The 20 Best LMSs (2017 Update)

Christopher Pappas
Aug 9, 2017 · 17 min read
https://elearningindustry.com/the-20-best-learning-management-systems

The Learning Management Systems market is expected to be worth over $7 billion in 2018 [1]. The highest proportion of revenue contribution is expected to be generated in North America [3]. 41.7% percent of global Fortune 500 companies now use some form of educational technology to instruct employees during formal learning hours [2]. By 2019, roughly half of all college classes will be eLearning-based [2]. It is more than obvious that eLearning has revolutionized and changed the way that we look at knowledge and skill acquisition. As a result, there is a great interest for Learning Management Systems to systematically implement and manage eLearning. However, there are a thousand plus LMS vendors and too many Learning Management System features to choose from. This is where eLearning Industry comes in!

eLearning Industry helps you find, choose and compare the eLearning Industry’s Top LMS Software.

There are tons of things to consider when it comes to opting for the right Learning Management System. One of the most prominent dilemmas regarding Learning Management Systems is the choice between cloud-based deployment and open source license. Even after deciding what type of deployment or license you are going to go with, there are many other things to consider as well. Pricing models, specification support, customer type and additional features are factors you should pay attention to if you want to make the right Learning Management System choice.

Need help finding the right Learning Management System? We’ve got you covered. Here is a comprehensive list of the best Learning Management Systems in the market. You can also get an LMS quote tailored to your needs in as little as 3 minutes. This simple 5-step process will help you find the Learning Management System that works best for you. Whether it’s your first time with a Learning Management System or you are looking to transition from your current Learning Management System, we are here to help.

15 Top Cloud-Based Learning Management Systems

1. Adobe Captivate Prime

One of the most effective cloud-based Learning Management Systems. Full control over the eLearning course’s setup, delivery and learner progress tracking along with functional features such as the Fluidic Player that take learning to the next level. Free 30-day trial available.

  • Fluidic Player And Intuitive Dashboard
    This is Adobe’s almighty player that supports any file type including PDFs, videos, PPTs, DOCX, SCORM, AICC and xAPI-compliant packages. The Fluidic Player allows for on-the-go note taking as online learners are going through the materials. This feature enhances knowledge acquisition and aids in revision. A fully functional dashboard informs online learners regarding pending and completed tasks or their performance compared to their fellow colleagues.
  • Online, Offline And Mobile
    Learning at all times. This phrase captures the true potential of Captivate Prime which gives online learners full flexibility as to their learning pace. Content can be downloaded and accessed offline and the Learning Management System will automatically sync and track progress during the next login.
  • Setup And Management
    Captivate Prime is great for both online learners and online facilitators. Unique features such as the Smart Enroller enable eLearning professionals to quickly and effectively assign roles and activities. Content organization into modules, courses or even whole curricula is a breeze thanks to inbuilt LCMS functionality.

Plans And Pricing

  • Various Premium Options Available
    Captivate Prime utilizes a per-registered user pricing model. The price is $4 a month for every registered learner with a minimum number of 10 users in order to get the license. For more pricing information check their website.

2. Docebo LMS

Highly acclaimed Learning Management System, endorsed by reputable companies such as Thomson Reuters, Bloomberg and Sharp. Docebo’s Learn, Coach and Share philosophy is fully reflected in its practical features. Free 14-day trial available along with the ability to schedule a demonstration.

  • Engaging Gamification And ILT Classroom Training Features
    Docebo is an ardent supporter of the importance of gamification in learner engagement. Badges, awards and rankings are applied to increase involvement and course success.
  • Web Conferencing And Third Party Integration
    Docebo can be utilized together with various video conferencing tools such as Adobe Connect, Big Blue Button, Blue Jeans and SkyMeeting to name some. Docebo’s API enables users to easily integrate third-party applications into the LMS without any additional hassle.
  • Certification Design And eCommerce
    Docebo’s user-friendly interface allows course designers to effortlessly manage content for certification testing and retraining. The Docebo LMS Online Training Software can be utilized for selling courses online.

Plans And Pricing

  • Plans Per Active User
    Pricing packages start from $370 per month or $3,700 per year for 1000 active users and extend up to 300 active users for $920 per month or $9,200 per year. For more increased needs there is the Enterprise package with additional features.

3. Talent LMS

Talent LMS promises effective eLearning and the truth is it delivers. One of the easiest to use cloud-based Learning Management Systems in terms of course management features, learning delivery and white-labeling that’s also enterprise-friendly.

  • Mobile Accessibility, Analytics And Customization
    Responsive design enables Talent LMS to be accessed from any mobile device including iPad, iPhone and Android eliminating all space barriers. It also provides easy-to-understand analytics reports that inform online facilitators about all aspects of their courses. eLearning course designers have great customization potential with Talent LMS including a custom domain, logo and theme.
  • Content Interoperability And Course Management
    Talent LMS makes it easy to integrate already owned material into the LMS. Support for the latest industry standards, namely SCORM & Tin Can.
  • Blended Learning, Communication And Enterprise Readiness
    Support for both ILT or blended learning. Abundance in communication and organization tools to include video conferencing, calendar, personal messages and discussion forums. Mass actions enable automated administrative functions. Course marketplace offers pre-made materials on numerous topics.

Plans And Pricing

  • Numerous Premium Options Available
    Free version option limited to 5 users and 10 courses. Great choice in features per membership plan, as well as choice between monthly or annual pricing packages. Small package starts at $29 per month for support of up to 25 users and unlimited courses. For further pricing options check their website.

4. The Academy LMS

Growth Engineering, the learning provider of the year 2016 in the UK, has developed their platform with the intention to make it one of the most gamified and engaging social Learning Management Systems.

  • Intuitive Learner Dashboard
    The Academy LMS’s responsive interface allows easy access from any device. It includes detailed to-do lists that inform learners on tasks and activities, as well as an open library containing all the required content organized in a neat way.
  • Gamification And Engagement
    Growth Engineering’s Learning Management System utilizes game mechanics to increase engagement levels. Badges and leaderboards are some of the elements adopted that keep online learners coming back for more.
  • Assessments And Classroom Management
    The LMS comes equipped with a great assessment toolkit, as well as features that allow a manager to intervene manually or schedule automatic interventions for any actions that need to be done. Classroom management features support both instructor-led training and blended learning along with mobile support and a calendar for task scheduling.

Plans And Pricing

  • Direct Contact Required
    For specific information on premium subscription plans and pricing options contact them directly through their website.

5. ExpertusONE

A Learning Management System with application in numerous industries such as Energy and Utilities, Retail, Software and Technology as well as Manufacturing.

  • Great Mobile Application Features
    ExpertusONE Mobile offers offline sync for SCORM content and a great mobile-friendly interface. Voice-based search, location mapping, an integrated eCommerce tool, as well as great mobile analytics are some of the features that make the ExpertusONE mobile app so effective.
  • Reporting Tool
    It’s called ExpertusONE insights and it gives you access to learner statistics such as individual learning progress and knowledge asset demand, as well as the ability to write reports on them.
  • Built-In Virtual Conferencing Tool
    No need for third party web conferencing tools here. With ExpertusOne meetings you can host meetings or throw lessons right from the comfort of your LMS. Private and public chats during online lessons enable both individual or group assistance and eLearning content sharing.

Plans And Pricing

  • Direct Contact Required
    For specific information on premium subscription plans and pricing options contact them directly through their website.

6. Administrate

Award-winning cloud-based Learning Management System with multi-lingual support features, SCORM compliance and full responsiveness for use on any mobile device.

  • Multi-Lingual Support
    Hindi, Spanish, Japanese, Arabic, Russian, Chinese, German, Portuguese, French to cover the world’s most widely spoken languages.
  • Customization And Reporting
    Administrate has great reporting tools that allow you to filter the type of data you wish to include. It also boasts great variety in themes and colors that allows you to customize the layout of your Learning Management System.

Plans And Pricing

  • 2 Premium Options Available
    The entry level pricing plan is called Basic and costs $50 for every administrator of the Learning Management System and $2 for every active online learner if billed annually. Annual billing for the plus plan amounts to $75 per month for every administrator and $2 per month for every active online learner. A customized enterprise plan is also available.

7. Dokeos

With great know-how in LMS implementation in industries such as Healthcare and Manufacturing, Dokeos constitutes one of the most professional Learning Management Systems in the market.

  • Dokeos Manager
    10 language availability, portal customization, quiz scenarios, feedback and a great deal of social learning tools to include forum, wikis and surveys are some of the features Dokeos Manager offers. It also enables online facilitators to upload SCORM compliant courses they already have or share documents publicly or privately via Dropbox.
  • Dokeos Live
    This is a great HD audio and video communication tool online facilitators can use to host online lessons. It does not require any downloads. You can also insert whole Powerpoint presentations to show your online learners as well as make annotations as you go. Some online learners could not be online for your online lesson? Not a problem. You can make recordings of your online lessons for all those absentees.
  • Dokeos Game
    Extremely fun and learner engaging tool that transforms you into a video game designer. You can involve your learners by means of 3D branching scenarios and evaluate their soft skills. You can also export the games you designed into any other SCORM compliant Learning Management System.

Plans And Pricing

  • 3 Premium Options Available
    Dokeos Manager costs $100 per month for the smallest user category of 1–50 users. Dokeos Live starts at $90 for 1–10 users and Dokeos Game costs $200 per month for 1 author.

8. PROPEL Enterprise + Distribute

A full-fledged Learning Management System plus distribution software that takes care of both managing your learners as well as growing your prospective clientele.

  • Distribution
    What makes PROPEL stand out is its great distribution features that enable eLearning course professionals to extend their clientele and sell their courses through both B2B and B2C channels.
  • Business Support Services
    PROPEL also offers business analytics and strategic planning tools as well as financial services and reporting features toward sales increase of your eLearning courses.

Plans And Pricing

  • Various Premium Options Available
    Pricing packages start from $25,000 and vary according to plan purchased.

9. LearnUpon

This is a highly effective cloud-based Learning Management System with numerous great qualities regarding integrations, security and scalability, as well as mobile learning features.

  • Integration
    LearnUpon comes with functional integration features such as API, SSO and Webhook. LearnUpon can also be directly integrated with Salesforce so users will be able to use it from within the Salesforce dashboard.
  • Security And Scalability
    HTTPS TLS data encryption ensures maximum security. LearnUpon upholds high scalability standards and services thousands of LMS users without any performance issues.
  • Mobile Learning
    LearnUpon’s responsive design guarantees optimal performance regardless of device. The iOS application is already available offering detailed learner progress and completion data with data re-syncing when going from offline back to online mode.

Plans And Pricing

  • 3 Premium Options Available
    The Bronze pricing plan is offered at $249 per month billed annually and can support up to 100 users per month and 1 sub-portal. The Silver plan runs at $499 per month billed annually and supports up to 500 users and 5 sub-portals. The Gold plan is the most popular option. It can be purchased at $749 per month billed annually and includes 1000 user support and 10 sub-portals.

10. Fuse Universal

Fuse is a Learning Management System built upon a content management platform that contributes to an increase in online learner engagement as well as catering to all online learner styles due to its unique features.

  • Innovative Communication And Customization Features
    The only Learning Management System that has its own chat with all the functions of a regular chat. What’s more, Fuse offers great customization potential for both the LMS and the community.
  • Analytics, Reports And eLearning Content Uploading
    Fuse offers a wide range of data analytics features that can be tailored to the needs of each user. Reports can also be fully adapted to user preferences. Fuse boasts a world’s first in content uploading. eLearning ontent can be directly uploaded from either the web or mobile application or the desktop.

Plans And Pricing

  • Direct Contact Required
    For specific information on premium subscription plans and pricing options contact them directly through their website.

11. WiZDOM Enterprise

Companies such as Suzuki, Toyota and Sony trust WiZDOM Enterprise with their online training needs due to its ease of use, high standards of customization and a great deal of additional features.

  • SCORM And Tin Can Compliance
    WiZDOM Enterprise is compliant with SCORM 1.2 & 2004 and Tin Can (xAPI) following the latest industry standards.
  • Social Tools
    Discussion boards, Wiki, Blog, Announcement and Survey capabilities along with the ability to connect WiZDOM with Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter comprise the “social” potential this Learning Management System has.
  • Domain Management
    If more than one clients are using the LMS, users can create sub-domains within the LMS and customize them.
  • Virtual Classroom Features
    Promoting online collaboration to the fullest, WiZDOM Enterprise offers features such as unified telephony, video conferencing, whiteboard, screen sharing, document sharing, surveys and assessment and VoIP.

Plans And Pricing

  • Direct Contact Required
    For specific information on premium subscription plans and pricing options contact them directly through their website.

12. GnosisConnect

InfoPro puts client satisfaction at the forefront of their efforts and this is evident in the testimonials section in the Enterprise section of their website. GnosisConnect is one of those Learning Management Systems that get the job done. Available in both cloud-based and SaaS version.

  • Content Support And Customization
    GnosisConnect supports all the major file types including SCORM, Powerpoint, PDF and mp4. It also offers the potential for branding customization such as logo importing and personalized themes. Customizing an online training course to address the learners’ respective needs is also viable.
  • Email Support And Certification Assessments
    The ongoing support feature might definitely come in handy, especially during the early days of implementation. GnosisConnect also enables the design of assessments for compliance testing.

Plans And Pricing

  • Direct Contact Required
    Pricing packages start from $299 and vary according to plan purchased.

13. Agylia

Looking for a cloud-based Learning Management System with great mobile learning potential, social learning features and multi-portal learning solutions for various audiences? Agylia will probably be to your liking. Their well-known client companies, such as Deloitte and Microsoft can vouch for that.

  • Mobile Applications
    iOs, Android and Windows device users, good news! As Agylia users you will be able to have a seamless experience whatever device you are on. Not being online doesn’t mean your learning experience is over. Agylia tracks offline activities and re-syncs to showcase your progress the next time you’re online. You will be able to access SCORM and Experience API courses even in offline mode. Push notifications will make sure you never miss an important event or deadline.
  • Scalability
    Agylia can service a great number of learners without any compromise in performance. The way they achieve that is by cloud content delivery network configurations that establish content delivery to learners is made by servers close to them. This guarantees optimal response times for online learners.
  • Extended Enterprise
    Online training is sometimes not limited to internal audiences. With this Learning Management System you can deploy various independently branded sub-portals to get all your audiences up to speed on your latest training requirements.

Plans And Pricing

  • Direct Contact Required
    Agylia utilizes a sliding price model. The more the active LMS users are the more affordable the price plan is. For specific information on premium subscription plans and pricing options contact them directly through their website. Free trial version also available.

14. NEO LMS

Cypher Learning is the company behind NEO, which is a sophisticated Learning Management System with language support features covering all major languages.

  • Rules Engine And 40+ Language Support
    NEO LMS gives online facilitators full control with their innovative rules engine. You give rules and what actions these rules should trigger and the LMS generates these actions for you, leaving you time for more important things. Forum posts and messages are automatically translated in each user’s specified language.
  • Mobile Coverage And Integrations
    NEO LMS’s responsive design allows painless access from both iOS and Android mobile devices. A comprehensive list of applications that can be integrated into the Learning Management System includes Google Drive, PayPal and OneDrive. Cypher Learning is always adding more to that list.

Plans And Pricing

  • 3 Premium Options Available
    NEO LMS has adopted a per-onlinelearner monthly or yearly pricing plan. As usual, the annual plan is less costly. The Individual plan runs at $0,05 per online learner in both the monthly and yearly billing and can be used for up to 200 online learners. The Small School plan costs $0,50 per online learner in the annual billing and $0,60 in the monthly billing and allows access for up to 400 online learners. The Enterprise plan targets a minimum coverage of 500 online learners and runs at $0,60 per online learner in the yearly billing and $0,70 in the monthly billing. Pricier plans have additional features as well. There is also a free non-expirable version available.

15. Absorb LMS

Absorb LMS advertises ease of use as its strongest selling point and with good reason. Its nicely laid out interface makes complete sense from the very first look.

  • Scalability
    This Learning Management System can fulfill your organization’s training needs from its infancy days and on. Bandwidth, security, redundancy, system capacity, backups, and concurrent usage issues are all handled by Amazon Web Services to make sure your online training program runs smoothly as your company grows.
  • Tech Specs
    Absorb LMS runs on HTML 5 thus eliminating the need for extra plugins or players, whatever the device. It supports all browsers and features RESTFul API and Single Sign-On (SSO) API enabling online learners to reduce the amount of logins required.
  • Mercury Module’s Billboard
    That’s a superb feature that allows you to put together banners and push them to your online learners’ dashboard to advertise your online training courses or an upcoming event.

Plans And Pricing

  • Direct Contact Required
    Absorb LMS makes use of a tiered usage-based pricing model. For specific information on premium subscription plans and pricing options contact them directly through their website.

5 Top Open-Source Learning Management Systems

1. Moodle

Moodle is widely known among open-source LMS solutions. It features detailed guides on how to set up your own Learning Management System, tips on how to create online training courses and teach with Moodle, as well as a large community of Moodle users who interact on various topics. Most importantly, it’s entirely free of any charge and comes with a mobile application as well.

  • Detailed Guidelines
    Moodle features extensive tutorials on various aspects of Learning Management System use including installation, teacher and administrator quick guides, course setup and learner progress tracking, activity setup, as well as mobile application guidelines.
  • Moodle Community
    This open-source Learning Management System comes with a forum that covers tips and best practices on a plethora of topics ranging from installation and upgrading all the way to teaching best practices and a comprehensive glossary of terms.
  • Download Section
    Moodle’s download section offers a great deal of additional plugins for activities and themes.

Plans And Pricing

  • No Premium Options Available
    Moodle does not require any subscription money.

2. Eliademy

Eliademy has a sophisticated interface and a lot of features that are usually found in cloud-based solutions. It also has a free version packed with great tools to get you going on the development of your eLearning course.

  • Course Editor And Online Multimedia
    This open-source Learning Management System is highly automated and all you have to do is provide the online training materials. You can also upload ready-made materials you may already have along with Youtube videos, online training content from Slideshare or Prezi and content from 160 other sources as well.
  • Marketplace, Certificates
    Eliademy has a whole section dedicated to already existing courses. Some of them are free, some others require an enrolment fee. You can also offer a certificate upon course completion in either an online copy or a printed copy. Your certificates can also be shared on Linkedin or various other social media.

Plans And Pricing

  • 1 Premium Option Available
    For $5 per month you can remove all ads, host unlimited webinars, customize your completion certificates and get 10% commission rate for course sales.

3. Forma.LMS

This free open-source Learning Management System focuses exclusively on online training as opposed to other Learning Management Systems that target academic training as well.

  • Classroom Management
    Forma.LMS empowers online facilitators in controlling every aspect of a course including attendance, different locations for each online training meeting or scheduling with their online calendar feature.
  • Reports And Talent Management
    You can create reports on online learner performance as well as course statistics and directly export them to Excel or send them to specific online learners. What’s more, you can also produce skills gap analysis to monitor and assess the skills of your online learners.

Plans And Pricing

  • No Premium Options Available
    Forma.LMS does not require any subscription money.

4. ILIAS

This open-source Learning Management System was the first one to be SCORM 1.2 and SCORM 2004 compliant. It is generally praised for its versatility, customization options, scalability and responsive design that functions on any device.

  • Customization And Scalability
    ILIAS is significantly customizable in terms of themes, elearning scenarios as well as the parameters you can specify for each user to modify. ILIAS also has great flexibility in the number of users it can support ranging from a few to a few thousand.
  • Industry Standard Compliance
    SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004, LOM metadata. IMS QTI Test &Assessment. XML, CSV and Excel exports. IMS LTI for external application embedding.

Pricing And Plans

  • No Premium Options Available
    ILIAS does not require any subscription money.

5. Opigno

SCORM 2004 and Tin Can (xAPI) compliant open-source Learning Management System with great efficiency in terms of roles and course management, integration and collaboration tools as well as eCommerce features.

  • Collaboration And Integration Tools
    Chat, learner workspaces, to-do lists, personal messaging system, file sharing, screen sharing and recording comprise some of the collaboration features of Opigno. As far as integration goes the list is equally long. SCORM 2004, Tin Can (xAPI), Apache Solr, LDAP (Active Directory) and CAS, H5P integration is offered by Opigno.
  • Course Management
    Opigno is a great open-source Learning Management System when it comes to course management. You have features like public and private course catalogues, automatic certificate creation, as well as in-house meetings management.

Plans And Pricing

  • 2 Premium Options Available
    Opigno offers a private cloud version. The Business pricing plan starts at $35 per month for up to 10 users and 20 GBs of disk space. The Corporate plan starts at $140 per month for up to 50 users and offers 100 GBs of disk space. However, a free open-source version is also available.

There are so many Learning Management Systems out there that the task of finding the right one can prove to be quite difficult. This list contains the best solutions the Learning Management System market has to offer. If used right it can significantly aid you in addressing the respective needs of your online learners. If you have a preference for a specific learning management system make sure to submit a review in our Learning Management Systems directory.

Also, don’t forget to create a free listing in our top Learning Management Systems directory. The process is quite simple and it won’t take more than 3 minutes of your time.

Last but not least, make sure to check out our new Free eBook: Successful Learning Management System Implementation to discover what the best Learning Management System experts had to contribute on the subject.

References

  1. Learning Management Systems (LMS) Market Worth $7.83 Billion by 2018 Forecasted in Markets and Markets Recent Report.
  2. Top 10 e-Learning Statistics for 2014 You Need To Know
  3. The Top eLearning Statistics And Facts For 2015 You Need To Know

Christopher Pappas

Written by

Christopher Pappas is founder of eLearningIndustry.com which is the largest online community of professionals involved in the eLearning field.

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