If E-learning is an electronic version of a class or seminar, an LMS is essentially a virtual classroom. It allows you to store and launch training courses and evaluate attendees’ performance, whether they be college students or new hires. There over 800 of these platforms on the market today. And there are just as many opinions about which LMS is the best, so we’ve decided to organize them based on distinguishing features, although we’ll share our perspective too.
Open source code is a huge advantage for any IT specialist because it gives you carte blanche to modify the platform as you see fit. Moodle LMS is seen as the quintessential open-source LMS. It has over 250 million users and is constantly being updated and improved by programmers all over the world. You can find plenty of guides, reference materials, and forums online where these people share their experience working with the system.
Moodle allows you to change the system’s design and add any new module or function your heart desires. You can integrate forums and video conferences, configure notifications, set up a mobile version, etc. The system supports also international course formats such as AICC, SCORM, Tin Can API, and IMS LTI.
Moodle is also designed for local hosting. Just install it on a corporate server, and all your training materials will be stored right there. This is especially important if you’re don’t feel comfortable entrusting your data security to a third-party provider.
A few companies offer cloud-based platforms, and one of the leading options is Adoptive Captivate Prime. It also provides a wide range of tools, including performance monitoring, badges, discussion sections, etc., and its built-in AI helps analyze employees’ skills and interests.
But, most importantly, like most other platforms, ACP has an intuitive interface that’s easy to get the hang of. There’s no need to download and install the LMS — just upload your materials to the cloud and configure employee access. The provider acts as the host, so they update the system and provide data security. There is one drawback, however — you do need to pay monthly or yearly rent for the platform. Expansions for the base version can also require frequent additional investments.
Mirapolis LMS is a module for Mirapolis’s platform. Unlike the other options listed above, it can’t be modified from scratch or rented out instantly. You send the developers a SOW with a detailed description of the functionality you need, and then they develop a unique corporate portal for you where you can upload courses in any format. To make things easier, the database contains over 120 reporting templates, but you can also use the designer to make your own.
You can add other things to the LMS if you want, including a wall of fame, voting, a company forum, a gallery, etc. The final cost is calculated based on the SOW, but regardless of your choices, this isn’t going to be a cheap option. Mirapolis LMS is primarily used by large companies.
But maybe you’re just looking for an easy-to-use LMS without AI or any «hardcore» formats like business simulators and the like. If so, you’ll want to check out Prof Profs LMS and other options like it.
This LMS is significantly cheaper than many fee-based platforms, but it ticks off all the main boxes. The Prof Profs introductory course explains how to come to grips with the system. You get access to a library of over a hundred ready-made templates and training materials. The platform also allows you to interact with course attendees, test their performance, and draw up detailed reports on the results.
The downside is that users may notice the limited number of available options and the rather bland interface. But, on the other hand, Prof Profs LMS’s affordability often outweighs its drawbacks. This LMS is used primarily by smaller organizations.
All in all, narrowing your choices down to a few options is definitely realistic if you apply a few key criteria. What are the limitations of your budget? Do you need support for a mobile version? Does cloud-based or local hosting better meet your needs? Are you willing top adapt to templates created by someone else, or do you want to develop your own unique portal based on open source code?
We’d vote for the latter, since open source code is like a perfect workshop where you call the shots and your options don’t have to be limited by paid licenses or a provider’s terms and conditions. And if you don’t have access to skilled craftsmen, you can always count on our developers. They’ll create a unique portal to meet your needs, and they can even create training courses for you if you like. But in the end, you have the power to choose the LMS that’s right for you.
