The Best 7 Free and Open Source Learning Management System (LMS) Software
eLearning programs are crucial in businesses and educational institutions. You require a reliable learning management system to create, track, and manage eLearning programs. The business administrators facilitate their training procedures and hunt for new talents among their employees by making use of LMS. All over the world, universities and schools offer a high level of education with this system.
If you find that picking the apt learning management for the use of the eLearning courses is an intimidating task, then no worries!. In this article, I will make you acquainted with the list of top learning management software that is free and open source.
If the small business and institutions have a handful of employees or students then they will find the free learning management system comfortable to use.
The free open-source learning management tool provides a good overview of the software as a stand-alone solution. The source code remains accessible to everyone in open source learning management platform. According to the business and education needs, the users can look over, modify, and enhance the same.
Before I jump to provide you with the details of a free and open-source learning management solution, let’s discuss some crucial facts about the LMS.
What is an LMS?
A generally addressed LMS system makes advanced training easy and accessible. LMS is an application that can be deployed for the administration, management, and delivery of educational programs, training programs, or development programs. On any device, you can create, distribute, and track from anywhere by making use of LMS.
The consulting companies that specialize in staffing and training, extension schools and corporation looking to have better hold on the progressing education of its workforce find LMS a powerful tool.
Recent studies indicate that by 2026, the market of global corporate learning management system is expected to reach USD 10.62 billion.
Which of the features best describes LMS?
Any training sessions can be effortless with the learning management system. Here you will find the essential LMS features that best describe this system.
What is the influence of the learning management system on students and corporate training?
What are the consequences of not having an LMS platform?
Without the LMS platform, the success of businesses and students will become tough. Let’s see how...
Now, if you are looking for a learning management system, going through the below-mentioned free and open source learning management system can be of great help.
Free and open source learning management software
1 Moodle
Moodle works as free learning management tool that allows users to create customized courses. Through analytics, this open source LMS system is capable of measuring the success of training programs, administering virtual classrooms, and generating certificates. It can design and manage courses to meet various requirements due to direct learning paths. The classes can be online, blended instructor-led and self–paced.
This LMS platform offers secure authentication and mass enrolment. In Moodle courses, you can add and enroll users with the help of over 50 authentication and enrollment options. With ease, this software combines courses in bulk and backup and restores extensive courses. It defines roles to specify and manage user access to deal with security concerns. Within a single admin interface, you can install and disable the plug-in.
The group learners in this system share courses, differentiate activities and facilitate teamwork. Within the browser, it quickly reviews and provides in-line feedback by directly annotating files. The system also comes with an advanced grading facility, which, allows users to customize grades according to the course and the type of examination. Across courses and activities, this software setup competencies with personal learning plans. In a private space, you can teach and share as only you, and your class can access the courses.
(Source: Moodle)
Highlights:
- Modern & easy to use interface
- Personalized dashboard
- Collaborative tools and activities
- All-in-one calendar
- Convenient file management
- Simple and intuitive text editor
- Notifications & Tack progress
- Customizable site design and layout
- Multilingual capability
- Supports open standards
- High Interoperability
- Regular security updates
- Detailed reporting and logs
- Encourage collaboration
- Embed external resources
- Multimedia integration
- Marking workflow
- Peer and self-assessment
- Integrated badges
2 TalentLMS (Free software)
TalentLMS simplifies and strengthens the whole training process by helping users do more than just creating courses and organizing educational materials. This free learning management program is ideal for carrying engaging online training. It works as an extremely configurable cloud-hosted learning management system that can assist users to conduct online training programs, seminars, and courses easily and effortlessly.
In just a few clicks, this system is ready to help you to offer training the way you want. With simplicity, this software combines support for multiple file types and multimedia. It holds the essential inbuilt tools that help everyone involved.
This system is built for businesses of all sizes that believe in the education of employees for their career growth. The system is built with excellent conferencing features and gamification capabilities. Anywhere and anytime, you can access the seminars and courses as this system is entirely mobile-responsive.
(Source: TalentLMS)
Highlights:
- Course Authoring
- Custom branding and custom fields
- Exam engine
- Custom reporting and custom homepage
- Administrative reporting
- Course catalog
- Display transcripts
- Training and eLearning
- Integration APIs
- Mobile user support
- LMS Marketplace
- Interface
- Registration Management
- Individual Plans
- File exchange
- Email Integration
- Testing and grading
- Defined user roles
- Data import/export
- ILT support
- Goal setting
- Grading
This free and open source learning management platform focuses on corporate training needs such as integrability, talent management, and automated tasks. This software is developed by a network of companies and holds the main target of large organizations and consulting companies.
Forma LMS is simple and intuitive that is designed for the corporate world. You can manage and deliver online training courses from this web-based eLearning platform. For a great user experience, this LMS system presents a modern and responsive layout. The system is capable of generating pdf certificates automatically. With different administrators, this software manages multiple clients or brands from a single installation. The comprehensive set of options allows proper learning and collaboration. You can manage classroom courses, attendees, locations, and calendars by making use of this software. The built-in skill gap analysis monitors your user’s growth.
(Source: Forma LMS)
Highlights:
- Engaging user experience
- Extensive elearning
- Flexible user management
- Outstanding report system
- Talent management
- Multi-client
- Classroom management
- Integrated certificate system
- Video conferencing integration
- Extend with plug-in
- Responsive user interface
- API integration
- Competencies & Roles
- Native ecommerce functionalities
4 ILIAS
ILIAS is an open source learning management software that offers a flexible online working and learning environment. For your e-learning needs this software work as the “one-stop solution.” This full-fledged collaboration platform works as a simple course player and a sophisticated authoring tool for users.
You will find this software convincing for developing and realizing web-based eLearning. This software was designed so that the cost of using new media in education and training can be reduced. Large enterprises, freelancers, non-profits, small and medium businesses, and public administrations can make use of this software.
The tool allows you to fine-tune your permissions for every object due to the presence of highly-developed access management. With a single device, the study programs will enable you to reproduce full curriculums. The drag and drop file upload will allow you to share your content. For learners, it has a personal workspace that allows the easy creation of portfolios and blogs. You can use it as a simple course player and a sophisticated authoring tool. The voluntary membership to the ILIAS society is inexpensive and grants you a direct influence on the long-term development process.
You can enjoy simple and customizable training tools and courses by installing this open-source software free of cost. It provides a wide range of standardized learning functions and processes that enables easy use by all users. This software is entirely in line with online training standards. To design and run online courses, this software offers lots of features. Among users, it supports communication and cooperation and provides the possibility for assessment tests. The system runs surveys and enables online student learning.
(Source: ILIAS)
Highlights:
- Asynchronous Learning
- Blended Learning
- Academic/Education
- Built-in Course Authoring
- Corporate/Business
- eLearning Companies
- Mobile Learning
- SCORM Compliance
- Video Conferencing
- Self-registration and self-enrolment
5 OpenOLAT (Open source)
OpenOLAT is the open source LMS software that derives from OLAT an abbreviation of “Online Learning and Training.”
This internet-based learning platform provides learning, teaching, and assessment environment. This software impresses users with its intuitive and straightforward operations. It serves as the intelligent modular system that provides course authors a broad spectrum of educational possibilities. The students can improve their learning experience by making use of this software.
The users of OpenOLAT can create groups and invite fellow learners, create courses and run exams, adjust personal settings, and contact other users via email, forums, chat, and even virtual classrooms. The collaboration tool of this software includes 1.1 chat, wiki, project groups, comment and assessment features, interfaces to virtual classes, portfolio group tasks, blogs, and podcasts.
From time to time, you will observe many upgrades in the release notes of this software. The software has added many important features, like – integration of external videos as a learning resource, variables in the email course element, delete a user account, user-to-user relationship, improvement content, survey editor, trend report, integration edu sharing and much more.
(Source: OpenOLAT)
Highlights:
- Learning environment & Virtual classrooms
- Set up courses & run exams
- Regulate personal settings
- Collaboration
- Assessment & survey editor
- Comprehensive evaluation tool
- Statistics & question tool
- Question pool
- Incorporation of tests in courses
- Course editor
- Decentralized user management
- Mobile learning support with a responsive design approach
- Administration
- Interfaces
- Voluntary task
- In-video quizzes and notes
- DSGVO
- Course configuration tool
- Extension E-portfolio and content editor
6 SAKAI
SAKAI is a free and open source learning management system that holds extreme flexibility and a wide variety of features. Globally leading colleges and universities, along with a non-profit organization that promotes education considers this software one of the top learning management platforms. The faculty and students are at their best by making use of this software.
Its adopter community develops this software and is created for the teachers, academic institutions, and students. The community members that hold the license of this software can change and tweak the structure as per their needs. The members of the community create a perfect learning experience for anyone with the help of this software. You will find this system capable of supporting various teaching technologies.
It serves as the open source LMS for business whether the business is a small, medium, or large enterprise. This system is best-in-class usability and intuitiveness. With plagiarism detection, streaming media, and lecture capture software; the faculty and students can enjoy faster system performance and enhanced integration.
Highlights:
- Learning Management
- Research collaboration
- Project Collaboration
- Assignments & Syllabus
- Test & Quizzes
- Calendar & Calendar summary
- Chat & Discussion forms
- Podcasts
- ePortfolio
- Report Aggregation
- Gradeboo
- Sakai Extensions
- Lesson Builder
- Graded Discussions
- Grades and feedback
- Individual Workspace
- DropBox
- Email participants
- Multiple languages
- Content development and delivery
- Community and contributed tools
- External app integrations
- Course and system management
7 Dokeos ( Free)
Dokeos LMS works as a powerful learning management system that believes in fulfilling your eLearning needs. This free LMS platform is designed to meet the needs of high consequence industries. Into a single suite, this system integrates FDA and EMA's compliance requirements.
You can develop and manage your eLearning portal by making use of Dokeos manager. You can create and manage your training curriculum and reporting with few clicks by employing the intuitive and user-friendly interface of this LMS software.
This software develops training pathway and tracks the progress of the course participants. You can work from anywhere and anytime. This useful learning management platform integrates the existing content and is designed for high rated companies that deal in the industry of healthcare, manufacturing and training centers, life sciences, banking, and insurance. The unique feature of Dokeo is Oogie Rapid learning that writes out Microsoft Word and PowerPoint presentations into Dokeos slides.
(Source: Dokeos)
Highlights:
- Progress reports
- Training Management
- Skills assessment and skills tracking
- Course catalog and course authoring
- Game building
- Competency management
- Group training
- Content authoring
- Document management
- eCommerce tools
- LDAP and CAS support
- HIPAA Compliance
- Group Training
- SCORM Compliance
- Synchronous Learning
- Learner portal
- Mobile Learning
- Video Conferencing
Comparison Chart of Learning Management Software
Closing thoughts
I hope you gained a wide understanding about free open source learning management systemthat can guide you in designing and deploying eLearning experiences.
By using free LMS software, you can organize eLearning content in one location and enjoy unlimited access to eLearning materials. The open source LMS for business will keep your organization up-to-date with compliance regulations. You can quickly and conveniently expand eLearning courses and effortlessly integrate social learning experiences.
Apart from the above listed open source learning management software if you feel like having a freemium and commercial learning management system, then you can try Eurekos, ProProfs Training Maker, Litmos.