We build ScormHero, one of the tools in this list — so read our opinion on it with that in mind. Since 2019 we've processed over 330,000 conversions for 34,800+ authors across 120+ countries, and a good share of the people who email us don't actually need our product. Pointing them at the right free tool costs us nothing, so this is the guide I wish existed the first time someone asked me "what's actually free?"
First, a distinction that saves a lot of confusion: an authoring tool builds courses from scratch (slides, interactions, branching), while a converter takes content you already have — a PowerPoint, a PDF, a video — and packages it as SCORM. Most people searching for a "free SCORM authoring tool" already have their content in PowerPoint. If that's you, a converter is the faster path.
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What "Free" Actually Means Here
The SCORM tooling market uses "free" in three different ways:
- Free plan — a real, ongoing free tier with limits (conversions per month, file size). This is what ScormHero offers.
- Free trial — full features for 14–30 days, then you pay. Articulate 360 and iSpring Suite work this way. Fine for a one-off project, useless for ongoing needs.
- Open source — genuinely free forever, but you trade money for setup time and a steeper learning curve.
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The Free Options, Honestly Compared
ScormHero (web converter + editor — ours)
Upload a PowerPoint, PDF, or video and download a SCORM 1.2 or 2004 package. You can add quizzes (multiple choice, matching, ordering, fill-in-the-blank, essay), text-to-speech narration, closed captions, and certificates in the browser editor before exporting.
Genuinely good at: getting existing PowerPoint or PDF content into an LMS in minutes, with tracking. No installation, works on any OS.
The catch: the free plan has conversion and upload-size limits, and slide animations don't survive conversion — slides become static, high-fidelity frames. If you need complex branching scenarios, this isn't the tool. The animation limitation is the single most common thing people write to us about, so we'd rather you know before you sign up than after.
See the step-by-step guides: PowerPoint to SCORM, video to SCORM, and PDF to SCORM.
iSpring Free (desktop, PowerPoint add-in)
A free version of iSpring's PowerPoint add-in. It converts presentations to SCORM from inside PowerPoint itself, which means animations survive better than with most converters — the conversion happens on your machine with PowerPoint's own rendering.
Genuinely good at: keeping PowerPoint animations and transitions intact.
The catch: Windows only, requires PowerPoint installed, and the free version is limited compared to iSpring Suite (limited slide count and quiz options). If you're on a Mac or work in Google Slides, it's a non-starter.
exeLearning (open source, desktop)
A veteran open source project, originally funded by the New Zealand government. You build pages of content in a structured editor and export SCORM 1.2 or 2004.
Genuinely good at: text-heavy, structured educational content — think course handbooks with embedded activities. Completely free, no limits, runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
The catch: the interface feels dated, and you're authoring from scratch — there's no PowerPoint import worth using. Fine for educators with time; slow for corporate teams with existing decks.
Adapt (open source, web)
An open source framework for building responsive, scrolling e-learning courses. Produces genuinely modern-looking output that works well on mobile.
Genuinely good at: polished, responsive courses — the output quality rivals paid tools.
The catch: setup. You either install the Adapt Authoring Tool on a server (Node.js, MongoDB) or work with the framework directly. Realistic if you have a developer available; frustrating if you don't.
H5P + Lumi (open source, desktop)
H5P is a library of interactive content types (interactive video, quizzes, flashcards). The free Lumi desktop app lets you author H5P content and export it as a SCORM package.
Genuinely good at: interactive elements — H5P's interactive video is better than what most paid authoring tools offer.
The catch: H5P is built around single activities, not full multi-module courses. Great for a quiz or an interactive video; awkward for a 40-slide compliance course.
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Quick Comparison
| Tool | Type | Platform | Best for | SCORM versions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ScormHero | Converter + editor | Web | Existing PowerPoint/PDF/video content | 1.2, 2004 (3rd & 4th) |
| iSpring Free | Converter | Windows + PowerPoint | Keeping PPT animations | 1.2, 2004 |
| exeLearning | Authoring | Win/Mac/Linux | Structured text content | 1.2, 2004 |
| Adapt | Authoring | Self-hosted web | Responsive courses, dev teams | 1.2 |
| H5P + Lumi | Authoring | Win/Mac/Linux | Interactive activities | 1.2 |
When Free Isn't Enough
Paid tools earn their price in two situations:
Complex interactivity. Branching scenarios, software simulations, custom triggers — that's Articulate Storyline or Adobe Captivate territory, at roughly $1,000+ per author per year.
Volume. If your team converts dozens of courses a month, free-plan limits become the bottleneck. That's the point of paid plans on converter tools (ours included) — they're still a fraction of the cost of a full authoring suite.
What we tell people: don't buy Storyline to convert PowerPoints. We regularly see teams using a $1,400/year license for what is essentially an export step. Match the tool to the actual work.
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How to Choose
- You have PowerPoints or PDFs and need them tracked in an LMS → a web converter. Fastest path by far.
- Your decks rely heavily on animations → iSpring Free (if you're on Windows).
- You're building courses from scratch, no budget, have time → exeLearning, or Adapt if you have a developer.
- You need one highly interactive activity → H5P + Lumi.
- You need branching simulations → save up for Storyline or Captivate; no free tool does this well.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a completely free SCORM authoring tool?
Yes. exeLearning, Adapt, and H5P with Lumi are open source and free without limits. Web converters like ScormHero have free plans with usage limits. "Free trials" of paid suites like Articulate 360 expire — they're not free tools.
Can I create a SCORM package without installing software?
Yes. Web-based converters run entirely in the browser: you upload a PowerPoint, PDF, or video and download the SCORM zip. Nothing to install, and they work on any operating system, including Chromebooks.
Does PowerPoint have a built-in SCORM export?
No. PowerPoint cannot export SCORM on its own. You need either an add-in that works inside PowerPoint (like iSpring) or a converter that processes the file (like ScormHero).
Can Moodle create SCORM courses?
No — Moodle plays SCORM packages but doesn't author them. You create the package in an authoring tool or converter, then upload the zip to Moodle as a SCORM activity.
Which SCORM version should I export?
SCORM 1.2, unless your LMS documentation specifically asks for 2004. It's supported by virtually every LMS, and in our data 86% of users choose it.
