What's the best LMS for your use case in 2026?
The best LMS for training 20 employees isn't the one that sells 500 courses. And the price gap runs from 1 to 50.
An LMS (learning management system) hosts your courses and tracks each learner's progress. But "which LMS should I pick" hides three different jobs: a company training its team, a creator selling courses online, and a training provider that has to prove completion for compliance. Each job has its own tools, and above all its own way of paying: per user, flat tier, or a cut of each sale.
The short answer. To train your team: 360Learning up to 100 people, TalentLMS beyond, MoodleCloud if budget comes first. To sell courses: LearnWorlds, or Teachable and Podia for a first course. For compliance training: iSpring Learn from 100 learners, TalentLMS for a flat price.
We worked out, from each vendor's official 2026 price list, what every tool costs at 20, 100 and 500 learners. Want the broader overview instead? It's in our ranking of the best LMS platforms.
The ranking is editorial: a sponsored spot is always flagged on its card, and no affiliate link changes a score.
The best LMS for what you do
$1,920 a year for 20 active users
Train 500 employees$2,198 a year on Grow
Sell courses$948 a year, no per-sale fee
Detailed compliance tracking$3.97 per head at 500
Marketing built in0% platform revenue share
Smallest budgetMoodleCloud at $160 a year
The 9 LMS ranked
Each overall score matches our other rankings, so a tool scores the same everywhere. The price is the real usable entry point, in dollars as the vendor shows it.
| Best for | What it does best | Free plan | Team size | Visit | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 360Learning | Train a small team | You only pay for active learners | 4.1/5 | $8/user/month | — | Under 100 employees | Visit → |
| 2 | LearnWorlds | Sell courses | No per-sale fee from Pro Trainer up | 4.1/5 | $44/mo + $5/sale | — | Creators and academies | Visit → |
| 3 | TalentLMS | Start free | Flat price up to 100, then 500 users | 4.0/5 | $0, then $119/mo | ✓ | 5 to 500 employees | Visit → |
| 4 | iSpring Learn | Detailed tracking | Per-user price drops as headcount grows | 4.0/5 | $6.91/user/month | — | 100 to 500 employees | Visit → |
| 5 | Kajabi | All-in-one marketing | No platform revenue share | 3.7/5 | $143/mo billed yearly | — | Established creators | Visit → |
| 6 | Thinkific | Course builder | Separate mobile app option | 3.7/5 | $82/mo billed yearly | — | Creators and small teams | Visit → |
| 7 | Podia | Solo creator | Easiest to pick up | 3.6/5 | $42/mo + 5% | — | New creators | Visit → |
| 8 | Moodle | Smallest budget | Cheapest at 20, 100 and 500 | 3.6/5 | $160/yr (MoodleCloud) | ✓ | Schools, nonprofits, SMBs | Visit → |
| 9 | Teachable | First paid course | Lowest entry plan | 3.5/5 | $29/mo + 7.5% | — | New creators | Visit → |
Official prices read in 2026 on each vendor's pricing page.
Is your tool missing from this page? Email us: hello@hackceleration.com
How we compared and priced
We started from the three jobs that show up in searches: a company training its staff, a creator selling courses, and a provider that has to prove completion for compliance or certification. For each job we kept the tools whose official pricing page is readable, then priced three headcounts: 20, 100 and 500 learners.
The math follows each vendor's billing model. Per active user (360Learning), per user tier (iSpring Learn, MoodleCloud), flat tier (TalentLMS), or a plan plus a cut of sales (Teachable, Podia, LearnWorlds Starter). For selling tools, student count barely moves the bill: sales do, so we give the point where a no-fee plan becomes cheaper. Yearly figures use annual billing when the vendor offers it.
What isn't ranked, and why. Docebo bills on active learners but publishes no price. Absorb is quote only too. European tools with euro-only pricing sit in our broader LMS ranking.
- Real cost at 20, 100 and 500The usable tier, per-sale fees, how learners are counted.30%
- Learner trackingProgress, quizzes, time spent, exports for an audit.25%
- Fit for the jobInternal training, selling courses or compliance.20%
- Course buildingHow easy it is to build a module, SCORM, video, quizzes.15%
- User feedbackSupport, recurring pain points.10%
The ranking is editorial: a sponsored spot is always flagged on its card, and no affiliate link changes a score.
What an LMS costs to train your employees
Here, headcount drives everything. The gaps are huge: at 20 employees, the yearly bill runs from $160 to over $8,000 depending on the tool.
| 20 and 100 learners | 500 learners | |
|---|---|---|
| 360Learning | 20: $1,920 a year. 100: $9,600 a year ($8 per active user per month). | Quote only: the public price list stops at 100. |
| TalentLMS | 20 and 100: $1,142 a year (Core billed yearly, up to 100 users). | $2,198 a year (Grow billed yearly, up to 500). |
| iSpring Learn | 20 and 100: $8,286 a year, the price list starts at 100 users. | $23,790 a year ($3.97 per head per month). |
| MoodleCloud | 20: $160 a year (Starter). 100: $270 a year (Mini). | $1,190 a year (Medium). |
Official 2026 prices, yearly billing where offered. MoodleCloud bills in Australian dollars.
What an LMS costs to sell courses online
When you sell, the plan barely moves with student count. Per-sale fees do. Here, 20, 100 and 500 mean paying students over a year.
| 20 and 100 learners | 500 learners | |
|---|---|---|
| LearnWorlds | 20: $628 a year (Starter, $528 plus $5 per enrollment). 100: $948 (Pro Trainer). | $948 a year (Pro Trainer, no enrollment fee). |
| Teachable | $348 a year plus 7.5% of sales (Starter). | $828 a year, no fee (Builder), cheaper past $6,400 in sales. |
| Podia | $504 a year plus 5% of sales (Mover). | $1,008 a year, no fee (Shaker), cheaper past $10,080 in sales. |
| Kajabi | $1,716 a year, no revenue share (Basic, 2,500 contacts). | $1,716 a year while your list stays under 2,500 contacts. |
| Thinkific | $984 a year (Start, 2 admins). | $984 a year (Start); $1,968 on Grow for 6 admins. |
Payment processing comes on top (2.9% plus $0.30 at LearnWorlds via Stripe or PayPal), plus sales tax where it applies.
What an LMS costs when you must prove completion
Compliance and certification training needs timestamped, per-learner records you can export. Here's what the tools that publish a price cost.
| 20 and 100 learners | 500 learners | |
|---|---|---|
| iSpring Learn | 20 and 100: $8,286 a year. | $23,790 a year. |
| TalentLMS | 20 and 100: $1,142 a year (Core). | $2,198 a year (Grow). |
| 360Learning | 20: $1,920 a year. 100: $9,600 a year. | Quote only. |
| MoodleCloud | 20: $160. 100: $270 a year. | $1,190 a year. |
A login log alone rarely proves attendance: auditors want timestamped, named, exportable records plus the work learners hand in.
Get our next real-cost breakdowns by email
360Learning
For internal training, 360Learning has the simplest math on this list: $8 per active user per month. Twenty people cost $160 a month, or $1,920 a year. A hundred people cost $800 a month, $9,600 a year. No minimum seats, no annual contract on the Team plan.
The catch shows up at 500. The public price list stops at 100 users; Business and Enterprise are quote only and billed on a contract. At 500 learners, TalentLMS and iSpring Learn still publish a price. 360Learning doesn't.
User feedback is positive overall, with one recurring complaint: reporting and dashboards feel thin, and bigger-picture stats are limited. If your compliance team lives in reports, check this in a demo.
Tip: since only active users count, roll access out in waves (this quarter's new hires, then one department). Accounts that haven't started yet cost nothing.
- $8 per active user per month
- Monthly, no commitment
- Courses written by your in-house experts
- ✓Exact cost at 20 and 100 people
- ✓No minimum seats
- ✓30-day trial
- ✗Quote required above 100 users
- ✗Reporting feels thin
- ✗No public price at 500 learners
The best pick for a team of 20 to 100. At 500, get a quote and hold it against iSpring Learn's published prices.
LearnWorlds
LearnWorlds is the most complete selling tool here, and its cost depends on your volume. Starter is $44 a month billed yearly, plus $5 per enrollment. Pro Trainer is $79, with no enrollment fee. The break-even lands at 85 sales a year, roughly 8 a month.
In practice, per year: 20 paying students cost $628 on Starter ($528 plan plus $100 in fees). At 100 students, Starter would hit $1,028, so move to Pro Trainer at $948. At 500 students, Pro Trainer stays at $948. Payment processing (Stripe or PayPal, 2.9% plus $0.30) comes on top.
User reviews are among the strongest in the category, especially for support quality. The limit: Starter gives you one admin seat (5 on Pro Trainer, 25 on Learning Center).
Tip: stay on Starter while you sell fewer than 85 courses a year, then switch. Changing plans doesn't touch your courses.
- $0 per sale from Pro Trainer
- Sales pages and checkout built in
- Highly rated support
- ✓Clear break-even between plans
- ✓30-day trial
- ✓Up to 25 admins
- ✗$5 per enrollment on Starter
- ✗One admin on Starter
- ✗Payment fees on top
The strongest choice for selling courses. Move to Pro Trainer once you pass 85 sales a year.
TalentLMS
TalentLMS is priced in flat tiers, which makes it hard to beat in our math. Free covers 5 users and 10 courses with no time limit. Core is $119 a month for up to 100 users; Grow is $229 for up to 500. Paying yearly takes 20% off.
Real cost per year: $1,142 for 20 people and the same $1,142 for 100 (Core at $95.20 a month). At 500, Grow comes to $2,198 a year. At 500 employees, only MoodleCloud publishes a lower price ($1,190 a year).
The flip side of a flat plan: at 20 people, you pay for 100 seats. There, MoodleCloud ($160 a year) is far cheaper. Users praise how quickly a team gets going; they flag limited customization for complex setups.
Tip: build your first course on Free with 5 people. Upgrade to Core only once the course works.
- Free for 5 users
- Flat price up to 500
- 20% off yearly
- ✓$2,198 a year for 500 learners
- ✓No time limit on Free
- ✓Public pricing up to 1,000 users
- ✗You pay for 100 seats at 20 people
- ✗Limited customization
- ✗Pro adds $6 per extra user
The most generous free start, and the best published price for a company of 100 to 500 people.
iSpring Learn
iSpring Learn charges per user, and the unit price falls as you grow: $6.91 a month at 100 users, $4.46 at 300, $3.97 at 500. That's $8,286 a year at 100 and $23,790 at 500.
The catch is at the bottom: the price list starts at 100 users. For a team of 20, you'd pay the 100-user tier, $8,286 a year, more than four times 360Learning. iSpring only makes sense from about a hundred learners up.
Users praise the interface and the support team. They point to a few gaps: text-to-speech is a paid extra, HR integrations such as Personio and Slack are missing, and a quiz can't be edited once published.
Tip: check your headcount a year out before signing. Crossing from 280 to 320 people puts you in the 300 tier and lowers the unit price.
- Unit price drops with volume
- Per-learner reports
- 30-day trial, no card
- ✓$3.97 per head at 500
- ✓Interface users like
- ✓Responsive support
- ✗Price list starts at 100 users
- ✗Text-to-speech costs extra
- ✗Quizzes locked after publishing
The right tool between 100 and 500 employees when tracking matters. Under 100, it's too expensive.
Kajabi
Kajabi is the most expensive selling tool ranked here, and it doesn't hide it: no platform cut of your sales. Basic is $143 a month billed yearly, $1,716 a year, for 5 products and 2,500 contacts.
Your real cost depends on contacts, not students. At 20, 100 or 500 students, Basic stays at $1,716 a year as long as your list stays under 2,500 contacts. Beyond that, contacts come in blocks of 25,000 for $125 a month. Against Teachable Starter (7.5% per sale), Kajabi wins once you sell more than $18,240 a year.
Users like having everything under one roof. They complain about price, paid add-ons, support they find thin, and email deliverability problems after changing the sending domain.
Tip: before switching your sending domain, set up its authentication and warn your list. That's where the bad reviews cluster.
- 0% platform revenue share
- Site, email and courses together
- 30-day guarantee
- ✓Flat cost whatever your student count
- ✓No separate email tool to pay for
- ✓Pays off on big revenue
- ✗$1,716 a year minimum
- ✗Support users call thin
- ✗Paid add-ons add up
A good fit for a creator already selling over $18,000 a year; too expensive to start with.
Thinkific
Thinkific has no free plan, despite what many comparison pages still say: you get a 30-day trial instead. Start is $82 a month billed yearly, $984 a year, with 2 admin seats. Grow is $164 ($1,968 a year) with 6 admins.
At 20, 100 or 500 students, Start stays at $984 a year. That's slightly more than LearnWorlds Pro Trainer ($948), which has more admin seats and stronger reviews. A branded mobile app costs another $199 a month.
The warning signs come from user reviews: charges after cancelling, refused refunds, payouts held, and trouble exporting subscriber data when leaving. None of that shows on the pricing page.
Tip: export your student list and sales history every month, not on the day you leave.
- Classic course builder
- Branded mobile app option
- 30-day trial
- ✓Admin seats grow with plans
- ✓Clear yearly discount
- ✓Enterprise tier available
- ✗No free plan
- ✗Exit and refund complaints
- ✗App costs $199 a month extra
Usable, but LearnWorlds does the same job for a little less. If you pick Thinkific, plan your data exports early.
Podia
Podia bets on simplicity. Mover is $42 a month billed yearly ($504 a year), with a 5% fee on every sale. Shaker, at $84 a month ($1,008 a year), drops the fee.
The cost depends on sales, not students: at 20, 100 or 500 students, the plan doesn't change. Mover stays cheaper than Shaker until you pass $10,080 in yearly sales; beyond that, the 5% costs more than the plan difference.
The limit: it's less built for learner tracking than LearnWorlds, so it suits selling more than structured training.
Tip: the 14-day trial needs no card. Build your first course during the trial and only pay at launch.
- Very simple interface
- 14-day trial, no card
- No fee on Shaker
- ✓Flat plan whatever your student count
- ✓Fast setup
- ✓Clear switch point
- ✗5% fee on Mover
- ✗Lighter learner tracking
- ✗No free plan
The simplest option for a solo creator. Move to Shaker once you pass $10,080 in yearly sales.
Moodle
Moodle is open source: free to download, not free to run. You host it, update it and manage its plugins. MoodleCloud does the hosting for you.
Real cost on MoodleCloud: $160 a year for 20 learners (Starter, up to 50), $270 for 100 (Mini), $1,190 for 500 (Medium). It's by far the cheapest option in all three scenarios. Plans are billed in Australian dollars, so your exact amount moves a little with the exchange rate.
The limit: the interface is the most dated on this list, and MoodleCloud doesn't let you install plugins. If you need a specific plugin, you'll need your own hosting and the work that comes with it.
Tip: size your MoodleCloud plan on total users on the platform, not on one cohort.
- $160 a year for 50 users
- Open source
- Hosting handled on MoodleCloud
- ✓Cheapest in all three scenarios
- ✓Very complete
- ✓Open, editable code
- ✗Dated interface
- ✗No plugins on MoodleCloud
- ✗Billed in Australian dollars
Unbeatable on price. Pick it if your learners can live with a plainer interface.
Teachable
Teachable has the lowest entry plan among the selling tools ranked here: $29 a month billed yearly on Starter, $348 a year. In exchange, it takes 7.5% of every sale. Builder, at $69 a month ($828 a year), drops the fee.
Student count doesn't move the bill: 20, 100 or 500, the plan stays the same. Sales do. Starter stays cheaper than Builder until you pass $6,400 a year in sales. Beyond that, each sale costs you more in fees than the plan difference.
Reviews are mixed: checkout and payment plans get praise; slow support (two days for a simple reply, some customers say) and a convoluted interface do not. There's no free plan.
Tip: the pricing page shows two different trial lengths. Rely on the 30-day money-back guarantee, the only clear term.
- $29 a month billed yearly
- Payment plans
- No fee on Builder
- ✓Cheapest entry for selling
- ✓Checkout users like
- ✓Clear switch point
- ✗7.5% fee on Starter
- ✗Slow support
- ✗No free plan
Fine for a first course. Past $6,400 in yearly sales, move to Builder or look at LearnWorlds.
The traps that blow up the bill
Price lists don't tell the whole story. Here's what buyers find out later, and how to avoid it.
"Active" isn't "registered"
360Learning and Docebo bill active learners, TalentLMS a flat tier, iSpring Learn every user in the tier. Get the definition of a billable user in writing: logged in once a month, once a year, or simply created. With 500 employees and half of them rarely logging in, the difference can double the bill.
The floor of the price list
iSpring Learn starts at 100 users, MoodleCloud at 50, TalentLMS Core covers up to 100. At 20 people you often pay for far more. Put your real headcount on each price list instead of comparing headline prices.
Per-sale fees eating your margin
Teachable Starter takes 7.5%, Podia Mover 5%, LearnWorlds Starter $5 per enrollment. Work out where the next plan becomes cheaper: $6,400 a year in sales at Teachable, $10,080 at Podia, 85 sales at LearnWorlds.
Leaving with your data
Some Thinkific users report trouble exporting subscriber data when they leave. Whatever the tool, export your student list and sales history regularly, and keep your course source files outside the platform.
Migration loses the history
SCORM packages move between LMS. History doesn't: completions, scores and in-progress attempts stay behind. Export them to CSV before you cancel, and check whether your modules are SCORM 1.2 or 2004, since tools track them differently.
Renewal increases
Annual contracts often come with an increase at renewal. Get the year-two price in writing before you commit to a yearly plan.
- Put your real headcount on each price list.
- Get the definition of a billable user in writing.
- Work out per-sale fees on your yearly revenue.
- Export history to CSV before switching.
- Check named, timestamped exports for audits.
- Get the year-two price in writing.
Torn between two LMS? Get our comparisons by email
Go further
These pages add to this one without repeating it.
The full ranking, tool by tool.
You run a training businessTraining management softwareScheduling, registrations and admin compared.
You want to leave 360Learning360Learning alternativesWhich LMS to pick, and how to migrate.
You want to leave MoodleMoodle alternativesEasier options to run.
Best LMS · FAQ
How much does an LMS cost per user?
From under $1 to about $8 a month, depending on headcount and model. 360Learning is $8 per active user. iSpring Learn drops from $6.91 at 100 users to $3.97 at 500. TalentLMS Grow covers 500 users for $2,198 a year, under $0.40 per user per month.Is there a free LMS?
Yes, with limits. TalentLMS is free for 5 users and 10 courses, with no time limit. Moodle is open source but needs hosting; MoodleCloud starts at $160 a year for 50 users. Teachable, Podia, Kajabi and Thinkific have no free plan.LMS or course platform: what's the difference?
An LMS is built to track learners: paths, quizzes, reports, records. A course platform (Teachable, Podia, Kajabi) is built to sell: pages, checkout, email. LearnWorlds does both. For employee training, pick an LMS; for selling to the public, a course platform is often enough.Active-user or registered-user pricing: which is cheaper?
Active-user pricing wins when many accounts rarely log in, as with seasonal staff. Flat or registered tiers win when nearly everyone trains every month. Get the definition of "active" in writing before you sign.Can I move SCORM courses to another LMS?
The courses, yes. The learner history, no: completions, scores and in-progress attempts stay in the old tool. Export them to CSV before you cancel and keep them for audits.LMS or LXP?
An LMS serves the training manager: assign, track, report. An LXP serves the learner: recommendations, peer content. The two are converging, and 360Learning already mixes both. For a small business, an LMS covers what matters.Is Thinkific free?
No. Thinkific has no free plan, only a 30-day trial. Its Start plan is $82 a month billed yearly. Many comparison pages still repeat an old free plan that no longer exists.
