Choosing the Right Learning Tech for Your Company
Explore the differences between top learning platforms and tech to decide which best meets your company’s needs.
Explore the differences between top learning platforms and tech to decide which best meets your company’s needs.
By Steve Owens
Note: This article originally published in the Winter 2022 issue of LTEN Focus on Training Magazine. It has been updated to include relevant 2025 platforms and AI technology.
With so many innovative learning platforms available, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming. While a single platform likely won’t meet every learner’s needs, understanding what each type of learning platform does—and how it fits into your broader ecosystem—is essential for maximizing both business value and learner engagement. We break down the main categories of learning platforms, what they offer, and what to consider when selecting a solution.
These remain foundational in many organizations. LMS platforms are primarily administrative tools used to manage, deliver, and track formal training—especially compliance-related programs. Admins curate what learners see and track completion, certifications, and progress.
Use Cases: LMSs are essential in compliance-focused or regulated industries where tracking and structured delivery is key. They’re often part of broader Human Capital Management (HCM) platforms but can also stand alone.
Big Players in 2025: Absorb, Cornerstone Galaxy, and Docebo. Among HCMs, Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, and Oracle continue to offer LMS capabilities—though their user experience and flexibility vary.
LXPs offer a modern, user-centered learning experience that feels more like Netflix than a corporate training portal. These platforms curate content based on AI-driven recommendations, user behavior, and skills interests—allowing users to explore, share, and contribute learning content.
Use Cases: LXPs are ideal for enterprise organizations focused on employee-driven learning, upskilling, and reskilling. LXPs are often layered on top of LMS systems or integrated into broader talent platforms.
Big Players in 2025: Degreed, Cornerstone, Learning Pool, Sana (AI-powered), and emerging players like Learnerbly and Continu. NovoEd deserves a special mention for offering cohort-based, social learning experiences that bridge formal and informal learning.
ILS platforms blend the structure of an LMS with the personalization of an LXP in a unified interface and reporting engine. Many ILS tools also include content authoring tools, built-in third-party content, and the ability to manage everything from formal compliance to informal learning discovery.
Use Cases: ILSs are well-suited for organizations that need to balance top-down learning requirements with bottom-up learner autonomy.
Big Players in 2025: 360Learning, Fuse Universal, Valamis, and Cornerstone Galaxy. Several LMS and LXP providers are converging into this space, so you can expect more hybrid platforms to emerge.
While not learning platforms in the traditional sense, these tools play a major role in sales readiness and performance support. They manage content across the sales lifecycle—from content creation and version control to in-the-moment enablement and coaching.
Use Cases: These tools are powerful when aligned with revenue enablement strategies. Look for integrations with CRMs, as well as strong analytics, coaching, and microlearning capabilities.
Big Players in 2025: Allego, Bigtincan, Seismic, and Showpad remain category leaders. Highspot is also gaining momentum with its tight integration of enablement and analytics.
As learning technologies evolve, artificial intelligence is becoming both a feature within platforms and, increasingly, an alternative to traditional learning systems.
AI-Enhanced Platforms
Many modern platforms—from LMS to LXP to ILS—are embedding AI to enhance the learner and administrator experience. On the learner side, AI powers personalized recommendations, adaptive learning paths, and intelligent search. For administrators, AI can automate content tagging, generate course descriptions, and surface learning insights through analytics dashboards.
AI as the Platform
In some cases, AI itself is replacing the need for a traditional learning platform. Forward-thinking teams are using generative AI tools—like ChatGPT, Claude, or Microsoft Copilot—to deliver just-in-time, contextual learning without a course or module. These tools act more like smart assistants than structured learning environments.
Use Cases: Instead of building a full onboarding module, some companies embed an AI bot into their systems to answer new hire questions in real-time. Teams use AI chatbots to simulate sales scenarios or coach managers on difficult conversations—no LMS required. Internal knowledge bases are being transformed with AI to allow conversational search, replacing the need for formal eLearning.
Big Players in 2025: Degreed and Sana use AI to recommend learning content based on user profiles and skills data. Docebo offers AI features to auto-tag content and create learning plans. Cornerstone’s tools use generative AI to help authors create learning experiences more efficiently.
This shift doesn’t mean platforms are obsolete—but it does challenge us to think differently about how learning happens. The future of learning might be less about where it’s delivered and more about how intelligently it’s delivered, in the flow of work.
As learning technology continues to evolve, so does the variety of platforms available to meet specific learning and performance needs. These emerging or adjacent platform types might not replace your core LMS or LXP, but they can dramatically enhance your ecosystem depending on your business goals.
Skills Platforms & Talent Intelligence Systems
These platforms go beyond course catalogs and focus on identifying, mapping, and developing skills across the organization. Many integrate with learning systems but are designed for workforce agility and internal mobility.
Use Cases: Skills-based learning, talent mobility, and reskilling
Big Players in 2025: Gloat, Eightfold, SkyHive, and Retrain.ai
Cohort-Based & Social Learning Platforms
Designed for structured, group-based learning experiences, these platforms emphasize collaboration, discussion, and shared accountability and are especially valuable for leadership, onboarding, and culture-driven programs.
Use Cases: Leadership development, team-based learning, and DEI training
Big Players in 2025: NovoEd, Circle, Coassemble, Disco, and Butter
Microlearning & Mobile-First Platforms
These platforms prioritize fast, focused learning experiences—often delivered via mobile or embedded in daily tools. Many are built with frontline teams, sales, or time-constrained professionals in mind.
Use Cases: Frontline training, just-in-time reinforcement, and performance support
Big Players in 2025: Axonify, eduMe, EdApp, Spekit, and Qstream
In-the-Flow Learning & Digital Adoption Tools
Rather than taking learners away from their work, these tools embed learning into apps, systems, or workflows. Some combine training with help desk functionality or process automation.
Use Cases: On-demand support, software training, and performance enablement
Big Players in 2025: Whatfix, WalkMe, Pendo, Stonly, and Guru
Choosing the right platform(s) for your organization depends on your learning goals, user needs, technical landscape, and budget. And increasingly, it’s not about picking a single system but rather designing a thoughtful learning ecosystem that connects platforms, people, and purpose.
Is your team trying to decide on the best learning tech mix for your organization? We help teams navigate everything that impacts the learning and performance experience—from platforms to mindsets and everything in between. Reach out or give us a call at 859-415-1000. We’d love to chat.