The Top Customer Education Platforms In 2024

Arthur Quincé -

It is reported that trained customers are 68% more likely to use a product regularly, 56% more likely to explore more features, and 87% more likely to solve issues on their own without needing support. But to achieve such spectacular results, you would undoubtedly need a good customer education platform! 

Now, you might be thinking about how to find such an ideal customer education platform. But do not worry, for in this article, we have revealed the best customer education platform and given you choices to select from. (Get ready to find the best customer education platform out of all available options!)

  1. MeltingSpot - Your Ideal Customer Education Solution 
  2. Use an LMS as an alternative to a Customer Education Platform
    1. The Main Differences Between An LMS and A Customer Education Platform 
    2. The Best LMS In 2024 
  3. Use a Product Adoption Platform as an Alternative To a Customer Education Platform
    1. The Main Differences Between A Product Adoption Platform and a Customer Education Platform 
    2. The Best Product Adoption Platforms 
  4. Use a Customer Community Platform as an Alternative to a Customer Education Platform
    1. The Main Differences Between a Customer Community Platform and a Customer Education Platform 
    2. The Best Customer Community Platforms 
  5. Conclusion 

MeltingSpot - Your Ideal Customer Education Solution 

Let's be honest, if we're writing an article like this, it's because we believe in our solution. So, I'll introduce MeltingSpot first, and then I'll present three alternatives.

There really isn't another Customer Education Platform quite like MeltingSpot. While Learning Management Systems (LMS), Product Adoption Platforms, and even Customer Community Platforms can serve as alternatives, they often fall short of what MeltingSpot offers. We also include Helpdesk tools to round out our comprehensive approach. Here is a short video introduction to MeltingSpot:

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The idea behind MeltingSpot from the start has been to address the fragmentation in customer education. Typically, customer education is spread across many different tools, which can confuse and scatter customers. MeltingSpot solves this problem by centralizing all customer education efforts into one engaging platform. This helps to activate customers more effectively, leading to better engagement and increased revenue.

And let’s not forget our excellent customer support and active community of users who share best practices and tips. MeltingSpot not only centralizes and simplifies customer education but also enhances the learning experience, making it easier for customers to access, understand, and apply the information.

But enough about us! We won't just brag about our platform. Let's show you three great alternatives. Then, you can decide for yourself which one is the best fit for your needs.

Use an LMS as an alternative to a Customer Education Platform

Learning Management Systems (LMS) are popular for delivering structured education and training programs. They are commonly found in schools, universities, and corporate training environments. An LMS lets you create and deliver courses, track progress, and assess performance. 

Now, while an LMS can help you educate your customers about your products or services, it might not offer the same level of integration and engagement that a dedicated customer education software does.

The Main Differences Between An LMS and A Customer Education Platform 

While both Learning Management Systems (LMS) and customer education platforms aim to teach users, you van find a lot of major difference between them. LMS platforms are typically used in schools and for company training, while customer education platforms are designed to be flexible and fit smoothly into the customer experience.

Focus:

  • LMS: Mostly used for formal education and structured training programs.
  • Customer Education Platform: Built to educate customers about products or services in a more engaging way.

Content Delivery:

  • LMS: Features structured courses with modules, quizzes, and assignments.
  • Customer Education Platform: Uses various methods like interactive tutorials, webinars, and in-app guidance.

User Experience:

  • LMS: Users need to log into a separate system, which can be less engaging.
  • Customer Education Platform: Integrates directly into the product, offering a smoother learning experience.

Engagement Tools:

  • LMS: Focuses on completing courses and tests, which can be less engaging.
  • Customer Education Platform: Includes live chats, community forums, and gamification to keep users interested and motivated.

Integration:

  • LMS: Often works alone and might need extra effort to connect with other tools. (Note: Some LMS do have good integration systems) 
  • Customer Education Platform: Fits easily with your existing tools and systems, becoming a part of the overall user experience.

Flexibility:

  • LMS: Provides a more rigid structure that is suitable for academic or corporate training.
  • Customer Education Platform: Offers flexible content creation and delivery, meeting the needs of your customers and providing support within the product.

As you can see above from the differences, a customer education platform provides many more benefits than an LMS and this is why we confidently claim MeltingSpot as your best choice. This means that while an LMS can be a good alternative, a customer education platform is the best choice for providing top-notch, integrated, and engaging education for your customers.

The Best LMS In 2024 

Now that you know the difference between an LMS and a customer education software, you might already have an idea of which is best for your needs. When it comes to LMS, there are many that are considered good and some that stand out more than others. We've already discussed them in detail, and you can check out our top customer LMS article for a deeper study. Still, below, you can see a brief description of each LMS.

Absorb

Absorb LMS is a versatile learning management system designed to enhance training for organizations of all sizes. It offers easy mobile access and scalability but has slow customer support and limited customization options.

360 L

360Learning blends LMS and Learning Experience Platform (LXP) features for comprehensive employee, customer, and partner growth. It automates L&D tasks and offers AI-driven skill mapping but has a complex user interface and occasional technical glitches.

Apollo Learn

Apollo Learn is an LMS designed to smoothen training and education with a focus on intuitive user experience and robust analytics. It offers easy integration and user-friendly course creation but can be costly for small businesses and lacks advanced customization options.

Rise Up

Rise Up is an LMS that combines e-learning and in-person training to offer a hybrid learning experience. It provides strong reporting tools and multilingual support but can be challenging to set up and has a steep learning curve for new users.

Docebo

Docebo is an LMS known for its engaging customer interactions and transformative business capabilities. It integrates smoothly with major software and features advanced AI but has limitations in managing live training sessions and a challenging admin interface.

Northpass

Northpass is an LMS designed to deliver scalable and engaging learning experiences for businesses. It excels in user-friendly course creation and detailed analytics but can be pricey for smaller organizations and lacks some advanced integration options.

Use a Product Adoption Platform as an Alternative To a Customer Education Platform

Product adoption platforms are great for helping users learn how to use a product effectively. They guide users through the features and benefits, making onboarding smoother and ensuring they get the most out of the product. 

While these platforms are useful for educating customers, they might not offer the full learning experience that a dedicated customer education software provides.

The Main Differences Between A Product Adoption Platform and a Customer Education Platform 

There is no doubt that both product adoption platforms and customer education software aim to help users understand and use products effectively, but they do have some key differences.

Focus:

  • Product Adoption Platform: It is designed to help users quickly understand how to use a product's features through in-app guidance.
  • Customer Education Platform: It is built to provide a complete educational experience, covering all aspects of the product or service (the how and the why), including advanced usage and troubleshooting.

Content Delivery:

  • Product Adoption Platform: Product adoption platforms usually use in-app guides, tooltips, and walkthroughs to provide real-time assistance.
  • Customer Education Platform: They offer a variety of learning methods, including structured courses, webinars, tutorials, and a knowledge base.

User Experience:

  • Product Adoption Platform: These platforms provide immediate, contextual help within the product interface.
  • Customer Education Platform: It provides a more structured learning path with additional resources available outside the product.

Engagement Tools:

  • Product Adoption Platform: Such platforms mostly focus on in-app interactions to guide users step-by-step.
  • Customer Education Platform: It includes interactive features like live chats, community forums, and gamification to keep users continuously engaged and motivated.

Scope of Learning:

  • Product Adoption Platform: It primarily addresses initial onboarding and basic feature usage.
  • Customer Education Platform: A customer education software typically covers a wide range of topics, from basic to advanced, which is why it ensures comprehensive understanding and proficiency.

Long-term Value:

  • Product Adoption Platform: These platforms aim to get users up and running quickly but may not support long-term educational needs.
  • Customer Education Platform: With a customer education platform, you can provide ongoing learning opportunities, support long-term user development, and help customers master your product.

Customer education platforms are designed to offer a deeper and more engaging learning experience. So, while a product adoption platform can be a good alternative, a customer education platform is often the best choice for providing comprehensive and engaging education for your customers.

The Best Product Adoption Platforms 

Understanding the differences will help you make a decision, but we're also sharing the top product adoption platforms for better clarity. You can check out our detailed article on the best product adoption platforms for a deeper understanding. Here is a brief overview of the top softwares:

Pendo 

Pendo helps businesses understand and improve the user experience of their digital products by providing user insights, customer feedback, and feature utilization metrics. But it can be expensive for startups, lacks editing capabilities for simple elements, requires an external platform for feedback integration, and has slow customer support.

Appcues

Appcues enhances user experience by streamlining user onboarding, feature adoption, and engagement with tools for personalized onboarding and real-time data monitoring. However, it can be complex for smaller projects, has a learning curve, and certain customization options may require technical skills.

Intercom

Intercom is a communication platform that streamlines customer support, sales, and marketing through real-time interactions, automated messaging, and targeted communication. Now, it can be challenging to configure interaction flows, has limitations in feature customization, and may be intimidating for new users, requiring significant learning and adjustment.

Userflow

Userflow smooths user onboarding and feature adoption with customizable flows and interactive guides, and its no-code solution is accessible for non-technical users. However, setting up customized flows can be complex, feature updates are infrequent, and optimal use may still require some technical understanding.

NetCore Cloud 

Netcore Cloud is an AI-powered platform that enhances customer engagement and conversion rates through comprehensive digital marketing tools and omnichannel communication. On the other hand, it can be complex to set up and integrate, resource-intensive to operate, and offers limited customization options for certain features.

Use a Customer Community Platform as an Alternative to a Customer Education Platform

Customer community platforms create spaces where users can connect, share knowledge, and help each other. These platforms build engagement and loyalty by creating a community around your product or service. There is no doubt that they offer valuable peer-to-peer learning and support, but they might not provide the structured educational content and detailed training programs that a dedicated customer education platform does.

The Main Differences Between a Customer Community Platform and a Customer Education Platform 

While both customer community platforms and customer education platforms aim to help users understand and use products effectively, there do have many differences, as you can see below:

Focus:

  • Customer Community Platform: It is designed to facilitate user interactions and build a sense of community around a product or service.
  • Customer Education Platform: This platform is built to provide structured educational content and training programs.

Content Delivery:

  • Customer Community Platform: A customer community software mostly relies on user-generated content, discussions, and shared experiences.
  • Customer Education Platform: Customer education software provides organized courses, tutorials, and webinars created by the company.

User Engagement:

  • Customer Community Platform: This platform mostly encourages engagement through forums, discussions, and social interactions.
  • Customer Education Platform: It engages users through interactive learning modules, 

Support and Interaction:

  • Customer Community Platform: It offers peer-to-peer support where users can ask questions and share solutions.
  • Customer Education Platform: A customer education platform provides expert-led training and support from the company.

Content Control:

  • Customer Community Platform: The content is mostly user-generated, which can lead to varied quality and accuracy.
  • Customer Education Platform: In a customer education software, the content is controlled and developed by the company, ensuring consistency and reliability.

Learning Paths:

  • Customer Community Platform: It lacks structured learning paths, relying on organic user interactions for learning.
  • Customer Education Platform: These platforms offer predefined learning paths and structured progression to guide users through the material.

The Best Customer Community Platforms 

Just like the other alternatives, we've put together a list of the best customer community platforms, which you can check out in our detailed article. Here, you’ll find a quick overview of each platform, which will help you discover the best customer community platform and decide if it is a better option than a customer education platform. 

Disciple 

This customer community platform helps you build independent communities on Web, iOS, and Android with customizable features and comprehensive tools. But many users often find the interface confusing, face integration challenges, and encounter limitations with event management.

Hivebrite

Hivebrite helps large organizations build, customize, and grow their online communities with a comprehensive feature set and excellent scalability. It does have some cons, like its integration with existing systems can be complex, email deliverability can be an issue, and frequent updates sometimes introduce new problems.

Bettermode

This customer community software helps businesses and creators engage with customers and build meaningful relationships through discussion forums, gamification, and idea management. However, it may have inadequate content moderation tools, limited language support, and lacks robust advanced analytics features.

Mighty Networks

Mighty Networks helps businesses, creators, and entrepreneurs build and grow online communities with integrated discussion forums, events, and courses. It offers monetization options and extensive customization, but is limited to Stripe for payments, lacks built-in marketing tools, and imposes transaction fees on sales.

Higher Logic

Higher Logic helps organizations build and manage online communities with robust CRM integration and comprehensive engagement tools. Some issues that are reported by existing users are that it has overlapping features that may complicate the user experience, limited customization for notifications, and scalability costs that could be high for smaller organizations.

Conclusion 

As you’ve read for yourself in this article, MeltingSpot is clearly the best choice for a customer education platform. While it can also double as an LMS, a customer community platform, or a product adoption platform, its true strength lies in delivering a seamless and engaging educational experience. Our competitors might try, but MeltingSpot does it all with style and flair.

Ready to see the magic in action? Book a meeting with us today!