Lumen Learning vs Pressbooks
Lumen Learning
lumenlearning.com
Pressbooks
pressbooks.comSide by side
| Figure | Lumen Learning | Pressbooks |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | $10/mo |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 4 | 7 |
| Spec score · Open Educational Resource Platforms | 7.9 (#9) | 8.6 (#5) |
| Accessibility | Lumen aims to meet WCAG 2.0 Level AA criteria and describes screen-reader text, image alt text, video captions and transcripts, and text alternatives for interactives. | Pressbooks says its platform helps creators meet accessibility standards and its paid plans can produce WCAG 2.2 compliant books. |
| Founded | 2012 | 2011 |
| Headquarters | Portland, Oregon, United States | Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Purpose | Lumen Learning is an educational technology company that develops affordable digital courseware and faculty professional development resources for higher education. | Pressbooks helps authors and educational institutions create, adapt, and share accessible digital books and learning materials. |
| Security | Lumen Learning passed a SOC 2 Type 2 audit valid for a 12-month period in December 2025, with audit results available to institutions or individuals after an NDA. | Enterprise Networks are described as professionally hosted in a secure SaaS environment with data protection and single sign-on. |
| Support | The standard course support fee includes LMS integration, editing capabilities, online homework, personalized learning tools, and technical and faculty support. | Enterprise customers receive personalized onboarding, end-user training, troubleshooting, responsive service, and webinars. |
Plans
Lumen Learning
- Per Student Course Support Fee$35, paid once
- Success Accelerator for Waymaker and OHM$350, paid once
- Lumen Circles Fellowship$750, paid once
- Annualized PricingPrice not published
Pressbooks
- Free TrialFree
- Single Author$12 a month
- Collaboration$40 a month
- Single Author$120 a year
- Collaboration$400 a year
- Institutional Network$5,999 a year
- Shared Network$15,999 a year
In their own words
Lumen Learning
Lumen Learning develops digital courseware and faculty professional development resources for higher education. Its course materials replace textbooks with interactive text, video, simulations, practice questions, updated content, and mobile-friendly access. The catalog covers more than 50 subjects, with a focus on introductory, general education, and developmental courses. Lumen One offers personalized study plans, immediate feedback, student-faculty connection tools, a peer community, and teaching-practice tips. Courseware can be customized after delivery into Canvas, Blackboard Learn, D2L Brightspace, or Moodle and adjusted for different term lengths. Mobile access works through common browsers on iOS and Android without an app. Static courseware text and images are open educational resources. The course support fee is $35/term. Additional options include professional development priced per seat.
Pressbooks
Pressbooks has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.