There are two ways to put courses and exams online. You can rent an all-in-one hosted platform, or you can run your own WordPress site with an LMS plugin. Neither is right for everyone. This is an honest side-by-side for people who sell exams and courses.
Disclosure: we make Turgor Exam Engine, a WordPress plugin, and we are not affiliated with Teachable, Thinkific or any other platform named here. Check prices and features on their own sites before you decide.
Side by side
| Hosted platform | WordPress + Turgor Exam Engine | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup effort | Lowest. Sign up and start. | Moderate. Hosting, WordPress, plugin. |
| Ongoing cost | A subscription, often tied to features or student numbers | Hosting and a domain. The plugin is free, Pro is optional. |
| Who owns the data | Stored on the vendor’s servers | Your own database |
| Design freedom | Limited to the vendor’s templates | Any WordPress theme or page builder |
| Exam features (negative marking, numeric ranges, sectioned papers) | Varies, often limited | Built in. See a GATE-style paper. |
| Payments | The vendor’s supported options | WooCommerce gateways, and Google Play Billing with Pro |
| Leaving later | Can be painful | Standard WordPress, portable |
| Maintenance | The vendor does it | You or your host: updates and backups |
Vendors change pricing and features often, so check any hosted platform’s current terms yourself before deciding.
Choose a hosted platform if
- You want to launch this week with no setup.
- Your content is mostly video lectures and simple quizzes.
- You are happy to pay a recurring fee for convenience.
Choose WordPress and Turgor Exam Engine if
- You run competitive-exam style tests with negative marking, numeric-range answers, sections and timers.
- You want students and results in your own database.
- You do not want fees that grow with your student count.
- You want a custom look and control of your brand.
- You also want to sell in an Android app through Google Play Billing.
- You are moving from LearnDash. See how to migrate from LearnDash.
What self-hosting really takes
An honest list: a domain, hosting, WordPress, and the plugin. Plan a few hours the first time, then occasional updates and backups. The full roadmap is in the beginner guide.
A middle path
You do not have to decide forever. A common approach is to start on your own WordPress site with the free plugin and a free mock test to collect sign-ups, then add selling with Pro when you have an audience. Everything stays on your own site the whole time.
Bottom line
If exams are your product and you want ownership and control, a purpose-built exam plugin on WordPress is hard to beat. If you only need to host a few video lectures quickly, a hosted platform is simpler.
Comparing LMS plugins? Read LearnDash vs Turgor Exam Engine and the best LearnDash alternatives.