The Best 15 eLearning Authoring Tools to Create Online Courses

Profitable on-line coaching begins with the suitable eLearning authoring instruments. These instruments assist course creators produce interactive, media-rich studying content material for certification, compliance coaching, or worker growth. 

Sadly, selecting authoring software program might be difficult as a result of completely different options method content material authoring in a different way. What options must you search for? Must you go for a standalone product or a complete possibility corresponding to a studying content material administration system?

We’ll reply these questions and allow you to discover your excellent match.

Prime 15 eLearning authoring instruments

We’ve shortlisted one of the best authoring instruments out there primarily based on the next standards:

• Options – they provide must-have options like multimedia integration and customization
• Ease of use – they’re intuitive and simple to make use of for technical and non-technical customers
• Collaboration – they facilitate real-time collaboration
• SCORM functionality – they convert coaching content material into the format utilized by LMS platforms
• Buyer support – present round the clock assist
• Value – reasonably priced and supply worth for cash

Let’s start.

[TL;DR] Comparability of the highest 15 eLearning authing instruments

1. GetResponse

GetResponse is a number one digital advertising platform with over 25 years of expertise. Our AI-powered course builder helps customers create interactive eLearning programs with out coding or design expertise. The AI options might help generate course outlines and create a number of the content material you want on your course.

The course builder permits you to create a course with as much as seven completely different modules, together with textual content, audio, video, and webinars. The webinar characteristic additionally capabilities as a display screen recorder, enabling you to share your display screen, use sticky notes and a highlighter in real-time, and add extra media all whereas recording your self as you educate.

Along with authoring capabilities, GetResponse presents sturdy advertising and monetization options. You’ll have entry to autoresponders, advertising automation, web site and touchdown web page builders, popups and varieties, and a stay webinar platform to advertise your course and construct an engaged viewers. 

The very best half is that you simply’ll have entry to all these advertising instruments in addition to the course builder and premium newsletters with only one subscription. That is far more handy (and cost-effective) in comparison with different authoring instruments that pressure customers to pay for third-party advertising instruments. GetResponse offers you all the things it is advisable to create and sell your course in a single place. 

Furthermore, we provide 24/7 electronic mail assist in seven languages and 24/7 stay chat assist in English. You’ll be able to entry the assistance heart with a whole bunch of written and video sources. 

Key options

• AI course builder
• Multi-media assist
• Cell App
• Video recording
• Advertising and marketing automation
• WGAG compliant

Pricing

GetResponse presents one plan beginning at $56.58/month. Pricing will increase relying on the variety of contacts and college students. You get limitless programs, a cell app, premium newsletters, webinars, web site/touchdown web page builders, and 0% transaction charges. 

2. iSpring Suite

iSpring Suite is a desktop-based software that makes use of PowerPoint slides to create eLearning content material. It enables you to create participating modules utilizing quizzes, movies, role-play simulations, branching eventualities, and voice-overs. 

Content material created with iSpring Suite is suitable with numerous eLearning requirements, together with SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004, xAPI, AICC, and cmi5. Customers can even distribute programs to iSpring Study, the corporate’s LMS.

iSpring Suite has a mild studying curve in the event you’re accustomed to PowerPoint. You construct e-learning programs the identical approach you create shows. Furthermore, you possibly can flip current PowerPoint slides into classes, which saves you effort and time.

On the draw back, real-time collaboration is proscribed as a result of desktop-based instruments run domestically on computer systems. Nonetheless, iSpring Cloud permits customers to add and share course hyperlinks with crew members to speed up assessment and approval processes.

iSpring Suite presents 24/7 stay assist through cellphone, electronic mail, and chat. Knowledgeable coaching is on the market and features a two-hour webinar, Q&A session, certificates of completion, and one-month post-training assist. 

The data hub has articles, video tutorials, and guides to assist customers get probably the most out of the eLearning authoring software program.  

Key options

• Strong content material library (templates, characters, icons)
• 14 Quiz varieties
• Customization
• Multimedia assist
• Video recording
• AI voice-overs
• AI content material creation
• Cloud storage
• WGAG and part 508 compliant

Pricing

iSpring Suite has three paid plans.

• iSpring Suite at $770 yearly
• iSpring Suite Max at $970 yearly
• iSpring Suite Premium at $1970 yearly

Reductions can be found for freelancers and educational establishments. There’s additionally a free plan and a 14-day free trial for paid plans.

3. Articulate Storyline 

Articulate Storyline is a part of the Articulate 360 suite. Like iSpring, Storyline will likely be acquainted to PowerPoint customers. 

The software program makes use of slides to create interactive, skilled eLearning courses. You’ll be able to create quizzes, branching eventualities, simulations, and complicated interactions. 

The Story View tab offers a complete view of your undertaking and permits you to handle the relationships between slides. 

Storyline is suitable with numerous LMS codecs, together with SCORM, AICC, and xAPI. Customers can even distribute programs to Attain, Articulate 360’s LMS.

There are two major drawbacks to the software program. 

First, it has a studying curve when utilizing superior options like triggers and circumstances to create advanced interactions. Luckily, Articulate 360 presents buyer assist through electronic mail and stay chat. Licensed coaching companions present digital and in-person coaching. You may also get assist from the neighborhood discussion board and tutorial library.

Second, like different desktop-based elearning software program, Storyline runs domestically, limiting real-time collaboration. You should improve to the Articulate 360 Groups plan to collaborate with others.

Key options

• In depth content material library (templates, characters, icons)
• 25 Quiz varieties
• Customization
• Multi-media assist
• Video recording
• Localization
• AI content material creation
• Cloud storage
• WGAG and part 508 compliant

Pricing

Storyline is on the market in two pricing fashions.

• Private plan at $1449 per consumer per yr
• Groups plan at $1749 per consumer per yr

A 25% low cost is on the market for educational establishments, and there’s a 30-day free trial.

4. Adobe Captivate

Adobe Captivate permits instructors to create media-rich and interactive e-learning programs. The software program is responsive by default, which implies you writer the course as soon as, and the content material adapts to completely different display screen sizes. 

Captivate excels at superior capabilities like simulations, transitions, and triggers, leading to extremely participating content material.

The brand new interface is intuitive, with simplified workflows and ready-made templates. The widget gallery makes course enrichment easy. Merely customise interactions like flip playing cards, carousels, and click-to-reveal with photographs and textual content content material.

Captivate helps HTML5, SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004, AICC, and xAPI codecs for internet and studying administration methods. You may also publish programs on Adobe Studying Supervisor with a single click on.

Particular person customers obtain chat and neighborhood assist. Enterprise accounts obtain complete assist by electronic mail, cellphone, portal, chat, and distant entry. There’s additionally a data base with in-depth tutorials and stay periods. 

One noteworthy drawback of Adobe Captivate is that it runs domestically and doesn’t have real-time collaboration instruments. Customers create a assessment and feedback workflow by sharing a hyperlink with collaborators.

Key options

• Pre-made templates
• Asset library
• Responsive design
• Interactions widget gallery
• 9 Quiz varieties
• Multi-media assist
• Video recording
• AI voice studio
• WGAG and part 508 compliant

Pricing

Captivate has a three-level pricing construction.

• Particular person subscription for $33.99 month-to-month
• Group subscription (contact for value)
• Enterprise licenses (contact for value)

Reductions can be found for educational establishments. There’s a 30-day free trial.

5. Elucidat

Elucidat is a cloud-based elearning authoring software. Customers entry the platform from an internet browser, which means you don’t have to put in something in your laptop. 

Elucidat has an intuitive interface. You’ll be able to create programs utilizing ready-made templates or leverage the PowerPoint import characteristic to show current coaching supplies into participating classes. 

As a cloud-based elearning software program, Elucidat facilitates real-time collaboration, which is a big plus in comparison with the opposite two authoring software program we’ve lined above. Inner and exterior collaborators can assessment and remark straight, and you may assessment all open and resolved feedback.

Elucidat additionally helps a seamless reference to any SCORM-compliant LMS platform. It has a direct integration with the Docebo and CrossKnowledge Studying Suite platforms as effectively.

Buyer assist is on the market by the app. The assistance heart comprises video tutorials, consumer guides, FAQs, and launch notes. The corporate’s podcasts, webinars, and weblog posts encourage normal studying.

Key options

• Picture inventory library
• Templates
• Responsive design
• Auto-translation
• Customization
• 3 quiz varieties
• AI content material generator
• Textual content-to-speech
• WGAG and part 508 compliant

Pricing 

Elucidat presents three customizable pricing ranges.

• Progress (max. of 5 customers)
• Group (max. of 20 customers)
• Enterprise (max. of fifty customers)

You should contact the gross sales crew for a quote and entry to a 14-day free trial.

6. Articulate Rise 360

Rise 360 is the web-based course authoring software from Articulate 360. We met its desktop sibling, Storyline 360, earlier. 

Rise is designed to be mobile-responsive and user-friendly. Whereas customization choices are extra restricted than Storyline, customers can create skilled programs utilizing the drag-and-drop course builder, templates, interactive components, and AI-enabled options. 

One other distinction is real-time collaboration. Invited collaborators can edit completely different sections of classes concurrently. Challenge stakeholders can even assessment and remark straight on programs.

Like Storyline, Rise helps SCORM, xAPI, and AICC exports and integrates simply with most LMS platforms. You may also distribute programs on Articulate 360’s LMS. You additionally get the identical degree of assist as Storyline customers. 

Key options

• In depth content material library (templates, characters, icons)
• 25 Quiz varieties
• Multi-media assist
• Responsive design
• Video recording
• AI content material generator
• WGAG and part 508 compliant

Pricing

Rise is a part of the Articulate 360 suite pricing fashions.

• Private plan at $1449 per consumer per yr
• Groups plan at $1749 per consumer per yr

A 25% low cost is on the market for educational establishments, and there’s a 30-day free trial.

7. Camtasia

Camtasia is a video seize software for creating coaching movies, tutorials, and software program demos. Its customizable templates and decrease thirds for various display screen sizes might help you jumpstart course creation. 

The platform additionally permits engagement with on-screen annotation, dynamic backgrounds, sound results, and accessibility with video narration and shut captions.

There’s a studying curve for individuals who don’t have video manufacturing expertise. Nonetheless, the software program turns into simple to make use of after watching video tutorials and webinars from the assistance heart. 

Camtasia additionally presents electronic mail and chat assist for subscription clients. Perpetual license holders get electronic mail, 24/5 chat, and cellphone assist throughout enterprise hours. 

Content material produced on Camtasia is SCORM-compliant. Subsequently, it could actually combine with many LMS platforms. You may also publish programs straight on YouTube and social media. 

Nonetheless, there’s no possibility for real-time collaboration since its a desktop-based answer. Customers should depend on file sharing and electronic mail to assessment and edit content material.

Key options

• Display recording
• Video and audio modifying
• Royalty-free asset library
• Textual content-to-speech
• Generative AI
• AI translation

Pricing

Camtasia presents three plans:

• Necessities at $179.88 yearly
• Create at $249 yearly
• Professional at $499 yearly

Companies, educational establishments, and authorities organizations should buy a perpetual license for $299 per consumer. There’s a 7-day free trial.

8. Gomo Studying

Gomo Studying is a cloud-based authoring software that designs mobile-responsive content material. You don’t should create separate desktop, cell, or pill layouts. The software program mechanically does this for you. 

Templates and the drag-and-drop editor make course creation fast and simple. Generative AI capabilities allow you to write course introductions, targets, and conclusions. You may also duplicate classes.

Gomo Studying helps real-time collaboration, too. Group members can construct and edit content material on the platform. Content material created on Gomo is SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004, and xAPI compliant. You may also create and share a direct entry hyperlink.

The platform presents electronic mail and cellphone assist throughout enterprise hours (enterprise clients solely). The useful resource hub comprises complete studying sources, corresponding to how-to guides, eBooks, on-demand movies, and thought management webinars. 

Gomo Academy offers microlearning video tutorials that reply frequent questions on utilizing media belongings, creating assessments, and extra.

Key options

• Drag-and-drop editors
• Course duplicator
• Display and theme template library
• Video and audio
• AI content material generator
• Quizzes

Pricing

Gomo Studying presents versatile pricing relying in your firm measurement, storage wants, and the variety of customers/authors. Contact the gross sales for pricing and entry to a 21-day free trial. 

9. DominKnow

DominKnow ONE is three authoring instruments in a single. It combines Claro (conventional eLearning authoring software), Circulate (responsive authoring software), and Seize (software program simulation). 

Getting began is straightforward with design templates and PowerPoint import. You may also copy pattern and baseline tasks. 

The inline assist characteristic presents contextual data as you work together with options. Customers can even entry the ONE Success assist program, which presents instructor-led onboarding, Q&A, one-on-one, and overview periods. The neighborhood discussion board offers extra sources and weekly consumer meetups.

The software program’s differentiating issue is single-source authoring. You’ll be able to create a number of studying experiences from a single supply. The Present Me mode demonstrates process steps, the Attempt Me mode permits learners to follow process steps, and the Information Me mode presents step-by-step directions.

DominKnow is cloud-based and helps real-time, simultaneous collaboration. You’ll be able to assign permission-based roles to inside and exterior collaborators, managing what suggestions (edits or feedback) crew members can present. You may also handle variations and observe feedback.

The platform helps SCORM, xAPI, AICC, and CMI5 codecs.

Key options

• Multimedia assist
• Media and widget library
• Response design
• Testing and evaluation
• Translation and localization
• Customization
• WCAG and Part 508 compliant

Pricing

DominKnow presents three pricing fashions.

• Enterprise at $1997 per consumer per yr
• Enterprise Plus at $2497 per consumer per yr
• Enterprise has customized pricing

You’ll be able to attempt the software program before you purchase on a 14-day free trial. Reductions can be found for eligible educational and non-profit establishments.

10. Evolve

Evolve is a course authoring software designed for responsive and interactive e-learning experiences. You’ll be able to create HTML content material shortly utilizing pre-built templates and add movies, audio, and interactive options like flip playing cards, simulations, quizzes, and branching eventualities.  

Evolve syncs straight with the Intellum LMS platform to make sure learners have up-to-date content material. Collaboration can be real-time. A number of crew members can edit and touch upon the identical undertaking concurrently.

Programs created with Evolve are suitable with most internet and LMS platforms. The software program helps SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004, xAPI, and HTML codecs. You may also create an internet hyperlink to share with learners.

Evolve presents electronic mail and in-app assist. Customers can submit tickets and entry coaching programs, launch notes, and the neighborhood web page.

Key options

• Asset library
• Quizzes and assessments
• Customization
• Multimedia assist
• Part 508 compliant

Pricing

Evolve presents three value plans.

• Private at $588 yearly
• Group at $1560 yearly
• Enterprise at customized pricing

People can begin a private plan free of charge. A 21-day free trial is on the market for companies.

11. Synthesia

Synthesia is an AI-powered video course authoring software. What’s distinctive about it’s it turns textual content into movies. You don’t want cameras or actors. As a substitute, select from over 200 customizable AI avatars. You may also create an avatar that appears and sounds such as you.

The software program is easy and simple to make use of. Enter or add your script to generate video lectures. Subsequent, choose a template and edit your video’s script, design, and sound. You’ll be able to even co-create with colleagues. 

That mentioned, buyer assist is simply obtainable through chat and the data hub solely. 

Synthesia helps the SCORM format, which lets you publish movies in your most popular LMS platform. You’ll be able to generate a hyperlink to share with learners or embed it in your web site.   

Key options

• Video modifying
• Voice generator
• Royalty-free media library
• Expressive avatars
• Customization
• Display recording
• Translation

Pricing 

Synthesia offers three subscription plans.

• Starter at $18 month-to-month
• Creator at $64 month-to-month
• Enterprise at customized pricing  

There isn’t any free trial. Nonetheless, you possibly can take a look at the product by making a pattern AI video.

12. Easygenerator

Easygenerator is a cloud-based content material authoring software. It makes use of templates and an AI course builder to create company-tailored programs shortly. You may also convert PowerPoint shows into interactive eLearning modules. 

As a cloud-based authoring software, Easygenerator facilitates real-time collaboration. Inner collaborators, like crew members and co-authors, can assessment and edit course content material, whereas exterior collaborators can ship in-app feedback.

The platform helps a number of studying types and localization with text-to-audio and translation options. Easygenerator can be WCAG compliant, so it helps accessibility for learners with disabilities.  

Content material created with Easygenerator is transformed to HTML5 and SCORM codecs for internet, LMS, and LXP publication. The software program is SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004, and xAPI compliant. 

Instructors can even publish programs to EdCast and Degreed or share personal hyperlinks or QR codes. 

Easygenerator presents cellphone, electronic mail, and chat assist in over 100 languages. Private and on-demand coaching is on the market for Group and Enterprise clients. The data hub comprises weblog articles, webinars, guides, and eBooks to assist customers get probably the most out of the software program.

Key options

• AI course builder
• Pre-made templates
• Translation
• Textual content-to-Speech
• Video recording
• Video narration
• Inventory picture library
• 11 Quizzes
• Customization

Pricing

Easygenerator has three value plans with numerous consumer limits.

• The Professional plan is $108 month-to-month, with limits of 1 consumer, 10 programs, and 100 learners.
• The Group plan is $541 month-to-month, with limits of 5 customers and limitless programs and learners.
• The Enterprise plan has limitless customers, programs, and learners. Contact the corporate for pricing.

Easygenerator presents reductions for academic establishments and non-profit organizations. There’s additionally a 14-day free trial.

13. Lectora

Lectora is an award-winning content material authoring software program from ELB Studying. It’s obtainable on desktop or on-line. 

Creating office coaching instruments is straightforward with the AI Course Wizard (Lectora On-line), which generates course outlines and content material. You may also convert current PowerPoint shows by importing and including interactions and assessments. 

It additionally helps VR, gamification, and interactives like branching eventualities and click-to-reveal interactions to reinforce learner engagement. 

Lectora makes use of responsive design, permitting you to supply nice consumer experiences for all units. Actual-time collaboration can be doable on Lectora On-line. Group members can assessment, co-author, and touch upon paperwork. You may also assign consumer roles and observe model historical past.

The cloud and desktop variations assist SCORM, xAPI, HTML5, AICC, and CMI5. You’ll be able to publish on to a number of learning platforms, together with Docebo, Healthstream, and Rockstar Studying.

Assist is on the market through chat and electronic mail. The quickest solution to get assistance is to submit an internet ticket request. You may also discover solutions to your questions on the data base and neighborhood web page.

Key options

• AI course builder
• Pre-made templates
• In depth Asset library
• Multi-media assist
• Quizzes and evaluation
• Responsive design
• Translation and localization
• WCAG and Part 508 compliant

Pricing

Lectora customizes pricing primarily based heading in the right direction size, desired interactivity, content material readiness, and timeline. You’ll be able to expertise the platform on a 30-day free trial earlier than contacting the gross sales crew for a personalised quote.

14. Adapt

Adapt is a free e-learning authoring software that creates responsive, multi-device, HTML5 digital studying content material on the Adapt Framework. 

Designed for builders, Adapt has a comparatively steep studying curve for non-technical customers. Putting in and configuring this system is sort of difficult, for instance. 

Earlier than working the authoring software, you have to obtain 4 prerequisite software program packages (Git, Node.js, Grunt, and MongoDB). It’s additionally unlucky that assist is proscribed to the documentation on the web site.

Creating programs is far easier, although. You’ll be able to import classes or use the drag-and-drop editor so as to add content material. Nonetheless, it’s important to construct your asset library, templates, and many others. Luckily, you possibly can entry community-made plugins freed from cost. 

Adapt helps collaboration so you possibly can share programs with technical crew members. 

Content material created on the Adapt is Internet and SCORM compliant.

Key options

• Responsive design
• Multimedia assist
• Quizzes and evaluation
• Open-source plugin library

Pricing

Adapt is a free software program that runs domestically in your laptop.

15. Vyond 

Like Synthesia, Vyond is an AI-powered video authoring software program. You generate movies from prompts and edit them within the editor, selecting numerous avatars, layouts, languages, and tone of voice. You may also create animated avatars primarily based on photographs. 

Vyond is easy and simple to make use of. Enter or add your script to generate a video. The fast edit operate is intuitive and you should use a drag-and-drop characteristic to vary display screen textual content, character, language, and tone.   

On the draw back, real-time collaboration isn’t doable. You should export and share drafts by electronic mail. 

The platform helps MP4 and WEBM codecs. To publish Vynod-created movies on studying administration methods, you have to add them to SCORM-compliant course packages.

Vyond presents stay chat and precedence cellphone assist, and customised coaching is on the market for accounts with over 10 customers. Different sources embrace webinars, eBooks, and a data hub.

Key options

• In depth belongings library
• Multimedia assist
• Textual content-to-speech
• Voice over recording
• Translating
• AI picture generator

Pricing

Vyond has a multi-tiered pricing construction.

• The Important plan begins at $25 per thirty days per consumer (single-user plan)
• The Premium plan begins at $54 per thirty days per consumer (single-user plan)
• The Skilled plan begins at $92 per thirty days per consumer  
• The Enterprise plan begins at $125 per thirty days per consumer
• The Company plan is customized pricing

There’s a 14-day free trial, and authorities businesses can inquire about particular pricing.

In closing

As you possibly can see, there’s plenty of overlap within the instruments on this article. In any case, one of the best elearning authoring instruments can have all of the superior options and capabilities customers have to create high-quality e-learning content material. The differentiating elements come all the way down to your particular wants.

If it is advisable to produce high-quality content material at scale and promote your content material with superior advertising instruments, GetResponse is the suitable authoring software. As a cloud-based software program, it helps distant and hybrid work environments, permitting staff to log in from wherever. 

Our AI builder makes authoring fast and easy for novice and skilled tutorial designers. Lastly, we provide worth for cash with limitless programs and entry to our award-winning advertising companies.

Drop us a line to learn the way we will assist your e-learning targets.