The Best Learning Management Systems for Small Business

According to a ManpowerGroup Global Talent Shortage 2025 report, 74% of employers claimed that finding the skilled talent they need is challenging. Also, employee resistance to change remains a common problem. The good news is that you can address both challenges with a single solution — a learning management system (LMS). The right LMS platforms will help you stay on top of employee training needs. All you need to do is find the best LMS for a small business that will fit yours perfectly.

Read on to see the list of the best LMS platforms for small businesses and discover how to choose the right learning management system from all options.

Comparison Chart of the Best Learning Management Systems for Small Business

Want to go right to a detailed comparison of the best LMSs for small businesses? The table below compares key features of the top LMS platforms, including course creation, onboarding tools, and pricing. Click on the name of any LMS below for specifics, or scroll down further to explore the full chart.

Why Do Small Businesses Need a Learning Management System?

Enterprise-level companies often use learning management systems because they make training management easier. Purchasing LMS platforms for small businesses might seem unnecessary, but these tools solve critical challenges when it comes to corporate training, such as:

• A high degree of resistance from long-term employees leads to a delay in their skill enhancement.
• Poor learner engagement leads to a reduction in training efficiency and can sometimes trigger employee attrition.
• Training expenses keep growing while employees’ skill development progresses slowly.
• As the business grows, it becomes more difficult to keep training materials and training programs relevant for new employees.

Fortunately, all these risks can be easily mitigated with learning management systems.

Enhanced employee engagement and greater retention

Today, over 51% of employees believe that training and learning something new gives them more self-confidence. This is particularly true about the youngest generations: around 35% of Gen Z expect their employer to offer them career development programs. Learning management systems can align learning objectives with organizational goals, providing employees with unique individual learning programs for consistent training and certification.

Cost-effective employee training 

Onboarding each new employee individually requires a great deal of money and effort. Using learning management systems, you can automate repetitive training processes like induction training programs for each job position once and have it assigned to new arrivals automatically.

Scalability and flexibility

The knowledge base used by learning management systems helps keep all company materials archived. And when you progressively onboard more and more employees, the best LMS for small businesses should be able to scale easily.

Better compliance

Learning management systems offer all this in one place, from tools to monitor learner progress to detailed AI-powered analytics on an employee’s performance. Reports are usually available on the platform, and you can also schedule them to be emailed, which makes it much easier to understand your employees’ level of knowledge and always stay updated on learners’ progress.

Small Business LMS Trends to Keep in Mind

Mobile learning over desktop

According to Priori Data research, over 81.6% of the US population use smartphones, with an even greater rate among young adults aged 18 to 29 (94%). As mobile devices penetrate deeper into our lives, over 70% of learners prefer using mobile devices to access training materials. This is why it’s vital to choose learning management systems that will enable you to create mobile-accessible courses.

Gamification for engagement

It was proved that 89% of employees prefer gamified workplaces and learning. These numbers keep growing as millennials and Gen Z command a large portion of today’s workforce. By integrating gamification tools available in modern learning management systems, you will increase engagement and retention rates in training programs.

Data-driven training and insights

The GrowLearnConnect platform claims that learner history analysis is vital when you want to get more insights into how to organize your future learning efficiently. To ensure that team members have the knowledge and skills necessary to perform the tasks assigned to them, assess the LMS data routine.

AI-powered automation

Today, over 80% of managers automate their workflow to make it faster. The same holds for HR and learning management systems. Help from AI tools that are available in most learning management systems enables admins and trainers to create courses faster and with consideration to all the individual needs of the learners.

Personalized learning paths

Personalized learning provides more engagement and greater efficiency in studying. Academic research results show that 75% of students are motivated when the course is personalized, compared to 30% in traditional training methods. This is the same for employee and partner training.

The top 10 learning management systems (LMSs) for small businesses

Now that you know what to keep in mind when choosing a corporate LMS for a small business, let’s look at specific learning management systems and compare them.

1. iSpring Learn

iSpring Learn boasts an intuitive user interface and allows learners to access courses, training sessions, and knowledge bases with a single click.

iSpring Learn is a powerful LMS that provides top-quality learning experiences to users while also helping trainers manage the entire employee training cycle, which includes gathering reports and assessing results. It also boasts gamification and allows the creation of an online learning community. Here are the key reasons why iSpring Learn is the right choice:

• Course creation. The built-in course authoring tool allows you to break content down into chapters, create lists, add quotes and other blocks for engagement, and generate quizzes.
• Knowledge assessment and performance reviews. iSpring Learn offers a powerful employee performance appraisal tool and is tailored to generate comprehensive reports on your employees’ success to provide a thorough assessment of their results.
• New hire onboarding. This learning management system offers several options for onboarding new employees: from a general onboarding program for all newbies to individual courses and learning tracks that include a series of courses and VILT (virtual instructor-led training) sessions. 
• Certification. You can create separate partner training programs with iSpring Learn and set up the platform to automatically issue certificates of completion to your partners when they finish each course.
• Knowledge base. The learning management system includes a knowledge base where you and your colleagues can create articles, categorize content, and upload relevant training materials. Customizable user access also helps to provide learners with all necessary information.

Pricing

iSpring Learn offers tiered plans, billed annually. The total cost depends on two factors: the plan tier (features included) and the number of active users (learners who access the platform monthly). Prices are based on active users per month (only learners who access the platform are counted).

• Start Plan (from $3.70/user/month): Includes core LMS features like training management, mobile learning, and training analytics.
• Business Plan (from $2.94/user/month): Adds 360° review, corporate portal, on-the-job training, and API.
• Custom Plan: Tailored for large teams (1,000+ users) 

There’s a 14-day free trial to test features (no credit card required).

Our evaluation of the iSpring Learn LMS for small business

Overall score: 61

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2. TalentLMS

TalentLMS provides a convenient search of units and the simple creation of new courses.

TalentLMS provides tools for building and delivering online training courses, monitoring learner results, and more. Plus, there’s a paid course library with ready-made courses. Let’s see why businesses choose TalentLMS:

• Course creation. The platform allows for the development of engaging courses via its built-in, intuitive course editor with ready-made templates or creation from scratch. An AI-powered tool for even easier content creation is also available.
• Knowledge assessment. The learning management system has a built-in tool for assessment through testing that allows you to keep track of learner progress and results with ease. 
• New hire onboarding. TalentLMS allows you to create different training methods and programs, including compliance training and onboarding courses. As with many other learning management systems, you can put together an automated onboarding program for your new hires.
• Certification. With this platform, you can award your partners with customized certificates each time they complete training. Additionally, you can set expiration dates for your certificates.

Pricing

TalentLMS offers a tiered pricing structure with plans designed for various organizational needs. The Free plan supports up to 5 users and 10 courses, which is ideal for small teams or testing the platform. Paid plans include:

• Core: Ranges between $109-$199/month for up to 100 users, featuring unlimited courses, single sign-on (SSO), and 1 branch.
• Grow: Priced between $229-$369/month for up to 500 users, adding advanced custom reports and LTI 1.3 support.
• Pro: Ranges between $399-$696/month for up to 1,000 users, offering 15 branches, skill-based learning, and automations.
• Enterprise: Custom pricing for 1,000+ users, with unlimited branches and premium support.

Our evaluation of TalentLMS for small business

Overall score: 43

Also read: A Credible Alternative to TalentLMS – iSpring Learn

3. LearnWorlds

LearnWorlds is a popular learning management system that offers the creation of extremely engaging content. It promises appealing and effective training for employee skill development. As the solution was built to be a good fit for both SMBs and enterprises, it offers a wide variety of opportunities:

• Course creation. The tool allows users to create a variety of courses, from free to private, that include interactive videos, ebooks, 1:1 and group sessions, and more. The AI-powered assistant helps users generate engaging courses from simple text input.
• Knowledge assessment and performance reviews. You can build personalized exams and self-assessments on the platform and then present results to learners on a customizable summary screen.
• New hire onboarding. While not offering specific onboarding programs, this solution provides role-based access that keeps new hires within their assigned area; these can be created separately on the platform.
• Certification. The platform offers a gradebook for grading your learners. You can also provide personalized branded certificates featuring user or school name, exam scores, or previous submissions.
• Knowledge base. Although the learning management system doesn’t offer a ready-to-use knowledge base, you can build your own easily.

Pricing 

Like many other learning management systems, LearnWorlds offers a flexible pricing structure with plans tailored to different organizational needs. 

• Starter: Priced at $29/month, this plan includes essential LMS features like unlimited paid courses and a custom domain.
• Pro Trainer: At $99/month, this plan supports unlimited courses and offers advanced features, such as subscriptions, memberships, and a custom mobile app.
• Learning Center: For $299/month, this plan includes bulk user management, advanced analytics, and integrations with other tools.
• High Volume & Corporate: For organizations with more extensive needs, LearnWorlds offers custom pricing upon request. 

Our evaluation of the LearnWorlds LMS for small business

Overall score: 47

4. 360Learning

360Learning is another user-friendly LMS for small businesses that offers AI-powered tools and allows you to add integrations and make use of collaboration features. Here’s what small companies find attractive when considering the tool:

• Course creation. An AI-driven collaborative authoring tool helps import your existing documents and add new tasks. The platform also provides pre-designed course templates.
• Knowledge assessment and performance reviews. The learning management system offers many options, from using quizzes with 10+ question types to including video pitches and screencast demos that learners can record and upload to the platform.
• New hire onboarding. You can easily manage new enrollments by synchronizing employee data with the HR department and creating specific cohorts within a single workspace. Creating personalized learning paths and leveraging blended learning capabilities are also available.
• Certification. The system allows you to add a custom certificate block to both learning paths and individual programs, a feature that’s common in modern learning management systems.
• Knowledge base. This learning management system does not allow users to create a knowledge base section. However, all users have their own reference section, which contains all documents seen by a user on the platform.

Pricing

360Learning offers two pricing plans:

• Team: This plan is priced at $8 per registered user per month, allowing up to 100 users monthly. It includes a platform to manage all learning, transparent pricing with no setup fees, and access to top resources and support.
• Business: This plan focuses on automating and scaling learning with a versatile platform, offering integrations for various use cases and dedicated technical support teams. The price is available upon request.

360Learning also provides a free trial so you can explore the platform. They also offer demos to showcase how their platform can meet your specific needs.

Our evaluation of the 360Learning LMS for small business

Overall score: 51

5. Litmos

Litmos presents itself as an award-winning learning management system that unifies virtual, classroom, mobile, and collaborative learning and offers robust features, such as course authoring, automation, gamification, and more. Let’s see what it offers: 

• Course creation. The system features a built-in content authoring tool, which allows you to create SCORM courses right on the platform. Different components like texts, pictures, headings, media, etc., are available as well.
• Knowledge assessment and performance reviews. The tool provides a wide range of quiz settings and video assessments. You can set a specific weighted value for each question, decide if you want to show feedback information, and enable answer hints. At the same time, your employees can submit completed video assignments for AI assessment. 
• New hire onboarding. With Litmos, you can build comprehensive learning programs for your new employees by stringing multiple online courses together in logical sequences known as customized learning paths. 
• Certification. This learning management system allows you to add a certificate to any course or learning path to be issued to the learner as a PDF upon successful completion. You can also choose a ready-made template or upload your own.
• Knowledge base. This learning management system doesn’t allow users to create a knowledge base section. Instead, you can add content to the Additional Documents section if you need to add any training materials aside from the courses that learners are enrolled in.

Pricing

Upon request. The learning management system offers three tiered plans:

Foundation AI Suite: Tailored for small businesses or departments (<100 learners), this plan includes foundational LMS tools, starter content (140+ courses), and basic implementation support.

Premier AI Suite: Geared toward mid-market companies, it adds content authoring tools, custom branding, compliance training, and scalable implementation options.

Platinum AI Suite: Designed for enterprises, this plan offers advanced analytics, regional compliance content (1 region), soft-skills training, and premium support.

Our evaluation of the Litmos LMS for small business

Overall score: 48

6. Absorb LMS

Absorb LMS is an AI-powered learning management system that promises to bridge knowledge gaps quickly, great onboarding, and more opportunities for learners and trainers. This solution became popular thanks to a wide range of opportunities for small businesses:

• Course creation. Absorb LMS allows for the creation of personalized learning courses. The solution offers Absorb Create AI to simplify the course-building experience, including the design and structure of the courses.
• Knowledge assessment and performance reviews. Though there are no specific knowledge assessment tools on the platform, it offers social learning that helps the admin analyze this feedback and provide tailored recommendations.
• New hire onboarding. This learning management system offers efficient onboarding with integrated pre-boarding content, mobile access for on-the-go learning, and more. The solution team claims they can reduce onboarding time by 40%.
• Certification. You can create certificates with custom user fields on the learning management system and automate their renewal.
• Knowledge base. This solution offers several content libraries, thanks to integrations with MedTrainer, Traliant, and HSI, so most of the topics can be covered with existing training materials. However, you can always upload your own.

Pricing 

This solution offers access-based pricing (pay only for what you use). There are several plans based on the number of active learners. Each plan includes onboarding features and staff training. However, you need to contact them to get exact prices for these plans.

Our evaluation of the Absorb LMS for small business

Overall score: 45

7. SkyPrep

SkyPrep is an easy-to-use learning management system. The LMS features all the essential functionality needed for corporate training: course authoring, delivery tools, and more. Companies choose SkyPrep for the many capabilities it offers:

• Course creation. The learning management system allows you to create interactive learning content from various content blocks. Finished content can then be published as a SCORM file and downloaded.
• Knowledge assessment and performance reviews. The learning management system also features a quiz making tool, which enables you to set individual point values and see detailed analytics.
• New hire onboarding. Multiple courses can be combined in learning paths, so you can build an onboarding and compliance training program for all your new hires.
• Certification. You can award your learners with a certificate of completion after they finish a course or an entire learning path. Your customized certificate and the default template are both available.
• Knowledge base. While many learning management systems integrate this tool, SkyPrep does not have a built-in knowledge base. However, the vendor offers a separate product to store reference materials that can be integrated with the LMS.

Pricing 

Upon request. Three plans are shown on the site:

• Lite: This plan includes foundational LMS tools like unlimited courses, SCORM compliance, custom branding, and basic reporting for up to 100 active users.
• Premium: It adds advanced features such as API access, SSO integration, workflow automation, and gamification.
• Enterprise Learning Suite: This plan offers migration services, multi-year discounts, and custom SMTP.

A 14-day free trial period is available.

Our evaluation of the SkyPrep LMS for small business

Overall score: 57 

8. Docebo

Docebo is a powerful and scalable learning management system designed to support corporate training and employee development. It is best suited for extended enterprise learning, but can also be a solid choice for small businesses. The LMS offers a robust set of features, including AI-powered recommendations, course authoring, and advanced reporting.

• Course creation. Docebo allows users to create and upload training content in various formats, including SCORM, xAPI, videos, and documents. The learning management system supports interactive learning experiences with quizzes, surveys, and gamification elements.
• Knowledge assessment and performance tracking. The LMS includes built-in assessment tools that enable instructors to create quizzes and track learner progress. 
• Onboarding and compliance training. Docebo supports tailored learning paths, allowing organizations to design onboarding programs and mandatory compliance training. Automated enrollments and due dates ensure that employees complete required courses on time.
• Certification. The learning management system enables automatic certification upon course completion, with options for determining expiration dates and sending recertification reminders. Custom certificates can be branded with your company logo and design.
• Knowledge base. Docebo includes the so-called central repository, where organizations can store FAQs, guides, and reference materials.

Pricing

Docebo offers three main pricing plans:

• Engage: This plan is designed for hundreds of learners and early growth needs. 
• Elevate: Ideal for thousands of learners with fast-scaling needs.
• Enterprise: Suited for large-scale learning programs and complex global needs.

For detailed pricing, you can contact Docebo directly to get a quote based on your specific requirements.

Our evaluation of the Docebo LMS for small business

Overall score: 55

9. LearnUpon

LearnUpon is a user-friendly learning management system designed for businesses focused on employee training, although it can also be a good fit for customer education and partner onboarding. The platform offers a streamlined experience with essential features for course creation, user management, and reporting.

• Course creation. LearnUpon supports SCORM, xAPI, and various multimedia formats (videos, PDFs, presentations). The built-in course builder allows for simple content creation, while integrations with authoring tools like Articulate 360 and Adobe Captivate enhance course development.
• Knowledge assessment and tracking. The LMS includes quiz and survey tools for evaluating learner progress. Detailed reporting provides insights into completion rates, assessment scores, and overall training effectiveness.
• Onboarding and compliance training. LearnUpon enables structured learning paths, making it easy to automate onboarding programs and compliance training. Admins can set due dates, reminders, and automatic enrollments to ensure compliance.
• Certification. LearnUpon automates certificate issuance, renewal tracking, and compliance reporting, and supports branded certificates.
• Knowledge base. While it doesn’t have a built-in wiki-style knowledge base, it supports resource libraries for supplemental training materials.

Pricing

LearnUpon does not provide pricing publicly, but offers three main plans: 

• Essential: (Up to 150 users) Basic features for small teams. 
• Premium: (150 to 500 users) Advanced reporting and automation. 
• Enterprise: (500+ users) Custom solutions with API access and dedicated support. 

A free demo is available to explore the learning management system before purchasing.

Our evaluation of the LearnUpon LMS for small business

Overall score: 56

10. Easy LMS

Easy LMS is a cloud-based learning management system designed for small to mid-sized businesses that prioritize ease of use and cost-effectiveness over advanced functionality. Easy LMS delivers a practical solution for basic training needs.

• Course creation. This learning management system offers a drag-and-drop course builder for creating interactive training content using text, images, videos, and quizzes. While it lacks SCORM/xAPI support, different content types can be organized into learning paths
• Knowledge assessment and performance tracking. Easy LMS includes quiz and exam tools with question randomization, instant feedback, and gamification elements like leaderboards. However, analytics are basic.
• New hire onboarding. Learning paths allow admins to combine courses into sequential programs for onboarding or compliance training. Automated reminders and due dates help ensure timely completion, although the system lacks granular user role management for large teams.
• Certification. Automated certificates are available in higher-tier plans, with customization options for branding (logos, colors). Certificates can include expiration dates, but recertification workflows require manual setup.
• Knowledge base. This LMS system does not have a traditional built-in knowledge base. Instead, its “Academy” portals act as branded hubs to host courses and supplemental resources that enable centralized access for learners.

Pricing

Easy LMS offers transparent, flat-fee plans: 

• Business Owl + Academy: $105/month (25,000 monthly sessions). 
• Corporate Owl + Academy: $159/month (50,000 sessions).
• Enterprise Owl: $275/month (100,000 sessions, SSO, API access).

All plans include unlimited courses and users. A 7-day free trial is available.

Our evaluation of the Easy LMS for small business

Overall score: 42

How to Choose the Best LMS for Your Small Business

Before choosing the best LMS for your small business, you need to decide which features are must-haves based on your specific needs and expectations and assess if the free LMS software can cover these demands. Here is a short list of the key requirements to pay attention to:

Ease of use

The best learning management systems for small businesses should not be complicated to use. Choosing a simple, user-friendly platform will make it easy for both trainers and learners to access training materials and exchange knowledge, regardless of the size of your company.

Customization and scalability

Thinking about scalability at the beginning of your best LMS journey will guarantee lower expenses and more freedom in the future. Your business won’t face a need to change learning management systems every time it grows, and you’ll be able to integrate new solutions right into your LMS.

Content management and integration

To avoid chaos in your learning materials, choose a learning management system that provides vast and flexible content management capabilities. Look for creating separate courses, role-based access, breaking content down into smaller pieces, and creating different formats.

Reporting and analytics

Analytics are the main driver of a company’s success. Besides providing an evaluation of your learners’ performance, learning management systems with strong analytics can help you discover issues quickly and adopt necessary changes as rapidly as possible.

All these vital points increase your employee retention rate, provide greater opportunities for your company to grow, and ensure that employee training will be straightforward in the future.

Small Business LMS FAQ

In this section, you’ll find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions related to learning management software. 

What is the most commonly used LMS for small business?

One of the most commonly used learning management systems for SMBs is iSpring Learn. As each business has its own training needs, finding the best LMS for small businesses depends greatly on the business needs.

How much does an LMS cost per year?

The cost of learning management systems varies from $100 to $3,000+ per year. Detailed info is usually present on the particular learning management system’s website or can be requested from the vendor.

What is the best open-source LMS?

Moodle is believed to be one of the most popular open-source learning management systems. However, as it is mostly used for academic purposes, it lacks some vital business capabilities. For small businesses, we recommend considering an AI-powered LMS instead of an open-source learning management system.

How long does it take to implement an LMS for a small team?

Most modern learning management systems for small business can be set up in 1–3 days. Cloud-based systems require minimal technical expertise, while open-source solutions like Moodle may take weeks due to customization and hosting setup.

Can a learning management system work for hybrid or remote teams?

Yes! Learning management systems like TalentLMS or iSpring Learn offer mobile-friendly interfaces, offline access, and tools for live virtual sessions, making them ideal for training remote or hybrid teams.

Conclusion

For small businesses, purchasing an LMS might seem expensive. However, learning management systems can help them develop and thrive in the long run. And the key to choosing the best LMS for a small business in 2025 is to assess your real needs and capabilities. You don’t need to purchase the most expensive learning management system right away. You can start with some basic functionality, but make sure to choose an LMS that’s scalable and customizable to protect the future of your business.

Looking for a great learning management system that will let you train your employees, customers, and partners effectively? Sign up for a free demo of iSpring Learn now and our experts will show you how this LMS for small businesses can help you make the training process in your company a breeze.