Absorb LMS vs Adapt Learning
Absorb LMS
absorbai.comAdapt Learning
adaptlearning.orgSide by side
| Figure | Absorb LMS | Adapt Learning |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 2 |
| Spec score · E-Learning Software | 8.6 (#5) | 9.0 (#1) |
| Assessments | Yes | Assessment features include question banks, randomized questions and configurable feedback. |
| Founded | 2003 | LinkedIn states that the Adapt open-source project was established in 2013. |
| Purpose | Absorb LMS is a learning management system for administering and delivering organizational training. | Adapt is an e-learning authoring tool for creating responsive, multi-device HTML5 learning content. |
| Support | The features FAQ lists 24/7 customer support as part of the standard feature package. | Support is community-based through Gitter, technical forums and GitHub issues for bugs and feature requests. |
Plans
In their own words
Absorb LMS
Absorb LMS is a learning management system for administering and delivering organizational training. Its stated uses include onboarding, employee development, compliance training, customer education, partner enablement, and selling courses. Learning can be assigned according to role, department, location, goals, and skill gaps; the homepage lists 12,000+ job skills and 20,000+ pre-built courses. Absorb Create uses built-in AI tools to generate courses and add quizzes, videos, translations, and voice-overs. Custom reports cover learner engagement, course completion, productivity, and sales. Integrations listed include ADP, Workday, Salesforce, BambooHR, Zoom, and content providers, with RESTful APIs and webhooks for custom connections. The free Absorb Learning app for compatible iOS and Android devices supports offline training and syncs progress after reconnection, but course creation and management are not supported in the app. The product also lists assessments, certificates, SSO, and API access. Pricing is provided on request, and a free trial signup form is available with no duration stated. Absorb LMS was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Adapt Learning
Adapt Learning is a free e-learning authoring tool and framework for making responsive HTML5 learning content. Course creators can use its no-code authoring tool to build courses, add interactive elements, preview content, and publish without programming. Developers can use the Adapt Framework as an extensible toolkit, with courses delivered from a web server or through a SCORM-compliant learning management system. Framework features include LMS user data, completion tracking, assessments, question banks, randomized questions, and configurable feedback. It supports multiple languages, localization, and right-to-left layouts, and states that it meets WAI AA accessibility standards. The framework includes 22 bundled plugins; additional community plugins include SCORM tracking and xAPI extensions. Installation options include Adapt-CLI, a ZIP download from GitHub, or cloning the repository with Git. Setup requires Git, Node.js and NPM, Grunt-CLI, and Adapt-CLI. Documentation and a technical community forum are available for support. The project relies on collaborator time donations and does not publish specific release schedules.