A greater number of features doesn't automatically make a learning management system the best fit for a small organization. The tool should fit the culture and not the other way round. Not being aware of this may result in a small business paying for a tool that it doesn't actually need.
The best LMS for small businesses are not only time savers but also give you good return on investment (ROI). Here are my top picks for LMSs that are built with small business learning and development in mind.
Top 6 LMSs for small business
| 1. GoSkills | 2. 360Learning |
| 3. Coassemble | 4. iSpring Learn |
| 5. TalentLMS | 6. Zoho Learn |
The following learning management systems are popular choices among small to medium-sized businesses. With smaller budgets, less role specialization, and scalability as key concerns, the following platforms enable managers to meet compliance, development, and upskilling targets without compromising on quality.
1. GoSkills
GoSkills LMS is an excellent choice for small businesses due to its user-friendly interface, affordability, and comprehensive features. It offers a free plan for teams of any size, eliminating expensive setup fees and making it accessible for small enterprises. The platform provides a library of expert-led business courses, covering essential skills like Microsoft Excel, project management, and soft skills, which can be assigned to individuals or teams.Additionally, GoSkills includes a free built-in course builder, allowing businesses to create custom training materials tailored to their specific needs or upload external content, all while tracking progress and performance through detailed analytics.
Limitation: With a catalog of just over 120 accredited courses, GoSkills may not cover all specialized training needs for certain industries.
Train any size team
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Start for free2. 360Learning
360Learning offers scalable pricing plans, including options suitable for small teams, making it a cost-effective solution for growing businesses.
Limitation: The collaborative nature of 360Learning means that administrators need to spend extra time managing user roles and overseeing user-generated content to maintain quality and relevance.
3. Coassemble
The platform also provides granular reporting features, offering detailed insights into learner performance and course effectiveness, facilitating continuous improvement of training programs.
Limitation: Some users have experienced slow platform performance, particularly when handling large datasets or generating reports, which can affect efficiency.
4. iSpring Learn
iSpring Learn's scalability and affordability make it a practical choice for small businesses aiming to implement efficient and engaging training programs.
Limitation: Setting up groups and teams in iSpring can be complex without proper training, necessitating assistance from the support team to fully utilize the platform's capabilities.
5. TalentLMS
TalentLMS also integrates seamlessly with various tools and supports mobile learning, making it accessible and adaptable to diverse training needs.
Limitation: Customer support varies according to the plan purchased. Companies on a tight budget may not have access to the same level of assistance as those who purchased premium tiers.
6. Zoho Learn
Zoho Learn's seamless integration with other Zoho applications enhances collaboration and streamlines business operations, making it a cost-effective solution for small enterprises.
Limitation: Although affordable for small teams, the pricing plans may become costly as the business scales, potentially impacting budget constraints.
Do small businesses really need an LMS?
A Learning Management System (LMS) sounds like a training platform only a large enterprise would use. But this is where you could miss out on giving your small business a competitive edge. A Learning Management System (LMS) is necessary for small businesses, startups, and teams of all sizes. It helps enhance skills, learn new ones, and effectively share knowledge within the organization.
Picture a scenario where you hire someone new. You can use a small business LMS solution to help onboard new employees. It can assist them in getting started smoothly, learning new skills, and meeting industry requirements faster. The same LMS can then upskill them as they progress through the ranks.
Features to look out for when choosing an LMS for your small business
What are some of the not-so-obvious considerations to bear in mind when making your selection? Here are 11 key factors you should look for when you decide to deploy an LMS for your small business.
1. No user minimums
Different LMS providers offer variable tiers on their services. They can also offer a price per user instead of a package subscription. The former can be ideal if your training needs expand in the future.
Some LMS platforms have a high minimum number of users for their pricing. This means that even small businesses might have to pay for licenses they don't need at the lowest price level. This can eat into modest budgets and may even result in negative ROI on your training dollar.
GoSkills LMS is free for teams of any size, with no expensive set-up fees. It also offers optional add-ons like pre-made courses and customizable templates, which makes it a great choice for small businesses.
2. Budget-friendly
What is your online training budget? This will likely be a critical factor that will determine your choice.
Small businesses and large corporations both have learning needs. However, it can be difficult for small businesses to find affordable LMS software for a small number of learners.
When choosing an LMS, find one with a generous free trial or freemium option. This way, you can pick the features you need for your small business without paying for bells and whistles you don't need. Importantly, make sure that your LMS does not require you to have a higher minimum number of learners than you have to train but is also scalable enough to grow with your business. LMS packages can also offer feature-specific pricing. This can help you avoid paying for features that you might not need right now. Remember, prices can be tough to decipher, so a needs-based assessment will help you focus on the optimum amount to spend.
If you are wary of committing to a paid LMS straight away, first look for one that offers a free plan or at least a free trial.
3. Ready-to-go content
Developing your own content is time-intensive and costly. One Association for Talent Development (ATD) study found that time, budget, and the headcount of the talent team were the biggest constraints to the design and development of elearning content.
Small businesses can benefit from ready-to-go content for essential office skills and soft skills. Many learning platforms, such as GoSkills, already have a variety of pre-made courses that don't require customization for each student. You can simply assign the different courses to different teams or individuals.
An LMS that allows you to import or upload training materials (like slides, video, documents, SCORM courses, and PDF files) can reduce the need but won’t cover your entire training needs. An in-house elearning content developer is necessary for proprietary and specialized content, or you can work with an LMS provider to help you develop custom courses.
4. Relevant content
Once the basic decisions are out of the way, the eventual success of the training will depend largely on the content. The content can differ for new employees who you want to just onboard and members of the workforce who need continuous training.
A learning needs assessment exercise will help you decide on the scope of the content. If the content is standardized across the organization, then a pre-packaged LMS can work well. Otherwise, you might need to choose an LMS that allows you to create original content and update it when necessary.
5. Easy to configure
As a small business, you don’t have the man-hours to set up the LMS. A small business will want the learning to be up and running in minutes and without a set of complicated rules. Learning in the cloud is as simple as logging into an elearning website from the browser.
6. Caters to diverse learning styles
Employees can have different approaches to how they process information. An LMS needs to adapt to the different learning styles of the students, and not vice versa, to be efficient.
Age can affect preferences, along with factors like visual, auditory, reading/writing, and kinesthetic preferences. Different age groups may have different preferences. Visual, auditory, reading/writing, and kinesthetic preferences are common factors that influence preferences. For instance, younger learners might prefer mobile videos and social sharing over reading.
Not all learners fit into one category, so an adaptive LMS should support learning across several learning modalities. Check if the service supports a wider variety of learning assets.
Participants with many responsibilities might like microlearning as they multitask at home and in the office. Content presented in 3-5 minute chunks is more digestible and encourages engagement with the platform since learning goals seem more achievable.
7. Built-in content creation tools
As organizations develop their own ways of doing things, they will seek to document these processes for current and future hires. A platform that comes with the ability to create training resources is a must for growing teams.
GoSkills also has a course authoring assistant and course templates that streamline content creation, freeing up more time for coaching, learning, and practical application.
8. Accessible from anywhere
A cross-platform LMS will work on any platform, including mobile devices. This will reduce your implementation costs, and anyone can learn from anywhere. Cloud-based learning management systems offer remote learning by default.
9. Facilitates team collaboration
Hybrid workplaces are becoming the norm now. Still, teams might prefer learning together instead of self-directed learning. An LMS that offers blended learning (online learning and instructor-led) over the cloud is the best of both worlds.
A Gallup study found that learning together is more effective than going it alone:
[...] as many people participate in remote education from their homes or preferred settings of choice, often while dressed down, a sense of inclusion is rapidly created.
10. Progress tracking abilities
You can only improve what you track. Narrow down on an LMS that helps you monitor the learning goals of your business. An LMS with good analytics will help you identify problem areas and those employees who might need further training. Quickly spotting successful learners will enable you to empower them in the right roles.
11. Future needs
Choose an LMS that will be a part of the business for a long time. Do developers update it on a schedule? Does that platform have enough traction in your industry? Has it considered new trends, for instance, social learning and gamification for business learning?
Scalability is an important factor when choosing an LMS for small businesses. A solution that cannot accommodate the needs of your growing business will frustrate administrators and learners.
A custom-built learning management system is tempting but not ideal for a small business. Also, some well-known LMS systems may have a worldwide user base but can have hidden costs that only show up after implementation.
So, look at your future needs and choose an LMS that will scale with your business needs. Any industry accreditation and awards in its track record can help give some assurance to make your decision easier.
Making the smart choice for your small business LMS
There might be other factors that will determine the best LMS for your small business depending on your particular needs (like SCORM compliance, industry certifications, and integration with third-party tools), but the above list is a good trigger for you to start thinking about the right tool for your organization.
With all these factors in mind, the GoSkills LMS is an obvious choice for small businesses seeking to foster a culture of continuous learning and development. Recognized for its ease of use and budget-friendly pricing, GoSkills has consistently been awarded for its excellence in serving the unique needs of smaller enterprises. 
Train any size team
It's easier than ever to track and manage your team's training with the GoSkills LMS.
Start for free
