So you are fed up with cloud-based authoring software and and want to find an offline/ stand-alone e-learning authoring software which can give you more control on the project and speed up your e-learning development? Then you are in the right place now!
E-learning covers almost every aspect of our modern social life. The advent of new technologies entails the need for creating more training courses, both traditional and online. Over the past few years, the e-learning market has emerged hundreds of e-learning software which give you more options in finding the right tool for you.
In today’s post, I am going to share with you top 4 best offline/ stand-alone e-learning authoring software for designing learning courses faster on your desktop PC or Mac. These programs are powerful yet affordable for most people whether you are an individual, a tech-startup or a e-learning solution company.
Top 4 Offline/ Stand-alone E-Learning Authoring Software For Educators
1. ActivePresenter – The best affordable stand-alone e-learning authoring software – Windows/Mac
ActivePresenter is an all-in-one authoring software you can easily download and install on your computer whether on Windows or Mac. It has all tools you need to create fully responsive e-learning courses for any platform and devices. It’s the easiest authoring software we’ve tested and the license price is at lowest level compare to other similar programs on the market ($399 per license for ActivePresenter Pro). Take a look at this introduction video about ActivePresenter to have better view of this tool.
Key features of ActivePresenter
- Simple to use with intuitive, adjustable user interface.
- Create e-learning courses faster with built-in templates.
- Recording video with voice-over and powerful video editing features, including text-to-speech, Chroma key, picture in picture, audio adjust and so on.
- Insert various type of built-in interactions plus customizable Java script.
- Tracking learners progress with 9 type of Quizzes/ Questions.
- Preview HTML5 and Export project into SCORM, xAPI Tin Can.
-> Read detail review of ActivePresenter here!
-> Learn more about ActivePresenter on Atomisystems!
2. iSpring Suite – An powerful offline authoring software for e-learning design
iSpring Suite is a powerful MS PowerPoint Add-in for e-learning design. Though it has to be stick with PowerPoint, iSpring Suite is more and more popular in e-learning industry because of it flexibility and unique features. To learn more about iSpring Suite, take a look at this introduction video.
Key features of iSpring Suite
- Simple and easy to use with PowerPoint like interface.
- Various types of interactions
- Export project into HTML5.
- Making screencast or software simulation.
- Built-in templates and characters.
iSpring Suite is available to try within 14 days as trial with some feature limitations. Here is our side-by-side comparison between iSpring Suite and ActivePresenter. Let’s take a look!
3. Articulate Storyline 3 – A Professional Stand-alone authoring tool you should try!
When it comes to e-learning, Articulate is one of the most famous names in this industry. You may heard about Articulate 360, an all-in-one platform with Rise, Content Library, Storyline 360 and Articulate Review, right? How about Storyline 3? This new authoring software is not as flashy as Articulate 360 but surprisingly has all necessary tools for creating fully responsive learning courses with dozen of unique features. Read our detail review of Storyline 3 here! Compare to ActivePresenter or iSpring Suite, Storyline 3 price level is much higher. However, it’s worth to try, compare to the features it offers. Let’s take a look at the differences between Storyline 3 and Storyline 360 here.
Key features of Storyline 3
- Simple to use with intuitive user interface.
- Creating fully and automatically responsive learning courses.
- Structure text with tables and built-in dial interactions.
- Record and edit video.
- Compatible with other Articulate’s programs.
- Preview and export project into HTML5.
4. Adobe Captivate
Adobe Captivate has been the e-learning industry standard for years. It’s no doubt one of the most powerful stand-alone authoring software you can trust. Compare to the above mentioned tools, I highly recommend you to try Adobe Captivate if you don’t mind about its license price and the learning curve. Learn more about Adobe Captivate from this demo video.
Key features of Adobe Captivate
- Smart and intuitive interface.
- Create responsive learning courses for any device.
- Converting Legacy E-learning to responsive courses.
- Support various font types.
- Previewing project in different devices.
- Assets store with characters, stock images and templates.
- Record screen and edit video.
- Export project into HTML5
Bottom line
So you know the 4 best offline/ stand-alone e-learning authoring software then. Experience them and share with me your thoughts. If you have any question about these programs, don’t hesitate to ask me any time. If you like our post, please share it. Don’t forget to follow us to receive more valuable post notifications in the future.
Good luck!
Elearning Supporter 