CoursePress Pro was WPMU DEV’s course plugin for WordPress. WPMU DEV has since retired it, so it no longer gets new features or fixes. If your courses still run on it, each WordPress and PHP update makes a breakage more likely, and nobody is shipping patches. This guide covers the best replacements and a safe way to migrate.
ThemeCycle is independent and not affiliated with WPMU DEV. CoursePress and CoursePress Pro are WPMU DEV product names, mentioned here only to help their users find alternatives.
On this page
The short answer
- Closest all-round replacement for a paid course business: LearnDash.
- Start free, and sell memberships as well as courses: LifterLMS.
- Several instructors, or a front-end course builder: Tutor LMS.
- Already selling with WooCommerce and happy in the block editor: Sensei LMS.
- Using an all-in-one education theme: the LMS it is built around, usually LearnPress or MasterStudy LMS.
The alternatives at a glance
| Plugin | Free version | How you sell courses | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| LearnDash | No, paid annual license | Built-in Stripe and PayPal, or WooCommerce | Course businesses that want one mature plugin |
| LifterLMS | Yes, with paid add-ons | Paid payment-gateway add-ons | Courses plus memberships on a small budget |
| Tutor LMS | Yes, with a Pro version | Built-in checkout or WooCommerce | Multi-instructor sites |
| Sensei LMS | Yes, with Sensei Pro | WooCommerce, via Sensei Pro | WooCommerce stores adding courses |
| LearnPress | Yes, with paid add-ons | Add-ons, including WooCommerce | Sites on LearnPress-based themes |
| MasterStudy LMS | Yes, with a Pro version | Varies by edition | Sites on the MasterStudy theme |
Prices and plan details change often, so check each vendor’s current pricing page before you buy. The full LMS comparison goes deeper on each one.
What to look for in a replacement
List what your courses actually use today, then check each candidate against that list:
- Course structure: courses split into units or lessons, with optional sections.
- Assessments: quizzes and assignments, and whether you need manual grading.
- Access rules: free courses, paid courses, and private courses for a set group of students.
- Drip content: lessons that unlock on a schedule.
- Certificates on completion.
- Instructor accounts, if more than one person teaches.
- Reports on student progress.
- How you take payments: one-off sales, subscriptions or memberships.
How to migrate off CoursePress Pro
- Back up the whole site (files and database) before you change anything.
- Inventory everything: courses, units, quizzes, enrolled students, progress records, issued certificates and paid access.
- Export what you can. WordPress user accounts stay put when you change plugins, but course progress usually doesn’t carry over by itself. Export student lists and enrollments to CSV so you can re-grant access.
- Build the new courses on a staging copy of the site, not on the live one.
- Re-enroll existing students in the matching new courses before you switch.
- Keep old links working. Course URLs will change, so add 301 redirects from each old course URL to its new equivalent.
- Test the full student journey: sign-up, payment, lessons, quizzes, certificates and emails.
- Switch over, then deactivate CoursePress Pro and keep the backup.
- Tell your students what changed: where their dashboard is now and how to log in.
Which one is closest to CoursePress Pro?
If you liked having courses, quizzes and selling handled by a single plugin, LearnDash is the most like-for-like move, at the cost of a yearly license. If budget matters most, start with the free versions of LifterLMS or Tutor LMS and pay for add-ons only when you need them. If your site already runs WooCommerce, Sensei LMS keeps everything in one familiar checkout.
FAQ
Can I still get CoursePress Pro?
WPMU DEV has retired it. Retired plugins don’t get new features or fixes, so treat it as end-of-life software even if your copy still runs.
Can I keep using it for now?
It may keep working for a while, but without updates it will eventually clash with newer versions of WordPress or PHP, and any security problem will stay unfixed. Plan the move before something breaks.
Will my students lose their progress?
Not if you plan for it. Export progress and enrollments first and re-enroll students in the new courses. If progress matters, for example for certificates, mark their completed lessons in the new LMS or tell them which lessons to skip.