LifterLMS is one of the most feature-rich WordPress LMS plugins available, but its default styling depends entirely on your active theme. Most WordPress themes were not designed to handle course catalogs, lesson navigation, membership areas, and certificate displays. The result is a functional but visually inconsistent learning experience that undermines the quality of your courses.
LearnMate LifterLMS is a WordPress theme built specifically for LifterLMS-powered course websites. It provides dedicated templates for every LifterLMS content type, a polished student dashboard, and deep integration with LifterLMS features like memberships, certificates, and achievements.
Why LifterLMS Needs a Purpose-Built Theme
LifterLMS creates several custom post types and page templates that generic themes do not anticipate: courses, lessons, memberships, certificates, achievements, and quizzes. When a generic theme encounters these content types, it falls back to its default single post template. This means:
- Course pages look identical to blog posts, with no visual hierarchy for curriculum, pricing, or enrollment.
- Lesson pages lack sidebar navigation, making it difficult for students to track their position in a course.
- The membership area uses unstyled forms and tables that clash with the rest of the site.
- Certificates and achievements render with minimal formatting, reducing their perceived value.
A theme designed for LifterLMS solves all of these problems by providing templates that understand the data structures LifterLMS creates and present them in a way that enhances the learning experience.
LearnMate LifterLMS: Feature Overview
Course Catalog Layouts
LearnMate offers three course display options for your catalog page:
- Grid view. Course cards arranged in a responsive grid showing featured images, titles, instructor names, pricing, and enrollment counts. The grid adjusts from four columns on desktop to single column on mobile.
- List view. A vertical list layout with larger course descriptions visible without clicking. Better for sites with fewer courses where each description matters.
- Masonry view. Variable-height cards that create a dynamic, Pinterest-style layout. Works well when course descriptions and images vary significantly in size.
All three layouts include filtering by category and sorting by price, popularity, or date. Students can quickly narrow down large catalogs to find courses relevant to their needs.
Single Course Page
The single course page is designed to convert visitors into enrolled students. LearnMate structures this page with:
- Hero section. Course title, featured image or promotional video, instructor avatar, and a prominent enrollment button.
- Tabbed content area. Curriculum (expandable sections and lessons), instructor bio, reviews, and FAQs organized in tabs to keep the page scannable.
- Sticky sidebar. Price, enrollment button, course duration, difficulty level, and included materials. The sidebar stays visible as the user scrolls through the course description.
- Social proof. Student count, average rating, and recent reviews displayed prominently to build trust.
Lesson and Topic Pages
Once enrolled, the lesson experience determines whether students complete the course or abandon it. LearnMate lesson pages include:
- Course navigation sidebar. A collapsible sidebar showing all sections and lessons with completion checkmarks. Students always know where they are and what comes next.
- Progress bar. Visual progress indicator at the top of every lesson page showing overall course completion percentage.
- Previous and next buttons. Clear navigation between lessons without returning to the course overview.
- Focus mode. A distraction-free layout option that hides the site header, footer, and sidebar for immersive learning sessions.
Student Dashboard
LearnMate includes a comprehensive student dashboard accessible from the main navigation:
- All enrolled courses with visual progress indicators.
- Recently accessed lessons with one-click resume.
- Earned certificates available for download.
- Achievement badges and points earned.
- Membership status and renewal dates.
- Order history and billing information.
The dashboard serves as the student’s home base, reducing confusion about where to find their courses and progress data.
Membership Integration
LifterLMS includes built-in membership functionality, and LearnMate styles the membership experience end to end:
- Membership catalog. Display available membership tiers with pricing, included courses, and feature comparisons in a professional pricing table layout.
- Registration forms. Clean, branded registration and checkout forms that match your site design.
- Member area. A dedicated section showing the student’s active membership, included courses, and renewal information.
LifterLMS is one of the most feature-rich WordPress LMS plugins, but its default styling depends entirely on your active theme. LearnMate LifterLMS closes that gap with templates designed for every LifterLMS content type.
LearnMate LifterLMS vs LearnMate LearnDash
Both themes share the LearnMate design language, but they are optimized for different LMS plugins. Here is how they compare:
LMS plugin LifterLMS (free core + paid add-ons) LearnDash (paid, starts at $199/year)
Built-in memberships Yes (LifterLMS includes memberships) Requires separate membership plugin
Built-in ecommerce Yes (LifterLMS handles payments natively) Requires WooCommerce for payments
Course builder LifterLMS drag-and-drop builder LearnDash course builder
BuddyPress integration Supported with styled templates Deep integration with social learning
Best for All-in-one course + membership sites Course-focused sites with WooCommerce
Choose LifterLMS (and LearnMate LifterLMS) if you want an all-in-one solution where the LMS plugin handles courses, memberships, and payments without additional plugins. Choose LearnDash (and LearnMate LearnDash) if you prefer a more modular approach with WooCommerce handling payments and a wider ecosystem of third-party add-ons.
For a detailed breakdown of all available options, see our top 10 WordPress LMS plugins comparison.
Setting Up LearnMate LifterLMS
Step 1: Install LifterLMS
Install LifterLMS from the WordPress plugin repository. Run the setup wizard to configure your course site basics: currency, payment gateway, and sample course. LifterLMS’s free core includes courses, lessons, quizzes, certificates, and one-time payment processing. Add-ons for memberships, advanced quizzes, and additional payment gateways are available separately.
Step 2: Install and Activate LearnMate LifterLMS
Upload the LearnMate LifterLMS theme and activate it. The theme detects LifterLMS automatically and enables its custom templates for all LifterLMS content types. Import the demo content if you want a pre-populated starting point to customize.
Step 3: Configure Course Display Settings
Navigate to Appearance > Customizer > LifterLMS Options. Set your preferred course catalog layout, choose which metadata appears on course cards, and configure the single course page layout. All changes preview in real time.
Step 4: Brand Your Site
Set your brand colors, upload your logo, and choose typography through the Customizer. LearnMate applies your color choices consistently across all course pages, lesson navigation, progress bars, buttons, and the student dashboard.
Step 5: Create Your First Course
Use the LifterLMS course builder to create sections, lessons, and quizzes. LearnMate automatically applies its templates to every piece of course content you create. No additional configuration is needed per course.
For the complete process of creating an online course platform in WordPress, including hosting selection and payment configuration, see our step-by-step guide.
Who Should Use LearnMate LifterLMS
Independent course creators All-in-one setup: LifterLMS handles courses, payments, and certificates. LearnMate handles the design. No additional plugins needed for a complete course business.
Coaching businesses Membership tiers for different coaching levels, drip content for ongoing programs, and a professional student portal.
Non-profits and associations Training and certification programs for members with certificates, continuing education credits, and progress tracking.
Schools and tutoring services Organized course catalogs by subject, student dashboards for parents and students, and quiz-based assessments.
Corporate training departments Internal training portals with branded design, mandatory course completion tracking, and reporting.
Performance and Compatibility
- Page speed. LearnMate loads only the CSS and JavaScript required for the current page type. Course archive pages do not load lesson page assets, keeping page weights minimal.
- Mobile responsive. Every template is designed mobile-first. Lesson navigation, progress tracking, and video playback work smoothly on phones and tablets.
- Plugin compatibility. Tested with WooCommerce, BuddyPress, bbPress, Elementor, and all major caching plugins. LifterLMS’s native payment system works without WooCommerce, but WooCommerce integration is supported for stores that sell both courses and physical products.
- Accessibility. Keyboard navigation, screen reader support, and sufficient color contrast throughout the theme templates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is LifterLMS free?
The LifterLMS core plugin is free and includes courses, lessons, quizzes, certificates, and basic payment processing. Premium add-ons for memberships, advanced quizzes, WooCommerce integration, and additional payment gateways are sold separately or as bundles.
Can I switch from LearnDash to LifterLMS and keep using LearnMate?
LearnMate LearnDash and LearnMate LifterLMS are separate themes, each optimized for their respective LMS plugin. If you switch LMS plugins, you would also switch to the corresponding LearnMate theme. The design language is consistent between both, so your site will maintain a similar look.
Does LearnMate LifterLMS support multi-instructor sites?
Yes. Multiple instructors can create and manage their own courses. Each instructor gets a profile page listing their courses, bio, and credentials. Students can browse the course catalog by instructor. For a full multi-instructor marketplace setup, see our guide on creating a course marketplace with WordPress.
Can I use LifterLMS memberships with this theme?
Yes. LifterLMS memberships are fully styled by LearnMate, including the membership catalog, registration forms, checkout, and member dashboard. You can create multiple membership tiers with different course access levels.
What hosting do I need for a LifterLMS site with LearnMate?
For sites with up to 500 students and 20 courses, managed WordPress hosting with 2GB RAM is sufficient. For larger sites with 1,000 or more students, use hosting with object caching (Redis) and a CDN for media delivery. Video-heavy courses should use an external video host (Vimeo, Wistia) rather than serving video files directly from WordPress.
LearnMate LifterLMS takes the most capable free LMS plugin in WordPress and wraps it in a design that makes your courses look as professional as the content inside them. Start with the LifterLMS free core, add LearnMate for the presentation layer, and scale with premium add-ons as your course business grows.