H5P vs LodeStar
H5P
h5p.orgLodeStar
lodestarlearning.comSide by side
| Figure | H5P | LodeStar |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $130/mo | $12.42/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 4 | 5 |
| Spec score · Interactive Lesson Makers | 9.0 (#3) | 7.8 (#18) |
| Headquarters | Tromsø, Norway | Stillwater, Minnesota, USA |
| Intended users | H5P describes its community as including educators, publishers, developers, and organizations using interactive learning content. | The maker describes LodeStar as built primarily for educators and says it is used by instructors and trainers in corporations, higher education, K–12, and government agencies. |
| Purpose | H5P lets authors create, share, and reuse interactive content such as videos, presentations, games, and quizzes. | LodeStar is desktop eLearning authoring software for educators and instructional designers to create interactive courses, branching scenarios, case studies, and accessible learning activities. |
| Security | H5P validates package files against an allowed-extension list and sanitizes author input server-side. | The download page states that LodeStar 12 for Mac is security signed and notarized. |
| Trial | The H5P.com trial requires an application and, if approved, lasts 30 days. | A free 14-day trial is offered for Windows and Mac, including Intel-based and Apple Silicon Mac downloads. |
Plans
H5P
- H5P open-source softwareFree
- Pro$1,560 a year
- Premium$1,570 a year
- EnterprisePriced on request
LodeStar
- Single Educator License - Annual Subscription License$149 a year
- Individual Training Seat$249, paid once
- Single Educator License - Perpetual License$249, paid once
- Single Government/Not-For-Profit License - Perpetual License$549, paid once
- Single Corporate License - Perpetual License$649, paid once
In their own words
H5P
H5P lets authors create, share, and reuse interactive content such as videos, presentations, games, and quizzes. Featured content types include Interactive Video, Course Presentation, and Branching Scenario, and a browser is enough to view or edit content. Core team plugins support WordPress, Drupal, and Moodle; H5P.com adds LTI integrations including Canvas, Brightspace, Blackboard, and Moodle. H5P.com content can also be embedded where iframes are supported or shared by direct link. The free self-hosted software uses an MIT license but requires Drupal, WordPress, or Moodle, and its plugin does not include content types or support. H5P.com’s 30-day trial requires an application and approval. After the trial, users have 14 days to buy a plan or save and export content; activities become inaccessible afterward unless exported. H5P validates package files and sanitizes author input, but evaluates answers on the client side, which can let technically knowledgeable users cheat.
LodeStar
LodeStar has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.