Learning management systems or LMS may look the same on the outside, but a closer look reveals the solutions can vary from each other depending on their target users, business model, pricing terms, features, etc. To know which LMS fits your situation, we evaluate five learning management solutions with notable features that are most ideal for small businesses with a specific set of users. Note that these LMS can also be used by a general set of learners, but to maximize the software, we highlight who will benefit most. Aside from their key features, most of these LMS have the following essential LMS functions:
content creation (SCORM)
registration and record-keeping
content delivery
learning metrics and tests
certification
Here are the five LMS solutions and the type of users that match them:
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1. Litmos
Who is it for?
Litmos is an online LMS best for targeting mobile learners. They can be your field staff or sales teams; students whose smartphone or tablet is often their only access to the Internet; or logistics partners and suppliers who are always on the go. The solution highlights its mobile optimized video tools that can be a convenient and fast way to orient, teach, update, or train learners. The mobile platform is compatible with Android, iPhone, and iPad and can handle SCORM materials. Likewise, if you’re selling to a younger set of learners (students), Litmos ensures that you’re targeting them where they often spend Internet time.
Key features
Litmos has an eCommerce platform that lets you sell courses at once. Payment processing, record keeping, and content delivery are managed by the software; you just upload your courses and promote them. The software also has real-time reporting to help you assess learners’ activities and performance or track your best- and worst-performing courses. A self signup tool frees you from manually registering participants.
Litmos SmartScore and Customer Satisfaction
Our B2B experts reviewed Litmos features, user experience, customer support and other key elements of the service. Final results as summarized by the SmartScore system gave Litmos a score of 7.7/10 while the results provided by the Customer Satisfaction Algorithm place the overall user satisfaction rating at 99%.
2. DigitalChalk
Who is it for?
DigitalChalk fits marketers who sell courses to an external audience and expect to grow the business beyond a startup operation. The web-based LMS sets up your eCommerce platform and can accept credit card payments on your behalf, keep sales records, and deposit your profits to your bank. In short, it is designed to let you sell. The software even provides you with promo codes and discount coupons for your clientele. Moreover, pricing is on a pay-as-you-go basis, so you can set up the infrastructure even while you wait for the first batch of profits to come in.
Once the business picks up, the software’s advanced API lets you extend the functions to your own infrastructure to expand the system, including linking to external student registration database, user authentication, and more complex access controls. Likewise, the software lets you embed course content in your website for archiving or teaser materials to entice subscribers.
Key features
The Chalkboard module features interactive multimedia presentations that integrate HD streaming video, audio, HTML, images, and slides. You can also export files in PDFs, docs, spreadsheets for greater compatibility with learners’ devices. Likewise, you can export PPT to present online and track slideshow activity. The software has a full-course editing tool and allows you to customize certificates to individuals upon completion of a course.
DigitalChalk SmartScore and Customer Satisfaction
Our B2B experts reviewed DigitalChalk learning management software features, user experience, customer support and other key elements of the service. Final results as summarized by the SmartScore system gave DigitalChalk a score of 8.3/10 while the results provided by the Customer Satisfaction Algorithm place the overall user satisfaction rating at 100%.
3. Docebo
Who is it for?
Docebo is a SaaS LMS ideal for educators or course providers that target a small to medium-sized customer base. At most, Docebo can accommodate 2,000 users. The elements needed to kick start your online course are already set up, you just need to sign up. There’s a library of free courses that you can white label for branding; mobile infrastructure to let learners access the courses whenever and in whatever device; and a streamlined user interface that even a non-techie first-time online learner can navigate through without a hiccup. Likewise, you don’t need to worry about server architecture; Docebo taps Amazon Content Distribution Network that routes your course to the nearest location. Your users can access courses faster and with less risk of a downtime. To make running a small-scale online course business even more feasible, Docebo only charges active users and not the total registered users. That ensures you only pay when you get paid.
Key features
The software is AICC and SCORM compliant; if you have course materials set on these formats, starting your online course is even easier. Moreover, if you have ready materials in PDF, PPT, PPTx, or ODP, the software will convert them and make them accessible via cloud. You can also convert any video to MP4, which is compatible to any device. The app has a gamification feature that makes learning fun and course completion more probable.
Docebo SmartScore and Customer Satisfaction
Our B2B experts conducted a review of Docebo functionalities, user experience, customer support and other key elements of the service. Final results as summarized by the SmartScore system gave Docebo a score of 6.9/10 while the results provided by the Customer Satisfaction Algorithm place the overall user satisfaction rating at 100%.
4. eFront
Who is it for?
eFront fits freelance educators who are tech-savvy and accustomed to Moodle, the popular open-source LMS. If you enjoy working and collaborating in an open-source platform, eFront is an enhanced Moodle. Open source allows you to customize solutions for your specific needs for free, but only if you have the set of skills to tinker with codes. A paid version takes many of the Moodle problems out, including where to host the system, how to install it, and troubleshooting. If you have basic tech skills, eFront can assist you to learn how to take your open-source skills to a higher level.
Key features
You can resell old content. The software allows you to bundle different lessons into one and treat is as a new course. Conversely, you can create a lesson comprised of sub-courses in a structure hierarchy and sell the sub-courses on top of each other to complete one major course. You can also manage user access, allowing others to edit materials for collaboration of ideas, while limiting others to read-only view. Likewise, you can archive both user accounts and courses as a practical reference to revive past customers with an upsell to a new course.
eFront SmartScore and Customer Satisfaction
Our B2B experts performed a detailed review of eFront features, user experience, customer support and other key elements of the service. Final results as summarized by the SmartScore system gave eFront a score of 6.5/10 while the results provided by the Customer Satisfaction Algorithm place the overall user satisfaction rating at 100%.
5. Latitude Learning
Who is it for?
Latitude Learning is an cloud LMS that is great for small businesses that target an internal set of learners, such as, employees, dealers, and suppliers. For example, create training or orientation materials for staff in different branches, or ramp up your dealers and suppliers with updated product specs, company policies, or industry requirements. If you’re dealing with a branch staff or teams in different locations, Latitude Learning lets you to centralize training administrators at headquarters and set automatic and specific curriculums and certifications for each team. Administrators can set job codes and Goal Transitions to match courses with the targeted users. The software also allows you to upload a list of users from a spreadsheet, such as, employee database or supplier contact list.
Key features
The Message Editor lets you to customize up to 24 messages as auto-responders, while a Competency Management helps you to manage certification upon course completion. Moreover, User Self Regulation allows learners to create their user accounts, which saves you the time and effort to start a program. Just set the schedule and everybody can be on board at once.
Latitude Learning SmartScore and Customer Satisfaction
A full review of Latitude Learning features, user experience, customer support and other key elements of the service was conducted by our team of B2B experts. Final results as summarized by the SmartScore system gave Latitude Learning a score of 6.9/10 while the results provided by the Customer Satisfaction Algorithm place the overall user satisfaction rating at 98%.
Conclusion
These five LMS solutions paint the big picture on where online learning today is widely used and how courses are delivered and accessed. Some educators use LMS to train an internal staff, others to reach out to an external audience, and still others to sell courses as a primary business. Some LMS focus on eCommerce, while others on format (SCORM, AICC, etc.) or on platform (mobile, Android or iOS, server access) compatibility. Which of these features are most important? It depends on which you need most.
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