Best Microlearning Platform for Corporate Learning (2023)
Looking for the best microlearning platforms in 2023?
Before we talk shop, please have a look at these stats:
- TikTok users find videos longer than 60 seconds stressful
- Short-form videos popularity will soar in 2023, according to Hubspot
- And 50% of YouTube views are under 60 seconds (updated July 2022)
Like it or not – this is a clear indication that human attention span has taken a big hit in recent years. So, if your business relies on once-tried-and-true training methods, it’s likely to suffer.
So, what’s the solution?
Enter Microlearning Platforms.
These platforms offer businesses and individuals the ability to take a smart approach to learning by breaking down existing content into small bite-sized pieces. As a result, training employees on new skills become much easier because they have more realistic knowledge checks.
And if you want to incorporate microlearning into your corporate L&D, exploring your options is always a great idea. That’s why we’ve decided to compare and talk about some of the best microlearning platforms for corporate learning.
Let’s hop in!
What Are Microlearning Platforms?
“What’s in a name?”
While Shakespeare wanted to show that naming is irrelevant, when it comes to microlearning, it’s all in the name.
Broken down to its very essence – micro = small, and learning = gaining knowledge.
So, quick and small bursts of learning instead of the traditional consumption of a large chunk of information is microlearning.
Microlearning platforms can be mobile apps or websites that make learning content fun and engaging by:
- Creating bite-sized training material (videos, texts, images)
- Incorporating short quizzes to make the training process engaging
- Gamifying learning content
- And the one thing subpar microlearning platforms miss – having a very specific goal for each training
The advantage of the microlearning approach is that learners can consume knowledge at a much quicker pace. A top-shelf microlearning platform makes learning fun and keeps learners hooked.
Online courses from microlearning platforms help businesses in training their employees and capture new life skills by taking a path-based approach to learning. And more importantly, it also saves time and company resources.
What To Look For in a Microlearning Platform
Microlearning has come a long way since its conception. And with the “Goldfish Effect” becoming a real problem, there’s a risk of your employees getting lost or distracted in a maze of interactive content.
If you want to get the most out of online training, you need to look for some essential features in your chosen microlearning platform.
Learning Curve
Software adoption can be a tough job for many individuals or even big businesses. Switching to a microlearning platform suddenly instead of the traditional process can take some time to get used to.
And if a microlearning app is hard to integrate into your business ecosystem, it’s not going to do your employees any favors. That’s why it’s important to go with a platform that doesn’t have a steep learning curve.
Time & Budget
You need to pick a platform that fits your budget and saves you time by delivering a complete library that you can use right away.
If you want to make your own training courses, make sure you don’t need to jump through a bunch of hoops to access simple features in the platform.
Current Software Setup
If you have an existing learning system for your employees, it’s best to go with a platform that lets you build on it.
You don’t want to throw away the material you already have.
Instead of taking a completely different approach to learning, all the best microlearning platforms enable you to improve upon existing content.
LMS Features
LMS, or Language Management System, is a digital environment to manage different training efforts.
And when you are choosing a platform to go with, you should look for LMS features like granular reporting, analytical capabilities, gamification, security, etc.
Goals & Objectives
What are you trying to get out of the platform or app?
What’s your desired end result?
Ask yourself these questions and try to figure out how a microlearning platform will help you achieve them.
And if you feel lost, you can always get a free consultation with an eLearning solutions provider to help you get back on track!
11 Best Microlearning Platforms
Microlearning is not free, and picking one platform that works for you can be hard if you don’t do your homework. Here are some of the best platforms that are available for businesses and individuals.
EdApp is your one-stop solution to online learning, whether you are looking to train your employees or publish course content. Features like multiple device support, template library, mobile app integration, and built-in games make this platform an attractive choice for anyone.
The platform also allows for social learning and peer learning features such as assignments, group discussions, practical assessments, etc.
Usability features in the platform include AI Translation, quiz maker, spaced repetition, deep links, and offline mode, among other things.
Key features:
- Impeccable customer support
- A seamless blend of microlearning, mobile learning, peer learning, and gamification
- Features like spaced repetition, rapid refresh, and group discussions can help the learners
Pricing:
EdApp offers four different pricing models with unique features as you go up a tier.
- Free (Free model): You don’t pay anything but also don’t get access to some of the important features. Biggest caveat – you need dedicated personnel to create the course content.
- Do-It-Yourself ($2.95/month): Includes API integration, Artificial Intelligence aided translation, SSO, and many other features
- Managed ($2.95-$5.95/month): Content produced by EdApp, additional account and onboarding support, comes with multiple plans
- Enterprise (Custom): Dedicated account manager and onboarding support, blended learning plan, scalable production support
iSpring Learn as a platform lets you start developing microlearning content and track results with minimal hassle. You can use your existing videos, presentations, and slides to create content.
The biggest strength of this platform is the built-in authoring tool that lets you make responsive and engaging content with knowledge checks. And the smartphone app is also pretty intuitive.
Key features:
- Clean and simple user interface
- Allows easy monitoring of quiz and simulation reports, content reports, and email notifications.
- Includes a powerful authoring tool for training
Pricing:
iSpring Learn offers two different pricing models, but the cost depends on how many users will have access.
We suggest going through the pricing page to get a clearer idea about it. But for 500 users, your pricing options are:
- Start ($2.29/user/month): mobile apps with offline support, management automation, 50 GB storage, iSpring Suite authoring toolkit, etc.
- Business ($3.14/user/month): iSpring Suite Max authoring toolkit with additional features, 360-degree performance appraisal, corporate portal, etc.
EduMe is a mobile learning platform that utilizes a social-media-esque format to give users a seamless learning experience. It’s easy, intuitive, and provides you with real-time data on the performance and productivity of your deskless workforce.
The integrated authoring tool allows you to quickly create training content in the form of microlearning courses, surveys, quizzes, videos, and more.
It promotes building a learning environment for your employees without getting in the way of their responsibilities.
Key features:
- Message authoring tool
- Includes a free microlearning course library
- Allows monitoring of productivity and performance of the user groups
Pricing:
EduMe only offers a custom-tailored payment plan.
So, we won’t be able to give you an exact quotation. However, they do offer a free trial. So if you’re on the fence about the platform, feel free to give it a go.
Small businesses often rely on simple training materials to train their employees. With 7taps, you can get the power of digital training at your fingertips.
You can add images, videos, quizzes, and other engine content to create sequential course material intuitively in under 15 minutes.
Like most other platforms or microlearning software, the best features of this platform are hidden behind a paywall. But the free version of the platform is also an excellent choice for new users and startups.
Key features:
- Has a well-rounded freemium model
- Password-protected course creation for the Pro model and above
- 7taps AI support
Pricing:
7taps offers three different subscription models, and regardless of the one you go with, the user number is unlimited.
- Free (Free model): The free version of 7taps supports 1 shared course, 3 video uploads, 1 AI-video quiz/day, 7taps AI access, and more.
- Pro ($99/month, $84/month for an annual subscription): The Pro version adds features like analytics and reporting, password-protected courses, and learning path along with increasing the number of video uploads, shared courses, etc.
- Enterprise (Custom): The Enterprise plan adds more to the mix, such as XAPI and course export, Integration with HR systems, and User Management controls.
The award-winning gamified learning approach of OttoLearn towards eLearning and knowledge retention makes them a top-tier platform for businesses and individuals. The smartphone app utilizes a clean and user-friendly UI.
The ability to analyze knowledge gaps in your employee through performance monitoring allows you to develop a content library that’s specifically designed to optimize training delivery.
It also includes various integrations like rapid authoring, multilingual support, and interactive analytics, among other things.
Key features:
- Requires no enrollments
- Large, customizable content library
- User-friendly mobile app
Pricing:
- Ottolearn Provides a couple of different payment plans billed annually. The plans start at $250/month and offer a free demo for organizations looking to try it out.
Master-O is a productive platform that specializes in boosting sales and customer service. This platform works well for fields like healthcare, telecom, and banking industries.
You can use the interactive authoring tool in Master-O to repack your content into bite-sized online courses. The platform has an extensive library of sales training content to get you started immediately.
Key features:
- Customizable sales training content
- Clean and transparent UI
- Video-based sales coaching
Pricing:
- Master-O gives you a custom pricing plan for the number of users, which means we can’t give you an exact quote. But you have the option to book a demo for free to try out their services before you commit to it.
Qstream is a simple and efficient platform. By gamifying the learning process, the platform can help employees learn new information.
You can use preexisting SCORM content or create your own path as you see fit.
The mobile app makes online courses fun to complete, and the push notifications let individuals access it the moment you create content.
Also, Qstream is integrated with other platforms like Frictionless, Slack, Microsoft, Webex, etc.
Key features:
- Seamless UI makes it easy for even a beginner to use
- Detailed analytics for insights into a learner’s proficiency
- Integration with various useful platforms
Pricing:
- There’s an option to try out the platform for free. If you like its features, you need to schedule a call to get a custom pricing plan.
mLevel is a data-driven digital learning platform that’s used by some of the biggest companies in the world. As of March 2021, mLevel is a part of Axonify, which is a leading frontline employee training platform.
mLevel is used by enterprises to train the frontline workforce on the use of software and policies and reinforces leadership skills.
Gamified content in the platform delivers an interactive learning experience for the workforce.
Key features:
- Short daily exercises
- A fully customizable content marketplace
- Employee rewards system based on learner’s score and performance on the platform
Pricing:
- Since mLevel was acquired by Axonify, you need to book a call with the platform to get a custom plan based on your users and goals.
Surge9 is a “mobile-first” platform. Now mobile first can mean a lot of things, but for Surge9, it means that the app is written directly on iOS and Android OS. As a result, it can utilize the full capabilities of a smartphone giving you fast and responsive UI and, most importantly, offline access.
Apart from that, Surge9 is also powered by AI technology giving you access to advanced analytics, gamification, easy content authoring, multiple languages compatibility, and more.
Key features:
- Easy content authoring features to create your own path to learning
- AI-Powered microlearning
- Fast and responsive UI even when you’re offline
Pricing:
- Surge9 follows two different payment models. You can either get it on a per-user per year basis or per-user per month basis. But since it follows the SaaS model, you need to contact them to get an exact quote.
ShotClasses is a mobile-only platform, available for iOS and Android, that lets you create microlessons using SCORM, videos, PDFs, presentations, and more, quickly and with minimal hassle.
Some noteworthy features include building quizzes, monitoring feedback, gamification, and peer-to-peer learning.
Key features:
- Dedicated cloud storage with 99% uptime
- Create learning materials quickly using different sources
- 24/7 email and mobile support
Pricing:
- Since this platform mostly deals with organizations and enterprises, there’s no specific pricing model available for it. You need to contact MindTree and create a custom plan that’s tailored to your specific situation.
While most of the microlearning software and solutions cater to a wide variety of employees, TalentCards focuses specifically on frontline or field workers. It’s a mobile platform and uses a flashcard approach to learning.
Creating content is easy and can be done in three simple steps.
Firstly, create a card set with your selected material.
Add users and send an invite link to download the app.
Then share your card set with your employees so that they can access it on their smartphones.
Key features:
- Easy content creation tool
- Supports in-app branding and push notifications
- A well-rounded freemium model
Pricing:
TalentCards offers three different pricing models.
- Free (Free model up to 5 users): Multiple content support, spaced repetition, offline access, unlimited courses, etc.
- Standard ($50/month up to 50 users): Video upload and storage, custom feedback, Public API, and more built on top of all the features in the Free model.
- Premium ($75/month up to 50 users): Everything in the free and standard model in addition to Automated notifications, activity log, teams, and a Success Manager.
What are the Best Microlearning Platforms for Corporate Training in 2023?
While there are many amazing microlearning platforms out there that let you create or learn content efficiently, not all of them are good for a corporate framework.
In a corporate scenario, certain features, such as integration with HR systems, blended learning plans, and advanced analytics, become much more important.
If you don’t have a clear idea about the sort of learning environment you want to introduce in your corporate structure, talking to an eLearning solutions team should help you figure out the best approach.
With that said, two of the most popular platforms for corporate training today are 7taps and EdApp. There are other options out there, but these two are at the top of the ladder.
Final Thoughts: Best Platform for Corporate Learning in 2023
People have shorter attention spans now. And in the corporate world, where picking up new skills is important for an employee, breaking down large chunks of knowledge into digestible bits can be extremely useful.
These platforms let you utilize the power of digital learning and help your employees grasp different skills without sacrificing their responsibilities.
Hopefully, this article on the best platforms for corporate learning could help you find the perfect tool for your business.
And of course, if you need help with any of your learning needs, we’d be happy to help!
How to Make the Most of Microlearning Training
Is a Microlearning Platform Essential to Deliver Training?
While a microlearning platform isn’t absolutely essential to deliver training to your employees, it can make the overall process a lot smoother.
Many companies are opting to switch to a microlearning structure to help their workforce acquire skills quickly.
What Is the Difference Between eLearning and Microlearning?
eLearning platforms offer an online course in a structured “long-form” way, sort of what you would see in universities. That means eLearning courses typically contain long videos, sometimes lasting 4 or 5 hours.
Microlearning, on the other hand, breaks down specific content into small units to make it easier for the learner to absorb and understand. Usually, a microlearning online course contains short videos, images, presentations, and other learning materials.
Is Microlearning Effective?
Yes, microlearning is highly effective at delivering focused training to employees without getting in the way of complex workflows in a corporate environment.
Instead of going through long and tedious video lectures, microlearning takes a smarter approach by breaking it down into small pieces that are easier to understand.
GET A FREE CONSULTATION
Are you aware of the sheer power of engaging eLearning solutions but not sure where to start? Schedule a free 30-minute consultation with a Ninja Tropic expert to analyze your association, university, or enterprise’s content objectives and map out the interactive blueprint to achieve them.