Sakai
VerifiedFree, open-source learning management system built by and for educators
See all screenshots - Deployment On Premises, Cloud Based
- Starting price Free
- Free trial Not offered
- Best for SMEs, Enterprises
What is Sakai?
Sakai is a free, open-source learning management system built by and for educators, used mainly by colleges, universities, and other academic institutions. It provides tools for course content with conditional release, tests and quizzes, a rubric-based gradebook, assignments, discussion boards, and group collaboration, along with an extensive API and IMS LTI support for connecting third-party tools like Kaltura and Turnitin.
Sakai carries no vendor license fee: institutions can download, self-host, and modify the source code at no cost under its open-source license. The Apereo Foundation stewards the project, and commercial affiliates such as Longsight offer optional paid hosting, implementation, and support services for institutions that prefer a managed deployment instead of running their own servers.
Key Features of Sakai
Sakai lists 10 documented features, including Lessons tool for organizing content with conditional release, Tests & Quizzes for formative and high-stakes assessment and Rubric-based gradebook with rich feedback. The list below covers what the product does rather than how it is marketed.
- Lessons tool for organizing content with conditional release
- Tests & Quizzes for formative and high-stakes assessment
- Rubric-based gradebook with rich feedback
- Assignments tool with online submission
- Synchronous and asynchronous communication (Conversations, discussions, messaging)
- Group and team collaboration spaces
- Configurable roles and permissions
- IMS LTI support and extensive API for third-party tool integration
- Community-built, open-source tool ecosystem
- Dark mode interface
Sakai Pricing
Sakai lists 2 plans. One is free; the rest are quoted on request.
Community Edition (Self-Hosted)
Free
Unlimited users and courses
100% open-source software stewarded by the Apereo Foundation; download, self-host, and modify at no licensing cost. Requires your own server infrastructure and technical staff.
Third-Party Managed Hosting
Custom, varies by provider
Varies by provider
Optional paid hosting, implementation, and support from commercial affiliates such as Longsight; billed directly by the provider, not by Sakai or Apereo.
Sakai Specifications
Sakai is available on web app. It offers an API and has a free plan.
- Deployment
- On Premises
- Cloud Based
- Billing cycle
- Onetime
- Desktop
- Web App
- Languages
- English
- Built for
- SMEs
- Enterprises
- Support
- Training
- Tickets
- Integrations
- Kaltura, Turnitin, Panopto, Zoom, Google Apps, and other IMS LTI-compliant tools
- Public API
- Yes
- Free trial
- No
- Free plan
- Yes
- Runs in browser
- Yes
- Customisable
- Yes
- Website
- sakailms.org
Sakai Videos
Sakai Comparisons
Side by side comparisons of Sakai against 3 other Learning Management Software options listed here.
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