To better serve small organizations and individuals that can’t (don’t want to) pay for a hosted solution by one of its partners, Moodle now offers a free hosted solution called MoodleCloud.
MoodleCloud includes basic features that come with limitations to keep cost for the company in control, and there are also ads integrated to subsidize the running costs for Moodle.
Teachers can sign up 50 students and upload 200mb of content. There are no plugins or customizations available. The database size is unlimited and the package comes with free videoconferencing powered by BigBlueButton. The LMS will also automatically update to the latest version and can be setup within minutes using a mobile phone for security measures.
MoodleCloud is obviously targeting teachers and institutions who want to give the LMS a testdrive before committing to either running their own LMS or sign up for a hosting package with one of the Moodle Partners.
With startups like Canvas Network offering free, hosted LMS solutions and general tech companies like WordPress entering the market, Moodle needs to get new users on board. Hence, MoodleCloud might be a good entry point.
Further Reading
Moodle Launches MoodleCloud – Free Hosting for Educators. | Press Release