Top 5 SaaS LMS Platforms for 2024

Modern business thrives on continuous learning. But gone are the days of clunky in-person seminars. Today's training demands a flexible, engaging approach. Enter the software as a service (SaaS) learning management system (LMS). This article discusses the main benefits of using a SaaS LMS for training, must-have features to optimize your platform selection, and the top five SaaS LMS options to check out.

What is a SaaS learning management system?

A SaaS LMS is a learning platform with cloud-based functionality to create and deliver educational experiences for learners. Organizations of all sizes use a SaaS LMS to manage a variety of training programs. This can include businesses training employees, associations offering certification programs, and companies onboarding and training customers and partners.

How does a SaaS LMS differ from an on-premise LMS?

The main difference between a cloud-based LMS and an on-premise LMS boils down to where the software lives. SaaS LMS is cloud-based, so it is accessed through a browser like any other website. No special hardware is required. On the other hand, an on-premise LMS is like traditional software—it needs to be installed on your servers and requires IT team involvement for setup and maintenance.

Key advantages of using a SaaS LMS for corporate training

There are several advantages of adopting a SaaS LMS for your corporate training initiatives. 

1. Cost-effective and scalable: SaaS LMS eliminates the hefty upfront costs of traditional software licenses. Instead of a large initial investment, you typically pay a subscription fee based on the number of users. This makes it easier to manage your training budget and ensures you're only paying for what you need. Regarding scalability, as your user base grows or training needs fluctuate, most SaaS LMS vendors can easily adapt to accommodate these changes.
   
2. Easy to use and manage: With a SaaS LMS, the vendor handles everything behind the scenes, so you don't have to worry about the complexities of IT setup and ongoing maintenance. These platforms are designed with user-friendliness in mind, allowing your team to focus on creating impactful training programs.
   
3. Personalized learning: Some LMSs allow you to tailor training programs to individual needs and learning styles. For example, you can use adaptive learning paths, recommend courses based on skill gaps, and provide targeted feedback to create a more engaging learning experience for each user.
   
4. Powerful analytics and reporting: Most LMS solutions let you track progress, identify knowledge gaps, and measure the effectiveness of your training programs. You can use this data to refine future training initiatives and ensure users develop the skills they need to succeed.

Must-have features to look for in a SaaS LMS

While different platforms offer diverse features, here are the essential ones you can't afford to miss when selecting a SaaS LMS.

Feature #1: Course management and content creation

This core functionality is the foundation of eLearning. To begin with, the platform shouldn't require advanced technical knowledge to use. Ideally, it should have a drag-and-drop interface with authoring tools or intuitive editors that allow you to add videos, documents, presentations, and interactive quizzes to your training program.

A well-organized training program is key to keeping learners engaged. Look for a system that lets you easily structure training courses into logical modules and organize them into clear learning paths or learning solutions. Think of them like building blocks where you create individual modules on specific topics, then arrange them in a specific order to create a comprehensive course curriculum.

A robust LMS should act as a central hub for all your training materials. All creators should be able to upload and store training resources (webinars, documents, videos, etc.) in one place for easy access and future use. This helps avoid duplication of effort because existing content can be reused for building new courses and online learning programs. When updates are made, this ensures transmission of the update across all appearances of the content, instead of a painstaking manual effort to catch all of the references.

Feature #2: Tracking and reporting functionality

A good LMS goes beyond simply showing how many users are enrolled in a course. Look for a system that tracks different data points, including learner progress through modules, learning paths, completion rates for courses and assessments, and performance on quizzes. 

Some platforms offer account-level reporting, which aggregates training data for your entire organization or a specific customer base. This gives a high-level overview of training activity and offers leaderboard reporting. But the best LMS options also provide detailed reports at the course, learner, and even individual module level. The granular data allows you to identify areas where learners might be struggling or pinpoint specific modules that are particularly effective.

Sometimes, you might need to analyze the data outside the LMS. Look for a platform that offers seamless integration with your other systems, such as Salesforce, or at the very least can export reports as comma-separated value (CSV) files. This lets you import the data into spreadsheet software like Excel for further analysis or custom reporting.

Feature #3: Customization capabilities

The platform should allow you to customize the design and layout of your training site with your company logo, colors, and fonts. Most LMS platforms offer pre-designed themes or templates to get you started.

Some LMS platforms take customization a step further and allow adding custom CSS code or JavaScript. This gives you more control over the visual elements of your training site. While this level of customization might require some technical knowledge, it can be a powerful tool for creating a unique online learning and user experience.

Also, see if your platform supports Single Sign-On (SSO). With SSO, users log in once and can access multiple apps without needing to log in again. This means fewer passwords for end-users to remember.

Feature #4: Customer support channels

Even with the most intuitive LMS platform, you might require assistance from time to time. That's why robust customer support is a must-have feature. Look for a platform with a dedicated help center filled with resources. This knowledge base should not only include lengthy technical manuals, but also offer user-friendly material like video tutorials, step-by-step guides, and downloadable templates.

What’s more, see if the platform offers dedicated customer service and technical support teams. These teams should be available for live interaction, allowing you to connect with a human representative who can address your needs and questions in real-time.

The LMS vendor should also offer user onboarding or a training program, like an online academy with video modules or interactive courses. These resources can help you and your team get up and running quickly.

Top 5 SaaS LMS platforms of 2024

While there are many options available, these five SaaS LMS platforms stand out for their capabilities.

1. Skilljar

Skilljar is a software platform designed specifically for customer education and partner training, including solutions for product training. It helps businesses create engaging learning experiences for their users to increase product adoption, reduce support costs, and enhance customer retention. This is particularly effective for the software, healthcare, and manufacturing industries. Organizations appreciate Skilljar’s intuitive course creation and content management, native tracking and reporting, advanced customization, and all-around customer support capabilities.

2. Docebo

Docebo is a cloud-based LMS for enterprises to deliver training and educational programs. It helps organizations with employee onboarding, talent development, compliance training, sales enablement, customer education, and partner enablement. 

3. LearnWorlds

LearnWorlds is an online learning platform that allows users to create, sell, and deliver online courses. It caters to both individuals and enterprises, offering features for building a fully branded learning experience.

4. Absorb LMS

Absorb LMS is an AI-powered LMS, and some of its use cases are compliance training, learner upskilling, employee training and development, mobile learning, social learning, sales training, and partner learning.

5. TalentLMS

TalentLMS is a cloud-based solution that companies use to deliver remote workforce training, customer support training, onboarding training, workplace harassment training, cybersecurity training, and partner training.

Choosing the best SaaS LMS for your needs

With the right tools, you can transform your customer training programs into engaging experiences. 

Skilljar is a powerful SaaS LMS platform designed to empower organizations with a user-centric approach to training. Our intuitive interface allows you to create and manage different content formats, from videos and PDFs to interactive elements, all within one central location. The built-in reporting features provide comprehensive data on learner engagement and course effectiveness. With that, you get real-time insights into learner progress, quiz results, completion rates, and more.

Get a Skilljar demo to learn how our software can improve your business training initiatives.