Posted by Whew.
After numerous weeks, the newest version of my LMS Directory is here. New systems have been added.
Features
- 429 vendors
- Extensive details on each system
- Identification of mobile learning, if yes – details on devices (when applicable)
- ($) means it is an additional charge and not “included” in the system
What it does not include
- Re-sellers of systems, this is becoming quite popular and often times the potential customer has no idea
- Consulting firms that build custom LMSs – not a fan of these guys, mainly because you never know what you end up with, especially on end of the day costs vs. estimates
- Systems that are only talent management systems
Why has total vendors dropped?
- Leaving the space to enter another business line or disappear forever – #1 reason
- Consolidation
Rankings for the month of August for Extended Enterprise Systems
Extended Enterprise Systems
Top five. UI can range for average to awesome. The keys though is whether they are really suited for EE. Many will say they are – but in reality they are not.
1. Expertus One– Easily in the large system space, but they are equally EE. They are not cheap by any stretch, but I have always liked these guys.
2. Absorb SmartLab – what really hurts this system is the outrageous setup fee of $45,000. Yowsa!
Their Absorb LMS is also a strong extended enterprise system – and I can easily recommend them, but IMO SmartLab is their future – long term. I’d put that system at #6.
3. Certpoint – Feature set is solid and what I really like is everything is included, as in mobile too. Pricing seems more geared to upper mid market and large.
4. AccessPlan – Great feature set, the problem I have heard and even seen first hand, deals with salesperson challenges. Resolve that, and they can go forward. Good price point, again not a budget killer.
5. eLogic Learning – What I love about this system is its strong multi-tenet feature set, especially that each client has their own database, rather than shared (which is common). Price point is nice and not a bank buster.
Others in the Pack
I already mentioned Absorb LMS at number six, so here are a few others that have potential.
- Firmwater– Solid system. Has potential. Shows that you do not need to be flashy to have good feature sets. Pricing is not a budget buster.
- NetExam – I am really intrigued by this company. My only concerns is the over abundance of information on the pages of the front end. Sometimes people really need white space. Bonus – integrates with Salesforce.com, but I believe that is an extra cost to use.
- NetDimensions – Two years ago, I would tell you to avoid them like the plague. That was then. Now, this system has come along way – especially in the UI. They are gearing for a mobile component release as part of their system. The pricing is similar to those in the mid market range.
- Ecampus – I have always liked this solution, despite its name which gives off the “education” sector, which it is not. They only focus on the mining, energy and manufacturing industries.
- Upside Learning – Well known for their focus on social, this system continues to add a robust set of features. They offer the capability of an extended enterprise, which is nice, but right now is no way near top five. Pricing is solid, not a bank buster.
E-Learning 24/7
I’m looking foreward to seeing your post regarding mid-market rankings.