{"id":426,"date":"2020-12-01T22:06:09","date_gmt":"2020-12-02T03:06:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/elearning.company\/blog\/?p=426"},"modified":"2025-12-03T20:40:57","modified_gmt":"2025-12-04T01:40:57","slug":"storyline-vs-captivate-features-articulate-storyline-adobe-captivate-compared","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/elearning.company\/blog\/storyline-vs-captivate-features-articulate-storyline-adobe-captivate-compared\/","title":{"rendered":"Storyline vs. Captivate in 2025: Comparing the Features of Articulate Storyline and Adobe Captivate"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here, at eLearning Company<\/a>, we have been asked the question \u201cDo you recommend Storyline or Captivate?\u201d more times than we can count, so we decided to do a thorough review of both tools to help other learning experience designers select the eLearning authoring tool that is right for them. In this guide, we are comparing Articulate Storyline 360 and Adobe Captivate. We hope that the information provided here will highlight the strengths and weaknesses of each tool, and you to make an informed decision when selecting the best eLearning authoring software for custom eLearning development<\/a>. Scroll down to start comparing the two authoring tools or click a link to jump to the section of your interest:<\/p>\n

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  1. Supported Content<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. User Experience<\/a><\/li>\n
  3. Learning Design<\/a><\/li>\n
  4. Advanced Features<\/a><\/li>\n
  5. Productivity<\/a><\/li>\n
  6. Extending the Tool Functionality<\/a><\/li>\n
  7. Total Scores<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \n

    Elevate Your Articulate Storyline Expertise!<\/h4>\n

    These free tutorials<\/a> will give you the top skills to stand out in the crowded e-learning development field.\n<\/div>\n

    Pricing (as of January 2025)<\/h2>\n

    Articulate Storyline<\/strong><\/a>: $1,199-$1,499 annually.<\/p>\n

    Adobe Captivate<\/strong><\/a>: $33.99 monthly (adds up to $407.88 annually).<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

    Round 1: Supported Content<\/h2>\n
    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    \n

    Feature<\/h2>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n

    Articulate Storyline<\/h2>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n

    Adobe Captivate<\/h2>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

    Virtual reality<\/td>\n\n
    \"Minimal<\/figure>\n

    You can use 360\u00b0<\/strong> photos to create basic 3D experiences in Articulate Storyline.<\/td>\n

    		\n
    \"Minimal<\/figure>\n

    Similarly, Adobe Captivate allows creating basic virtual reality-esque projects from photos.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

    Publishing in MP4 video<\/td>\n\n
    \"Good<\/figure>\n

    You can publish the project as MP4. Storyline will allow you to select dimensions, video and audio quality, and other options.<\/td>\n

    		\n
    \"Good<\/figure>\n

    You have the ability to publish the eLearning project as a video in the MP4 format. The presets and publishing settings will allow you to set the output quality.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

    Responsive content<\/td>\n\n
    \"Poor<\/figure>\n

    While the player itself is responsive and adjusts based on the screen size, the eLearning content, however, always looks the same no matter the device.<\/td>\n

    		\n
    \"Good<\/figure>\n

    Responsive eLearning projects are supported and work well with different types of devices, content can adjust based on the screen size.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

    Software simulation<\/td>\n\n
    \"Good<\/figure>\n

    Storyline provides a set of tools to record, edit, and display software simulations.<\/td>\n

    		\n
    \"Good<\/figure>\n

    Software simulations are supported in Captivate equally well.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

    PowerPoint import<\/td>\n\n
    \"Good<\/figure>\n

    Users have the ability to import slides from a PowerPoint presentation. Prior to importing, Storyline will display a two-dimensional grid showing all slides in the presentation to help the user select only those slides that are needed. Slide content is converted into Storyline objects (text boxes, shapes, etc.), becomes part of the slide, and can be moved around and edited in Storyline.<\/td>\n

    		\n
    \"Poor<\/figure>\n

    While PowerPoint slides can be imported into a Captivate project, it\u2019s worth noting that slides are imported as single objects. This means that content cannot be edited directly in Captivate, any edits have to go through PowerPoint, which adds extra steps to the process and makes the development process less convenient. In addition, you cannot interact with PowerPoint objects through Advanced Actions in Captivate.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

    Adobe Photoshop import<\/td>\n\n
    \"No<\/figure>\n

    There are currently no options to import assets directly from Adobe Photoshop.<\/td>\n

    		\n
    \"Good<\/figure>\n

    The assets can be imported from Photoshop. Upon import, they are laid out on the screen as they were positioned in the Photoshop file, saving time on content positioning and alignment. Furthermore, the edits you make later in Photoshop can propagate directly to Captivate, saving you time and effort.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n

    Summary: Supported Content (Storyline-11 points, Captivate-14 points)<\/h2>\n

    So far, Articulate Storyline<\/a> is only a winner when it comes to importing PowerPoint content. And Adobe Captivate<\/a> scores higher with virtual reality, responsive content, and Adobe Photoshop import. Both authoring tools work equally well with Cluelabs widgets and software simulations and generally support modern eLearning trends<\/a>. Here are some questions that can help you decide which tool will better meet your needs:<\/p>\n