13 Best Course Authoring Tools to Jumpstart Your E-Learning in 2026

Creating e-learning courses used to require a team of specialists. Today, the right authoring tool puts professional course creation in anyone's hands. But with dozens of options available, choosing the right one can be overwhelming.

We've evaluated the market to bring you 13 course authoring tools worth considering in 2026.

What is a Course Authoring Tool?

A course authoring tool is software designed specifically for creating e-learning content. Unlike general presentation tools, authoring tools provide:

• Interactive elements — Quizzes, drag-and-drop, branching scenarios
• Learning standards support — SCORM, xAPI, cmi5 export
• Media integration — Video, audio, animations
• Responsive design — Works across devices
• Assessment capabilities — Scoring, feedback, tracking

How We Evaluated

Our assessment criteria:

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The 13 Best Course Authoring Tools for 2026

1. Konstantly

Best for: AI-powered rapid course development

Konstantly represents the new wave of AI-native authoring tools. Instead of building slides manually, you provide source materials and AI generates complete courses—then you refine.

Key Features:

• AI course generation from documents, PDFs, videos
• Interactive video with branching
• Built-in quiz and assessment creation
• Modern, mobile-responsive output
• Direct LMS integration

Pricing: Included with Konstantly LMS subscription

Ideal For: Teams that need to create courses quickly without dedicated instructional designers.

Standout: Creates in minutes what traditional tools take days to build.

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2. Articulate Storyline 360

Best for: Complex interactive courses

Storyline remains the industry standard for custom e-learning development. If you need complete control over every interaction, this is the tool.

Key Features:

• Slide-based authoring with timeline
• Triggers, variables, and states for complex interactions
• Screen recording and simulation
• Extensive template library
• Character and asset library

Pricing: $1,399/year (included in Articulate 360)

Ideal For: Experienced instructional designers building sophisticated courses.

Standout: Unmatched flexibility for custom interactions and simulations.

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3. Articulate Rise 360

Best for: Responsive, modern course design

Rise takes a different approach than Storyline—block-based authoring that's inherently responsive. The output looks contemporary and works beautifully on any device.

Key Features:

• Block-based course building
• Automatic responsive design
• Pre-built lesson templates
• Collaboration features
• Clean, modern aesthetic

Pricing: $1,399/year (included in Articulate 360)

Ideal For: Creating scrolling, web-style courses that prioritize mobile experience.

Standout: Best-in-class responsive design with minimal effort.

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4. Adobe Captivate

Best for: Software simulations and VR content

Captivate excels at capturing software workflows and creating interactive simulations. Recent versions added VR capabilities for immersive learning.

Key Features:

• Automatic software simulation capture
• VR project creation
• Fluid boxes for responsive design
• PowerPoint import
• Advanced actions and variables

Pricing: $33.99/month or $399/year

Ideal For: Creating software training and interactive demonstrations.

Standout: Software simulation capabilities that competitors can't match.

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5. Lectora

Best for: Enterprise compliance and accessibility

Lectora has deep roots in corporate compliance training. It's particularly strong on accessibility features and enterprise-grade output.

Key Features:

• WCAG 2.1 accessibility compliance
• Section 508 compliant output
• Responsive design
• Variables and conditions
• Review and collaboration tools

Pricing: Starting at $1,299/year

Ideal For: Organizations with strict accessibility and compliance requirements.

Standout: Most comprehensive accessibility features in the market.

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6. iSpring Suite

Best for: PowerPoint-based course creation

If your team lives in PowerPoint, iSpring makes the transition to e-learning seamless. It converts presentations into interactive courses with quizzes and simulations.

Key Features:

• PowerPoint integration
• Dialogue simulations
• Screen recording
• Quiz maker
• Video editing

Pricing: Starting at $770/year

Ideal For: Organizations wanting to convert existing PowerPoint content to e-learning.

Standout: Fastest path from PowerPoint to published course.

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7. Camtasia

Best for: Video-based training

While technically a screen recorder and video editor, Camtasia has become a go-to for video-centric course creation. It's simpler than full authoring tools but produces polished results.

Key Features:

• Screen recording with webcam overlay
• Built-in video effects and annotations
• Interactive quizzes (in video)
• Templates and assets
• Easy editing timeline

Pricing: $249.99 one-time (or $74.50/year subscription)

Ideal For: Creating tutorial videos and video-based courses.

Standout: Best combination of ease and quality for video training.

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8. Elucidat

Best for: Collaborative authoring at scale

Elucidat focuses on teams creating courses together. Its collaboration features and brand management tools make it ideal for large organizations with multiple authors.

Key Features:

• Cloud-based collaboration
• Brand consistency controls
• Learning accelerators (templates)
• Analytics on course effectiveness
• Multi-language support

Pricing: Custom pricing (enterprise-focused)

Ideal For: Large L&D teams creating courses across business units.

Standout: Best-in-class collaboration and brand governance.

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9. Gomo Learning

Best for: Multi-device responsive courses

Gomo pioneered the responsive, cloud-based authoring approach. It produces courses that work seamlessly across desktop, tablet, and mobile.

Key Features:

• Device-agnostic responsive design
• Cloud-based authoring
• Team collaboration
• Analytics dashboard
• Custom branding

Pricing: Custom pricing

Ideal For: Organizations prioritizing mobile learning experience.

Standout: True responsive design without manual adjustment.

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10. Vyond

Best for: Animated explainer videos

Vyond creates professional animated videos without animation skills. It's perfect for adding engaging visual content to courses.

Key Features:

• Drag-and-drop video creation
• Character animation
• Multiple visual styles
• Voice-over integration
• Template library

Pricing: Starting at $25/month

Ideal For: Creating animated training videos and explanations.

Standout: Professional animation without professional animators.

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11. H5P

Best for: Open-source interactive content

H5P is a free, open-source toolkit for creating interactive content. It integrates with various LMS platforms and CMS systems.

Key Features:

• 40+ interactive content types
• Open-source and free
• LMS integration (Moodle, Canvas, etc.)
• Reusable content
• Community content sharing

Pricing: Free (open source)

Ideal For: Budget-conscious teams needing interactive elements.

Standout: Best free option for creating interactive learning content.

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12. Easygenerator

Best for: SME-driven content creation

Easygenerator is designed for subject matter experts, not instructional designers. Its guided approach helps non-specialists create effective courses.

Key Features:

• SME-friendly interface
• Built-in instructional guidance
• Cloud collaboration
• Analytics and insights
• SCORM/xAPI export

Pricing: Starting at $99/month

Ideal For: Enabling subject matter experts to create training content.

Standout: Most approachable tool for non-L&D professionals.

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13. dominKnow | ONE

Best for: Centralized content management

dominKnow combines authoring with content management, making it ideal for organizations with large content libraries that need versioning and reuse.

Key Features:

• Central content repository
• Component reuse
• Responsive and traditional authoring
• Review workflows
• Translation management

Pricing: Starting at $1,997/year

Ideal For: Organizations managing large libraries of reusable content.

Standout: Best content management for learning assets.

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Comparison Matrix

Feature Comparison

Choosing the Right Tool

Consider Your Team

Non-technical SMEs: Konstantly, Easygenerator, Rise 360 Instructional designers: Storyline, Captivate, Lectora Video-focused teams: Camtasia, Vyond Large distributed teams: Elucidat, dominKnow

Consider Your Content

Quick updates and rollouts: Konstantly, Rise 360 Complex simulations: Storyline, Captivate Software training: Captivate, Camtasia Compliance/accessibility: Lectora Interactive elements: H5P, Storyline

Consider Your Budget

Free: H5P Under $1,000/year: Camtasia, Vyond, iSpring $1,000-2,000/year: Articulate 360, Lectora, dominKnow Enterprise pricing: Elucidat, Gomo

The Rise of AI-Powered Authoring

The biggest shift in course authoring is AI. Traditional tools require you to:

1. Outline content
2. Write scripts
3. Create visuals
4. Build interactions
5. Add assessments
6. Test and iterate

AI-powered tools flip this:

1. Provide source material
2. AI generates draft course
3. Review and refine
4. Publish

Time to create 30-minute course:

Traditional authoring: 40-80 hours
AI-assisted authoring: 4-8 hours

That's 10x faster development.

Questions to Ask Before Buying

1. What content types do we need? Match tools to requirements.

2. Who will create courses? Designers need different tools than SMEs.

3. What's our technical environment? Ensure LMS compatibility.

4. How many courses will we create? Volume affects pricing calculations.

5. What's our timeline? AI tools accelerate development significantly.

Getting Started

Most tools offer free trials. We recommend:

1. List your must-have features
2. Shortlist 3-4 tools
3. Run a pilot project on each
4. Evaluate output quality and creation time
5. Factor in total cost of ownership

Ready to Start Creating?

The best authoring tool is the one your team will actually use. Consider your skills, content needs, and budget—then pick a tool and start creating.

See how Konstantly's AI authoring compares →