Learning management system (LMS): meaning, features and types

What is an LMS?

A learning management system is software for creating, assigning, delivering and tracking training: it holds the courses, enrols the learners, and records who completed what and how they scored.

Learning management system features

  • Course building and hosting, including video and quizzes.
  • Assigning learning by role, team or individual.
  • Tracking completion, scores and certificates.
  • Reporting for managers and compliance audits.
  • Integrations with HR systems for joiners and leavers.

LMS vs LXP

An LMS is organised around assigned courses and records. A learning experience platform (LXP) is organised around discovery, recommending content from many sources the way a streaming service does. Many companies use an LMS for required training and an LXP for self-directed learning.

Types of LMS

  • Cloud (SaaS): hosted by the vendor, quick to start, paid by subscription.
  • Self-hosted: installed on your own servers, with more control and more upkeep.
  • Open source: free to use and adapt, with hosting and support costs instead.

How to choose an LMS

Start from what you need to know at the end, not the feature list: completion for compliance, or proof that skills improved. If the answer is skills, look for skill matrices and assessments rather than only courses. Personalized Learning Platform for Corporations builds each person’s path from the gap between their assessed and required skills, from $79 a month for 40 learners.

Last reviewed 2026-11-01.

Related terms

  • Adaptive learning path — An adaptive learning path is a sequence of training that changes based on what the learner shows they know, so people skip what they can already demonstrate and spend their time on what they cannot.
  • Completion rate — Completion rate is the share of assigned learning that people actually finish.
  • Competency framework — A competency framework describes the skills, knowledge and behaviours a company expects in each role, with levels that show what good looks like at each stage of a career.

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