The 7 Types of Learning Management Systems (LMS)

"Choosing the best learning management system is no easy feat. The decision carries enormous weight as it outlines the employee development framework for the next five years. The wrong choice means a wasted budget, frustrated learners, and a system nobody uses. But how do you choose the best one for you, from a pool of options? One way to get started is by understanding the basic blueprints of all LMS types."

"Every type of LMS falls into a few distinct categories based on how it is built and who it's for. The main types of LMS are Cloud-based (SaaS), Self-hosted (On-premise), and Open-source. From there, systems are further grouped by their intended audience, like platforms for corporate training, academics, or specialized industries. Type #1: Open-source LMS That level of control, however, requires a dedicated team of expert mechanics. The system's cost never appears on a vendor's invoice, but it shows up directly on your company's payroll."

Choosing the right learning management system determines the employee development framework for the next five years and carries significant budgetary and adoption consequences. LMS platforms classify by architecture—Open-source, Cloud-based (SaaS), and Self-hosted (On-premise)—and by intended audience such as corporate, academic, or specialized industries. Open-source LMS provides complete customization, SCORM compliance, deep integrations, and multi-brand capabilities but requires an internal team and ongoing payroll costs. Examples include Moodle, Open edX, and Canvas. Cloud-based SaaS LMS offers rapid deployment and vendor-managed maintenance for faster program launches.

Read at TalentLMS Blog