10 Must-Know eLearning Authoring Tools… Revealed

What is an eLearning authoring tool?

Put simply, an eLearning authoring tool is software used to build eLearning content, whether that’s an entire eLearning course or standalone assets.

If you don’t want to use entirely off-the-shelf eLearning content, you’ll need an eLearning authoring tool to build custom courses that can be loaded and tracked in your learning management system (LMS). Modern authoring tools allow you to create content entirely from scratch, and, in some cases, adapt existing content (such as a PowerPoint or Word document) into an interactive eLearning course.

Once the content is built, it can be loaded into an LMS or learning portal (LXP or website) where your learners can access it. In most cases, this also means that learning progress, completion status, and scores are tracked via an eLearning standard (e.g., SCORM, xAPI, cmi5, or AICC). The authoring solution and learning portal use the chosen standard to enable the course to communicate the details about the learner’s experience to the LMS, which then stores and reports on this information.

What’s the difference between an authoring tool and an LCMS?

Throughout this article, you’ll see the terms “authoring tool” and “learning content management system” (or LCMS) used. The two are often mistakenly used interchangeably, and while there are some similarities, they’re not the same.

A standalone eLearning authoring tool typically focuses solely on eLearning content creation, with minimal attention given to content management, content distribution, and team workflows and control. In short, it primarily targets individuals and smaller teams who produce smaller volumes of content with less frequent changes. 

While an LCMS can provide advantages to smaller teams, it typically targets the needs of a team of authors who are responsible for creating, managing, and maintaining a larger volume of content. Of course, team size and content volume size can vary, so when reviewing solutions, it may be best to focus on what overall capabilities will make the most difference for your team and their unique needs. 

As LCMS solutions focus on optimizing larger amounts of content, some of the typical capabilities found in these solutions include streamlined publishing and delivery, providing more robust team management, permissions, and workflows, greater options for organizing, managing, reusing various elements of content, and single-source design to enable use of content across multiple audiences or formats (e.g., instructor-led presentation materials). When it comes to authoring content, some LCMS solutions include basic authoring but rely on external tools for more sophisticated designs, while other solutions provide powerful authoring capabilities as part of the overall solution. 

One of the unique advantages of an LCMS is the ability to reuse content and apply single-source design principles. Reuse is the ability to add something to your content, such as a graphic, place that same item into multiple content projects, and then, when you need to update it, update it once and have the update propagate automatically across all locations where it is being reused. In other words, the element is linked, not copied. 

Learn more about what an LCMS is: LCMS 101 What’s a Learning Content Management System and Why You Should Know 

‍Switching Authoring Solutions: Making Migration Manageable 

Two reasons often keep teams in an authoring tool that no longer fits: status-quo bias (“this is just how eLearning works”) and migration anxiety (“we have too much content to move”). Both can be solved with a structured plan.

Why it feels hard

• We normalize current workflows and assume every tool works the same.
  
• A large legacy library creates fear of rework, double maintenance, and downtime.
  
  

What actually works

1. Audit & prioritize: Inventory courses and assets; tag by usage, risk, business impact, and complexity. Decide which items to rebuild, convert, or retire.
   
2. Choose the right migration path per item:
   
   • Automated imports/converters (e.g., PPT/Word ingestion, Rise/Storyline/Captivate package conversion) to jump-start builds.
   • Standards-based reuse (SCORM/xAPI/cmi5 dispatch or hosting) to keep existing courses live while you rebuild priority items.
   • Targeted rebuilds for high-value experiences that benefit from your new tool’s capabilities (branching, simulations, single-source variants).
     
3. Plan for governance from day one: Establish templates, themes, naming, and metadata so updates will flow efficiently post-migration.
   
4. Pilot, then scale: Move a small, representative set first; validate accessibility, localization, tracking, and review workflows; then roll out in waves.
   
5. Leverage help: Ask vendors about conversion utilities, service packages, APIs, and partner networks (e.g., specialist firms like Harbinger Group) to accelerate timelines and reduce rework.
   
6. Set a decommission date: Avoid running two stacks indefinitely. Communicate when legacy content will be retired or dispatched.
   
   

What to ask potential providers

• Which import/conversion options do you support (PPT/Word, Rise, Storyline, Captivate)? What stays editable vs. becomes fixed?
  
• How will existing content be hosted/dispatched, and what will the switch-over look like so we can update centrally during transition?
  
• How do you handle multi-language and single-source variants (audience, modality) to reduce duplication?
  
• What’s the review/collaboration model (roles, versioning, comment workflows)?
  
• Do you offer services or certified partners for large-scale migrations?
  
• How do you preserve or map tracking/analytics (completion, scores, xAPI statements) and accessibility during conversion?
  
  

Success metrics to track

• Time-to-update and review cycle time
  
• % of assets converted to reusable components
  
• Defect rate post-release (QA)
  
• Localization turnaround per language
  
• Share of catalog delivered via hosted/dispatch (fewer LMS reuploads)
  
  

Bottom line: Don’t let migration be the blocker. With an audit-first approach, phased rollout, and the right mix of conversion tools and services, teams typically improve speed of updates, reduce duplication, and gain tighter control over governance, without going dark or maintaining two systems forever, or choosing no change and losing out on the benefits of a switch.

1. dominKnow | ONE

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dominKnow | ONE is a cloud-based learning content management system (LCMS) with advanced built-in authoring. Teams use it to create, manage, and distribute custom learning at scale, self-paced courses, software training, instructor-led materials, and job aids, while applying single-source and reuse practices to reduce duplication and speed updates. Content can be published to standard LMSs (SCORM/xAPI/cmi5) or delivered from the platform to minimize repackaging work. 

The authoring environment supports responsive and slides-based courses, branching scenarios, graded/ungraded assessments, soft-skill simulations, and software simulations. Designers can standardize look-and-feel with themes, templates, and centrally managed styles, and use variables, conditions, and component-level controls to tailor experiences without custom code. Authors can convert content from PowerPoint, start with provided templates or projects in their marketplace, or use their team’s baselines. Because authoring lives inside the LCMS, authors and reviewers work against the same source, which simplifies versioning and approvals.

As an LCMS, dominKnow | ONE emphasizes governance: roles/permissions, version history, revert/undelete, and structured review/commenting are built in. Projects, assets, and fragments can be organized with metadata and tags to support search and controlled reuse. Teams can maintain libraries of media, templates, and learning objects so that common elements (e.g., a compliance disclaimer or product spec) are used consistently across courses.

A core design pattern in dominKnow | ONE is reuse with linking (not copying). When a shared item (a topic, theme, graphic, glossary term, simulation, or reference) changes, linked courses inherit the update. Authors can also create audience or modality variants from the same source, e.g., self-paced eLearning, an instructor deck, and a participant handout, without maintaining separate projects. For localization, teams can manage multiple languages within a single course structure, which reduces the overhead and error risk of keeping parallel course clones in sync.

In addition to LMS exports, the platform supports hosted/dispatch delivery so teams can publish once and deliver learning via links or lightweight LMS stubs. When the source changes, downstream learners see the update without replacing packages in each LMS, a practical benefit for distributed enterprises. Standard analytics flow through the receiving system (LMS/LRS) according to the chosen standard.

In some cases, LCMSs are also known for their ability to convert or publish content in different output formats. dominKnow | ONE provides native conversion for PowerPoint presentations and Word documents. For other types, the dominKnow services team can migrate content from tools such as Articulate Rise, UPK and SAP Enable Now Software Simulations, Kinexa LCMS, and Inkling, as well as other solutions. This capability is particularly helpful for teams transitioning from another tool, as they can quickly and painlessly bring learning into their new solution.

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Who should use dominKnow | ONE: dominKnow | ONE’s biggest differentiator is operational efficiency at scale: single-source authoring, governed reuse, and update-once delivery wrapped in a powerful authoring solution. It is well-suited for organizations that manage high volumes of learning with frequent updates, multiple audiences/brands, or many languages, regulated environments (where content governance and auditability matter), product enablement (fast change cycles), and teams that want to consolidate authoring, management, and distribution in one place.

It’s also ideal for learning teams requiring robust authoring capabilities with native collaboration features, including version control, permissions, and effective content organization, as well as real-time reviews and collaborative content design.

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Who shouldn’t use dominKnow | ONE: Single users looking for a standard authoring tool to make basic courses will likely not require the extensive functionality of dominKnow | ONE. This includes one-person teams who don’t need to collaborate with others, as one of dominKnow’s key strengths is around collaborative content authoring and reviewing, which is unnecessary for the very smallest L&D teams.

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‍Discover dominKnow | ONE 

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2. Articulate 360

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There are two key Articulate authoring tools: Articulate Rise and Articulate Storyline, which are included as part of a suite, Articulate 360. 

Articulate Rise is a cloud-based eLearning authoring tool known for its ability to provide easy and rapid responsive content development. Its more rigid design and widget approach, combined with a large library of pre-made content and media assets, make it easy for users of all skill levels to build visually appealing eLearning courses without needing to code. Rise does not support software simulations.

Articulate Storyline is a Windows-only desktop-based eLearning authoring tool designed for highly customized, interactive content, including software simulations. Its slide-based format, similar to PowerPoint, gives authors complete creative control over layout, interactions, software simulations, and branching scenarios. While it offers a very high degree of flexibility over more template-driven tools, building courses often requires more time and skill, and it provides no real-time collaboration between authors. Articulate 360 adds shared libraries but offers no simultaneous editing. For collaboration with reviewers, it provides an integration with their review tool. 

While Articulate Rise isn’t the most flexible tool for highly customized interactions or designs, it’s a solid choice for rapid eLearning authoring – especially for standard workplace training, like onboarding, compliance, or general information distribution. The block-based responsive course authoring approach eliminates many design choices, resulting in a rapid development process for any device. Their optional AI assistant add-on can serve as a sidekick, helping learning designers create and perform certain tasks even more quickly. Articulate Rise also provides native collaborative capabilities, enabling multiple authors to collaborate when developing content. 

In contrast, Articulate Storyline has a much higher degree of flexibility in content design and authoring. However, one major drawback is the lack of cloud authoring and real-time collaboration. Authors can create highly customized, complex learning experiences, but this comes at the cost of being able to easily collaborate with other authors. Collaboration is sequential and occurs by relying on sharing a project through the Articulate web portal. As a legacy authoring tool, Articulate Storyline also does not support true responsive design, and instead relies on the author designing content that looks good when shrunk to a smaller screen size, making it less suitable for learners not utilizing a traditional computer screen size.

Both solutions are compatible with Articulate Reviewer, which connects to published copies of Rise or Storyline content, enabling users to provide feedback about the published content on a page-by-page basis.

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Who should use Articulate: Articulate Rise is a popular tool for L&D teams who prioritize speed, consistency, and mobile optimization. Its simple interface and range of design templates ensure that content looks polished with minimal effort. It’s useful for instructional designers who need to scale content creation quickly, but users do complain that all courses “look the same” due to the limited design options and flexibility.

Articulate Storyline is a popular legacy authoring tool with a strong global user community. It allows for precise customization of learning content and activities, and experienced instructional and learning designers will appreciate the wide range of interactions and activities available. Some of the biggest complaints are no true responsive design (the responsive player adapts and the slides shrink), minimal collaborative capabilities, and a lesser degree of innovation when compared to Rise.

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Who shouldn’t use Articulate: Anyone needing complex branching, deep customization, or a unique look and feel shouldn’t choose Articulate Rise. Many customer reviews state that Rise is better suited to simple, linear, good-looking courses.

Articulate Storyline isn’t a good choice for teams requiring collaboration or real-time review. This desktop-based tool is powerful, but with no cloud-based offering, each course author is stuck working in a silo on a Windows OS computer, unless they share the content to the web portal and work “sequentially” on their project with their colleague.

‍Discover Articulate 360 

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3. Lectora

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Lectora is a powerful desktop and cloud-based authoring tool aimed at advanced instructional designers. Known for its high level of customizability and SCORM/xAPI support, Lectora gives learning designers control over virtually every element, from branching logic to accessibility standards.

While their authoring collaboration is limited to the online version of Lectora, review collaboration is provided with their standalone review tool ReviewLink. ReviewLink works with content from either version of Lectora and enables other team members to share feedback with the author.

Much like many other authoring tools, Lectora now supports AI-powered course creation. With Lectora, you’ll find ready-made course frameworks, alongside pre-made themes and style packs for quick and easy course creation. The Lectora Capture tool, installed alongside the desktop version, provides a basic version of software simulations, but there’s more manual work required to add annotations and instructions than with other authoring tools that support software simulations. There is also a large built-in asset library, featuring icons, stock imagery, eLearning templates, and more. 

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Who should use Lectora: Lectora is a great fit for technical L&D teams building highly interactive or compliance-heavy content. It’s particularly strong in sectors like healthcare or finance, where strict accessibility and reporting requirements apply. Lectora’s versatility allows for deep control over learner experience, but it may be too complex or advanced for beginner or intermediate learning designers.

Lectora may also be useful for those requiring a desktop-based authoring tool for some of their team members, as it works neatly with the web-based version. This means that course creators can author courses locally, before seamlessly switching to the cloud version for collaboration, storage, and deployment.

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Who shouldn’t use Lectora: Teams looking for a modern authoring experience with intuitive UI and built-in real-time collaboration may find that Lectora feels outdated and harder to use than the other tools on this list. The desktop version is only available on Windows, so if you are using a Mac you will be restricted to the features available in the web-based version.

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Discover Lectora

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4. iSpring Suite

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iSpring Suite is a PowerPoint-based authoring tool that allows even non-designers to build engaging eLearning in minutes. With features like quizzes, dialogue simulations, and screen recordings, iSpring is perfect for converting traditional slide decks into interactive, SCORM-compliant courses. iSpring does not support creating software simulations.

Its option to purchase an LMS directly from iSpring and gentle learning curve make it a popular option for trainers and subject matter experts who are just stepping into eLearning. For instance, you can turn existing PowerPoint courses into interactive eLearning courses, quizzes, or roleplay scenarios, making learning more engaging for a range of learners. iSpring AI plays a supporting role in generating additional content, such as quiz questions, and shaping new courses.

iSpring Suite bundles multiple eLearning tools, such as a quiz maker, video lectures, screen recording, and more, into one package. While this provides comprehensive coverage of course creation needs, the fact that each tool is separate means that course authors must switch between modules, as there is no single unified interface.

iSpring also has a global online community to bring together fellow users, which can be helpful for those new to the authoring tool or those looking to level up what they can do with iSpring. Other options to help you get started include certified training, which can be used as evidence of your proficiency in the tool, or you can hire iSpring professionals to help out with course creation.

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Who should use iSpring Suite: iSpring is a useful authoring tool for organizations transitioning from face-to-face or presentation-led training into eLearning. It’s ideal for time-poor teams who want to make the most of existing PowerPoint content, while adding interactivity and assessments with minimal effort, or for beginners who don’t want to start from scratch, but who also want to bring their learning content into the modern world.

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Who shouldn’t use iSpring Suite: Instructional designers who need rich interactivity, responsive design, and flexibility beyond PowerPoint-based training should avoid iSpring. Many reviewers say it’s too restrictive for scalable, diverse learning needs.

iSpring is available optimized for Windows PC, but not Mac, so bear this in mind when considering it as your authoring tool of choice.

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Discover iSpring

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5. Adobe Captivate

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Adobe Captivate is a desktop-based eLearning authoring tool used for creating responsive, interactive courses. Its current version includes advanced features like complex branching, software simulations, and AI-assisted media, giving learning designers full creative control. The asset library and widget gallery make it easy to add interactive components such as drag-and-drop activities, quizzes, or image carousels for rapid course creation. AI-generated narration and video capabilities also support multimedia-driven learning experiences.

Adobe Captivate also offers enhanced responsive design tools, allowing authors to create content that automatically adjusts for desktop, tablet, and mobile devices. Its integration with PowerPoint (Adobe Classic only at this time), advanced triggers, and variables let designers create content quickly and add highly customized, scenario-based interactions. This makes Captivate a flexible tool for both basic and complex and interactive training experiences.

In the new Captivate 12, the interface and capabilities were completely updated. Early reviews of the change indicate that the new version is less intimidating to use, but more experienced designers have complained that many features in Captivate Classic are not yet available, such as 360/AR videos. Buyers considering Captivate should carefully examine their needs, as there are significant feature gaps between Captivate Classic and Captivate 12. With Captivate, authors can build immersive, scenario-based training with precision, and the Adobe Captivate Academy provides step-by-step guides to help users master the tool.

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Who should use Adobe Captivate: Adobe Captivate is ideal for creating complex, high-stakes training requiring simulations, responsive design, and granular control over interactions. Experienced L&D teams who need custom-built learning journeys will benefit most.

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Who shouldn’t use Adobe Captivate: Organizations seeking ease of use, seamless collaboration, or modern UX may find Captivate challenging. Its desktop-only architecture limits author collaboration, but they did recently add a review option. Some accessibility features in the recent version are less robust than other modern tools. When reviewing this solution, keep in mind there are some significant gaps between what was in Captivate Classic and what is currently available in the latest release of Captivate.

NOTE: There are significant differences between Captivate Classic and Captivate 12. When reading user reviews, make sure the review is about the version you are considering.

Discover Adobe Captivate

6. Gomo Learning

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Gomo is a cloud-based authoring tool and delivery platform that focuses on simplicity, responsiveness, and scalability. Its intuitive UI lets designers build visually consistent content quickly, with multi-device optimization built in from the start. Gomo does not support creating software simulations.

Gomo’s intuitive user interface utilizes drag-and-drop design, alongside pre-made and custom themes for easy visual design. Gomo uses OpenAI to support eLearning content generation and translation, which can be useful for smaller, resource-stretched learning teams. With any AI content creation assistance or translation, it is recommended that the content be thoroughly reviewed by human experts to ensure accuracy.

Additionally, Gomo’s all-in-one language capability provides built-in multilingual support, allowing course authors to create, deploy, and manage fully localized eLearning courses within a single, unified package. It supports 160+ languages (per Gomo Hosting and Analytics), with the HTML5 layouts automatically adapting to translated copy lengths.

Gomo Learning also features hosted dynamic content delivery with options for learning content to be distributed globally without the need for a separate LMS or through SCORM stubs in a standard LMS.

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Who should use Gomo: Gomo is a solid choice for L&D teams who want to create and distribute accessible content at scale, without being tied to a traditional LMS. Its cloud-based nature and dynamic hosted delivery options make it ideal for remote or hybrid teams looking to collaborate seamlessly. 

Gomo has a unique integration with the Bridge LMS, so current Bridge users may prefer to choose an eLearning authoring tool with an established connection for an easier content journey.

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Who shouldn’t use Gomo: Anyone who wants complete control over design and interactivity may be disappointed with the flexibility provided. While Gomo supports true responsive design and is more flexible than some competitors, such as Articulate Rise, it still has limitations that will result in some users feeling the content ends up looking “blocky” or “samey”. 

As with most authoring tools, content reuse capability is very limited to nonexistent. 

* Not enough data.

Discover Gomo Learning

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7. Easygenerator

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Easygenerator is designed for subject matter experts (SMEs) rather than professional learning designers. With drag-and-drop functionality, templates, and built-in learning analytics, it helps organizations democratize content creation by allowing anyone to create training, regardless of technical skill. Easygenerator does not support creating software simulations.

Its real-time collaboration and cloud-based delivery support agile content workflows, and ensure that teams can share the load between colleagues for speedy learning content creation. Their EasyAI option also makes it possible to generate new eLearning courses from scratch or from existing documents, and Easygenerator offers strong support services to empower complete beginners to design, build, and deliver eLearning. 

It’s particularly useful for L&D teams lacking specialist instructional design expertise, as it’s very easy to create simple eLearning courses with activities such as flip cards and videos. However, it has limited support for more advanced capabilities such as variables and custom interactions. It includes 10 question types, but the variance in types of assessments and features is limited. If non-standard assessments or more flexibility in creating interactivity are needed, it may be worth considering a different tool.

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Who should use Easygenerator: Easygenerator is primarily designed for organisations where SMEs (or non-learning designers) are often called on to create learning content. It lowers the barrier to entry for content creation, enabling faster turnaround times and better knowledge sharing across teams, though this does mean that customization options can feel limited compared to other tools on this list.

It’s also a strong choice for those requiring easy localization, with optional AI auto-translation into 75+ languages, and 12 languages for the Easygenerator interface, providing strong support for global L&D teams. While the multi-language aspect is largely automated, teams would likely benefit from human reviews of translated content to check for accuracy and nuance.

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Who shouldn’t use Easygenerator: While Easygenerator is excellent for SME-led content and rapid builds, its interaction logic and customization depth are lighter than pro tools that offer variables, complex branching, and advanced assessment logic.

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Discover Easygenerator

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8. Xyleme

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Xyleme Create and Syndicate are part of the broader Xyleme LCMS, designed to manage the full lifecycle of learning content. Known for its powerful single-source content capabilities, Xyleme enables teams to create reusable content that can be updated once and instantly reflected across all courses, modules, and formats using the Xyleme Create authoring tool and the Xyleme Syndicate content cloud for delivery and analytics. Xyleme does not support creating software simulations.

Real-time collaboration and content reviewing reduce turnaround time for important content updates, and these updates can then be pushed out automatically via Xyleme Syndicate for easier content management.

Xyleme sports both import from and export to options with tools such as Microsoft Word and PowerPoint. Xyleme Create excels at structured, single-source authoring where authors are composing granular reusable XML components and publishing content to multiple formats. However, it is more complex to set up these templates and Xyleme Create lacks many of the advanced interactive features found in today’s more competitive rapid authoring tools. To combat this, they do provide integrations with outside authoring tools such as Articulate Storyline, but using these tools results in a trade-off that reduces the flexibility of the many single-source, search, translation management, and reusability features built into the platform. 

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Who should use Xyleme: Xyleme Create is ideal for enterprise-level teams juggling multiple outputs, formats, and languages. Its structured content model supports long-term scalability, consistency, and efficiency – particularly in regulated industries with frequently changing content, as content updates can be pushed out automatically. 

Xyleme Syndicate provides solid content governance, with comprehensive learning analytics available right within the platform and enables teams to more easily deliver learning content at scale. 

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Who shouldn’t use Xyleme: Smaller teams or those seeking a fast-to-deploy, user-friendly authoring tool will find Xyleme too complex and heavyweight, as customer reviews suggest that its authoring is limited for those without the ability to “program” more complex templates. Xyleme is better suited for large organizations with structured content reuse strategies and technical support.

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9. Teachfloor

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Teachfloor is an LCMS built for cohort-based learning. It supports live classes, collaborative projects, and peer-to-peer learning, making it ideal for training that prioritizes engagement and interaction. Teachfloor does not support creating software simulations.

It’s primarily focused on the education sector, with online academies designed for students, but Teachfloor can also be used in enterprise organizations for employees, association members, or volunteers.

With Teachfloor, L&D teams can create media-rich courses with a strong focus on live and peer-to-peer learning experiences. Intuitive course design brings together live learning events, videos, podcasts, SCORM courses, surveys, and more. Teachfloor provides the most socially focused learning experiences on this list.

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Who should use Teachfloor: Teachfloor is a great pick for organizations exploring social or cohort-based learning models. It’s particularly valuable for leadership training, onboarding, or L&D programs where discussion and community matter as much as content.

However, much of the content is embedded from other tools (such as YouTube or Miro), rather than being built natively within Teachfloor, meaning it’s more about curating and organizing your existing assets rather than creating new courses and resources.

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Who shouldn’t use Teachfloor: Anyone focused on creating content-rich, interactive self-paced eLearning (rather than managing live or cohort-based learning) will find Teachfloor lacking in authoring power.

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Discover Teachfloor

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10. Evolve

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Evolve is a cloud-based authoring tool that creates fully responsive, mobile-first learning. Evolve is a proprietary solution, provided by Intellum, that has its roots in the open source Adapt Framework. It provides a no-code, user-friendly interface that allows designers to create interactive courses without needing to write HTML, CSS, or JavaScript. Evolve does not support creating software simulations.

Much like Adapt, Evolve courses are HTML5-based, meaning they work well on any device. Evolve includes a library of built-in components and templates to enhance content. While technical skills are less critical than with Adapt, having a developer with advanced skills is recommended if unique customizations are needed.

Evolve’s dedicated support is provided by Intellum and includes collaboration features and regular updates. To be clear Evovle is a different product than Adapt, and none of these updates and support are available in Adapt’s community-driven open-source model. Evolve users also benefit from pre-made templates and around 50 pre-made interactive elements that simplify course creation.

Evolve supports reviews by SMEs with their live preview and in-product reviewing comments. Multiple role types and a central library will aid your team as they collaborate to build consistent learning. If you are using the Intellum LMS platform, you will benefit from the native sync for seamless delivery. This streamlines content updates with a single step. 

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Who should use Evolve: Evolve is ideal for teams that want responsive, mobile-friendly eLearning with flexibility for customization but don’t want to manage code. It suits L&D teams looking for a balance between creative control and ease of use. If you are already using Adapt, it can be a great upgrade as it provides more capabilities, dedicated support and Adapt content can be imported into Evolve. However, keep in mind that Evolve does not natively support Adapt plugins. Evolve is also a good fit for those already using the Intellum LMS, due to the native deployment integration. 

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Who shouldn’t use Evolve: Teams that need completely free, fully open-source solutions or more complex interactivity or coding may prefer Adapt. Evolve is subscription-based, and while flexible, it doesn’t offer the same low-level developer access as Adapt. There can also be a steep learning curve for some of the more advanced features, so it may not be suited to less technically proficient content authors.

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Which eLearning authoring tool or LCMS is right for me?

No single tool will be right for every organization, but the best choice for your team depends on your goals, skills, budget, and content complexity. Whether you're looking for speed, scale, simplicity, or sophistication, we can guarantee there’s an authoring tool or LCMS above to support your learning transformation.

Some of the key things to look out for in your LCMS or authoring tool are:

• Power – Choose an LCMS or authoring tool that doesn’t hold you back now or in the future. It should be flexible and scalable enough for you to do whatever you need to do, without needing to create complex workarounds or switch between multiple tools to create the best learning experience. Courses that “look good” at first glance may seem boring to your users if flexibility and interactivity are limited as they take more courses. Don’t fall into the common trap of thinking that “responsive” equals limited interactivity or basic designs. Developing a highly interactive and unique design using a responsive format is 100% possible, unless your chosen authoring tool is limited. Lastly, keep in mind that your team’s skills and needs are likely to grow faster than any product’s updates or improvements, so don’t assume a desired feature will be available later down the road when you need it.
  
  

• Control – Your learning content software should make it as easy as possible to create, update, and distribute content. Taking control of every step of your content management processes, such as version control, managing updates, and easy content publishing and distribution, will ensure you deliver the experience your learners need and expect. While this can benefit virtually every author, the benefits increase exponentially as your team grows.

Further reading

Looking for more information about how to choose the right tool to manage your learning content? Take a look at our hand-picked resources to ensure you stay on the right track:

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• A smarter way to manage training outside an LMS
• A definitive guide to cloud-based authoring tools
• Elearning authoring software vs an LCMS
• 4 reasons to switch from standalone authoring tools to an LCMS
• Try dominKnow | ONE for yourself with your free trial

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Looking for a new LCMS or authoring tool?

We’d love to show you why dominKnow | ONE is the best LCMS for giving learning teams the power, collaboration, and control they need to create, manage, and deliver high-impact learning content at scale.

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Get your demo here, and we’ll show you around!

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List compiled by Paul Schneider, PhD

Paul Schneider, the Head of Product Marketing for dominKnow, has worked in the area of distance communication technologies in academia and corporate for over 25 years. Paul’s experience includes managing teams and providing direct services in the areas of training, instructional design and development, professional services, and product design and management for organizations delivering learning, training, and knowledge content. He currently oversees operations and business development at dominKnow. Paul holds a PhD in counseling psychology from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Education Department.