When you need training, you have two broad choices: build something custom, or buy access to an off-the-shelf library. Both are valid, and the right answer depends on the topic, the stakes and your budget. Here is how to make the call without overspending or settling for training that does not fit.
What each option is
Off-the-shelf courses are ready-made and licensed, usually per user per year. You get instant access to a catalogue covering common topics. Custom eLearning is built from scratch for your organisation, around your content, people and goals. If you want the fuller definition, see our guide on what custom eLearning is.
Off-the-shelf: the strengths and the catch
Off-the-shelf wins on cost and speed. It is cheaper up front, available immediately, and requires no production. For broad, generic topics where any reasonable coverage will do, it is often the sensible choice.
The catch is fit. A library course is written for everyone, so it cannot reference your policies, your systems or your real situations. Learners can usually tell it was not made for them, and engagement suffers. You also have no control over the content, and the ongoing licence fees add up over time.
Custom: the strengths and the trade-off
Custom eLearning fits. It carries your scenarios, matches your brand, and targets the exact behaviour you want to change, which is why it tends to land better and stick longer. You own it, you can edit it, and there are no per-user licence fees.
The trade-off is the up-front investment and the time to build. Custom costs more than a library subscription and takes weeks rather than minutes to produce. For the right topics, that investment pays for itself. For generic ones, it can be overkill.
A simple way to decide
Lean towards off-the-shelf when:
- The topic is generic and widely covered, like basic cyber awareness
- The stakes are low and broad awareness is enough
- Your budget and timeline are tight
Lean towards custom when:
- The training needs to reflect your own policies, systems or processes
- You need people to change how they work rather than tick a box
- It is high-stakes, like compliance tied to your operations, or onboarding that shapes someone's first impression
- You want to own and reuse the content for years
It is not always either-or
Plenty of organisations do both. They buy off-the-shelf for the generic topics and build custom for the handful of things that really matter to their business. That is often the smartest use of a training budget: spend where it counts, and save where it does not.
Working out the right split
If you are weighing this up, the question to start with is which of your training topics genuinely need to fit your organisation, and which are generic enough to buy. A designer can help you sort them, and be honest when custom would be overkill. Our guide on cost will help you size the custom side, and a free Health Check will help you decide.
Not sure what to build and what to buy? A free Health Check will help you make the call, with honest advice and no obligation.