Buyers Guides for Learning & Development

2025 Software Provider and Product Assessment

ISG defines Learning Management Systems as structured platforms designed to administer, deliver, track and report formal learning across an organization. They are optimized for compliance, certification and curriculum‑based programs and commonly serve as the system of record for enterprise learning. In 2025, an effective LMS must also deliver a user‑centric experience often associated with LXPs—personalized pathways, relevant discovery, social elements and intuitive mobile experiences—so that learning is both auditable and engaging. Increasingly, organizations seek one platform that can support internal and external audiences (e.g., partners, contractors, customers) without losing governance, so we consider light extended‑enterprise capabilities (multi‑audience management, basic branding, simple commerce) in scope. We exclude tools limited to informal/discovery learning without structured administration as well as pure content libraries or standalone assessment utilities.

The Buyers Guides for Learning & Development evaluate providers across three software categories with a unique Buyers Guide and research for each category to help enterprises assess and select software providers.

• The Learning Management Systems Buyers Guide evaluates 25 software providers and products in key areas relative to administration, delivery, tracking and reporting of formal learning across an enterprise. The guide assesses the following providers: 360Learning, Absorb, Acorn, Adobe, Anthology, Cegid, Cornerstone, CYPHER, D2L, Dayforce, Docebo, HiBob, isolved, Learning Pool, LearnUpon, Litmos, Moodle, Oracle, PeopleFluent, Sana, SAP, Schoox, Skillsoft, Thrive and Workday.
  
  
• The Learning Content Platforms Buyers Guide evaluates 8 software providers in key areas like providing access to licensed or curated learning content combined with native platform capabilities. The guide assesses the following providers: BizLibrary, Cornerstone, Coursera, ELB Learning, LinkedIn, Pluralsight, Skillsoft and Udemy.
  
  
• The Learning and Development Suites Buyers Guide evaluates 9 software providers and products in key areas: unified platforms that combine core LMS functionality with experience-forward capabilities, skills intelligence and content access—often enhanced by native or embedded AI. The guide assesses the following providers: Acorn, Cegid, Cornerstone, Dayforce, Oracle, PeopleFluent, SAP, Schoox and Workday.
  

To view the executive summaries of the research, please select the report below.

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