, flac, wav | 8.6 |
| 7 | CK-12 FlexBook 2.0 | Yes | Free | 8.5 | ||
| 8 | OpenStax | Yes | 8.4 | |||
| 9 | StoryWeaver | Yes | Free | Yes | web-resolution PDF, A4 print-ready PDF, ePub | 8.3 |
| 10 | African Storybook | Yes | Free | Yes | PDF, booklet | 8.2 |
| 11 | Kallipos | Yes | Free | PDF, EPUB | 8.1 | |
| 12 | Pressbooks | No | $120/unit/yr | 8.0 | ||
| 13 | Wikibooks | Yes | Free | Yes | PDF, HTML, wiki markup, XML | 7.9 |
| 14 | DIKSHA | Yes | Free | 7.8 | ||
| 15 | Saylor Academy | Yes | 7.7 |
Head-to-Head
- Lumen Learning vs MERLOT
- Lumen Learning vs OER Commons
- Lumen Learning vs LibreTexts
- Lumen Learning vs Curriki
- Lumen Learning vs BCcampus Open Collection
- Lumen Learning vs SkillsCommons
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update