Learning Platform for Companies: Providers and LMS Comparison
Digital continuing education for your team
You are looking for a learning platform for your company? The key is whether you want to buy ready-made online courses, organize your own training, or combine both. Here you compare content providers and learning management systems (LMS), their pricing models, and the criteria for your selection.
Which learning platform suits your company?
Start with a specific learning goal. For onboarding, you need your own content, clear learning paths, and role-based assignment. For professional development, relevant courses and their practical relevance count. For recurring training, you should check deadlines, reminders, and exportable attendance reports in a demo.
- Small businesses: Pay attention to easy setup, low minimum purchase requirement, and little administrative overhead. Check who internally manages content and user accounts.
- Medium-sized companies: Compare roles and permissions, own learning content, interfaces to HR management, and the effort for ongoing operations.
- Internationally distributed teams: Check the actually available course languages, single sign-on, regional support, and evaluation across multiple locations.
For your shortlist: Test a typical training course with a small group from the first login to completion. Then have an offer created with the same number of users, contract duration, and scope of services. This way you compare the total cost instead of individual introductory prices.
Content Provider or Learning Platform? The Two Types of Providers
In corporate e-learning, there are two types of providers that are often mixed up in marketing. The ones deliver content – ready-made courses, videos, microlearnings. The others deliver software to distribute content, document mandatory training, and evaluate learning progress. Anyone who needs both either buys from a provider that offers both, or connects the courses to their own system via SCORM, xAPI, or LTI.
- Content provider – produces and licenses courses (Masterplan, PINKTUM, GoodHabitz, ZEIT Akademie). Billed per person per year, often with a minimum purchase requirement.
- LMS (Learning Management System) – the administrative software: assign courses, monitor deadlines, document participation in an audit-proof manner. A must once you need to prove training completion.
- LXP (Learning Experience Platform) – builds on an LMS and prioritizes recommendations, search, and learning paths. Useful once you have a library that no one can keep track of.
These are connected via standards: SCORM is the classic for course import, xAPI also records learning activities outside the LMS, LTI integrates external platforms. More on this in the E-Learning Glossary.
The Best E-Learning Providers for Companies at a Glance
Ten providers that regularly appear on shortlists in German-speaking countries – sorted by the breadth of their offering for companies, not by a rating. The order is not a ranking: a data skills provider cannot meaningfully be compared against a soft skills library.
| Provider | Profile | Price | More Info |
|---|---|---|---|
 MasterplanGerman market leader |
Learning engagement platform from Bochum with over 3,500 video courses in 26 languages and more than 300 customer companies, including VW, the Otto Group, and DZ Bank. Since September 24, 2025, Masterplan has been part of the Amadeus Fire Group.
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on requestLicense per employee per year, tiered by company size | To profileTo provider |
 Haufe AkademieContent and platform from a single source |
The largest German continuing education provider: over 3,600 continuing education courses in 26 subject areas, approx. 690,000 learners per year and more than 6,300 in-house training sessions in 2026 alone. The Digital Suite includes an LMS, an LXP, and a Content Kit with microlearning.
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on requestOpen seminars also bookable individually; Digital Suite as annual license | To profileTo provider |
 LinkedIn LearningBroadest business library |
Over 21,000 courses in 25 languages, of which more than 2,500 in German – from Excel and SAP to project management and leadership. The Learning Hub supplements the library with an LXP into which content from third-party providers and from your own LMS can be integrated.
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on requestTeam and enterprise licenses through sales; individual subscription for comparison approx. €20/month with annual subscription | Experience reportTo provider |
 PINKTUMSoft skills, accessible |
The provider from Munich and Hamburg (formerly Pink University) now offers more than 1,300 e-trainings on leadership, communication and collaboration. The offering is structured as a learning journey: skill check, 60-minute trainings, microlearnings and the AI coach PINKpro.
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on requestLicense packages per user per year; individual trainings can be added via marketplaces | View profileGo to provider |
 GoodHabitzFlat rate for the entire workforce |
Dutch provider with content in over 20 languages and 25 learning formats – from videos to tests to workbooks. Billing is a flat rate for the entire offering, not per course.
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Flat rateFixed annual price based on company size, with no limit on the number of courses | View profileGo to provider |
 ZEIT AkademieHigh-quality production |
The continuing education offering of the ZEIT publishing group: courses with scientists, journalists and practitioners on leadership, digitalization, communication and personality. For companies, the editorial team produces custom formats with in-house experts on request.
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on requestCompany licenses and individual courses; for comparison, individual access is €19.99/month in annual subscription | Experience reportGo to provider |
 Udemy BusinessLargest catalog |
The curated corporate catalog of the world's largest course marketplace: over 30,000 courses in 16 languages, used by approx. 18,000 companies. Since May 11, 2026, Udemy is part of Coursera; the platform continues to run with its own catalog and its own login.
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from approx. $360 / user & yearTeam plan for small groups; enterprise from 20 users individually (market data: $240–600 per seat) | Experience reportGo to provider |
 Coursera for BusinessUniversity courses & professional certificates |
Courses from universities and corporations, plus the Professional Certificates from Google, IBM, Meta and Microsoft. After the merger with Udemy, the group counts over 290 million learners – the only provider in the field with actual university degrees in its program.
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$399 / user & yearTeam plan from 5 seats (min. $1,995/year), up to 125 users; beyond that Enterprise on request | Experience reportGo to provider |
 StackFuelData and AI, with funding |
Berlin specialist for data and AI skills with more than 8,500 graduates and a completion rate of 93 percent. The programs are AZAV-certified and therefore eligible for funding via the Bildungsgutschein (education voucher) and the Qualification Opportunities Act. Since January 2026, StackFuel is part of the British provider Multiverse.
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eligible for fundingUp to 100% via Bildungsgutschein (education voucher) or QCG; corporate quotas on request | View profileVisit provider |
 quofoxMarketplace instead of own library |
The Berlin-based quofox GmbH combines a course marketplace with offerings from third-party providers – Bitkom Akademie, Lecturio, TÜV Rheinland, ZEIT Akademie – with its own quofox Learning Suite as an LMS. Since July 2023, the company has been part of the Dutch Archipel Academy, which continues to operate the offering in the DACH region.
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on requestCourses are billed individually, the LMS as an annual license | View profileVisit provider |
As of August 2026. I have verified all figures on the provider websites. Prices are almost always negotiable in B2B business; the information here is list prices or market data for orientation.
If you are not looking for any of the ten providers but a specific course: In the course database for online continuing education you can filter by topic, degree, and funding eligibility. If you prefer to ask rather than click, the AI search can help you.
Masterplan
German market leader
- OfferOver 3,500 video courses in 26 languages
- FocusLeadership, change, and soft skills
- CustomersOver 300 companies, including VW, Otto Group, and DZ Bank
- TechnologyOwn content via SCORM, integration with common HR systems
- SecurityISO and TISAX certified
- PriceOn request, license per person per year
- OwnerAmadeus Fire Group, since September 24, 2025
Masterplan started in 2017 in Bochum, founded by Stefan Peukert. Today it is the best-known German provider for corporate learning. Alongside experts, well-known names are in the catalog. Simon Sinek explains 'The Power of Why', lawyer Christian Solmecke explains the General Data Protection Regulation.
What convinces me less is the prominence than the tools around it. You upload your own presentations as a SCORM package and connect the platform to your HR system. Amadeus Fire values the company at around 20 million euros at the time of purchase. Nothing changes for customers for now.
My impression: The first choice if your workforce learns in German and it's about leadership. For depth of expertise, you need a second provider.
Haufe Akademie
Content and platform from a single source
- OfferOver 3,600 continuing education courses in 26 subject areas
- ReachApprox. 690,000 learners and over 19,000 events per year
- FormatsIn-person, live online, e-learning, and in-house
- PlatformDigital Suite with LMS, LXP, and Content Kit
- In-houseMore than 6,300 company trainings in 2026 alone
- PriceOn request, open seminars also bookable individually
- LocationFreiburg, founded 1978, approx. 680 employees
The Haufe Akademie is the broadest provider in the field. It is also the only place where in-person seminars, live online training, e-learning, and a learning platform come from the same house. This is supported by over 2,600 trainers.
Digitally, everything runs via the Digital Suite. The Learning Management System covers mandatory training and certifications, the Learning Experience Platform covers voluntary learning. If you are missing a topic, the academy produces it on request.
My impression: Strong if you want everything from a single source. Honestly, you can hardly find your way around the portfolio without a consultation.
LinkedIn Learning
Broadest business library
- OfferOver 21,000 courses in 25 languages
- In GermanMore than 2,500 courses
- PlatformLearning Hub as LXP, integrates content partners and your LMS
- ExtrasApp with offline mode, completion on request in profile
- PriceOn request, individual subscription for comparison approx. 20 euros per month
- CatchLearning data is stored with Microsoft, after contract end access is gone
LinkedIn Learning brings the largest general business library. For companies, the Learning Hub is added, a Learning Experience Platform. It focuses on learning progress, skill profiles, and personal recommendations. In it, you also show content from content partners and from your own LMS.
The big advantage is also the biggest disadvantage. Because the platform is tied to the career network, you find courses quickly and make completions visible with one click. However, all learning data is stored with Microsoft. How the platform performs in everyday use is described in the experience report on LinkedIn Learning.
My impression: Good for breadth and self-service. For mandatory training with proof, you still need your own system.
PINKTUM
Soft skills, accessible
- OfferMore than 1,300 e-trainings
- FocusLeadership, communication, conflicts, collaboration
- StructurePINKprofile check, PINKmacro with 60 minutes, PINKmicro, AI coach PINKpro
- AccessibleVideo learning partner of the initiative "BIK für Alle"
- TechnologyMultilingual, SCORM import into your own LMS
- PriceOn request, license packages per user per year
- LocationMunich with studios in Hamburg, founded 2010
PINKTUM is the brand of Pink University GmbH. The provider takes care of what is hardest to learn on the side. That is leadership, communication, conflicts, and collaboration. The catalog is structured as a learning journey, from needs assessment to AI coach.
A special feature has gained weight in 2026. PINKTUM produces accessible content and is a video learning partner of "BIK für Alle". Since the Accessibility Reinforcement Act came into effect, this is no longer a nice-to-have for many companies.
My impression: The cleanest production in the field. You have to buy specialist and IT topics elsewhere.
GoodHabitz
Flat rate for the entire workforce
- OfferManageable library in more than 20 languages
- FormatsUp to 25 per topic, from video to test to workbook
- PriceFlat rate, fixed annual price based on company size
- SecurityISO 27001 and ISO 27701
- TechnologyConnection to your own LMS via LTI or SCORM
- StrengthInternational workforces
- LocationNetherlands
GoodHabitz takes a different approach than most. Instead of stacking the largest possible catalog, there is a manageable library. In return, you get each topic in up to 25 learning formats. I like the idea behind it: Those who can choose the format are more likely to stick with it.
Billing is done as a flat rate, i.e., a fixed annual price based on company size. That makes calculation easy. It takes the discussion away from your HR department about who gets which course.
My impression: Ideal when everyone should get access and no one knows in advance who needs what.
ZEIT Akademie
High-quality production
- PublisherZEIT Publishing Group
- TopicsLeadership, digitalization, communication, methods, personality
- StructureShort lessons with quiz questions and graphics
- TechnologyCourses via SCORM or MP4 into your own LMS
- ExtraCustom formats on request, e.g., interviews with management
- PriceOn request, private access for comparison 19,99 euros per month
- CatchSmall library, no offering for mandatory training
The ZEIT Akademie is the continuing education offering of the ZEIT Publishing Group. It relies on what a publisher does best: carefully produced content with recognized experts from academia and practice.
For companies, there are two ways. You use the ZEIT Akademie learning platform or import the courses via SCORM into your own system. In addition, there is the option to have your own formats produced. What the courses look like in terms of content is shown in the experience report on the ZEIT Akademie.
My impression: A good choice for leadership programs. As basic coverage for the entire workforce, the library is too small.
Udemy Business
Largest catalog
- OfferOver 30,000 curated courses in 16 languages
- SelectionFrom approx. 290,000 courses on the open marketplace
- CustomersApprox. 18,000 companies
- ExtrasLearning paths, user management, and analytics
- PriceFrom approx. 360 Dollars per user per year
- OwnerCoursera, since 11 May 2026
- DrawbackQuality varies, certificates only confirm participation
Udemy Business is the curated selection of the large Udemy marketplace. From approx. 290,000 openly sold courses, the provider selects those that meet its quality and timeliness criteria.
The strength lies in speed. New tools, frameworks, and AI models are often available as courses just a few weeks after their release. Publishers are still producing then. The price for this is the varying quality. Experiences with the platform can be found in the Udemy review.
My impression: Unbeatable for IT and software. How the catalog will develop after the Coursera merger remains open.
Coursera for Business
University courses and professional certificates
- OfferCourses from universities and corporations, plus entire online degree programs
- CertificatesProfessional Certificates from Google, IBM, Meta, and Microsoft
- StrengthData, AI, and IT fundamentals
- Price399 Dollars per user per year, from five seats
- LanguagePredominantly English, German mostly only as subtitles
- GroupSince 11 May 2026, Udemy is also part of it
- DrawbackTeam plan ends at 125 users, beyond that Enterprise on request
Coursera is the only provider in this list whose certificates carry some weight outside your company. The Professional Certificates from Google, IBM, Meta, and Microsoft are a plus in job applications. For small teams, there is a real list price instead of a quote.
The drawback for German employees is the same as for private users. The catalog is predominantly in English, with German mostly only available as subtitles. Those who need courses in their native language often combine Coursera with a German provider. Details can be found in the experience report on Coursera.
My impression: The best choice if the goal is a certificate that has external impact.
StackFuel
Data and AI, with funding
- ProgramsData Analyst, Data Scientist, Data Engineer, AI Specialist, Python
- Practice80 percent exercises in a cloud-based programming environment
- SupportPersonal mentoring in feedback sessions
- Track recordOver 8,500 graduates, 93 percent completion rate
- FundingAZAV-certified, up to 100 percent in individual cases
- ReferencesBASF, BMW, Deutsche Bahn, Telefónica
- OwnerMultiverse, since January 2026
StackFuel from Berlin is not a library provider. Here you get a continuing education course with a beginning and an end. The courses consist of 80 percent practical tasks with real industry datasets. A completion rate of 93 percent is unusually high for online continuing education.
Important for financing: The programs are AZAV-certified. This makes them eligible for funding via Bildungsgutschein (education voucher) and the Qualification Opportunities Act, in individual cases up to 100 percent. Since January 2026, StackFuel belongs to Multiverse. The British provider wants to qualify 100,000 employees in Germany for AI topics.
My impression: The only provider here where funding is realistic. However, it only covers one subject area.
quofox
Marketplace instead of own library
- PrincipleCourse marketplace with third-party providers instead of own library
- PartnersBitkom Akademie, Lecturio, TÜV Rheinland, ZEIT Akademie
- Platformquofox Learning Suite, modular LMS in your own corporate design
- FormatsIn-person courses alongside self-paced modules
- PriceCourses billed individually, the LMS as an annual license
- OwnerArchipel Academy, since July 2023
- DrawbackSome offers are only priced on request
quofox solves a problem that many HR departments know. For each course, a separate contract, a separate invoice, a separate access. Instead, the Berlin provider bundles a course marketplace with its own Learning Suite.
Since July 2023, quofox belongs to the Dutch Archipel Academy. The team in Berlin has become small since then. Anyone relying on quofox should address the brand's future in contract negotiations.
My impression: Practical if you want to book many providers through one contract. The quality depends on the respective course provider.
Learning Management Systems (LMS) in comparison
As soon as instructions must be documented – occupational safety, data protection, compliance, and from 2025 also AI competence – a course library is no longer sufficient. Then you need a system that assigns training, reminds of deadlines, and documents participation in an audit-proof manner. That is exactly the task of a Learning Management System.
The following selection covers the range that is actually used in German-speaking countries – from open source to enterprise. It is not a ranking: Which system fits depends on company size, available IT resources, and whether content is produced in-house or purchased.
| System | Short Profile | Operation & Costs | To Provider |
|---|---|---|---|
MoodleOpen Source, widely used worldwide |
By far the most widespread LMS, originally from the education sector. Moodle Workplace is the version tailored to companies with organizational charts, certifications, and automated learning programs.
|
self-hostedSoftware free; costs arise for hosting, setup, and maintenance – usually via a certified partner | To provider |
ILIASOpen source from Germany |
Open-source LMS originating in Cologne, which runs mainly in universities, authorities, and the German armed forces. Strong in exams, competence management, and formal certifications.
|
self-hostedLicense-free; support via partner or own IT | To provider |
imc Learning SuiteEnterprise from the DACH region |
One of the best-known corporate LMS from the German-speaking region, based in Saarbrücken. Designed for large organizations with complex role, certification, and compliance requirements.
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on requestCloud or on-premises; price based on number of users and modules | To provider |
reteachFor small and medium-sized businesses |
Berlin-based SaaS learning platform from 2020, according to its own information used by over 1,500 companies. Target group is SMEs and small and medium-sized enterprises that want to set up onboarding and mandatory training without an IT project.
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SaaS subscriptionMonthly or annual license based on number of users, hosting in Germany included | To provider |
edyoucatedLXP with skill analysis |
Learning Experience Platform from Münster that focuses on competency-based learning: The system captures existing skills and suggests personal learning paths from them – from own and purchased content.
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on requestSaaS, price based on number of users | To provider |
360LearningCourses from the specialist department |
French platform with the approach of collaborative learning: Not the HR department produces the courses, but the experts themselves – with authoring tool, comment function, and approval process.
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on requestSaaS, billing based on active users | To provider |
DoceboInternational, AI-powered |
One of the most established international enterprise LMS, founded in 2005. The focus is on AI functions: natural language search, automatically generated course components, tests, and video presentations.
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on requestSaaS, price based on number of users and modules | To provider |
Not in the table, but often part of the selection process: the Digital Suite of Haufe Akademie and the quofox Learning Suite – both interesting if you want platform and content from a single source. If you already use SAP SuccessFactors, Personio, or another HR system, first check the learning module included there: The worst solution is rarely the second-best system, but two systems without shared personnel data.
What does e-learning cost in a company?
In B2B business, there are hardly any price tags – billing is per person, per year, and with a discount from a certain quantity. Four models are common:
| Model | How it is billed | Works if … |
|---|---|---|
| License per person | Fixed amount per employee per year, usually with minimum purchase and tiered pricing. | … all employees should get access and the number is stable. |
| Flat rate | An annual price for the entire offering, regardless of the number of courses (e.g., with GoodHabitz). | … no one can know in advance who needs which course. |
| Individual booking | Per course and person, like on a marketplace (quofox, Haufe seminars). | … only individual people need very specific topics. |
| Platform + content separate | LMS license by user count, content licensed separately or self-created. | … a lot of in-house knowledge exists and needs to be documented. |
What often gets overlooked in offers: Setup and data import, integration with the HR system, training for administrators, translations, and – the most expensive item of all – the working time during which learning takes place. One hour of learning time per month per person costs a company with 200 employees more than any license. And another point for contract negotiation: With subscription models, nothing remains after the contract ends – if you need to keep records of completed mandatory training, clarify the export of learning history beforehand, not at the time of cancellation.
Funding: Who pays for the continuing education?
Company-internal continuing education is eligible for funding in Germany – but only with AZAV-approved providers. Classic subscription platforms like LinkedIn Learning or Udemy Business are therefore excluded; approved courses from StackFuel or the large continuing education providers are not.
- Qualifizierungschancengesetz (§ 82 SGB III). Subsidies for course costs and wages for employees whose work is changing due to technology. The amount depends on company size – in micro-enterprises, up to 100 percent of course costs are possible.
- Qualifizierungsgeld (since April 1, 2024). For companies with qualification needs due to structural change: The Federal Employment Agency pays employees during the continuing education 60 percent of their last net salary (67 percent with children), similar to short-time work benefits. The course costs are covered by the employer.
Requirements for Qualifizierungsgeld: more than 120 hours of continuing education (not all at once), an AZAV-approved provider, and a works agreement or collective bargaining agreement that records the need – at least 20 percent of the workforce must be affected (for companies with 250 or more employees) or 10 percent in smaller companies. For companies with fewer than ten employees, a written declaration is sufficient.
Both must be applied for before the start of the measure – anyone who books first and asks later gets nothing. The first point of contact is the employer service of the Federal Employment Agency. Funded courses can be found in the course database, an overview of providers at the continuing education providers.
AI in corporate continuing education 2026
The biggest change in the last two years is not in the catalog, but in the way learning happens. In the trend study mmb Learning Delphi 2025/2026, for which 77 experts from the education sector were surveyed between December 2025 and February 2026, chatbots and AI learning assistants are in first place with 95 percent among the learning formats that will become important in the next three years. The experts also expect large AI providers to take over tasks that were previously handled by classic e-learning providers.
In practice, this means: Almost every corporate platform now has an assistant that answers questions about course material, quizzes, or generates exercises – at PINKTUM as a conversation coach, at Coursera as a learning companion, at Docebo as a search assistant. For HR development, this changes the task: no longer buying courses, but building AI competence and ensuring that the assistants are used for asking questions and not for cutting corners.
The second driver is legal. According to Article 4 of the EU AI Act, companies that use AI systems must ensure, since February 2, 2025, that their employees have sufficient AI competence; national market surveillance for this has been running since August 2, 2026. No specific curriculum is prescribed, but the result – and the proof – is. That's exactly why basic AI training is currently appearing in every mandatory training catalog.
Obligations 2026: Accessibility, Data Protection, AI Competence
Three topics appear in 2026 in practically every provider selection – and can only be repaired expensively later:
- Accessibility. The Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (BFSG) has been in effect since June 28, 2025. It targets products and services for consumers, not the internal learning platform – but if you also deliver courses to customers, partners, or the public, you are within the scope. For existing services, there is a transition period until June 28, 2028, fines go up to 100,000 euros. Regardless of the legal situation: subtitles, transcripts, and keyboard operability benefit everyone – and are difficult to retrofit later.
- Data protection. An LMS processes performance data of employees. Necessary are a data processing agreement, a clarified server location, and – in companies with a works council – a works agreement that defines which evaluations are permitted. Individual-level evaluations are the most common point of contention during implementation.
- AI competence. See above: Article 4 of the AI Act requires trained employees, not just a policy. If you already document training, you should include basic AI training in the catalog of proof obligations.
In seven steps to the right provider
- 1. Clarify the occasion. Mandatory training with certification, voluntary continuing education, or retraining? Everything else depends on this – only in the first case does the path necessarily lead through an LMS.
- 2. Count the target group. Entire workforce or 30 managers? Flat-rate models only pay off at scale.
- 3. Determine languages. Production and administration often need different languages – subtitles are no substitute for a German-language version.
- 4. Check technology. SCORM, xAPI, or LTI? And does the connection to the HR system from which personnel data comes work?
- 5. Define certifications. Who needs to be able to prove what when – and how long will the data remain available after the contract ends?
- 6. Check funding beforehand. AZAV accreditation of the provider and application before the start, otherwise the subsidy is forfeited.
- 7. Test phase with real people. Not the sales department's demo, but ten employees, four weeks, then honest feedback. The dropout rate in the test says more than any course description.
Frequently Asked Questions about E-Learning for Companies
Read more
For personal continuing education instead of for the team: the big comparison of e-learning platforms. What the term actually covers is explained in What is E-Learning?, and the abbreviations from this article – SCORM, xAPI, LXP, Blended Learning – are in the E-Learning Glossary.
Individual tests of platforms that are also interesting for personal use: LinkedIn Learning, Coursera, Udemy and the ZEIT Akademie. Specific courses with certification are in the course database. For training the entire team, it's best to ask the provider directly.
I hope this overview helps with your selection. If a provider is missing or a detail has changed: feel free to write to me – the page is regularly updated.
Article written by Tim Geier - about the author.