We’ll walk you through what e-learning authoring tools are, how they work, and how to find one that fits your learning needs.
Whether your team is just getting started with e-learning or you want to improve how you create training, this guide will help you make sense of e-learning authoring tools. You’ll learn what they are, what they can do, and how to choose the right one to create company-tailored training at scale.
An e-learning authoring tool is software that helps you and your team create online learning content. You can build anything from complete e-learning courses to quick performance support guides or short microlearning modules.
These tools make it easier to adapt to how people learn today. For example, you can create a step-by-step guide to help employees follow a new process, or design a short microlearning course to share quick updates.
An e-learning authoring tool gives you the flexibility to create content that fits your goals and your learners’ needs.
E-learning authoring tools come in different forms. They vary in how they’re hosted and in the features they offer. Understanding these differences will help you choose a tool that fits your team’s setup, skills, and learning goals.
A cloud-based authoring tool runs entirely online. You don’t need to download or install software. You can log in from any internet-connected device and start creating courses immediately.
Because it’s hosted in the cloud, your team can work together in real time, even from different locations. This makes collaboration simple and efficient. Cloud-based tools also update automatically, so you always use the latest version without managing updates manually.
Cloud-based authoring tools like Easygenerator also make it easier to publish and share content. You can export courses as SCORM or xAPI packages, share them through private links, or embed them on an existing website.
Desktop-based authoring tools need to be installed on a computer. Once installed, they work offline, which is helpful if your employees often work without internet access. These tools usually include a wide range of design and customization features.
However, their complexity can make them harder to use, especially for non-technical authors. Because desktop tools are tied to a single device, collaboration is limited, and updates need to be installed manually. This setup can slow down content creation across teams.
Some authoring tools focus on one type of content, such as videos, animations, or gamified learning. These specialized tools often offer advanced features to produce high-quality results within that medium.
They can be a great fit if your organization relies on a specific learning format. However, most of them don’t provide hosting or tracking options. You’ll need a separate system, such as a Learning Management System (LMS), to deliver and manage your courses.
A Learning Management System helps you store, deliver, and track your learning content. Some LMS platforms also include basic authoring capabilities. This setup can be convenient if you want to create and host training in one place.
Still, built-in tools are usually limited. They’re designed for quick content creation, not for building rich, learner-focused experiences. If you want more flexibility, you can use a dedicated authoring tool to create content and then export it to your LMS as a SCORM or xAPI package.
LMS-lite tools combine the core features of both an authoring tool and an LMS. They let you create, publish, host, and track learning all in one platform. This setup removes the need for multiple systems and helps teams move faster.
Easygenerator is an LMS-lite authoring tool. It helps you create engaging e-learning content, to publish it directly, and to track your learners’ activity. You can export your course as a SCORM or xAPI package, generate a private link, or embed it on your website. You’ll also gain access to detailed data insights to see how learners interact with your training and where they might need extra support.
Many companies already use an LMS, but a separate e-learning authoring tool serves a different purpose. The traditional way of creating courses takes too much time and money, often slowing down the Learning & Development (L&D) process. A good authoring tool changes that by helping teams create content faster, more accurately, and at lower cost.
Here’s how the right authoring tool can make a difference.
An authoring tool gives you creative options to make learning active and fun. You can add quizzes, fill-in-the-blank questions, true-or-false exercises, videos, and interactive images. These features turn static lessons into experiences that keep learners engaged and motivated.
Off-the-shelf training rarely addresses your organization’s specific goals. An e-learning authoring tool lets you create company-tailored courses that speak directly to your learners’ needs.
With an easy-to-use tool, subject-matter experts (SMEs) can also create training for their peers, an approach called Employee-generated Learning (EGL). This makes it easier to capture real knowledge from within the business and quickly create content that solves actual challenges.
In a traditional setup, the L&D department or an external agency develops courses, while SMEs review them for accuracy. This back-and-forth can take weeks before learners ever see the content.
When SMEs create content themselves, the process becomes faster and more accurate. Cloud-based authoring tools also allow co-authoring and real-time reviews, so multiple contributors can work on the same course at once. This shortens turnaround time and keeps learning relevant.
Outsourcing e-learning creation can seem cost-effective at first, but it adds up quickly as content needs to be updated. An authoring tool helps you save money by keeping course maintenance in-house.
With Easygenerator, you can store, edit, and republish your content anytime. You only create your course once and can update it whenever needed, without re-sharing links or rebuilding lessons from scratch. This saves both time and budget as your training evolves.
While an LMS tracks completions and scores, an authoring tool offers deeper insights into how learners interact with your courses. The right tool gives you clear, user-friendly data without complex reports.
Easygenerator, for example, shows how long learners spend on each section, how many attempts they make per question, and where they stop in a course. This data helps you identify which parts might be too easy, too difficult, or confusing, so you can make focused improvements that boost learning results.
Now that you know what an authoring tool can do, the next step is finding one that fits your team. The right tool should make it simple for your experts to share knowledge, for your L&D team to collaborate, and for your organization to keep training up to date.
Here are the main things to look for when choosing an e-learning authoring tool.
A good authoring tool should be easy for anyone to use, not just learning specialists. Look for an interface that feels intuitive and helps people start creating without training. This makes it possible for subject-matter experts (SMEs) to build and share their own courses, rather than relying on a small L&D team to do everything.
When more people can contribute, learning becomes faster and more collaborative. Features like drag-and-drop blocks, co-authoring, and built-in peer review make it easy to create, edit, and publish together. Easygenerator, for example, lets multiple users work in the same course at once, helping teams spread knowledge across the organization instead of centralizing it.
Modern authoring tools now include AI features that save time and simplify content creation. AI can help you outline a course, generate quiz questions, or rephrase text for clarity. These features reduce repetitive work and help authors focus on what really matters: sharing accurate, useful knowledge.
If your organization wants to scale content creation, an authoring tool with strong AI support can make that process faster and more efficient.
How your tool is hosted affects how your team works. Cloud-based tools let you access your courses from any device and work with others in real time. They’re ideal for teams that collaborate across offices or time zones.
Desktop-based tools, on the other hand, work offline and might suit teams who don’t always have WiFi access. But they can limit collaboration and make version control harder.
If your organization already uses an LMS, make sure your authoring tool can connect to it. The best tools support multiple publishing standards, including SCORM, xAPI, cmi5, and AICC.
Dynamic SCORM export is especially useful. It allows you to update your content in the authoring tool without re-uploading new files to your LMS. This keeps your courses consistent and up to date while saving time for your administrators.
Analytics should go beyond completion rates. A good authoring tool provides detailed insights into how learners interact with your content. For example, how long they spend on each section, how many attempts they make at a quiz, or where they drop off.
This information helps you improve your courses based on real learner behavior and ensure your training programs have measurable impact.
The tool you choose should let you create a variety of content types. That includes full courses, quick-reference resources, and short microlearning modules. Look for flexible templates and interactive elements like quizzes, images, and video blocks that help you present information clearly.
If your goal is to build a peer learning culture, prioritize tools that make it easy for SMEs to create content directly. This helps your organization share knowledge quickly, without long review cycles or external production costs.
As your organization grows, your learning needs will change. You’ll want a tool that makes it easy to update, republish, and share content across platforms, without starting from scratch.
With the right authoring tool, you can create once and reuse everywhere. Easygenerator, for example, allows you to update your content at any time and share it instantly through private links, website embeds, or dynamic SCORM packages. This makes scaling company-tailored learning fast and sustainable.
Choosing the right e-learning authoring tool can still feel overwhelming, even with clear criteria in mind. To make it easier, we’ve put together an overview of some of the most popular tools available today. You’ll find a quick summary of what each one offers, where it stands out, and where it may fall short.
Whether your team is looking for a cloud-based tool or a platform that supports standards like SCORM and xAPI, this list will help you compare your options and find what fits your learning goals best.
Here’s our overview of the top 10 e-learning authoring tools:
Easygenerator is an e-learning authoring tool that makes it simple for anyone to create company-tailored training at scale. With a 4.8/5 rating on G2 and more than 2,000 companies using it worldwide, it’s trusted by organizations such as Electrolux, DHL, Danone, and Morningstar. The platform is designed for ease of use, helping L&D teams and internal experts work together to capture and share knowledge quickly.
Built for scalability, Easygenerator empowers employees to create learning content directly, an approach known as Employee-generated Learning (EGL). Its intuitive drag-and-drop editor, pre-built templates, and guided didactic support make it easy for anyone to design engaging, interactive courses in minutes.
Easygenerator also includes AI-powered features that help authors turn documents into courses, generate questions, and refine text. With built-in translation into 75+ languages, dynamic SCORM, real-time collaboration, and advanced analytics, it gives global teams everything they need to keep training relevant and up to date.
Easy to use and built for everyone
Easygenerator is designed for subject-matter experts (SMEs) and anyone who wants to share knowledge without needing technical skills. Its drag-and-drop editor makes it easy to create courses with videos, quizzes, flipcards, and interactive scenarios. You can also customize your content with brand colors, fonts, and logos.
AI-powered course creation
With EasyAI, you can turn existing documents into complete courses, write quiz questions, improve text, and even generate visuals. This helps teams create high-quality learning content faster while reducing repetitive work.
Supports peer learning and collaboration
Multiple authors can create and edit courses in real time, leave comments, and review changes together. This collaborative setup helps teams scale EGL and reduce dependency on central L&D departments.
Cloud-based flexibility
As a cloud-based tool, Easygenerator works entirely in the browser. You can start creating on one device and continue on another without installation. Teams can co-author and review courses remotely, ensuring smooth collaboration across locations.
Powerful publishing and distribution options
Easygenerator offers multiple ways to share content: private links, website embeds, PDFs, or LMS integrations. You can export your courses in SCORM or xAPI formats, including dynamic SCORM packages that update automatically when you make changes.
Advanced tracking and analytics
Easygenerator provides detailed insights into learner behavior. You can see how long learners spend on each section, which questions they reattempt, and where they drop off. This data helps you refine your content and improve learning outcomes.
Multilingual translation and support
EasyTranslate lets you translate your courses into more than 75 languages and export all versions in a single SCORM file, ideal for global teams. Plus, Easygenerator’s live support team is available 24/5 in over 120 languages.
Articulate 360 is a suite of e-learning authoring tools that includes Storyline 360 and Rise 360. Together, they give experienced learning professionals the flexibility to design highly customized content. Storyline offers advanced creative control through a desktop interface, while Rise focuses on quick, template-based course creation in the cloud.
Articulate is one of the best-known names in e-learning and is often used by teams with instructional design expertise. Its tools help create sophisticated, interactive courses, but they can also be complex and harder to scale across larger organizations.
Powerful content creation features
Storyline 360 gives authors full control over course design. You can create interactive simulations, detailed animations, and branched learning paths. Rise 360 provides ready-made templates and responsive layouts, making it easier to create polished courses faster.
LMS compatibility
Both tools support SCORM, AICC, and xAPI (TinCan), so they work well with most LMSs. This flexibility helps teams deliver and track courses within existing learning ecosystems.
Cloud-based and desktop options
The suite includes both cloud-based and desktop tools. Rise 360 runs online and works across Mac and Windows, while Storyline 360 is a Windows-native desktop app for offline design. This mix gives teams options based on their technical setup.
Active learning community
Articulate has one of the most active user communities in the industry. Designers can access tutorials, templates, and examples from other users, which helps new authors learn best practices.
High creative potential
For teams that want complete control over look and feel, Articulate offers unmatched creative flexibility. Experienced authors can build courses that include multimedia, gamification, and detailed interactivity.
Adobe Captivate is a powerful authoring tool designed for experienced instructional designers who want to create complex and highly interactive learning experiences. Known for its detailed design control, Captivate allows you to build everything from standard e-learning courses to virtual reality (VR) simulations and software walkthroughs.
While it offers impressive creative flexibility, Captivate’s complexity makes it better suited for specialist teams rather than organizations looking to scale learning creation across departments.
Advanced design control
Captivate gives professional authors full control over how learning experiences look and behave. You can design complex simulations, screen recordings, and scenario-based training. The tool even supports virtual reality (VR) learning and immersive video, making it popular for technical or software training.
Cross-platform compatibility
As a desktop application, Captivate works on both Windows and macOS, making it accessible to a wide range of designers.
Broad publishing support
Captivate supports SCORM, AICC, xAPI, and HTML5 output. This ensures compatibility with most LMSs and web-based platforms.
High-quality content creation
Similar to other Adobe products, Captivate delivers professional-grade visual output. Experienced designers can create detailed, polished content that looks and feels custom-built.
Elucidat is a cloud-based authoring tool built for design and learning teams that want strong brand control and centralized course production. It combines collaborative workflows with advanced customization and branding options, making it a good fit for organizations that prioritize design consistency and governance across global learning programs.
While Elucidat offers creative flexibility and professional templates, its production model often relies on specialist designers rather than internal experts. This can slow down course creation when content demand grows.
Supports multiple publishing standards
Elucidat supports HTML5, SCORM, and xAPI, making it compatible with most LMSs and web-based delivery formats.
User-friendly interface
Its what-you-see-is-what-you-get (WYSIWYG) editor allows authors to see their design exactly as learners will. This helps experienced designers and L&D teams build visually consistent, on-brand content.
Cloud-based collaboration
Because Elucidat is cloud-based, teams can access, review, and edit projects remotely. Centralized workflows allow design leads to manage permissions and approvals across multiple contributors.
Strong brand and design control
Design teams can lock specific templates and layouts to ensure every course meets brand standards. This is ideal for enterprises that need to maintain a unified look and feel across departments or regions.
iSpring Suite is a desktop-based authoring tool best known for its close integration with PowerPoint. It allows users to turn existing presentations into e-learning courses by adding quizzes, voiceovers, and videos. Its simplicity and familiarity make it a good choice for trainers who already work heavily in PowerPoint.
However, iSpring’s presentation-first design limits collaboration and scalability for larger teams. While it helps convert slides into digital learning, it lacks the flexibility and speed needed to create modern, interactive training at scale.
Familiar PowerPoint workflow
iSpring Suite integrates directly with PowerPoint, allowing users to create courses without leaving the environment they already know. You can reuse existing slides, add quizzes or assessments, and quickly convert them into e-learning modules.
User-friendly interface
The tool is straightforward and doesn’t require instructional design expertise, making it easy for trainers or small L&D teams to get started.
Built-in video editor
iSpring includes a simple video editor that lets you record screen captures, edit clips, and add voiceovers for video-based learning.
LMS compatibility
Courses can be exported in SCORM, AICC, or xAPI formats for use in most LMSs.
Gomo Learning is a cloud-based authoring tool built for teams that prioritize responsive design, centralized delivery, and detailed analytics. It’s popular with L&D and design teams that want to create visually consistent content hosted in one system.
While Gomo supports collaboration and localization, it follows a more traditional, designer-led model. This can make it slower to scale content creation across a large organization.
Cloud-based collaboration
Because it’s fully cloud-based, Gomo allows teams to create, review, and edit courses from anywhere. Centralized hosting makes it easy to manage content and deliver updates across the organization.
Responsive design
Courses built in Gomo automatically adapt to any device or screen size, whether learners access them on a laptop, tablet, or smartphone.
Multi-language support
Gomo includes integrated translation workflows that make it easier to create content for global audiences. You can publish and host multiple language versions directly in the platform.
Analytics and hosting options
Gomo offers hosted delivery and built-in analytics, so L&D teams can track learner data and performance in real time. It also integrates with external analytics tools like Watershed.
Supports LMS standards
The platform supports SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004, and xAPI, ensuring compatibility with most LMSs.
Lectora is a cloud-based authoring tool designed for teams that want to create customized e-learning content. It combines flexibility with strong publishing support, offering options for HTML5, xAPI, SCORM, and AICC formats. With both online and desktop versions available, it’s accessible to authors working on different devices and operating systems.
While Lectora offers creative control and compatibility with most LMSs, its interface and setup are best suited for experienced authors. The learning curve can be steep for those without an instructional design background, which can slow down adoption in larger, mixed-skill teams.
Supports multiple e-learning formats
Lectora supports HTML5, SCORM, xAPI, and AICC, giving authors full flexibility to publish courses for any LMS or platform.
Cloud-based collaboration
As a cloud-based tool, Lectora enables authors and reviewers to work remotely and collaborate across Mac and Windows devices. Teams can edit, review, and comment on content simultaneously.
PowerPoint importer
Lectora allows you to import existing PowerPoint decks and enhance them with interactivity, saving time when converting training materials into e-learning.
Advanced customization
The platform provides options for detailed course design, allowing instructional designers to create custom layouts, animations, and assessments.
Synapse is a learning operations platform designed to help L&D teams manage training requests, plan projects, and streamline course production. Rather than serving purely as an authoring tool, it focuses on improving L&D efficiency and visibility into the training pipeline.
Synapse brings together training request management, content planning, and basic course authoring in one platform. This makes it a useful choice for organizations that want to organize and track learning projects from idea to delivery.
User-friendly design
According to user reviews, Synapse’s interface is simple to use. Its built-in authoring features make it easy for non-designers to create structured outlines or basic learning content.
Project and training management
Synapse helps centralize training requests, manage workloads, and keep project timelines visible. It’s especially useful for L&D teams that need to handle multiple internal requests efficiently.
Visibility and reporting
The platform provides dashboards and tracking tools that give learning leaders an overview of project status and bottlenecks across the organization.
Collaboration tools
Synapse makes it easier for stakeholders, SMEs, and L&D teams to align through shared workflows, approvals, and content outlines.
isEazy is a cloud-based authoring tool based in Spain, known for its clean interface and strong focus on visual templates. It offers an easy entry point for teams that want to produce sleek, presentation-style e-learning quickly. With its WYSIWYG (what-you-see-is-what-you-get) editor, authors can design courses that look professional without needing deep technical skills.
However, isEazy’s template-driven structure can make it challenging to scale learning creation across multiple teams. It’s best suited for smaller groups that prioritize consistency and speed over advanced customization.
Simple, visual design experience
isEazy’s interface is intuitive, allowing authors to edit content exactly as learners will see it. The WYSIWYG editor helps new users create visually appealing courses without training.
Wide range of templates
The platform includes pre-designed templates for quizzes, images, and interactive slides, making it easy to create consistent, branded content.
Cloud-based collaboration
Teams can co-edit content in real time, depending on the subscription plan. Because it’s hosted online, there’s no need to install software or manage local files.
Built-in translation
isEazy supports course translation into around 40 languages, helping organizations reach global learners.
Accessible for smaller teams
The tool is ideal for organizations that want to produce quick, visually consistent courses without complex design processes.
Mindsmith is a cloud-based authoring tool built around AI-assisted content creation. It helps authors generate e-learning courses quickly from documents, videos, or text files. Its clean design and AI-driven tools make it a good fit for teams that want to experiment with generative learning content or automate part of the course creation process.
While Mindsmith offers impressive AI capabilities, it’s still developing in areas like translation, publishing flexibility, and scalability for larger organizations.
AI-powered authoring
Mindsmith’s AI Course Builder can convert PDF, PowerPoint, Word, text, or even MP4 files into structured courses. Authors can add prompts, simplify or summarize text, and turn written material into interactive activities
Built-in ideation and generation tools
The platform supports text-to-speech, question generation, and brainstorming tools to help authors create content quickly. It can also generate avatar-based videos, making it easy to enrich learning experiences with multimedia elements
Flexible publishing options
Mindsmith allows content to be shared as SCORM packages, iFrame embeds, or public and review links. Courses can also be exported as websites or PDFs and shared via email or SMS (limited to the US)
Cloud-based collaboration
As a web-based tool, Mindsmith allows authors to collaborate remotely without installation or software updates.
As we’ve seen, there’s no shortage of e-learning software to choose from. Each tool offers something different. Whether it’s Articulate’s professional design control, Captivate’s advanced simulations, Elucidat’s strong brand governance, or iSpring’s PowerPoint familiarity. But when it comes to scalability, collaboration, and ease of use, Easygenerator brings everything together in one platform.
Unlike design-heavy tools such as Articulate 360 or Adobe Captivate, Easygenerator doesn’t require instructional design experience. Anyone, from L&D specialists to internal subject-matter experts, can create and update engaging content in minutes. Built-in EasyAI helps structure courses, generate assessments, and keep quality consistent, while EasyTranslate supports over 75 languages for effortless global rollouts.
Compared to Elucidat, which centralizes authoring within design teams, Easygenerator empowers employees themselves to create learning content. This decentralized model keeps training relevant and up to date while avoiding production bottlenecks. And unlike iSpring, which relies on desktop workflows, Easygenerator is 100% cloud-based, offering real-time collaboration, dynamic SCORM updates, and native LMS integrations, all without the need for re-uploads or manual maintenance.
On top of that, Easygenerator’s enterprise-friendly pricing makes scaling simple. Once your organization reaches a defined author threshold, you can add more authors at no extra cost, a flexibility that traditional per-seat licenses simply can’t match.
If you’re ready to simplify content creation and scale learning across your organization, start with Easygenerator. Sign up for a free 14-day trial to explore all authoring features, from AI-assisted course building to collaborative editing. And if you need a hand, our 24/5 live chat support and personalized onboarding are here to help you every step of the way.
Rares is a Content Specialist at Easygenerator. He spends his time researching and writing about the latest L&D trends and the e-learning sector. In his spare time, Rares loves plane spotting, so you’ll often find him at the nearest airport.
