Hosted vs self-hosted

Learnkasts vs LearnDash.

LearnDash is a WordPress plugin you bolt onto your own site, hosting and plugin stack. Learnkasts is a hosted platform that handles all of that for you. Same teaching job, very different operating cost.

The short version

LearnDash is great if you already love WordPress, want full control over the stack, and have a developer (or are one). Learnkasts is the right pick if you would rather teach than maintain WordPress plugins, want local-currency payments and need cohorts, gamification and AI without configuring anything.

Start free for 7 days

What you actually pay (and maintain).

The LearnDash license is cheap. The full WordPress stack around it is the real bill.

What changes

Learnkasts

LearnDash

Platform cost

LearnDash sells a plugin, not the stack.

₦15,000/mo

$199/year licence

Hosting required

Add $30-150/mo for managed WordPress hosting.

Included

You buy WP hosting

Maintenance

WP, theme, plugin updates and security patches.

We handle it

You handle it

Local currency at checkout

Naira, Cedi, Rand, Shilling out of the box.

Yes

Plugin-dependent

Payment processor

Stripe / Paystack / Flutterwave with config.

Built in

You wire up

Cohort programmes

Cohort behaviour via separate paid plugins.

Yes

Add-on plugin

Gamification

Add GamiPress or similar at extra cost.

Yes

Add-on plugin

AI course builder

Drafts a full curriculum from a prompt.

Included

No

Coaching session bookings

Add a booking plugin to your WordPress site.

Yes

Plugin needed

Time to first course live

WP setup, theme, plugins, payment, content.

A weekend

Days to weeks

Pricing reflects publicly listed LearnDash and typical managed-WordPress rates as of 2026. Always check learndash.com for the latest. We are Africa-first today, and adding more countries as we go.

Pick the platform that matches your reality.

Self-hosting is liberating if you want to do the work. It is a tax if you do not.

Learnkasts Choose Learnkasts if you...
  • Would rather teach than maintain WordPress and plugins
  • Sell to learners in Africa and need local-currency payments
  • Want cohorts, gamification and AI ready out of the box
  • Do not have a developer on call (or do not want to be one)
  • Need accessibility built in across every page
Start free for 7 days
Choose LearnDash if you...
  • Already run your business on WordPress and love it
  • Have a developer (or are one) to maintain the stack
  • Want absolute control over the database, theme and plugins
  • Are happy wiring up payments, hosting and security yourself
  • Do not need a hosted vendor and want a one-time licence model
Visit LearnDash

Tired of maintaining LearnDash?

We will move you over. On the house.

Our migration team imports your courses, lessons, quizzes and learners from your LearnDash site for free. Most schools are fully moved over in under three working days, with zero downtime for active learners.

Build a teaching business worth keeping.

Open your school on Learnkasts today. Free for 7 days, no credit card required.