In our exchanges with users and the Chamilo association that manages the Chamilo user forum, a recurring question often arises:
Hello Chamilo, a quick question:
I was recently asked to highlight the differences between Moodle and Chamilo. From what I’ve observed, both LMS platforms seem to offer similar features through comparable modules.
What sets Chamilo apart from Moodle?
It is admittedly difficult to provide a precise answer to this type of question since platforms evolve rapidly. However, a brief comparative list, even if approximate, can be useful in understanding the main distinctions. As of early June 2011, comparing Chamilo 1.8.8.2 (recently released) with Moodle 1.9 or 2.0, here is a summary of the key distinctive features:
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Dear user,
Both systems offer undeniable strengths, and depending on the use case, one might better meet your needs than the other. The primary difference lies in Chamilo’s simplicity in use and installation. Chamilo natively includes several features that Moodle only provides after installing and configuring numerous extensions. In summary, Chamilo stands out for its simplicity, especially for teachers and students, who are at the core of its approach.
Chamilo users have reported that training teachers on Moodle takes about 40 hours, whereas it only takes 8 hours on Chamilo. This represents a fivefold simplification for users. Based on early feedback, Moodle 2 has not significantly improved in this regard.
With Chamilo, from the very first installation (and sometimes with just a few additional clicks), you’ll find:
- Attendance sheets illustrated with user photos
- A complete system for evaluations, learning objectives, and certificates (with automatic generation of printable certificates using customizable templates)
- A videoconferencing plugin with BigBlueButton (requiring only a functional videoconference server, which can be installed for free or used from a shared server with three configuration parameters)
- A tracking dashboard for administrators
- A social network for creating interest groups
- Management of sessions or study cycles, promotions, and academic or corporate structures
- A scripting system for exercises
- Full-text indexing
- Excellent support in French
- The ability to redefine interface terms directly from the administration pages, without server-level intervention
Chamilo also offers practical features for course creation, such as:
- Text-to-speech conversion
- Image editing, similar to Photoshop™
- SVG diagram editing, similar to Inkscape
- Voice recording (with Nanogong)
- Google Maps integration (requires a Google Maps API key)
- Enhanced simplicity in object management
On the other hand, Moodle offers specific advantages, notably:
- More import/export formats for exercises and courses
- A more advanced exercise tool in certain areas (but less advanced in others)
Most of Moodle’s features require modules or extensions, of which approximately 70% are not consistently maintained from one version to the next. This often entails adjustments to ensure compatibility.
Best regards,
Yannick Warnier
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This list will certainly evolve over time. We are eagerly anticipating the release of Chamilo 2.0, which will further accelerate development and error correction.
