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: April 2025).

Canvas LMS vs. Litmos

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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)

5th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Litmos

Ranking in Learning Management Systems (LMS)

8th

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Virtual Training (6th), eLearning (6th)

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Learning Management Systems (LMS) category, the mindshare of Canvas LMS is 5.3%, up from 5.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Litmos is 2.6%, down from 3.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Learning Management Systems (LMS)

Featured Reviews

James Phelps

Adjunct Professor at Nova Southeastern University

Intuitive, easy to learn, and easy to adapt to various teaching methodologies

It is scalable. There must be 20,000 people using it on that campus. We run a medical college, a public health department, and the hard sciences department. We also have a lot of things that are spread out across the state of Florida through Canvas. So, it is pretty scalable. In terms of our plans to increase its usage, I don't know what the university is going to do, but right now, the university is saturated with Canvas. Even if you're doing classes in a regular standard classroom, all of your exams, all of your quizzes, all of your practicals, and all of your teaching are recorded and loaded into the Canvas system for future review by accreditors. So, it is pretty well saturated on that particular campus.

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Ashish_Bhatnagar

IT Manager at Accounts NextGen

Useful training available, customizable, but security could improve

SAP Litmos need some improvement in the security functions. The security of the SAP Litmos is not up to the standard of the organizations because if you are hosting your content in SAP Litmos or any other LMS, then one of the major concerns for the company is to secure their training data to prevent the student from copying it. Additionally, we want to prevent students from sharing their logins with different users. In the last two to three years, there was not very much improvement in the security function of the SAP Litmos because students are easily able to copy the data from the online cloud to their desktop. They have to roll out some functions for which we can restrict, the copy-paste features in SAP Litmos itself. There must be some function through which we can restrict the number of views on the content. For example, if a student is accessing a post, then there should be some option to restrict the number of views on a post. If I want that student to have access to a specific topic a specific number of times, such as four or five times, then it would be a benefit for the administrators to secure their data. In this case, a student has a lesser possibility to share the login with multiple students if I restrict the number of views on a specific topic. They have to look at the copy and paste functions to secure them from being used in the data configuration. Restricting the number of views on a SCOM content or a video file. The overall integration could be improved, at this time they only support live webinars for Zoom and Go Webinar. Not every company uses these two applications, some companies use Zoho to deliver the training programs online. They should expand their integration with other applications. They can easily share the logins between multiple users. The security function is lacking. They have to work on the security functions of the SAP Litmos as a priority. 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.

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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

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

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

"The solution is easy to access."

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

"The product's flexibility is exceptional."

"I used a lot of other systems in my IT career and Canvas LMS truly has everything that I would look for in an enterprise system."

"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."

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

More Canvas LMS pros

"Its user interface is quite good. The platform is quite user-friendly. The UI/UX of the platform is very advanced, which helps in getting the users interested in the training."

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

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

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

"It incorporates the majority of the elements."

"It's very easy to design content and create training models within the app, so you don't always have to use a third-party tool to develop your e-learning."

"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 take three to four months."

More Litmos pros

Cons

"In our working, we are encountering many challenges with Canvas LMS. One of the major area is their business model which is having a very different pricing structure. The structure is made in such a way that the license fee is needed to be paid for the complete year even if the student has been enrolled for a programme of short duration. This structure is not conducive with our needs and hence, in the past few years, been increasing our costs manifold. Along with this, Canva LMS also lacks many functionalities such as notifications and adaptive learning. There is a specific issue with the licensing model that affects us in continuous education. The inability to reuse a license for the same course in different terms hinders our cost efficiency. For instance, if a program runs from January to April, we are required to pay for the license twice within the same academic year. This contrasts with other platforms like Hyper, where reusing a license is possible, allowing us to use the same license multiple times in different terms. Along with the use, we are exploring the integration of artificial intelligence into our processes, and Canvas LMS falls short in this regard. While some platforms allow connections with external AI services, Canvas does not currently offer built-in artificial intelligence capabilities, a feature we find valuable for enhancing the learning experience."

"The solution could be upgraded and improved."

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

"There are a couple of areas that could be improved. Firstly, the discussion feature is not very interactive and can be slow to respond, making it less intuitive at the moment. This is an aspect that needs substantial improvement. Another point to consider is related to the cost of the LMS system. It's perceived as relatively expensive, which has led to discussions about transitioning away from Canvas, potentially to a more cost-effective alternative. This cost-related aspect is a significant factor to consider when implementing such a system."

"The learning curve is not steep, but it is intermediate."

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

"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."

"It would be good to be able to do teleconferencing within the LMS."

More Canvas LMS cons

"The reporting in Litmos could be improved. It is difficult to pull accurate reporting based on how the solution is set up and parameters are selected."

"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."

"Lacks a variety of language options."

"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."

"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."

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

"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."

"The solution lags in defined security parameters with only three predefined roles available."

More Litmos cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Canvas LMS is an affordable solution."

"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."

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

"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."

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

"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."

"I do not have any idea about the licensing, but I know that it is quite expensive."

"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."

"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."

"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."

More Litmos pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Educational Organization

22%

University

13%

Government

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

14%

Manufacturing Company

Real Estate/Law Firm

Non Profit

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Canvas LMS?

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

What needs improvement with Canvas LMS?

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

What advice do you have for others considering Canvas LMS?

I rate Canva LMS a nine out of ten.

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 ...

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Product Reports

Canvas LMS

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Download Litmos product report

Also Known As

No data available

SAP Litmos, CallidusCloud Litmos

Overview

Canvas LMS is a comprehensive learning management system that enhances the educational experience. It offers a user-friendly interface that allows educators to create and manage courses, assignments, and assessments. Canvas enables seamless communication and collaboration between students and teachers. It supports various multimedia formats, making it easy to incorporate engaging content into lessons. Canvas also provides a mobile app, ensuring accessibility on the go. Its built-in analytics and reporting allow educators to track student progress and identify areas for improvement. Canvas LMS can integrate with other educational tools and platforms, enhancing its functionality. Canvas LMS is a powerful and versatile platform that empowers educators to deliver effective and engaging online learning experiences.

Instructure

Litmos is a cloud-based learning management system (LMS) that offers a comprehensive solution for training and development needs. Its user-friendly interface and robust features enable organizations to deliver engaging and effective learning experiences to their employees, partners, and customers. The platform allows for easy creation and management of courses, assessments, and certifications, with the ability to track learner progress and performance. SA Litmos also provides various content options, including video-based learning, virtual classrooms, and gamification, to enhance learner engagement. Additionally, it offers robust reporting and analytics capabilities, allowing organizations to gain insights into learner behavior and training effectiveness. With its mobile app and responsive design, Litmos ensures learners can access training materials anytime, anywhere, and on any device. Litmos is a comprehensive and flexible LMS that empowers organizations to deliver impactful training and drive continuous learning and development.

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