Training and development are two of the most pivotal foundational pillars in companies of all sizes. Trained employees are better employees as they directly give out better performance, having a proportionally positive impact on the organization. Helping companies attain this training for their employees are some of the best learning management systems that automate this process. Owing to their growing relevance, companies across the world have implemented automated learning processes for their employees.
But what is a learning management system?
A learning management system can be defined as the software that organizations use to create, develop, deliver and track training programs for employees, clients, customers, partners and students. For eons, the word training painted the picture of physical learning in a classroom, but in today’s day and age, online training has taken over with better convenience and connectivity.
When organizations integrate the best learning management system, they enjoy numerous benefits that include:
- Having all eLearning content in one centralized location
- Unlimited access to different collated eLearning materials
- Track learner’s performance and progress
- Reduces learning and training costs
- Ensures the organization is up to date with compliance requirements
- Integrates different social learning experiences
With numerous learning management systems in the market, here are a few features that the best learning management systems have:
- Manage courses, roles and users
- Generate pertinent reports
- Generate a course calendar
- Messaging and notifications
- Pre and post-test assessments
- Certifications and transcript generation
- Instructor-led course management
- Competency management
With numerous LMS solutions claiming to the best, we’ve compiled a list of the ten best learning management systems in the market.
Canvas
Canvas is one of the best learning management systems with its usable, open and cloud-based technology. The solution can be easily integrated with tools, services and content that the students want, and teachers need. The solution also holds the reputation for listening to what the users want and then rolling out the most usable, adaptable and customizable software that they need. The solution is also one of the most adopted solutions in comparison with its competition.
Key Features
Canvas comes with numerous features that include:
- Academic/Education
- Asynchronous Learning
- Blended Learning
- Built-in Course Authoring
- Corporate/Business
- Gamification
- Learner Portal
- Mobile Learning
- SCORM Compliance
- Synchronous Learning
- Video Conferencing
- eLearning Companies
Free trial
Canvas does offer a free trial to its users.
Pricing
For pricing plans, one must contact the provider directly.
Reviews Unplugged
Pros
- Canvas is one of the most user-friendly and holistic LMS solutions in the market right now.
- The mobile application is robust and convenient, provided there is a good internet connection.
- The community forums are very helpful and the way it is integrated with the application makes it a treat to use.
Cons
- The solution is heavily reliant on a good internet connection and there could be a loss of data if there are any signal breakouts.
- The solution does not have the ease of accessibility as Google Classrooms.
- The software can be a bit glitchy at times.
Moodle
What makes Moodle one of the best learning management systems is its open-sourced nature that provides a free solution to educators around the world. The solution is customizable, secure and scalable with numerous activities and plugins. Moreover, Moodle has the support of an active network of different certified partners who can assist with relevant solutions.
Key Features
Moodle’s features include:
- Academic/Education
- Asynchronous Learning
- Blended Learning
- Built-in Course Authoring
- Corporate/Business
- Gamification
- Learner Portal
- Mobile Learning
- SCORM Compliance
- Synchronous Learning
- Video Conferencing
- eLearning Companies
Free trial
Moodle does offer a free trial.
Pricing
Moodle is a free-to-use software solution.
Reviews Unplugged
Pros
- Apart from its myriad customization possibilities, Moodle has a multi-lingual capability which is very useful.
- The solution allows institutions to create bulk courses and also makes it very easy to backup.
- The solution also allows teachers to create easy assignments and learning management modules as per the class and the subject.
Cons
- The learning curve involved in getting to terms with the software is quite steep.
- To make the most of the customization features, one would need a programmer or developer to make it happen.
- The appearance is a bit outdated in comparison with its competitors.
Adobe Captivate Prime
Adobe Captivate Prime is one of the best learning management systems that lets companies train their partners, employees or customers through a next-gen solution. The solution is one of the best owing to its recognition across different leading analysts and industry bodies, and its adoption by some of the best corporations around the world. Moreover, the solution has been used by millions of learners.
Key Features
Here are a few of the features of Adobe Captivate Prime:
- Asynchronous Learning
- Blended Learning
- Corporate/Business
- Gamification
- Learner Portal
- Mobile Learning
- SCORM Compliance
- Synchronous Learning
- Built-In Course Authoring
- Certification Management
- Content Management
- Corporate / Business
- Employee Training
- Engagement Monitoring
- Media Management
- Skills Tracking
- Social Learning
- Student Portal
- Testing / Assessments
- Training Companies
- Video Conferencing
- Virtual Classroom
- eCommerce
Free trial
Adobe Captivate Prime does offer a free trial.
Pricing
Pricing plans start at $4 per user, per month.
Reviews Unplugged
Pros
- The solution has all the features one looks for in an LMS.
- The solution works perfectly, even with users who are not technologically adept.
- The user-experience of the solution is solid and lets users create new content easily.
Cons
- The report generation feature of the solution is not up to the mark and needs work.
- The solution does not offer the capability to execute different functions without swapping user profiles.
Edmodo
Edmodo is a reliable student engagement platform that was designed with the primary purpose to help educational institutions collaborate with parents and students through a unified interface. The solution also enables teachers to create quizzes, assignments and other class materials to help students engage in learning. Edmodo also allows students to organize classwork using a planner and also helps them communicate their queries and doubts through a centralized dashboard.
Key Features
The features of Edmodo include:
- Multimedia
- Mass Messaging
- Push Notifications
- Student Messaging
- Message Sync
- LMS Integration
- Classroom Management
- File Sharing
- Gamification
- Collaborative Learning
- White-Labeling
- Visualization
- Dashboard
- Analytics
- Mobility
Free trial
Edmodo does not offer a free trial to its users.
Pricing
For pricing plans, one must contact the provider directly.
Reviews Unplugged
Pros
- The user-interface of Edmodo is very friendly and can be used even by beginners with ease.
- The solution comes with a discover section making it extremely easy for teachers to look for anything that they need in no time.
- The solution offers teachers the perfect transition to shift from paper-based mechanism to digital.
Cons
- The solution is too bulky, making the whole experience clunky at times.
- The design isn’t sleek and crisp, and its features are limited in comparison with the ones that are available in the market.
- The solution is a bit tricky to use in the beginning and can be onerous to figure out.
LearnDash
LearnDash is one of the best learning management systems that are both lightweight and flexible. Built on WordPress, the solution offers different programs for major universities, best-selling authors and different Fortune 500 companies.
Key Features
Here are a few features of LearnDash:
- Academic/Education
- Asynchronous Learning
- Blended Learning
- Built-in Course Authoring
- Corporate/Business
- Gamification
- Learner Portal
- Mobile Learning
- SCORM Compliance
- Synchronous Learning
- eCommerce
- eLearning Companies
Free trial
LearnDash does not offer a free trial to its users.
Pricing
Pricing plans for LearnDash start at $159 per year.
Reviews Unplugged
Pros
- LearnDash is one of the most reliable LMS solutions out there in the market.
- The solution also helps users assign quizzes and create assignments with ease.
- The solution is smooth and offers deep functionality that lets teachers build customized courses seamlessly.
Cons
- The user interface is plain and not very intuitive.
- The solution is somewhat complex in comparison with its competitors.
- The solution does not offer the functionality of integrating different third-party plugins.
Easy LMS
Easy LMS is known for being a user-friendly, easy to distribute and intuitive learning management system for organizations. The software provides quiz solutions, informative course and exam solutions along with different assessment activities with certifications. The solution also provides different easy-to-use tools that can be used to certify, engage and train employees.
Key Features
The features of Easy LMS include:
- Academic/Education
- Asynchronous Learning
- Blended Learning
- Built-in Course Authoring
- Corporate/Business
- Gamification
- Learner Portal
- Mobile Learning
- Synchronous Learning
- eCommerce
Free trial
Easy LMS does offer a free trial.
Pricing
Pricing plans for Easy LMS start at $50 per month.
Reviews Unplugged
Pros
- The solution is very intuitive with numerous features benefitting organizations immensely.
- The solution is very easy to use and dynamic in nature, whilst being highly accessible even with technologically handicapped personnel.
- The solution also does not need any outside intervention to complete the tasks.
Cons
- The appearance of the solution can be quite confusing in the beginning, especially on the main page.
- It is very easy to navigate through the back end, forcing one to call the support.
- The course construction page is not as convenient and intuitive as one would like.
Docebo
Docebo LMS is one of the best learning management systems that automates learning management, personalizes the learning experience and facilitates informal learning by harnessing the power of AI. This unique facet makes Docebo one of the top LMS solutions in the market, with more than 2000 companies using the solution in 68 countries around the world.
Key Features
Features of Docebo include:
- Academic/Education
- Asynchronous Learning
- Blended Learning
- Corporate/Business
- Gamification
- Learner Portal
- Mobile Learning
- SCORM Compliance
- Synchronous Learning
- Video Conferencing
- eCommerce
- eLearning Companies
Free trial
Docebo LMS does offer a free trial.
Pricing
For pricing plans, one must contact the provider directly.
Reviews Unplugged
Pros
- Docebo LMS is constantly evolving and growing, helping its clients to grow along too.
- Setting up of Docebo is very convenient and easy, ensuring minimal setup time.
- The interface is clean, and the pricing plans are quite friendly for small businesses too.
Cons
- The integrations in the software fail without any warnings.
- The functionality when it comes to reporting and surveys is limited.
- The solution is quite buggy when used continuously for a long time.
Tovuti
Tovuti LMS is an all in one cloud-based LMS solution that gives organizations all the tools they’d need to create, track and deliver their eLearning programs. The solution also allows users to create engaging interactive courses in no time using the different interactive modules and their course creation suite. Moreover, Tovuti lets users with different learning experiences such as checklists, certificates, courses, badges and more.
Key Features
Tovuti has numerous features that include:
- Academic/Education
- Asynchronous Learning
- Blended Learning
- Built-in Course Authoring
- Corporate/Business
- Gamification
- Learner Portal
- Mobile Learning
- SCORM Compliance
- Synchronous Learning
- Video Conferencing
- eCommerce
- eLearning Companies
Free trial
Tovuti does offer a free trial.
Pricing
Pricing plans for Tovuti start at $450 per month.
Reviews Unplugged
Pros
- Tovuti is designed well keeping in mind mobile users too.
- Tovuti also lets users tweak the content based on the progress and feedback from different users.
- The solution also gives users different interactive activities to help deepen the learning in different courses.
Cons
- For users who want to create content, the solution is not as intuitive as one would like.
- The support videos aren’t very helpful, and the solution also needs a deeper understanding for one to utilize the features well.
- Users would appreciate more detailed documentation to help them through the migration process.
Neo LMS
Neo LMS is one of the best learning management systems designed for universities and schools. The online platform helps schools manage different classroom activities, all the way from creating and delivering educational content to assessing students’ results to collaborating with teachers and students.
Key Features
Neo LMS has numerous features like:
- Academic/Education
- Asynchronous Learning
- Blended Learning
- Built-in Course Authoring
- Gamification
- Learner Portal
- Mobile Learning
- SCORM Compliance
- Synchronous Learning
- Video Conferencing
- eCommerce
Free trial
Neo LMS does offer a free trial.
Pricing
For pricing details, one must contact the provider directly.
Reviews Unplugged
Pros
- Neo LMS is one of the LMS solutions to navigate letting users take lessons without any hassles or support.
- The solution is aesthetic and so is their mobile application.
- Neo LMS also has gamification features ensuring students are engaged through all the learning.
Cons
- The solution has errors in a few of the pages.
- The mobile application has numerous glitches and closes randomly.
- The mobile application is difficult to navigate through for first-time users.
Absorb LMS
Absorb LMS is one of the best learning management systems around the world where they are empowering businesses to achieve their learning goals. The solution is built to give flexible training through robust features and an intuitive design that creates an engaging learning environment for partners, employees and customers. The solution serves customers in over 120 industry verticals and offers deep rooting capabilities and automation to improve ROI and save time.
Key Features
Features of Absorb LMS include:
- Academic/Education
- Asynchronous Learning
- Blended Learning
- Built-in Course Authoring
- Corporate/Business
- Gamification
- Learner Portal
- Mobile Learning
- SCORM Compliance
- Synchronous Learning
- Video Conferencing
- eCommerce
- eLearning Companies
Free trial
Absorb LMS does offer a free trial.
Pricing
For pricing plans, one must contact the provider directly.
Reviews Unplugged
Pros
- Absorb LMS is one of the few LMS solutions that has impeccable support.
- The application is easy to use, both for the learner and the administrator.
- The implementation process is quick with a quick turnaround and constant updates to ensure the integration is seamless.
Cons
- The solution has limited assessment options when it comes to different answer types.
- The course creation setup can be quite daunting.
Conclusion
Finding the ideal and best learning management system needs extensive research and consideration. It is imperative for organizations to take advantage of different free trials and research different pricing options before taking the plunge. With numerous solutions now available in the market, the onus is on organizations to make the best out of it.
