Search for Moodle AI plugins and you get long lists. Many of those plugins are tiny, old, or need a paid key you did not plan for. So which ones really work?
This guide sorts it out. We checked Moodle’s own documentation and the plugin pages on moodle.org, and we say clearly what we could not confirm.
What are the best Moodle AI plugins?
For most schools and companies, the top working setup is three parts:
- Moodle’s built-in AI subsystem (Moodle 4.5 and later) for text help, summaries and images.
- AI Chat block + AI Manager for a chatbot inside courses.
- Generative AI Question Bank for quiz questions.
Add an AI-detection plugin only if you truly need one, and treat its score as a hint, not proof.
This is our judgement, based on Moodle’s docs and what each plugin page shows. It is not an official ranking or a lab test.
Top Working Moodle AI Plugins at a Glance
| Plugin | What it does | You need | Sites using it* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moodle AI subsystem (core) | Generate text and images, summarise and explain course pages | Moodle 4.5+, an AI provider account | Built in |
AI Chat block (block_ai_chat) |
Chatbot with saved history, docked, pop-up or full screen | AI Manager plugin | 391 |
AI Manager (local_ai_manager) |
One control panel for many AI models, users and credits | An AI provider (ChatGPT, Ollama, Gemini) | 864 |
OpenAI Chat block (block_openai_chat) |
Simple chatbot with your own prompt and Q&A list | Your own paid OpenAI key | n/a on page |
Generative AI Question Bank (qbank_genai) |
Makes multiple-choice and essay questions from course files | OpenAI API key | 322 |
AI Text to Questions (local_aiquestions) |
Makes quiz questions from text you paste | OpenAI API key | 447 |
Compilatio (plagiarism_compilatio) |
Plagiarism and AI-content checks | Paid Compilatio licence | 723 |
Originality.ai (plagiarism_origai) |
Plagiarism and AI-content checks | Paid Originality.ai account | 45 |
*Sites count shown on each plugin’s moodle.org page on 8 October 2026. A high count means people use it. It does not prove it is good.
Start With What Moodle Already Has
Before you install anything, check the built-in tools. Moodle’s docs say the AI subsystem was introduced in Moodle 4.5 and improved in 5.0. It has three parts:
- Providers connect Moodle to an outside AI service.
- Placements decide where AI shows up.
- Actions are what a user can do, like “summarise”.
You find the settings at Site administration > General > AI.
Which AI providers can Moodle connect to?
The official provider page lists seven provider plugins:
| Provider | Notes from Moodle docs |
|---|---|
| OpenAI API | Needs a paid OpenAI plan |
| Azure AI | Needs an Azure account |
| Anthropic Claude | New in Moodle 5.3. Writes, summarises and explains text. Image creation is not supported |
| Gemini API | Text, images and summaries. Key from Google AI Studio |
| Amazon Bedrock | Needs an AWS account and IAM user |
| DeepSeek | Needs a paid API key |
| Ollama API | Runs models on your own server |
Other tools can connect through an OpenAI-compatible layer, but that is not a separate core plugin.
What can teachers and students do with it?
Moodle has two placements:
- Text editor: generate text and generate images.
- Course assistance: summarise and explain the text on a course page.
Placements are off by default. An admin turns them on at Site administration > General > AI placements. Each user accepts the AI usage policy the first time they use an action. Teachers can switch AI off for a whole course, or choose tools one activity at a time. Admins can also block a role by setting the four AI permissions to “Prevent”.
That is real control, and it costs nothing extra beyond the provider’s own fees.
Check Your Moodle Version First
Core AI needs Moodle 4.5 or newer. Also, old versions stop getting security fixes. This table uses dates from endoflife.date (page updated 5 October 2026). Confirm on moodle.org before you plan an upgrade.
| Version | Type | Security support ends |
|---|---|---|
| 5.3 | LTS, released 5 Oct 2026 | 1 Oct 2029 |
| 5.2 | Regular | 4 Oct 2027 |
| 5.1 | Regular | 19 Apr 2027 |
| 5.0 | Regular | Ended 5 Oct 2026 |
| 4.5 | LTS | 4 Oct 2027 |
If you run 5.0 or older, plan an upgrade before you add AI plugins. We cover what changed in Moodle 5.2 in a separate guide.
Best AI Chatbot for Moodle
A chatbot is the first thing most teams ask for. Here are the three options we checked.
| Chatbot plugin | Strong points | Limits we found |
|---|---|---|
| AI Chat block | Saved chat history. Three display modes. Teachers can set a persona per course. Works through AI Manager with models such as GPT-4o, Gemini and Llama 3 | Not in the Moodle mobile app (blocks are not supported there). Course content cannot yet be added as chat context. Needs AI Manager |
| OpenAI Chat block | Easy to set up. Admin sets the persona. A “Source of Truth” list of questions and answers. Optional logging. Can be limited to logged-in users | Needs your own paid OpenAI key. The page does not state supported Moodle versions |
| Exabis AI Chat block | Can call Moodle data (for example a user’s course grades). Admins can upload files as context. Works with OpenAI and Azure | Very small user base (3 sites on 8 Oct 2026), so little proof in real use |
Our pick: AI Chat block with AI Manager. It has a clear user base (391 sites), a named maintainer team (ByCS Lernplattform), and it lets you swap AI models later without changing your chatbot.
Our caution: if you want a bot that answers only from your own training material, a plain chat block may not be enough. It will answer from the AI model’s general knowledge unless you give it a controlled source. That is where a custom bot helps.
Need a chatbot that answers only from your own courses and policies? Dynamic Pixel builds an AI Knowledge Bot that you train on your own documents and place inside your LMS, website or app. We also build an AI Tutor Chatbot for soft skills and onboarding. Talk to our team.
AI Question Generators That Save Teacher Time
Writing quiz questions takes hours. Two plugins help.
Generative AI Question Bank (qbank_genai) creates multiple-choice and essay questions from your course files. Questions go into the question bank, so a teacher can edit them before use. It can also tag existing questions. It works with OpenAI only, and it sends the selected files to OpenAI’s Responses API. API use costs money. It runs on PHP 8.1 or later.
AI Text to Questions (local_aiquestions) makes multiple-choice questions from text you paste in. It also needs an OpenAI key. Users report errors like “Questions were not created”, often linked to key or cron setup. Commenters mention tests on Moodle 4.1 to 4.4 only, so test on your version.
Our pick: Generative AI Question Bank, because it works from your real course files and supports essay questions too.
One rule: a person must read every AI-made question. AI can write a wrong answer with full confidence.
Best Moodle AI-Detection Plugins
This is the section most pages get wrong, so read it slowly.
Two plugins on moodle.org add AI-content checks:
| Compilatio | Originality.ai | |
|---|---|---|
| Plugin | plagiarism_compilatio |
plagiarism_origai |
| Sites on 8 Oct 2026 | 723 | 45 |
| Cost | Paid licence. AI detection needs the Magister+ plan | Paid account with API key |
| Where it checks | Not listed on the plugin page | Assignments, quiz essays and forums |
| Also does | Plagiarism, cross-language and reworded text, hidden-text tricks | Plagiarism and similarity reports, English and other languages |
The honest problem: AI detectors are not reliable enough to judge a student alone.
- A 2023 study tested 14 detection tools and found them “neither accurate nor reliable”. They often labelled AI text as human, and simple edits made them worse. Weber-Wulff et al., 2023
- A Stanford-led study found GPT detectors misclassified writing by non-native English speakers as AI-made. Liang et al., 2023
We did not find independent accuracy tests for the Compilatio or Originality.ai plugins specifically. So we cannot tell you either one is “accurate”.
How to use detection safely:
- Treat a flag as a reason to talk to the student, not to punish.
- Ask for drafts, notes or a short viva.
- Write a clear AI-use policy for each assignment.
- Keep students informed that a tool is in use.
For many courses, a better plan is to change the task: ask for personal examples, drafts, or oral explanations that are hard to fake.
The “AI Mix” Plugin: Use More Than One Model
If by “AI mix” you mean one plugin that lets you use several AI models together, the closest match is AI Manager.
Its moodle.org page says it is a central place to connect and manage different language models. It lets admins:
- Connect ChatGPT, Ollama, Gemini and self-hosted tools through connectors
- Give different models to different roles or purposes
- Split users into tenants, such as by department
- Give each tenant its own credit
- View usage statistics
This matters for cost and control. You can give teachers a stronger model and students a cheaper one, and you can see who uses what. If you meant something else by “AI mix plugin”, tell us and we will update this section.
AI Integration for Moodle: A Safe Rollout in 6 Steps
Most failed AI projects skip the plan, not the plugin. Follow these steps.
- Back up and use staging. Test every plugin on a copy of your site first.
- Check your version. Use Moodle 4.5 or newer for core AI. Plan upgrades if you run 5.0 or older.
- Pick one provider. Start with one. Add more later through AI Manager.
- Turn on one placement. Try “Summarise” for a small group of teachers.
- Set rules. Write your AI policy. Decide who may use which tool. Block roles with the capability settings if needed.
- Watch cost and feedback. Check usage each month. Ask teachers what saved time and what did not.
Three things plugin lists rarely tell you
- Cost is ongoing. Most plugins are free to install, but the AI provider charges for use. Ollama avoids per-use fees but needs your own server.
- Privacy needs a decision. Text you send goes to the provider you choose. Read their data terms, and ask your legal team how your local data-protection law applies. Do not paste student personal data into any tool without approval.
- Plugins need upkeep. Third-party plugins can fall behind a Moodle upgrade. Check the maintainer, the last update, and the comments before you install.
Why So Many Moodle AI Plugins Fail
| Problem | Why it happens | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Plugin breaks after an upgrade | It was not updated for the new Moodle version | Test on staging. Prefer plugins with active maintainers |
| Chatbot gives wrong answers | It has no controlled source of truth | Give it your own approved content, or use a custom bot |
| Bills grow fast | No limits on use | Use AI Manager credits and watch usage |
| Teachers do not use it | No training or clear policy | Start small, train, share examples |
| Students flagged unfairly | Over-trust in detectors | Use flags as a conversation starter only |
How Dynamic Pixel Can Help
We are a Moodle team based in Ghaziabad, India. Our site lists us as a Certified Moodle Partner [CONFIRM: add link to our listing on moodle.com]. Here is what we do for Moodle AI projects:
- Moodle LMS setup, upgrades and support, including Moodle LMS solutions and plugin development
- AI chatbots and tutors trained on your own content through our AI solutions
- HACC Gen, our AI-powered Moodle course generator, at haccgen.com
- A safety check of your current plugins, versions and AI settings before you go live
Not sure what you need? Book a free consultation or write to info@dynamicpixel.co.in or call 0120-4119119. You can also read what a Certified Moodle Partner really means, how Gemini and Amazon Bedrock work with Moodle, and what a Moodle LMS costs in India.
Why This Matters Now
Learners already use AI. The Digital Education Council’s 2024 survey of 3,839 students in 16 countries found that 86% use AI in their studies, and 80% said their university’s AI integration did not fully meet their expectations. Campus Technology report That gap is the reason to set up AI in your LMS with clear rules, rather than leave it to chance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best plugins for Moodle?
For AI, the best Moodle plugins for most sites are the built-in AI subsystem, the AI Chat block with AI Manager, and Generative AI Question Bank. For other needs, check each plugin’s moodle.org page for supported versions, last update, and user comments before you install it. Always test on a staging copy first.
What are the top 3 AI plugins for Moodle right now?
Our top 3 for most users are: (1) Moodle’s built-in AI subsystem for text, images and summaries, (2) the AI Chat block with AI Manager for a chatbot, and (3) Generative AI Question Bank for quiz questions. This is our own judgement from Moodle’s docs and plugin pages, not an official ranking.
Which AI extension is best for Moodle?
There is no single best one, because it depends on the job. For a chatbot, we prefer the AI Chat block with AI Manager. For quiz questions, we prefer Generative AI Question Bank. For basic summaries and text help, use the built-in AI tools first, since they need no extra plugin.
What is the best AI mix plugin for Moodle?
If you want to use several AI models together, AI Manager is the closest fit. It connects models such as ChatGPT, Ollama and Gemini, lets you assign different models to different roles, and gives each tenant its own credit and usage view. It does not blend answers from many models into one reply.
Does Moodle have built-in AI, or do I need a plugin?
Yes. Moodle 4.5 and later include an AI subsystem. It can generate text and images in the editor and summarise or explain course pages. You still need an account with an AI provider, such as OpenAI, Azure AI, Gemini or Ollama. Admins must switch on the placements, which are off by default.
Are Moodle AI plugins free?
Most plugins are free to download, but the AI behind them is not always free. OpenAI-based plugins need a paid API plan, and usage is billed by the provider. Detection plugins such as Compilatio and Originality.ai need paid accounts. Ollama can avoid per-use fees, but you must run your own server.
Sources
- Moodle Docs: AI subsystem
- Moodle Docs: AI providers
- Moodle Docs: AI placements
- Moodle Docs: AI tools
- Moodle plugins: AI Chat block
- Moodle plugins: AI Manager
- Moodle plugins: OpenAI Chat block
- Moodle plugins: Exabis AI Chat block
- Moodle plugins: Generative AI Question Bank
- Moodle plugins: AI Text to Questions
- Moodle plugins: Compilatio
- Moodle plugins: Originality.ai
- endoflife.date: Moodle
- Weber-Wulff et al. (2023), Testing of Detection Tools for AI-Generated Text
- Liang et al. (2023), GPT detectors are biased against non-native English writers
- Campus Technology: 2024 Global AI Student Survey
