Top 11 eLearning Authoring Tools

The right eLearning authoring tools help learning professionals create custom eLearning content.

Find the best eLearning authoring tool for your needs with this guide. 

What to look for in an eLearning authoring tool

Finding the right eLearning tool for your needs depends on many factors. Consider these as you compare the eLearning authoring software below.

Compatibility. Before you commit to a specific eLearning tool, ensure that your learning management system (LMS) is compatible with the authoring tool’s output so you can import what you create.

Functionality and customization options. Most tools offer templates to make course creation more efficient and responsive, while others offer additional features for more complex customization. 

Ease of use and learning curve. Consider the learning curve required to implement a platform. A tool that’s feature rich may appear more difficult to learn, but training or onboarding can make implementation easier than with a more simple tool. At the end of the day, you’re looking for a software that enables your team to create learning content quickly and effectively.

Tech support quality. Most tools offer some level of tech support. Reading software reviews can help you get a feel for the quality of tech support available.

Mobile education accessibility. Learners are increasingly opting for the convenience of mobile devices over desktop computers. Mobile responsiveness (i.e., a program’s ability to adapt effortlessly across different devices) is incredibly important for today’s learners.

Cost. Pricing will depend on a tool’s functions and complexity. However, some robust options remain affordable even for small teams or independent authors.

The 11 best eLearning authoring tools 

Here are the top 11 eLearning tools with insights on ease of use and best use cases to help you find the right tools to support your eLearning program.

1. Evolve Content Authoring

Corporate training teams seeking an intuitive yet flexible cloud-based authoring tool say Evolve is the most efficient course authoring tool on the market.

Evolve’s responsive designs support building courses, interactive educational experiences, and simulations that work seamlessly on any device or browser. Over fifty different ways to present content in Components, which allows you to combine features like flip cards, carousels, flow charts, sliders, responsive tables, and interactive and embedded video for highly engaging learning experiences.

You can export Evolve’s HTML5 eLearning output to any LMS platform or use it inline inside Intellum where learners can launch and play courses without ever opening a separate tab. Evolve sees course completion rates upwards of 90% when used inside Intellum, thanks to this innovative feature. 

Best for:

• Corporate team collaboration
• Instructional designers looking for an immersive learning community
• Building no-code creative or customized eLearning experiences
• Using modern eLearning interactive elements, like software simulations
• A cloud-based solution that works on both PC and Mac

Cost:

• Starting at $576 per year

What users say:

• An intuitive authoring platform with a large variety of features to make learning more engaging
• Simple enough for novice authors, but with plenty of flexibility when you’re ready for more customization
• Robust support, resources, and virtual workshops make it easy to learn
• Modern e-learning designs and company branding capabilities
• Responsive out-of-the-box
• Frequent updates and new features
• Cost-effective for teams and independent authors 

Downsides:

• Abundant options and capabilities might be overwhelming for novice authors

With its intuitive design and efficiency, it’s no wonder leading brands around the world choose Evolve as their eLearning tool of choice.

Learn how to use Evolve Content Authoring inside the Evolve Learning Hub or try it for yourself with a free 21-day trial.

2. Elucidat

Elucidat is a cloud-based tool designed for L&D teams and subject matter experts to build employee education collaboratively. It is template-based, SCORM-compliant, and uses HTML5. 

Best for:

• Instructional designers and corporate teams producing high volumes of course content

Cost:

• Starting at $2,500 per user, per year

What users say:

• Easy templates and quick editing 
• Quick support responses
• Responsive page layouts

‍Downsides:

• Not as intuitive as other tools
• Templates limit flexibility
• No integrations
• Course creation is less efficient due to the many clicks needed to add, edit, modify, and customize
• Lacks a text search feature 

3. iSpring Suite:

The iSpring suite is a desktop PowerPoint (PPT) add-on that helps instructors turn PPT lessons into full eLearning courses that can be imported within an LMS via SCORM files. iSpring also recently released iSpring Space where you can house your work and create pages similar to Articulate's Rise 360.  

Best for: 

• New authors without course development experience
• Creating simulations and video tutorials
• Evergreen courses
• Companies that need to convert existing PowerPoints into engaging eLearning

Cost:

• Starting at $770 per author, per year

What users say:

• iSpring frequently adds new features
• Easy to learn and navigate
• Interactive role-play scenarios, interactions, and quizzes make learning dynamic
• Offers a certification course and other free training courses
• You may lose your slide formatting when converting to iSpring
• Limited template options

Downsides:

• Built for Windows only
• Limited advanced animations, complex simulations, and gamification options
• Only activities created with iSpring's software, like simulations, are fully responsive (any slides created in PowerPoint are not)

4. Articulate: 

Articulate 360 is a content authoring suite with multiple tools for different needs including Storyline 360 and Rise 360.

Cost:

• Team plans start at $1,399 annually per user

Articulate Storyline

Storyline is a comprehensive authoring tool which looks and feels like a PowerPoint app made for eLearning.. This tool is more complex, with a moderate learning curve. Learning how to create storyboard courses in Storyline is difficult. However, the end result is high quality. 

Best for:

• Experienced authors creating storyboards, customized interactions, and more robust training
• Customized eLearning with lots of interactions and variables

What users say:

• Mixed reviews on cost and customer support
• Limitless customization and capabilities 
• Can get costly since each user requires a separate license

Downsides:

• Steep learning curve
• Storyline is not fully responsive, but offers a responsive player
• Manual nature can make theme or global changes tedious

Articulate Rise

Rise 360 is a simple, web-based authoring tool that helps instructors create templated courses quickly. 

Best for: 

• New authors looking to create easy template-based courses without complex customization
• Quick micro learnings
• Collaboration
• Responsive, browser-based learning

What users say:

• Easy to understand and user-friendly
• Integrates well with LMSs

Downsides:

• Has only basic customization options like fonts, colors, and block choices
• Limited components to choose from
• Format can encourage text-heavy experiences

5. Adobe Captivate: 

Adobe Captivate is a template-based desktop application that’s compatible with both Windows and Mac. It allows you to create screen recordings of presentations and add animations, storyboards, and interactive overlays to support immersive online courses.

Captivate’s templates make it less customizable than other tools but also more mobile responsive—an effort further increased by recent updates to the tool. Think of Captivate as a middle ground between Articulate Rise's simplicity and Storyline's complexity. 

Best for: 

• Experienced eLearning authors with some coding experience
• Responsive course authoring
• Keeping a simple theming experience

Cost:

• Starting at $33.99 per month

What users say:

• Loads faster than Storyline
• Simulations and branching scenarios make learning content interactive and interesting
• Not user-friendly
• PPT or Google Slide decks imported as an image, rather than a slide with customizable elements

Downsides:

• Steep learning curve required, though the newest version of Captivate is addressing this
• No collaboration capabilities
• Requires significant RAM and processing

6. H5P:

H5P is a free, open-source tool for creating interactive learning content like quizzes, presentations, and games without requiring programming or design experience.

H5P is versatile and integrates well with popular LMSs like Blackboard, Canvas, and Moodle, as well as WordPress websites.

The H5P drag-and-drop editor makes creating interactive content efficient. H5P frequently adds and updates components. 

Best for:

• Instructional designers, academics, teachers, and small course creators looking to create simple interactive multimedia
• Modular component design
• Interactive elements

Cost:

• Free if hosting on your own domain

What users say:

• Straight-forward interface with many easy-to-use features
• Some coding skills are needed to integrate output within certain LMSs
• Content is mobile-responsive
• Only free as a standalone software; users must pay to upload their content to an LMS

Downsides:

• Not a standalone authoring tool
• No collaboration capabilities
• Lacks advanced features like simulations
• No ability to combine content types

7. 7taps Microlearning:

7taps is an intuitive microlearning authoring tool made for delivering bite-sized learning content on mobile devices. It offers a variety of content types, built-in templates, and interactive layouts to build engaging microlearning. 

7taps makes creating performance support, review materials, and intro-to-learning courses easier for teachers and instructional designers alike. 

‍Best for:

• Corporate teams, instructional designers, and teachers creating microlearning experiences for any learner
• On-the-job support with spaced practice
• Short tutorials and job aids

‍Cost:

• Free tool, with paid upgraded plans starting at $99 per month

What users say:

• Easy to use
• Quick customer support responses
• Frequent improvements and updates 

Downsides:

• Mobile-first design leads to issues with small display areas

• Lacks the ability to add company branding
• Can be expensive for full feature set
• Doesn’t replace a full authoring tool or LMS

8. Genially:

Genially is a dynamic and flexible content creation tool that makes it easy to create stunning interactive presentations, decks, infographics, quizzes, and other e-learning content.

Genially helps instructional designers make learning more engaging through gamification and interactivity. 

With a paid version, you can add your company branding and export content to SCORM to add it to your LMS. 

Best for:

• Efficiently adding interactive elements and animation 
• Teachers and L&D teams looking for a budget-friendly option
• A variety of interactive content
• Presentations and lessons

Cost:

• Free, with paid plans starting at $9.90 per month

What users say:

• Scalable, intuitive, fast, and cost-effective
• Quality training content makes it easy to use
• Responsive and helpful customer support
• Lacks some quiz and performance feedback functions

Downsides:

• Language limitations
• No live collaboration capabilities
• Unable to publish videos directly to YouTube

9. Twine:

Twine is a free, open-source tool for creating branching stories and scenarios. This software comes with a learning curve, but there is no subscription needed.

Building simple stories within Twine is possible without coding experience, but CSS, JavaScript, variables, conditional logic, and images are available when you’re ready for more complexity. 

When you’re ready to publish, Twine exports in HTML for easy sharing. 

Best for:

• Creating interactive and nonlinear story structures, like branching scenarios
• Custom, nonlinear scenarios

Cost:

• Free and open-source

What users say:

• Easy to create functional links and new passages
• Able to preview and test scenarios
• Test mode helps when troubleshooting
• SME review is easier in Twine than with standard storyboards

Downsides:

• Requires knowledge ofJavascript or basic coding to add visuals, variables, and logic

10. BranchTrack:

BranchTrack is another cloud-based branching scenario tool that connects well with Captivate, Storyline, Lectora, and other e-learning software. If you use iSpring or Articulate, however, they already have similar built-in features.

Best for:

• Building scenario-based training without design or development skills

Cost:

• Starting at $2900 annually for the first author, $900 for additional authors

What users say:

• Simple to use
• Able to easily collaborate with SMEs
• No development skills needed

Downsides:

• Annual billing only
• Requires internet access to use

11. Kitaboo

Kitaboo is a cloud-based platform that helps instructors and trainers transform print materials into interactive eBooks. Publishers can improve the standard textbook experience through videos, animation, audio, gamification, and interactive quizzes. Additional features like note-taking, highlighting, bookmarking, and a text search function aid learner retention. 

Cost:

• Starting at $15,000

Best for:

• Creating interactive eBooks

What users say:

• Difficult user interface and usability
• Lacks sufficient training options or instructions

What is an eLearning authoring tool?

An eLearning authoring tool is a type of software used to build custom online lessons, courses, and training content. 

Learning materials built through a content authoring tool result in an HTML5, cmi5, xAPI, SCORM, TinCan, or AICC file. These files can either stand alone or be uploaded to a learning management system to deliver multiple lessons to learners.