You pay for people who never log in
Per-seat licensing means the annual safeguarding refresher costs the same as a daily user. Most SMEs only need a handful of people overseeing training - everyone else just needs to complete it.
For SMEs weighing up a learning management system
A fairer alternative to the traditional LMS.
Traditional learning management systems charge per seat for a course library. WorkplaceHero gives SMEs training, compliance, CPD and performance tools with fairer pricing - learners never use plan places.
Why SMEs are moving on from per-seat LMS pricing
Records vanish when people leave
When a seat is cancelled, the record often goes with it. With WorkplaceHero, leaver records stay read-only for inspection and the person keeps their own CPD and credentials for life.
Training sits apart from everything else
A course library does not know about your 1:1s, probation milestones, appraisals or CPD targets. WorkplaceHero connects them, so development actually joins up.
Engagement stats hide the real story
Login counts are not learning. Compliance status, verified evidence and CPD hours tell you what inspectors and clients actually ask for.
Side by side
A typical traditional LMS compared with WorkplaceHero. No named vendors - just the model.
What you get
Traditional LMS
WorkplaceHero
Free to start
- Pricing modelPer-seat annual licence for every employeeFree workspace; pay only for oversight and performance seats
- Occasional learners (annual refreshers, one-off courses)Full-price seat requiredNever use plan places - buy courses as needed
- Compliance matrix and required training by job role
- Staff CPD logs that stay with the person between jobs
- Manager verification of external training evidenceRarely
- 1:1s, probation milestones and appraisalsPerformance plan
- Diagnostics: 360 feedback and organisation assessmentsPay as you go
- Slack integration for logging and approvalsIncluded on paid plans
- Leaver records kept read-only for inspectionUsually deleted with the seat
- Typical cost to train 50 staff on one course50 annual licences50 course credits from £4 each + VAT
Learners are never plan places: train any number of staff from the shared credit wallet, and only pay plan prices for the people who oversee, track and review.
Switching is easier than you think
- 1Create a free workspace and add your team - no card needed.
- 2Assign required training by job role; new hires inherit it automatically.
- 3Record existing certificates as verified external training so nothing is lost.
- 4Run WorkplaceHero alongside your current LMS until its contract ends.
Built for how SMEs actually work
- Free workspace: unlimited learners, up to 5 owners and managers.
- Essentials from £2/person + VAT adds CPD and compliance oversight.
- Performance adds 1:1s, probation milestones, appraisals and talent tools.
- Credits for courses and diagnostics from £4 each + VAT, shared across the team.
- Every person's CPD record is portable - it belongs to them, not the licence.
Questions
What is the difference between WorkplaceHero and a traditional LMS?
A traditional LMS is mainly a course library you pay for per employee, every year. WorkplaceHero is a workplace development platform: it delivers training, but also tracks compliance, CPD, credentials, 1:1s and appraisals, and each person's record stays with them between jobs.
Do we have to pay for every employee like we do with an LMS?
No. Learners never use plan places. You can train any number of staff from a free workspace, paying only for the courses they take. Paid plans cover the people who need oversight, CPD tracking or performance tools - not everyone who ever watches a course.
Can we keep our existing training content?
Yes. You can assign external or in-house training to staff and have a manager verify completion, so certificates from any provider sit alongside WorkplaceHero courses in one compliance matrix.
What happens to training records when someone leaves?
Leaver records stay read-only in your workspace for audit and inspection. The leaver keeps their own CPD log and credentials in their personal account, so neither side loses anything.
Is there a long contract or minimum term?
Paid plans are monthly or annual per person, and you can start with a completely free workspace. There is no platform-wide annual licence covering people who never log in.
Does WorkplaceHero replace an LMS entirely?
For most SMEs, yes. You get course delivery, compliance tracking, CPD, reviews and diagnostics in one place. If you already have an LMS, WorkplaceHero can sit alongside it as the compliance and development layer while you run down the contract.