What is a Learning Management System (LMS)?

A learning management system (LMS) helps instructors deliver and manage online learning by creating a streamlined communication channel between instructors and students. These software applications manage all types of content, including video, courses, and documents, and allow students to access all course content from any device. Instructors can use an LMS to manage rubrics, student discussion boards, and course syllabi, and they provide key features for reporting, progress tracking, and assignments and assessments. LMS is the software backbone for many educational institutions, particularly for those that primarily offer online courses. These solutions are designed for academic use and give schools a valuable tool that allows students to access course material from anywhere. As eLearning has grown in prominence at all levels of education, an LMS has become an even more central part of an institution’s digital instruction efforts. Instructors rely on these tools for content management, diversifying their learning activities, and giving students more control over the learning process. What Types of Learning Management System (LMS) Exist? Proprietary LMS A proprietary LMS is a closed-source platform sold and maintained by a vendor. These LMS products are often more expensive than closed source due to the licensing fee that must be paid per user, in addition to annual and ongoing fees related to the subscription. Proprietary LMS is hosted by vendors on their own server, and they are responsible for managing and maintaining the platform. They also offer the benefit of strong external support in terms of tech support if anything goes wrong with the product, though this comes at an additional cost. The downside to a proprietary LMS is the limited integrations and customization, and that security and stability rests in the vendor’s hands. Open-source LMS An open-source LMS is freely distributed, does not require a licensing fee, and can be maintained and customized by the user. Compared to proprietary products, these open-source solutions allow for a greater level of accessibility and control. Users can personalize the platform to suits their specific needs, with plugins and new functionalities able to be added immediately and for free. The caveat is that organizations must have the infrastructure in place to run and support their open-source solution, as well as an IT team that is familiar with the platform. Managed service providers do exist for open-source LMS, though. While there are no hard costs with an open-source LMS, organizations may still find themselves spending just as much, if not more, as a proprietary LMS to implement and manage an open-source platform.

What are the Common Features of Learning Management System (LMS)?

Course creation and management: Instructors can create and manage structured learning content and set user permissions to control how students access content. With an LMS, instructors can add a variety of media to enhance their syllabus, including text, images, videos, links, interactive tests, slideshows, and more. Teachers can upload entire courses and modules, enroll students or enable self-enrollment, and see individual reports on each student. These learning materials can be uploaded all at once, allowing students to follow along with content for the course's length synchronously or asynchronously. Course calendars: Instructors can set all upcoming course activities on a calendar for student access. This allows students to stay on top of all assignments and upcoming tests, and to see real-time updates when due dates change. Online assessment: Instructors can create and customize tests for students to access and submit online. Most platforms will support a variety of question types, such as multiple choice, drag and drop, essay, true or false, and agreement scale. From there, instructors can grade assignments and post scores online for students to access. Additionally, in-person assessments can also be uploaded and graded on the LMS. Attendance management: Some LMS products allow instructors to track student attendance for classes and events, whether the student was late or absent. These attendance reports can then be viewed online by students to see where they stand in the class. Discussion boards: Instructors and students can create discussion topics for the purpose of completing specific assignments, continuing in-class discussions, or soliciting end-of-semester feedback. Students can respond to individual threads and edit their comments. Instructors can also set time limits on discussion access, which motivates students to respond within the given timeframe. Typically, all discussions will also be timestamped. Discussion boards give teachers one more tool to assess overall student competency in a particular subject. Gamification: Certain LMSs contain gaming elements, which may include badges and leaderboards. The gamified environment is designed to create a more engaging learning experience for students and promote social learning. In addition to tracking their grades, students are encouraged to work toward acquiring various pieces of digital approval directly in the system. Teacher communications: Instructors can send messages to students directly within the LMS or via email, which usually integrates with the LMS. This allows teachers and students to have 1:1 discussions related to student performance or further discussion of class topics. Teachers can also set reminders and notifications to alert students of upcoming deadlines whenever they access the LMS. Dashboards: Dashboards allow instructors to organize all relevant information and keep it clean for viewing and tracking specific data. These interfaces can be customized to suit user needs and could include data such as average class grade, student attendance, assignment submission statistics, and student access time. Reporting: All LMS products contain some type of reporting feature. These reports are either prebuilt (in which case the user has only a limited number of offerings that are already in existence) or customizable. These may include reports on participation, learner progress, access time, quizzes, course activity, and more. Student profiles: Students can create and manage their own user profile within the LMS, which helps build social relationships with classmates during discussions and helps instructors to recognize their students more easily. These profiles can also contain contact information if teachers or classmates need to reach out to them. Other Features of Learning Management Systems: Cloud, Higher education, On-premises,

What are the Benefits of Learning Management System (LMS)?

An LMS provides a centralized repository for digital content, allowing students and instructors to access and manage all required course materials in one place, from any device. These tools allow for automation of the assessment process and tracking of student progress while facilitating collaboration and communication among students, teachers, and parents. Consolidate digital content: The primary reason to use an LMS is that it is a living repository for all digital learning content that the organization offers. It enables teachers to upload documents, create presentations, and share all course material directly through the application. Assess student progress: Instructors can track student progress by uploading grades and assignment scores. The LMS gives them a single place where they may create, distribute, and grade assessments and assignments for their courses. Most platforms include automatic grading functions that allow instructors to mark student work and input the scores directly into a gradebook. Distribute content: Instructors can create new content or upload existing content as needed within the application. This lets students immediately see exactly what they need to study, without having to wait until the next class session. Facilitate communication: Typically, LMS platforms come with standard communication features that allow instructors to send messages to students or parents and vice versa. Instructors communicate information about upcoming assignments to an entire class, or they message an individual student about their progress or any concerns. Mass notification features allow instructors to get in touch with many members of the school community with one click. Encourage collaboration: An LMS helps create a digital community that fosters meaningful collaboration among peers, both for teachers and students. Instructors use an LMS to share lesson plans and materials, tell colleagues about an instructional strategy they are trying out, or ask a question to the community. Students use discussion forums built into LMS platforms to participate in online discussions, work together on group projects, or seek help with an assignment. Learning is a social process, so encouraging collaboration can lead to a richer learning experience for students and improve retention rates.

Page 3 | Best Learning Management Systems: User Reviews from August 2026

Sponsored

iSpring LMS

iSpring LMS is a feature-rich platform that helps companies accelerate their business momentum through ROI-efficient training. The LMS enables the entire training cycle with clarity and consistency, from structured onboarding to continuous employee development. It helps reduce employee turnover, improve performance, and ensure that teams stay aligned, skilled, and ready to support the company’s long-term growth. iSpring LMS gives managers and trainers a simple way to organize training, guide employees through skill-building, and see exactly how their learners are progressing. Employees get a clear path to follow, and leaders get the visibility they need to support growth, maintain standards, and keep performance on track. Here are the core capabilities that make this possible: - The mirrored organizational structure reflects how your company works, so training stays aligned with roles and teams. - Specified learning tracks guide learners step by step through required courses and programs. - Detailed reporting highlights progress, deadlines, and knowledge gaps with actionable insights. - The Supervisor Dashboard gives managers instant visibility into team performance without extra admin work. - Automated workflows handle enrollments, reminders, and assignments, saving time and reducing manual tasks. - The corporate portal and newsfeed centralize updates and announcements to keep everyone aligned. - 360-Degree Reviews gather well-rounded performance feedback from peers and supervisors. - On-The-Job Training validates real-world skills with structured checklists. - Knowledge Base gives employees quick access to SOPs, product info, and internal documentation. - Development Plans build personalized growth paths that connect training to long-term skill development.

Visit website

Thinqi

The Learning platform that makes L&D strategic. Finally. Most platforms separate learning, talent, and performance. Thinqi unifies them, connecting your people's development to business outcomes (without the midnight spreadsheets) L&D teams in UK public sector organisations and mid-market enterprises use Thinqi to transform from reactive order-takers into strategic partners who demonstrate clear business impact. Our three-pillar (Impact and Performance Triangle) approach connects people development directly to workforce planning, succession management, and business goals. Thinqi's integrated platform combines comprehensive learning management with talent development and performance tracking, enabling organisations to move beyond completion rates to prove genuine business impact. Over 25 million users globally—including NHS trusts, police services, local authorities, financial services firms, and professional services organisations trust Thinqi to power learning that matters. With 25 years of L&D expertise, ISO 27001 certification, and a 99% customer renewal rate, Thinqi delivers enterprise-ready security with learner-approved experiences. Thinqi's ethos is grounded in a People and Platform approach to L&D, and utilises the Impact and Performance Triangle Triangle framework for measuring learning's business impact, and the Thinqi Maturity Model to help provide a strategic game plan for improvement.

Average Rating: 4.6/5.0

Total Reviews: 15

How Do G2 Users Rate Thinqi?

Ease of Use: 8.2/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)
Has the product been a good partner in doing business?: 9.4/10 (Category avg: 9.1/10)
Quality of Support: 10.0/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
Ease of Admin: 8.1/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)

Who Is the Company Behind Thinqi?

Seller: Thinqi
Year Founded: 1998
HQ Location: N/A
LinkedIn® Page: linkedin.com
44 employees on LinkedIn®

Who Uses This Product?

Top Industries: Higher Education
Company Size: 47% Medium, 33% Large

What Do G2 Reviewers Say About Thinqi?

AI-generated summary from verified user reviews

Pros

Users praise the fantastic customer support from Thinqi, highlighting exceptional service that enhances their overall experience.
Users find Thinqi’s platform easy to use, promoting swift implementation and encouraging enthusiastic adoption among learners.
Users commend Thinqi for its excellent support, highlighting exceptional service that enhances overall experience and efficiency.
Users find Thinqi's centralization of learning activities extremely helpful, enhancing efficiency and adapting to various needs.
Users value the flexibility of Thinqi, appreciating its adaptability to various needs and learning styles.

Cons

Users find feature issues in Thinqi, noting clunky performance management tools and inconsistent system updates affecting usability.
Users feel that Thinqi is lacking crucial features, hindering effective performance management and making navigation cumbersome.
Users find that Thinqi has limited features that can disrupt workflow and feel disconnected at times.
Users find navigation issues in Thinqi, noting that accessing tools can be cumbersome and initially overwhelming.
Users face communication issues with Thinqi, often needing to clarify project details to enhance collaboration and efficiency.

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of Thinqi?

"User-Friendly LMS with Excellent Support"

Rating: 4.0/5.0 stars

— Jack B.

Best Learning Management Systems - Page 3

How Many Learning Management Systems Products Does G2 Track?

Category Stats (Aug 2026)

How Does G2 Rank Learning Management Systems Products?

G2 Grid® for Learning Management Systems

iSpring LMS

How Do G2 Users Rate Thinqi?

Who Is the Company Behind Thinqi?

Who Uses This Product?

What Do G2 Reviewers Say About Thinqi?

Pros

Cons

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of Thinqi?

What Are G2 Users Discussing About Thinqi?

How Do G2 Users Rate BrainCert?

Who Is the Company Behind BrainCert?

Who Uses This Product?

What Do G2 Reviewers Say About BrainCert?

Pros

Cons

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of BrainCert?

What Are G2 Users Discussing About BrainCert?

How Do G2 Users Rate LearnDash?

Who Is the Company Behind LearnDash?

Who Uses This Product?

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of LearnDash?

What Are G2 Users Discussing About LearnDash?

How Do G2 Users Rate Learn:Go?

Who Is the Company Behind Learn:Go?

Who Uses This Product?

What Do G2 Reviewers Say About Learn:Go?

Pros

Cons

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of Learn:Go?

How Do G2 Users Rate Tovuti LMS?

Who Is the Company Behind Tovuti LMS?

Who Uses This Product?

What Do G2 Reviewers Say About Tovuti LMS?

Pros

Cons

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of Tovuti LMS?

What Are G2 Users Discussing About Tovuti LMS?

How Do G2 Users Rate MeritHub?

Who Is the Company Behind MeritHub?

Who Uses This Product?

What Do G2 Reviewers Say About MeritHub?

Pros

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of MeritHub?

What Are G2 Users Discussing About MeritHub?

How Do G2 Users Rate JoomlaLMS?

Who Is the Company Behind JoomlaLMS?

Who Uses This Product?

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of JoomlaLMS?

What Are G2 Users Discussing About JoomlaLMS?

How Do G2 Users Rate Claned?

Who Is the Company Behind Claned?

Who Uses This Product?

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of Claned?

What Are G2 Users Discussing About Claned?

How Do G2 Users Rate Kannu?

Who Is the Company Behind Kannu?

Who Uses This Product?

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of Kannu?

What Are G2 Users Discussing About Kannu?

How Do G2 Users Rate WizIQ?

Who Is the Company Behind WizIQ?

Who Uses This Product?

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of WizIQ?

What Are G2 Users Discussing About WizIQ?

How Do G2 Users Rate Lambda Suite?

Who Is the Company Behind Lambda Suite?

Who Uses This Product?

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of Lambda Suite?

What Are G2 Users Discussing About Lambda Suite?

How Do G2 Users Rate uxpertise LMS?

Who Is the Company Behind uxpertise LMS?

Who Uses This Product?

What Do G2 Reviewers Say About uxpertise LMS?

Pros

Cons