Best LMS Software

By Ishani Vats, Technical Content Writer at SelectHub

Today, specialized skills go from being desperately needed to utterly outdated in record time. To address the resulting skills gap, more and more organizations are building L&D programs through platforms like LMS software to train their employees.

But how does LMS software help your workers learn? Read on for our comprehensive breakdown, where we’ll answer questions like:

• How does a learning management system work?
• How does an LMS benefit businesses and educational institutions?
• Which features does an LMS offer?
• How much does a learning management system cost?

Executive Summary

• LMS software provides the administrative framework for virtual learning and a secure place to store information. It's used by corporations, K-12 and higher educational institutions, government agencies and more.
• Key LMS features include built-in content authoring, learner progress tracking, reporting and analytics, real-time collaboration and third-party integrations.
• Make sure that all of your questions about your business, the vendor and the software are answered before purchasing a solution.

Freelancers and Independent Learners

You don’t have to be affiliated with a specific organization or institution to use an LMS. In fact, a typical LMS comes with a range of tools and resources for learners who seek to acquire new knowledge to pursue personal interests or deepen their understanding and expertise in specific fields.

For example, lawyers, engineers and healthcare professionals seeking continuing education may use an LMS to fulfill licensing or certification requirements, or stay up-to-date with industry trends and best practices. The software also offers continuous learning opportunities to lifelong learners who have a general interest in various fields, such as history, science and literature.

Deployment Methods

You can deploy a learning management system in different ways, depending on your business size, training needs, employee skill level and other specific factors.

Here are some of the most popular LMS deployment models:

1) Cloud-Based: A cloud or web-based LMS allows organizations, educational institutions and individuals to create and manage learning content on a cloud server. It enables learners to access course materials, submit tests, view progress reports and participate in other learning activities using multiple devices like computers, tablets and smartphones.

Since it's hosted on remote servers, organizations don’t have to pay upfront fees to install the software. It's easily accessible as learners can interact with course materials and resources from anywhere with an internet connection.

The only downsides are potential security and accessibility concerns, since data is stored on external servers and most functionalities don’t work with limited or unreliable internet access.

Examples: LearnUpon, 360Learning, Instructure, Cornerstone OnDemand, eFront

2) Installed or On-Premise: An installed LMS, also known as a self-hosted or on-premise LMS, is hosted on local servers or infrastructure within an organization's network. In this setup, the user has to manage the installation, configuration and maintenance of the software and hardware.

It allows you to tailor the system to meet specific requirements and modify the user interface and functionality. Though the vendor offers complete control over the platform’s data and security, you may have to make an upfront payment for purchasing the software licenses and setup. Besides, users need to be connected to the organization's network to access the LMS, limiting access outside office premises.

Examples: iSpring Learn, Skyprep, Open edX, Sakai, Google Classroom

3) Open Source: An open-source LMS comes with publicly available code that can be accessed, modified and developed by a vast network of users. It provides active user community forums to share support and exchange resources and can be customized to reflect your company’s unique brand identity.

You can modify the source code to scale the platform based on changing needs for free, while technical expertise may be necessary for software installation, configuration and maintenance. Since it’s run on a community model, support options may be limited.

Examples: Moodle, Canvas LMS, Chamilo, Edmodo, Blackboard Learn

4) Mobile App: A mobile LMS facilitates the delivery of educational or training content via smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices. It provides an interactive interface for users to access learning materials, enroll in courses, complete and submit assessments, and more.

Though a mobile app LMS is easily accessible, there may be limitations in content delivery, as certain types of interactive content or multimedia might not fully work on smaller screens. You may need specific app installations or compatibility with different operating systems for the app to work, so be sure to check with your vendor about it.

Examples: Fuse, Tovuti, Sakai, Teachable

Primary Benefits

First thing’s first, how can an LMS help you? Besides providing more consistent and convenient training, it helps prevent costly skill gaps and gives you insight into employees.

There are three major types of organizations that use learning management systems: small and medium-sized businesses, larger enterprise ventures, and, of course, schools. Schools include K-12, higher education, online institutions or hybrid institutions that use cyberspace in addition to brick-and-mortar classrooms.

Enterprises/Businesses

Numbers don’t lie. Businesses are more interested than ever in tracking the effects of training. Recently, Mind Tools reported that nearly 70% of learning and development teams felt pressure to measure the impact of education.

The pressure isn’t just coming from management, either, as employees are increasingly worried about having the skills to pay the bills. A recent report by Cornerstone OnDemand found that nearly half of all employees surveyed placed skill and talent gaps in their top three work-related concerns, with many worried that their manager or boss would question their abilities.

Personal growth is essential to any company. That’s part of why an LMS allows leadership teams to track skills, create reports and monitor progress. It’s easy to follow an education plan and address skill gaps within your company. Better tracking of personal goals also engages employees, increases retention and boosts productivity.

These processes free up time for HR staff so they can tackle more overarching issues. Reporting and analytic functionalities help to build a data-driven view of the effect of training.

For organizations that prioritize growth, a standard solution is to use their LMS alongside a talent management system. Through this, HR can examine employee skills trends and track which workers are due for a promotion and who may need a job change or extra attention.

Consider our guide for an overview of this software’s uses and applications in an enterprise or corporate situation.

Education

In learning environments, an LMS helps essential functions like enrollment, course creation and testing. Social learning options, such as messaging, chats or videos, provide students with a unique opportunity to collaborate and facilitate class discussions.

Creating an online classroom is another essential function for schools and educational institutions. Whether it’s a place where people can chat with the teacher in real time or a full-fledged VR classroom, it provides the same connectedness and engagement.

Other Benefits

No matter their role or the purpose of the training, learners come away with better knowledge retention, acquire invaluable new skills and improve performance. Here are some other potential benefits of adopting an LMS.

• The quality and fidelity of data are better and, by organizing training and other information, an LMS can improve accessibility and structure. The LMS cuts down on time wasted hunting down resources.
• An LMS also saves you money. Your learners won’t have the travel expenses they’d incur commuting to a physical location for class. Going virtual also saves you on overhead costs, like space, utilities, paper to create materials and other resources.
• It enables your organization to stay compliant, improves the quality of training materials and makes it easier than ever to reuse or adapt catalogs, handbooks and info for different purposes. Through white labeling or creating an unbranded LMS, any group can deploy the same system for various needs.
• You can easily capitalize on your training material by selling it on an eCommerce platform, so your training program can create revenue for your organization in more ways than one.
• Since the platform is accessible via laptops, desktops, mobile phones and other devices, it’s easy for all users to stay connected despite working from different locations and/or time zones.

Implementation Goals

One of the most common blunders during the software selection process is not preparing a comprehensive implementation plan. Software isn’t one size fits all. No two businesses have the same tech stack or software needs, and progress isn’t dependent on one easily trackable metric.

Following these markets ensures a solution is working and allows users to make early adjustments that save them headaches down the road. What defines success for your organization? Below, we’ve listed five common benchmarks and how to conceptualize them. Follow the list, and then expand with ideas that are prevalent in your organization.

Basic Features & Functionality

Systems live or die by their features, so it’s crucial to prioritize your organization’s must-have functionality. Our LMS requirements guide and checklist go through a more comprehensive approach by defining and examining different systems. Below is an essential glossary of terms and tools you’ll encounter during your search.

Advanced Features to Consider

Once you’ve examined the core functionality, it’s time to look at more advanced features that support complex needs.

Current & Upcoming Trends

Since this industry lives and dies by information, it’s no surprise that it’s continually evolving. Here’s what’s on the horizon for LMS in the next year and beyond.

Hybrid Learning

Even if your school is local, using online classes became an increasingly popular choice even before the pandemic made it a necessity in most places. Though students may live in the same area as their classes, a growing percentage are opting to attend virtual classrooms.

The lessons become more accessible to everyone and are extra helpful in training situations where someone from a corporate office can ensure consistent instruction across the organization.

Mobile Learning

Organizations are going from simply programming mobile options to a mobile-first mindset. It’s so easy for employees to log in and train when it’s convenient for them. Ninety-two percent of working-age internet users go online via mobile devices. That’s why more organizations are designing classes and materials for mobile before anything else and making it their priority.

NGDLE and Social Learning

Finally, the new horizon of software comes in the form of next-generation digital learning environments. NGDLEs are more user-friendly and incorporate social learning easily. They want to make LMS a destination, not just a means to an end.

Social learning aspects make training more interactive and memorable. Gamification creates leaderboards, points and badge systems to encourage friendly competition. Microlearning encourages users to seek out bite-sized, relevant pieces of information as they need them.

Students are increasingly in favor of microlearning made of small packets of info quickly scanned and digested. These quick bits of comprehension data answer a specific question, like a how-to YouTube video.

Ultimately, the goal is an environment that encourages everyone to take the initiative in their learning.

Immersive Learning

The innovative or “market disruptor” vendors build on the traditional foundation with products like artificial intelligence, virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality. With this and other similar benefits in mind, it should come as no surprise that the number of AR and VR users in the U.S is forecast to reach 282.40 million by 2027.

Here are some of the main benefits of each technology:

• AI: Direct workers to resources and suggest content based on their strengths and weaknesses. Virtual chatbots can access easy information, serve up quizzes and help teachers with manual details.
• VR: Allow learners to get hands-on experience, like moving through scenarios via virtual interactions and collaborating on 3D assets. Immersive simulations allow users to train for a job without even being in the same room as the teacher or equipment.
• AR: Enable learners to learn in interactive environments and get real-time instructions using their phones, tablets or headsets. For example, you can replicate safety equipment in the form of 3D models and allow learners to rotate, view and zoom into objects.
• MR: Offer learners a blend of physical and digital visuals using both AR and VR tools.

Some immersive learning applications include RealWear and Hololens 2.

Personalized Content

With so many employees in a training program, a one-size-fits-all approach makes catering to everyone’s specific learning needs challenging. That’s why organizations are shifting towards personalized content — an effective way to make learning inclusive and relevant for all participants.

It includes creating unique learning paths tailored to each employee’s skills, strengths and interests, and letting them progress through courses at their own pace. Collecting feedback from learners helps identify their strengths and weaknesses and allows admins to design customized lesson plans.

Learners can contribute to the course creation process by sharing content like videos, articles and images, reviewing pre-existing learning material and giving suggestions to make eLearning more relevant to their career development plans.

Soft Skills

Organizations are emphasizing soft skills as a way to improve workplace engagement, employee participation and productivity. These interpersonal competencies help staff members function effectively and create a healthy working environment for each other.

Here are some soft skills ranking high in the corporate world:

• Communication
• Critical Thinking
• Time Management
• Collaboration
• Problem-solving
• Work Ethic
• Patience
• Adaptability

How to Begin a Software Comparison

As the market grows, the number of new, accessible options available for various platforms increases exponentially. Expectations for quality are high and the offerings are varied.

That’s why it’s vital to create an exact list of priorities before you even start to look at possible solutions. Make sure you understand some of the most urgent requirements.

Determining Requirements

To simplify your search, focus on your top needs. Create a list of essential capabilities and prioritize. You’ll be better prepared to compare vendors that meet most of your strategic requirements. You may have to compare various combinations of products, reinforcing the importance of maintaining your priorities.

To get started, here is a brief overview of some of the essential features:

• Social learning functionality
• Real-time support
• Customization and personalization
• Certification and compliance
• Simple, responsive user interface
• Safety and security
• Comprehensive reporting and analytics

Remember to invite all stakeholders into the decision process. Education touches every area of a company’s operations. All voices must be heard and included to ensure common areas of concern, like third-party integration, are addressed.

For a more comprehensive guide to top-priority features and functionalities, we suggest our key features checklist.

Standards and Support

Support for a learning management system is crucial and can refer to a few different things. One invaluable piece for any LMS is an application programming interface (API). An API allows you to access the features of a program, application or software.

Support also refers to a set of standards within the program. Standards are a way of doing things in an agreed-upon manner. This case ensures designers construct programs in a standardized format that allows an LMS to communicate with external content sources like Lynda and LinkedIn Learning.

Popular support options include:

• AICC: The Aviation Industry Computer-Based Training Committee was one of the first standards. It crossed industries and got dissolved in 2004. Many standards are still AICC compliant to ensure communication with legacy systems.
• SCORM: Shareable Content Object Reference Model is the current industry standard. It’s still relevant but can be a bit out of date with modern practices.
• xAPI (previously Tin Can): A leaner and more straightforward solution to SCORM, once thought to replace its predecessor, xAPI lets developers send data to a wide range of programs, including mobile, help desk apps and talent management systems.
• CMI5: A new standard, released after AICC dissolved, cmi5 is sometimes considered more flexible than SCORM and more regulated than xAPI.
• LTI: The Learning Tools Interoperability standard, created by the IMS Global Learning Consortium, allows for smoother connections with various social learning tools.

Lastly, it’s always beneficial to have resources for when things go wrong in your system. Some standards may come with support. Others may not. Ensure that you have a service that can answer questions and solve glitches, especially when it comes to integrations.

Vendor Comparison

Once you’ve set your priorities and done some initial research, it’s time to invite vendors into the conversation. These discussions help you gain a better overview of all products to decide which vendor matches your strategy and budget.

For first-time purchasers, how do you make the switch from traditional learning to online?

Step number one is to gain an understanding of your education goals and define success. Be thorough and do your due diligence. Well-thought-out implementation saves time and money.

Next, it’s time to bring subjective perspectives into your scoring process. After all, this solution must fit your company’s unique needs and priorities, so get a group of engaged, invested people together. Inviting the assistance of HR professionals and other end-users will help you decide on something right for everyone.

At this point in your decision-making process, the choice becomes easier and clearer. Once you review all the information you have collected about vendors and look at the scores that you and your team awarded to the vendors and their products, you can be sure of making the best choice for your organization.

Selecting the right vendor is not the final step, however. Creating an implementation checklist ensures that the hard work of finding the LMS does not go to waste. For a thorough guide, you can read more here.

Always be sure to walk through a demo before you buy to expose flaws or gaps that would be difficult to notice otherwise until it’s too late. In the end, the winner will stand out from the rest and an implementation plan will ensure success.

Cost & Pricing Considerations

Pricing is one of the single most important factors you’ll need to consider. Learning management systems have different payment models. A system may require you to pay a flat license fee or recurring subscription cost — some charge per learner or user and some charge for many people under a complicated formula.

Consider price when it comes to either buying or selling content. Evaluate the fidelity and quality of the information to see if the price is appropriate. If you create training and want to offer it to other companies or, alternately, need to purchase specific coursework, this will need to go into your calculations.

Here are some popular LMS pricing models to help you select the most viable payment option for your business:

• Pay Per User: You have to pay a fixed price for a set number of learners.
• Pay Per Active User: You’ll be charged for users who use the LMS during a billing cycle.
• Pay As You Go: You pay only for what you use.
• Licensing: You pay a set price for a periodic license for a given set of features.
• Free of Cost: The platform is free to use, no payment required.

The Best LMS Software

Now that we’ve covered the definition of an eLearning solution and how to evaluate one, it’s time to discuss the top systems. Here are examples of the best LMSs on the market.

LearnUpon

LearnUpon is an online learning and development platform that helps train employees, customers and partners. It offers a wide range of capabilities such as course creation, user management, gamification, eCommerce, and reporting and analytics.

With the ability to create various user groups, administrators can segment, contact and automate processes for more than one group at a time, making it easier to manage a variety of learners and training paths. The platform supports both self-paced and instructor-led training.

Run data-based custom reports to monitor performance. Source

Pricing

The solution offers three pricing plans:

• Essential: 50 to 150 users
• Premium: 150 to 300 users
• Enterprise: 300+ users

Pricing information for each plan is available on request.

Docebo

Docebo offers an all-in-one platform to manage all training processes, with features like course creation, video conferencing, white-labeling and third-party integrations. You can create and manage test questions, use analysis and monitoring tools to measure learner progress, collect feedback through questionnaires and more on a single platform.

Create different types of tests using interactive tools. Source

Pricing

The solution offers quote-based pricing.

Brainier

Brainier is an enterprise learning tool that provides training management, content curation and specialized speakers to deliver information. It’s cloud-based, mobile-compatible and designed for collaboration and building a broader community around development efforts.

It integrates with multiple partners in talent management, succession planning and other business concerns. You can also discover, create and deliver educational content using automation tools.

Rank learners on the company leaderboard. Source

Pricing

You can request a quote on the website.

SkyPrep

SkyPrep is an online training solution that provides capabilities like course creation and management, reporting, progress tracking, customization and third-party integrations. The solution is SCORM-compliant and protects user data on a secure SSL-certified cloud infrastructure. SkyPrep’s built-in integrations and API allow you to integrate existing systems like eCommerce and webinar training with third-party apps.

Access your learning paths on the dashboard. Source

Pricing

The solution offers three plans with different feature sets:

• Lite: Includes 100+ active users, custom branding, SCORM packages and email support.
• Professional: Includes advanced reporting, API and SSO, gamification and workflow automation.
• Enterprise: Includes multiple platforms, migration services, multi-year discounts and custom SMTP.

Absorb LMS

Absorb LMS is an enterprise-level learning and training solution that helps organizations streamline their eLearning delivery processes. Its mobile app, Absorb Learning, delivers digital training content in multiple formats, including SCORM, xAPI, PDF, MP4 and Microsoft Office files. It also offers third-party integrations with apps like Salesforce, ADP and Zoom, and connects with any system via API.

Manage your eCommerce platform from a central location. Source

Pricing

You can submit your training requirements on the website to get a quote.

Questions To Ask Yourself

Use these questions as a starting point for internal conversations:

• What learning management solution, if any, is your business currently using?
• What types of training do you want to create?
• Does your general human resource management platform have a learning management component?
• Are you interested in a standalone LMS or a more comprehensive HR tool? Do you need to integrate with a talent management system?
• Which features and capabilities are most important to your business?
• What are your budget and time constraints?
• What preparations will need to be made to adopt the LMS successfully?

Questions To Ask Vendors

Use these questions as a starting point for conversations with vendors:

About the Software

• Why is a learning management system important to meet your educational needs?
• Do you need to pay for content as well? Are you looking to sell content? Do you need eCommerce capabilities?
• Which third-party vendors, product extension partners and service partners are in the vendor’s ecosystem?
• How will it integrate with legacy systems?
• Is the platform user-friendly? If yes, how?
• How convenient is the system for non-tech users?
• Which accessibility features does the software offer for differently-abled users?
• Is it customizable to business-specific needs?
• Do you need to add HR, time management, attendance or other functionality to this solution?

About the Vendor

Understanding Long & Short-term Service Offerings

• What implementation options and strategies have been developed by the vendor for its LMS platform?
• Does the vendor offer 24/7 multi-language support during and after implementation?
• What training options are made available by the vendor to onboard your users to the LMS platform?

Pricing

• What does the learning management solution cost? Does it fit in your budget?
• What is the pricing plan? Is the payment per license? Per learner? Per user?
• Are there any available discounts based on the number of users?

Industry Experience

• What is the vendor’s level of experience with the industry you are in?
• Will industry-specific configurations be necessary to meet sector-specific compliance and best practices?

Best-of-Suite vs. Best-of-Breed

• Is the learning management software best-of-suite or best-of-breed? In the case of best-of-suite, the system boasts a consistent data model, common user interface and process integration. Best-of-breed offers more tailored applications and better functional fit, along with the ability to make modifications based on the needs and priorities of the business.
• Does it make sense to integrate a new product into what you already have in place? Or should you buy an extension from a vendor that you are already working with?
• How does the learning management system solution align with your strategy and vision?

Next Steps

Whether used to update company training or run comprehensive educational courses, a learning management system provides the tools that learners need to acquire new skills effectively. These highly customizable solutions can offer personalized learning experiences to help individuals unlock their potential. They also offer a way to standardize and deploy training materials cost-effectively.

Learning management systems are good for small, medium and large businesses that want to track personal development and cut down on skill gaps throughout the company. For educational institutions, they offer robust course creation and management software. If you’re interested in learning if an LMS is right for your organization, access our free software report to see the features leading products offer and how they rate against one another based on our data.

Product Comparisons

• Docebo vs. Absorb LMS
• Docebo vs. SkyPrep
• SkyPrep vs. Absorb LMS

Additional Resources

• LMS RFP Template and Guide to Help Choose the Right Software
• LMS Features That Will Boost Your Employee Training ROI
• Employee Development Strategy
• What is Blended Learning?
• Best Cloud LMS: Top Web-Based Learning Management Systems
• Employee Skill Development Plan