Canvas LMS vs Litmos comparison

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Canvas LMS

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 19, 2024

Litmos and Canvas LMS are competing in the learning management system space. Canvas LMS has the upper hand due to its extensive feature set and superior collaborative capabilities.

Features: Litmos offers valuable features such as a user-friendly interface, a robust library of pre-built courses, and advanced scheduling and automated enrollment capabilities. Canvas LMS provides comprehensive content authoring tools, seamless integration with external tools like Zoom, and strong collaboration features for student engagement.

Room for Improvement: Litmos could enhance its auto-enrollment feature, address performance issues especially in user management, and expand its customization options for varied user interfaces. Canvas LMS would benefit from simplifying its complex deployment process, improving intuitive navigation for beginners, and streamlining the integration of third-party content.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Litmos offers a quick deployment process with responsive customer support suitable for organizations seeking rapid go-live. Canvas LMS, though requiring a more complex deployment, provides detailed support documentation that helps accommodate specific customization and integration needs.

Pricing and ROI: Litmos provides a cost-effective solution with attractive ROI, catering to budget-conscious organizations. Canvas LMS, while having a higher initial investment, offers extensive features that justify the expense with potential long-term return on investment through enhanced learning outcomes.

To learn more, read our detailed Canvas LMS vs. Litmos Report (Updated: August 2026).

Canvas LMS vs. Litmos

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Helped 908,834 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Canvas LMS

Ranking in Learning Management Systems (LMS)

6th

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Litmos

Ranking in Learning Management Systems (LMS)

13th

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Virtual Training (8th), eLearning (12th)

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2026, in the Learning Management Systems (LMS) category, the mindshare of Canvas LMS is 2.2%, down from 4.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Litmos is 1.4%, down from 2.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Learning Management Systems (LMS) Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Canvas LMS	2.2%
Litmos	1.4%
Other	96.4%

Learning Management Systems (LMS)

Featured Reviews

Rube Castillano

Instructional Designer at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

Modules and rich feedback have transformed health sciences courses and now improve student success

The best feature Canvas LMS offers is modules. The ability to build a sequential learning path with conditional release, where students complete one item before unlocking the next, is something health sciences faculty love because knowledge builds on itself in their programs. I set up those modules using SpeedGrader, which is another tool that gets used constantly. Being able to grade a submission, view the rubric, leave inline comments, and audio feedback all in one place is a genuine improvement over what we had previously. The LTI integration framework allows us to have Turnitin, Panopto, and Zoom all connected, and they work seamlessly within Canvas rather than feeling bolted on. SpeedGrader specifically has changed how faculty approach feedback. Before, many instructors left minimal feedback because the process was cumbersome. Now, with inline annotation and audio comments, faculty leave much richer feedback because it is actually fast to do. Students have noticed and commented on this in course evaluations. Canvas LMS has positively impacted my organization by increasing student satisfaction with the learning environment noticeably. The LMS-related complaints that used to come up regularly in course evaluations, such as not being able to find things, things not working on phones, and confusing navigation, have basically disappeared. Faculty course build time has also improved. A faculty member who knows Canvas can build a solid course structure in a fraction of the time it took in Blackboard. I can share specific outcomes that show how LMS-related complaints to our help desk dropped by about 40% after the migration. SpeedGrader has meaningfully reduced grading time. Faculty who used to spend whole weekends on grading are getting through it faster.

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reviewer1977519

Senior Manager II, Learning operations and multi media at a retailer with 10,001+ employees

Its pricing is competitive, but the auto-assign feature that is most valuable for us hasn't been working for the last year and a half

We have a complex implementation because we have an outsourced population of over 50% of our user base. So, we have a lot of challenges. We have no HCM for user data. We have to create our own custom metadata to manage everything, and there are lots of logistical challenges in terms of implementation. If you have to go through and create a custom metadata system, as we did, and stand up all these other systems, it would take three to six months. If you have a human capital management system that's ready to go and you have all your data in the right segments and whatnot, it could be done in one to three months. In terms of maintenance, we recently re-scoped this to where we have one person that oversees the LMS as a whole, and then we have two administrators that carry out the tactical task, such as auto enrollments, user creations, and all other audit components. We also have a rotational employee that does audits on the LMS to make sure everything is working correctly.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The assessment tools in Canvas significantly contribute to educational outcomes by allowing instructors to create and manage assessments effectively."

"The solution is easy to access."

"The integration with Zoom is a notable feature. It allows for seamless access to live class sessions directly from Canvas after authentication, enabling quick entry into Zoom calls. You can also schedule Zoom calls or private recordings directly within Canvas, making it convenient, especially for situations like self-recording exams. Additionally, Canvas excels in collaboration and discussion capabilities. Users can engage in discussions on various topics, and there's the option to create custom groups for more focused interactions. These groups provide a level of privacy and isolation from the broader class, which is a significant advantage."

"Canvas LMS is user-friendly. Its assessment tools help to find the weaknesses and strengths of students."

"It's easy to follow. It flows well, and it's easy to use."

"They have a more extensive support base in terms of infrastructure."

"We have been using Canvas LMS, and overall, it has served our needs well for managing courses and general settings."

"Its easy adaptability to whatever form or methodology you are using to teach is valuable. It tends to be seamless, and it is very much a self-intuitive product. It requires almost no instruction, and you can be fully up to speed and ready to run on it. You can bring someone in who has never worked with any online learning or LMS system, and in a week's timeframe, they would almost be fully functional because Canvas is so simple to use."

More Canvas LMS pros

"SAP Litmos brings more standardized training to our organizations."

"This is a very scalable solution, as we had over 10,000 students in our instance and their billing model makes scaling affordable to do."

"Litmos has an excellent user interface. It's well designed and intuitive. It also has a great content engine. I'm one of the admins, so I create content in the system and use that to produce courses. We make our own training content and credit records. They recently added a new feature called the Course Content Creator, and I'm a big fan. I also like that Litmos lets you record online and face-to-face training so you can create what they call Instructor-led Training Events (ILT)."

"The plug-and-play format can be deployed immediately which is unlike its competitors that require certifications, implementation partners, and phased testing that can take three to four months."

"From a learning management system admin perspective, it has a user-friendly interface, but the functionality is deep. So, you can automate people in and out of courses. It lowers the general admin of an LMS admin so that I can focus more on value-adding things for the organization I'm working with."

"This complete product is highly scalable, as licensing is not based on the total number of users on the system but rather only on active users, so Litmos only charges for the number of users engaged in training, which is what makes this solution ideal for scale."

"Content Author removes the need for a third-party solution for content creation."

"It incorporates the majority of the elements."

More Litmos pros

Cons

"The solution could be upgraded and improved."

"I don't think that tier one support was incredibly valuable because a lot of times those tickets ended up with our team back at KU anyway and it would have saved time just to contact us directly."

"The product could be integrated with a talent management system."

"Integrating more AI capabilities for the product could enhance its functionality, particularly in automating repetitive tasks and personalizing learning experiences."

"It would be nice to be able to do more real-time comprehensive reporting with Canvas LMS."

"There are some disadvantages with Canvas LMS and always improvements to be made."

"The high-tech interactivity with other software, like ArcGIS or RSA Archer, can be better. It is not as easily compatible with them. You can put apps in it that the students can then access, but the routing of apps through the Canvas system slows down functionality on the other types of products."

"The high-tech interactivity with other software, like ArcGIS or RSA Archer, can be better."

More Canvas LMS cons

"The reporting function of SAP Litmos needs major improvements. The reports are not at par with other solutions on the market. It's not user-friendly or effective reporting which we can retrieve from other places."

"They can really improve in the reporting area. While doing sessions, there are various types of reports, such as the attendance report or assessment report. We can export the Excel dump of the report, but it is not that neat and clean. You have to change it a lot. You can customize the Excel dump as per your requirement, but it is not that user-friendly in terms of the admin part. They can do much better. They have room for improvement in the reporting area."

"The dashboards for this solution could be improved as they are not of the same standard and detail as those seen in Power BI. The graphics for the reporting could also be improved."

"One feature that a few of my clients have been requesting is CPD. We should be able to capture CPD points for users within the system to be able to report on those."

"You cannot make a course optional, so if I assign a course to someone, the system assumes that they have to complete it."

"The auto-assign feature that auto assigns courses to learners and puts them into a different learning path has had a bug for the last year and a half. My team has spent numerous hours trying to troubleshoot and fix that, but it's still broken. Until they fix that, it's going to be a higher admin burden for people to manage."

"After using this solution for four years, and raising our challenges around functionality, we did not see any improvements."

"The solution lacks a variety of language options."

More Litmos cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The platform can be expensive for smaller organizations with fewer students."

"The pricing of Canvas is satisfactory for my university. We have negotiated a good price, especially considering that we are a large university with twenty-six campuses across the country. Canvas offers a favorable pricing model for academic institutions, and the cost is reasonable. However, in continuous education, the challenge lies not in the price itself but in the business model. The requirement to pay for the entire year when our students may only use the license for a shorter duration creates challenges. The inability to adjust the licensing based on actual usage is a significant drawback for us, making the effective cost higher compared to other platforms like Hyper Learning"

"Canvas LMS is low-priced compared to other vendors."

"Canvas LMS is an affordable solution."

"The pricing is really good. Its pricing is probably the most competitive I've seen for an LMS. If you need help with doing any type of custom design or customization, such as code design or anything like that with the site, then you have to use their people services, which would be an extra cost."

"When we first purchased our subscription, we underestimated how many people we would have within a billing period. We had to adjust that in the first six months. I can't remember the exact numbers, but they charge a per user rate for a certain number, and you get a discount as the number of users goes up. It scales, which is a fairly reasonable way to build a pricing model."

"If I have a domain and I want to link my custom domain to SAP Litmos, and if I want to remove the branding of the SAP Litmos, then they charge a large amount for it. It's not included in your subscription plan which we have purchased from them. In the last two to three years, we have never bought the custom domain. We have never linked our custom domain to SAP Litmos. The barrier for us is the high pricing. It is not a reasonable price."

"There are three different pricing models. One is only to use the platform and to add your own learning material. The second plan includes the learning management system plus 2000 plus pre built courses on different areas including leadership, software skills, HR and IT related training. The third package allows you to integrate the system with tools such Salesforce or other CRMs."

"I don't know what the pricing model is at this point in time. I'm a consultant. The organizations that have purchased Litmos engage me to help them implement it, or Litmos engage me to be their external learning management system administrator. So, I don't see the rates, but based on the general comments that I've heard, it seems cost-effective and competitive with its competitors."

"This solution comes at a high price point. We also paid $4500 for a migration specialist from Litmos to assist in moving our content over. You are billed every month based on the number of users who have logged in and completed training."

"It is priced per user license."

"The solution is priced per user which can get expensive."

More Litmos pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

University

22%

Outsourcing Company

10%

Comms Service Provider

Educational Organization

Construction Company

13%

Computer Software Company

11%

Outsourcing Company

11%

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	3
Midsize Enterprise	3
Large Enterprise	7

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	4
Midsize Enterprise	3
Large Enterprise	4

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Canvas LMS?

The main area where Canvas LMS can be improved is the quiz engine. It is functional, but it is behind where it needs to be for health sciences. Our faculty need complex question types, detailed que...

What advice do you have for others considering Canvas LMS?

Regarding Canvas LMS's AI capabilities, I think its governance and security are carefully considered. Canvas has been rolling out AI features gradually, including AI-generated quiz questions, sugge...

What is your primary use case for Canvas LMS?

Canvas LMS is my main platform for course delivery across our Health Sciences programs, including nursing, pharmacy, medicine, and allied health. All content delivery, assignments, assessments, gra...

Is SAP Litmos expensive for eLearning?

I have used this for eLearning before, and considering how useful it was, the price was fair. Of course, you have to think of what you will need for your own training and how much you want to pay ...

Is it better to use your own courses or SAP Litmos’ native ones?

Obviously this highly depends on what you want to provide to your learners. If you seek to give them very specific eLearning, like if your company wants to educate employees or partners on your new...

How does SAP Litmos make eLearning more effective?

I think SAP Litmos makes eLearning effective because it's specifically created to closely follow the learning process and the progress of students, all the while giving you many tools and helpful ...

Google Classroom vs Canvas LMS

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Product Reports

Canvas LMS

Download Canvas LMS product report

Download Litmos product report

Also Known As

No data available

SAP Litmos, CallidusCloud Litmos

Overview

Canvas LMS offers a user-friendly platform integrating with tools like Zoom, delivering content creation and course management with minimal instruction, supporting large academic institutions effectively.

Canvas LMS is designed for ease of use and strong integration capabilities, featuring a scalable infrastructure and robust API support. The platform's intuitive interface facilitates content creation, course management, and student assessments, enabling educators to seamlessly manage lectures, discussions, and collaborations across both on-campus and remote environments. Integrated with systems like Azure and Zoom, it supports automated curriculum management and gamification, providing a comprehensive educational environment. Despite its strengths, users note the need for improved data reporting and real-time analytics. Enhancements in teleconferencing and AI capabilities, better discussion features, and increased talent management system compatibility are also desired, as well as more flexible pricing models for short-term programs.

What are the key features of Canvas LMS?

Ease of Use: Simple interface that supports quick learning with minimal instructions.
Integration: Compatible with tools like Zoom for conducting live classes.
Scalability: Suited for institutions of various sizes.
API Capabilities: Provides robust API support for extended customization.
Collaboration Tools: Includes discussion capabilities and mobile compatibility.

What benefits and ROI can users expect from Canvas LMS?

User Adaptability: Offers flexibility in educational approaches and extensive reporting features.
Mobile Compatibility: Easily accessible across different devices for students and educators.
Comprehensive Analytics: Valuable insights into educational outcomes and student performance.

Canvas LMS finds its application predominantly in delivering both on-campus and remote education, helping instructors manage courses, engage students, and conduct assessments across numerous fields. Its support for live classes through integrations with tools like Zoom facilitates interactive learning experiences in institutions worldwide.

Instructure

Litmos provides an accessible platform for online training with tools for content creation, scheduling, and seamless HR integration, enhancing learning experiences across sectors.

Litmos delivers effective onboarding, compliance, and education through versatile tools enabling smooth deployment and engaging user experiences. The customizable dashboard allows for alignment with brand identity, while the extensive library and gamification features enhance course delivery. API integration facilitates connection with crucial HR systems, although auto-enrollment isn't always reliable. Regular updates contribute to adaptable and efficient administration. Users appreciate the intuitive design, streamlining course management and creation.

What are the key features of Litmos?

User-Friendly Interface: Simplifies course management and navigation.
Customizable Dashboard: Supports brand consistency through personalization.
Extensive Content Library: Offers varied materials to enrich training.
Gamification Elements: Engages participants through interactive content.
API for Integration: Ensures compatibility with HR systems and more.
Regular Updates: Enhances functionality and flexibility for administrators.

Why should users consider Litmos for their training needs?

Efficient Onboarding: Streamlines integration for new hires.
Engaging Learning Experience: Keeps users motivated through interactive features.
Enhanced Integration: Synchronizes with existing platforms like MS Teams and Zoom.
Consistent Branding: Maintains uniformity in training materials across the organization.
Certification & Compliance: Assists in meeting industry standards through easy certification processes.

Many industries implement Litmos for onboarding, compliance training, and ongoing education. Organizations use it to conduct online training, manage in-person sessions, and develop learning paths. Integration with tools like Articulate simplifies content creation, while platforms like MS Teams and Zoom aid in cohesive communication and training consistency. Companies ensure their training content maintains uniform branding and language, augmenting professional development and compliance.

Sample Customers

Pragmatic Group, MRWED Training and Assessment, RedHill Education

YouTube, Samsung, Coca Cola, Nowegian.com, Xero, Zumba, Sears, Build.com, UFC

Canvas LMS vs. Litmos