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Adobe Captivate

Adobe Captivate

Overview

What is Adobe Captivate?

Adobe Captivate is an elearning authoring and course design tool (or LCMS). It supports mobile HTML5 content. Captivate’s users are commonly midsized businesses to enterprises. Adobe Captivate includes some prebuilt assets as well as customizable workflows.

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Learn from top reviewers

Adobe Captivate Review

Rating: 6 out of 10
March 13, 2025
IncentivizedVetted ReviewVerified User
Courseware development that solves the training needs of multiple departments in the company.
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Verified user
Professional
Adobe Captivate4 years of experience

Best tool on the market for software demonstrations and simulations

Rating: 9 out of 10
June 29, 2024
IncentivizedVetted ReviewVerified User
We primarily use Adobe Captivate for software demonstrations, simulations and/or training videos that contain software demonstrations. I've tried several other systems (Camtas...
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Gabe Nance
Contributor - Sales
eLearning Curriculum Developer
Thryv
Adobe Captivate17 years of experience

Captivate is the #1 tool for eLearning- Hands Down

Rating: 10 out of 10
October 6, 2022
IncentivizedVetted ReviewVerified User
We use Adobe Captivate to create software simulations training but we do not use the video simulations as recording is blocked by our ISO. We have a variety of software for se...
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Cheryl MacLeod
Contributor - Other
Instructional Designer III
Black Knight
Adobe Captivate8 years of experience

Great for Intermediate-Level Instructional Designers!

Rating: 7 out of 10
October 5, 2022
IncentivizedVetted ReviewVerified User
We use Adobe Captivate to author all of our e-Learning courses. Specifically, we use Adobe Captivate to create SCORM shells that contain multiple slides and videos, and we use...
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Emma Wright
Professional - Human Resources
Learning and Development Specialist
Cellular Sales
Adobe Captivate1 year of experience

Adobe Captivate - A challenging experience

Rating: 7 out of 10
October 5, 2022
IncentivizedVetted ReviewVerified User
Our company decided to use Adobe Captivate to begin creating eLearning content for our customers to supplement our instructor-led and video training. We hope to utilize self-p...
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Cliff Holverson
Employee - Other
Instructional Media Designer
On Center Software by ConstructConnect
Adobe Captivate1 year of experience
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Awards

Products that are considered exceptional by their customers based on a variety of criteria win TrustRadius awards. Learn more about the types of TrustRadius awards to make the best purchase decision. More about TrustRadius Awards

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Pricing

View all pricing

Subscription

$33.99

On Premise
per month

Student & Teacher Edition

$399

On Premise
one-time fee

Upgrade

$499

On Premise
one-time fee

Entry-level set up fee?

  • No setup fee

Offerings

  • Free Trial
  • Free/Freemium Version
  • Premium Consulting/Integration Services
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Product Demos

Adobe Captivate - Software Simulations and Video Demos

YouTube

Create your first video demo with Adobe Captivate (2017 Release)

YouTube

Adobe Captivate Animated Text - brief how to and samples

YouTube

Adobe Captivate Tutorial - Pan, Zoom, Picture-in-Picture - Captivate Training in Los Angeles

YouTube

HOW TO Record Video Demo with Adobe Captivate

YouTube

Demo PowerPoint to Captivate Demo

YouTube
View more demos
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Features

Learning Management

Features of LMS and LCMS systems, related to designing, administering, and consuming learning content in an educational, corporate, or on-the-job context.

9.1
Avg 8.5

eLearning Content

eLearning Content Providers offer off-the-shelf, prebuilt courses and other learning materials such as books and videos in order to enhance training for important job skills.

8.4
Avg 8.4
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Product Details

What is Adobe Captivate?

Adobe Captivate is an elearning authoring and course design tool (or LCMS). It allows users to rapidly author responsive, interactive learning eLearning content, as well as mobile HTML-5 learning content. Users can test courses with the preview LMS feature, and track the performance of learners as they complete quizzes and other tasks. Adobe Captivate includes some prebuilt templates and learning assets, but users also have the option to custom code their own complex learning workflows. Adobe Captivate integrates with SCORM-compliant LMS systems, including Adobe Captivate Prime.

Adobe Captivate Video

What is Adobe Captivate?

Adobe Captivate Technical Details

Deployment TypesOn-premise
Operating SystemsWindows, Mac
Mobile ApplicationNo

Frequently Asked Questions

Adobe Captivate is an elearning authoring and course design tool (or LCMS). It supports mobile HTML5 content. Captivate’s users are commonly midsized businesses to enterprises. Adobe Captivate includes some prebuilt assets as well as customizable workflows.

Reviewers rate Social learning highest, with a score of 10.

The most common users of Adobe Captivate are from Enterprises (1,001+ employees).
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Comparisons

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Reviews From Top Reviewers

View all reviews
(1-5 of 5)

Great Product

Rating: 9 out of 10
Incentivized
October 05, 2022
JT
Jamie Tibaquira
ISD
ARA (E-Learning, 10,001+ employees)
Vetted Review
Verified User
Adobe Captivate
2 years of experience
Use Cases and Deployment Scope
I develop courses in Captivate based on SME content.
Pros
  • Imputing graphics.
  • Interactivity.
  • User friendly.
Cons
  • Accessibility.
  • Simplifying advanced actions.
  • Upload to LMS easier.
Likelihood to Recommend
Accessibility is proving difficult, and that is my clients main focus. All other things are fine.
Most Important Features
  • Easy to use.
  • Training available.
Return on Investment
  • ROI - positive.
  • Accessibility issues- negative.
Other Software Used
Users and Roles
5
Support Headcount Required
5
Business Processes Supported
  • Client and staff training.
Innovative Uses
  • na
Future Planned Uses
  • na
Likelihood to Renew
9
Products Replaced
Not Sure
Key Differentiators
  • Product Reputation
Evaluation Lessons Learned
I wasn't involved.
Implementation Details / Implementation Partner
  • Don't know
Implementation Issues
  • Training
Implementation Rating
1
I did not participate in this.
Training Types Used
  • No Training
Ease of Adobe Captivate Training
Yes. Good videos
Product Configurability
6
It eventually does what it needs to do.
Configuration Lessons
Keep trying and check the Adobe chats.
Additional Customization Considerations
na
Support Rating
9
contacted support
Premium Support
I'm not at liberty to purchase.
Exceptional Examples of Adobe Captivate Support
Each time my boss contacts them, he gets a prompt response
Usability
9
Need more accessibility features
Easy Tasks
  • advanced features
Difficult Tasks
  • accessibility issues
Mobile Interface Availability and Impressions
Yes, but I don't use it
Scalability
9
Reliability and Availability
2
Performance
8
Systems Integrated With
  • Adobe illustrator
  • vyond
Future Integration Plans
  • unsure
Types of Integration
  • File import/export
  • Single Signon
  • Javascript widgets
Ease of Integration
8
Integration Lessons Learned
Unsure
Pre-Sale Experience
9
Post-Sale Experience
9
Key Negotiation Points
I didn't
Dealing with Adobe
unsure
Upgrade Process
No
Upgrade Benefits
  • unsure
Anticipated Benefits from Future Upgrades
  • more accessibility

Captivate - an overpriced, underdeveloped product

Rating: 1 out of 10
Incentivized
November 04, 2020
BG
Bernard Gale
Director
Select Consultancy Services Ltd (Management Consulting, 1-10 employees)
Vetted Review
Verified User
Adobe Captivate
15 years of experience
View profile
Use Cases and Deployment Scope
We originally selected Captivate to develop e-learning courses for our customers. We were very pleased with the original product although it was never as good as the original product Adobe bought to build on, Authorware. However, it became apparent Adobe were slow to develop the product. It fell behind other e-learning products in the marketplace.
We came back to Captivate after a customer had been using it and asked for help. We were pleased to see some improvements and again started to use it but the product is still full of out-of-date code, an attempt by Adobe to keep flash users.
It does include some AR and VR options but nothing compared to other products in the excellent Adobe range. So we are now being forced to move away again from Captivate.
Pros
  • Easy to use for a basic user and you can quickly produce a reasonable course.
  • Tight integration with LMS systems.
  • Good working examples to develop.
  • A good user base if a bit long in the tooth!!
Cons
  • Little coding options (yes you can use some Java script but it needs to be adapted.
  • Poor cross-platform integration with other Adobe products.
  • Poor slow develop cycle.
  • Can be buggy and cause Windows errors.
Likelihood to Recommend
Good for users with limited needs. It's simple to take a model course, make changes and have something working in 0.5 hour. Simple to get started, very short learning curve.

Not good if you seek to do much with VR or AR and sadly lacks integration with other Adobe products.
Adobe Captivate Feature Ratings
eLearning Content
N/A
N/A
Learning Management (7)
31.428571428571427%
3.1
Course authoring
70%
7.0
Course catalog or library
10%
1.0
Player/Portal
20%
2.0
Learning content
40%
4.0
Progress tracking & certifications
20%
2.0
Learning reporting & analytics
50%
5.0
Social learning
10%
1.0
Return on Investment
  • Poor return on investment compared to other Adobe products. You pay a lot for very little.
  • Good short develop time.
  • Frustrating on limitations.
Alternatives Considered
Articulate (even more limited than Captivate). Now using Adobe Creative Cloud products to produce similar results to Captivate at about 1/10th price.
Exceptional Examples of Adobe Captivate Support
The support is only available 5 days a week, however the staff are very good and happy to go the extra mile.
Usability
7
Easy and simple to use if you have limited needs.
Easy Tasks
  • Develop a course like a PowerPoint in minutes.
  • Create good visual product.
Difficult Tasks
  • Develop certificates.
  • Get results out without an LMS.
Mobile Interface Availability and Impressions
Yes
Very poor to develop mobile courses.

Adobe Captivate - Advanced Tool

Rating: 9 out of 10
Incentivized
October 07, 2022
Verified User
Team Lead in Human Resources
Hospital & Health Care Company, 5001-10,000 employees
Vetted Review
Verified User
Adobe Captivate
7 years of experience
Use Cases and Deployment Scope
Adobe Captivate is our authoring tool for e-Learning. We use this to create e-Learning content to deploy to employed and non-employee staff.
Pros
  • Interactive learning.
  • Flexibility with Advanced Actions.
  • Access to assets.
Cons
  • More animation options.
  • Better text to voice options.
  • Responsive design is challenging to work with.
Likelihood to Recommend
I love using Captivate - honestly the only thing I tell people is that they would want to be prepared to take a training on it like from ATD to maximize the use and to quickly adapt. They can't just pick it up and start using it.
Most Important Features
  • Quiz settings/tracking.
  • SCORM compliance.
  • Assets for courses.
Alternatives Considered
I've only ever authored in Adobe Captivate.
Other Software Used
Users and Roles
20
Instructional Design and Epic Training.
Support Headcount Required
3
IT Team for subscription and installation, ID Team to support other trainers.
Business Processes Supported
  • eLearning development.
  • Flexible tool to meet learning needs.
  • Cloud has multiple other Adobe products to support.
Innovative Uses
  • e-Learning
  • Interactive video
  • VR
Future Planned Uses
  • Quick e-Learning development.
  • Microlearnings.
Likelihood to Renew
10
I don't intend to switch as Captivate along with the Adobe Cloud are industry standard tools.
Products Replaced
No
Key Differentiators
  • Product Features
  • Product Usability
  • Product Reputation
We have paid subscriptions for the Cloud and Captivate, so all tools together allows for limitless options.
Evaluation Lessons Learned
I wouldn't.
Support Rating
8
Support was for my colleague.
Premium Support
No
Bug Resolution
No
Usability
8
You can't use it without proper training.
Easy Tasks
  • Themes.
  • Fonts.
  • Smartshapes.
Difficult Tasks
  • Learning Advanced Actions
  • VR
  • Video
Mobile Interface Availability and Impressions
No

The ins and outs of Adobe Captivate

Rating: 9 out of 10
Incentivized
November 12, 2018
DW
D Walwyn
e-Learning Analyst
Interior Health Authority (Hospital & Health Care, 10,001+ employees)
Vetted Review
Verified User
Adobe Captivate
12 years of experience
View profile
Use Cases and Deployment Scope
Adobe Captivate is used by my organization as the primary e-learning tool for creating engaging clinically relevant content for staff. There are online learning departments that use the software for training and there is also a training group who use the software. Subject Matter Experts are paired with Captivate design experts to create the content.
Pros
  • Software simulations work very well in Adobe Captivate and are easily captured and editable.
  • Outputs a variety of SCORM compliant formats to work with many LMS.
  • HTML5 compliant content can be adjusted to be viewed on a variety of devices.
Cons
  • The quizzing is very lackluster. You cannot review questions without breaking them.
  • Animations are clunky and not as easy to set up as with other software
  • The workflow in Captivate could stand to be improved. There are limited templating options.
Likelihood to Recommend
Captivate is great for creating quick modules providing instructions for various PC based tasks, such as filling in web forms or new features in software, or complete software training. Any sort of computer based training can be done with Captivate. Where the software really falls short is that you need to be a fairly competent computer user to create attractive learning modules.
Adobe Captivate Feature Ratings
eLearning Content
N/A
N/A
Learning Management (5)
94%
9.4
Course authoring
100%
10.0
Course catalog or library
80%
8.0
Player/Portal
90%
9.0
Learning content
100%
10.0
Progress tracking & certifications
100%
10.0
Return on Investment
  • Captivate has a steep learning curve, it takes a while for users to become proficient.
  • Travel for training has been nearly eliminated when Captivate has been utilized to create the learning modules.
  • SME's are paid more than content developers so it makes sense to have content developers create the content instead of an SME needing to spend the time to get up to speed to use the software or to train in person.
Alternatives Considered
Captivate is better for software simulations and handles images a bit better. Storyline always makes a box around the images, which is problematic for selecting items in a drag and drop environment. The workflow of being able to edit images right within the software is also a plus for Captivate.
Other Software Used
Users and Roles
26
There are staff educators as well as nurse educators that utilize Adobe Captivate for creating online learning modules, just in time resources and job aids that can be based on information in a presentation or in software simulations. The software is also used to create quizzes for knowledge verification, and assessments. Modules have also been created for new staff orientation and continuing medical education credits.
Support Headcount Required
2
Once users are up to speed on the software there is very little necessity to support captivate, but if support is needed, good analyical thinking is a must. Adobe Captivate is great but there is a steep learning curve, this curve can be lessened with experience in graphic design and a basic understanding of Adult Education principles (in my environment).
Business Processes Supported
  • Orientation
  • Software Simulations
  • Assessments
  • Knowledge Checks
  • Surveys
Innovative Uses
  • Creating gamified training modules
  • Creating presentations that are more engaging that can be created in powerpoint
  • Creating 'easter eggs' in the modules to drive engagement.
Future Planned Uses
  • Hoping to branch into 3d goggles with future versions of Captivate
Likelihood to Renew
10
Because we have so many modules built in Captivate that may on occasion need to be updated or recreated, Captivate is now a permanent part of the software ecosystem of our organization. There are many features that other elearning authoring suites are not able to come close to, which is the reason that Captivate is the defacto standard of authoring tools.
Products Replaced
No
Key Differentiators
  • Product Features
  • Product Usability
When we first delved into eLearning the project was primarily software simulations for a major software upgrade. Captivate's ability to allow editing of images captured almost seamlessly with image editing tools made it the logical choice.
Evaluation Lessons Learned
If we had to do it all over again, I would advocate for Captivate again, just as I have in the past. The other software suites available do not have the robust screen capture process and editing that Captivate has, which are the primary uses for eLearning Authoring tools in my department at present.
Easy Tasks
  • Importing Powerpoint slides
  • Creating Quizzes
  • Embedding videos and customizing how they play etc.
Difficult Tasks
  • Drag and Drop
  • Scripting
  • creating templates
Mobile Interface Availability and Impressions
No
Usability
8
Once a usre is well versed on the software it is a 10, but because of the steep learning curve, I give it an 8.

Adobe Captivate - eLearning authoring tool

Rating: 7 out of 10
Incentivized
November 22, 2017
TF
Tracy Ford
Corporate Trainer
Bank of the Pacific (Banking, 201-500 employees)
Vetted Review
Verified User
Adobe Captivate
1 year of experience
View profile
Use Cases and Deployment Scope
We are transforming our training program from completely in-person to a blended learning environment to engage our people better, while saving on the expense of travel. We are spread out over a 300 mile span, making geography a challenge. Adobe Captivate allows us to deliver content on the learner's term, from their own office.
Pros
  • Adobe Captivate can integrate current PowerPoint presentation, and transform them into eLearning curriculum.
  • Publishing an Adobe Captivate project is simple.
  • Adobe Captivate uses built-in interactions to engage the learner, making the content easier to remember.
Cons
  • Adobe Captivate does not allow for great customization overall. For example, you cannot change the default font, causing a lot of wasted time changing the font choice.
  • Creating engaging interactions could be a simpler process.
  • A customizable Quick Access Toolbar would be quite useful.
Likelihood to Recommend
Adobe Captivate can open up the door to eLearning, but it is not quite as intuitive as I would have liked to see. There is a lot of support for Adobe Captivate, but it must be constantly sought out on specific topics. The integration of Adobe Stock and Assets gives Captivate a strong push.
Return on Investment
  • Less travel expense.
  • More access to training courses, more impact on the frontline.
  • Only $29.99 a month, it can be used when necessary, keeping overall cost low.
Alternatives Considered
Articulate 360 offers a both Storyline and Rise as eLearning authoring tools, as well as a Stock Library with over 100,000 images for $1200/year. Adobe Captivate is a stand alone product for $30/month. If you are only using eLearning authoring tools the cost is significantly less. If you are looking at the broader suite of software, Articulate 360 does offer two eLearning authoring tools and a Stock Library, in addition to 3 other program, for a total of 5. For the same cost, I purchased Adobe Captivate along with the entire Adobe Creative Cloud suite (27 programs), including Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, etc.. This suite offers a much broader range of design, allowing for content to be created and engaged in many more ways.
Other Software Used
Users and Roles
3
Training and Development. We have been able to broaden our training footprint drastically through the integration of Adobe Captivate. Creating quick Microlearnings allow managers to assign quick trainings to their team on very specific topics. We have been able to set clear expectations for the company through a 5 minute Microlearning. This is huge for ensuring the organization is moving in the same direction.
Support Headcount Required
I am the primary support for Adobe Captivate. I function mainly in how-to scenarios. If there is an issue with Adobe Captivate, we utilize their support. They have been quite helpful every time support has been required. They are thorough and efficient. They ensure the issues are resolved and stay connected until then.
Business Processes Supported
  • Replacing in class training with eLearning
  • Implementing microlearning for topics of interest
  • Software simulations
Innovative Uses
  • Microlearning
  • Software simulation open a lot of options
  • "Board Game" eLearning
Future Planned Uses
  • Reusable course outlines
  • Further department reach
  • Available for customers
Likelihood to Renew
10
There is no doubt in my mind that we will be using Adobe Captivate for years to come. There are so many uses for the software that we are just scratching the surface. The more we use it, the better it gets. This is a great option for anyone looking for an eLearning authoring tool.
Products Replaced
No
Key Differentiators
  • Price
  • Product Features
  • Product Usability
  • Product Reputation
Adobe Captivate integrates with the Adobe Creative Cloud Suite, for a very reasonable price. This made the choice for Adobe Captivate very simple. Other eLearning authoring tools offered a few things that Captivate did not, but with the backing of the Creative Cloud and the very low price point, Adobe Captivate was the strongest option.
Evaluation Lessons Learned
I do not think that I would change my evaluation process. I utilized the free 30-day trial for both software suites that I was evaluating. I vetted them through our Risk Assessment Team to ensure security is tight. I sought opinions from other users, and read reviews. Being able to try them both helped me make my decision.
Support Rating
10
Every issue I have ever had was handled with care and quite thoroughly. After the initial conversation on the phone, I received frequent emails letting me know what they were working on, and also received follow up phone calls. After I found the resolution, I got one more call to ensure everything was working properly. The follow up was quite surprising.
Bug Resolution
No
Exceptional Examples of Adobe Captivate Support
I could not access the Assets tab of Adobe Captivate. I called in for support, they ran through the settings to ensure everything was installed properly. I received frequent email updates and phone calls letting me know what they were doing to find a resolution. I ended up checking with my IT to find the issue was on our end. Adobe made sure everything was working properly, even after it was resolved.
Easy Tasks
  • Drag and drop interactions
  • Converting a shape to a button
  • Rollover Caption
Difficult Tasks
  • State views
  • Timing of buttons
  • Simple settings such as default font
Mobile Interface Availability and Impressions
No
Usability
8
Adobe Captivate does take some getting used to. There are features that are much more convoluted than they need to be, but overall it is a great product with a some excellent features. Being in a pretty small market, Adobe Captivate and Articulate Storyline dominate the space. They are not the same software, but allow for eLearning authoring. Each has their benefit and their downside, but, for me, Adobe Captivate edges out Storyline.
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