Learning Management System (LMS) Reviews: Our Top Picks 2024

For every $1 spent on workplace learning, organizations could see a return of over $30. That’s an incredibly effective proposition, and the investment isn’t at all a gamble. Over 80% of organizations are already making the most of Learning Management Systems (LMS), and 72% believe LMS gives them a competitive edge.

According to an ATD study, however, one in three respondents said that their current LMS lacked the features necessary to make workplace learning a success. That’s because there are hundreds of LMS software options in the market at the moment, and as with any product, not all of them offer the high level of quality organizations require.

So, which of the available Learning Management Systems is a safe bet when it comes to investing in e-learning for your company? We’ve got it covered with a comprehensive review of the best LMS picks below!

The Best Learning Management Systems 

• iSpring Learn – Top cloud-based LMS with automated reporting
• Skyprep – Suited to small teams that have never tried e-learning
• TalentLMS – Best for employee onboarding & continuous learning
• Docebo – The best LMS for community learning & AI integration
• Adobe Captivate Prime LMS – Ideal for companies with remote teams
• Litmos – Great for sales teams
• Canvas LMS – Perfect for school educators
• Trakstar Learn – Best LMS solution for large organizations

Finding The Best Learning Management Systems – Reviews

1. iSpring Learn – Top cloud-based LMS with automated reporting

iSpring Learn is a comprehensive e-learning authoring tool that enables you to create interactive courses, quizzes, and assessments. It offers a wide range of features to help you create engaging learning materials. This LMS is best for businesses of all sizes.

The platform comes with its own authoring tool, iSpring Suite – a full-fledged authoring suite for easy creation of courses, quizzes, and tests. You can download it and enjoy its features: quiz maker, professional video editor, conversation simulator, flipbook creator, and interaction editor.

You can easily upload video and audio content, create branching scenarios, embed interactive elements in courses, assess learners with quizzes and tests, and integrate with social media platforms. From onboarding to product training and everything in between, iSpring Learn has you covered.

One of the standout features of this LMS is its ability to track and report on learner engagement and progress automatically. You can see how much time learners spend on each course module, which content they are interacting with, and how well they perform in quizzes and assessments. This data can help you optimize your learning content and improve learner engagement.

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2. Skyprep – Suited to small teams that have never tried e-learning

Skyprep is a versatile LMS designed to promote continuous learning within enterprise environments. The comprehensive set of tools allows you to monitor progress, completion rate, any difficulties encountered, etc. With Skyprep, leaders can easily create courses and learning paths for their organization.

One of Skyprep’s best features is that it can be used for employee onboarding. You can create all the necessary training materials and track the progress of new hires, and courses can be easily assigned to employees based on their job roles.

Quizzes can be created from scratch or from pre-existing templates with a user-friendly authoring tool. To create a quiz that best suits the needs of your business, you can define questions types such as multiple choice or drag-and-drop objects.

This platform is available in 19 languages and can be used on all desktop and mobile devices. It integrates with most popular HR systems, making employee onboarding a breeze. Pre-written online courses can be purchased easily via OpenSesame, and you can create micro-learning modules in minutes.

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3.TalentLMS – Best for employee onboarding and continuous learning

TalentLMS is a cloud-based software that enables users to create, manage, and deliver online learning courses. It offers various features, such as course creation tools, quizzes, discussion forums, video lectures, and more. TalentLMS also provides a mobile app for iOS and Android devices, which allows users to access their courses on the go.

One of this platform’s outstanding features is that you can create and sell your courses online. The platform has an advanced e-commerce feature that allows you to do just that. Use its dedicated plugins for Shopify and WordPress, or use APIs to create your own custom integrations.

The content creation tools available through TalentLMS make this platform stand out. These tools allow users to create courses with various content types that support SCORM and xAPI. You can also manage roles and add users using CSV or Excel files, or they can sign up using Google and any other social media accounts.

TalentLMS allows different users access to the courses based on their permissions, which comes in handy when running a company where employees might work remotely or be employed by several branches at once. With TalentLMS, you can mark courses as public/private depending on user groups, set up a course for each branch, etc.

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4. Docebo – The best LMS for community learning and AI integration

Docebo is a cloud-based LMS that helps businesses train employees. It offers course creation, content management, social learning, reports and analytics, and more. Docebo also integrates with other software, like Salesforce and Outlook.

The software offers AI capabilities to assist you with virtual training, auto-tagging, and content suggestions. Docebo’s AI automates your employee’s upskilling and creates personalized learning for each individual. It analyzes virtually all pieces of information added to your platform, as well as how you’re interacting with it, using sophisticated algorithms to uncover ways to improve and simplify the learner or admin experience.

Docebo’s biggest strengths are that it is easy to deploy, customizable, and has a robust data analytics suite. You can use 400+ integrations with other systems; there are options for those looking for open source and built-in BI. Plus, the support structure is top-notch.

Docebo also has a social learning platform called “Discover, Coach & Share,” a great place to find content and learn from others. You can find trending topics, courses and more. You can also share your content with the community and get feedback.

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5. Adobe Captivate Prime LMS – Ideal for companies with remote teams

Adobe Captivate Prime LMS is one of the best learning management software options on the market. It is incredibly user-friendly and has many features that make it an ideal choice for businesses and educators. It provides easy to learn instructional videos when you first sign in and an intuitive dashboard that makes it easy to track the entire learning process. 

You can create and manage courses, track employee training, and even measure the effectiveness of your learning programs with ease. Adobe Captivate Prime is also highly versatile and delivers content on desktops, laptops, tablets, or smartphones. As with other LMS, you can quickly update and manage each role of every user in your platform.

There are three types of learning activities offered through this platform: Courses, Live Programs, and Certifications. You can create, share and manage modules using SCORM, AICC, xAPi and more. The built-in course player ensures learners can access your content on any device.

Live Program lets you broadcast live sessions to a large audience. You can also record these sessions for future playback. Adobe Captivate Prime Certification allows you to create and manage certification programs for your organization. In this feature, you can define the pass criteria, set up exams, and award certificates to learners who pass.

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6. Litmos – Great for sales teams

Litmos is a Learning Management System (LMS) used by businesses and educational institutions for online training. It provides instructors with tools to create and deliver courses, track student progress, and assess their performance. Litmos also offers a variety of features to make online learning more engaging, including a vast selection of unique courses.

You can find all kinds of courses by accessing the Litmos Heroes library. Some of these include business, marketing, human resources, personal development and many more. Access to this library is not free, but it is not very costly either.

The platform’s sales training management features let you create, manage, and track their sales training programs. There’s also a review process to measure the effectiveness of sales training.

Litmos offers certification testing, enabling employees to verify their competency and proficiency in a certain skill. The company provides a variety of performance-based exams, including online test proctoring and digital signature delivery methods.

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7. Canvas LMS – Perfect for school educators

Canvas is a Learning Management System (LMS) developed by Instructure Inc. It was designed using open source technology to allow users to create and deliver courses online. 

Being an open-source platform has its benefits: it’s free to install, use and distribute. However, this does mean that Canvas does not have much in terms of e-commerce features unless you upgrade to a Business account.

Course creation is relatively straightforward with Canvas; it takes only a few minutes to set up an account, select a template, and start creating your first course. Creating courses involves adding various elements, such as texts, videos, quizzes, and other activities that students can participate in.

Teachers can also engage students through Canvas discussion groups and/or forums. They can post messages and replies anonymously or with their real identities (users choose this option when setting up an account). With the help of Canvas Cloud’s integration with Google Drive™, automatic file uploads are possible – all you have to do is link one of your cloud accounts to your Canvas LMS account.

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8. Trakstar Learn (formerly known as MindFlash) – Best LMS solution for large organizations

It’s easy to get started with Trakstar Learn; you can create courses quickly using the built-in templates. The course content is engaging and interactive, making it a great choice for e-learning. SCORM and xAPI allow employees to enjoy and access their courses anytime and anywhere.

Trakstar Learn offers a wide range of features, such as quizzes, surveys, and forums, making it an ideal choice for larger organizations. It also provides robust learning solutions for different industries. This includes enterprise solutions for corporate learning, healthcare, government organizations, and many more.

This platform enables you to create virtual classrooms, making it easy to simultaneously train large groups of employees. The virtual classroom feature is especially useful for organizations with employees in different parts of the world. You may use virtual classroom tools with its main LMS to design, distribute, and track real-time online learning for your employees.

Trakstar Learn offers compliance training tools to help you meet specific regulatory requirements, so you can rest assured that staff is completing their training obligations.

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Which type of Learning Management System is right for you?

When looking for LMS software, it’s important to remember that not all software is created equal. Some software is designed for large businesses, while others are designed for small businesses or individual educators. Different online learning platforms will offer certain features and lack others.

With that in mind, there are a few factors to keep in mind when choosing LMS software:

• Ensure the LMS suits the size of your organization. Some programs are specifically targeted toward smaller businesses, like TalentLMS, while others, like Blackboard, are designed for large educational institutions. Buy according to the current size of your business, as you can always scale up later on.
• Choose between a cloud-based or desktop-based program. Cloud-based software is typically hosted on remote servers and can be accessed from any computer with an internet connection, which gives you more flexibility. On the other hand, desktop-based software is installed on your local computer and can only be accessed from that one machine. If you can find a cloud-based tool that suits your needs, it’s the best of both worlds.
• Think about what features are most necessary for your company’s goals. Do you want a system that tracks employee training and certifications? Or do you require a social learning platform to encourage collaboration among employees? Some features are more targeted toward skill acquisition, but your goals may be broader. Make a list of the features you need and want, and find software that offers as many of them as possible.
• Consider how much you’re willing to spend on LMS software. Prices vary widely, from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars per year. Choose the software that fits your budget without sacrificing too many features.
• Finally, make sure that your LMS offers quality customer support. No matter how well your team adjusts to the new system, there’s always the chance that something will go wrong. Your LMS should be able to provide you with the support you need to get back up and running as quickly as possible. Check to see whether support lines are open during your business hours, whether you can access support through email or chat, and how knowledgeable the support staff is.

What Is A Learning Management System?

In the workplace, hitting deadlines and producing quality deliverables shouldn’t be the only objectives (although they are certainly important). More and more, workplaces are being recognized as a center of learning, a place where employees can come to enhance their skills, learn new things, and grow their careers.

And to facilitate this learning, organizations are turning to Learning Management Systems (LMS) – tools that enable organizations to manage, track, and deliver employee learning.

LMS can include various features, such as course authoring tools, content management systems, social networking platforms, tracking and reporting tools, and more. They provide organizations with a centralized location to store all their learning content and track employee progress through their learning paths.

Organizations will make use of LMS for the following main purposes:

1. To track employee learning and compliance with corporate training policies.
2. To deliver and manage e-learning courses and other forms of training.
3. To create a social platform for employees to share knowledge and collaborate on projects.
4. To measure the effectiveness of employee learning programs.
5. To identify areas where employees need further training.

The platforms facilitate these purposes by allowing administrators to create and manage courses, track employee progress, set up learning goals and objectives, create social communities for employees, and measure the effectiveness of consistent training programs.

How does a LMS work?

Although every LMS application differs in various ways, there are consistencies in how they work across the board. Typically, an LMS will allow for creating and managing online courses, both for instructor-led training and for self-paced learning. Course content can include text, videos, images, and assessments.

Additionally, many platforms offer social features that allow learners to collaborate on projects or ask for help. LMS platforms can also track learner progress and provide insights into how learners interact with courses and content.

To create content using LMS, users typically start by creating a course and then adding modules and lessons. Each lesson can include one or more files, such as videos or documents. Once the content is created, it can be published and made available to students.

Instructors can also create assignments and quizzes for students and track their progress in real-time. The majority of LMS platforms also offer learning analytics, which provides insights into how learners interact with courses and content. This data can be used to improve course design and delivery.

Key LMS features

Organizations use LMS for the valuable features they offer in order to manage, develop and track employee training. The features of an LMS vary depending on the provider but often include:

Assessment and testing

A good LMS will include a range of assessment tools to help learners track their progress and measure their understanding of the learning material. Tests, quizzes, and surveys can be used to determine how well a learner is doing and identify any areas that need more attention.

Tools for authoring and delivering content

One of the main LMS functions allows users to design and deliver courses, training modules and other content. This might include a dedicated studio for creating e-learning materials, tools for importing existing content, or a range of templates and other resources. Many LMS also provide access to a library of pre-written materials and courses.

Reporting and analytics

The ability to track employee training activity and performance is essential for any organization wanting to measure the return on investment of their training budget. LMS offers a variety of reporting tools to help employers do this, including statistical analysis of learner engagement and performance.

Employers can then use the data they collect to make more informed decisions about their training programs and identify employees who may require added support in their learning.

Social features

LMS often includes social features that allow learners to connect, collaborate on projects, and share resources. This can help create a sense of community within learning environments and encourage learners to continue their education outside the formal course structure.

Mobile access

Increasing numbers of people are accessing the internet and their online applications via mobile devices, so it is important that any LMS facilitates mobile learning well. This might include a responsive design, dedicated mobile apps, or support for touch gestures.

The features above are just a few of the most common ones found in LMS, but as seen in the earlier reviews, some software may surprise you with the innovative and out-of-the-box features they have to offer.

Benefits of an LMS

Most organizations have caught onto the importance of workplace learning and skill acquisition to stay competitive, with the majority of businesses reporting their use of LMS – and their investment is certainly worth it.

Numerous studies have found that an LMS can improve employee productivity, motivation and job satisfaction.

1. Increased employee productivity and motivation.

Learning Management Systems allow employees to learn new skills and improve their productivity in a way that is convenient for them, leading to a more engaged and motivated workforce.

2. Easier tracking of employee progress and development.

When all training is stored in one place, it becomes much easier for employers to track their employees’ progress and identify areas where they may need improvement.

3. Increased job satisfaction and retention rates.

A well-designed LMS can help improve employee satisfaction, which leads to lower staff turnover rates.

4. Fully customized learning experiences.

Employees can learn in the way that best suits them, which leads to a more tailored and effective learning experience.

5. Reduced training costs.

E-learning courses are often much cheaper than instructor-led training, and with the use of an LMS, these courses can be easily accessed by employees.

6. Increased ROI.

The benefits listed above all lead to an increased ROI for businesses that implement an LMS.

The importance of LMS integrations

In the corporate software world, integrations are somewhat of a buzzword – and for a good reason. When different software tools can “talk” to each other, it opens up a world of possibilities for automating tasks, sharing data and improving workflows.

For LMS, integrations are key for two main reasons:

1. LMS are used to manage and track learning and development activities, and integrations make it possible for data to be shared between the LMS and other software tools used in the organization (such as HRIS, talent management systems, etc.); and
2. LMS are frequently used to deliver e-learning courses, which means that integrating with other tools that can create and deliver courses will save time and improve efficiency.

The best LMS will be able to integrate with certain types of software:

• Talent management systems: to track employee development and identify training needs
• HRIS systems: to manage employee records, including skills, experience and qualifications
• eCommerce platforms: to manage course enrollments and payments
• Learning content creation tools: to import courses created in other tools or to export courses for sale or distribution

When looking for an LMS, be sure to ask about the different types of integrations that are possible. The more integrations that are available, the more useful the LMS will be.

Successful LMS implementation across different industries

In learning management, ‘success’ can look different from one industry to the next. This is because different industries have different needs in terms of what they want and expect from their LMS.

For example, a healthcare organization may prioritize secure messaging and collaborative learning in their LMS due to the sensitive nature of the data that is shared among doctors, nurses, and patients.

In contrast, a manufacturing company may emphasize tracking employee training progress and ensuring compliance with safety protocols.

Let’s explore a few different industries in terms of LMS success indicators:

Healthcare

Priority: data security

Because patient data is often highly sensitive, it is critical that any communication or file-sharing features in an LMS are secure. In addition, healthcare organizations typically need to track employee training progress in order to ensure compliance with safety protocols.

Education

Priority: engagement and participation

Does the LMS make it easy for students to find and access course materials? Are there tools available for students to collaborate with one another on projects? How easy is it for instructors to post grades and feedback?

Non-profit

Priority: tracking and reporting

In the non-profit sector, an LMS should be able to manage and track donations, volunteers, and event registrations. It is also important that the system be able to create reports that can help management make data-driven decisions about how to best allocate resources.

Government

Priority: efficiency and cost savings

Can the LMS be used to automate processes such as onboarding new employees or filing travel claims? How much money can be saved by using the LMS to deliver training instead of traditional methods?

Technology

Priority: integration with other software systems

In the tech world, LMS should ideally have an API that allows it to be integrated with a company’s HR system. LMS in this context are often used to generate reports automatically.

Conclusion

Learning Management Systems are recognized as one of the more reliable and cost-effective e-learning tools available on the market. They provide an all-inclusive online learning platform for users to access their courses, materials, and other resources. Additionally, LMS software can also automate many of the administrative tasks associated with online training programs.

However, with such a wide variety of LMS products available, it can be difficult to determine which system is the best fit for your organization. Our pick for the best all-around LMS in terms of quality, cost, features, and accessibility is iSpring Learn, as it provides everything needed for optimal learning in an intuitive, user-friendly package.

Frequently Asked Questions on the Best Learning Management Software