Best LMS Software 2026: Top 10 Learning Management Systems
Learning Management Systems (LMS) power online courses, employee training, and educational programs. Here are the best platforms for 2026.
Quick Comparison
| LMS | Best For | Free Plan | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thinkific | Course creators | ✅ 1 course | $49/mo |
| Teachable | Creators | ✅ Basic | $39/mo |
| TalentLMS | Corporate | ✅ 5 users | $69/mo |
| Moodle | Education | ✅ Open source | Free |
| LearnDash | WordPress | ❌ | $199/yr |
1. Thinkific — Best for Course Creators
Free: 1 course, unlimited students
Thinkific is perfect for independent course creators.
Features
- ✅ Drag-drop course builder
- ✅ No transaction fees
- ✅ Custom branding
- ✅ Certificates
- ✅ Memberships
- ✅ Communities
Best For: Coaches, educators, entrepreneurs.
2. Teachable — Best for Beginners
Free: Basic features, transaction fees
Teachable makes course creation easy.
Features
- ✅ Easy setup
- ✅ Built-in payments
- ✅ Coaching products
- ✅ Upsells
- ✅ Affiliate program
Best For: First-time course creators.
3. TalentLMS — Best for Corporate Training
Free: 5 users, 10 courses
TalentLMS excels at employee training.
Features
- ✅ SCORM support
- ✅ Gamification
- ✅ Branches (multi-tenant)
- ✅ Certifications
- ✅ Integrations
- ✅ Reporting
Best For: Corporate training, compliance.
4. Moodle — Best Open Source
Price: Free (self-hosted) / MoodleCloud from $120/yr
Moodle is the most widely used open-source LMS.
Features
- ✅ Free and open source
- ✅ Highly customizable
- ✅ Plugin ecosystem
- ✅ SCORM compliant
- ✅ Large community
Best For: Schools, universities, large organizations.
5. LearnDash — Best for WordPress
Price: $199-799/year
LearnDash turns WordPress into a powerful LMS.
Features
- ✅ WordPress integration
- ✅ Drip content
- ✅ Quizzes
- ✅ Certificates
- ✅ Groups/Teams
Best For: WordPress users, developers.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Thinkific | Teachable | TalentLMS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Transaction fees | ❌ | Free plan | ❌ |
| SCORM | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| White-label | Paid | Paid | ✅ |
| Communities | ✅ | ❌ | Basic |
Our Recommendations
| Need | Choose |
|---|---|
| Course creators | Thinkific |
| Beginners | Teachable |
| Corporate | TalentLMS |
| Free/Education | Moodle |
| WordPress | LearnDash |
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Last updated: January 2026