OpenOlat
Apache-licensed learning platform developed by frentix in Zurich, with managed hosting on servers in Switzerland
Quick Overview
| Company | frentix GmbH |
|---|---|
| Category | Learning Management Systems |
| Headquarters | Zurich, Switzerland |
| Founded | Not stated |
| EU Presence | Yes - Switzerland |
| Data Location | Switzerland (frentix hosting) or your own servers |
| Open Source | Apache 2.0 |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes |
| Self-Hosting | Yes - Java application you install yourself |
| Main Features | Course editor, learning paths and curricula, e-testing, certificates, evaluations, ePortfolio, BigBlueButton web meetings, REST API |
| Pricing | Software free under Apache 2.0; frentix hosting packages priced on request |
| Best For | Organisations with IT staff or a partner that want source-level control and Swiss hosting |
| Replaces | Absorb LMS, Docebo |
Detailed Review
OpenOlat is the opposite of a sales-led SaaS. The source is on GitHub under Apache 2.0, and frentix GmbH, Okenstr. 6, Zurich, develops it and offers hosting and support around it.
The company site has a dedicated corporate section with onboarding, certificates and proof of completed courses, and a release note dated October 2026 mentions version 21.1.
What a company gets
The corporate page describes macro learning paths that give new hires a hierarchical overview of required courses, a catalogue of optional courses to self-enrol in, and certificates that supervisors can check.
Web meetings are covered by BigBlueButton, which the vendor says it has integrated.
Hosting packages
frentix lists Basic, Individual and Enterprise hosting, all priced on request. Basic comes in 250, 500 or 1,000 users, Individual scales from 250 to 9,000 and Enterprise from 250 to 500,000, with servers in Switzerland and hourly backups.
Running it yourself
The GitHub readme notes a Java 17 requirement and Tomcat 10. Self-hosting removes the vendor from your data path, at the price of owning upgrades and uptime.
Limitations to Consider
The interface and marketing are German-first and oriented to education, so corporate buyers get fewer polished templates than from a SaaS rival. Switzerland sits outside the EU, so the Swiss hosting is under Swiss law. There is no public price list, and the hosting overview marks modules such as PayPal payments and attendance management as paid extras, where Eurekos includes commerce in the product.
Who Should Use OpenOlat
Public bodies and mid-sized firms in German-speaking Europe with IT capacity that value open licensing and Swiss data residency.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Apache 2.0 source on GitHub
- Swiss-hosted option with hourly backups
- Learning paths and certificates
- Corporate use cases documented
- Active release cadence
Cons
- German-first site
- Hosting prices on request
- Self-hosting needs Java and Tomcat skills
- Fewer commerce features
Alternatives to OpenOlat
Other European learning management systems worth comparing before you decide:
Thrive Learning
United Kingdom · Learning hub with skills pathways, mentoring and an AI agent
Eurekos
Denmark · Customer and partner training LMS with built-in e-commerce
Learnifier
Sweden · Swedish LMS with published prices and 26+ languages
360Learning
France · Collaborative LMS where subject experts write the courses
See all European learning management systems or compare them directly against Absorb LMS on our alternatives page.
Frequently Asked Questions
The software is released under the Apache 2.0 licence. Managed hosting from frentix is priced on request.
Its hosting overview lists the server location as Switzerland for all three packages.
The vendor's website has a corporate page covering onboarding, learning paths and course certificates.