A learning management system (LMS) helps businesses and educational institutions create, track, and manage their eLearning programs. However, most tools come with a set pricing model that can be expensive for small businesses and institutions.
While finalizing the budget for LMS software, you need to consider factors such as cost of installation, license, fees per user/course, and ongoing maintenance.
While there are hundreds of LMS tools out there, only a handful are free or open source. Therefore, we created this list of the top 11 free and open source LMS tools that are suitable for small and midsize businesses. The order of this list may change in future updates.
We’ve also included a chart that provides a quick, high-level overview of all 11 products.
Coggno is a cloud-based LMS for creating online courses on compliance, safety, and business management. It allows you to add visual elements, such as images and tables, to the course material. It offers courses in a variety of formats, including video, audio, and as Microsoft Word files.
The solution has a built-in certification feature that generates certificates after course completion. Instructors can track a learner’s progress and create reports to measure the ROI of the training programs. In addition, course creators can sell their courses on Coggno.com and other similar marketplaces.
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CourseSites (Blackboard for Business) is a cloud-based virtual learning and course management tool. It offers deployment options of managed hosting, self-hosting, or software-as-a-service (SaaS).
The solution helps users create, administer, track, and deliver digital content online. Users can access online courses, upload assignments, and interact with classmates and instructors. The CourseSites modules consist of files for presentations, course handouts, teaching and learning exams (TLE), and discussion boards.
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iTunes U is an eLearning platform that supports course authoring, homework and assignment distribution, integrated grading, and course forums. The content library has courses for businesses as well as schools.
Instructors can create courses as PDFs or presentations using images, videos, etc. iTunes U lets you work with in-app worksheets and complete lessons.
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LatitudeLearning is a cloud-based LMS tool for the administration and documentation of online courses, eLearning programs, and training content. It works well for corporate training and B2B programs. The tool can be deployed as SaaS or over the cloud.
LatitudeLearning’s features include certification, tracking, reporting of training programs, and integration with Webex and GoToMeeting.
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Myicourse is a cloud-based course creation and distribution solution for instructors that can be used in continuing education or for business training.
The tool lets users create online “colleges” that house multiple courses. If you want to make your courses public, you can create and run them for free. But if you’d prefer to keep your courses private, the software is free for up to 100 students.
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Schoology is a freemium web-based LMS that hosts eLearning content such as courses, training, and programs. It allows instructors to build reports on learners’ performance based on course completion.
Schoology offers learning options for schools and businesses. The basic package is free for educational institutions. It allows upgrading to an enterprise package if you need specialized support or integration with a student information system (SIS).
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ATutor is a web-based LMS that offers online course management and content authoring to create learning courses.
The authoring tool includes a web service that evaluates the accessibility of authored content against international standards such as the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD).
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Dokeos is an open source LMS tool for pharmaceutical and healthcare businesses. It offers features such as course authoring, progress tracking, reporting, and certification management.
The tool allows instructors to create quizzes or tests using 2D and 3D graphics. Dokeos’s unique feature is Oogie Rapid Learning, which automatically transcribes Microsoft Word and PowerPoint presentations into Dokeos slides.
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Forma LMS is an open source LMS that offers eLearning management, course management, videoconferencing, course authoring, certification, etc.
Other features include editing tools for user management and reporting function to collect data on learner participation in courses, completions, assignments, etc. In addition, Forma allows you to sell your courses on its marketplace.
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Moodle is a free and open source platform that lets users create customized courses. It offers tools to manage virtual classrooms, generate certificates, and measure the success of training programs via analytics.
Moodle’s social learning functionality allows learners and instructors to send direct messages to each other on course forums. In addition, it has mobile-friendly themes, support for third-party plugins (such as Office 365), OneNote integration, and the ability to sell courses via PayPal.
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Sakai CLE is an open source LMS for schools that handle assignments, calendars, grade books, tests, and quizzes. Its features include course management, syllabus tool, and lesson builder (or course authoring tool). The solution focuses more on academic institutions than corporate training.
Sakai offers social learning features such as multimedia course embedding, chat functions, and video tutorial. It integrates with Google Docs and offers tools, such as Wiki platforms, which allow users to author web pages without requiring advanced web authoring skills.
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