E-Learning for companies: the best providers 2026

Continuing education in companies is now digital – the only question is with whom. This page compares the most important providers for corporate learning in German-speaking countries: first the content providers with ready-made courses, then the learning management systems that can be used to manage content and keep records. Plus: what it costs, what funding is available and which obligations have been added in 2026.

Content provider or learning platform? The two types of providers

In corporate e-learning, there are two types of providers that are often mixed up in marketing. One type supplies content – ready-made courses, videos, microlearnings. The other supplies software to distribute content, document mandatory training and evaluate learning progress. If you need both, you either buy from a provider that offers both, or connect the courses to your own system via SCORM, xAPI or LTI.

The best e-learning providers for companies at a glance

Ten providers that are regularly on the shortlist in German-speaking countries – sorted by the breadth of their offering for companies, not by a rating. The order is not a ranking: A provider for data skills cannot be meaningfully compared to a soft skills library.

Provider	Short profile	Price	More about
Masterplan German market leader	Learning engagement platform from Bochum with over 3,500 video courses in 26 languages and more than 300 client companies, including VW, the Otto Group, and DZ Bank. Since September 24, 2025, Masterplan has been part of the Amadeus Fire Group. Very strong German-language offering Own content can be added via SCORM Integration with common HR systems ISO and TISAX certified No self-service plan – always via sales Focus on soft skills and transformation, little depth in specialized topics	on requestLicense per employee per year, tiered by company size	View profileGo to provider
Haufe Akademie Content and platform from a single source	The largest German continuing education provider: over 3,600 courses in 26 subject areas, around 690,000 learners per year, and more than 6,300 in-house training sessions in 2026 alone. The Digital Suite includes an LMS, an LXP, and a content kit with microlearnings. Classroom, live online, and e-learning from a single source LMS and LXP without a second contract partner Content tailored to German law and German practice Over 60 venues for classroom sessions Confusing product portfolio – advice required Prices only available upon request	on requestOpen seminars can also be booked individually; Digital Suite as an annual license	View profileTo provider
LinkedIn Learning Broadest business library	Over 21,000 courses in 25 languages, more than 2,500 in German – from Excel and SAP to project management and leadership. The Learning Hub supplements the library with an LXP that can incorporate third-party content and content from your own LMS. Largest selection of German-language business courses Certificates can be added to your LinkedIn profile on request Very good search and skill mapping App with offline mode Subscription only – after the contract ends, access is lost Little depth in specialist and compliance topics Data is stored with Microsoft, not in-house	on requestTeam and enterprise licenses via sales; individual subscription for comparison approx. €20/month with annual subscription	ReviewGo to provider
PINKTUM Soft skills, accessible	The provider from Munich and Hamburg (formerly Pink University) now offers more than 1,300 e-trainings on leadership, communication, and collaboration. The offering is structured as a learning journey: skill check, 60-minute trainings, microlearnings, and the AI coach PINKpro. Consistently produced accessible – partner of „BIK für Alle“ Elaborately produced videos instead of recorded slides Multilingual, SCORM import into your own LMS AI coach for conversation practice Only soft skills – no technical or IT topics No open test access without a sales conversation	on requestLicense packages per user and year; individual trainings can be booked via marketplaces	View profileVisit provider
GoodHabitz Flat rate for the entire workforce	Dutch provider with content in over 20 languages and 25 learning formats – from videos to tests to workbooks. Billing is a flat rate for the entire offering, not per course. One price, unlimited access to all content ISO 27001 and ISO 27701 certified Connect to your own LMS via LTI or SCORM Great for international workforces Library is manageable – breadth over depth Translated instead of original German content	FlatrateFixed annual price based on company size, without limit on number of courses	View profileVisit provider
ZEIT Akademie High-quality production	The continuing education offering of the ZEIT publishing group: courses with scientists, journalists and practitioners on leadership, digitalization, communication and personality. For companies, the editorial team produces custom formats with in-house experts on request. Production quality like television Courses can be imported into your own LMS via SCORM or MP4 Custom productions for your own company Great choice for leadership programs Relatively small library No compliance or mandatory training offering	on requestCompany licenses and individual courses; private access for comparison 19.99 €/month in annual subscription	Experience reportVisit provider
Udemy Business Largest catalog	The curated corporate catalog of the world's largest course marketplace: over 30,000 courses in 16 languages, used by approx. 18,000 companies. Since May 11, 2026, Udemy belongs to Coursera; the platform continues with its own catalog and own login. Huge selection, especially in IT and software New topics appear in the catalog faster than with any publisher Learning paths, user management and analytics included Notable number of German-language courses Quality varies from course to course Certificates are mere participation confirmations Future of the catalog after the Coursera merger uncertain	from approx. 360 $ / user & yearTeam plan for small groups; Enterprise from 20 users individually (market data: 240–600 $ per seat)	Experience reportVisit provider
Coursera for Business University courses & professional certificates	Courses from universities and corporations, plus the Professional Certificates from Google, IBM, Meta and Microsoft. After the merger with Udemy, the group counts over 290 million learners – the only provider in the field with real university degrees in its program. Recognized professional certificates instead of participation confirmations Transparent list price for small teams Very strong in data, AI and IT fundamentals Skills and progress analytics Predominantly English, German mostly only as subtitles Team plan ends at 125 seats Billing in US dollars	399 $ / user & yearTeam plan from 5 seats (min. 1,995 $/year), up to 125 users; Enterprise on request	Experience reportVisit provider
StackFuel Data and AI, with funding	Berlin-based specialist for data and AI skills with more than 8,500 graduates and a completion rate of 93 percent. The programs are AZAV-certified and therefore eligible for funding via Bildungsgutschein (education voucher) and the Qualifizierungschancengesetz. Since January 2026, StackFuel belongs to the British provider Multiverse. 80 percent practical content in a real programming environment Personal mentoring instead of pure video courses Up to 100 percent funding possible References from BASF and BMW to Deutsche Bahn Only data, AI and adjacent IT topics Comprehensive programs instead of short learning units	eligible for fundingUp to 100% via Bildungsgutschein (education voucher) or QCG; company packages on request	View profileVisit provider
quofox Marketplace instead of own library	The Berlin-based quofox GmbH combines a course marketplace with offerings from third-party providers – Bitkom Akademie, Lecturio, TÜV Rheinland, ZEIT Akademie – with its own quofox Learning Suite as an LMS. Since July 2023, the company belongs to the Dutch Archipel Academy, which continues the offering in the DACH region. One contract for many providers instead of ten individual contracts In-person, live and online formats in the same catalog Modular LMS in your own corporate design No own content – quality depends on the respective provider Many courses only priced on request After the acquisition, small team, brand future uncertain	on requestCourses are billed individually, the LMS as an annual license	View profileVisit provider

As of August 2026. I have verified all figures on the provider websites. Prices in B2B are almost always negotiable; the figures here are list prices or market data for orientation.

If you are not looking for any of the ten providers but for a specific course: In the course database for online continuing education you can filter by topic, degree and funding eligibility, and via the search request for in-house training suitable offers come by email.

Masterplan

Haufe Akademie

LinkedIn Learning

PINKTUM

GoodHabitz

ZEIT Akademie

High-quality production

• PublisherZEIT Verlagsgruppe
• TopicsLeadership, Digitalization, Communication, Methods, Personality
• StructureShort lessons with quiz questions and graphics
• TechnologyCourses via SCORM or MP4 into your own LMS
• ExtraCustom formats on request, e.g., interviews with management
• PriceOn request, private access for comparison €19.99 per month
• DrawbackSmall library, no offering for mandatory training

The ZEIT Akademie is the continuing education offering of the ZEIT Verlagsgruppe. It relies on what a publisher does best: carefully produced content with recognized experts from academia and practice.

For companies, there are two options. You can use the ZEIT Akademie learning platform or import the courses via SCORM into your own system. Additionally, you have the option to have custom formats produced. The experience report on the ZEIT Akademie shows what the courses look like in terms of content.

My impression: A good choice for leadership programs. As basic training for the entire workforce, the library is too small.

Udemy Business

Largest catalog

• OfferingOver 30,000 curated courses in 16 languages
• SelectionFrom approx. 290,000 courses on the open marketplace
• CustomersApprox. 18,000 companies
• ExtrasLearning paths, user management and analytics
• PriceFrom approx. 360 Dollar per user per year
• OwnerCoursera, since May 11, 2026
• DrawbackQuality varies, certificates only prove attendance

Udemy Business is the curated selection of the large Udemy marketplace. From approx. 290,000 openly sold courses, the provider selects those that meet its quality and timeliness criteria.

The strength lies in speed. New tools, frameworks, and AI models are often available as courses just a few weeks after their release. Publishers are still producing at that point. The price for this is the varying quality. Experiences with the platform can be found in the Udemy review.

My impression: Unbeatable for IT and software. How the catalog will develop after the Coursera merger remains to be seen.

Coursera for Business

StackFuel

quofox

Learning Management Systems (LMS) compared

As soon as instructions must be documented – occupational safety, data protection, compliance, and from 2025 also AI competence – a course library is no longer sufficient. What is needed is a system that assigns training, reminds of deadlines, and documents participation in an audit-proof manner. That is exactly the task of a Learning Management System.

The following selection covers the range that is actually used in German-speaking countries – from open source to enterprise. It is not a ranking: Which system is suitable depends on company size, existing IT resources, and whether the content is produced in-house or purchased.

Not in the table, but often part of the selection process: the Digital Suite from Haufe Akademie and the quofox Learning Suite – both interesting if you want platform and content from a single source. If you already use SAP SuccessFactors, Personio, or another HR system, first check the learning module included there: The worst solution is rarely the second-best system, but two systems without shared HR data.

What does e-learning cost in a company?

In B2B business, there are hardly any price tags – billing is per head, per year, and with discounts from a certain volume. Four models are common:

What is often overlooked in offers: Setup and data import, integration with the HR system, training for administrators, translations, and – the most expensive item of all – the working time spent learning. One hour of learning time per month per person costs a company with 200 employees more than any license. And another point for contract negotiation: With subscription models, nothing remains after the contract ends – if you need to keep records of completed mandatory training, clarify the export of learning history beforehand, not when canceling.

Funding: Who pays for continuing education?

In-house continuing education is eligible for funding in Germany – but only through AZAV-certified providers. Classic subscription platforms like LinkedIn Learning or Udemy Business are excluded; certified courses from providers like StackFuel or major continuing education providers are not.

Both must be applied for before the start of the program – if you book first and ask later, you get nothing. The first point of contact is the employer service of the Federal Employment Agency. Funded courses can be found in the course database, and an overview of providers is available at the continuing education providers.

AI in in-house continuing education 2026

The biggest change in the last two years is not in the catalog, but in how learning happens. In the trend study mmb Learning Delphi 2025/2026, for which 77 experts from the education sector were surveyed between December 2025 and February 2026, chatbots and AI learning assistants rank first at 95 percent among learning formats that will become important in the next three years. The experts also expect large AI providers to take over tasks that have previously been handled by classic e-learning providers.

In practice, this means: Almost every corporate platform now has an assistant that answers questions about the course material, quizzes, or generates exercises – with PINKTUM as a conversation coach, with Coursera as a learning companion, with Docebo as a search assistant. This changes the task for HR development: No longer buying courses, but building AI skills and ensuring that assistants are used for asking questions, not for taking shortcuts.

The second driver is legal. According to Article 4 of the EU AI Act, companies using AI systems must, since February 2, 2025, ensure that their employees have sufficient AI skills; national market surveillance for this has been running since August 2, 2026. No specific curriculum is prescribed, but the result is – and the proof. That's exactly why basic AI training is now appearing in every mandatory training catalog.

Obligations in 2026: Accessibility, data protection, AI skills

Three topics appear in practically every provider selection in 2026 – and are only expensive to fix later:

• Accessibility. The Accessibility Reinforcement Act (BFSG) has been in effect since June 28, 2025. It targets products and services for consumers, not internal learning platforms – but if you also deliver courses to customers, partners, or the public, you fall within its scope. For existing services, there is a transition period until June 28, 2028, with fines reaching up to EUR 100,000. Regardless of the legal situation: Subtitles, transcripts, and keyboard operability benefit everyone – and are hard to retrofit later.
• Data protection. An LMS processes performance data of employees. A data processing agreement, a clarified server location, and – in companies with a works council – a company agreement specifying which evaluations are permitted are necessary. Evaluations at the individual level are the most common point of contention during implementation.
• AI skills. See above: Article 4 of the AI Act requires trained employees, not just a policy. If you document training anyway, you should include basic AI training in your documented obligations catalog.

In seven steps to the right provider

Frequently asked questions about e-learning for companies

Read more

For personal continuing education instead of for the team: the big comparison of e-learning platforms. What the term actually means is explained in What is E-Learning?, and the abbreviations from this article – SCORM, xAPI, LXP, Blended Learning – are in the E-Learning Lexicon.

Individual tests of the platforms that are also interesting for private use: LinkedIn Learning, Coursera, Udemy and the ZEIT Akademie. Specific courses with certification are in the course database; for training the whole team, there is the search request for in-house courses.

I hope this overview helps with your selection. If a provider is missing or a detail has changed: feel free to write to me – the page is regularly updated.

Article written by Tim Geier - about the author.

Updated: August 2026. Sources: Provider information from the respective manufacturer websites (Masterplan, Haufe Akademie, LinkedIn Learning, PINKTUM, GoodHabitz, ZEIT Akademie, Udemy Business, Coursera, StackFuel, quofox), checked in August 2026; Haufe Akademie, "Facts" (as of July 21, 2026); Amadeus Fire Group / Lünendonk on the acquisition of Masterplan (closing September 24, 2025, company value approx. 20 million euros); Multiverse on the acquisition of StackFuel (January 2026); Archipel Academy on the acquisition of quofox (July 2023); Coursera regarding the merger with Udemy (May 11, 2026); Bitkom, press release "Continuing Education on Digital Topics" (representative survey of 604 companies with at least 20 employees, calendar weeks 2–6/2026); mmb Institute, mmb Learning Delphi 2025/2026 (77 experts, December 2025 to February 2026); Federal Employment Agency on Qualifizierungsgeld and Qualifizierungschancengesetz; Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 on artificial intelligence, Article 4; Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (Accessibility Reinforcement Act), in effect since June 28, 2025. Prices in B2B business are negotiable – information without guarantee.