The 19 Best LMS Platforms and Software — A Comparison and Review for 2024
![Best-LMS-Platforms-and-Software The Best LMS Platforms and Software](https://www.ispringsolutions.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Best-LMS-Platforms-and-Software.png)
With over 1,000 learning management system (LMS) vendors on the market, choosing the right one for your business can be a daunting task. To help you with that, our team of in-house and third-party LMS experts, including David Brandt, owner of LMS Chef, analyzed and compared over 100 of the most popular LMS options on the market and compiled a list of the top 19 learning management software. See detailed reviews of the key features of the top LMSs, their pros and cons, and who each of them is best suited for.
An Overview of the 19 Best Learning Management Systems for 2024
Here’s a quick side-by-side comparison of all the learning management solutions we reviewed and consider to be the top options for 2024.
Please, note: the platforms are arranged in a way that highlights those with the best combination of user ratings, feature comprehensiveness, and ease of use for a wide range of users and scenarios.
Keep reading to get a detailed breakdown of each platform.
LMS | Best suited for | Pricing |
1. iSpring Learn | iSpring Learn is a top choice for small to medium businesses seeking to launch comprehensive employee training programs, including onboarding and soft skills training. | Starts at $2.99 per active user, per month for up to 50 users. |
2. LearnWorlds | LearnWorlds is ideal for educators and entrepreneurs who want to create, sell, and market online courses. | Starts at $24 per month. |
3. 360Learning | 360Learning is great for collaborative learning and works well for organizations that focus on team-based training and knowledge sharing. | Starts at $8 per registered user, per month for up to 100 users. |
4. TalentLMS | TalentLMS delivers blended employee training, including onboarding and ongoing learning. It suits both businesses and academic institutions and is a good fit for companies aiming to monetize their online courses. | Starts at $59/month for up to 40 users. There’s also a free plan for up to 5 users. |
5. LearnUpon | LearnUpon is suitable for large businesses aiming to provide training to employees, customers, or partners. However, it may not be the most suitable choice for businesses with complex organizational structures or extensive role overlaps due to limitations in user roles. | Starts at $1,249/month for up to 150 users. |
6. SkyPrep | SkyPrep is well-suited for employee training in small organizations, offering simplicity, which is great for first-time LMS users. Its short learning curve also makes it effective for employee onboarding. Additionally, the built-in content library is beneficial for businesses that lack their own selection of training courses. | Starts at $349/month for up to 50 users. |
7. Canvas | Canvas is a popular choice among educational institutions and is well-suited for academic learning environments. | Upon request. |
8. D2L (Desire2Learn) | D2L is designed for educational institutions and corporate training programs, offering a flexible and scalable solution. | Upon request. |
9. Schoology | Schoology is ideal for K-12 schools and institutions of higher education, providing comprehensive learning management capabilities. | Upon request. |
10. Docebo | Docebo is popular among large businesses because of its extensive customization options and enterprise functionality. With its integrated e-commerce features, including Stripe, it’s a perfect choice for large organizations looking to sell course subscriptions. | No price listed; need to contact the provider. |
11. Moodle™ LMS | Moodle™ is a popular choice among academic institutions, government organizations, and non-profits seeking a powerful yet budget-friendly LMS for online education. However, it may not meet all the requirements for employee training. | Self-hosted Moodle™ LMS is free. The pricing for the SaaS version starts at $110/month for up to 50 users. |
12. Litmos | Litmos is designed for conducting employee training and onboarding in companies with over 150 monthly learners. It’s a robust solution built to manage corporate training on a large scale. | No price listed; need to contact the company. |
13. Adobe Learning Manager (formerly Adobe Captivate Prime) | Adobe Learning Manager is ideal for large businesses seeking a user-friendly interface and advanced features for scalable experiential learning. However, its steep learning curve may pose a challenge for beginners. | No price listed on the website; need to contact the company. |
14. Absorb | Absorb is a versatile solution that caters to various sectors, like education and nonprofits. However, its high price and extensive advanced features make it less suitable for beginners or businesses with limited budgets. | No price listed; need to contact the vendor. |
15. Nimble | Nimble stands out as a popular choice for businesses aiming to launch eLearning quickly. However, due to its absence of certain advanced features and integrations, it’s better suited for smaller organizations that are new to online training. | Starts at £1,800 for up to 50 users. |
16. Looop | Looop is tailored for medium to large businesses, offering straightforward implementation suitable for both long- and short-term projects. However, it’s not the best fit for academic institutions or e-commerce purposes. | No price listed; need to contact the vendor. |
17. Dokeos | Dokeos is ideal for organizations requiring a validated LMS that addresses specialty industry and regulatory needs. While flexible for educational institutions, its user experience can be clunky, making it less suitable for large user bases. | No price listed; need to contact the vendor. |
18. eLeap | eLeap is a great option for small businesses transitioning to online training, especially for those doing it for the first time. It’s also suitable for small e-commerce ventures. However, its limited reporting and user management features make it less suitable for large organizations. | Starts at $125/month for up to 25 users. There’s also a free Demo plan for up to 5 users. |
19. eFront | eFront is tailored for large organizations with 500+ monthly learners, providing advanced features for robust employee and customer training. However, due to its complex initial setup, it’s more suitable for long-term projects and businesses with large budgets. | Starts at $1,000/month for up to 1,000 users. |
iSpring Learn is a popular cloud-based LMS known for its robust functionality and user-friendly interface. It powers the full cycle of training, from content development to evaluating training effectiveness, and suits any training scenario, be it onboarding, compliance training, certification, or anything else.
With its built-in course authoring tool and integration with iSpring Suite, creating engaging online courses, quizzes, role-plays, and video tutorials is quick and easy. As for training delivery, iSpring Learn offers personalized learning paths, detailed progress reports, robust gamification features, and a native mobile app for on-the-go access.
Pricing is scalable based on monthly users, making it suitable for businesses of all sizes.
Key features:
- Automated training
- Detailed progress reports in real time
- A library of ready-made courses on soft skills and compliance
- Personalized learning paths
- SCORM support
- A native mobile app
- Integration with Zoom, MS Teams, Salesforce, Bitrix24, BambooHR, PeopleWeek, Shopify, and other popular services
- Supervisor dashboard
- Social learning features (a newsfeed, learners’ cards, interactive organization chart, etc.)
- 360-degree feedback assessment
Pros
- A modern interface for intuitive navigation
- Quick setup and an easy onboarding process
- Tedious training management processes are automated
- Mobile app for mobile learning, on-the-go training, and offline training
- Strong gamification options, such as badges, points, and leaderboards
- Unlike other LMSs, it comes with a comprehensive authoring tool for building high-end interactive training materials
- Easy-to-create personalized learning paths for maximum effectiveness
- Customizable user roles to suit all types of organizations
- Integration with any other platform through API
- 24/7 technical support via phone, email, and chat
- One of the few LMSs that evaluates employees’ soft skills and competencies
Cons
- E-commerce is available only through integration with Shopify
- No discussion boards
- No xAPI, PENS, or LTI support
Best suited for:
iSpring Learn is ​​one of the leading LMS platforms for small to medium businesses, and it’s probably the easiest LMS to use. It’s a perfect solution for any training scenario, including employee onboarding, compliance training, customer education, and soft skills training.
Check out customers’ stories of success:
- NAOS: “With iSpring, we launched our first online training program and cut training expenses to a quarter of the previous cost.”
- Jazz: “With iSpring, we’re saving 30% of training costs, while training five times more people.”
- Villa St. Vincent: “With the help of iSpring, our residents are getting state-of-the-art care and services.”
LearnWorlds is an all-in-one platform designed for educators, trainers, and entrepreneurs who want to create, sell, and market their online courses. This LMS stands out for its powerful course creation software, interactive features, and robust marketing capabilities.
Key features:
- Interactive video tools that include clickable links, quizzes, and overlays
- White-label branding
- Built-in e-commerce tools that enable you to sell courses, create subscription plans, and offer promotions
- Simple, template-based course authoring
- Social learning features, including discussion boards, learner profiles, and social networking
- Mobile-responsive design
Pros
- Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- Advanced marketing and e-commerce features
- Highly customizable and brandable platform
- Engaging learning options, including quizzes and certificates
- Strong support and resources, including webinars and tutorials
Cons
- Limited integration with some third-party systems
- Higher cost for advanced features and large user bases
- Steep learning curve for beginners due to its wide range of features
Best suited for:
LearnWorlds is ideal for educators and entrepreneurs who want to monetize online courses in a wide range of eLearning scenarios, from professional training to hobbyist instruction.
360Learning is a collaborative learning platform designed to empower organizations to foster a culture of continuous learning and development. It emphasizes peer learning and collaboration, making it suitable for team-based training initiatives.
Key features:
- Collaborative learning features, including discussion forums, peer reviews, and group projects
- Simple course authoring tools
- Detailed analytics and reporting system
- Mobile-friendly design for training anytime, anywhere
- Integrations with popular software like Slack, Salesforce, and Microsoft Teams
Pros
- Strong focus on collaborative and social learning
- Approachable course creation for anyone, including beginners
- Robust analytics and reporting capabilities
- Seamless integration with popular business services
- Engaging gamification features
Cons
- Costly for smaller organizations
- Requires training to use it effectively
- Customer support can be slow to respond
- Not ideal for traditional, instructor-led training scenarios
Best suited for:
360Learning is great for organizations that prioritize collaborative learning and want to leverage social learning features to enhance team-based training and development. It is particularly useful for companies looking to promote peer learning and knowledge sharing.
TalentLMS is one of the leading solutions for all training scenarios, with a quick setup process. Among other things, it enables companies to launch and run effective onboarding. It offers robust features for social learning, gamification, and ILT management, catering to internal and external training needs.
Moreover, TalentLMS provides access to its course store, Talent Library, which requires a subscription upgrade. This library includes courses created by TalentLMS and other popular providers, offering users the option to purchase individual courses or bundles from a particular provider based on their preferences.
Key features:
- Online quiz creation and management with multimedia content
- User management and role assignment
- Customization options for branding
- Custom reporting and analytics for tracking learner progress
- Mobile app for on-the-go learning
- Gamification features to enhance engagement
- Integrations with third-party tools like Zapier and BambooHR
- Collaboration tools, such as forums and messaging
- E-commerce
- Multiple types of single sign-on connections like ADFS, LDAP, Okta, and OneLogin
Pros
- Easy-to-follow onboarding process
- Advanced reporting and scheduling features
- Seamless integration with webinar software, such as GoToMeeting, Zoom.us, and BigBlueButton
- Native mobile app with offline learning capability
- Convenient calendar for managing ILT sessions
- An online tool for building graded quizzes and surveys
- Rich gamification options to enhance engagement
- The multilingual interface supports 37 languages
- Extensive built-in course library covering diverse subjects
Cons
- Basic progress report insights
- Inability to export content to SCORM
- File size cap of 600 MB for videos, audio, and SCORM/xAPI files
- Restricted customization for themes
- Absence of a bulk certificate downloading option
Best suited for:
Blended employee training initiatives, including onboarding, compliance training, and continuous learning. TalentLMS excels with its seamless onboarding process, making it ideal for short-term projects. Although it’s primarily tailored for businesses, it’s also suitable for academic institutions. Additionally, it offers seamless integration with Shopify, WooCommerce, Stripe, and PayPal, catering to businesses aiming to monetize online courses.
LearnUpon stands out as a top-tier online learning platform, boasting a comprehensive feature set. It’s an excellent choice for businesses seeking to develop, monitor, and distribute digital training internally. Additionally, the software enables the creation of branded digital storefronts for selling online courses.
With LearnUpon, businesses have access to powerful customization options, allowing them to tailor training for multiple audiences. For example, separate learning portals can be created and customized to meet the unique needs of each audience segment.
Key features:
- A robust reporting and analytics dashboard
- Extensive integration options with popular business tools, such as Salesforce and Zendesk
- Compliance-focused features, including automated certification management and audit trails, ensuring regulatory adherence
- Advanced branding capabilities, such as white-labeling and custom domain support
Pros
- User-friendly interface
- Detailed and visual reports
- Advanced customization at the course, module, and portal level
- Quick setup
- Customizable learning paths
- Learner engagement features, such as gamification and discussion forums
- An app for mobile learning
Cons
- Doesn’t enable you to create training content
- The reporting system is not transactional
- The number of setting options can be overwhelming for inexperienced L&D teams
- Limitations in user roles (for example, a manager cannot also be an instructor)
- Courses can’t be changed once they are published
- The mobile learning app requires an internet connection
Best suited for:
LearnUpon is well-suited for large businesses aiming to provide training for employees, customers, or partners. It fulfills all the essential requirements for employee training and accommodates both short- and long-term projects. However, limitations in user roles may pose challenges for businesses with complex organizational structures or significant role overlaps. Additionally, LearnUpon may not be suitable for businesses operating on a limited budget.
SkyPrep is designed as an accessible and scalable LMS solution, perfect for businesses shifting to online training. Its built-in authoring toolkit facilitates the creation, tracking, and delivery of eLearning content throughout your organization. However, it’s important to note that, while functional, the authoring tool may lack some advanced features needed for complex training scenarios.
Nevertheless, SkyPrep remains a powerful learning management solution suitable for both employee and customer training. With its comprehensive feature set, it serves as a practical choice, especially for large enterprises.
Key features:
- Features for organizing ILT sessions
- Integration with popular authoring tools such as Elucidat and LectoraOnline
- Integrated with OpenSesame’s content library
- Custom reports and scheduled reports on learner progress
- A native mobile app with a customizable sign-in page
- Enables learners to sign in via Facebook, Google, or LinkedIn
- E-commerce functionality with Stripe, PayPal, and Shopify
- Supports 14 languages
Pros
- Sleek and user-friendly interface
- Access to a course library
- Robust and customizable reporting options
- On-the-go learning available with a mobile app
- Integrated authoring toolkit for content creation
- Google Analytics integration for detailed course tracking
- Self-registration functionality for learners
- Support for SCORM 1.2, AICC, and bulk content uploads
- Tailored certification options for personalized learning journeys
Cons
- Limited user role customization capabilities
- Basic security measures may not meet compliance standards
- Absence of a report scheduling feature for automated reporting
- The mobile app is limited to viewing SCORM files in a browser and lacks offline access
- The authoring tool lacks video embedding functionality
- Lack of gamification elements for enhanced engagement
- No control over registration volume through shared links
Best suited for:
SkyPrep is well-suited for development programs within small organizations. Its user-friendly interface makes it a good first LMS, ensuring that employees and customers can start learning immediately without a complex setup process. Its short learning curve also positions it as an excellent tool for employee onboarding. Additionally, the built-in content library proves invaluable for businesses lacking their own selection of in-house training courses.
Canvas is a highly regarded LMS used by educational institutions worldwide. It provides a robust software system designed to enhance teaching and learning, making it a favorite among educators for its flexibility and ease of use.
Key features:
- The SpeedGrader tool for grading student work and providing detailed feedback
- Strong analytics and reporting
- Integrations with a wide range of third-party tools and services, including Google Apps and Microsoft Teams
- Native mobile app for learners
- Ability to customize and extend the functionality of Canvas with OpenAPI
Pros
- Highly customizable and flexible platform
- Strong support for multimedia and interactive content
- Extensive integration capabilities with other educational software
- Intuitive user interface for both instructors and students
- Active community and robust support resources
Cons
- Costly for smaller institutions or limited budgets
- Complex initial setup and configuration
- Some users report occasional performance issues during peak times
Best suited for:
Canvas is a popular choice among educational institutions – from K-12 to higher education – looking for a comprehensive and customizable LMS to support online and blended learning environments.
D2L, also known as Brightspace, is a versatile LMS designed to meet the needs of both educational institutions and corporate training departments. Its robust set of features and flexible design make it suitable for a variety of learning environments.
Key features:
- Adaptive learning paths and custom content recommendations
- Advanced training analytics
- A mobile-friendly interface and dedicated mobile app
- Compliance with WCAG standards and support for assistive technologies
- Built-in tools for creating, managing, and delivering engaging learning content
Pros
- Flexible and scalable platform
- Strong support for personalized learning experiences
- Comprehensive analytics and reporting features
- High commitment to accessibility and inclusivity
Cons
- Costly for smaller institutions or businesses
- Complex setup and configuration process
- Limited support for non-standard integrations
Best suited for:
D2L is designed for educational institutions and corporate training programs, offering a flexible and scalable solution to meet diverse learning needs. Its robust feature set makes it suitable for organizations seeking to deliver personalized and engaging learning experiences.
Schoology is an LMS tailored for K-12 schools and institutions of higher education. It provides a comprehensive set of tools to enhance online learning and teaching and fosters an interactive and collaborative learning environment.
Key features:
- Flexible tools for assignments, grading, and feedback
- Collaboration options, including discussion boards, group projects, and peer review
- A responsive mobile app
- Integration with other educational software and systems, including Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive
- Detailed analytics and reporting
- A wide range of pre-built courses and learning materials
Pros
- User-friendly interface for both instructors and students
- Strong support for collaboration and interactive learning
- Extensive integration capabilities with educational systems
- Mobile app for flexible learning
- Active community and robust support resources
Cons
- Steep learning curve for beginners
- Limited support for non-educational use cases
- Costly for small institutions or limited budgets
Best suited for:
Schoology is ideal for K-12 schools and institutions of higher education looking for a comprehensive LMS to support online and blended learning environments. Its wide range of features and strong focus on collaboration make it a valuable tool for enhancing student engagement and learning outcomes.
Docebo is a popular LMS software for enterprises. With 400 integrations and robust customization features, it’s ideal for large workforces. Its innovative social learning tools foster a learning culture within your organization. Plus, the mobile app enables learners to access training materials anytime, anywhere.
Using AI technology, Docebo offers virtual coaching, auto-tagging, and content suggestions to personalize the learning experience. AI identifies and tags skills in both internal and external content, recommending relevant material based on employees’ developmental needs.
Key features:
- A library of courses on various skills from external providers
- Robust customization features for tailoring the platform to your company’s needs
- AI-powered technology for virtual coaching, auto-tagging, and content suggestions
- Mobile learning
- SCORM compliant
- Advanced social learning features
- Integrates with more than 400 platforms and services, including popular tools like Shopify, WooCommerce, Stripe, and PayPal
- Custom progress reports
- Compliant with WCAG 2.1 AA for accessibility
Pros
- Native mobile app with a customizable sign-in page
- Custom and scheduled reports on learner progress
- Advanced content creation through integration with the Elucidat and LectoraOnline authoring tools
- Gamification options, such as points, badges, leaderboards, competitions, and a marketplace for rewards
- Blended learning support through features for organizing ILT sessions
- Integrates with popular webinar services, including AdobeConnect, BlueJeans, GoToMeeting, Webex, and Zoom.us
- E-commerce with Stripe integration enables flexible course monetization
Cons
- Non-intuitive interface complicates user management
- External tools are needed for course authoring
- Tedious setup process without onboarding support
- Slow tech support, especially in the lower pricing plans
Best suited for:
Docebo stands out as a popular choice for large businesses, thanks to its remarkable customization capabilities. Its e-commerce functionality, integrated with Stripe, makes it an excellent option for enterprises looking to monetize online courses through subscriptions. However, due to a less seamless setup process compared to other LMS options, it’s better suited for long-term projects.
Moodle™ is widely regarded as one of the best learning management systems for educational institutions, initially gaining popularity as an open-source LMS. However, its high level of customization makes it adaptable for businesses as well.
With Moodle™, you have two plan options: a free self-hosted version and a SaaS version with a monthly fee that is dependent upon your user count. Its extensive customization features, including a wide array of plug-ins and graphical themes, allow for a fully tailored platform experience. It’s important to note, however, that these customization options are available only in the self-hosted version.
Key features:
- Extensive customization and flexibility
- Supports SCORM content
- Hundreds of plug-ins and graphical themes
- BigBlueButton integration for webinars
- Google analytics tracking
- Built-in assessment tools, including a variety of question types and grading options
- Multilingual support and localization features
- Strong community support
Pros
- Streamlined ILT session management
- Access to a supportive user community
- Built-in tool for creating quizzes and a H5P integration for more advanced content development
- Extensive customization options in the self-hosted version
- A free plan is available
- Social learning functionality, including forums and chats
- Robust gamification elements
- Flexible, allowing the launching of online, blended, and ILT training programs
Cons
- Complex and time-consuming setup process required for the self-hosted version
- Lack of structured learning paths
- Limited functionality for user management (e.g., you can’t organize users into a structure)
- Reports focus on learner performance, limiting other insights for employee training
- It takes a lot of time and training to master the platform
- No onboarding resources or dedicated tech support
- No certifications
Best suited for:
Moodle™ LMS is an excellent choice for academic institutions, government organizations, and non-profits seeking powerful, yet budget-friendly software for online education. The free version provides extensive customization options, some of the most sophisticated available. However, leveraging these features effectively requires an experienced admin.
Despite its wide range of customization possibilities, Moodle™ may not meet all the requirements for employee training.
Also read → How to Create a Moodle™ Quiz: A Step-by-Step Guide
Litmos stands out as a powerful LMS with advanced features suitable for both academic and business purposes. Although some aspects may require updating, its overall usability is excellent. The platform includes a user-friendly mobile app and offers a wide array of monetization features.
With support for 35 languages and the fact that it is actively used in 150 countries, Litmos is a solid choice for multinational businesses with dispersed workforces. It enables large organizations to efficiently collaborate, create, distribute, and track online courses globally while automating time-consuming training tasks.
Key features:
- AI-powered recommendation engine
- Comprehensive library of off-the-shelf courses
- E-commerce features
- Advanced reporting and analytics capabilities with customizable dashboards
- A wide range of integrations and add-ons
- Gamified learning
- A strong selection of branding options
- A mobile-first design with native apps for iOS and Android devices
Pros
- Simplified onboarding
- Allows to create quizzes and surveys online
- Mobile app with intuitive navigation
- Integrates with popular tools and services, including Google, SAML, Zoom, Webex, GoToTraining, Zendesk, and BambooHR
- Various types of progress reports available
- Unique features, such as e-signature and noticeboards
- Ready-made courses available with PRO+ plans
- Gamification elements
- PayPal and Stripe integration for course monetization
Cons
- The PRO plan content library is available only for organizations with more than 150 learners
- Limited flexibility in customizing user roles
- Old-fashioned, difficult-to-navigate admin interface
- The reporting dashboard interface lacks an intuitive design
- More expensive than most competitors
Best suited for:
SAP Litmos is ideal for managing employee training and onboarding in companies with over 150 monthly learners, making it perfect for large-scale corporate training. It offers an intuitive interface for both learners and administrators, along with a wide range of sophisticated features to efficiently manage learning activities.
Adobe Learning Manager is a streamlined LMS suitable for training internal employees and external vendors. It offers robust social learning features, personalized learning options, and custom reporting.
A dedicated mobile app ensures accessibility for learners. Administrators can easily schedule recurring training, making it ideal for continuous learning and onboarding.
However, managing both internal and external learners requires separate Prime accounts.
Key features:
- Skills management
- Robust social learning capabilities
- Simplified access through Single Sign-On (SAML 2.0)
- Mobile-friendly design
- Compatibility with various eLearning standards (SCORM 1.2/2004, AICC, xAPI)
- Robust social learning capabilities to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing
- Seamless integrations with Zoom and Salesforce, plus other Adobe products and services, such as Adobe Connect and Adobe Creative Cloud
- Customizable reporting and analytics tools
- Documented API for custom integration apps
Pros
- Customizable reports with scheduling and XLS export
- Native mobile app for convenient access
- Effective skill management tools
- Ability to import learning records from external sources
- Engaging gamification features
- Management of internal and external users
- Prime API for creating custom apps
- Course migration from a legacy LMS
Cons
- No hierarchical organization for user groups
- A lack of onboarding resources
- Limited security features
- A lack of built-in authoring software
- Minimal branding options
- Restricted flexibility in user role editing
- Outsourced technical support
Best suited for:
Adobe Learning Manager is a solid choice for large businesses seeking an LMS with a user-friendly interface. It offers advanced features for experienced learning and empowers development professionals aiming for experiential learning on a large scale.
However, its steep learning curve may deter beginners. It’s important to note that Adobe Learning Manager isn’t suitable for academic institutions or e-commerce purposes.
Absorb is a cloud-based training platform renowned for its scalability and trusted by numerous blue-chip companies. It offers an intuitive interface and a comprehensive set of features to deliver engaging training experiences, covering areas like compliance training, employee onboarding, and skill gap bridging.
Absorb comes with a user-friendly mobile app, powerful reporting capabilities, extensive customization options, and an integrated authoring tool.
Key features:
- Powerful training automation tools
- xAPI, SCORM, and AICC support
- Custom reporting and scheduling
- Advanced platform customization options
- Robust integrations with third-party systems and services, such as Salesforce, Zoom, and BambooHR
- A third-party course library
- A built-in course authoring tool
- SAML2/API Integration
- Certificates of completion
- Enterprise-grade security features, including role-based access controls, data encryption, and compliance certifications
Pros
- Native mobile app with an intuitive UI
- Comes with a tool for creating learning content
- Advanced reporting capabilities
- Strong gamification features
- Unique features, like skills tracking and the ability to customize the way you present content to different users
- Integrates with course libraries (LinkedIn Learning, Skillsoft, and BIZLIBRARY)
- Flexible customization and branding options
- Strong community support
- E-commerce integrations and plug-ins
Cons
- The variety of features makes platform administration complicated and time-consuming
- Tech support can be slow
- Customizing the LMS dashboard and course page layouts can be tricky
- Requires a large training budget
Best suited for:
Absorb is a top choice for large enterprises with sufficient budgets, delivering an impressive array of features and a scalable learning solution. While it suits diverse industries, its high price and advanced features may not be ideal for beginners or businesses with limited budgets. Considering the initial setup time, Absorb is better suited for long-term projects.
Also read:
- The 11 Best HR Tools for Streamlining Your Workflow in 2023
- 17 Key Recruiting Metrics and How to Improve Them with Online Training
Nimble lives up to its name by offering a quick and hassle-free implementation process. This is especially convenient for businesses looking to kick-start their training quickly.
As a paid LMS, Nimble includes a free course authoring tool and provides a user-friendly interface with essential features to get you started. Its standout features, like the course marketplace and insightful reporting dashboard, further enhance its practicality for businesses.
Key features:
- Rapid course creation with templates
- User-friendly interface and navigation
- Built-in social learning features, such as discussion forums, chat rooms, and peer collaboration tools
- Comprehensive reporting and analytics
- Multi-language support
- A marketplace of ready-made courses
- Third-party e-commerce integrations
- SAML2/API integration
Pros
- Quick setup process
- Strong security measures
- Comes with a course creation tool
- Works for e-commerce purposes
- Detailed reporting and analytics
- Course marketplace available
- Can generate certificates of completion
- Self-registration option for learners
Cons
- Doesn’t support mobile learning
- Limited interface customization options
- Lack of gamification options
- No live chat or messaging
- Doesn’t allow the scheduling of reports
- Insufficient compliance management features
- Lack of learning paths
Best suited for:
Nimble is an excellent choice for businesses aiming to launch training courses easily. Its quick setup and short learning curve enable you to start training employees in the shortest time possible. However, it’s worth noting that it may lack some advanced features and integrations, making it better suited for smaller organizations that are new to eLearning.
Looop is emerging as a flexible and accessible LMS, gaining recognition for its innovative approach. With a vast content library, it empowers L&D teams to create curated learning tracks for both mandatory and off-the-shelf content, streamlining employee onboarding and continuous training.
While Looop offers a sleek, user-friendly interface, it may not have all the advanced features found in other leading LMS software. Nonetheless, its intriguing features make it well-suited for staff training needs. Moreover, its adaptive pricing model scales effectively with your business.
Key features:
- Streamlined implementation and administration processes
- User-centric interface design
- Plenty of integrations, including APIOffice, CRM, and Salesforce
- Personalized learning paths
- Extensive analytics (including engagement and ROI analysis) and reporting functionality
- Built-in course builder with free templates
- SAML2/API integration
Pros
- Strong features for employee training, such as its Campaigns tool for marketing courses to a specific audience
- A native mobile app
- A built-in eLearning authoring tool
- Responsive on any device
- Comprehensive support and training resources, including live chat, online documentation, and video tutorials
- A wide set of integrations with third-party apps
- Stringent security features
- Flexible pricing and licensing options
Cons
- Reports lack extensive data
- The mobile app requires a strong internet connection
- Limited gamification functionality – points only
- No e-Commerce features
- Not flexible in terms of customization
- No integration with some popular webinar software, like Zoom or Outlook
Best suited for:
Looop targets medium to large businesses with its straightforward implementation, making it suitable for both short- and long-term projects. However, it’s not optimized for academic institutions or e-commerce. Being a new LMS, it may lack certain integrations and advanced features necessary for large-scale corporate learning.
Dokeos stands out as a white-label learning solution, offering extensive customization features to align with your brand. With the ability to integrate your training modules alongside their off-the-shelf courses, Dokeos provides flexibility and versatility.
Moreover, its integrated authoring tool offers a variety of interactive elements, including scenario-based quizzes, which enhance engagement. Dokeos also integrates EMA and FDA compliance standards, catering to high-consequence industries like healthcare, finance, and manufacturing.
Key features:
- Off-the-shelf modules that can be edited and built upon
- Advanced authoring tool with interactive elements and scenario-based quizzes
- Insightful reporting and analytics
- E-commerce management
- Integrations for specialty industries, such as those that are compliance management features, including support for FDA, EMA, and HIPAA
- White-label customization options
- Single sign-on
- Strong security measures
Pros
- Robust reporting engine
- Strong customization features, including white labeling
- Powerful security tools to protect data in heavily regulated industries
- Integrates with PayPal and credit cards for the monetization of courses
- Built-in course authoring and storyboarding feature
- Gamification features
- Comprehensive compliance integrations
- Enables data and course transfer from another LMS
- Customizable learning paths
- Extensive documentation and support resources, including user guides, tutorials, and technical support
Cons
- Since there are so many compliance features and integrations, many of them may not be relevant to your organization and just make your workflow more complicated
- A limited variety of assessment questions
- Outdated user interface and back-end experience
- After-sales service is only available via email
Best suited for:
Dokeos is a powerful LMS ideal for organizations seeking a validated platform that aligns with specialized industry and regulatory needs. It offers a robust security system, compliance management features, and ample customization options to meet diverse needs. While its primary focus is on specialized industries, Dokeos is also flexible enough to serve educational institutions.
However, it’s worth noting that some users may find the overall user experience a bit clunky, which could pose challenges, especially for larger user bases. Nonetheless, its range of useful features makes it a practical choice for organizations with specific needs.
eLeap offers simplicity and strong support, making it an excellent choice for beginners in online learning as it has virtually no learning curve. It’s ideal for creating and delivering straightforward courses to small user groups. However, being a lightweight LMS, it lacks the advanced functionality required for larger organizations or academic institutions.
Feature-wise, eLeap provides basic social and personalized learning, gamification, and reporting capabilities. It also offers a good range of e-commerce options.
Key features:
- SCORM 1.2 compliant
- Single Sign-On (available only with Okta)
- A built-in authoring tool and a quiz maker
- Affordable pricing plans tailored for small businesses and startups
- Webhooks and API – integrates with third-party apps
- Visual reports
- Out-of-the-box features for e-commerce
- Access to a wide range of pre-built courses on a wide range of topics
Pros
- Extensive library of tutorial videos
- Intuitive interface
- Comes with a built-in lesson and quiz builder
- Robust e-commerce options for monetizing courses with promo codes and discounts
- Engaging gamification features, including customizable badges and leaderboards
- Social learning functionality (e.g., forums, user-generated content, and an ability to observe other learners’ actions)
- Calendar for organizing ILT training events
- Responsive technical support
Cons
- No mobile learning
- Limited flexibility in user management and role customization
- Inability to view PDF/PPT files directly within lessons
- Limited customization options for branding
- Limited reporting features with no option for custom reports or scheduling
- Doesn’t support self-registration
- Doesn’t integrate with webinar services
Best suited for:
eLeap is a suitable choice for small businesses transitioning to online training, particularly for those venturing into e-commerce. However, its limited reporting and user management features make it less appropriate for larger organizations.
eFront is a versatile LMS equipped with SCORM/xAPI support, e-commerce functionality, and an authoring toolkit. Tailored for blue-chip companies, it boasts an impressive array of advanced features, customization options, and security tools, covering various training needs. Its robust reporting capabilities stand out, offering both off-the-shelf and customizable reports.
With four pricing plans based on user count, eFront ensures full access to all features, integrations, and courses across all plans. Additionally, there’s an open-source version available for budget-conscious businesses.
Key features:
- SCORM and xAPI support
- Built-in social learning tools, such as discussion forums, chat rooms, and collaborative spaces
- Extensive reporting and analytics dashboard with real-time insights
- Mobile learning
- Single Sign-On (SAML, LDAP, and others)
- Robust eCommerce capabilities, including flexible pricing models, subscription management, and secure payment gateways
- Self-registration for learners (sign-up via Facebook, Google, etc.)
- Integrations, including Zapier, and OpenSesame
- A plug-in for Salesforce
Pros
- Comprehensive user management features with customizable user roles, permissions, and access controls
- Comes with a quiz maker
- Built-in calendar of ILT events
- Customizable certificates
- Integrates with webinar software, including GoToMeeting, WebEx, and BigBlueButton
- Robust security features
- Robust eCommerce capabilities, including flexible pricing models, subscription management, and secure payment gateways
Cons
- Outdated interface
- You can’t export quizzes in SCORM
- Time-consuming setup without proper onboarding
- No option to download certificates in bulk
- Relatively high pricing, starting from $1,000 per month for 1,000 users
Best suited for:
eFront is tailored for large organizations with 500+ monthly learners, offering sophisticated functionality for building and delivering employee and customer training. However, due to its complex initial setup, it’s more suitable for long-term projects and businesses with large budgetary resources.
In addition to its comprehensive training features, eFront serves as a robust e-commerce solution, enhancing its versatility for businesses.
Our Criteria for Selecting the Best Learning Management Systems
Here are the criteria our LMS experts used to compile this list of the top 19 LMS solutions:
Software features
Learning management software enables you to store, manage, and deliver learning content. However, this is just the bare minimum, and the best software solutions should have a range of certain features that address modern challenges. Here’s what our experts paid attention to when conducting an LMS feature comparison:
- Intuitive user interface: A user-friendly interface in a learning management system makes it easy to navigate for both administrators and learners.
- Content management and delivery: An LMS should allow for efficient content creation, organization, and delivery, supporting various types of learning materials.
- Scalability: A learning management system should be able to scale to accommodate an organization’s growth, handling an increasing number of users and expanding content.
- Mobile compatibility: An LMS should support mobile learning, allowing users to access training materials on different devices for increased flexibility.
- Assessment and tracking: An LMS should come with robust assessment features and tracking capabilities to monitor learner progress, evaluate performance, and measure completion rates.
- Integration capabilities: LMS platforms should integrate seamlessly with other systems, such as HR software or third-party tools, to streamline processes and data exchange.
Software innovation
Technological advancements reshape the way we train and provide new opportunities for ever greater effectiveness of online learning. That’s why we believe it’s important that LMS providers prioritize innovation and implement these new functions in their products regularly.
Customer support
Any LMS is complex software, and tech issues may arise from time to time. It’s crucial for a vendor to be dedicated to helping their customers with such issues and to do so as quickly as possible.
Customer reviews
Some things are only seen over time and in actual implementation. That’s why LMS reviews are so valuable for evaluation. In the end, it’s customers who know the software better than anyone.
LMS Software Buyer’s Guide
Investing in an LMS is a significant decision, so thorough research is essential before making any commitments. With the abundance of online learning management systems available, even experienced L&D professionals can feel overwhelmed. Therefore, it’s crucial to take your time and plan carefully.
Don’t just focus on answering the question, “What is the best LMS platform?” Prioritize identifying the platform that best aligns with your specific needs. While some top LMS solutions may offer extensive advanced features, they might not necessarily be suitable for your business. Opting for simplicity is often the wisest approach.
This section outlines the core factors to consider when selecting the right learning management system.
What to consider when choosing an LMS in 2024
Choosing the best learning management system for your business requires careful consideration of various factors. To help you compare different LMS platforms and make an informed decision, we’ve compiled a checklist of key questions you need to ask yourself:
- Who will be using the software, and is it user-friendly for them?
- How many users will need access to the LMS?
- Are you planning to scale your training program in the future, and can the LMS support that growth?
- What type of content will you be delivering?
- What is your budget, and what pricing model works best for you?
- Do you already have an authoring tool, and does it integrate with the LMS?
- What specific metrics or reports do you need the LMS to provide?
- Do you require integrations with other systems, and does the LMS offer those capabilities?
- Is the LMS mobile-friendly, and does it offer a mobile app?
- Are there any additional features you need, such as gamification or single sign-on?
- What level of ongoing technical support does the LMS provider offer?
- What is the implementation process, and what are the associated costs?
These questions serve as an excellent starting point for assessing your needs and choosing the right LMS for your organization.
How to write an LMS RFP
Once you’ve addressed the questions on the checklist, you can use your answers to write your LMS request for proposal (RFP). An RFP serves as a comprehensive document outlining your requirements, desired features, and use cases. Typically, an LMS RFP includes a project summary, an overview of the organizational structure, a proposed budget, deadlines, and other key expectations.
An LMS RFP will help you:
- Define your needs accurately.
- Prioritize essential features based on your requirements.
- Identify critical factors such as budget, deadlines, and user count.
- Streamline your search process amid the multitude of available LMS options.
- Provide LMS vendors with sufficient context to ensure their software aligns with your needs.
Curious to learn more? Check out our free guide to writing an LMS RFP that comes with a ready-to-use template.
How to choose an LMS pricing model
Understanding the pricing model is a key factor in choosing the right LMS for your organization. Like many SaaS products, LMS companies offer different pricing models to suit various needs. Here’s an overview of the standard pricing models you’ll probably encounter during your LMS selection process:
Active users
The active user pricing model is popular among enterprises training internal employees. Charges are based on the number of active users accessing the system within a specific period. However, it’s essential to ensure clarity on whether charges include inactive users to avoid unexpected costs. For example, are ‘registered users’ considered ‘active’ even if they don’t use the LMS for a period of time?
Active monthly users
In this model, enterprises set a maximum number of monthly users and are billed accordingly. Users are considered active if they log in and consume training materials during the month. This model provides flexibility based on fluctuating user numbers.
Unlimited use/Enterprise
The unlimited use or enterprise pricing model offers a flat fee for access to the LMS system by an unlimited number of users. This straightforward approach is particularly suitable for rapidly growing enterprises looking to streamline costs.
Consumption
The consumption model provides a fixed number of course registrations for a set price. Additional licenses can be purchased if the allocated course registrations are filled. This model is often preferred by both B2B and B2C organizations seeking cost-effective scalability.
To determine the best fit for your business, consider taking the LMS for a test drive. Many vendors offer free trials or sandbox environments, allowing your team to explore the software firsthand and assess its suitability. This hands-on approach can provide valuable insights into how the LMS aligns with your organization’s needs and budget constraints.
Final Thoughts
LMSs have become essential tools for businesses of all sizes, offering streamlined training processes and enhanced results. However, choosing the right LMS software from the multitude of options available can be a daunting task. We hope this guide has provided practical insights to help simplify your decision-making process.
If your business needs an all-purpose LMS with powerful analytics, consider taking advantage of a free 30-day trial of iSpring Learn. With access to a full suite of features, you can launch your digital training program efficiently and drive meaningful results right from the start.