Visme vs Articulate 360: Your Detailed Comparison Guide for 2025
Creating training content is hard.
But creating engaging training content that your team, customers or students actually want to finish is even harder.
So it shouldn’t come as a surprise when I say that 53% of course creators spend three months or more building a single course. That’s a long time to stare at slides and second-guess your layout.
But what if you had an eLearning authoring tool that actually made the whole process easier?
And what if you didn’t need to be a designer or developer to create something interactive, beautiful and genuinely helpful?
Wouldn’t that be kind of… fun?
So I went on a little quest. Scoured the internet, tested tools, watched dozens of YouTube videos and read hundreds of reviews to find the absolute best eLearning authoring platforms for 2025.
In this article, I’ll break down the top 10 eLearning authoring tools so you can make the smartest decision for your business, your workflow and your learners.
Let’s dive in.
*Disclaimer: The comparisons and competitor ratings presented in this article are based on features available as of July 31, 2025. We conduct thorough research and draw on both first-hand experience and reputable sources to provide reliable insights. However, as tools and technologies evolve, we recommend readers verify details and consider additional research to ensure the information meets their specific needs.
An eLearning authoring tool is software that helps you create digital training content. It gives you everything you need to design, build and publish learning materials like slide decks, quizzes, videos, interactive modules and full-blown courses.
In fact, most authoring tools come with templates, drag-and-drop editors, animations and even branching logic so you can personalize the experience based on how learners interact with your content. Some even let you build software simulations or gamify your training and development content.
In short, you don’t need to be an expert in instructional design or know how to code, and you certainly don’t have to beg the design team for every little edit.
And once you’ve designed your course, authoring tools let you export it in SCORM or xAPI format, both of which are compatible with pretty much any learning management system (LMS).
Before we move any further, it’s important to note that content authoring tools aren’t the same as full eLearning platforms like LMSs.
There are stand-alone authoring tools that focus purely on content creation. And then there are built-in ones that come packaged with an LMS, so you’re building and delivering everything in one place.
Most companies use both. You create the content inside your authoring tool, then upload it to your LMS so learners can access it, track their progress and complete their training.
You might wonder: why bother with a separate tool when your LMS already has an in-built editor?
The answer is simple. Stand-alone tools give you more creative control, flexibility and advanced features that most LMS editors just can’t match. You get better templates, more design options, smoother interactivity and animation features and more export formats.
Now let me tell you how I tested and evaluated the tools in this list.
To make this roundup genuinely helpful, I spent time inside each of these platforms.
And for the ones locked behind a paywall, I did my homework by digging through customer reviews on Reddit, G2 and Capterra, and watched YouTube walkthroughs from experts in the eLearning space to make sure this list stays true and authentic.
I evaluated each content authoring tool based on:
In short, everything you need to know to figure out which tool actually fits your goals, budget and workflow.
That said, here’s my roundup of the 10 best eLearning authoring tools for 2025.
| Best For | Key Features | Pricing | G2 Rating | |
| Visme | Small teams, solopreneurs, educators and enterprises looking to create visually engaging, SCORM/xAPI-friendly training content | 10,000+ templates, AI tools (course outline, content rewrite), advanced collaboration, dedicated asset libraries, form builder, 3D character creator, dynamic fields, brand kit, SCORM/xAPI export | Free; paid plans start at $12.25/mo | 4.5/5 (448 reviews) |
| Adobe Captivate | Instructional designers needing deep customization and responsive design | Interactive videos, VR/360 support, PowerPoint import, branching scenarios, quizzes, SCORM/xAPI export, mobile responsiveness | Free trial available; paid plans start at $33.99/mo | 3.9/5 (200 reviews) |
| Articulate Storyline 360 | Enterprise L&D teams wanting collaboration, templates and creative control | Storyline 360, Rise 360, content library, Review 360 for feedback, SCORM/xAPI, accessibility features | Free trial available; paid plans start at $1199/user/year | 4.6/5 (300 reviews) |
| iSpring Suite | PowerPoint-first teams looking for rapid authoring and LMS-friendly output | PowerPoint integration, quiz builder, role-play scenarios, screen recording, LMS export (SCORM/xAPI), content library | Free trial available; paid plans start at $490/user/year | 4.6/5 (712 reviews) |
| Gomo Learning | Collaborative cloud-based authoring across distributed teams | Responsive design, multilingual support, co-authoring, learner tracking, analytics, LMS integration, SCORM | Free trial available; pricing for paid plans not shared publicly | 4.8/5 (2 reviews) |
| Elucidat | Large L&D teams creating scalable, branded content | Learning Accelerator, reusable templates, accessibility support, branching, SCORM/xAPI export, collaborative editing, mobile responsiveness | Free trial available; pricing for paid plans not shared publicly | 4.4/5 (160 reviews) |
| isEazy Author | Beginners and SMEs wanting modern design with simplicity | Drag-and-drop builder, interactive content, real-time collaboration, templates, SCORM export, analytics | Free; paid plans start at 72€/mo | 4.9/5 (22 reviews) |
| Lectora | Advanced course authors needing accessibility and design freedom | AI course wizard, HTML/CSS/JS customization, SCORM/xAPI/HTML5 output, WCAG/508 compliance, VR via CenarioVR, game builder | Free trial available; paid plans start at $129/mo | 4.1/5 (55 reviews) |
| LearnWorlds | Course creators selling and marketing digital learning products | Interactive video, course builder, assessments, certification, sales funnels, CRM integration, SCORM, branded UI | Free trial available; paid plans start at $24/mo | 4.7/5 (373 reviews) |
| Easygenerator | Trainers and SMEs creating and localizing content quickly | AI assistant, PowerPoint import, quiz builder, SCORM/xAPI/HTML5 export, 75+ language translation, team collaboration, drag-and-drop editor | Free trial available; paid plans start at $116/mo | 4.8/5 (107 reviews) |
Let’s discuss each of these tools in detail now:
Visme is one of the best design creation platforms out there.
Not only can you use it to create gorgeous presentations, infographics and training materials, but it also lets you build interactive, SCORM-compliant learning content that’s ready for your LMS.
And the best part is that it makes the whole process feel ridiculously easy.
You get a clean, drag-and-drop editor and access to over 10,000 modern templates across categories like presentations, video explainers, eBooks, whitepapers, infographics, whiteboard, web and social graphics and more.
Presentation Templates
Create a stunning presentations online quickly and easily by getting started with one of Visme’s premade templates. Share content with your audience visually. Find a free training presentation template that you can easily customize for your own purposes.
Plus, they’re refreshed regularly, so you’re not stuck with designs that were trending in 2020.
Visme is also packed with AI tools to help you design better and faster. These include:
Basically, everything you need to eliminate blank-page syndrome and start creating.
To put Visme AI to the test, I gave the AI Designer this prompt:
“Create a presentation on effective communication skills for team leaders covering key strategies.”
Here’s what it generated in under two minutes:
The presentation looks terrific. The colors, layout, copy, images, icons and even the table and flowchart diagram are all better than what I could’ve whipped up on my own.
In two hours? Maybe.
But in under two minutes? No chance.
Here’s the deal with AI-generated anything: it usually gets you 60–70% of the way. The rest is where you need to jump in and add your own human touch, like uploading your branding kit, tweaking visuals, editing the content for voice or adding/removing slides based on your needs.
But as a starting point, it’s fast, smart and surprisingly good.
Then, when you layer in Visme’s advanced animation and interactivity tools, video creation, built-in analytics and dedicated Brand Kit, it becomes more than just a design tool. It’s one of the best interactive training software programs available.
Add to that best-in-class collaboration features—shared workspaces, comment threads, version history and team permissions—and it’s clear Visme is built for business teams who want to work smart.
Once your training project is ready, Visme gives you multiple ways to share and publish it.
You can:
And because Visme tracks interactivity, animations, audio and video inside these packages, you don’t lose any of your design or function when you move your content from Visme to your LMS.
All in all, if you’re looking for an all-in-one tool to design, animate and export eLearning content without needing extra plugins or code, Visme is one of the best employee training software out there. It’s great for solo creators, growing L&D teams and anyone tired of clunky slide editors.
Visme offers a free basic plan. To access more advanced features, you can upgrade to the paid plans:
Adobe Captivate has been around for a while. It’s a strong authoring tool that lets you create responsive, scenario-based learning, software simulations and full-blown courses with branching logic and interactivity.
To test it, I downloaded the Mac version. It was a hefty 1.86 GB, and Adobe offers a 30-day free trial.
But here’s the hiccup: I couldn’t access the free trial. The app kept crashing, and despite trying two different accounts several times, I just couldn’t get it to work.
So, I resorted to the next best thing: YouTube walkthroughs and user reviews.
Turns out, Adobe has made some major updates to Captivate. The interface is much more modern now, and the platform offers quite a bit in terms of built-in functionality.
You get:
It’s clear Adobe is trying to modernize Captivate. But not all users are sold on the new experience.
On Reddit, several L&D professionals voiced frustrations around bugs, performance and usability. One redditor in r/InstructionalDesign said:
“I used Captivate a long time ago and decided I would trial the latest version to show my manager how we could build demo environments easily. Long story short, I barely got it to load and then when I tried to screen record the in-browser app and the screen recorder glided to the right or left every time I clicked. It was impossible to use.”
But on the flip side, some users found it reliable and easy to use, especially for projects that required SCORM exports and involved a lot of multimedia.
Mark, a nonprofit video creator, shared in his review of Captivate on Capterra’s YouTube channel:
“I had a job for a client where they needed a digital learning course authored in the SCORM 1.2 format. …as I was looking around for what software I would use to create a SCORM course, Captivate seemed to be the best choice for me.”
He also mentioned that it was easy to import pre-produced videos and PowerPoint slides, but also pointed out a few hiccups, like the confusing billing setup and the fact that Captivate’s newest version is still branded as Captivate 2019 (even though it’s been updated), which can throw some people off.
Overall, Captivate is a good pick if you need to create complex, interactive training with simulations, branching and SCORM compatibility. But if you’re looking for ease of use, slick UI and speed? You might want to explore other tools on this list.
Adobe offers a free trial for Captivate. The paid plans include:
If you’ve spent any time in the instructional design world, chances are you already know about Articulate Storyline 360. It’s basically the PowerPoint of eLearning authoring.
But unlike PowerPoint, Storyline 360 comes loaded with advanced features: branching logic, screen recording, assessments, animations, software simulations, etc.
It’s desktop-based software, so you’ll need to install it on Windows (or run it on a Mac using Parallels). I used the 30-day free trial for testing.
Once inside, I was impressed by how much control you get.
You can:
Storyline also gives you a full animation timeline, motion paths, entrance/exit effects and the ability to trigger animations based on learner actions.
Basically, it’s a playground for instructional designers who want precision.
Watch this video by Learning Dojo to learn how to animate in Storyline 360:
Of course, this level of control doesn’t come without a cost.
You’ll need time to get comfortable. The UI feels like a hybrid between PowerPoint and After Effects. If you’re not already familiar with timelines, layers or trigger panels, the learning curve can be steep.
Check out this video by Sabrina Gonzales, an instructional designer, where she shares her experience learning Storyline 360 from scratch:
To make things easier, though, Articulate includes:
That said, not all users are thrilled. Several Reddit threads mention issues with file corruption and stability. Many users noted bugs while working from a shared file as opposed to some of the other Articulate alternatives.
One Redditor wrote:
“I’ve always had issues with Storyline. It has infinite glitches, always crashing, didn’t properly save one of my coworkers' projects and she lost the whole thing.”
Their fix? An uninstall and reinstall.
Overall, Storyline 360 is one of the most powerful tools out there for building customized, interactive training content. But it’s not for the faint of heart, or the short on time. It’s best suited for experienced L&D professionals or teams building large-scale training with heavy logic, simulations or SCORM-based delivery.
Articulate 360 doesn’t have a free plan; however, users can try out the tool for 30 days. Paid plans are as follows:
Next on our list of the best learning authoring tools in 2025 is iSpring Suite.
It’s an easy-to-use content authoring tool that integrates seamlessly with PowerPoint and lets you create SCORM-compliant courses and quizzes without a huge learning curve.
I signed up for the 14-day free trial, and I was prompted with two options basically:
I gave iSpring Page a go, and really liked how intuitive it felt.
You can choose from various layout blocks, add flashcards, quizzes, audio, video links, accordions, tabs, code snippets and even exercises. Everything is drag-and-drop, clean and easy to manage.
What’s also great is that iSpring Page comes with built-in AI. So if you need help drafting your course content, there’s writing assistance right inside the editor.
Sure, it’s not as robust as Visme’s AI features (no AI image generation, no AI image editing, no AI brand wizard), but if you already have your visuals or brand kit ready or don’t mind working across tabs, it does the job well.
Here’s one I created in a couple of minutes:
The final output is fully responsive and mobile-friendly, and you can preview it live as you build.
But what about the more advanced sibling—iSpring Suite?
Well, it’s a more powerful desktop-based version that works directly inside PowerPoint. And it lets you:
There’s also a dedicated content library with templates, icons, characters and backgrounds. And you can even create interactive games.
Overall, if you’re looking for an easy-to-use authoring tool that’s fast, flexible and plays nicely with PowerPoint, iSpring Suite is a solid option for training teams.
iSpring Suite offers a 14-day free trial. They also have several pricing plans for different categories: business, freelancers and academics.
Business:
Freelancers:
Academic:
Gomo is a cloud-based authoring tool designed for teams that want to create sleek, responsive eLearning courses without installing any software or dealing with device compatibility issues.
I signed up for their 21-day free trial, and the onboarding experience was smooth. A short interactive walkthrough video and helpful resource links got me up to speed quickly.
From there, I jumped into the course builder.
I’ll be honest: starting from scratch wasn’t the easiest. The editing felt a bit clunky, and with no built-in AI to support content creation (though you can connect your OpenAI account), it took time to get going.
So instead, I tried creating a sample course. Within minutes, it built a polished course layout filled with:
Everything was editable, and I could adjust layouts freely without breaking the responsive design.
You also get access to translation tools, team collaboration features and flexible export options (SCORM, xAPI, MP4, direct hosting via Gomo Central).
Overall, I’d say that if you’re looking for a freeform design canvas or AI shortcuts to help speed up content creation, other tools on this list might be a better fit. But if you’re part of a team that values speed, structure and responsive design, Gomo Learning is a smart, scalable choice for modern eLearning.
Gomo Learning offers a 21-day free trial along with three paid plans. They include:
You'd have to contact sales to get pricing information.
Elucidat is a cloud-based authoring platform designed for one thing: helping enterprise teams build high-quality, on-brand training at scale.
I wasn’t able to test the tool hands-on (Elucidat doesn’t offer a self-serve free trial), but I spent hours poring through documentation, demo videos, G2 reviews and Reddit threads.
With Elucidat, you can:
One of the standout features is the Learning Accelerator: a built-in workflow that recommends layouts and interactions based on your training goals.
Source
This is especially helpful for teams that need to create effective content quickly, even without deep instructional design experience.
Multiple reviewers also praised how easy it is to build responsive content that works beautifully across desktop, tablet and mobile. One Redditor even said:
“It reminds me of website builders like Wix, where you have a lot of different options and just need to learn how to use them or where to find them all.”
That said, another Redditor raised concerns about exporting content and maintaining customization, which might be a drawback depending on your organization’s LMS setup or version control needs.
All in all, if you’re part of a fast-moving L&D team and need to create branded, responsive training at scale, Elucidat is a great fit. Just keep in mind the enterprise focus (and pricing) might be more than smaller teams need.
Elucidat also offers a 14-day free trial so you can test out the platform before you commit to it long term. They offer three paid plans: Growth, Team and Enterprise, but don’t share their pricing publicly.
If you want an authoring tool that feels modern, fast and collaborative right out of the box, isEazy Author deserves your attention. It’s a cloud-based platform built to help teams create sleek, responsive eLearning content.
You can start from scratch or choose from their library of templates, and everything is automatically optimized for mobile, tablet and desktop.
To test it, I signed up for the free plan. And within minutes, I was inside the editor. No downloads, no back-and-forth.
Here’s what you can do inside isEazy author:
Some of these features sit behind a paywall, as expected, but the core functionality is strong.
Let's talk about the editing experience now. The interface isn’t as intuitive as Visme, Storyline or iSpring Page. I had to spend a bit of time figuring out where everything lived. But once I got the hang of it, things moved fairly smoothly.
The tool also comes packed with AI-powered features to boost your course creation process:
But probably the biggest miss is the lack of a true AI writing assistant. Tools like Visme already offer AI content generation, tone adjustment and real-time writing help. So if you’re hoping to speed up course scripting or get copy suggestions, you’ll need to bring your own words (for now).
Once you’re done designing your course, you can then choose the distribution method that works best for your team or LMS:
Overall, isEazy Author is a good option for L&D teams, SMEs or educators who want to produce interactive training fast. It’s not the flashiest editor on this list, but it gets the job done and gives you plenty of power with just a few clicks.
Just like Visme, you can get started with isEazy Author for free using their free account. The paid plans are as follows:
Lectora, by ELB Learning, is a long-standing eLearning authoring tool known for its power, flexibility and commitment to accessibility. It’s available both as a cloud-based platform (Lectora Online) and a Windows desktop version, making it one of the more versatile tools on this list.
I tested the online version using their free trial and started by picking a Course Starter.
Right away, I could tell this tool wasn’t built for casual users, but for experienced instructional designers. The editor feels like a mashup of PowerPoint and Microsoft Word: functional, but pretty bloated and not the most intuitive out of the gate.
That said, once you learn the ropes, Lectora can do a lot:
Check out this video by ITC Learning to see Lectora’s AI Generator in action:
Lectora also integrates with the ELB Studio Gold Suite, which gives you access to other immersive tools like virtual reality builders, game creators and a massive asset library full of templates, icons, audio and stock footage.
But Lectora’s standout feature is its accessibility support. If you need to meet WCAG or Section 508 compliance standards, this is one of the few platforms built with that goal from day one.
While many praise Lectora’s flexibility, some users call out its learning curve and technical complexity. One G2 reviewer shared:
“In conducting exams, it is very complex to manage the question banks, and the courses are sometimes not configured correctly. Very specialized technical knowledge is required.”
Overall, Lectora is a solid choice for experienced L&D professionals who need full design control, advanced interactivity and enterprise-grade LMS compatibility. But if you’re a small team or need a tool that’s fast and beginner-friendly, other tools on this list may serve you better.
Lectora offers a 30-day free trial. Its paid plans are as follows:
If you’re looking for an all-in-one platform that combines course creation with monetization tools, LearnWorlds is worth a serious look.
Unlike most authoring tools that focus solely on building content, LearnWorlds is a full-fledged course platform built to help individuals, coaches and businesses launch and scale online learning products.
I tested it using their 30-day free trial, and the onboarding experience was smooth.
You get the option to explore on your own or book a call with a specialist which, of course, is a nice touch.
Inside, I was greeted with a clean dashboard that neatly organizes your courses, students, marketing tools and sales reports.
Here’s what you can do with LearnWorlds:
One standout for me was the interactive video editor. You can add questions, overlays and hotspots directly into your videos, making self-paced courses feel more hands-on and engaging.
For example, I created a complete Photography 101 course using their AI course generator. Here’s the result:
Of course, the copy still needed a few tweaks to match my brand voice, but the structure and lesson flow were spot-on. I love how the platform combines strong authoring features with solid marketing and eCommerce tools.
While most LearnWorlds users appreciate its flexibility and built-in marketing features, several reviewers say the admin experience could use a UX refresh. Managing content, navigating between sections or performing simple edits can feel more complex than necessary.
One G2 reviewer noted:
“Not user-friendly in some areas… it is cumbersome to delete/add slides, widgets, sections. Items do not copy/paste as they should. For example, if you try to copy/paste in the text box…it will paste the information wherever it decides to.”
Another common request is the ability to toggle off eCommerce tools if you’re using LearnWorlds purely for private/internal training.
Overall, if your goal is to create and sell polished, interactive courses all in one place, LearnWorlds is a strong contender. But if you want pixel-level design control or a more advanced course editor, you may find some limitations.
LearnWorlds offers a 30-day free trial. The paid plans are as follows:
If you want an authoring tool that’s fast, approachable and built with real-world trainers in mind, Easygenerator more than lives up to its name.
It’s a 100% cloud-based platform that simplifies the process of creating, localizing and publishing e-learning content. No downloads, no complicated setup, no LMS expertise needed.
I tested the free trial and was pleasantly surprised by how quickly I could start building.
The interface is clean, bright and beginner-friendly, with legible fonts and a drag-and-drop editor that makes course creation feel more like building a webpage than coding an app.
Editing is done block by block, and while it’s simple, there’s still a good amount of flexibility baked in.
You can choose from dozens of pre-built templates and interactive content blocks, or start from scratch if you prefer. And if you’re short on time or inspiration, Easygenerator’s built-in AI assistant can help generate lesson outlines, improve your copy and even create quiz questions based on your content.
The collaboration features are another highlight. Multiple team members can co-author courses in real time, leave comments and manage feedback directly inside the editor. That makes it especially handy for L&D teams or SMEs working together on tight timelines.
And then there’s the localization support. You can translate content into 75+ languages with just a few clicks, making Easygenerator a strong option for global training teams looking to scale.
Other useful features include:
To see what other firsthand users were saying about Easygenerator, I spent some time digging through reviews on G2.
The general consensus is that most users love how fast and easy it is to create e-learning content, especially those without a technical background. The AI tools get a lot of praise for speeding up content creation, and the built-in collaboration features make it easy for teams to co-author and review courses.
That said, design flexibility came up as a recurring pain point.
One G2 reviewer summed it up perfectly:
“There isn't really a way to simply add design elements to make the presentation look more professional unless you incorporate other programs.”
All in all, I’d say Easygenerator is an excellent pick for trainers, SMEs and fast-moving L&D teams that want to build and ship quality e-learning quickly. It may not be the flashiest tool on this list, but in terms of speed, simplicity and collaboration, it absolutely delivers.
Easygenerator offers a 14-day free trial. The paid plans are as follows:
There are dozens of popular authoring tools in the market. Some of the best ones include Visme, Adobe Captivate, Articulate Storyline 360, iSpring Suite, Gomo Learning, Elucidat, isEazy Author, Lectora, LearnWorlds and Easygenerator.
No, SCORM is not an authoring tool. SCORM stands for Sharable Content Object Reference Model. It’s a set of technical standards that regulate how eLearning content is packaged and delivered to learning management systems (LMS). You can use a SCORM-compliant authoring tool to create courses and training materials that integrate with your LMS.
A Learning Management System (LMS) is a platform used to distribute and manage eLearning content. An authoring tool is used to create eLearning content, such as presentations, quizzes, assessments, videos, simulations and other course materials. Most authoring tools let you export your eLearning content and integrate it with an LMS for distribution and tracking.
Visme is a great example of an authoring tool that lets you create highly interactive and engaging courses and training materials. Use features like pre-built templates, drag-and-drop editing, AI-powered tools, collaboration, data visualization, brand management, and SCORM and xAPI export formats to build immersive learning experiences.
No, eLearning is not the same as LMS. eLearning refers to the delivery of education and training through electronic means, whereas a Learning Management System (LMS) is a platform through which eLearning content is distributed to learners.
A good eLearning authoring tool helps you build engaging, mobile-friendly courses without needing to code. It should support multimedia content like video, quizzes and animations, while also making it easy to collaborate, customize and publish in formats like SCORM or xAPI.
Some tools, like Visme, go a step further by offering drag-and-drop design, interactive elements and AI-powered writing support to make it easier to create professional-looking training, even if you’re not a designer.
Ultimately, however, the best tools combine speed, flexibility and simplicity so you can focus on delivering real learning impact.
Not every team needs a heavyweight authoring tool packed with hundreds of complex features. Sometimes, you just need something fast, flexible and visually powerful to create engaging training content that gets the point across. And that’s exactly where Visme separates itself.
It’s ideal for solopreneurs, educators, internal comms teams, professional trainers and even large-scale L&D departments who want to create interactive content for onboarding, compliance, product training and everything in between.
With AI-powered tools, 10,000+ professionally built templates, dynamic fields, brand kits, real-time collaboration and a lightweight, intuitive editor, Visme makes course creation feel less like a chore.
Once your content is ready, you can export it in SCORM and xAPI formats and upload it directly into your LMS. Or, if you don’t have an LMS, you can share courses via direct link, private access or embed them on your site.
Take Visme for a spin by signing up for our free account today. Or learn more about how Visme can help training and development teams author and distribute amazing eLearning content.
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