What Is an Authoring Tool? (& the 6 Best for Enterpise L&D Teams)

You’re in learning and development, and your team is in dire need of training. But without the right tools, delivering a digital learning experience can cost you thousands of dollars and dozens of hours.

The average 20-minute course takes nearly 80 hours to create, so delivering topical training programs in a timely manner, on your own, and from scratch, is next to impossible. Not to mention, manually creating courses that are compliant with SCORM or other learning standards requires careful formatting and file packing—all of which eats more of your time.

Course creation without an authoring tool requires coding knowledge or an in-house developer. If you have neither, you’re essentially stuck. An authoring tool enables those with little-to-no developer abilities to quickly and easily create digital courses.

But, there’s an even better option out there: learning platforms that feature built-in authoring capabilities, like 360Learning's, shown here:

A built-in authoring tool takes the convenience of an authoring tool and makes it native to your platform of choice. But, this is only scratching the surface of a built-in authoring tool’s benefits. First, let’s take a look at standard (stand-alone) authoring tools and what they bring to the table.

What is an authoring tool?

An authoring tool is a program that enables you to create a digital course and publish it in select formats. Instead of using code to manually create a course, an authoring tool lets you use drag-and-drop and other user-friendly interfaces to make a course—no coding required. From there, you can upload the content to your preferred learning platform.

Authoring tools can either be ‘stand-alone’ or ‘built-in’. With a stand-alone authoring tool, you create content in the eLearning authoring tool, export it, and then import to your learning management system (LMS). It’s worth noting that an authoring tool must output a file in a format that your LMS or learning platform supports; otherwise, you can’t use it. On the other hand, as the name suggests, built-in authoring tools are integrated directly into your learning platform, so you don’t need to worry about compatibility when exporting and importing (more on that below).

Authoring tools exist to make educational content creation feasible for those without design experience. Authoring tool features vary between manufacturers, with some more bare-bones and others containing advanced features that allow for more in-depth courses. Regardless, every authoring tool strives to make content creation easier for you, the user.

The benefits of an authoring tool

While authoring tools make content creation possible for virtually anyone, this is only the beginning of their benefits.

Authoring systems enable anyone to create courses

As we’ve mentioned, without an authoring tool, you need a developer or coding skills to create professional-grade courses. This is a time and money sink in itself. But, more importantly, this means many ideas are left unexplored. If you or someone on your team has a topic for a course or training module, an authoring tool gives them the freedom to act on that idea, independently.

Authoring tools lets you scale faster

As your company grows, your learning and development needs will also balloon. Authoring tools allow you to keep up with a growing demand for more education and training within your company.

Keeping up with demand requires the ability to create content quickly. Outsourcing to a developer isn’t just costly; it’s also going to slow you down. Anytime your course needs a refresh, you’re at the mercy of your developer’s availability. And if you’re a dev yourself, you still have to manually update and test the courses to ensure they work after changes are made.

If you use an authoring tool that outputs in your platform’s format, it will almost certainly work. This means you don’t have to waste time bug testing or waiting on development.

It’s also worth noting the speed of an authoring tool makes it possible to update existing material faster. You can take a truly agile approach and refresh on the fly if you have an outdated course, or a course that received some critical feedback from employees. This can even result in improved engagement rates, as you’ll have courses that better reflect employees’ needs.

eLearning authoring systems make course iteration easier

Manually developing a course can result in proprietary code that doesn’t work without being heavily tweaked. This makes it difficult to use old courses as templates for new material, as the code will once again have to be changed.

With an authoring tool, you can copy a previous piece of content, change whatever you need to change, and publish a new piece far easier than when manually updating course material.

4 signs you need an eLearning authoring tool

An authoring tool is more essential for some than others. Several factors play into whether you absolutely need an authoring tool.

1. You don’t have an in-house developer or instructional designer: If you have an instructional designer or someone that can develop a course, you likely aren’t in urgent need of an authoring tool to create content.
2. You can’t afford to hire a developer: If you can’t afford a developer, an eLearning authoring tool is more cost-effective and will allow you to create the content you need.
3. You struggle to deliver training on time: If you’re feeling the time pressure, an authoring tool can help you speed up the creation process. This is especially important for topics with a shelf-life that need to go live, asap.
4. Your team is growing rapidly: If your team is scaling fast, you’re going to have an increase in training needs. It’s easier to keep up with demand with an authoring tool than by manually creating content.

Again, the above criteria are only considerations. Ultimately, the decision to go with or without an authoring tool depends on how much time and resources you currently spend manually creating learning courses.

What to look for in an authoring tool

Once you've decided you need help, you're only partly there. Not all software is created equal, and there are key considerations that separate the best from the rest:

• LMS/LXP functionality: Authoring tools with built-in LMS or LXP capabilities allow seamless course deployment, tracking, and learner engagement. Essentially, they streamline content delivery without needing external systems.
• Collaborative learning & authoring: Tools that support real-time collaboration, commenting, and co-editing enable instructional designers and SMEs to work together efficiently. Collaboration features reduce bottlenecks and allow for faster course creation and iteration.
• Strong integrations with HRIS, LMSs, CRMs, video platforms, and analytics tools are essential to embed learning into workflows and automate reporting. Look for tools that support SCORM, xAPI, and direct APIs for flexibility.
• Scalability: Authoring tools must support enterprise-wide deployment, with the ability to create and manage content for large, diverse audiences across regions and departments. Features like reusable templates, role-based permissions, and centralized content libraries support this.
• Skills-based learning: Modern tools let you tag content to skills frameworks or competency models so that learning paths align with business goals and employee development. This enables more personalized and strategic L&D initiatives.
• Mobile learning: Responsive or mobile-first design ensures that courses are accessible across phones, tablets, and desktops. This supports remote, frontline, or hybrid workers who need learning on-the-go.
• Reporting & analytics: Built-in analytics track engagement, completions, assessment scores, and even time spent. This offers insights into learner behavior and course effectiveness. Integration with external BI tools or LMS reporting dashboards enhances data-driven decisions.
• Customer support & onboarding: Reliable, responsive support is crucial, especially for teams new to eLearning or transitioning platforms. Look for vendors offering dedicated onboarding, live chat, documentation, and community forums.
• Content reusability & version control: Tools should allow for modular content creation and easy updates across multiple courses to save time and ensure consistency. Version history and rollback capabilities are essential in collaborative environments.
• Multimedia & interactivity support: Authoring tools should support videos, audio, quizzes, branching scenarios, simulations, and gamification to keep learners engaged. A rich media library and interactive templates help speed up creation.
• Compliance & accessibility: Ensure the tool supports WCAG 2.1 standards for accessibility and enables SCORM, xAPI, or AICC compliance for LMS compatibility. This is critical for both inclusivity and regulatory training needs.

The 6 best authoring tools for L&D teams

Having seen the most important functions and features, let's look now at the best options on the market.

360Learning

360Learning is the AI-powered learning platform that drives onboarding, employee development, and customer training at scale. Enterprise L&D teams use 360Learning to turn internal expertise into collaborative, skills-based learning for employees, customers, and partners.

Its core strength lies in enabling subject matter experts (SMEs), not just instructional designers, to co-create and update learning content. This makes it ideal for organizations that need fast, relevant training for distributed and flexible teams.

360Learning’s collaborative learning approach, combined with deep integrations with systems like SAP and Workday, empowers organizations to upskill at scale through expert-led communities of practice around key topics, roles, and more.

Over 2,500 companies including Safran, Cognizant, Bally’s Corporation, Duolingo, and Smile Brands, trust 360Learning to power learning at work.

Key features:

• LMS/LXP functionality: 360Learning offers fully integrated LMS and LXP capabilities. L&D team can assign, track, and manage learning programs while also supporting social learning and upskilling paths, all in one platform.
• Collaborative learning & authoring: Multiple team members can co-author courses, leave in-line comments, track revisions, and respond to learner feedback. This makes it easy to keep content fresh and relevant with minimal bottlenecks.
• Integrations: 360Learning integrates with a wide range of systems, including major HRIS platforms (like Workday, BambooHR), communication tools (Slack, Teams), and LMS/LXP ecosystems. It also supports SCORM, xAPI, and API access for custom workflows.
• Scalability: Designed for enterprise scale, 360Learning supports global deployments, role-based access, and content templating.
• Mobile learning: The platform is fully mobile-responsive, with a native app that lets learners complete training anywhere, anytime. It’s especially valuable for frontline or remote teams.
• Reporting & analytics: Built-in dashboards track course completions, learner engagement, feedback scores, and time spent. Administrators can easily identify trends, gaps, and high-performing content or contributors.
• Customer support & onboarding: 360Learning offers strong onboarding, dedicated customer success managers, live chat, and a rich help center. Support is responsive and well-regarded, especially for teams scaling quickly.
• Compliance & accessibility: The platform supports SCORM and xAPI standards and adheres to WCAG 2.1 accessibility guidelines. This ensures it meets compliance needs for regulated industries and diverse learner populations.

Pricing: Free trial. $8 per registered user per month (up to 100 users) for the team plan. For custom pricing for your business, request a live free demo.

Elucidat

Elucidat is a cloud-based authoring platform focused on scalability, brand consistency, and ease of use for large organizations. It lets L&D teams and non-technical authors create responsive, on-brand courses quickly with reusable templates, centralized asset management, and powerful user permissions. Elucidat is particularly strong in enabling content governance at scale, which makes it a go-to choice for enterprises with large learning operations.

This tool is best suited to enterprises and global organizations in retail, finance, healthcare, and consumer brands. And especially those looking to roll out learning across multiple markets while maintaining brand consistency. It is less ideal for small companies or teams that don’t need structured content control or templating.

• LMS/LXP functionality: Elucidat is an authoring tool only and integrates with LMS platforms via SCORM, xAPI, or direct publishing.
• Collaborative learning & authoring: Supports cloud-based collaboration with version control, review workflows, and multiple authors working simultaneously.
• Integrations: Integrates well with LMSs and supports xAPI data output. It also connects with platforms like SSO providers and analytics tools for enterprise use.
• Scalability: One of its biggest strengths. Designed specifically to scale content production, localization, and brand governance across teams and regions.
• Mobile learning: Courses are fully responsive and optimized for mobile, without requiring manual layout adjustments.
• Reporting & analytics: Offers in-tool learner analytics and engagement tracking, plus advanced data capture through xAPI for more detailed insights.
• Customer support & onboarding: Elucidat is known for strong onboarding, customer success partnerships, and enterprise-level support services.
• Compliance & accessibility: Supports accessibility (WCAG 2.1) and compliance standards. Templates and authoring controls help ensure courses are accessible by design.

Pricing: Growth, Team, and Enterprise plans are available. Pricing available on request. 

Adobe Captivate

Adobe Captivate is a powerful and feature-rich authoring tool best known for creating interactive, simulation-heavy, and software training content. It is particularly strong in areas like screen recording, branching scenarios, and even virtual reality (VR) experiences. Captivate is a favorite among technical trainers, instructional designers, and enterprise L&D teams that need granular control over content behavior and learner pathways.

The tool is best suited for large organizations or training teams with advanced instructional design capabilities. Its steep learning curve and complexity make it less ideal for SMEs or teams without design experience. But it excels in highly regulated or software-heavy environments like healthcare, IT, engineering, or manufacturing where simulations and detail matter most.

• LMS/LXP functionality: Captivate is an authoring-only tool and requires exporting to an LMS or LXP. It supports SCORM, AICC, and xAPI formats for compatibility.
• Collaborative learning & authoring: Captivate is a desktop-based tool with no real-time collaboration, making it harder for distributed teams to co-create or iterate on content efficiently.
• Integrations: It doesn’t offer native integrations but exports cleanly to most LMSs. Custom integrations are possible through Adobe’s broader ecosystem or APIs.
• Scalability: It’s scalable in terms of output quality and complexity, but content production requires skilled resources. Not ideal for high-volume, rapid course development.
• Mobile learning: Captivate offers responsive design through fluid boxes and device-specific previews, although mobile optimization requires more setup than tools like Rise or Elucidat.
• Reporting & analytics: There are no built-in analytics; data is passed to the LMS via SCORM/xAPI. Reporting quality depends entirely on the LMS used.
• Customer support & onboarding: Support can be inconsistent, though Adobe provides solid documentation and forums. The onboarding experience is more self-guided than hands-on.
• Compliance & accessibility: Captivate supports WCAG 2.1 and allows detailed accessibility customization, though designers must apply best practices carefully.

Pricing: Buy a single subscription for individuals at £33.96/month, or talk to Sales for team and larger enterprise plans. 

iSpring Suite

iSpring Suite is a PowerPoint-based authoring tool that makes it easy for L&D teams to convert slides into interactive eLearning. With features like quizzes, dialogue simulations, screen recording, and LMS-ready exports, it’s a strong choice for organizations that need to quickly turn existing training materials into eLearning without building everything from scratch. It’s user-friendly, making it well-suited to L&D teams with limited technical resources or SMEs contributing content.

iSpring is most commonly used in small to mid-sized businesses, government agencies, and compliance-heavy industries. Its low barrier to entry and tight PowerPoint integration make it less suited to enterprises needing highly customized or deeply interactive experiences.

• LMS/LXP functionality: iSpring does not include LMS or LXP functionality but exports cleanly to any SCORM- or xAPI-compatible platform.
• Collaborative learning & authoring: Limited real-time collaboration. Multiple users can contribute content, but collaboration is typically sequential, not concurrent.
• Integrations: Integrates with major LMSs and allows publishing to iSpring Learn (their proprietary LMS). Also includes Zoom and MS Teams integration for blended learning.
• Scalability: Scalable for teams using standardized PowerPoint templates, but not ideal for managing large volumes of highly interactive content.
• Mobile learning: Courses are responsive and optimized for mobile through adaptive players. Works well for simple content, though advanced mobile UX is limited.
• Reporting & analytics: No native analytics—depends entirely on the LMS for reporting data like completions and quiz scores.
• Customer support & onboarding: Highly rated for customer service, live chat, and fast onboarding. Especially supportive for teams with limited technical background.
• Compliance & accessibility: Supports SCORM, xAPI, and AICC, and has tools to help meet accessibility standards—though this requires some manual setup.

Pricing: Three distinct tiers are available. iSpring Suite costs €770 per author/year; iSpring Suite Max is €970 per author/year; iSpring Suite Premium is €1,970 per author/year.

Easygenerator

Easygenerator is a lightweight, cloud-based authoring tool designed to empower subject matter experts (SMEs) to create training content without formal instructional design training. Its drag-and-drop interface and guided templates make it fast and intuitive to use, even for non-designers. It’s ideal for agile L&D teams that need to scale knowledge-sharing internally without a long development cycle.

This tool is best suited for startups, mid-sized companies, or decentralized teams where speed, simplicity, and SME involvement are more important than deep customization or high interactivity. Enterprises may find it limiting for complex or branded learning programs.

• LMS/LXP functionality: Does not include a full LMS but allows SCORM/xAPI exports and direct sharing via links. Can integrate with an existing LMS or LXP.
• Collaborative learning & authoring: Multiple users can edit, comment, and publish courses in real time, making it ideal for SME-driven learning.
• Integrations: Offers integrations with LMS platforms, SSO, and analytics tools. Also includes an API for more advanced connections.
• Scalability: Best for small to medium teams. While it supports global access and shared libraries, it lacks the governance tools needed for enterprise content ops.
• Mobile learning: Courses are responsive and designed to work across devices without extra configuration.
• Reporting & analytics: Includes basic analytics like completions, scores, and learner progress. For advanced insights, it depends on LMS integration.
• Customer support & onboarding: Strong customer support with live chat, onboarding resources, and training webinars tailored to non-specialists.
• Compliance & accessibility: Supports SCORM and xAPI. Accessibility support is limited compared to tools like Elucidat or Captivate, but it's improving.

Pricing: Pro plan from $116/month; Team plan from $582/month. Enterprise plans available upon request.

Articulate 360: Overview

Articulate 360 is a robust suite of eLearning tools best known for Storyline and Rise, offering both advanced interactivity and rapid content creation in one package. It’s widely used by instructional designers and L&D professionals to build high-quality, custom training experiences.

Storyline is ideal for scenario-based learning, branching simulations, and complex interactivity, while Rise allows for quick, beautiful, mobile-ready course creation with minimal technical effort.

Articulate 360 is best suited to mid-sized and large organizations with in-house instructional design talent and dedicated L&D resources. It’s especially valuable in regulated industries—like healthcare, finance, and compliance-heavy sectors—where custom content and control over course logic are critical. While not an all-in-one solution (no built-in LMS), it integrates well with most LMS platforms and is often chosen for its creative power and flexibility. Smaller companies without instructional design expertise may find it less intuitive or unnecessarily complex.

Key features

• LMS/LXP functionality: Articulate 360 does not include its own LMS or LXP; instead, it’s built to author courses for export to SCORM-, xAPI-, or AICC-compliant platforms.
• Collaborative learning & authoring: Rise supports limited collaboration (multiple authors can contribute, but not simultaneously), while Storyline is desktop-based and lacks real-time collaboration features. Collaboration is possible, but not seamless.
• Integrations: Articulate relies on exporting content into LMSs or LXPs for integration. There are no direct integrations with HRIS or comms tools, but published courses are broadly compatible with external platforms.
• Scalability: Scalable for teams that have defined authoring workflows and templated content strategies. However, managing large volumes of content across teams can be complex without dedicated governance and version control processes.
• Mobile learning: Rise is fully responsive and optimized for mobile, delivering clean UX across devices. Storyline content can be made mobile-friendly with custom settings and layout adjustments.
• Reporting & analytics: There’s no built-in reporting in Articulate itself; analytics depend on the LMS the course is deployed to. Courses can send completion, quiz scores, and interaction data via SCORM or xAPI.
• Customer support & onboarding: Articulate offers a responsive support team, robust documentation, and a vibrant community forum. It’s well-regarded for peer-to-peer help and extensive tutorial content.
• Compliance & accessibility: Storyline and Rise support accessibility features and WCAG compliance, though careful design is needed to meet all requirements. Both tools support SCORM, AICC, and xAPI standards for LMS compatibility.

Standalone vs. built-in authoring platforms

Some of the above tools are built into LMS systems, while others are dedicated authoring tools that require integration. There are potential pros and cons to both approaches, but having authoring in your LMS has some distinct advantages:

• Create new courses (and borrow content from existing ones) without ever leaving the platform. As easy as copying and pasting between Google Docs.
• Spend less time worrying about the format and more time focusing on creating effective materials.
• No formatting or compatibility issues. The content output will work on the platform because it’s native.
• Customize pre-made templates to get a head start on content creation.
• Analyze course performance across the whole organization. Then change courses to reflect any glaring issues that arise after the course is live.

The below report from 360Learning shows you how users are progressing through your courses, median time to complete, average score, and more. This information allows you to track how courses are performing over time:

Co-create courses faster with the right authoring system

Authoring tools provide value—there’s no denying it. Using a platform with a built-in authoring tool opens up the door to seamlessly co-authoring courses as a team. 360Learning lets your team flag learning needs, hop in and create courses for those requiring assistance, and coordinate efforts as a team.

Why work alone when you can work together? Sign up for a free demo today and see how 360Learning can help you make learning a team sport.