Picking the right learning management system (LMS) for your organization is an important decision. When you’re investing in new software, you want to know that it can scale as your organization grows, is easy to use, and offers all the features and options you need to create successful learning materials.
After doing some initial research, you may have seen that there are different types of LMSs and feel confused about which is right for your needs. What are the four types of learning management systems? Stick around as we cover all the details to help you make an educated decision.
What Is a Learning Management System?
An LMS is software that’s designed to create, manage, and deliver educational and training materials. It can work well for organizations offering continuing education, certification programs, or on-the-job training to provide accessible step-by-step instruction for professionals.
One of the main benefits of an LMS is that it can make educational courses available for professionals to access online. It can make it much easier to complete training when professionals can easily log in and make progress in their course whenever they have the time.
Plus, it’s beneficial for associations and nonprofits offering continuing education options since it provides additional value to members and helps engage communities in a different way.
What Are the Different Types of LMSs?
The four main types of LMSs are:
- Cloud-based
- On-premise
- Open-source
- Custom-built
Here’s some information about each one to help you decide which is best for your needs.
What Is a Cloud-Based (SaaS) Learning Management System?
A cloud-based LMS, also called a SaaS LMS, is software offered by a provider and hosted on their servers. One of the main benefits of cloud-based options is that they’re easily accessible through a web browser, so all you need is an internet connection to get started creating and publishing courses that benefit your organization.
Cloud-based options are the most popular form of LMS because of their ease of use and limited maintenance needs. The company that created the software will have designed it with an easy structure to create courses and modules to your liking, customize the branding, and offer support to troubleshoot any errors.
It makes it easy to get started without a huge learning curve or needing to hire a developer to maintain servers or build custom software from the ground up.
What Is an On-Premise Learning Management System?
An on-premise LMS is software that you buy from a provider and then install and host on your own servers. Similar to the cloud-based LMS, on-premise options will usually be designed with a good overall structure to help you get started with the main tools you need to create effective courses for your members.
However, hosting the software on your own servers requires maintenance to ensure continuous great performance. You might not get as much support from the company that created the software, so server maintenance could mean additional investments of time and money for your organization.
What Is an Open-Source Learning Management System?
An open-source LMS will allow you to download the source code of the software for free and install it on your own servers. This option is meant to be highly customizable for developers with a high level of technical skill.
However, organizations with a limited staff or those just getting started with an LMS may find this option overly complex for their liking. Open-source options require a lot more maintenance and a more complicated setup process, so while it’s free initially, it can require a lot more resources on your end to tailor it to your needs and keep it up to date.
What Is a Custom-Built Learning Management System?
A custom-built LMS refers to software that’s designed specifically for an organization and hosted on the organization’s servers. Usually, you’d hire a developer to build the software for you from the ground up and tailor it to your specific needs to provide the exact learning experience you want.
While custom-built LMSs provide a tailored approach, this is by far the most expensive option and requires a lot of maintenance to keep it up. It can lead to both cost and time constraints for organizations with a limited staff or funding available.
What Is the Most Used LMS?
The cloud-based LMS is the most used option. The ease of use, accessibility, low maintenance needs, and support from the provider all make cloud-based options stand out as a top choice trusted by many types of organizations, large and small.
Which Learning Management System Type Is Right for Associations?
Generally, the best type of learning management system for associations is the cloud-based LMS. Many professional associations will have a limited staff and need to manage their resources effectively.
The cloud-based LMS will require the least technical skill to get started while still being able to scale with you as your association grows, so you can offer continuing education courses in a web-based format to members worldwide.
How Do You Choose the Right LMS for Your Organization?
As you’re reviewing these different options and association LMS features, here are some quick tips to help you choose the right one for your needs:
- Review your budget. Each of these types fof LMSs comes with different costs in the short and long term, so review how much you have available to spend on learning technology.
- Assess your team’s technical abilities. Some types of LMSs require high levels of technical skill, such as open-source or custom-built options, so get an idea of your team’s technical capacity before choosing one. Sometimes ease of use is best, so you can get started faster and reduce the frustration involved.
- Consider the user experience. Which option will allow you to provide high-quality learning materials at scale with a great user experience? If you struggle with development, going with an option that’s built for you while still offering customizability may be the best choice to achieve your desired results.
Transform Member Learning With the Right LMS Type
If you’re looking for the best learning management system and aren’t sure where to start, we have options available at Cadmium that are tailored to the specific needs of associations, nonprofits, and healthcare organizations.
Both Elevate and EthosCE are cloud-based LMS options that make it easy to get started and customize learning materials based on your organization’s needs.
Elevate is our LMS designed for associations and nonprofits. It offers a well-rounded set of features for certification programs, curriculum development, social learning, multimedia content, and integration with your AMS. It’s designed to help you create a complete center for knowledge where you can measure and track your results as you go. Click here to learn more.
EthosCE is our LMS for healthcare professionals. It can help you automate reporting and credit tracking with major accrediting bodies, assist with compliance, create interactive content, and manage all your continuing medical education needs in one place. Click here to learn more.
