Trying to find the best learning management system (LMS) for your business or educational institution? You’re in the right place — let’s show you how to choose the best one. 

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You want to educate your employees about your brand values and products. But till now, a one-size-fits-all approach failed to yield results. So, you started looking for solutions elsewhere.

In your search, you found that the best way to build a culture of learning is through an LMS, a tool that seamlessly integrates into everyday processes and caters to different learning methods. 

But how are you going to determine which LMS is right for you when the market is expected to grow at an annual rate of 23% between 2020 and 2024?

There’s only one answer: this guide. 

Continue reading to find out more about LMSs, their benefits, and how to select the best one, along with 12 examples for your consideration. 

Disclaimer: This blog post was last updated on July 31, 2024.

What is a Learning Management System (LMS)?

An LMS is one of the most effective ways to create, manage, and implement training content. Basically, it’s a software platform designed to streamline your learning process and track employee training. But you can also use such cloud-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) tools as a method to educate customers or provide compliance training.

In a nutshell, training specialists can use an LMS to create meaningful courses, for both virtual and in-person classrooms. It also provides easier access to education for learners, as LMSs cater to every learning need and offer the necessary support. 

According to data, 89% of employees access LMS programs from their desktops, while 25% do so from their mobile devices. No matter the method they use, an LMS has the potential to boost employee retention and develop the skills you need to thrive in this ever-changing world. 

With the definition out of the way, let’s look at some examples. 

What are the Best Learning Management System Examples? 

There are currently 73.8 million LMS users, with nearly 87% of them having web-based LMS programs. Not gonna lie, these numbers are impressive; and judging by LMSs’ popularity, the market will only grow. 

The question is: which LMS do people actually use? Our research yielded the following results: 

1. TalentLMS – Best cloud-based LMS for companies of all sizes. 
2. Docebo – Best LMS for partners, customers, and employees. 
3. Google Classroom – Best learning app for creating quick courses and assignments. 
4. Canvas LMS – Best cloud-based LMS for different types of institutions, education, and learning styles.
5. Moodle – Best open-source LMS for any training method. 
6. Blackboard Learn – Best cloud-based LMS for inclusive, flexible, and accessible learning. 
7. iSpring Learn – Best LMS for corporate training and businesses. 
8. Litmos – Best learning solution for building a culture of learning for businesses. 
9. Skilljar – Best LMS solution that focuses on onboarding and engaging customers. 
10. Absorb LMS – Best AI-powered LMS for building excellent learning processes.
11. CYPHER Learning – Best AI-powered learning platform for personalized experiences. 
12. Adobe Learning Manager – Best cloud-based LMS for midsize to large enterprises. 

If you’re curious about one of these tools, we got you covered. In the next paragraphs, we’ll talk about each tool in greater detail and uncover its greatest features and use cases. 

1. TalentLMS

TalentLMS is a cloud-based LMS software perfect for creating and managing online courses and helping teams and companies of all sizes grow. 

What characterizes this tool is its ease of use. Creating educational material is super easy thanks to its intuitive interface and lack of a learning curve. If you struggle, TalentLMS provides guidance and support at every stage of the process. 

“What I like about the TalentLMS platform is how easy it is to use. [...] The customer support is always helpful. They are ready to sort things out when you face some challenges.” 

What’s more, TalentLMS integrates with Guru. 

Guru — the AI-powered source of truth for L&D teams — gives recruiters and learning managers trusted access to what knowledge they need daily. Since it works greatly with TalentLMS, Guru can accelerate the learning experience and help L&D pros get quality insights at their fingertips. 

Top features

• AI content generation: TalentLMS uses artificial intelligence to accelerate training programs, and can generate content (text, images, tests) in a few clicks.
• Surveys engine: Gain insight into what your learners think by building surveys that you can analyze on the spot. 
• Files repository: Upload files into a dedicated repository and organize them accordingly. 

Use cases

TalentLMS has many use cases, including employee, sales, onboarding, compliance, and cybersecurity training. 

2. Docebo

Docebo is an intuitive learning platform designed for employee onboarding, compliance training, talent development, and so much more. 

This LMS tool has the power to give personalized experiences to different audiences, such as partners, customers, and employees, which you can tailor to fit your brand. 

Plus, it has the industry’s top-notch AI capabilities, automating tasks such as translations or enrollments. But Docebo also uses generative AI to create effective course content in minutes, and can scale as your business grows. 

“Docebo’s platform is versatile and [a] comprehensive hub for our employees and clients alike. Our organization uses the platform as a centralized repository for learning materials, resources, and expert knowledge.” 

Top features

• White-labeling: Rebrand this LMS to fit your brand with white-labeling options. 
• Gamification: Docebo lets you create badges for your employees who achieve something during the course.
• Audit trail: With this advanced monitoring capability, you can keep track of actions performed in the LMS. 

Use cases

Docebo is built for employee onboarding, talent development, partner enablement, member training, etc. 

3. Google Classroom

Google Classroom is the app teachers or instructors use to quickly create classes, communicate with students, and distribute assignments. 

Classroom, aside from saving time and paper, makes teaching look easy. To begin a class, all you need to do is share a code or add participants directly. Which takes just a few minutes. 

What else takes a few minutes is creating, reviewing, and marking assignments. Plus, Google Classroom allows you to customize classwork and support different learning styles, making learning more accessible and inclusive. 

“What I like best about Google Classroom is its seamless integration with Google Workspace, which includes Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drive. [...] Real-time collaboration is a breeze, fostering teamwork and engagement among students.” 

Top features

• Personalized learning: Build skills by meeting students where they are, reducing barriers to learning. 
• Plagiarism detection: Help students avoid unintentional plagiarism with this checker and ensure the content is original. 
• Data-driven insights: See how you can improve your classes with Classroom’s reports, helping you analyze adoption, engagement, etc. 

Use cases

Google Classroom is a tool suitable for education leaders, teachers, and IT administrators.

4. Canvas LMS

Canvas LMS offers a cloud-based LMS suitable for different types of education and learning styles, as well as for institutions of all sizes. 

Canvas is a tool that offers many LMS functionalities you’d like to see, such as course content authoring, video learning, standards-based grade books, and much more. That’s why it’s an ideal solution for both blended and virtual learning environments. 

Moreover, it has a mobile app you can use to keep everyone connected; and it works on any device! 

“In general, it’s very user-friendly for both instructors and students. I have used it as both. I like how the assignments build the calendar for you [...]. It also gives assignments reminders to the student and grading reminders to the instructor.” 

Top features

• Integrations: Canvas LMS integrates with plenty of your existing education apps, such as G Suite, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams. 
• Interactions: Keep the conversation going with Canvas LMS’s real-time interactions, including chat, updates, calendar, and syllabus. 
• Feedback: With Canvas, it’s easy to give feedback on assignments or quizzes, as well as manage grades. 

Use cases

Canvas LMS is best for K-12 classrooms, higher education, and vocational education. 

5. Moodle

Moodle provides an open-source LMS solution that scales with your business and helps create personalized course materials suitable for any teaching or training method. 

Moodle has an intuitive interface that makes creating training courses easy and online learning more active and engaging. It’s a tool people use for employee training, onboarding, and compliance management. 

Choosing Moodle also means joining a community of people who adore this platform and what it represents. If you’re ever stuck on something, you can get support from an active forum, but also end-to-end support and expert advice. 

“Moodle is a flexible and quite customizable, open-source learning management system. It provides users with a friendly interface for education management functionalities.” 

Top features

• Timeline: Moodle allows you to see calendar events and deadlines straight from your dashboard. 
• Collaborative tools: You can work together with your peers in forums, database activities, wikis, etc. 
• Track progress: You have an array of options to track learner progress, such as grades, badges, and more.

Use cases

Moodle offers solutions for multiple types of enterprise learning, vocational training, higher education, and K-12. 

6. Blackboard Learn

Blackboard Learn by Anthology is a cloud-based learning management tool that’s accessible, inclusive, and flexible, providing learning content to people from diverse backgrounds. 

This solution uses AI to streamline course management and creation, as well as assessments and grading rubrics. The result? You enable better instructor efficiency and a more flexible learning environment, and grading papers is less of a hassle. 

Plus, Blackboard has detailed insights into courses, identifying students who need support and offering the necessary tools to help them grow. 

“The best thing is that students ‘get it.’ There is no confusing navigation involved. This LMS comes with a clean design and industry-leading AI-enhanced features that will allow instructors to focus on the things that matter.” 

Top features

• Personalized learning: Blackboard is about self-expression, a thing that gives students truly inclusive learning experiences. 
• Actionable insights: Make more informed decisions about your students and courses with the valuable insights Blackboard provides. 
• Guidance: Blackboard offers 24/7 support to anyone using the platform and facilitates a smooth migration of your existing courses. 

Use cases

Blackboard Learn provides services for higher education, businesses, government, and K-12 educational institutions. 

7. iSpring Learn

iSpring Learn is a comprehensive LMS built for the corporate training needs of growing businesses. 

It’s a reliable platform that has everything you need to onboard, certify, and upskill your employees while creating an effective learning environment in the workplace. 

iSpring has a mobile app your employees can use on the go, both online and offline. No matter where they are, your people can access the courses, even without an internet connection. 

“We like the simplicity of its interface, it is easy to use [...]. The implementation is very fast, in a few minutes you already have a platform ready to use with the colors and logo of [your] organization.”

Top features

• Content management: iSpring allows you to upload all your files, such as presentations (PPT), courses (SCORM), and audio tracks (MP3, WAV), etc. 
• Email notifications: Stay updated with the latest student results by receiving email notifications whenever somebody completes an assignment. 
• Performance appraisal: You can collect feedback in a 360-degree survey format from subordinates to managers. 

Use cases

iSpring Learn has many use cases, including onboarding, product training, microlearning, training organizations, etc. 

8. Litmos

Litmos is a learning solution for top-performing companies, helping them work smarter and create a culture of learning for their employees, partners, and clients. 

Litmos is a tool that focuses on the learner and their needs and preferences. That’s why it includes various modalities to ensure people learn the way they want to.

Moreover, Litmos has a simple setup and fast deployment, getting you up to speed quickly. The tool also uses AI automation to make learning courses easier to manage. 

“From day one of getting a glimpse into the Litmos system, I have been impressed by its intuitive nature and ease of use. Also, from day one of showing interest in Litmos, the customer service has been top-notch!” 

Top features

• Content authoring: With this feature, you can create visually appealing courses, as well as publish them in one click. 
• External training: Litmos supports e-learning, VILT, and ILT training for all your external audiences. 
• AI assistant: Through this assistant, you can get information quickly and easily, which saves you time and effort. 

Use cases

Litmos is for customer training, employee development, onboarding, and revenue enablement. 

9. Skilljar

Skilljar is a learning management platform that focuses on customers and educating them about your products and services, onboarding them, and keeping them engaged with your brand. 

When you invest in Skilljar, you also get a customizable academy that you can make feel like it’s yours. It’s ideal for both coders and non-coders alike and you can customize everything (in terms of aesthetics) using HTML, CSS, and templates. 

Furthermore, you’ll also get actionable insights into what you can do to improve customer experience and retention. 

“I love how user-friendly Skilljar is. It’s easy to dive right in and start creating content for your users.” 

Top features

• Monetized training: You can sell your training services using different methods, such as self-checkout, promo codes, or subscriptions. 
• Integrations: You can sync Skilljar with your existing tools and APIs like Salesforce, Zendesk, Webex, etc. 
• Certifications: Skilljar offers accredited certifications via LinkedIn, Credly, Accredible, and Caveon. 

Use cases

Skilljar is best for companies in the following industries: tech and software, healthcare, and manufacturing.

10. Absorb LMS

Absorb LMS, an AI-powered enterprise learning tool, is ideal for businesses that want to provide excellent learning experiences, get tangible results, and achieve their training goals. 

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Absorb LMS uses artificial intelligence to train new employees, clients, and partners in organizations of all types and sizes. Through generative AI, you can streamline the course creation process, saving time and resources on design and research. 

What makes Absorb LMS great is its stellar customer service; whenever you need help, an Absorb employee is there for you. 

“There are so many amazing resources (articles and the academy) available to ensure you are comfortable with all of the features. The setup was so easy and user-friendly.” 

Top features

• Reporting: Absorb’s reporting features allow you to see the ROI of your learning program. 
• Security: Absorb has advanced security measures in place that keep your data safe and in compliance with privacy regulations. 
• Mobile app: You don’t need an internet connection to learn; Absorb’s app helps learners train offline and sync their progress when online. 

Use cases

Absorb LMS is great for employee onboarding, sales training, upskilling, learner motivation, etc. 

11. CYPHER Learning

CYPHER Learning offers an AI-powered learning platform that gives trainers, L&D pros, and educators the ability to deliver personalized and faster learning experiences. 

What you get when choosing CYPHER is an intuitive and easy-to-use tool that helps you create training materials faster. Moreover, it’s a tool that puts people first, meaning that it focuses on meeting their learning needs and giving them the right support. 

“I genuinely like the ease of access with which both instructors and students can navigate courses on CYPHER. [...] I can better direct the flow of attention and everything is visible practically from the start screen.” 

Top features

• AI voice-overs: Make your courses more interactive and interesting by adding AI-generated visuals and voices. 
• Gamification: CYPHER Learning has gamification features that allow you to create custom game levels, leaderboards, and badges. 
• E-commerce: Sell your online courses with CYPHER e-commerce, including features such as subscriptions, digital media, ratings and reviews, etc. 

Use cases

CYPHER Learning’s use cases include partner training, diversity and inclusion training, compliance, onboarding, and more. 

12. Adobe Learning Manager

Last on this list is Adobe Learning Manager (formerly Adobe Captivate Prime), a cloud-based LMS that delivers personalized learning experiences to employees, customers, and partners. 

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From a single platform, you can engage customers and develop employee skills; it also supports hybrid learning and gives a holistic view of all learning content in a single dashboard. 

“Adobe Learning Manager provides maximum flexibility and customization to help us develop the system to integrate into our teams with success.” 

Top features

• Personalized learning: Employing machine learning and AI, Adobe Learning Manager tailors learning journeys and offers personalized recommendations. 
• Guided learning: Adobe has automated user onboarding, internal and external learning groups, and a library of over 86,000 courses. 
• Actionable insights: Through detailed reporting, you can get valuable insights that make it easier to plan and optimize your program. 

Use cases

Adobe Learning Manager is for midsize to large enterprises that continuously grow. 

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Like what you see? 

Don’t worry — if you’re not ready to make a choice yet, let’s persuade you further by looking at the main benefits of LMSs. 

What are the Main Benefits of LMSs?

A good LMS solution brings tremendous benefits to that company. Let’s take a look at them: 

• Automated training and onboarding: An LMS has the potential to boost employee productivity by automating menial tasks, like onboarding new people. Instead of having someone teach the new hire all about your company, that person can learn on their own, in their preferred style. This autonomy allows employees to be more active and engaged with the training content. 
• Faster employee growth and development: By offering employees access to training resources, they’ll be more likely to engage with them to build the necessary skills. This shows them you are invested in their professional development, especially if each module is customizable to their learning needs. 
• Provide a sense of purpose in learners: A good training strategy gives employees purpose, reinforcing your brand’s values and showing them you care about their efforts and hard work. This sense of ‘I’m part of something greater’ contributes to a happier and more productive workforce as they know where your company wants to go. 
• Improves employee engagement and retention: If an LMS provides highly tailored user experiences, chances are that people will be more attracted to learning new things. By creating a learning environment and offering access to training materials, people will be more likely to retain information and be engaged with the company. 
• Helps create a unified company culture: Company culture is hard to nail, especially since the person you hire doesn’t automatically know how your business works. An LMS can fill that gap easily and provide the necessary support to make a new hire feel welcome into the company and quickly integrate them into your culture. 

Intrigued but not convinced? We still have more to tell you, so let’s dive into the features an LMS should always have. 

Features to Look for in an LMS Platform

You want to invest in an LMS, but you don’t know which features to look for. We’ve got your back; let’s look at a list of must-have LMS features: 

• Course creation and content management: The most important feature of an LMS is the ability to create and manage training courses. This feature greatly simplifies and streamlines your process and makes building courses a breeze. 
• Mobile learning: A mobile app allows employees to participate in courses from anywhere; some LMSs even have offline access. It’s a very useful feature for companies with remote teams as it gives people the accessibility to nurture their learning styles and needs. 
• Blended learning: This refers to adapting content for both online and in-person learning, as well as letting students choose the format they prefer, no matter the location or schedule. 
• Asynchronous learning: An LMS allows people to complete courses at their own pace (without a set schedule), which is highly useful for remote teams with people all over the world. 
• Social learning: Choose an LMS that has chat features or forums that allow students to ask questions and learn from peers. By letting learners teach each other, it frees training analysts’ time and enhances the learning experience. 
• Built-in reporting and dashboards: A dashboard is useful for seeing important metrics, such as participation, completion, and individual performance. Having a customizable dashboard will help you identify improvement opportunities and see where students need additional support. 
• Custom assessments: Don’t forget to test your learners to see if the courses are effective and if your students are engaged with them. Choose an LMS with pre-built assessment templates or a way to create your own evaluations. 
• Certification and accreditation management: It’s nice to reward your learners for their efforts. Certifications show a person’s progress and competency and increase compliance with government regulations. 
• Gamification: This refers to badges, levels, and leaderboards that make the whole learning experience more fun and interactive. According to Zippia, gamification improves productivity by 90%. It also helps with knowledge retention and higher completion rates. 

It’s a long list of features, true; but you need all of them to make learning a wonderful experience. 

If you’re still stuck, there’s one more step you need to take: learning how to choose the best LMS for your needs. 

How to Choose the Best LMS Software for Your Business Needs 

Choosing the right LMS tool for your business shouldn’t be overwhelming. That’s why we made a comprehensive list of the must-have capabilities of any good LMS: 

• Interactive learning: An LMS should engage your students and retain their interest. Look for features such as gamification, social learning, different content formats, etc., to provide the best learning experience and motivation for your students. 
• User-friendly experience: You don’t want to waste time teaching students how to use a complicated system. Choose a solution that has an intuitive user interface and is easy to use, so learners can quickly grasp how to access the courses. 
• Personalized learning paths: Allowing students to progress at their own pace will make sure they retain knowledge and progress. This means an LMS should have a different training format, such as virtual classrooms or instructor-led video conferencing.
• Learning flexibility: A good LMS should allow students to access courses from anywhere, on the devices they’re most comfortable with. Learning on the go should also be an option for employees who are always in the field. 
• Reporting and analytics capabilities: You need to measure the effectiveness of your courses and see the impact on your business. So, make sure the LMS has reporting capabilities and dashboards where you can see everything from progress to completion. 
• Integrations: Your LMS should integrate with your existing solutions, so it seamlessly blends into your operations and doesn’t disrupt anything. For instance, Guru is the perfect integration since it streamlines knowledge management and gives learners the information they need, whenever they need it. 
• Scalability: One last important capability is scalability, which means that the LMS you choose should scale with your business as it grows and handle large volumes of data, courses, and students. 

Well, that’s it! You’re done, so…congratulations. Now…

Over To You

An LMS could be the game-changer you need to create truly stellar learning environments and foster a better workplace culture. 

But you can’t do this alone; take Guru with you.

Guru is an AI-powered enterprise search, intranet, and wiki tool that helps L&D teams with employee training, onboarding, skilling and reskilling, etc. It accelerates content creation and allows employees to get instant answers to all their inquiries, without switching apps.

Ready to try? Sign up now!

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