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SWAD

Free#108 of 109 in Learning Management Systems

SWAD: A focused open-source LMS for institutions managing courses, assignments, and attendance. Ranked #108 of 109 in Learning Management Systems by our editors (3.0/10); pricing: Open source; best for minimal open-source course administration.

3.0/10Editor score

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At a glance

Editor score
3.0 / 10
Pricing
Open source
Best for
Minimal open-source course administration
Paid from
Free
Facts checked
21 Sep 2026

Where it wins
- Open-source deployment supports institution-owned hosting
- Covers courses, assignments, attendance, announcements, and calendars
- Includes web, Android, self-hosted, and API-related components
Where it doesn't
- The Android client repository is archived
- Focused course administration may not suit broader LMS needs
- Self-hosted deployment places server administration with the institution

Our verdict on SWAD

SWAD is an open-source learning platform for educational institutions, particularly universities and course-based teaching environments. It provides web-based tools for managing courses, users, assignments, attendance, announcements, agendas, calendars, and learning data. The project includes a server-side core, an Android client, and API-related server code. Institutions can install it on their own server, making it suited to organizations that want minimal course administration under their own control rather than a broad commercial LMS suite.

Its strongest fit is breadth within core academic administration. Course management, assignment management, attendance, notices, and calendar-related functions cover the recurring work of organizing teaching and learning. The web platform and self-hosted model support institutional deployment, while the Android client extends access beyond the browser. API-related server code may also help institutions work with the platform’s server-side components. This focus makes SWAD a practical candidate for universities and similar course-based environments that value an open-source foundation and direct control of deployment.

The main trade-off is scope and operational responsibility. SWAD is centered on course administration, so organizations seeking verified assessments, certificates, single sign-on, or a wider integration ecosystem should compare alternatives designed around those needs. According to the published project information, the Android client repository is archived, which adds uncertainty around its current distribution. Self-hosting also means the institution must take responsibility for running the platform on its own server. Choose SWAD when open-source course management, attendance, assignments, and announcements are the priority; choose another LMS when broader enterprise capabilities or a currently maintained mobile distribution are essential.

Your product? Our editors can test SWAD in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →

SWAD pricing

Plans Open sourceFree Free to use — no paid tier required for the core job.

See plans on swad.ugr.es

SWAD fact sheet

Free plan	Not verified
Paid from	Free
Learner limit	Not verified
Assessments	Not verified
Certificates	Not verified
SSO support	Not verified
Mobile app	Yes
API access	Yes
Deployment	Cloud, Self-hosted, Mobile
Platforms	Web, Android
Support	Docs
Built for	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate)
Pricing	Open source
Website	swad.ugr.es
Facts checked	21 Sep 2026

Alternatives to SWAD

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The editor score above is our own research. What this page doesn't have yet is a reader's view — what you used SWAD for, what worked and what didn't. No stars are seeded and no review is paid for; an editor reads every one before it appears.

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Featured on iTechGuides

SWAD is listed in our Learning Management Systems directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.

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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

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Last updated 7 Oct 2026 · How we research and update