LearnDash Pricing (2026): Plans and Renewal Changes

New buyers: LearnDash's pricing page lists Pro at $399 per year and Elite at $599 per year, as of October 19, 2026. Existing subscribers: Nexcess (Liquid Web), which sells LearnDash, says individual plugin subscriptions are being retired as licenses renew, and that subscriptions it is converting move to the Nexcess plugin stack at renewals on or after November 16, 2026. Unlimited-site and lifetime licenses and the other items on the vendor's not-changing list (below) are excluded, and your renewal notice confirms how your own subscription is treated. The stack bundles LearnDash, The Events Calendar, Give and Kadence and costs $350 per year for one site, up to $999 per year for up to 100 sites. The vendor says that if you do nothing you move at your next renewal, and that you can turn off auto-renewal or cancel before then.

These are prices for the WordPress plugin, not LearnDash Cloud, which is a separate product on the vendor's not-changing list. Both offers are public today and they do not match. We do not know what your own renewal will cost. Your renewal email should state the price; from November 3, the customer portal should show your plan and site count.

What LearnDash costs for new buyers (October 2026)

LearnDash sells two plans on its pricing page. Both include unlimited courses and unlimited learners, and neither charges per student.

Prices as listed on LearnDash's pricing page on October 19, 2026. Older price lists elsewhere may not match.

The Nexcess package FAQ says individual plugin subscriptions are being retired as licenses renew, while the LearnDash page still sells Pro and Elite. The pages we read do not say whether a Pro or Elite subscription bought today renews into the stack, or how many sites it covers. If that matters to your budget, ask LearnDash before you buy and get the answer in writing.

There's a free two-day demo, no credit card. Still deciding between LearnDash and the other options? We compared them in the best online course platforms for your membership site.

What's included now that used to cost extra

MemberDash, LearnDash's membership system, is included in every LearnDash plan, according to LearnDash's pricing page FAQ: memberships, subscription billing, tiers, content dripping by level and a member dashboard. If you were budgeting for a separate membership plugin, check whether you still need one. If you're starting from scratch, our guide to building a membership site walks through where the LMS fits.

One caveat from client work: MemberDash is not the same tool as MemberPress or Paid Memberships Pro. If you already run MemberPress or Paid Memberships Pro alongside LearnDash and it works, the bundled option isn't a reason to migrate.

The Nexcess plugin stack: what it includes and what it costs

On October 14, 2026, Nexcess held a software town hall. Its recap says: “Starting with renewals on or after November 16, Kadence, Give, LearnDash, and The Events Calendar come together as one software package: the Nexcess plugin stack.” Plans are priced by site count, and every plan renews yearly and includes all four products.

Source: Nexcess's software packages page, checked October 19, 2026. The cost per site assumes every site in the plan is used: two sites on the up-to-10 plan cost $599 together, or $299.50 each. Kadence Security is sold separately. To add sites you move up a plan instead of buying new licenses. For more than 100 sites, Nexcess says to talk to its account team.

Nexcess says every plan includes every premium feature (“no tier-gating”) and that you install only the products you need. For LearnDash, its package page lists the course builder, MemberDash memberships and subscriptions, group seats, multiple instructors, reporting and certificates. The other three products are Kadence, The Events Calendar and Give. On whether you can buy one product, the page says: “Can I still buy just one product? No. Every plan now includes all four products, starting at $350 a year for one site.”

The renewal timeline

• Weeks of October 12 and October 19: emails go out, first to customers who renew between November 16 and December 1, then to those who renew after December 1.
• November 3: you can log into the portal to see which plan you will move to and your site count.
• November 16: the first renewals into the stack begin.
• Before you are charged: Nexcess says you get an email with your new plan, sites, price and renewal date, and the usual 30 days' notice.
• Until your renewal: Nexcess says your current plan keeps working and your license keys do not change.
• If you hold several subscriptions: the first renewal to come up becomes the stack, and the other subscriptions are canceled when the stack is applied.
• Early switch: the package page says you will soon be able to switch from your portal without waiting for renewal. It gives no date.

Which subscriptions are not changing

The town hall recap lists these under “What isn't changing”:

• Kadence subscriptions, including lifetime, annual and unlimited sites
• Iconic products and the LearnDash app
• LearnDash add-ons Nexcess acquired from WisdmLabs
• Products formerly known as Solid
• Restrict Content Pro
• StellarSites
• LearnDash Cloud and LearnDash Domains
• Any unlimited site license, lifetime license, or The Events Calendar Multisite license
• Accounts with more than 100 active licenses

If you hold one of these alongside a subscription that is converting, Nexcess says only the converting one changes. The list does not name other license types, such as older paid subscriptions or a May 2026 Pro or Elite subscription, and no page we read explains how an individual license converts beyond “moved to the package at your next renewal.” Treat your renewal email as the answer for your account.

What to do before your renewal

1. Find your renewal date and read the vendor's email. It should show your plan, site count, price and renewal date. From November 3, check the portal too. No email yet? Ask Nexcess support before the date.
2. Count your sites. List every production site, staging site and subdomain that runs LearnDash, then compare your list with the site count the portal shows. The pages we read do not say how staging and subdomain installs count under the stack, so ask (question below).
3. Compare your options. You can renew into the stack at your site count. Or you can turn off auto-renewal before the renewal date, which prevents an unwanted charge while you decide, and then either keep running your current version without vendor updates or support, with a developer who owns patching, or migrate. If you only run LearnDash, remember the stack includes three other products you may not install.
4. Know what happens if you stop paying. Nexcess says there is no impact to your site, but you stop receiving support, automatic updates and security patches. The July launch post added that a lapsed subscription means buying a current plan to reinstate access. On a site that takes payments or holds learner data, our view is that running unpatched needs a plan: a developer who owns patching, or a dated migration.
5. If you built custom code on LearnDash, involve your developer. Custom code and integrations may keep working, but future WordPress, PHP or plugin changes can break them. Plan for that before you cancel. That is part of our LearnDash development work.
6. Compare alternatives on renewal prices and features. MemberPress Courses is one option and has its own renewal pricing. We build on both LearnDash and MemberPress and are a listed MemberPress partner, so weigh that. Moving a live course site means moving enrollments, progress, certificates and subscriptions, as well as lessons. Billing migrations can be costly because recurring payments and member access need careful handling. See our membership migration service if you want an estimate.
7. Ask LearnDash support these questions, in writing: how your existing license converts and at what price; whether a Pro or Elite subscription bought now also moves to the stack; how many sites a Pro or Elite plan bought today covers, which the pricing page does not say; how staging and subdomain installs count under the stack; and how unused prepaid time is handled when other subscriptions are canceled as the stack is applied.

What the vendor said in July and what it says now

Nexcess announced the combined software offering in a June 2, 2026 press release. The launch post for the new software offering (Introducing the new software by Nexcess, last modified July 16, 2026, archived October 6, 2026) said:

• “Your pricing, renewal process, plans, and tools stay the same.”
• “Your current license is still valid, and your pricing stays the same as long as your subscription remains active.”
• “This is a new option for customers who want more, not a forced migration.”

The October wording, from the town hall recap (October 14) and the package FAQ (checked October 19):

• “Individual plugin subscriptions are being retired as licenses renew. Moving forward, the software package is our single standard offering. Your current rate and access remain active through your current billing term.”
• “Do nothing and we'll move you to the package at your next renewal.”

Read side by side, the July text ties your price to an active subscription, and the October text ties your current rate to your current billing term. We have not found a published vendor statement that reconciles the two. The July post's original address now redirects to a different post, so we link the archived copy.

How customers and the press are reacting

LearnDash runs an official Facebook group, and it is private, so we do not name members or quote them. We read a thread there from October 15, 2026 and summarize it. This self-selected thread is not a customer survey, so read it as a sample of sentiment, not a count.

• Some commenters objected to the one-site price. Commenters contrasted $350 for one site with $599 for up to 10 sites.
• Bundling drew objections. Several people said they would not install the events, donation or theme tools in the package and did not want to pay for them.
• An earlier pricing assurance came up. The original post and a reply asked about a prior assurance on existing-customer pricing. We did not see an official answer to that question in the thread.
• Several said they would leave. Options mentioned were canceling, rebuilding in custom code, and moving to MemberPress at renewal. One reply noted that LearnDash is open source and existing versions keep running. One person asked whether lifetime license holders are affected.

LearnDash staff replying in the group described the $350 one-site plan as lower than the $599 Elite price and the bundle as added value, and acknowledged that single-product customers may see little value in the added products. That comparison is staff framing in the group. The public LearnDash page still lists Elite at $599.

Two outside sources describe the same shift. Dr. Web, a German WordPress publication, wrote on October 15 about the Events Calendar side. It describes an automatic move at renewal that works like a price increase for customers on older plans, and notes that Liquid Web had earlier called the move voluntary. LMS Crafter, an independent LearnDash resource site that also sells its own third-party package, wrote that some legacy customers had reported substantial increases in the LearnDash community in October 2026.

What the license price doesn't cover

The plan price is the plugin, not the cost of running a course business. Budget for:

• Hosting that can handle concurrent learners.
• A theme, if you want something other than the default look. The stack includes Kadence's theme, but you do not have to use it.
• Payment processing fees, which are Stripe's or PayPal's cut, not LearnDash's.
• Setup and integration time, whether that's your hours or a LearnDash developer‘s.

Frequently asked questions

How much does LearnDash cost?

For new buyers, LearnDash's pricing page lists Pro at $399 per year and Elite at $599 per year, as of October 19, 2026, with no per-student fees. Nexcess says individual plugin subscriptions are being retired as licenses renew: subscriptions it is converting move to the Nexcess plugin stack, which starts at $350 per year for one site, at renewals on or after November 16, 2026. Unlimited-site and lifetime licenses and the other items on the vendor's not-changing list are excluded, and your renewal notice confirms how yours is treated.

What is the Nexcess plugin stack?

It is a single subscription from Nexcess that includes LearnDash, The Events Calendar, Give and Kadence, priced by site count: $350 per year for 1 site, $599 for up to 10, $799 for up to 25, $899 for up to 50 and $999 for up to 100. Kadence Security is sold separately, and Nexcess says you install only the products you need.

When does my LearnDash subscription move to the stack?

Nexcess says converting subscriptions move at the next renewal on or after November 16, 2026, and that if you do nothing it moves you. From November 3 the customer portal shows which plan you will move to and your site count. Unlimited-site licenses, lifetime licenses, LearnDash Cloud and the other items on Nexcess's not-changing list are excluded.

Can I cancel instead of moving to the stack, and what happens to my site?

Nexcess says you can turn off auto-renewal or cancel any time before your renewal date. Its FAQ says there is no impact to your site if you do not renew, but you stop receiving support, automatic updates and security patches.

Is there a free version of LearnDash?

No. LearnDash offers a free two-day demo with no credit card required, but LearnDash is a paid plugin.

Do I still need a membership plugin with LearnDash?

Not necessarily. MemberDash is included in every LearnDash plan and handles tiers, subscriptions, and content access. If you already have a membership plugin that works, that's not a reason to switch.

Planning around a LearnDash renewal or build?

On most course projects, integrations and payment setup cost more than the license.

That's the part we handle. We build and maintain LearnDash sites. If you know what you want to build, tell us about your LearnDash project and we'll tell you what we'd do.

Reviewed by Vic Dorfman, founder of MemberFix. We build and maintain LearnDash course sites for a living. Last reviewed: October 2026.