About the vendor
-
Customers
  • Academic
  • Freelancers
  • Large Enterprises (>10,000)
  • Non Profits
  • Public Administrations
  • Small/Medium Businesses
Use Cases
  • Compliance Training
  • Customer Training
  • Employee Training
  • K-12 Education
Industries
-
Deployment
  • Desktop Application
Platforms
  • Mac
  • Windows
Browsers
  • Apple Safari
  • Google Chrome
  • Internet Explorer
  • Mozilla Firefox
Training
  • Documentation
  • Live Online
  • Online Tutorials
  • Webinars
Support
  • Business Hours
  • Email
  • FAQ
  • Knowledge Base
  • Live Online
  • Online Community
  • Phone
Supported Specifications
  • AICC
  • SCORM 1.2
  • SCORM 2004
  • Section 508
  • xAPI/Tin Can API
Languages Supported
-
LinkedIn Page
-
X
-
Change your privacy settings to see the content.
In order to watch this video you need to have advertising cookies enabled.
You can adjust your cookie preferences here.

What is Adobe Captivate?

Fast Forward eLearning - Create stunning eLearning courses in minutes

Adobe Captivate is a smart eLearning authoring tool that empowers you to easily create all kinds of fully responsive eLearning content without programming.

Embrace the future as you effortlessly design modern immersive learning experiences leveraging virtual reality and 360° media assets. Amplify video-based learning by easily adding interactivity to videos that you record yourself or bring in from YouTube, driving up learner engagement.

Create beautiful mobile-ready courses in minutes with Quick Start projects, ready-to-go slides, and out-of-the-box interactions. Speed up course creation using automated branching, copying the appearance and style of one object and applying it to another. Now, you can edit SVG and convert them to buttons, play overlay videos with the click of a VR hotspot, and add multiple overlay slides at any point of your interactive video.

Overview of Adobe Captivate benefits

Rapid Authoring: Create beautiful eLearning courses in minutes with thousands of ready-to-go slides. Easily swap out images in your content by just dragging and dropping. Convert any image or SVG using a single click of a button. Design complex branching logic and interactions without programming.

Quick Formatting: Rapidly format your courses to make them look exactly the way you want. Add as many themes to your content as you wish. Use theme fonts and format all your slides in one go. Quickly copy the appearance and style of one object and apply it to another. Add SVGs to your project and easily edit their color.

VR and Interactive Video Enhancements: Try exciting enhancements in virtual reality projects and interactive videos. Customize the styling of a VR hotspot and text captions, and play video at the click of a hotspot. For interactive videos, import from Vimeo and add multiple informational or knowledge check slides at any point on the video.

Multiple Format Course Publishing: With Adobe Captivate, content can be published in multiple formats with ease. The platforms supported include HTML5, SWF (Flash), iOS, and Android devices. The learning material can be designed to align with Can-(xAPI), SCORM, and AICC.

Accessibility Support: The tool easily overcomes the challenge of curating content for people with disabilities while adhering to Section 508 and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 for developing demos and simulations. The course has accessibility features like a standard keyboard, ALT text/text alternatives, tab order, captioning, and skip navigations.

  • What Is Adobe Captivate Used For?

Adobe Captivate is a powerful learning content creation and management tool known for its authoritative control. The tool streamlines the entire content creation process in multiple formats, allowing course creators and moderators to ensure learning is available for any industry or specific needs. The common areas where Adobe Captivate finds its place include:

    • Learning Management System

Using Adobe Captivate, creating, publishing, and distributing LMS content becomes significantly easier. The courses can be shared on learning platforms where a global audience can access the learning material. Other features offered for LMS include maintaining a list of learners and instructors involved in the curriculum, mapping the learner/instructor journey, tracking analytic touchpoints, and offering in-depth insights. The LMS courses that were created also align with industry standards, including SCORM, AICC, and xAPI.

    • Training

The courses created using Adobe Captivate come with diverse instructor controls, including pedagogical decisions and diverse analytical features. With these, the instructor can easily gauge performance, identify challenging parts of the course, and introduce new learning modules.

    • eLearning Authoring Tools

Adobe Captivate can be used to create complex content with ease due to its simple User Interface. The common eLearning content pieces often made using Adobe Captivate include software demonstrations and simulations, branched scenarios, and randomized quizzes in HTML5 format.

    • Course Authoring

Adobe Captivate simplifies course authoring with its time-saving features, such as a diverse asset library, multiple publishing options, and responsive courses. Each course can be customized with inherited drag-and-drop functionality and no-code requirements. The course author will also have access to a royalty-free range of images, characters, templates, ready-to-go slides, sound effects, etc.

  • Who Uses Adobe Captivate?

Adobe Captivate is versatile due to its no-code interface. It enables experts from any industry to use the tool for course authoring purposes. The platform offers ample free templates for drag-and-drop customization. The tool is often used by:

    • Education And Learning

The tool can be used to create interactive and engaging content for various educational and learning requirements.

    • Creative And Design

To experiment with existing designs and utilize available resources and templates to create engaging learning experiences. 

    • IT And Software Development

For creating relevant and engaging learning modules to meet the evolving needs of the industry.

    • Administrative

The tool can help eliminate errors by training employees with courses dedicated to imparting training for better administrative work.

  • Adobe Captivate integrations

Adobe Captivate simplifies custom-creating learning and training workflows with its no-code, drag-and-drop feature. The tool also has a library of integrations to reduce the time to create dedicated training content. Some popular integrations include:

    • Adobe Learning Manager
    • Microsoft Entra ID
    • LinkedIn Learning
    • Uptempo
    • Intellum Platform
  • Pros And Cons Of Adobe Captivate

Pros of Adobe Captivate Cons of Adobe Captivate
Allows the creation of highly interactive and engaging learning materials without coding. Advanced user features may take time to master.
Availability of integrations for advanced and complex simulations or training scenarios. Potential challenges with creating and handling highly complex course element interactions.
Device flexibility ensures easy course access at any time.
Compliance with SCORM and xAPI.
Features

Learn more about Adobe Captivate features that set it apart from the competition. Discover how its unique tools and capabilities enhance your processes.

Administration

Access Controls/Permissions
Role-Based Permissions
Single Sign On

Communication Management

Alerts/Notifications
Collaboration Tools
Commenting / Notes
Contact Management
Employee Portal
Multi-Language
Student Portal

Content Development

508 Compliant
Activity Dashboard
Brand integration
Data Import/Export
Drag & Drop
Gamification
Interactivity

Content Management

Cataloging/Categorization
Content Library
Media Library
Search/Filter
Template Library

Integrations

API
Mobile App
Third Party Integrations
Who uses Adobe Captivate ?

Based on eLearning Industry reviews from the past 4 years

Company Size

Areas of Focus

Top Industries

Elearning
32%
Information Technology and Services
11%
Media Production
7%
Information Services
5%
Computer & Network Security
5%
Other
40%
Pricing

Learn more about Adobe Captivate's pricing options, cost, and plans so you can make a well-informed, business-wise decision on the best software to use for organization.

Pricing Model
  • Free Trial
  • One-time purchased license
  • Subscription
License
  • Paid
Starting Price
  • 33.99/mo
Free Trial
  • Yes

View the buying guide: http://www.adobe.com/products/captivate/buying-guide.html

Adobe Captivate logo
Have you used Adobe Captivate before?
Answer a few questions and help the community to make the best decisions
Reviews

Is Adobe Captivate the right solution for you? Read verified Adobe Captivate reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice.

Performance Overview
Overall Rating 92%
  • Usefulness
  • Usability
  • Customer Experience
  • Likelihood to Recommend

Adobe Captivate is a powerful tool for creating courses but takes time to get comfortable with

Apr 27, 2026

Overall Rating 67%
  • Usefulness
  • Usability
  • Customer Experience
  • Likelihood to Recommend
What do you like best? Captivate gives a lot of control when building learning content. You can create interactive lessons, simulations and quizzes with detailed settings. It’s useful when you need more than just basic slides and want something more structured and professional.
What do you dislike? It’s not the easiest tool to start with. The interface feels a bit heavy and learning curve is quite noticeable. It takes time before you can work efficiently. Also performance can feel slow on bigger projects.
Reviewer photo

Reviewer verified by LinkedIn

Industry : Elearning | Company size : 1-10 | Level : Senior | Focus : Education | Experience using the software : More than 1 year as Member of the procurement team

It simply gets better and better with every release

Nov 11, 2021

Overall Rating 100%
  • Usefulness
  • Usability
  • Customer Experience
  • Likelihood to Recommend
What do you like best? Fluid boxes, virtual reality features, and 360 degree. We have been a customer of Captivate since 2016 and are also utilizing their LMS component.
What do you dislike? Believe it or not, there is not much to add to this section. Most of the cons were more than apparent in the 2017 release, but this is a huge step forward.
Reviewer photo

Reviewer verified by LinkedIn

Industry : Information Services | Company size : 1,001-5,000 | Level : Director | Focus : Quality Assurance | Experience using the software : More than 1 year as User, Administrator

Great platform with an awesome screen capturing tool

Oct 16, 2021

Overall Rating 97%
  • Usefulness
  • Usability
  • Customer Experience
  • Likelihood to Recommend
What do you like best? The fact that I can import Powerpoint slides easily, as well as combine several images from different sources and formats. Their screen capturing tool is great.
What do you dislike? I found that it's extremely difficult to find a point of contact within Adobe in case you are struggling with this software. There is a help page, and several tutorials online, but would have preferred to have an assigned point of contact.
Reviewer photo

Reviewer verified by LinkedIn

Industry : Information Services | Company size : 501-1,000 | Level : Senior | Focus : Education | Experience using the software : More than 1 year as User

Responsiveness courses can be made easily on this tool..

Apr 9, 2021

Overall Rating 96%
  • Usefulness
  • Usability
  • Customer Experience
  • Likelihood to Recommend
What do you like best? Nice features of this tool are the Fluid box that help create e-learning courses and personalize learning experience for users. It allows conversion of desktop courses to mobile courses.
What do you dislike? The needs to be cloud-based and auto sync with other systems should be made available so shared course creation is easy.
Reviewer photo

Reviewer verified by LinkedIn

Industry : Elearning | Company size : 501-1,000 | Level : Consultant | Focus : Information Technology | Experience using the software : Free Trial as User, Administrator

A real life saver during the rise of the Covid 19 pandemic

Apr 6, 2021

Overall Rating 100%
  • Usefulness
  • Usability
  • Customer Experience
  • Likelihood to Recommend
What do you like best? As soon as the pandemic hit us, we had to more or less update all our training manuals and deliver our training online. We found that it was extremely easy for our ID's to create video content for all our new employees and that contributed to our company's growth.
What do you dislike? Since I was not directly involved in the video editing process my feedback is based on my IDs' experience take on the software.
Reviewer photo

Reviewer verified by LinkedIn

Industry : Information Services | Company size : 501-1,000 | Level : Manager | Focus : Consulting | Experience using the software : More than 1 year as User, Administrator

New release has exciting feature, 360° Virtual Reality etc..

Apr 2, 2021

Overall Rating 98%
  • Usefulness
  • Usability
  • Customer Experience
  • Likelihood to Recommend
What do you like best? The latest release of Captivate has great 360° Virtual Reality features that makes a great learner experience.
What do you dislike? It takes some time to understand the tool, some standardised themes and templates for faster course creation will be good.
Reviewer photo

Reviewer verified by LinkedIn

Industry : Education - Higher | Company size : 501-1,000 | Level : Consultant | Focus : Operations | Experience using the software : Free Trial as User, Administrator, Member of the procurement team

Excellent tool to create remarkable training material

Apr 1, 2021

Overall Rating 98%
  • Usefulness
  • Usability
  • Customer Experience
  • Likelihood to Recommend
What do you like best? I have been using Captivate since the very first version was released. Throughout the years, their tool has matured, improved, and introduced a wide variety of new features. (e.g. VR, Fluid boxes)
What do you dislike? There is not much to add here, if pushed I would probably say that it takes time to develop a basic understanding of all the features and how they can help you achieve your goals. Worth checking the online tutorials too.
Reviewer photo

Reviewer verified by LinkedIn

Industry : Information Technology and Services | Company size : 201-500 | Level : Senior | Focus : Administrative | Experience using the software : More than 1 year as User

The quality you expect from Adobe- if you are looking for VR- take a look!

Mar 26, 2021

Overall Rating 75%
  • Usefulness
  • Usability
  • Customer Experience
  • Likelihood to Recommend
What do you like best? -Busting with features all in one place -VR support- this is a growing and untapped area; if you have an interest in VR Education then, you should try Captivate -Easy to learn and use
What do you dislike? There is a learning curve for new users- this is to be expected with such a robust program- This may be too much program for some people who won't take advantage of all of its features. Make sure you know what you want.
Reviewer photo

Benjamin Y.

Industry : Elearning | Company size : 1-10 | Level : Consultant | Focus : Consulting | Experience using the software : Free Trial as Administrator

Has capabilities to publish courses as Mobile apps

Mar 24, 2021

Overall Rating 94%
  • Usefulness
  • Usability
  • Customer Experience
  • Likelihood to Recommend
What do you like best? Mobile learning course content creation can be easily achieved here, with a set of Adobe tools the courses can be published as mobile apps into IOS and Android. Using Adobe captivate and PhoneGap, this can be done with just a few clicks.
What do you dislike? Some of the apps like Phonegap needs to be taken separately. It is not included in the captivate subscription.
Reviewer photo

Kiran K.

Industry : Information Technology and Services | Company size : 1,001-5,000 | Level : Consultant | Focus : Product Management | Experience using the software : Free Trial as User, Administrator

Helps you put all your Instructional Design skills into play

Feb 10, 2021

Overall Rating 100%
  • Usefulness
  • Usability
  • Customer Experience
  • Likelihood to Recommend
What do you like best? Adobe Captivate is the most well-known course-authoring software for a reason. It allows all your creativity to come into play and deliver excellent content as long as you find a way to discover all its features and how to use them.
What do you dislike? It's not an easy tool, it takes years to master it and get to use the variety of features that it provides you with. Still, it's better than any other Authoring Tool right now in the market.
Reviewer photo

Reviewer verified by LinkedIn

Industry : Financial Services | Company size : 201-500 | Level : Director | Focus : Education | Experience using the software : More than 1 year as User, Administrator

You've viewed 10 out of 76

Alternatives

Not a match? Find software alternatives that better suit your needs and compare them to discover the one that's right for you.

Adobe Captivate

4.6/5

Jericho Content Studio

Compare

Chameleon Creator

4.6/5
Compare

TalentLMS

4.7/5
Compare

Articulate 360

4.4/5
Compare

Compozer

5.0/5
Compare

iSpring Suite

4.6/5
Compare
Buyer's Guide

Complete guide for Adobe Captivate.

Buyer's guide table of contents

FAQ

Table of contents
FAQs

Learn more about Adobe Captivate.

The powerful eLearning authoring tool has a diverse user base. The typical user base of Adobe Captivate include the following: Instructional Designers Corporate training professionals Business users eLearning educators Institutions

The languages supported by Adobe Captivate are: English Français Deutsch Español 한국어 日本語 Português (Brasil)

While Adobe Captivate can be used to make mobile-friendly learning courses, the tool itself cannot be used on mobile devices.

Yes, Adobe Captivate offers API integration.

Adobe Captivate can be integrated with various Learning Management Systems (LMSs) like SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004, AICC, xAPI, as well as Adobe Connect.

Adobe Captivate has an active community and support, like email/help desk, FAQs/forums, and a knowledge base.
Resources

Explore a curated collection of resources that provide insights, guidance, and ideas to help you make informed decisions.