Choosing the right learning management system (LMS) is crucial for ensuring a smooth learning experience. But a clunky platform is a headache for administrators, frustrates learners, and doesn't give the ROI bang for your training buck. Whether for corporate training or educational purposes, a user-friendly LMS can make a world of difference. This article explores some of the easiest-to-use LMS options currently available, looking specifically at the feature(s) that have made them crowd-favorites.
But first, what ease-of-use features should you be looking out for in an LMS?
What makes an LMS easy to use?
The following key factors contribute to an LMS being considered user-friendly:
1. Intuitive interface
A simple, clean design that helps users and administrators navigate easily
An LMS with an intuitive interface is crucial because it directly impacts user engagement and the overall learning experience. When learners can easily navigate the platform without confusion, they can focus more on absorbing the course material instead of figuring out how to use the system. A clean, simple design with clear menus, icons, and instructions minimizes the learning curve for both administrators and learners, making it faster for teams to adopt the system. This leads to higher course completion rates and better overall training outcomes.
For administrators, an intuitive LMS reduces the time spent on troubleshooting and managing the platform. It allows them to quickly create courses, track learner progress, and make updates without needing technical expertise. This efficiency improves productivity and ensures that the system supports, rather than hinders, the training process.
2. Quick setup
Minimal technical requirements and training for administrators
Choosing an LMS with quick setup capabilities is essential for organizations that want to start delivering training immediately without delays. A fast setup allows businesses to implement the system quickly, minimizing downtime and ensuring that learners can begin their courses without waiting for complicated configurations. This is especially important for small businesses or teams with limited IT resources, as they can avoid the need for extensive technical support or long onboarding periods.
Additionally, a quick setup reduces administrative burden, allowing managers and instructors to focus on creating and delivering effective training content rather than dealing with complex technical issues. By getting the LMS up and running swiftly, organizations can achieve faster return on investment (ROI), as they can start meeting their learning and development goals almost immediately.
3. Strong support
Responsive customer service to minimize disruptions
Strong support is essential when choosing an LMS, even if the platform is designed to be easy to use. No matter how intuitive a system may be, there will always be instances where administrators or learners encounter questions or issues that need quick resolution. Reliable customer support ensures that these challenges don’t disrupt the learning process, allowing organizations to keep their training programs running smoothly. Whether it's troubleshooting technical issues, answering questions about features, or guiding users through setup, responsive support can significantly reduce frustration and downtime.
Additionally, strong support helps organizations maximize the value of their LMS by assisting with customization, integrations, and best practices. When a support team is knowledgeable and proactive, they can provide insights on how to get the most out of the platform, tailoring it to meet specific needs and goals. This level of assistance is particularly important for organizations new to using an LMS or those that require a more personalized experience. In the end, great support enhances the overall ease of use by ensuring that help is always available when needed.
4. Low learning curve
Learners can get started with minimal instruction
A low learning curve is critical to ease of use when choosing an LMS because it ensures that both administrators and learners can quickly get comfortable with the platform. When the system is intuitive and easy to navigate, users spend less time trying to figure out how it works and more time focusing on actual learning and course management. This leads to faster adoption, reduces the need for extensive end-user training or support, and minimizes frustration, making the LMS a more efficient tool for delivering education and training. In short, a low learning curve means smoother onboarding and better overall user experience.
5. Effortless course creation
Drag-and-drop features and pre-built templates that make content creation simple
Easy course creation is essential for a user-friendly LMS because it lets instructors build and manage content without needing to be tech experts. With simple drag-and-drop tools and templates, creating engaging courses becomes quick and hassle-free, allowing trainers to focus on the material instead of the mechanics. Plus, it makes updating or tweaking content easy, so your training can stay fresh and relevant as needs change. This kind of flexibility is a game-changer for organizations that need to keep their learning programs agile and responsive.
A clunky learning management system is a headache for administrators, frustrates learners, and doesn't offer the training ROI you deserve. A user-friendly LMS helps you hit your targets faster.
With these criteria in mind, here are the top LMS options that are recognized for their ease of use.
GoSkills shines particularly for small to mid-sized businesses, offering an intuitive, out-of-the-box solution. The platform has received recognition for “Best Usability” and "Most Implementable" in Winter 2024 by users of the independent software marketplace G2, making it an excellent choice for organizations that prioritize ease of use.
Key strengths:
Quick setup – GoSkills earned G2’s award for “Easiest Setup” for Small Business in Spring and Summer 2024, meaning that businesses can get started quickly without complex configurations.
Reliable support – With an onboarding wizard, a helpful support team, an online knowledge base, and pre-built courses, most organizations can complete implementation and have their teams ready to go in about one hour.
Plug and play features – G2 also awarded GoSkills the "Easiest to Use" badge for Winter 2024, confirming its ease for both learners and administrators. The course builder features course templates, an AI content authoring assistant, easy addition of multimedia elements, and more. The course recommender feature suggests courses based on the learner's interests and history.
Easiest administration – With an admin-friendly dashboard and built-in reports, GoSkills helps organizations manage learners, assign courses, and track progress effortlessly.
User-friendly interface – Learners can navigate their courses, complete quizzes, and track progress using a clean, modern user design. GoSkills has been featured as a Leader among learning experience platforms by G2.
GoSkills is an easy-to-use LMS geared especially towards corporate training. To determine whether it's right for your team, check out these features and compare them with your organization's requirements.
2. Absorb LMS
Absorb LMS provides a clean, intuitive interface and a strong set of features for both corporate training and higher education.
Comprehensive support – The platform offers detailed customer support and resources to assist with implementation.
Course content library – Absorb LMS provides a wide range of pre-built course content, allowing organizations to quickly get started.
Absorb is best suited for mid-sized businesses and organizations looking for an LMS that offers strong support alongside an easy user experience.
3. Canvas LMS
Canvas is a popular LMS used in both educational and corporate settings. It’s known for its modern design and mobile accessibility, offering a relatively low learning curve for both learners and admins.
Key strengths:
Mobile-friendly – Canvas has one of the best mobile experiences, allowing learners to easily access courses on any device.
Straightforward course creation – Instructors can create and update courses with a simple drag-and-drop interface.
Collaborative features – Canvas allows for discussion boards and peer-to-peer collaboration, enhancing the learning experience.
Canvas is a good option for educational institutions and businesses that want a modern, easy-to-use platform, but it may require more support for larger organizations.
4. Docebo
Docebo is a scalable, cloud-based LMS that offers AI-powered recommendations and gamification features to enhance user engagement. It’s known for its robust analytics but isn’t as user-friendly as some competitors for smaller businesses.
Key strengths:
AI-powered learning – Docebo uses artificial intelligence to recommend courses based on learner behavior.
Advanced analytics – The platform provides detailed reporting to help organizations optimize training.
Although Docebo is powerful, its complexity may pose a challenge for admins new to LMS platforms.
5. Edmodo
Edmodo is an easy-to-use LMS designed with K-12 education in mind, but it also offers business solutions for smaller teams or informal training programs.
Key strengths:
K-12 focus – Edmodo is particularly well-suited for educators due to its social media-like interface that simplifies communication between instructors and learners.
Accessible from any device – The platform offers full mobile access, so learners can engage with content wherever they are.
Collaborative learning environment – Edmodo encourages collaboration between users, enhancing the learning experience through discussion features and real-time updates.
While it’s geared more toward educational settings, smaller businesses or teams might find Edmodo’s straightforward setup ideal for quick, informal training.
6. LearnDash
LearnDash is a WordPress-based LMS, which makes it a great choice for organizations familiar with WordPress. It allows for seamless integration with other plugins and themes, but users without prior WordPress experience may find it harder to navigate.
Key strengths:
Ideal for WordPress users – If your organization already uses WordPress, LearnDash is a natural choice due to its deep integration with the platform.
Flexible pricing – LearnDash offers a variety of pricing tiers to suit different needs.
For those without WordPress knowledge, LearnDash can be challenging to set up and manage.
7. Moodle
Moodle is an open-source LMS that's known for its flexibility but requires a bit more technical knowledge to operate smoothly.
Key strengths:
Highly customizable – Moodle allows for extensive customization through plugins, making it ideal for businesses that need specific features.
Free and open-source – Organizations with IT resources can use Moodle for free, making it an attractive option for those with tighter budgets.
Moodle's complexity means it has a steeper learning curve, so it may not be the best option for businesses looking for a plug-and-play solution.
8. SAP Litmos
SAP Litmos is designed for corporate training and offers a modern, mobile-friendly interface that’s easy for both admins and learners to navigate.
Key strengths:
Fast implementation – SAP Litmos is known for its quick setup, allowing organizations to get started with minimal downtime.
Mobile-responsive – Courses are optimized for mobile devices, making it easy for learners to access training anywhere.
Strong support for integrations – The platform integrates with a wide range of third-party tools like Salesforce and Zendesk.
SAP Litmos is ideal for organizations looking for corporate training solutions, but its advanced reporting and integrations may require more time for new users to master.
9. TalentLMS
TalentLMS is another cloud-based platform known for its simple setup and easy-to-use interface. It's popular with small and medium-sized businesses looking for a fast, flexible solution.
Key strengths:
Customizable and mobile-friendly – TalentLMS allows for portal customization and can be accessed on any device, making it easy for users on the go.
Drag-and-drop course creation – TalentLMS offers course-building tools that allow trainers to upload materials and create content with minimal effort.
While TalentLMS is user-friendly for smaller businesses, some users report needing more assistance when managing larger training programs.
10. Teachable
Teachable is a highly accessible LMS that specializes in helping individuals and small businesses create and sell online courses. It offers an easy-to-navigate interface for both course creators and learners.
Key strengths:
Easy course creation – Teachable offers an intuitive course builder that allows even non-technical users to create professional courses.
Ecommerce integration – It includes built-in tools to help course creators monetize their content.
Simple user interface – Learners can easily browse, enroll in, and complete courses with little to no instruction.
While Teachable is great for small businesses and entrepreneurs, larger organizations may find its feature set limiting compared to other platforms like GoSkills or Absorb LMS.
Final thoughts
With so many LMS options available, choosing the right platform depends on your organization’s needs. However, when it comes to overall ease of use, GoSkills shines.
Recognized by G2 and Capterra for its simple setup, usability, and exceptional customer support, GoSkills is an excellent option for small and medium-sized businesses. Its intuitive design minimizes administrative hassle, allowing organizations to focus on what matters—helping their teams learn and grow.
Ease of use is definitely an important deciding factor when shopping around for a learning management system, but it isn't the only one! For more details on leveraging the right LMS for your team, explore this article on what to look for when choosing an LMS.
Claudia is a certified Microsoft Office Expert (Excel Specialist), project manager, and business skills instructor at GoSkills who has spent over 20 years in employee professional development. Claudia has a Masters Degree in Business Administration and a Diploma in Educational Psychology. In her spare time, she listens to audiobooks and is an amateur genealogist. View her profile here.
