Best Course Authoring Software in 2026
Updated
In short: ProProfs Training Maker is ranked #1 of 27 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Adapt Learning and BranchTrack. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Adapt Learning. The lowest first paid tier on this page is ProProfs Training Maker at $0.41/mo.
Course authoring software is for creating learning materials, assessments, and interactive content for delivery across devices. Compare assessment builders, interactive content, and responsive output, as well as SCORM export and content libraries. Author seats and team collaboration can help you consider how course creators work together; free-plan availability and paid-from pricing provide cost context. ProProfs Training Maker, BranchTrack, and eXeLearning are among the entries, with Mindsmith and Easygenerator also shown. Weigh the listed creation, delivery, and collaboration features against the courses your team plans to produce.
27 course authoring software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
7 of the 25 here have a free tier you can use, 0 have open-source code on record, and 0 have full bars: free, open, on most of your devices and documented.
| # | App | Signal | Free tier | Open code | Devices | From | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ProProfs Training MakerWeb · Windows · Mac · Android · iPhone · API | Three bars | — | 5 of 6 | $0.41/mo | 6.8 | |
| 2 | Adapt LearningWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone · Self-hosted | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | Free | 6.7 | |
| 3 | BranchTrackWeb · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | $6.92/mo | 6.6 | |
| 4 | eXeLearningWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 6.6 | |
| 5 | MindsmithWeb · Android · iPhone · API | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | $39/mo | 6.6 | |
| 6 | EasygeneratorWeb | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | $116/mo | 6.4 | |
| 7 | H5PWeb · Self-hosted · API | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 8 | PathwrightWeb · Android · iPhone · API | Two bars | — | — | 3 of 6 | $99/mo | 5.6 |
| 9 | LectoraWeb · Windows | One bar | — | — | 2 of 6 | $129.08/mo | 5.5 |
| 10 | Lumi EducationWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 4 of 6 | — | 5.4 |
| 11 | ActivePresenterWindows · Mac | No signal | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 12 | Open eLearningWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 13 | Cforj Course Forge StudioWeb | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 14 | CourseArcWeb | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 15 | dominKnow ONEWeb · Windows · Mac · Android · iPhone | Two bars | — | — | 5 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 16 | XerteWeb | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 17 | Articulate Rise 360Web · Windows | One bar | — | — | 2 of 6 | $120.75/mo | 5.1 |
| 18 | NolejWeb | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 19 | CenarioVRWeb · Windows · Android · iPhone | One bar | — | — | 4 of 6 | — | 5.0 |
| 20 | ScormStackWeb · Self-hosted · API | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | $0.42/mo | 5.0 |
| 21 | EdBuild AINo platforms listed | One bar | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 4.9 |
| 22 | aNewSpringAPI | One bar | — | — | 0 of 6 | €1.55/mo | 4.8 |
| 23 | Chameleon CreatorWeb | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 4.8 |
| 24 | Evolve AuthoringWeb | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 4.8 |
| 25 | Gomo LearningWeb | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 4.8 |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which course authoring software is ranked first on Freedom251?
ProProfs Training Maker is ranked #1 of 27 with a score of 6.8. Adapt Learning is second and BranchTrack third.
How many of these have a free plan?
7 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, ProProfs Training Maker has the lowest first paid tier we found: $0.41/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked free-and-open first: a usable free tier and open-source code, then the platforms it runs on and its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.