5 Best e Learning Authoring Tools 2024 [Updated]

An eLearning authoring tools is considered to be a type of working software that enables users to create a variety of digital training content. Then convert it into an eLearning format and then distribute it among learners through a learning management system or on the web.

• Key Features of an eLearning Authoring Tool
• 5 best eLearning Authoring Tools
  • Elucidat
    • Key features
    • Pros
    • Cons
    • Pricing
  • Adobe Captivate
    • Key Features
    • Pros
    • Cons
    • Pricing
  • Articulate Storyline 360
    • Key Features
    • Pros
    • Cons
    • Pricing
  • Articulate Rise 360
    • Key Features
    • Pros
    • Cons
    • Pricing
  • Gomo
    • Key Features
    • Pros
    • Cons
    • Pricing
• Final Thoughts

Key Features of an eLearning Authoring Tool

ELearning authoring tools come with a variety of key features which include the following.

• Quizzes and surveys.
• Video lectures and screencasts.
• Interactions.
• Branching scenarios.
• Dialogue simulations.
• Mobile learning support.
• SCORM compliance.

5 best eLearning Authoring Tools

Below are the details of the 5 best eLearning authoring tools.

1. Elucidat

Elucidate offers an extensive library of pre-built templates that enables even the beginner level authors to create great-looking interactive experiences. And that is why, all those people who want to innovate, the “layout designer” feature lets you build your own page designs without even have to code. You might also be interested in top tips to implement an effective eLearning strategy.

Key Features

• Scalability
• Supported eLearning formats.
• Speed
• Efficiency

Pros

• Ready-made templates for a 4x faster production.
• Wide range of interactions and features that include rules, branches, and badges.
• Out of the box pages.
• Easy to use WYSIWYG interface.

Cons

• A time investment is required to use the full capabilities of the tool.
• Very expensive.

Pricing

• Pricing starts at $2500 per user per year.

2. Adobe Captivate

Captivate is known to be a desktop application that is available for both Windows and Mac. It is known to be one of the most powerful eLearning authoring tools there are but comes with a steeper learning curve if you want to produce high quality content.

Key Features

• Animation
• AR features.
• Audio features.
• Conditional triggers.
• Deployment output format.
• Development options.

Pros

• Can produce complex interactions.
• The output can be location aware.
• Accelerometer-based interaction types.

Cons

• Offers steep learning curve with limited support.
• Challenging collaboration.
• Traditional linear style design.
• Lengthy process to update.

Pricing

• Adobe captivate’s pricing starts from US $399.

3. Articulate Storyline 360

Articulate storyline 360 is a Windows desktop authoring application that leverages a PowerPoint look and feel. It is known to have a modest learning curve considering the extent of flexibility it offers. You can also checkout our topic of developing a successful eLearning strategy and future.

Key Features

• Intuitive user interface.
• Content library 260 integration.
• Review 360 integration.
• Slide templates.
• Characters.
• Modern text rendering.

Pros

• Good flexibility.
• Provides an active online community.
• Reasonably powerful.

Cons

• It is not mobile responsive but only shrinks the screen.
• Has a more traditional linear design compared to modern eLeanring authoring tools.
• Collaboration and updates are time consuming.
• No new features.
• Bugs aren’t fixed instantly.

Pricing

• Team plan starts $1299 per user annually whereas personal plan is of $999 annually.

4. Articulate Rise 360

Articulate rise 360 is a web-based authoring tool that is included as a part of the articulate 360 update which was released around the end of 2016. It offers prebuilt lesson types and custom learning called blocks, interactions, and screen-casts that help to create a variety of courses.

Key Features

• Build responsive courses online.
• Collaborative authoring.
• Collaborator roles.
• Review 360 integration.
• Quick insert.
• Duplicate lessons.

Pros

• Very easy to use and simple interface.
• Quick in creating good looking content.
• Screencasting option available.

Cons

• The created content can look very generic.
• Offers limited customization and flexibility.
• No translation management.
• Lacks accessibility options.

Pricing

• Articulate 360 teams comes with a price of $1299 whereas articulate personal comes at a price of $999.

5. Gomo

Gomo is a cloud-based authoring tool that enables all the learners to create very interactive web-style content. The courses that you create here can be hosted online through the internet or offline as well using the Gomo application.

Key Features

• Quick start wizard.
• Responsive and adaptive HTML5.
• Analytics and tracking.
• Continuous scroll.
• Cloud-based authoring.

Pros

• Offers greater flexibility than other desktop tools.
• Can produce very responsive elearning output.
• Offers offline mobile app and Gomo central which is a cloud-based learning portal.
• Provides multi-language courses.

Cons

• Too much layout restrictions.
• Gives courses a template look and feel.
• Interface in not intuitive and very tricky to use without a WYSIWYG interface.
• Not enough customization options.

Pricing

• Pricing starts at $1035 per feature, per year. Note that Gomo doesn’t offer a free version but a free trial is offered.

Final Thoughts

So these were the details of the 5 best eLearning authoring tools. Now, all you have to do is read the details of all these tools, their features, pros, cons, and pricing etc and then decide which one is for you and never stop learning.