Best Course Authoring Software in 2026
Updated
In short: ProProfs Training Maker is ranked #1 of 27 as of 3 October 2026, ahead of H5P and Mindsmith. The best-ranked option with a free plan is H5P. The lowest first paid tier on this page is ProProfs Training Maker at $0.41/mo.
When you need to build courses, compare how authoring tools handle assessments, interactive content, and responsive output. The entries are compared on assessment builders, author seats, content libraries, SCORM export, and team collaboration, alongside free-plan availability and paid-from pricing. Those details can help you weigh course creation needs against sharing and cost. ProProfs Training Maker, H5P, and ScormStack lead the opening entries, followed by Easygenerator and ActivePresenter. Articulate Rise 360, Mindsmith, and Gomo Learning are also among the first options. Consider which listed creation and collaboration features fit the way your team plans to produce learning materials.
27 course authoring software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
| # | Platform | Score | Why | From | Free plan | Paid from | Interactive content | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  ProProfs Training Maker | 7.4 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $0.41/mo | Yes | 1.99 /mo | Yes | View |
| 2 |  H5P | 7.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 3 | Mindsmith | 7.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $39/mo | Yes | 39 /mo | Yes | View |
| 4 |  Pathwright | 7.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $99/mo | No | 89 /mo | — | View |
| 5 | ScormStack | 6.7 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $0.42/mo | No | 5 /mo | Yes | View |
| 6 |  aNewSpring | 6.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | €1.55/mo | No | — | — | View |
| 7 | BranchTrack | 5.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $6.92/mo | Yes | 83 /mo | Yes | View |
| 8 | Easygenerator | 5.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $116/mo | Yes | 116 /mo | Yes | View |
| 9 | eXeLearning | 5.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 10 | Cforj Course Forge Studio | 5.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | 30 /mo | Yes | View |
| 11 | Xerte | 5.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 12 | ActivePresenter | 5.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 13 | Adapt Learning | 5.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 14 | Lumi Education | 5.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 15 | Open eLearning | 5.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 16 |  Articulate Rise 360 | 5.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $120.75/mo | No | — | Yes | View |
| 17 | EdBuild AI | 5.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | Yes | View |
| 18 |  CourseArc | 5.2 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | — | — | Yes | View |
| 19 | dominKnow ONE | 5.2 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | Yes | View |
| 20 | Chameleon Creator | 5.1 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | Yes | View |
| 21 | Pathwright | 5.1 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $99/mo | No | 89 /mo | — | View |
| 22 | CenarioVR | 5.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | Yes | View |
| 23 | Evolve Authoring | 5.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | Yes | View |
| 24 | Gomo Learning | 5.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | Yes | View |
| 25 | Lectora | 5.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | Yes | View |
Is your platform on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which course authoring software is ranked first on Inferse?
ProProfs Training Maker is ranked #1 of 27 with a score of 7.4. H5P is second and Mindsmith third.
How many of these have a free plan?
6 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, ProProfs Training Maker has the lowest first paid tier we found: $0.41/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked on what each maker publishes, open and connectable first: a public API, open-source code, the depth of its documentation and a free tier to try it on. Model lists are sorted by the figure in their title, exactly as each provider publishes it. Paid placements never change a rank.