How to Migrate from LearnDash to Tutor LMS (Complete Guide)

1/7/2026 · 8 min read

#wordpress#lms#learndash#tutor-lms#migration

Switching from LearnDash to Tutor LMS can save you money (Tutor LMS has a free version) while gaining modern features. This guide walks you through the complete migration process, ensuring you don't lose courses, student progress, or enrollment data.

Why Migrate from LearnDash to Tutor LMS?

Common reasons:

  • Cost: LearnDash requires an annual license ($199+), Tutor LMS has a robust free version
  • Modern Interface: Tutor LMS offers a more intuitive, Gutenberg-friendly course builder
  • Active Development: Tutor LMS receives frequent updates and new features
  • Better Free Features: Core features like certificates and email notifications are free in Tutor LMS

Before You Start: Important Considerations

What Migrates Easily

✅ Course structure (courses, lessons, topics)
✅ Quiz questions and settings
✅ Student enrollments
✅ Course categories and tags

What Requires Manual Work

⚠️ Student progress and quiz scores (no direct migration path)
⚠️ Custom certificates (need to be recreated)
⚠️ Advanced quiz types (matching, essay questions may need adjustment)
⚠️ LearnDash-specific integrations (payment gateways, membership plugins)

Backup Everything First

Before starting, create a complete backup:

  1. Full WordPress database backup
  2. Complete file backup (especially /wp-content/uploads/)
  3. Export all LearnDash data via LearnDash → Tools → Export

Step 1: Install Tutor LMS

  1. Go to Plugins → Add New
  2. Search for "Tutor LMS"
  3. Install and activate Tutor LMS (free version)
  4. Run through the setup wizard
  5. Configure basic settings (Tutor LMS → Settings)

Optional but Recommended:

  • Install Tutor LMS Pro if you need advanced features (certificates, email notifications, etc.)

Step 2: Understand the Structure Differences

LearnDash Structure

Course
  └── Lessons
      └── Topics
          └── Quizzes

Tutor LMS Structure

Course
  └── Topics (equivalent to LearnDash Lessons)
      └── Lessons (equivalent to LearnDash Topics)
          └── Quizzes

Key Difference: The terminology is reversed. LearnDash "Lessons" = Tutor LMS "Topics", and LearnDash "Topics" = Tutor LMS "Lessons".

Step 3: Manual Course Migration (Recommended Method)

Unfortunately, there's no official automated migration tool. Here's the most efficient manual process:

For Each Course:

A. Create the Course Shell

  1. Go to Tutor LMS → Courses → Add New
  2. Enter the course title and description
  3. Set the course thumbnail (same as LearnDash featured image)
  4. Configure course settings:
    • Price (if paid)
    • Duration
    • Maximum students
    • Difficulty level

B. Migrate Course Content

  1. Open your LearnDash course in one browser tab

  2. Open the new Tutor LMS course in another tab

  3. For each LearnDash Lesson:

    • Create a new Topic in Tutor LMS
    • Copy the lesson content
    • Add any embedded videos or attachments

  4. For each LearnDash Topic:

    • Create a new Lesson under the appropriate Tutor Topic
    • Copy the content

C. Migrate Quizzes

  1. In Tutor LMS, create a new quiz under the appropriate lesson

  2. Configure quiz settings:

    • Time limit
    • Passing grade
    • Attempts allowed
    • Question randomization

  3. Add questions:

    • True/False → Direct equivalent
    • Multiple Choice → Direct equivalent
    • Fill in the Blank → Use "Fill in the Blanks" or "Short Answer"
    • Essay → Use "Open Ended/Essay"
    • Matching → May need to recreate as multiple choice

Pro Tip: Export LearnDash quiz questions to a spreadsheet first, then import them systematically into Tutor LMS.

Step 4: Migrate Student Enrollments

This is the trickiest part since there's no direct migration path.

Method 1: Manual Re-enrollment (Small Sites)

If you have fewer than 50 students:

  1. Export student enrollment data from LearnDash:

    • Go to LearnDash → Reports
    • Export user course data to CSV

  2. Manually enroll students in Tutor LMS:

    • Go to Tutor LMS → Students
    • Use the "Enroll Student" option for each course

Method 2: Database Query (Advanced)

For larger sites, use SQL to bulk-enroll students:

-- Get LearnDash enrollments
SELECT user_id, post_id 
FROM wp_usermeta 
WHERE meta_key LIKE 'course_%_access_from';

-- Then manually create Tutor LMS enrollments using:
INSERT INTO wp_posts (post_author, post_date, post_type, post_status, post_parent)
VALUES (user_id, NOW(), 'tutor_enrolled', 'completed', course_id);

Warning: Only use this if you're comfortable with SQL. Always test on a staging site first.

Method 3: Plugin-Assisted Migration

Use a custom plugin or hire a developer to create a migration script. This is the best option for sites with 100+ students.

Step 5: Recreate Certificates

LearnDash certificates don't transfer automatically.

  1. Go to Tutor LMS → Certificates
  2. Create a new certificate template
  3. Use the drag-and-drop builder to design it
  4. Add dynamic fields:
    • {student_name}
    • {course_name}
    • {completion_date}
    • {certificate_url}

Note: Tutor LMS Pro is required for certificates.

Step 6: Configure Payment Integration

If you were using LearnDash with WooCommerce or a payment gateway:

WooCommerce Integration

  1. Install Tutor LMS WooCommerce Integration (free addon)
  2. Go to Tutor LMS → Settings → Monetization
  3. Enable WooCommerce
  4. For each course, create a corresponding WooCommerce product
  5. Link the product to the course

Stripe/PayPal Direct

Tutor LMS Pro includes built-in Stripe and PayPal support:

  1. Go to Tutor LMS → Settings → Payments
  2. Enable and configure your payment gateway
  3. Set course prices in the course editor

Step 7: Migrate Email Notifications

LearnDash and Tutor LMS use different email systems.

  1. Go to Tutor LMS → Settings → Email Notifications

  2. Enable the notifications you need:

    • Course enrollment confirmation
    • Course completion
    • Quiz completion
    • New question posted

  3. Customize email templates to match your LearnDash emails

Note: Email customization requires Tutor LMS Pro.

Step 8: Update Course URLs and Redirects

If your course URLs are changing, set up 301 redirects:

Using Redirection Plugin

  1. Install the Redirection plugin
  2. Add redirects for each course: 
    /courses/old-learndash-course/ → /courses/new-tutor-course/

Using .htaccess

Add these lines to your .htaccess file:

Redirect 301 /courses/old-course-slug/ /courses/new-course-slug/

Step 9: Test Everything Thoroughly

Before deactivating LearnDash, test your Tutor LMS setup:

  • [ ] Can students enroll in courses?
  • [ ] Do lessons display correctly?
  • [ ] Are quizzes functional?
  • [ ] Do certificates generate properly?
  • [ ] Are payment gateways working?
  • [ ] Do email notifications send?
  • [ ] Test on mobile devices

Create a test student account and go through the entire course experience.

Step 10: Deactivate LearnDash (But Don't Delete Yet)

Once everything is working:

  1. Deactivate LearnDash (don't delete it yet)
  2. Monitor your site for 7-14 days
  3. Watch for any issues or missing functionality
  4. Keep LearnDash installed as a backup

Only delete LearnDash after 30 days of successful Tutor LMS operation.

Common Migration Issues & Solutions

Students Can't Access Courses

Solution: Check enrollment status in Tutor LMS → Students. Manually re-enroll if needed.

Quizzes Not Saving Progress

Solution: Ensure quiz settings allow "Save Progress" and check that JavaScript isn't being blocked.

Certificates Not Generating

Solution: Verify Tutor LMS Pro is active and certificate templates are properly configured.

Payment Gateway Errors

Solution: Re-enter API keys and test in sandbox mode first.

Feature Comparison: LearnDash vs Tutor LMS

| Feature | LearnDash | Tutor LMS Free | Tutor LMS Pro | |:---|:---:|:---:|:---:| | Course Builder | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | | Quizzes | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | | Certificates | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | | Email Notifications | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | | Drip Content | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | | Prerequisites | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | | WooCommerce Integration | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | | Student Dashboard | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | | Annual Cost | $199+ | Free | $149 |

Post-Migration Optimization

After migration, optimize your Tutor LMS setup:

  1. Enable Course Reviews to build social proof
  2. Set up Drip Content for better student engagement
  3. Create Course Bundles to increase revenue
  4. Configure Prerequisites to guide learning paths
  5. Add Course Announcements to keep students engaged

When to Hire a Developer

Consider hiring help if:

  • You have 100+ courses
  • You have 500+ enrolled students
  • You need to preserve student progress data
  • You have complex custom integrations
  • You're not comfortable with database queries

Estimated Cost: $500-$2,000 depending on complexity.

Conclusion

Migrating from LearnDash to Tutor LMS requires effort, but the cost savings and modern features make it worthwhile for many course creators. The key is to:

  1. Plan thoroughly before starting
  2. Migrate courses systematically
  3. Test extensively before going live
  4. Keep LearnDash as a backup for 30 days

While there's no one-click migration solution, following this guide ensures a smooth transition with minimal disruption to your students.

Pro Tip: If you're running a large course site, consider migrating one course first as a pilot. Learn from that experience before migrating everything.

Category: WordPress