Top 15 eLearning Authoring Tools (2025 Review)

The eLearning landscape is evolving at an unprecedented pace, driven by remote work, skills gaps, and the rapid integration of Artificial Intelligence. For instructional designers and learning & development (L&D) professionals, selecting the right software is no longer just about creating content—it’s about creating efficient, engaging, and scalable learning experiences.

An eLearning authoring tool is the software used to create this digital learning content. Think of it as the complete workshop for building an online course. While a simple tool might create a text-based quiz, a powerful authoring tool allows you to build everything from complex software simulations and interactive branching scenarios to mobile-responsive microlearning modules and immersive virtual reality (VR) experiences.

Tool	Key Features	Price	Best for
Compozer	Cloud-based eLearning authoring tool with an intuitive drag-and-drop interface	Free plan, then starts at A$19/mo.	Beginners, freelancers, and organizations creating e-learning, collaborative, user-friendly tools.
Articulate 360	All-in-one suite (Storyline + Rise), massive asset library	$1,749/user/year	L&D departments needing a complete, professional toolkit
Articulate Storyline 360	Powerful desktop tool, complex branching & simulations	Included in Articulate 360	Instructional designers building highly custom, complex courses
Articulate Rise 360	Web-based, block-style editor, “mobile-first” responsive design	Included in Articulate 360	Rapid development of beautiful, responsive, “scroll-style” content
Adobe Captivate	Desktop tool, strong software simulations, VR authoring	$33.99/mo or $1,299 perpetual license	Software simulations and responsive courses within the Adobe ecosystem
iSpring Suite	PowerPoint-based plug-in, strong quiz maker, converts slides	Starts at $970/user/year	Teams quickly converting PowerPoint slides into eLearning
Gomo Learning	Cloud-based, strong multi-language & localization features, AI-assisted	On request (Enterprise-focused)	Global enterprises managing courses in multiple languages
Lectora	Powerful desktop tool, strong accessibility (WCAG) compliance	Starts at $1,398/user/year	Experts needing strict accessibility compliance (e.g., government)
Lectora Online	Cloud-based version of Lectora, collaborative review	Included with Lectora subscription	Teams wanting Lectora’s power with cloud collaboration
Elucidat	Premium cloud-platform, advanced user/brand management	On request (Large Enterprise-focused)	Large enterprises managing content production at scale
Adapt Learning	Free & open-source, creates “scrolling” responsive courses	Free	Developers wanting total customization with no license fee
H5P	Free & open-source plug-in, wide range of interactive content types	Free (or paid hosted version)	Educators adding interactive elements to existing sites
Camtasia	Best-in-class screen recording & video editing, interactive video quizzes	Starts at $179.88/year	Creating video-based training and software tutorials
Raptivity	Specialized tool for building rich interactive elements (games, quizzes)	$199/year	Designers adding pre-built, high-engagement interactions
iSpring Cloud	Simple cloud-based builder combined with a full LMS, AI assistant	Starts at $720/author/year	Small businesses needing a simple authoring tool and LMS in one

What are eLearning Authoring Tools?

At its core, an eLearning authoring tool is a piece of software that allows users to create, combine, and package various media (text, images, audio, video, and interactions) into a cohesive learning module.

Unlike standard presentation software like PowerPoint, authoring tools are built with learning in mind. They incorporate features for interactivity, assessment, and, most importantly, compliance with industry standards like SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model) and xAPI (Experience API). This compliance ensures the content can “talk” to a Learning Management System (LMS), allowing for the tracking of user progress, quiz scores, and completion status.

How It Works

The workflow for most authoring tools follows a simple pattern:

Create: You start with a blank project or a pre-built template.
Add Content: You add your text, import videos and audio, and create slides or pages.
Add Interactivity: You build quizzes, add drag-and-drop exercises, create branching scenarios (“if the user clicks A, show them page X”), or record software simulations.
Publish: You export the final project. This “published” file is typically a SCORM or xAPI package that you can then upload directly to your organization’s LMS for delivery to learners.

Who Uses Authoring Tools?

Authoring tools are used by a wide range of professionals, including:

Instructional Designers (IDs): L&D specialists who design and build entire courses.
Subject Matter Experts (SMEs): Professionals (e.g., engineers, doctors, salespeople) who use simpler, template-based tools to share their knowledge without needing coding skills.
Corporate Trainers: Teams who need to rapidly develop and update compliance, onboarding, and product training.
Educators: Teachers and professors building online curricula for students.

Why Use an Authoring Tool for eLearning?

While it might be tempting to just create a video or a PDF, dedicated authoring tools provide distinct advantages that are crucial for effective learning.

Faster Content Development

Modern tools are packed with ready-made templates, character libraries, and pre-built interactions (like “click to reveal” or “timeline”). This allows creators to build professional-looking courses in a fraction of the time it would take to design them from scratch.

Interactive, SCORM-Compliant Courses

Interactivity turns passive viewing into active learning, which dramatically improves knowledge retention. Features like quizzes, scenarios, and simulations test a learner’s understanding. SCORM and xAPI compliance means this engagement is tracked, providing measurable data on learner performance.

Easy Collaboration & Publishing

Cloud-based authoring tools, in particular, excel at collaboration. Multiple team members, including designers, SMEs, and stakeholders, can comment on and edit a course in real time, streamlining the review process and eliminating endless email chains.

What are the features of authoring tools?

When evaluating tools, it’s helpful to break down their features into key categories:

Content Authoring: A user-friendly, often drag-and-drop interface. It includes multimedia integration (video, audio) and a library of templates and themes.
Interactivity: The ability to build branching scenarios, quizzes (multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, hotspot), gamification elements, and simulations.
Customization: Options to ensure the content matches your company’s branding (logos, fonts, colors) and the flexibility to adjust layouts.
Accessibility: Features that ensure your course is usable by people with disabilities, such as WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) compliance, screen reader support, and keyboard navigation.
Collaboration and Management: The ability for multiple users to co-author, leave comments, and control different versions of a project.
Integration (LMS): The power to export in formats like SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004, and (most recently) xAPI and cmi5, allowing your content to work with any modern LMS.
Other Key Features:
- AI-Powered Automation: A growing trend in 2025. AI assistants can help generate quiz questions, create text-to-speech audio, or even build a draft course from a simple text document.
- Responsive Design: The ability for content to automatically adapt its layout to fit any screen size, from a desktop monitor to a smartphone.
- Analytics: Built-in reporting that shows how learners are interacting with the content.

What are the different types of authoring tools?

Authoring tools generally fall into one of these categories:

Desktop-Based Authoring Tools

This is the “classic” model. You install a powerful software application (like Articulate Storyline or Adobe Captivate) on your Windows or Mac computer.

Pros: Extremely powerful, capable of building highly complex and customized interactions, and able to work offline.
Cons: Steeper learning curve, files are saved locally (making collaboration harder), and often limited to one operating system.

Cloud-Based (Web-Based) Authoring Tools

These tools run entirely in your web browser (like Articulate Rise 360 or Gomo Learning). There is no software to install.

Pros: Excellent for collaboration, accessible from any computer, and updates are automatic. Many use AI-powered features.
Cons: Require a constant internet connection and may be less powerful than desktop counterparts for highly complex interactions.

Rapid eLearning Authoring Tools

These tools are designed for speed. They often use pre-built templates and simple interfaces to help subject matter experts (who are not trained designers) create good-looking content quickly.

PowerPoint-Based Authoring Tools

These tools, like iSpring Suite, function as plug-ins directly inside Microsoft PowerPoint. They add a new tab to the PowerPoint ribbon, allowing you to add quizzes, interactions, and SCORM publishing options to your existing slides.

Pros: Extremely low learning curve for anyone who knows PowerPoint.
Cons: You are limited by the design capabilities of PowerPoint.

Open-Source eLearning Authoring Tools

These tools (like H5P or Adapt Learning) are free to use and modify.

Pros: Free, and highly customizable if you have development skills.
Cons: Require technical expertise to install and use, and offer no official customer support.

Mobile Authoring Tools

While most cloud-based tools are “mobile-responsive” (they adapt to mobile), true mobile authoring tools are apps that let you create and edit content directly on a tablet or phone. This is a smaller, more niche category.

What are the criteria for the best eLearning authoring tools?

When building your shortlist, measure each tool against these criteria:

Quality of Output: Does the final course look professional, modern, and engaging?
Collaboration: Can multiple authors, reviewers, and SMEs easily work on a project together?
Responsiveness: Does the content look and work great on a mobile phone and tablet?
Ready-Made Templates: Does it offer a large library of assets to speed up development?
SCORM and xAPI Capability: Does it support the publishing standards your LMS requires? (xAPI is the modern standard, while SCORM is the most common).
Content Management: Does it have a central place to store and reuse assets like images, videos, and branding elements?
Customer Support: Is there a strong community, good documentation, and responsive technical support?
Cost: Does the price (often a per-user, per-year subscription) fit your budget and provide a clear return on investment?

What are the top eLearning authoring tools?

Here is our list of the 15 best eLearning authoring tools for 2025, selected to cover a wide range of use cases, budgets, and technical skill levels.

1. Compozer

Compozer is a modern, cloud-based authoring tool focused on ease of use and team collaboration. It’s designed to help teams of all sizes create, review, and publish beautiful, responsive eLearning content.

Key Features: Cloud-based eLearning authoring tool with an intuitive drag-and-drop interface, a large library of templates, and SCORM export for LMS integration.
Price: Offers a Freemium plan. Paid plans start at A$19/month for the “Lite” plan, with a “Grow” plan (including team collaboration) at A$49/month and Pro plan A$99/month.
Best for: Small to mid-sized teams looking for a powerful, user-friendly, and collaborative cloud-based tool without a steep learning curve.

2. Articulate 360

Articulate 360 is not a single tool, but an all-in-one suite that includes the two most popular authoring tools on the market: Storyline 360 and Rise 360. It also includes a vast library of assets, review tools, and training videos.

Key Features: Includes both a powerful desktop app (Storyline) and an easy-to-use web app (Rise). Access to millions of stock photos, characters, and templates.
Price: $1,749 per user, per year for teams.
Best for: L&D departments that need a complete, professional toolkit for all authoring needs, from complex, custom-built courses to rapid, responsive content.

3. Articulate Storyline 360

The flagship desktop tool within the Articulate 360 suite. Storyline is the industry standard for power and customization.

Key Features: PowerPoint-like interface that is easy to start with but has immense depth. Unmatched for creating complex branching scenarios, software simulations, and custom-interactive content. Strong accessibility (WCAG) features.
Price: Included in the Articulate 360 subscription.
Best for: Instructional designers who need to build highly interactive, custom, and complex training modules (e.g., for compliance, finance, or healthcare).

4. Articulate Rise 360

The web-based tool in the Articulate 360 suite. Rise is the gold standard for creating beautiful, fully responsive courses, fast.

Key Features: Incredibly simple, web-based block-style editor. Courses are “mobile-first” and look stunning on any device. Features pre-built interactions like timelines, accordions, and quizzes.
Price: Included in the Articulate 360 subscription.
Best for: Rapid development. Perfect for creating elegant, “scroll-style” microlearning, quick guides, or any content that must be accessed on a mobile phone.

5. Adobe Captivate

A powerful, long-standing desktop authoring tool that is a direct competitor to Storyline. Captivate’s latest versions have heavily invested in mobile responsiveness and VR.

Key Features: Excellent for creating software simulations. Can create Virtual Reality (VR) projects. Strong responsive design features that allow you to preview content on multiple device sizes. AI-powered text-to-speech.
Price: Offers both a subscription ($33.99/mo) and a perpetual license ($1,299).
Best for: Creating software simulations and “responsive by default” courses. A top choice for organizations already invested in the Adobe creative ecosystem.

6. iSpring Suite

iSpring Suite is a powerful authoring toolkit that works as a plug-in directly within Microsoft PowerPoint. It’s famous for its simplicity and robust features.

Key Features: Seamless PowerPoint integration. Converts slides into high-quality HTML5 or SCORM courses. Includes a pro-level quiz maker, a video/audio editor, and an interaction builder. The “Max” version adds an AI assistant and content library.
Price: $970/year for iSpring Suite, or $1,290/year for iSpring Suite Max.
Best for: Corporate teams or educators who are already comfortable with PowerPoint and need to quickly convert existing presentations into interactive eLearning courses.

7. Gomo Learning

A powerful, cloud-based authoring tool designed for global enterprises. Gomo is built from the ground up for collaboration and localization.

Key Features: Strong multi-language support (XLIFF import/export). Cloud-based and fully collaborative. AI-assisted features for content generation and translation.
Price: Available upon request, as it’s geared toward enterprise teams.
Best for: Global organizations that need to create and manage courses in multiple languages and have large, distributed teams collaborating on content.

8. Lectora (by ELB Learning)

Lectora is one of the original and most powerful desktop authoring tools, known for its “no-compromise” approach to customization and accessibility.

Key Features: Publishes WCAG-compliant content. Gives authors immense control over every object and action. Strong support for xAPI and cmi5. Now includes access to ELB Learning’s vast asset library.
Price: Starts at $1,398 per user, per year.
Best for: Experienced instructional designers and government or academic institutions that have strict accessibility (Section 508 / WCAG) requirements.

9. Lectora Online

The cloud-based version of Lectora. It retains much of the power of its desktop sibling but adds the flexibility of cloud collaboration.

Key Features: Collaborative review and commenting. Responsive course design. Integrates with the ELB Learning asset library and other tools.
Price: Included in the same subscription as the desktop version.
Best for: Teams who want the power of Lectora but need the collaborative flexibility of a cloud-based tool.

10. Elucidat

Elucidat is a premium, cloud-based authoring platform designed for large-scale, high-quality content production.

Key Features: Advanced user management and permissions. Scalable theme and template management. A “Learning Accelerator” feature to produce high-quality courses rapidly. Strong analytics and localization features.
Price: Available upon request. Geared toward large, mature L&D teams.
Best for: Large enterprises that need to manage content production at scale and ensure brand consistency across thousands of learners and multiple departments.

11. Adapt Learning

An open-source, web-based authoring tool. Adapt creates beautiful, fully responsive HTML5 content.

Key Features: Free and open-source. Creates single-page, “scrolling” style courses that work perfectly on mobile.
Price: Free. (However, it requires technical expertise to set up and maintain).
Best for: Developers and organizations with in-house technical talent who want total control over their authoring environment without the licensing fees.

12. H5P

H5P is another free and open-source solution, but it’s not a standalone authoring tool. Instead, it’s a plugin for existing platforms (like WordPress, Moodle, or Drupal) that lets you create and embed interactive HTML5 content.

Key Features: Free. Offers a huge range of content types (over 40), including interactive videos, hotspot quizzes, timelines, and flashcards.
Price: Free. A paid, hosted version (H5P.com) is also available for those who don’t want to manage the backend.
Best for: Educators and designers who already have an LMS or website and want to add interactive elements to their pages, rather than building entire standalone courses.

13. Camtasia

While primarily a best-in-class screen recording and video editing tool, Camtasia functions as a powerful authoring tool for video-based learning.

Key Features: Professional-grade screen recording for both Windows and Mac. A user-friendly, multi-track video editor. Ability to add interactive hotspots and quizzes directly into videos.
Price: Starts at $179.88/year for the “Essentials” plan.
Best for: Creating software demonstrations, video tutorials, and product walkthroughs. It’s the top choice for any training that is primarily video-led.

14. Raptivity

Raptivity is a specialized tool focused on one thing: creating engaging, media-rich interactions, fast.

Key Features: A massive library of pre-built interactive templates (games, quizzes, timelines, charts). Publishes responsive and xAPI-compliant content.
Price: Very affordable, with an annual subscription at $199/year.
Best for: Instructional designers who already have a primary authoring tool (like Storyline or Captivate) but want to quickly add highly engaging games or interactions without building them from scratch.

15. iSpring Cloud

While iSpring Suite is a desktop tool, iSpring Cloud is a browser-based, lightweight builder combined with a full-fledged LMS. It’s designed for rapid, collaborative microlearning.

Key Features: Simple, cloud-based course builder. AI assistant to help create content from text. Includes a built-in LMS to deliver and track training.
Price: Starts at $720 per author, per year.
Best for: Teams and small businesses that need both a simple authoring tool and an LMS to manage their entire training program in one place.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What are the three types of authoring tools?

While there are many categories, the three main types of eLearning authoring tools are:

Desktop-Based Tools: Powerful software (like Articulate Storyline or Adobe Captivate) that you install on your computer. They offer the most control and are best for building complex, custom interactions and simulations.
Cloud-Based (Web-Based) Tools: Platforms that you access through your web browser. They are excellent for real-time team collaboration and rapid development. Modern tools in this category, like Compozer (our platform), are designed to make this process intuitive and fast.
PowerPoint-Based Plug-ins: Tools (like iSpring Suite) that add a new tab to Microsoft PowerPoint, letting you turn your existing slide decks into interactive, SCORM-compliant courses with quizzes and video.

What is the most popular authoring tool?

Compozer is widely considered a powerful and popular choice for professional eLearning development. This is because it is an intuitive, cloud-based tool and also includes a large template library (for creating beautiful, responsive courses very quickly), covering virtually every authoring need.

Which digital tool is used in eLearning?

Two main types of digital tools are essential for eLearning:

eLearning Authoring Tools: This is the software (like those listed in this article) used by instructional designers and creators to build the actual learning content, including modules, quizzes, and videos.
Learning Management Systems (LMS): This is the platform (like Moodle, Canvas, or Cornerstone) used by an organization to host, deliver, and track the learning content. Learners log in to the LMS to access their courses, and administrators use it to monitor progress and completion rates.

What are the elements of authoring?

The core elements of eLearning authoring involve combining several components into a cohesive learning experience:

Content: The information you are teaching, including text, images, video, and audio narration.
Interactivity: Elements that engage the learner, such as quizzes, knowledge checks, drag-and-drop exercises, clickable hotspots, and branching scenarios.
Assessment: Graded quizzes or simulations that measure the learner’s understanding and determine if they pass or fail.
Navigation: The user interface, including buttons, a menu, and a playbar, that allows the learner to move through the course.
Publishing: Packaging all these elements into a single file (like a SCORM or xAPI package) that can be uploaded to a Learning Management System (LMS).

What are the features of a good tool?

A good authoring tool makes the creation process efficient and results in an effective, engaging course for the learner. Key features include:

Ease of Use: An intuitive interface that doesn’t require a programming degree.
Mobile Responsiveness: The ability to create content that looks and works great on any device, especially smartphones.
Collaboration: Features that allow multiple team members and stakeholders to review and comment on a project in one place.
Templates & Assets: A large library of pre-built templates, characters, and interactions to speed up development.
LMS Compatibility: The ability to publish to standard formats like SCORM, xAPI, and cmi5.
Strong Support: Good documentation, an active user community, and responsive customer support.