In order to ensure better learning outcomes, any company will have to decide about various factors before they opt for the best LMS software. Some of the questions they have to answer are, is it user friendly? Does it include all the essential features? Does it provide the users with mobile compatibility (mobile lms) and ease of use, interactivity, and so on? Is the price of an LMS affordable?
While focusing on the aforementioned factors, companies will also have to pay attention to e-learning pricing models. The concerned authorities must make sure that the pricing structure of the LMS platform is in accordance with the organization’s needs.
Assessing the Different LMS Pricing Models in India
Analyzing LMS pricing in India is not an easy task. It depends on various factors such as user base, different features available, hosting abilities, and much more. However, before looking at various e-learning pricing models, a company should finalize whether an LMS should be cloud based or self hosted.
Self hosted LMS is accompanied by certain expenditures, which include:
- Infrastructure– This is an ongoing cost as equipment will have to be repaired and also replaced, if required.
- IT support and setup costs– Setting up an IT system will incur considerable costs. Moreover, the management will also have to hire competent personnel who can manage the system efficiently.
- LMS updates– Many LMSs provide updates with the original price, while there are some, which need to be purchased separately.
On the other hand, cloud-based LMS incurs more expenditure than a self-hosted LMS. It generally includes a set up cost and a monthly, quarterly, or annual consumption-based fee. Costs are incurred on the basis of how much the software is used.
Based on these given features and advantages, it is clear that self-hosted LMS has a considerable cost advantage over cloud-based LMS, in terms of maintenance, facilities, updates, and so on. In case of self-hosted LMS, the company has to take care of the servers, the infrastructure, and many other related factors. However, in case of a cloud-based LMS, the external cloud LMS service provider arranges for all types of infrastructure, servers, etc.
Self Hosted (On-Premise) LMS Pricing Models in India
Self hosted pricing models can be divided into three types. These have been mentioned below:
- Free– Under a free LMS model, users can avail the services of a self hosted and open source LMS. It provides minimal support and customization options owing to which, there is more responsibility on the IT support team. However, free LMS service providers can also charge for LMS hosting, implementation services, LMS support, and much more. Before choosing a free LMS, it is important to know how much helpful the LMS will be to the organization and how much it supports itself.
- Perpetual License– A perpetual license LMS pricing model is beneficial when there are a large and stable number of learners. This LMS model has the highest initial cost, but it serves as a low cost LMS model in the long run. However, after setting up an LMS, users should keep in mind that they also have to spend a considerable amount of money on maintenance, additional licenses, configuration, support, and upgrades.
- Periodic License– In a periodic license LMS pricing model, a user has to pay a certain amount of fee for a certain period of time (usually three to five years) to use the software. Initially, it acts as a low cost LMS pricing model in comparison to perpetual license. However, periodic license LMS models have higher long term costs. On the other hand, it provides more flexibility. As soon as the license expires, users can switch for another LMS if they want to.
