What are the best Elearning Authoring software tools? You’ve heard some of them mentioned in forums, at conferences and on social media. But which ones are right for your organization? Since you made it to this blog post, I’ll assume you want to find out more about free elearning authoring tools, paid authoring tools, standalone authoring tools and game-based learning authoring tools.
In this blog, I will share my insights on the best elearning authoring tools. By the end of this blog, you will find it easy to choose elearning creation software.
Articulate Storyline 360
A well-known name in the world of authoring, Storyline is clean, modern, and has plenty of powerful features. For example, it allows you to storyboard your courses and then dictates the path that your learner takes. And although it can take a little bit of time to get to grips with Storyline, it’s balanced by the quality of the results.
The platform has two pricing options for you to choose from: a Storyline 360 subscription or a one-off purchase of Storyline 3. The website has a helpful comparison chart that details what comes with each option. The subscription is probably the better choice as it gives you access to a host of other apps to use and the benefit of regular updates, but either option is worth a try.
Articulate Rise 360
The sibling to Storyline, Rise 360 is another top-quality authoring tool from Articulate. With a prime focus on mobile-responsive content, it’s a smart choice for those who want courses that are compatible with every device. Again, like Storyline, it has a clean, modern interface that delivers visually pleasing results.
Adobe Captivate
Captivate is one of the most feature-rich tools, especially when you take into account its interoperability with other Adobe tools.
We like that you can storyboard your courses and utilize advanced transitions and triggers – the result of which is engaging content for any scenario or subject. The PowerPoint integration is a must-use feature for anyone with content in this format, as it fast tracks your course creation process.
Elucidat
Elucidat is a cloud-based authoring tool that focuses on making it easy to produce awesome eLearning, super fast. But, that doesn’t mean that it’s light on features. It’s a user-friendly option that is made for big employers. Authors can start from pre-built blueprints – or build out courses from scratch using the intuitive “what you see is what you get interface”. Flexible user permissions let L&D collaborate better with SMEs, while maintaining central control.
Content is responsive to all screen sizes, so it’s ideal for mobile learning. And tools to manage variations and updates makes keeping pace with change a piece of cake.
Elucidat has an in-depth review of tools on their site. Check out their best eLearning authoring tools blog post.
iSpring Suite 8.1
A fully-stocked authoring toolkit, iSpring Suite works as a PowerPoint add-in, and enhances it with a number of features that can’t be found in other eLearning packages. The software turns your PowerPoint presentations into ready-to-use multimedia eCourses, which can be used in any SCORM compatible LMS or Tin Can API enabled LRS or on a regular HTML website. Thanks to the responsive design, your courses don’t require additional attention to make them compatible with any tablet or other mobile device.
iSpring Solutions, Inc. produces a number of simpler eLearning products, such as QuizMaker and Presenter for creating tests and video lectures respectively.
Pros
- Extensive PowerPoint support. Published courses preserve all original object animations, slide transition effects, triggers, embedded audio/video, and much more.
- Interactive courses can be built with audio and video narrations, and assessments with 11 question types, branching scenarios and flexible scoring
- Built-in screen recorder and editor allow users to create screencasts and insert them into courses or export as standalone explanatory videos
- Unique TalkMaster tool with a variety of backgrounds and characters for creating dialogue simulations
- Interaction tool for creating 3D book, timeline, glossary, catalog, and FAQ
- Doesn’t require additional training and it’s very easy to get started and use
Cons
- To create complex courses and even simple games, you need to know how PowerPoint works
- Course developer cannot create and use variables
- Only available for Windows operating system
- Few interactions compared with Captivate 9 and Storyline 2
The price of iSpring Suite varies with the number of licenses you purchase. A single-user license is $697.00 USD. There are discounts for multi-seat licenses, educational and non-profit organizations. All licenses come with a money back guarantee within the 30-day trial period, and free tech support available during European and United States business hours.
Overview
iSpring Suite is ideal for authoring eCourses for all educational fields. Whether teachers are new or experienced in the world of eCourse authoring, they will find it a useful resource for creating eLearning modules with ease.
iSpring’s big draw is that it takes PowerPoint content and converts it to eLearning courses. So, it’s super simple for those new to SCORM to understand and execute the process. As well as slides, you can incorporate video capture, interactions, and assessments to build engaging content.
The data generated is then fed into the reporting suite of your LMS. One thing to note for Mac users is there’s no dedicated version for your machine unless you install Windows on your Mac.
Camtasia
First and foremost a video capture tool, Camtasia content can be exported as SCORM packages. It’s an excellent option if you want to jazz up PowerPoint presentations as you can effortlessly record narration and even your face simultaneously.
It may be a lighter option than the others listed, but it benefits you by being highly accessible and affordable. Just be sure to test the reporting output on offer so you know it meets the requirements of your organization.
Composica
Another authoring tool with a strong focus on smooth collaboration, Composica enables you to work with your colleagues straightforwardly.
You can add different users, assign tasks, and always have the most up-to-date version of your content at hand. It also has competitive pricing so it’s a relatively affordable option for your business.
knowbly
If you’re looking for a simple, yet powerful authoring tool, knowbly is one to check out. It’s got all the features an eLearning newbie needs like drag and drop content creation, quick customizability, mobile-responsive, and more.
The platform also enables you to easily organize all of your content within one system so you’ll never lose track of any of your assets.
Lectora Online
Both a cloud and a Windows-based solution, Lectora is an eLearning authoring tool that works well for SCORM content. A neat feature is that it integrates with Camtasia and Snagit. This means that making screen recordings, image editing, voiceovers, and more is that little bit simpler.
gomo
Self-described as “mobile-first”, gomo is another simple to use authoring tool. It’s a recommended solution for beginners wanting to optimize their content to be mobile-responsive, as it has a drag and drop interface. Another bonus for beginners is that it has media assets on offer that are visually attractive and can help you make your content more engaging.
Easygenerator
Described as “all-in-one eLearning software”, Easygenerator has lots of impressive features to help you make engaging content.
It’s another top option for newbies as no coding is needed. And, it’s super user-friendly, so you can handily create your content. It’s also an LMS authoring tool that’s compatible with most solutions, meaning you shouldn’t have any issues using this with your preferred platform.
DominKnow ONE
DominKnow ONE is a diverse authoring tool that can help you make lots of different types of content. As you’d expect, it works well at making mobile responsive content and is very convenient for teams to use while working together.
Content is also simple to publish and distribute, and with everything in one place, it’s effortless to keep track of all of your course content.
The priorities for LMS authoring tools
During your authoring tool comparison, it’s a smart move to dig deeper into your research and not just focus on the superficial aspects. Before making your final decision, we suggest you get all the details on:
Cost
Find out the pricing structure and different pricing models available to you, as well as what features are attached to each.
Customer Support
Never underestimate the value of great support. Do your research into how the tool supports you and, during your free trial, test the support to see how responsive each tool really is. You don’t want to be left alone with a problem!
Documentation/Guides/Knowledge Base
If you need information, you must know where to go and that it’s easily accessible. Ask your potential authoring tool vendor about the resources available to ensure you can get the answers you need.
Features
It’s always a good move to make a list of “must-have” and “nice to have” features and ask your potential vendor about each one of them so you can quickly rule in or rule out options.
Ease of use
Remember, an authoring tool should help you make content quickly and easily, not slow you down. Ensure your solution is simple to use so you can efficiently build the content you want.
Lectora Inspire by Trivantis
Lectora bills itself as the “mobile learning game changer,” which promises to transform your learning. Lectora’s Inspire Suite integrates the eLearning Brothers’ template library, cutout people library, and interaction builder to help you author e-Learning courses. Lectora also integrates Snagit and Camtasia to allow you to capture, edit, and import images and video into your eLearning content.
Their motto is “Design once. Distribute everywhere,” thanks to their responsive course design feature, which automatically adjusts your content so it displays well across a variety of platforms.
Pros
- Automatically rescaled objects fit on a variety of mobile devices, and can be customized for each view
- Publish your eCourses in HTML5 format, which is supported by a wide range of browsers in common use today
- Users can combine textual content, Flash animations, images, audio and video, test questions, and interactivity in a single eLearning module that can be published to a learning management system
- Courses can be published for both online and offline use
- Has a version for Mac and Linux
Cons
- The software is limited in terms of technical simulations and training, and in its audio capacity
- The action pane is only accessible via menu, rather than already visible on the interface, which may be difficult, if not frustrating
- Lectora’s import and export feature still needs some work, when compared to similar software
You can “buy” Lectora online for $159.00 USD per month. The online version facilitates cloud collaboration and is compatible with Windows, Mac and Linux systems. Purchasing the Lectora Inspire Suite, including all features mentioned in the “pros” section above, as well as first year maintenance and support, is $2,374.00 at the time of writing this post. Discounts are available for academic and government institutions.
Overview
On its website, Trivantis, the company behind the Lectora software, says its primary audience is small and mid-sized businesses, as well as larger businesses, particularly those listed on Forbes’s Global 2,000. The fact that a discount is available for government, military, and educational institutions implies they are marketing their software for education and training in these sectors as well.
Conclusion
Aside from these e-learning authoring tools that I’ve mentioned above, there are plenty of other software tools in the market today. The truth is, choosing the best e-learning authoring tool can be quite difficult; one needs to carefully assess their particular needs and then find the software that fit them. There are some things you should keep in mind when choosing an Authoring Tool: