LMS Pricing in 2026: What Does a Learning Management System Really Cost?
Most LMS vendors hide their pricing behind "contact sales." Not us. Here's the complete truth about LMS costs, pricing models, hidden fees, and what you should actually expect to pay.
Quick Answer:
Small businesses (50-200 employees): €300-600/month
Mid-market (200-750 employees): €600-1,600/month
Enterprise (1,000+ employees): €2,000-10,000+/month
But monthly price is only part of the story. True cost includes setup, support, integrations, and content creation time...
LMS Pricing at a Glance
Here's what you'll typically pay for an LMS based on your company size
Starter
10-200 employees
What's Included:
- Up to 200 active users
- Unlimited courses & content
- AI course creation (5x faster)
- Native HR integrations
- Unlimited support included
- Mobile-responsive design
- Setup in 1-2 weeks
Growth
200-750 employees
What's Included:
- Up to 500 active users
- Everything in Starter, plus:
- Advanced analytics & reporting
- Custom branding options
- Priority support
- Dedicated success manager
- Free migration from old LMS
Enterprise
750-2,000+ employees
What's Included:
- Up to 2,000 active users
- Everything in Growth, plus:
- SSO & advanced security
- Custom integrations & API access
- Dedicated infrastructure
- SLA guarantees
- White-glove onboarding
100% transparent pricing. These are our real prices—no hidden fees, no premium tiers, no setup costs. Most competitors charge 2-5x more and hide their pricing behind sales calls.
LMS Pricing Models Explained
Understanding how different LMS vendors charge helps you compare apples to apples
Per-User Pricing
Pay a fixed amount per active user per month (e.g., $5-15/user/month). Most common model.
✓ Pros:
- Scales with company size
- Easy to understand initially
- Flexible as team grows
✗ Cons:
- Becomes expensive fast (200 users = $2,000-3,000/month)
- Complex to budget (fluctuates monthly)
- Vendors often have minimum user counts
- Penalizes growth
Flat-Rate / Tiered Pricing
Pay a fixed monthly fee for a range of users (e.g., €325/month for up to 200 users).
✓ Pros:
- Predictable monthly costs
- No surprises when adding employees
- Better value for growing companies
- Encourages adoption (no per-seat penalty)
✗ Cons:
- May pay for unused seats initially
- Need to upgrade tier when you outgrow it
Active User Pricing
Only pay for users who log in or complete training each month (e.g., $8/active user).
✓ Pros:
- Only pay for engaged users
- Good for seasonal workforces
- Can be cost-effective if utilization is low
✗ Cons:
- Unpredictable monthly costs
- Complex to forecast budget
- Discourages making training available to all
- Definition of "active" varies by vendor
Freemium
Free tier with limited features or users, paid tiers for more functionality.
✓ Pros:
- Try before you buy
- Good for very small teams or testing
- Low barrier to entry
✗ Cons:
- Severe limitations on free tier (users, courses, features)
- Paid tiers often expensive per-user
- Not sustainable for growing companies
Custom / Enterprise Pricing
"Contact us for pricing"—custom quotes based on users, features, and negotiation.
✓ Pros:
- Can negotiate volume discounts
- Tailored to specific needs
- May include implementation services
✗ Cons:
- Zero pricing transparency
- Lengthy sales cycles (weeks to months)
- Often 3-5x more expensive than transparent vendors
- Sales pressure and upselling
- Hidden fees and premium tiers
🎯 Workademy's Pricing Model
We use transparent flat-rate pricing by user tiers—no surprises, no per-user billing complexity, all features included. You know exactly what you'll pay every month.
- Up to 200 users: €325/month
- Up to 500 users: €650/month
- Up to 2,000 users: €1,975/month
The True Cost of an LMS (Total Cost of Ownership)
Monthly subscription is just the beginning. Here are the hidden costs most vendors don't talk about.
What You See vs. What You Actually Pay
💰 Advertised Price
What vendors show you
🔍 Actual Total Cost
What you really pay (first year)
Platform Subscription
The base monthly or annual fee for the LMS software. This is the "advertised" price you see.
Implementation & Setup
Many vendors charge thousands for "professional services" to set up your LMS, configure settings, and import data.
Support & Training
Enterprise LMS often charge extra for "premium support" tiers. Basic support is slow or non-existent.
Integrations
Custom integrations with HR systems, SSO, or other tools often require expensive development work.
Content Creation Time
Without AI, creating courses takes 20-40 hours each. For 20 courses/year at €50/hour, that's €20,000-40,000 in salary costs.
Migration & Data Import
Moving from your old system (or manual processes) to a new LMS takes time and often costs extra.
Ongoing Maintenance
Some platforms require IT resources for updates, bug fixes, custom code maintenance.
User Onboarding & Change Management
Complex platforms require extensive training for admins and users. Change management can be expensive.
📊 12-Month Total Cost of Ownership Example
For a 200-employee company:
Typical Enterprise LMS
Workademy
🚨 Hidden Fees to Watch Out For
€5,000-30,000 just to get started. Workademy: Free setup in 1-2 weeks.
€3,000-10,000/year for decent support. Workademy: Unlimited support included.
€5,000-20,000 per integration. Workademy: Native HR integrations included.
€10,000-50,000 for migration, training, customization. Workademy: Free migration.
Pay extra for SSO, advanced reporting, API access. Workademy: All features included.
Can't cancel mid-contract, lose money if it doesn't work. Workademy: Cancel anytime.
LMS Pricing Comparison: Workademy vs. Competitors
Real prices from real vendors. We called them so you don't have to.
| Feature | Workademy Best Value | TalentLMS | 360Learning | LearnUpon | Absorb LMS | Docebo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRICING | ||||||
| Monthly Price (200 users) | €325/month | ~$600/month ($5/user over 40) | ~€1,600/month (~€8/user) | ~$599/month (base 200) | ~$800/month (custom quote) | ~€2,000+/month (contact sales) |
| Annual Cost | €3,900/year | ~$7,200/year | ~€19,200/year | ~$7,200/year | ~$9,600+/year | €25,000+/year |
| Pricing Transparency | ✅ Public pricing | ✅ Public pricing | ⚠️ Quote required | ⚠️ Quote required | ❌ Contact sales | ❌ Contact sales |
| Setup/Implementation Cost | ✅ €0 (free) | ✅ €0 (free) | ➕ €3,000-10,000 | ➕ €2,000-5,000 | ➕ €5,000-15,000 | ➕ €15,000-50,000 |
| Premium Support Cost | ✅ €0 (unlimited) | ✅ €0 (included) | ➕ ~€3,000/year | ➕ ~€2,000/year | ➕ ~€5,000/year | ➕ €5,000-10,000/year |
| KEY FEATURES | ||||||
| AI Course Creation | ✅ Advanced (5x faster) | ❌ No AI | ⚠️ Basic AI assist | ❌ No AI | ❌ No AI | ⚠️ Basic AI features |
| Native HR Integrations | ✅ Personio, BambooHR, HiBob, Deel, Rippling | ⚠️ Zapier only | ✅ Major HRIS | ⚠️ API/custom | ⚠️ API/custom | ✅ Major HRIS |
| Setup Time | ✅ 1-2 weeks | ✅ Hours-days | ⚠️ 4-6 weeks | ⚠️ 2-4 weeks | ⚠️ 4-8 weeks | ❌ 8-12 weeks |
| Free Migration | ✅ Yes (included) | ✅ DIY tools | ⚠️ Paid service | ⚠️ Paid service | ➕ Extra cost | ➕ Extra cost |
| Gamification | ✅ Advanced | ✅ Basic | ✅ Good | ⚠️ Basic | ✅ Good | ✅ Advanced |
| Advanced Analytics | ✅ Included | ⚠️ Basic | ✅ Included | ✅ Included | ✅ Included | ✅ Advanced |
| Mobile App | ✅ Responsive web | ✅ Native app | ✅ Native app | ✅ Responsive web | ✅ Native app | ✅ Native app |
| SSO (Single Sign-On) | ✅ Included | ➕ Paid plans | ✅ Included | ✅ Included | ✅ Included | ✅ Included |
| SUPPORT | ||||||
| Support Channels | ✅ Email, chat, phone | ✅ Email, chat | ✅ Email, chat | ✅ Email, chat, phone | ✅ Email, chat | ✅ Email (phone extra) |
| Response Time | ✅ <24 hours | ✅ <24-48 hours | ⚠️ Tier-dependent | ✅ <24 hours | ⚠️ Tier-dependent | ⚠️ Premium only |
| Onboarding Training | ✅ Free (unlimited) | ✅ Free (basic) | ⚠️ Limited | ✅ Included | ➕ Paid service | ➕ Paid service |
| BEST FOR | ||||||
| Ideal Company Size | 50-750 employees | 10-100 employees | 200-1,000 employees | 100-500 employees | 500-2,000 employees | 1,000+ employees |
🎯 Summary: Why Workademy Wins on Price
More affordable than enterprise LMS (€3,900/year vs. €20,000+/year)
Setup, support, integrations, migration—all included at no extra cost
All features included. No premium tiers, no per-feature upselling
Time savings with AI course creation = €15K-27K/year value
LMS Pricing by Company Size
What you should expect to pay based on your employee count
Small Business
10-100 employees
What to Expect:
- Entry-level LMS with essential features
- Limited or no AI course creation
- Basic support (email only)
- Simple integrations (Zapier)
- DIY setup and content creation
Key Considerations:
At this size, avoid overpaying for enterprise features you don't need. Focus on ease of use, fast setup, and affordable pricing. AI course creation becomes critical if you don't have dedicated L&D resources.
💡 Recommended LMS:
Best choice: Workademy (€325/month) for AI + full features, or TalentLMS ($149/month) for simplicity without AI.
Growing Company
100-300 employees
What to Expect:
- Need scalable LMS that grows with you
- HR system integration becomes essential
- Automated user management required
- More robust analytics and reporting
- Support for multiple departments/teams
Key Considerations:
You're at the critical inflection point. The right LMS saves massive time with automation and integrations. The wrong choice (too simple or too complex) costs €10K-20K/year in wasted time. Prioritize native HR integrations and AI.
💡 Recommended LMS:
Best choice: Workademy (€325-650/month) for growth-ready features at SME pricing. Avoid enterprise LMS—they're 3-5x more expensive with minimal additional value at your size.
Mid-Market
300-750 employees
What to Expect:
- Advanced analytics and custom reporting
- Multiple learning paths and programs
- Custom branding and white-labeling
- Priority support and dedicated CSM
- Complex organizational structures
Key Considerations:
You need enterprise-grade features but don't have enterprise budgets. Most enterprise LMS vendors target Fortune 500 and price accordingly (€25K-50K/year). Look for platforms with transparent, SME-friendly pricing.
💡 Recommended LMS:
Best choice: Workademy (€650-975/month) for enterprise features at 60-70% savings. Alternatives: 360Learning (€1,600+/month) or LearnUpon if budget allows.
Large Company
750-2,000 employees
What to Expect:
- Enterprise-grade security (SSO, SOC2)
- Advanced customization and API access
- Multi-tenant or complex hierarchies
- SLA guarantees and dedicated support
- Extensive compliance and audit trails
Key Considerations:
At this scale, you need reliability, security, and scalability. However, don't overpay for "enterprise" branding. Many SME-focused platforms (like Workademy) scale to 2,000 users with enterprise features at 60-70% cost savings.
💡 Recommended LMS:
Best choice: Workademy (€975-1,975/month) for massive savings. Alternatives: Absorb LMS (€800+/month) or 360Learning if collaborative learning is priority.
Enterprise
2,000+ employees
What to Expect:
- Unlimited users and scalability
- Global deployments (multi-region)
- Dedicated infrastructure options
- White-glove implementation (8-12 weeks)
- Executive reporting and dashboards
- Complex integrations (ERP, CRM, etc.)
Key Considerations:
At true enterprise scale (5,000+ employees), you may need platforms specifically designed for complexity: Docebo, SAP SuccessFactors, Cornerstone. However, if you're 2,000-5,000 employees, Workademy can save you €50K-150K/year.
💡 Recommended LMS:
Contact Workademy sales for enterprise quote. Likely 50-70% savings vs. Docebo/SAP. For 5,000+ employees with complex global needs, consider Docebo or Cornerstone (but expect €150K-500K/year).
Need a Custom Quote?
We offer special pricing for:
- NGOs and non-profits (40% discount)
- Educational institutions (30% discount)
- Startups under 2 years old (20% discount)
- Annual pre-payment (15% discount)
LMS ROI Calculator: Is It Worth the Investment?
Calculate the return on investment for your LMS in the first year
💰 Interactive ROI Example (200 Employees)
Here's what a typical mid-size company saves with Workademy:
📉 Annual Investment
📈 Annual Value & Savings
Translation: For every €1 you invest in Workademy, you get back €18 in value. The platform pays for itself in less than 3 weeks.
🔍 ROI Breakdown: Where Does the Value Come From?
AI Course Creation Time Savings
The single biggest ROI driver. AI reduces course creation time from 20-40 hours to 2-3 hours per course.
Faster Time-to-Productivity (Onboarding)
Automated onboarding gets new hires productive 50% faster (4 weeks → 2 weeks). They contribute sooner.
Reduced Employee Turnover
Quality training improves retention by 25-40%. Fewer replacements = massive cost savings.
Eliminated In-Person Training Costs
No more travel, venue rental, catering, or instructor fees. Everything is digital and self-serve.
Automated User Management
Native HR integrations eliminate manual user management (adding/removing employees, updating roles).
Compliance & Risk Reduction
Avoid GDPR fines (up to €20M), safety violations, and legal issues with 100% compliance tracking.
⚖️ Workademy vs. Doing Nothing
❌ Without an LMS (Current State)
- Manual onboarding: 4-8 weeks per employee
- Inconsistent training quality
- Creating courses takes 20-40 hours each
- No compliance tracking (audit risk)
- 2-5 hours/week managing users manually
- Higher turnover (30-40%)
- In-person training costs
✅ With Workademy
- Automated onboarding: 3-5 days
- Standardized, high-quality training
- AI creates courses in 2-3 hours
- 100% compliance tracking
- Automated user management (0 hours)
- Lower turnover (25-30% improvement)
- All training digital & self-serve
Net savings: €36,000-76,000/year
LMS Pricing: Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about LMS costs and pricing
Why do most LMS vendors hide their pricing?
Three main reasons:
- They charge different customers different prices based on negotiation leverage, not value. Hiding prices lets them maximize what each customer pays.
- Their pricing is confusing (per-user + setup fees + support tiers + integrations). Transparency would scare away buyers.
- Sales-driven culture: Enterprise software companies rely on high-pressure sales teams. "Contact us" gives them control and lets them upsell.
Workademy's approach: We publish transparent pricing because we're confident in our value. You know exactly what you'll pay—no surprises, no games.
What does LMS pricing typically include?
How much does an LMS cost for a small business?
Is per-user pricing or flat-rate pricing better?
What are the hidden costs of an LMS?
How much does Workademy cost?
What's the difference between cheap and expensive LMS platforms?
Should I pay monthly or annually for an LMS?
How do I calculate LMS ROI?
Can I negotiate LMS pricing?
What happens if my company outgrows my LMS pricing tier?
Is a free LMS worth it?
Still Have Questions About LMS Pricing?
Our team is here to help you understand pricing and find the right plan for your needs.
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