Edwiser Store is a native Moodle plugin that transforms Moodle itself into a fully functional ecommerce platform, enabling you to sell courses directly through Moodle without requiring WordPress or external platforms. Arlo is a comprehensive SaaS training management platform that extends beyond Moodle with robust CRM, marketing automation, and multi-channel course delivery capabilities. Edwiser Store is ideal for organizations seeking self-hosted ecommerce simplicity with complete data control within Moodle.
Understanding the Two Solutions: Arlo for Moodle eCommerce and Edwiser Store
Edwiser Store: Moodle-Native eCommerce Plugin
Edwiser Store is a purpose-built Moodle plugin that enables full ecommerce functionality directly within Moodle, transforming your LMS into a complete online store without requiring external platforms. Rather than syncing data between separate systems, Edwiser Store builds shopping cart, payment processing, invoicing, and course sales capabilities directly into Moodle’s native environment. This means your courses stay in Moodle, your shopping cart operates within Moodle, and purchases automatically enroll students in Moodle – all through a single, unified interface.
The architectural advantage of Edwiser Store is its simplicity and integration philosophy: everything you need for course selling lives in the Moodle environment that you already manage. This eliminates the context-switching and data synchronization complexity that comes with connecting separate platforms. When a student purchases a course, the transaction, enrollment, and learning happen seamlessly within the same system.
Arlo for Moodle eCommerce: Comprehensive Training Management Platform
Arlo operates as a cloud-based Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) training management platform that goes far beyond simple ecommerce functionality. While Arlo provides a Moodle integration plugin, the platform itself is a standalone service that manages the entire training business lifecycle, from course promotion and sales to delivery, tracking, and compliance. The integration between Arlo and Moodle enables organizations to combine Arlo’s business management capabilities with Moodle’s learning delivery strength.
Arlo’s positioning as a comprehensive training management system means it handles multiple course delivery models simultaneously – self-paced online courses, face-to-face classroom training, live online webinars, and blended learning experiences – all within a single ecosystem. This architecture reflects the platform’s target market: commercial training providers who operate complex training programs across multiple delivery channels and require sophisticated operational management tools.
Arlo for Moodle eCommerce vs Edwiser Store: Detailed Comparison Table
| Arlo for Moodle (Training Management Platform) | Edwiser Store (Moodle eCommerce Plugin) | |
| Primary focus | Manage and sell multi-channel training (online, classroom, webinars, blended) | Sell Moodle courses directly from Moodle |
| Core Architecture | ||
| Product type | Cloud-based training management platform with Moodle integration | Native Moodle ecommerce plugin |
| Where it runs | Outside Moodle | Inside Moodle |
| Data location | Business and ecommerce data stored on Arlo’s servers; learning data synced to Moodle | All course and ecommerce data stored in your Moodle database |
| Ecommerce Functionality | ||
| Shopping cart | Arlo’s shopping cart and registration workflows | Built into Moodle via the plugin’s store interface |
| Course bundling | Yes – bundles and packages with more advanced commercial configurations | Coming soon |
| Subscriptions/recurring | Supported via plans depending on Arlo configuration and gateway setup | Yes |
| Payment gateways | Multiple gateways | Stripe only (others coming soon) |
| Invoicing | Full invoicing workflows with payment status tracking | Automatic order records and basic invoicing from within Moodle |
| Pricing models | One-time fees, discounts, vouchers, corporate pricing; flexible per course and per customer segment | One-time course purchases, subscriptions, discounts, vouchers; focused on simple course sales |
| Taxes and currencies | Multi-currency and tax management designed for global training businesses | Supports multiple currencies and tax rules configured in Moodle/payment settings |
| Advanced Business Tools | ||
| CRM capabilities | Built-in CRM for contacts, organizations, leads, and opportunities | No built-in CRM; rely on external CRM if needed |
| Course types supported | Self-paced online, classroom, live online/webinars, and blended learning | Primarily self-paced online Moodle courses |
| Classroom management | Full classroom scheduling, venues, trainer allocation, minimum/maximum seats, waitlists | Core Moodle functionality |
| Website/CMS integration | CMS-agnostic (works with any CMS); has Arlo widgets, WordPress plugin, and embeddable catalog components | Moodle front-end; can be styled and themed |
| Reporting and analytics | Business-focused reports: revenue, registrations, events, utilization, plus learning data via Moodle | Moodle-centric reports and sales reports |
| Deployment & Cost | ||
| Deployment model | SaaS (Arlo cloud) + on-prem Moodle | Self-hosted (whatever server hosts your Moodle) |
| Data ownership | Shared: Arlo holds business data; Moodle holds learning records | Full control within your Moodle database |
| Cost | $3252/year | $199/year |
| Checkout Arlo | Checkout Edwiser Store |
Edwiser Store outperforms Arlo for Moodle-based LMS businesses by delivering seamless, native ecommerce within the existing Moodle ecosystem.
Native Integration
Edwiser Store operates entirely inside Moodle, eliminating data syncing issues and context-switching that Arlo’s cloud integration introduces. Purchases trigger instant enrollments without external platforms, keeping courses, carts, and transactions unified.
Data Control and Ownership
All data stays in your Moodle database with Edwiser Store, ensuring full sovereignty and compliance—unlike Arlo, where business data resides on external servers. Moodle-first organizations avoid shared ownership risks and maintain complete control over learner and sales records.
Cost Efficiency
Edwiser Store offers predictable one-time or low ongoing costs with no scaling fees, contrasting Arlo’s usage-based SaaS subscriptions that grow unpredictably. Budget-conscious Moodle users benefit from simpler setup and lower total ownership without marginal expenses.
Ideal for Core LMS Needs
For self-paced online course sales, Edwiser Store provides essential tools like shopping carts, Stripe payments, subscriptions, and Moodle reports without Arlo’s overhead for unrelated features like classroom scheduling or CRM. Simplicity suits universities, mid-sized providers, and internal teams focused on Moodle delivery.
