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LMS · head to head

D2L Brightspace vs Thought Industries

D2L Brightspace logo

D2L Brightspace

LMS

The LMS built to focus on the learning moment

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Thought Industries logo

Thought Industries

LMS

External learning platform for companies that sell training to customers and partners as a product

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: D2L Brightspace no pricing tiers, subscription costs, or feature pricing published; requires contacting sales; Thought Industries the annual floor is an enterprise number, so organisations with modest training revenue pay more in platform fees than a revenue share would have cost them.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which D2L Brightspace and Thought Industries actually diverge.

Attributes where D2L Brightspace and Thought Industries differ
AttributeD2L BrightspaceThought Industries
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (LMS).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in D2L Brightspace

Nothing recorded that Thought Industries does not also cover.

Only in Thought Industries

  • Commerce engine
  • Licence and seat management
  • Multi-tenant panorama delivery
  • Certification programmes
  • Learning path personalisation
  • Analytics on revenue and consumption

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

D2L Brightspace

  • Learning management system for educational institutionsnot Thought Industries
  • Online course management and deliverynot Thought Industries
  • Student engagement and retention trackingnot Thought Industries
  • Course content creation and distributionnot Thought Industries
  • Learner achievement and certification managementnot Thought Industries

Thought Industries

  • A software company whose customer certification programme has grown past what a creator platform can administernot D2L Brightspace
  • Professional bodies selling continuing education with certification renewal cyclesnot D2L Brightspace
  • Manufacturers training distributor and dealer networks who each need their own branded environmentnot D2L Brightspace
  • Any training business where a percentage of revenue model has become more expensive than a flat platform feenot D2L Brightspace

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

D2L Brightspace

  • No pricing tiers, subscription costs, or feature pricing published; requires contacting sales
  • Quote-based pricing model with no transparent cost information available
  • Multiple add-on modules (Lumi, Creator+, Achievement+, Performance+, Course Merchant, D2L Link) available but pricing not disclosed

Thought Industries

  • The annual floor is an enterprise number, so organisations with modest training revenue pay more in platform fees than a revenue share would have cost them.
  • Implementation is measured in months and needs an internal owner, so the platform sits unused and paid for during a slow rollout.
  • It is designed for external audiences, so using it for internal employee compliance training means paying for commerce and multi-tenancy capability that internal training does not need.
  • Configuration depth for commerce and tenancy means the administrator role is a real job, and organisations that assign it as a fraction of someone else's role underuse the system.
  • Content authoring is not the strength, so most customers pair it with a separate authoring tool and manage two vendors and two content workflows.

Pricing, plan by plan

D2L Brightspace

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the D2L Brightspace review.

Thought Industries

On request
  • Thought Industries$undefined/year
    • Annual platform fee, quoted
    • No percentage taken of course revenue
    • Implementation and success services quoted separately

Which should you pick?

Choose D2L Brightspace if

Nothing in the data separates D2L Brightspace from Thought Industries on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

D2L Brightspace review

Choose Thought Industries if

  • You need commerce engine.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want licence and seat management.
Thought Industries review

Questions people ask

Is D2L Brightspace or Thought Industries better?
Neither clearly leads. D2L Brightspace starts at On request and Thought Industries at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, D2L Brightspace or Thought Industries?
D2L Brightspace starts at On request and Thought Industries at On request.
Does D2L Brightspace or Thought Industries run on more platforms?
D2L Brightspace runs on Web. Thought Industries runs on Web, iOS, Android.
What is D2L Brightspace best used for?
D2L Brightspace is most often used for learning management system for educational institutions, online course management and delivery, student engagement and retention tracking, course content creation and distribution. Of those, learning management system for educational institutions and online course management and delivery are not what Thought Industries is typically brought in for.
What can D2L Brightspace do that Thought Industries cannot?
Thought Industries covers Commerce engine, Licence and seat management, Multi-tenant panorama delivery, Certification programmes.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

D2L Brightspace: How much does D2L Brightspace cost?

D2L Brightspace does not publish pricing on its website. Prospective customers must request a demo or contact D2L sales to receive pricing quotes customized to their institution's needs.

Source
Thought Industries: Does Thought Industries take a percentage of course sales?

No. It charges an annual platform fee. That is more expensive than a revenue share at low volume and considerably cheaper once training revenue grows.

D2L Brightspace: What add-on modules does Brightspace offer?

Brightspace offers multiple add-on modules including D2L Lumi, Creator+, Achievement+, Performance+, Course Merchant, and D2L Link. Specific pricing and features for each are available by contacting D2L.

Source
Thought Industries: Can one platform serve several corporate customers separately?

Yes. Multi-tenant delivery gives each business customer its own branded environment and administrator while content stays centrally managed.

D2L Brightspace: What is D2L Brightspace's retention rate?

D2L reports an 82% retention rate among customers, though this does not reflect pricing or costs.

Source
Thought Industries: Is it suitable for internal employee training?

It can do it, but you would be paying for commerce and tenancy features that internal compliance training does not use. A corporate learning platform is usually the better fit.

D2L Brightspace: Can I see D2L Brightspace before purchasing?

D2L Brightspace is available by demo request only. Contact D2L directly to schedule a demo and discuss pricing options for your institution.

Source
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