Many organizations begin their learning journey with a homegrown LMS—something built internally to meet unique requirements when commercial platforms felt too limited or too expensive. In the early days, a custom-built solution can feel like the perfect answer: fully tailored, fully controlled, and seemingly cost-effective.
But as learning needs evolve and your workforce grows, nearly every organization eventually reaches a point where a homegrown LMS becomes a bottleneck rather than an advantage.
According to Brandon Hall Group, 87% of organizations use an LMS. Yet only 11% are delighted with their current platform, highlighting the widening gap between what legacy systems can deliver and what modern learning environments require.
If your organization built its own LMS years ago, here’s why you may have already outgrown it—and how a modern platform like Meridian LMS can help you move forward with confidence.
Modern learning ecosystems rely on seamless integrations with HRIS, HCM, CRM, identity management, collaboration tools (like Microsoft 365 and Teams), and content libraries.
Homegrown systems typically struggle to keep up—especially when:
Research shows 83% of organizations prioritize better integrations in their next LMS.
Meridian LMS is designed for enterprise connectivity with:
Your learning platform shouldn’t operate in a silo—and with Meridian, it doesn’t.
Most homegrown LMS platforms were built when learning only meant “employee training.”
But today, organizations must train:
Homegrown systems aren’t built for this. They’re difficult to scale, challenging to manage across audiences, and nearly impossible to brand for different groups.
Meridian LMS solves this with:
If your training has expanded beyond internal employees, your homegrown LMS will only become more complex (and costlier) to maintain.
Regulated industries—including government, public safety, energy, healthcare, and financial services—face increasingly complex compliance demands.
Homegrown systems rarely keep pace with:
Meridian was purpose-built for high-consequence environments, offering:
If compliance is rising while your LMS struggles to keep up, that’s a red flag.
As your workforce changes, expectations for modern software rise—especially for:
Homegrown LMS platforms often lack:
Meridian’s recent 25.2+ releases have introduced:
Modern learners expect consumer-grade experiences—your LMS must deliver.
While building an LMS internally may seem cheaper, true TCO includes:
And if the original developer leaves or retires?
You’re left with a system no one knows how to fix.
Commercial LMS platforms drastically reduce TCO by providing:
Meridian delivers all enhancements, support, and updates—freeing your internal teams to focus on strategy instead of maintenance.
Technology evolves rapidly. Learning strategies evolve even faster.
Homegrown systems can’t keep pace because:
Meridian provides:
When learning is critical to growth, you need a vendor whose full-time job is LMS innovation—not an internal team stretched thin.
Organizations across industries eventually hit the same realization:
Building and maintaining your own LMS is not sustainable in a modern learning environment.
A modern LMS like Meridian delivers:
If your homegrown platform is aging, brittle, or limiting your growth, now is the time to explore a modern solution—before the gap widens and the transition becomes more difficult.
Meridian is ready when you are. Let’s build a learning ecosystem that grows with you—not against you.
