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Software · head to head

TalentLMS vs Absorb LMS

TalentLMS logo

TalentLMS

Software

Cloud LMS built for training success

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Absorb LMS logo

Absorb LMS

Software

Enterprise LMS for measurable business impact

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only TalentLMS has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: TalentLMS the free plan is capped at 5 users and 10 courses; Absorb LMS pricing not transparently listed on website
  • They diverge on capability: TalentLMS covers Course creation, Absorb LMS covers Course management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which TalentLMS and Absorb LMS actually diverge.

Attributes where TalentLMS and Absorb LMS differ
AttributeTalentLMSAbsorb LMS
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, IOS, AndroidWeb, Cloud-based
Founded20122003

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 TalentLMS

  • Course creation
  • Certifications
  • Video conferencing
  • SCORM support
  • Zapier
  • Slack

Only in Absorb LMS

  • Course management
  • AI-powered learning
  • Compliance tracking
  • Social learning
  • Workday
  • ADP
  • HRIS systems
  • API support

Both cover

  • Gamification
  • Mobile learning
  • Reporting
  • E-commerce
  • Salesforce
  • Zoom
  • Microsoft Teams
  • Web support
  • IOS support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

TalentLMS

  • Delivering employee onboarding and compliance trainingnot Absorb LMS
  • Running separate branded training portals for customers or partnersnot Absorb LMS
  • Authoring courses and tracking completion across teamsnot Absorb LMS

Absorb LMS

  • Employee onboarding and professional developmentnot TalentLMS
  • Compliance training with automated updatesnot TalentLMS
  • Customer education and product trainingnot TalentLMS
  • Partner enablement and sales trainingnot TalentLMS

Where each one falls short

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

TalentLMS

  • The free plan is capped at 5 users and 10 courses
  • Custom domain and single sign on are excluded from the free plan and start at the Core tier
  • Core at $119 per month allows only 1 branch portal; Grow allows 3 and Pro allows 15
  • Learning paths are capped at 5 on Grow and are unlimited only from Pro upward
  • AI credits on Core are a one time allocation of 5,000 rather than a monthly refill
  • Enterprise pricing is custom with no published rate and targets 1,000+ users
  • The advertised annual rates require paying for a year up front

Absorb LMS

  • Pricing not transparently listed on website
  • Requires implementation and setup time

Pricing, plan by plan

TalentLMS

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 5 users
    • 10 courses
    • Core features
  • Starter$69/month
    • 40 users
    • Unlimited courses
    • Custom branding
  • Basic$149/month
    • 100 users
    • Single sign-on
    • Custom domain
  • Plus$279/month
    • 500 users
    • Custom reports
    • Automations

Absorb LMS

On request
  • Core$undefined/month
    • Course management
    • Reporting
    • Mobile app
  • Professional$undefined/month
    • All Core
    • E-commerce
    • Custom branding
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • All Professional
    • AI features
    • SSO

Which should you pick?

Choose TalentLMS if

  • You need course creation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want certifications.
TalentLMS review

Choose Absorb LMS if

  • You need course management.
  • You work on Web, Cloud-based.
  • You also want ai-powered learning.
Absorb LMS review

Questions people ask

Is TalentLMS or Absorb LMS better?
Neither clearly leads. TalentLMS starts at Free and Absorb LMS at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, TalentLMS or Absorb LMS?
TalentLMS has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for TalentLMS and On request for Absorb LMS.
Does TalentLMS or Absorb LMS run on more platforms?
TalentLMS runs on Web, IOS, Android. Absorb LMS runs on Web, Cloud-based.
Can I use TalentLMS for free?
Yes. TalentLMS has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Absorb LMS starts at On request.
What is TalentLMS best used for?
TalentLMS is most often used for delivering employee onboarding and compliance training, running separate branded training portals for customers or partners, authoring courses and tracking completion across teams. Of those, delivering employee onboarding and compliance training and running separate branded training portals for customers or partners are not what Absorb LMS is typically brought in for.
What can TalentLMS do that Absorb LMS cannot?
TalentLMS covers Course creation, Certifications, Video conferencing, SCORM support. Absorb LMS covers Course management, AI-powered learning, Compliance tracking, Social learning. Both handle Gamification, Mobile learning, Reporting, E-commerce.
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