How do I choose between a heavy learning management system like Trainual and a lightweight Chrome extension?

Choose a heavyweight LMS like Trainual if you need tracked completion, quizzes, role-based training paths, and compliance reporting for 50+ employees. Choose a lightweight Chrome extension like Glyde if you need to create visual SOPs quickly for software workflows, export to your existing wiki, and get started in minutes instead of weeks. Most teams under 50 employees are better served by the lightweight approach.

How do they compare?

Factor	Trainual (Heavy LMS)	Glyde (Lightweight Extension)
Setup time	2-4 weeks	5 minutes
SOP creation	Manual writing and formatting	Auto-generated from recorded workflow
Quizzes and tests	Built-in	Not included (use external tools)
Completion tracking	Built-in	Not included (track in wiki)
Role-based training	Built-in paths and assignments	Manual organization in wiki
Cost	$250+/month	Free tier available
Team adoption	Requires onboarding to the platform	Install extension and start
Export options	Limited to Trainual's platform	Notion, Confluence, PDF

Decision framework

If You Need...	Choose
Visual SOPs for software workflows	Lightweight Chrome extension
Tracked training completion for compliance	Heavy LMS
Quick documentation for a small team	Lightweight Chrome extension
Role-based learning paths with quizzes	Heavy LMS
Export to Notion or Confluence	Lightweight Chrome extension
Onboarding content with certifications	Heavy LMS
Documentation created in under 10 minutes	Lightweight Chrome extension

Can you start light and add heavy later?

Yes. Start with a Chrome extension to create the SOPs quickly. If you later need completion tracking and quizzes, import your guides into Trainual. The guides themselves are the hard part — organizing them into training paths is straightforward once the content exists.

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This answer is part of our guide to SOP tools compared.