aNewSpring vs itslearning: Which LMS is right for training providers?

There are so many learning management system (LMS) software tools out there. It’s not easy figuring out which one would be best for your specific challenges and needs. Maybe you’ve already come up with a shortlist of options.

Like aNewSpring and itslearning, for instance. If so, we’re here to help you make an informed decision on which of these LMS platforms you should pick. At the end of this comparison, you’ll be able to make a much more informed decision.

Comparing itslearning vs aNewSpring

itslearning is an LMS designed for primary, secondary and higher education institutions that need a digital learning environment for managing lessons, assignments and assessments.

Looking at their website, you’ll see itslearning mostly focusses on things like:

• Teaching

• Primary/secondary/higher education

• Vocational education

• Lesson planning

• Administration

All of these are pretty specific to the schooling and education industry. If you’re looking for a list of specific itslearning competitors and alternatives: we wrote that too.

aNewSpring (that’s us, by the way), on the other hand, is built for training providers and professional educators who create and sell blended learning programmes. Especially those offering recurring, skills-based or accredited training.

Standout focus areas for aNewSpring include (yet aren’t limited to):

• Social and collaborative learning

• Trainer-friendly tools and insights

• Personalised learning paths (adaptive learning)

• Spaced repetition for better knowledge retention (with the MemoTrainer)

• Variety of engaging content (videos, quizzes, interactive lessons, assignments, practice tests, surveys, discussion boards and so on)

TL;DR

In essence, the difference between the LMS platforms designed by itslearning and aNewSpring comes down to the target audiences:

• Itslearning is best for schools and educational institutions

• aNewSpring was built specifically for training providers and professional educators

Let’s take an even closer look at each of these two LMS platforms to give you an even better idea of the differences.

aNewSpring Overview

At its heart, our philosophy at aNewSpring is simple: learning should fit the learner, not the other way around. aNewSpring helps training providers design and deliver full learning journeys (online, blended, adaptive and face‑to‑face) with tools that personalise the experience and keep learners engaged.

With aNewSpring, you shape every part of the experience to fit your audience. From personalisation and progress tracking to e‑commerce for selling your programmes. And you’re never on your own: our Support Heroes and (if you decide to use aNewSpring for Organisations) Customer Success Managers support you at every step.

Features

• Create multiple instances of the same course for different clients or cohorts

• MemoTrainer™ for spaced repetition and better knowledge retention

• Blended, hybrid, adaptive or full e‑learning support

• Personalised learning paths and conditional logic

• Easy content authoring (videos, quizzes, assignments, practice tests, surveys, discussions and more)

• Advanced reporting (dashboards, custom reports)

• E‑commerce features with payment provider integrations to sell training

• Access to a community of learning pioneers

• Flexible, scalable setup for a wide range of training scenarios

Cons

• Built for training providers: Great fit if you deliver training externally. Less typical for classic corporate-only LMS use (though adaptable).

• Not a course marketplace: You create and deliver your own content rather than buying off‑the‑shelf courses here.

itslearning Overview

itslearning is designed specifically for the education sector, giving teachers, students and school leaders a central hub for all things learning. It helps educators plan lessons, share resources, manage assignments and track progress, all in one place.

Beyond the classroom, it supports communication between teachers, students and parents, making it easier to keep everyone aligned. The platform is widely used in schools across Europe and beyond, with a strong emphasis on accessibility, ease of use and meeting the day‑to‑day needs of busy educators.

Features

• Lesson planning & curriculum alignment for primary, secondary, vocational and higher education

• Assignments, assessments and gradebook with feedback workflows

• Content authoring for learning resources and activities

• Course & class management (groups, scheduling, attendance)

• Reporting & analytics for learner progress and school‑level insights

• Communication tools (announcements, messages, discussions)

• Integrations common in EdTech ecosystems (e.g. SIS/LTI) and mobile access for learners

Cons

• School‑first focus: Excellent for education, but not tailored to professional training businesses.

• Limited e‑commerce/branding options compared to dedicated training‑provider platforms.

• Less flexibility for building fully custom, client‑branded learning journeys.

itslearning vs aNewSpring: Which should you choose?

Choose itslearning if you are a school or university that needs a robust digital learning environment for teaching, assignments and assessments across classrooms.

Choose aNewSpring if you are a training provider delivering programmes to clients and cohorts, want to personalise learning, and need built‑in tools to sell your training, track performance in detail, and tailor experiences per client.

In short:

• Schools → itslearning

• Training providers → aNewSpring

PS We’d be more than happy to give you a free demo of aNewSpring and show you around the platform.

FAQs about aNewSpring and itslearning

Below, we’ve collated some of the questions we get most frequently about these two training platforms.

What is the difference between itslearning and aNewSpring?

Target audience. itslearning is designed for formal education (schools/universities), while aNewSpring is built for training providers and professional educators.

Can I use itslearning for professional training or adult education?

You can, but it’s not where itslearning shines. If you deliver external, client‑branded programmes (or need e‑commerce) aNewSpring is a closer fit.

Which platform is better for selling courses: aNewSpring or itslearning?

aNewSpring includes e‑commerce features and payment integrations. itslearning focuses on education delivery, not selling external programmes.

Does aNewSpring support SCORM, xAPI, or LTI?

Yes. Industry standards are supported so you can bring content in and connect with other tools.

Is itslearning a good fit for blended learning?

Yes for schools. For training providers needing blended and adaptive, client‑specific journeys with branding and sales, aNewSpring offers more flexibility.

Who typically uses aNewSpring vs itslearning?

Training businesses, academies and professional educators use aNewSpring. Schools and higher‑ed institutions use itslearning.

Can I manage assessments and certifications in aNewSpring?

Yes. Assessment workflows, results tracking and certification issuance are all supported.

Does itslearning support content authoring and adaptive learning paths?

Yes for content authoring and structured courses, adaptive/personalised learning is where aNewSpring goes deeper for provider use cases.