To provide you with the most recent information about this industry, we have recently updated this article with details on 2025 leading free LMS solutions.
The e-learning market increased by 200% in three years—from 2017 to 2020. This figure is due partly to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, as companies were forced to shutter their doors. This meant that employee training had to be conducted wholly online, which led to the use of e-learning platforms. Even before that, though, the industry experienced rapid growth. Companies in the United States alone revealed that they spent $90 billion on learning and development.
However, if you’re looking to implement a learning management system but lack the initial budget, then you can start with the free LMS software solutions below. They consist of freemiums which are basic entry plans of a larger set of paid packages; free open-source platforms; and completely free solutions.
What are the top free LMS for 2025?
Costly L&D expenditure is understandable because of the various benefits of corporate e-learning. One of those is time; online learning takes 40% to 60% less time to complete compared to face-to-face training. This means that new hires can be immediately productive in the workplace. Moreover, employees can choose to learn at their own pace and time.
On top of that, e-learning enables employees to better contribute to the growth of their organizations. In a survey, companies that utilize e-learning revealed that their revenues increased by 42%.
While there are plenty of benefits to e-learning, not every organization is eager to be on board. Learning management platforms can be costly, ranging from two figures to over four figures a month. Fortunately, there are cost-effective software or free options.
Do understand that one type of free software—freemium or free edition—is usually limited in the number of features and users, and designed to be an entry-level point to more robust premium plans. Assess your needs for a learning management system, and if you decide to initially go for a zero cost solution, consider those that we’ve included here.
1. TalentLMS
TalentLMS is a cloud-based LMS designed to handle the training and educational requirements of organizations for their employees, partners, customers or students. The online solution eliminates the complexity of creating and delivering e-learning by simplifying and streamlining the process. With its rich features and powerful capabilities, TalentLMS has emerged as our top LMS solution.
If you want to learn more about what this platform has to offer, you can easily do so when you sign up for TalentLMS free app.
Being cloud-powered, there is no need for any installation, upgrade or backup. Meaning, you can access the platform on any device and get a secured and encrypted channel for all data communication. This also allows you to build e-learning courses in minutes with a wide range of online materials. Moreover, using this platform, you are free to customize learning content with your own domain, logo and theme. To top it all off, it lets you generate simple and comprehensive analytics about everything that happens in your e-learning environment.
TalentLMS free plan highlights:
- Freemium type, alongside 4 paid plans
- Free for life
- Up to 5 registered users
- Up to 10 courses
- No storage limitation
- Up to 20MB file upload
- Free support
Detailed TalentLMS Review
2. BrainCert
BrainCert is an all-in-one learning management system (LMS) and training platform designed specifically for remote teams. It is trusted by over 100,000 instructors in more than 150 countries in delivering online courses, tests, as well as live classes. Through this, users can easily create training programs, deliver them, as well as sell them to other users.
It enables companies to conduct self-paced and blended learning courses to reinforce certification programs, compliance training, and skills development. With this, you get the benefits of social learning, virtual classroom as a service (VCaaS), and real-time web conferencing in a single hub, making online learning a breeze.
Among its features include a built-in social network and messaging system, gamification options, detailed course reports, and test creation tools. What is more, as an enterprise LMS, it can be completely white-labeled without the need for coding knowledge. It is also mobile-ready, making it easy for learners to access modules on the go.
Last but not least, as it has a unified content management system, BrainCert also supports content from different sources. These include SurveyMonkey, Google Docs, and Dropbox.
BrainCert highlights:
- Social learning capabilities
- Unlimited paid courses
- Unlimited paid tests
- Advanced white-label options
- Mobile-ready interface
- Unified content management with SCORM support
3. TalentCards
TalentCards is a mobile learning app built on the Web and delivered over smartphones. It enables you to implement a micro-learning method and deliver information in bit sizes to make it easy to understand and help users to learn on the go. With TalentCards, you can create learning cards on the Web and deliver them through the app to train people on any course or subject.
Learners get easy-to-digest learning resources, take tests to assess the knowledge gained, use gamification elements to review their performance, and train themselves anywhere, anytime. It makes online learning not only simple but more engaging and effective.
TalentCards combined its vast experience in corporate training solutions and best-in-class technologies to create a mobile app that efficiently delivers small-sized training, focusing on ease of content creation, learner experience, and micro-learning.
TalentCards free offering:
- Freemium type
- No time limit for first 5 users
- You can inactivate users to free spots for new ones
- Scale as you go with 4 paid plans for 50 to 500 users
- No storage limitation
- Free support
- Upgrade anytime
Detailed TalentCards Review
4. Moodle
Moodle is a free and open-source modular, plugin-based software that allows you to create or add features as needed. It lets you create your own private online hub filled with dynamic courses for education anytime, anywhere.
The product provides a complete set of learner-centric applications and collaborative learning environments that encourage both teaching and learning. It supports a variety of functions and activities including bulk course creation, peer assessment workshops, detailed reporting, collaboration, real-time messaging, wiki forums, multilingual capability, multimedia integration, and progress tracking, among others.
Detailed Moodle Review
Moodle offers 2 free plans:
Self-hosted Plan
- Download, install and host on your server
- Out of the box features
- Unlimited users
- Unlimited courses
Free Plan
- Best for single classes or Moodle first timers
- Up to 50 users
- All Self-hosted Plan features, plus
- Web conferencing
- Mobile app enabled
5. Coggno
Coggno is an online training marketplace and learning management system that encourages simplified training and certification anywhere in the world. It delivers a single, cloud-based system to connect content providers, HR organizations, and workers. The system allows you to create and curate your own training university in the Coggno Cloud, deployable in minutes so you can quickly provide your company with an extensive resource for training.
The LMS you build can be labeled with your logo, color preferences and branding. You can load your own courses or select from a vast library of courses, view and track your trainees’ progress, and measure ROI of your training initiatives.
Many of the courses come with a certification which can be downloaded from your account upon course completion. Coggno’s LMS is currently available in five languages and uses messaging and notification tools to send messages and reminders to your learners.
Detailed Coggno Review
Coggno highlights:
- Completely free for companies that use it exclusively for internal training
- Select courses and load them to your branded Training University
- Easy upgrade to Pro Plan if you need to monetize your curriculum
- No upfront costs
6. GoSkills
GoSkills is an intuitive cloud-hosted LMS solution created for businesses of all sizes. It comes equipped with an easy-to-use course builder that supports all sorts of content and files to make learning more engaging for participants. Moreover, it comes with placement tests and other gamification options to help encourage a little friendly competition among your learners.
In addition, this SCORM-compliant, mobile-ready software comes with other tools such as social learning options and reporting and analytics tools. This way, you can gain insights into the performance of your learners as well as the overall effectiveness of the courses that you roll out.
Last but not least, this platform offers a learner’s portal wherein each participant can monitor their grades and keep track of all the courses they’ve taken.
Detailed GoSkills Review
The GoSkills free plan highlights:
- Easy-to-use course builder
- Reporting and analytics options
- Learner goal tracking
- Social learning tools
- Gamification options
- No user limit
- Upgrade anytime
7. Chamilo
Chamilo is a free, open source LMS that lets you create a virtual campus for the provision of online and semi-online training. It is designed for ease of use and speed, and includes features such as courses catalog, skills management, certificates generation, configurations of complex configurations, and SCORM support. This solution can accommodate over 3,000 simultaneous connected learners through its cloud compatibility, high availability, and quick resolution of security flaws.
With Chamilo, you can easily create training content, install web hosting solutions for free, track students’ results, improve learning methodologies, use both synchronous and asynchronous communication channels, and apply visual e-learning tools as well as staff selection and gamification. In addition, it offers a shopping cart to help you sell and monetize your e-learning courses.
Detailed Chamilo Review
Chamilo highlights:
- Entirely free
- Production-ready
- Document management features
- Remote management
- Collaborative & interactive
- Multilingual
8. Sakai
Sakai is a “community source” software built from the contributions of institutional community members as well as individuals. It is a product of the joint resources of colleges, universities and some commercial firms who help design, build, test and refine the software on an ongoing, voluntary basis.
The LMS platform comes with responsive design and wide range of core features that include spreadsheet-style interface, lessons tool enhancements, banner alerts, popup notifications, online assessments, reporting capabilities, intelligent feedback, mathematical notations, and many others.
The Sakai environment enables and promotes training, learning, research and other types of acquiring knowledge. As a platform developed by its adopter community, Sakai is continually improved to meet the demands of the community members it was created for – students, teachers, and academic organizations.
Detailed Sakai Review
Sakai highlights:
- Freely available open source solution
- Deploy, install, use anytime, anyway you want
- Graded discussions
- Podcast, polls, wikis
- Research & project collaboration
- Lesson builder
9. LatitudeLearning
LatitudeLearning is designed for training managers and channel executives looking to meet the specific challenges to keep their distribution channels at par in training and knowledge with their employees.
Channel training poses challenges to many LMS solutions – learners are unknown, no management control over training; different location of learners, and different learning environments. LatitudeLearning addresses these by having a centralized learning environment that can be tailored to each learner wherever they are, and provides a channel performance roadmap that enables you to map each learner’s training.
The LMS offers a catalog of courses for learners to choose from and a partner onboarding process that empowers your channel partner to manage the onboarding of its learners to your training program. You can preset courses with clear goals and performance metrics and incentivize course completion.
Detailed LatitudeLearning Review
LatitudeLearning free plan highlights:
- Freemium type, scalable to number of users
- Totally free hosted LMS for up to 100 users
- Includes over 70 free e-learning courses
- No credit card required
- No contracts
10. Schoology
Schoology is an online learning management system and social collaboration tool that allows you to easily produce and disseminate academic content. The system is primarily designed for K-12 and higher education but applicable as well for corporate training.
The solution’s student focus facilitates better collaboration and student engagement through tools that lets you share instructional materials, apply best practices, streamline content creation and management, undertake grade recording, and monitor attendance, among others.
Schoology’s flexible, connected interface provides unique curriculum management; standards-compatible content creation, sharing, and tracking; and in-depth oversight for improving student outcomes and meeting student needs.
Detailed Schoology Review
Schoology basic package highlights:
- Free for instructors, students, parents, and advisors
- Develop, manage, and distribute course materials
- Auto-graded tests and quizzes
- Collaborate or share resources via Schoology’s community groups
- Mobile app for anywhere, anytime access
- Integration with external sites, games, tools, and other resources
11. ATutor
ATutor is an open source Web-based learning management system that lets you develop online courses and create e-learning content. It is designed with adaptability and accessibility in mind, and provides several tools and features for developers, administrators, instructors, and learners.
For students and learners, features include assistive technology for those with disabilities, social networking, auto course logging, inbox/messaging, content tracker, file storage, and communication tools. Instructors get social networking features, searchable handbook, SCORM Run-Time Environment and SCO Manager, Course Tool Preferences, content usage, content and visual editor, assignment drop box, file and backup manager, and more.
ATutor’s technology offers a cost effective tool for small and large organizations that present or deliver fully independent online courses and instructional materials.
ATutor highlights:
- Free and open source
- Custom templates and feature templates
- Assemble, package and redistribute Web-based instructional content
- Assistive technologies for PWDs
- Conforms with IMS/SCORM content packaging specs
- Comprehensive support
12. Claroline Connect
Claroline Connect is modern LMS platform that provides you the tools to create, share, choose and organize training elements. It is founded on a collaborative vision, allowing you to interact with other users within the framework of a common project.
The solution brings with it an array of features and functionalities such as anytime and any device access to content, compatibility with external content, on site and distance learning management, invitations and certificates generation, learning platform personalization, multilevel collaboration, and multimedia support.
Claroline Connect puts together all essential tools and technologies to drive creativity, collaboration, and flexibility in organizing, managing, and delivering any type of content be it for distance learning, on site learning, tutoring, or massive open online courses (MOOC).
Claroline Connect highlights:
- Free open-source downloadable software
- E-learning management
- E-learning platform designed by teachers
- Community of users and developers working for the project
- A service company that accompanies you in your project
13. CourseSites
CourseSites is the free version of Blackboard Learn, the premium solution from the Blackboard Company which specializes in providing educational technology solutions and services.
CourseSites is a hosted online course creation and facilitation service to help individual K–12 teachers, college and university instructors and community educators add a web–based component to their courses, or even host an entire course on the Internet. You can even choose your own URL so students can find your page easily.
Being an online solution, you can engage your students anywhere, anytime with your own interactive e-learning platform. It allows you to post and update course materials, interact with students, promote collaboration, and assess and improve performance, all from one place.
CourseSites highlights:
- Create up to 5 course websites for free
- Engage students in social learning
- Add multimedia into class content
- Share open education resources
- Powered by Blackboard’s latest technology
14. MyiCourse
MyiCourse is a free LMS platform for those who wish to teach online. It lets you create a virtual institution where you can publish or, if you wish, sell educational content. It is an ideal solution for small businesses as it allows you to create customized, interactive courses to train and engage your employees.
Corporate trainers can also benefit from the system with its advanced analytics that enables you to track student traffic, time spent on courses, test results, and detailed course sales. Other features include branding options, test questions creation, customizable certificates, custom registration, and the ability to monetize coursework.
You can either host a “public” college with your courses available to everyone on the internet, or put up a “private” college with content available to a selected group of people.
MyiCourse highlights:
Public College
- Free
- 10% royalty charge when owner opts to monetize course offerings
- Unlimited number of students
- Unlimited courses
- Unlimited course viewings
Private College
- Free for up to 100 students and 100 course assignments
15. Eliademy
Eliademy is an online LMS solution that provides teaches and instructors easy to use tools and to train employees, customers and students. It offers features such as course editor to render all the text, pictures, videos, audios and interactive elements you need; interactive discussion where you can organize chats into different themes for better engagement on specific topics; tasks and quizzes; grading tools; online multimedia; course completion certificates; and notification system.
In addition, you get a personal study calendar, analytics, and support for over 30 languages. Eliademy is designed as an alternative to commercial learning management systems and built specifically for teachers, helping them streamline the creation and delivery of e-learning course and content through an accessible “classroom in the cloud” platform.
Eliademy highlights:
- Completely free solution (there’s only one other premium plan)
- Unlimited course creation
- Your own controllable LMS
- Personalized learning schedule
- State-of-the-art visual editor
To conclude, you don’t need to have a big budget in order to use learning management systems for your workplace. As you can see from our list, there are plenty of solutions out there that you can use at no cost. The best of them being TalentLMS. This software provides users with some of the most intuitive LMS features and it even has a simple user interface that makes it easy to navigate even for tech-averse users. To learn more about its functionalities, be sure to sign up for TalentLMS free app.
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