PLC Dojo Review: Paul Lynn's Low-Cost PLC Courses and Bundles
What PLC Dojo is, what its $12 PLC Fundamentals course and bundles include, which software the courses use, what reviews say, and how to add hands-on practice.
Short answer: PLC Dojo is Paul Lynn's online course site. Its instructors are Paul A. Lynn, Emile Ackbarali and Muhammad Awais, and it runs on the Thinkific course platform.
Courses are sold one at a time or in bundles, with no subscription. On October 25, 2026, the entry course, PLC Fundamentals (Level I), was $12 for about 14 hours of video. It's one of the cheapest structured ways to learn Allen-Bradley-style PLC basics.
The trade-off is the usual one for video courses: practice depends on the software you can install and how much you do on your own.
Researched October 25, 2026 from plcdojo.com and public review sites (sources at the end). We did not buy a PLC Dojo course. The author of this review is a different Paul; we have no relationship with PLC Dojo.
Ownership disclosure: PLC Programming and PLC Simulation Software are run by the same team. Our product appears in the alternatives section, with its prices and limits stated.
Prices (as listed October 25, 2026)
| Course or bundle | Price |
|---|---|
| PLC Fundamentals (Level I) | $12 |
| Siemens S7-1200 & WinCC with TIA Portal + Factory I/O | $10 |
| Ethernet/IP introduction | $8 |
| Modbus RS485, MQTT and Sparkplug B courses | $10 each |
| PLC Generalist bundle | $45 |
| Siemens Specialist bundle | $48 |
| SCADA Genius bundle | $40 |
| Template Bundle | $65 |
| Comm Networks 18-Pack | $120 |
| "I WANT IT ALL!" bundle | $245 |
Prices are one-time. Check the site before buying, because low-cost course sites change prices often.
What PLC Fundamentals includes
According to the course page:
- Length: about 14 hours of video. The page gives the lesson count as both 129 and 128.
- Extras: 12 articles, 19 downloads, unlimited access and a certificate of completion.
- Software: RSLogix 500 Micro, RSLinx Classic Lite and Emulate 500, plus FactoryTalk View Studio for HMI.
Other PLC Dojo courses use Studio 5000, TIA Portal, Factory I/O and Node-RED. There's no general lab environment; simulation happens inside specific courses with the software they name.
Note that RSLogix 500 targets the older SLC 500 and MicroLogix family. It's fine for learning ladder basics. If you're aiming at newer ControlLogix and CompactLogix plants, plan to move on to Studio 5000.
Live mini-lab
Try it: press START, then STOP
A stop-dominant seal-in rung: START latches the motor output through its own contact, and STOP breaks the circuit.
Watch the output lamp: it stays on after START until you press STOP.
Free to start · runs in your browserOpens plcsimulationsoftware.com — same team
What reviews say
- On PLC Dojo's own course page: 4.9 average from 218 reviews.
- Trustpilot: 4 out of 5 from 3 reviews on the review date, too few to read much into.
- Udemy: the same PLC Fundamentals course is also on Udemy, where search results showed a 4.7 rating from about 25,000 ratings. Check the live page.
Paul Lynn's Udemy profile says his courses "cost LESS on PLC Dojo."
What PLC Dojo does well
- Very low price. A full fundamentals course costs $12.
- One-time purchase. No subscription to cancel, and unlimited access.
- Breadth of cheap add-ons. Comms protocols (Modbus, Ethernet/IP, MQTT), Siemens and SCADA topics.
- A large learner base. The Udemy version shows tens of thousands of ratings.
Limits to plan around
- Practice is up to you. Video lessons explain, but fluency comes from writing and debugging many programs.
- Legacy software in the entry course. RSLogix 500 and Emulate 500, as noted above.
- No recognised credential. A completion certificate isn't a vendor certificate or an industry certification.
- No feedback on your own code. Nothing checks your solutions against requirements.
Alternatives and complements
| If you need… | Consider | Price (as published) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hands-on ladder practice with automatic checking | PLC Simulation Software (our product) | Free tier with no expiry; Pro $29/month or $249/year (product facts) | Browser lessons in nine dialects, including Allen-Bradley and Siemens SCL, plus graded machine scenarios and fault-finding. Pairs well with a video course. Not Studio 5000 or real hardware. |
| A deeper Allen-Bradley academy | myPLCtraining | Subscription | See our myPLCtraining review |
| A larger video library | RealPars or SolisPLC | Subscription | See our RealPars alternatives and SolisPLC review |
| Official Rockwell instruction | Rockwell courses | From about $2,325 for 2 days through a US distributor | See Rockwell Automation training cost |
Frequently asked questions
Is PLC Dojo worth it?
For a beginner on a budget, yes. At $12, PLC Fundamentals is an inexpensive structured introduction to Allen-Bradley-style ladder logic. Add regular hands-on practice, because watching videos alone won't make you fluent.
Who runs PLC Dojo?
PLC Dojo is "Paul Lynn's PLC Dojo." It lists Paul A. Lynn, Emile Ackbarali and Muhammad Awais as instructors.
Is PLC Dojo a subscription?
No. On October 25, 2026, its courses and bundles were sold as one-time purchases with unlimited access.
What software does PLC Dojo use?
The PLC Fundamentals course uses RSLogix 500 Micro, RSLinx Classic Lite, Emulate 500 and FactoryTalk View Studio. Other courses use Studio 5000, TIA Portal, Factory I/O and Node-RED.
Sources
- PLC Dojo homepage and course list
- PLC Dojo: PLC Fundamentals course page
- Trustpilot: plcdojo.com
- Udemy: PLC Fundamentals (Level I)
Related reading
Now run it · free to start
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Ownership disclosure: PLC Programming IO and PLC Simulation Software are operated by the same publisher.
