What Is Lectora? A Guide to Lectora Online, Desktop and Inspire for Corporate Training
What is Lectora? A plain guide to ELB Learning's authoring tool: Online vs Desktop, what happened to Lectora Inspire, features, reviews and who it suits.
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Lectora in short
Lectora is an eLearning authoring tool from ELB Learning (originally made by Trivantis) that organizations use to build interactive, accessible online courses and publish them to an LMS as SCORM, xAPI, cmi5, AICC or HTML. It comes as Lectora Online, which runs in a web browser, and Lectora Desktop for Windows. Lectora Inspire was the older desktop edition.
This guide is for L&D, training, HR and compliance teams who have been asked about Lectora, inherited Lectora courses, or are comparing eLearning authoring tools. We build courses in seven authoring tools, Lectora among them. Below you will find what Lectora is, what the confusing product names mean, what it does well and less well, what reviewers say, and what to do with old Lectora Inspire courses.
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What is Lectora used for?
Organizations use Lectora to build self-paced online courses that run in an LMS and report completions and scores. ELB Learning describes it as a WYSIWYG tool that needs no programming, but it also lets authors add their own HTML, JavaScript and CSS. That mix of templates and deep control is why it is often picked for detailed, rule-heavy courses.
Typical corporate uses:
- Compliance and policy training that must record completions, scores and attempts in the LMS.
- Accessible courses for organizations that must meet Section 508 or WCAG, since accessibility tooling is built into the tool.
- Branching scenarios and adaptive paths that use variables and conditions to show different content to different learners.
- PowerPoint conversions, where whole decks or single slides are imported and then made interactive.
- Responsive courses that need a separate layout for desktop, tablet and phone.
Lectora is not a learning management system. It creates the course; an LMS (or an LRS for xAPI) delivers and tracks it.
Lectora names explained: Trivantis, Inspire, Publisher, Online, Desktop and Snap!
Lectora has had several owners, editions and add-ons since it was launched, so the same tool appears under many names in old documents, job ads and review sites. Here is what each name means today.
| Name | What it is | Status (October 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Trivantis | The company that created Lectora, founded in 1999. "Trivantis Lectora" is the old name you still see on review sites. | eLearning Brothers bought Trivantis on April 28, 2020. eLearning Brothers renamed itself ELB Learning on May 3, 2022. |
| ELB Learning | Today's maker of Lectora. | Current owner. |
| Lectora Inspire | The older desktop edition that bundled extra tools, such as Camtasia and Snagit for screen recording and, from version 17, a BranchTrack integration for scenarios. | Combined with Lectora Publisher into one desktop product starting with Lectora version 19. Support for Inspire 18 and older ended December 31, 2024. |
| Lectora Publisher | The other older desktop edition, sold next to Inspire. | Combined into the single desktop product from version 19. Support for Publisher 18 and older ended December 31, 2024. |
| Lectora Desktop | Today's Windows application. Since August 2024 it is sold as a subscription without version numbers in its name. | Current. Latest release 22.4.0, August 11, 2026. |
| Lectora Online | The browser-based version. Nothing to install, works on Mac or PC, updates automatically. | Current. |
| Snap! by Lectora | A separate rapid eLearning add-in for PowerPoint that published Flash content. | Discontinued October 31, 2016. Trivantis pointed to the decline of Flash and a focus on its core products. |
If someone in your organization says "we have Lectora Inspire", ask which version number appears in the software's About screen. That tells you whether it is still supported (see the next section).
Lectora versions: 12, 17, 18 and today's Lectora Desktop
Lectora used numbered versions until August 27, 2024, when ELB Learning moved Lectora Desktop to a subscription model and dropped version numbers from the product name. Releases still carry build numbers, such as 22.4.0. The table lists the versions people search for most, with what each added according to the vendor's own release notes.
| Version | Released | What it added (vendor's notes) | Support status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lectora 12 | December 9, 2014 | Rotate and flip images, buttons, shapes and text; crop images inside the tool; custom button states, gradients and effects; new bullet styles; shape adjustment handles. Inspire 12 updated Snagit and Camtasia. | Covered by the end of support for version 18 and older (December 31, 2024). |
| Lectora 17 | December 9, 2016 | A new publish option for smooth page transitions in responsive courses, auto-play of audio and video on mobile, Anchor Position for elements on scrolling mobile pages. Inspire 17 added the BranchTrack integration, Camtasia 9 and Snagit 13. Responsive Course Design had arrived in the release before 17. | Support ended July 30, 2021. |
| Lectora 18 | October 30, 2018 | New Getting Started screen and templates, configurable stock buttons, option to turn off tablet or phone views, an HTML5-only publish option (because Flash was reaching end of life), audio waveform display for syncing events. Inspire 18 bundled Camtasia 2018 and Snagit 2019. | Support ended December 31, 2024. |
| Lectora 19 | 2020 | Inspire and Publisher combined into one desktop product. | Superseded. |
| Lectora Desktop 22 | August 27, 2024 | Subscription model, no more version names; new PowerPoint import that does not need PowerPoint installed; SVG images; alignment guides; Accessibility Checker updated to WCAG 2.2. | Current line. |
| Lectora Desktop 22.4.0 | August 11, 2026 | Full text styling inside Change Contents actions; multi-language closed captions that learners can switch in the player. | Latest release on October 16, 2026. |
What this means for you: if your team still authors in Lectora Inspire or Publisher 17 or 18, you are on software the vendor no longer supports. ELB Learning's end-of-life notice tells those users to upgrade to the current Lectora Desktop.
Lectora features at a glance
Lectora's main strengths are control and accessibility: variables, conditions and custom code for complex course logic, plus built-in accessibility checks. It publishes to every common LMS standard and offers both a browser and a Windows version. The table below lists the features ELB Learning documents, grouped by what a training team cares about.
| Area | What Lectora offers (from ELB Learning's docs) |
|---|---|
| Authoring style | WYSIWYG page-based editor, no programming needed; custom HTML, JavaScript and CSS can be added. |
| Interactivity | Actions, variables and conditions for branching and adaptive paths; since May 2025 an "On Variable Change" trigger fires actions when a variable changes; branching scenarios and drag-and-drop interactions. |
| PowerPoint import | Import a whole presentation as a new project, or single slides into an existing one; text, objects and animations are converted. Since August 2024 the import no longer needs PowerPoint installed. |
| Responsive design | Responsive Course Design (RCD) scales content and lets authors adjust the layout for each device in both orientations; scrolling layouts are possible. |
| Accessibility | ELB Learning says Lectora can create content that complies with Section 508 and meets the latest WCAG standards. A built-in Accessibility Check Tool flags objects that need changes; it was updated to WCAG 2.2 in August 2024. |
| Media | Most common image, audio and video formats; HTML5 media for mobile; Vimeo embedding (March 2025); multi-language closed captions (August 2026). |
| Publishing | HTML for the web; SCORM 1.1, SCORM 1.2 and SCORM 2004 3rd edition; AICC; xAPI; cmi5; offline. Tests send results to the LMS automatically. |
| Direct LMS publishing | Lectora Desktop can publish directly to Docebo, Rockstar Learning Platform, CourseMill, The Training Arcade and ReviewLink, with publish packs for SumTotal, PwC and HealthStream added in November 2025. |
| AI | An AI Course Wizard generates a first draft of course content from a topic and a theme. |
| Review | ReviewLink, included with Lectora, for stakeholder comments (see below). |
| Interface languages | 7: English, French, German, Spanish, Swedish, Chinese (Mandarin) and Brazilian Portuguese. |
A built-in accessibility checker helps, but it does not make a course accessible on its own. Reading order, alternative text, keyboard paths and caption quality still depend on how the course is designed and tested.
Lectora Online vs Lectora Desktop
Lectora Online runs in a browser on Mac or PC and adds collaborative authoring; Lectora Desktop is a Windows application. ELB Learning's Studio Gold Suite subscription includes both, so most teams choose by how they work rather than by price.
| Aspect | Lectora Online | Lectora Desktop |
|---|---|---|
| Runs on | Major browsers on Mac or PC; nothing to install | Windows 8, 10 and 11 |
| Updates | Automatic, on a regular basis | Regular releases (latest 22.4.0, August 11, 2026) |
| Team work | Collaborative authoring: assignments, team messages, notifications, shared titles and roles | One license for each computer it is installed on |
| Best for | Distributed teams and Mac users | Authors who prefer a local application |
Our view: if several people will edit the same course, or your designers use Macs, start with Lectora Online. ELB Learning's August 2026 release notes also say formatted text in Change Contents actions now moves cleanly between Lectora Desktop and Lectora Online.
What is ReviewLink?
ReviewLink is ELB Learning's online course review tool, and it is the "Lectora review link" many people search for. It is free with Lectora: you publish a course to ReviewLink, invite subject matter experts and stakeholders, and they comment and sign off in a browser without a Lectora license.
What ReviewLink does, according to ELB Learning:
Unlimited courses and unlimited reviewers.
Comments you can filter, sort, search and export to PDF or CSV.
Status tags and file attachments on individual pages.
Review of responsive content in different device views, with comments filtered by device.
Email notifications and reviewer groups.
An interface in 7 languages.
Whatever review tool you use, review rounds move faster when each round has a named owner, a deadline and an agreed rule for conflicting comments.
Lectora reviews: what users say
Lectora scores between 4.1 and 4.4 out of 5 on the main software review sites, from fairly small numbers of reviews. Reviewers praise its flexibility and accessibility features and criticize its learning curve, dated interface and renewal cost. Scores were read on October 16, 2026 and change over time.
| Review site | Score | Number of reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capterra | 4.4 / 5 | 63 | Ease of use 4.0, value for money 4.2, customer service 4.1 (page updated September 28, 2026) |
| Gartner Peer Insights | 4.3 / 5 | 7 ratings | 86% of ratings are 4 or 5 stars |
| G2 | 4.1 / 5 | 55 | Average of 55 user reviews |
| eLearning Industry | 87% | 18 | Reviews from 2019 to July 2026 |
Scores as shown on each site on October 16, 2026. Small samples move quickly, so read the most recent reviews before you decide.
Summarized from reviews on eLearning Industry and Gartner Peer Insights, read October 16, 2026.
A pattern runs through these reviews: Lectora rewards people who use it often. Occasional authors find it slow to learn; full-time developers value how far they can push it.
Who should use Lectora (and who should not)
Lectora suits teams that build many detailed, trackable courses, need strong accessibility support or custom course logic, and have, or can hire, skilled authors. Teams that make a few simple courses a year, or want a fast, card-style tool that anyone can pick up, are usually better served by another tool.
How Lectora compares with two common alternatives on the basics
| Basic | Lectora | Articulate Storyline 360 | Adobe Captivate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Authoring platform | Browser (Lectora Online, Mac or PC) or Windows (Desktop) | Windows 11; on a Mac only through Parallels Desktop or VMware Fusion | Desktop app for Windows and macOS |
| LMS outputs | SCORM 1.1, 1.2, 2004; AICC; xAPI; cmi5; HTML; offline | SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004, xAPI, cmi5, AICC | SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004, AICC, xAPI |
| Pricing model | Annual subscription (Studio Gold Suite) | Articulate 360 seat, billed per year | Subscription |
For a wider comparison of Storyline, Rise, Captivate, iSpring, dominKnow ONE and Elucidat, see our guide to eLearning authoring tools.
How is Lectora priced?
ELB Learning sells Lectora as an annual subscription. The entry plan, the Studio Gold Suite, includes Lectora Online and Lectora Desktop, MicroBuilder, the Asset Library and ReviewLink. ELB Learning publishes its US list prices on its own Lectora pricing page and offers a free trial.
Points to check before you buy
- Seats: Lectora Desktop needs one license for each computer it is installed on; for several licenses, contact your ELB Learning account representative.
- Discounts: ELB Learning offers special savings for academic and military organizations; federal, state and local government agencies get pricing from its public sector team.
- Region: the published prices apply to the United States.
- The real cost is authoring time. The license is usually the smaller part. Course length, interactivity, media, voiceover, languages, review rounds and LMS testing drive most of the budget.
You do not need a Lectora license to run a finished course: learners open the published SCORM, xAPI or HTML package in your LMS or browser. You need one only to edit the source files.
Get a Free Quote →You still have Lectora Inspire courses: what now?
Many organizations still run courses built years ago in Lectora Inspire. If they work in today's browsers and your LMS, you do not have to rebuild them, but you should check them. Here is a practical checklist.
- 1Find the source files. A Lectora title is saved as an .awt file. Without the source you can only replace the course, not edit it.
- 2Check the version. Inspire or Publisher 17 lost support on July 30, 2021, and 18 on December 31, 2024. Open the files in current Lectora Desktop.
- 3Check for Flash. Adobe stopped supporting Flash Player on December 31, 2020 and blocked Flash content from January 12, 2021. Any course or Snap! module that still depends on Flash will not play and must be rebuilt in HTML5.
- 4Republish older HTML5 courses. ELB Learning's October 15, 2024 release notes say content published before that update may need to be republished, so that the LMS still receives the exit command when a learner closes the browser in current Chrome.
- 5Test in your LMS. Launch, resume, completion, score and exit, on desktop and on a phone.
- 6Check accessibility. Run the Accessibility Check Tool, then test with a keyboard and a screen reader.
- 7Decide: update, redesign or move. Courses that still teach the right thing can be republished. Courses that look dated or no longer match the job are better redesigned, in Lectora or in another tool.
Common mistakes when choosing or using Lectora
- Judging Lectora on old reviews. Many reviews describe versions from years ago. Check the review date and the version the reviewer used.
- Buying licenses for occasional authors. If someone builds one course a year, the learning curve costs more than the license.
- Treating the accessibility checker as a pass. It flags common problems; it does not replace testing with real assistive technology.
- Building one desktop layout and hoping it works on phones. Use Responsive Course Design and check every device view.
- Losing the source files. Make sure every vendor hands over the .awt source files with the published course.
- Skipping LMS testing. A course that previews well can still fail to report completion. Test in the real LMS before launch.
How IKHYA works with Lectora
IKHYA is a custom eLearning development company that has delivered eLearning since 2010: 500+ projects for clients in 40+ countries, with 120+ specialists. Lectora is one of the seven authoring tools we build in, alongside Articulate Storyline 360, Articulate Rise 360, Adobe Captivate, iSpring Suite, dominKnow ONE and Elucidat. When we build in Lectora for you:
The standard your LMS needs
We publish to the standard your LMS needs: SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004, xAPI or HTML5.
Editable source files
You receive the editable source files for future revisions.
Tested in your LMS
We test every course in your LMS; LMS platforms we have delivered courses to include Moodle, TalentLMS, Docebo and Cornerstone.
Accessibility
We build accessible courses to WCAG 2.1 AA and Section 508.
Legacy course redesign
We can redesign legacy courses, including Flash-era and old SCORM courses, and convert them to HTML5 or Rise.
Translation
We translate and localize courses into 40+ languages, with human or AI voiceover.
Your free quote includes a recommended route and a timeline for the project. See our Lectora development services for how a Lectora project runs.
FAQ
Lectora is an eLearning authoring tool from ELB Learning, originally made by Trivantis. Organizations use it to build interactive, accessible online courses and publish them to an LMS as SCORM, xAPI, cmi5, AICC or HTML. It is available as Lectora Online in a browser and Lectora Desktop for Windows.
No. Lectora is sold as an annual subscription, with Lectora Online and Lectora Desktop included in ELB Learning's Studio Gold Suite. ELB Learning offers a free trial, and learners do not need a license to take a finished course.
Lectora Online does: it runs in major browsers on Mac or PC with nothing to install. Lectora Desktop runs on Windows 8, 10 and 11 only.
A Lectora title (the editable project) is saved as an .awt file. Published courses are standard HTML files, or SCORM, xAPI, cmi5 or AICC packages for an LMS.
Lectora Inspire and Lectora Publisher were combined into one desktop product starting with Lectora version 19. Today's Windows product is called Lectora Desktop. Support for Inspire 18 and older ended December 31, 2024.
Snap! by Lectora was a rapid eLearning add-in for PowerPoint from Trivantis that published Flash content. It was discontinued on October 31, 2016, and Adobe has blocked Flash content from running in Flash Player since January 12, 2021.
The basics are manageable, but reviewers consistently mention a learning curve for variables, conditions and advanced logic. Lectora suits people who author often.
Buy licenses if you have authors who will build and update courses regularly. Use a vendor when you need a few complex or accessible courses, a tight deadline or skills your team does not have yet. Ask any vendor to hand over the editable source files so your team can update the course later.
Usually, yes, if you still have the .awt source files. Open them in current Lectora Desktop, remove any Flash dependency, republish and test in your LMS. Dated or outdated courses are better redesigned in Lectora or another tool.
Course length, interactivity level, media such as video and animation, voiceover, number of languages, review rounds and LMS testing. A free quote from IKHYA includes a recommended route and a timeline for the project.
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