A new sales rep can finish every onboarding course and still struggle to run a discovery call. Course completion tells you what someone reviewed. A scored role-play, a manager-observed call, and a clean CRM handoff tell you whether they can do the job. The best sales training and onboarding software helps teams connect those milestones without asking managers to track every new hire in a spreadsheet.
Start with Mindtickle if you need role-based onboarding and formal certification, Highspot if training needs to reinforce the same sales plays reps use in the field, or Allego if distributed teams need asynchronous practice and coaching. Brainshark is worth evaluating for readiness scorecards, 360Learning for peer-led training, and Seismic Learning for structured lessons and practice within a broader enablement program.
Best sales training and onboarding software at a glance
| Platform | Best for | What to test in the demo |
|---|---|---|
| Mindtickle | Role-based onboarding and certification | Assign different paths to two hires and see how failed assessments are handled |
| Highspot | Connecting onboarding with sales plays and content | Update a sales play and check how easily related training can be revised |
| Allego | Asynchronous video practice and manager coaching | Submit, review, and redo a short objection-handling exercise |
| Brainshark | Readiness scorecards and skills tracking | Compare two cohorts and drill into a shared skill gap |
| 360Learning | Peer feedback and collaborative course development | Have an experienced rep review a pitch and suggest a lesson update |
| Seismic Learning | Structured lessons and practice for enablement teams | Build a lesson, assign a practice exercise, and review the learner’s progress |
These picks are based on documented workflows for training delivery, applied practice, feedback, and readiness tracking. They are research-based recommendations. Use the demo checks to verify the features and permissions included in your proposed package.
1. Mindtickle — Best for role-based onboarding and certification
Mindtickle documents automatic enrollment in personalized onboarding programs that include practice, reinforcement, and certifications. Its AI role-plays give sellers a way to rehearse scenarios before working with buyers. That combination fits teams onboarding sales reps across different products, segments, or regions. Mindtickle
An SDR might need to qualify an inbound lead and document the handoff. An account executive might need to run discovery and agree on next steps with multiple stakeholders. Ask Mindtickle to build both paths with a shared product module and distinct assessments. Then have a rep fail one exercise. Check whether the manager can see what went wrong, assign targeted practice, and decide when the rep can try again. The platform is easiest to evaluate when you already know what each role must demonstrate before working independently.
2. Highspot — Best for training tied to sales plays and content
Highspot documents role-specific learning paths, AI role-play, and live or on-demand delivery. It also describes surfacing training through CRM integrations. It’s a good fit when sellers need to learn how to use approved messaging and collateral in the context of a real opportunity. highspot.com
Test a product launch that changes how reps answer a common buyer objection. Have an enablement lead revise the sales play, update the practice exercise, and assign it to a pilot group. Then ask a rep to find the current guidance while preparing for a deal. Check which updates require manual work and which training or coaching capabilities are included in the quote. The demo should show how quickly a change reaches the people who need to apply it.
3. Allego — Best for asynchronous video practice and coaching
Allego is worth evaluating when managers and new hires work across schedules or time zones. Its onboarding materials describe asynchronous video practice, where reps record themselves handling objections and managers give timestamped feedback. This workflow fits teams that want coaching on specific moments in a pitch without scheduling a live session for every attempt. allego.com
Give every rep the same prompt, such as a buyer questioning the cost of switching vendors. Ask managers to flag the moment the rep missed a follow-up question, then have the rep record a revised answer. Check how reviewers prioritize submissions and how easily reps find the feedback. If you also want to coach from real calls, ask how those calls are captured, which integrations are required, and who can view the recordings.
4. Brainshark — Best for readiness scorecards and skills tracking
Brainshark supports on-demand training, live sessions, certifications, and tracking learning activities against custom topics or skills. Its readiness scorecards can show training and coaching activity alongside Salesforce sales metrics. That makes it a candidate for managers who want to see where a cohort is struggling and decide which skill to reinforce. Brainshark
Ask to compare two cohorts that completed the same discovery module. Then drill into how their assessments differ and what a manager can assign next. A lower pipeline figure may reflect territory or lead quality, so use sales metrics alongside direct evidence of the skill. Brainshark has announced that its website is moving to Bigtincan. Confirm current packaging and support arrangements when requesting a proposal. Brainshark
5. 360Learning — Best for peer-led sales training
360Learning offers video pitch assessments that let teams set evaluation criteria and give qualitative feedback. Its documented onboarding examples include reps recording pitches and getting input from peers or managers. It’s a good fit when experienced sellers and product specialists have practical knowledge that the learning team needs help capturing. 360learning.com
Pilot it with one pitch that varies by customer segment. Have an experienced rep contribute an example, let a new hire submit their version, and ask a manager to review both against the same rubric. Then test who can update the lesson when positioning changes. If you need detailed sales performance reporting, confirm how you would connect training records with CRM milestones.
6. Seismic Learning — Best for structured lessons and practice
Seismic Learning is worth shortlisting when an enablement team wants to organize lessons and practice around repeatable sales tasks. A useful starting point is a short program for a specific skill, such as qualifying a buyer, handling a pricing objection, or delivering a first demo. The buying decision should center on how easily the team can build, assign, and maintain those programs.
Bring an existing lesson and one practice exercise to the demo. Ask an administrator to adapt them for two sales roles, assign each version, and show what a manager sees when a learner needs more practice. If you’re evaluating the wider Seismic suite, ask which capabilities are included with Learning and which require additional products or integrations.
A 30–60–90-day sales onboarding template
Use this sales onboarding template as a starting point. Keep the milestones tied to the role and adjust the dates to your sales cycle. An enterprise account executive may need more time to encounter a live negotiation, while an SDR may be able to demonstrate a clean handoff much earlier.
| Phase | Focus | Evidence of readiness | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Days 1–30 | Learn the buyer, product, messaging, and CRM workflow | Pass a product check, complete a CRM exercise, and record a role-specific pitch | Enablement lead and hiring manager |
| Days 31–60 | Practice discovery and objection handling, then apply both with supervision | Pass a scored role-play and review a live or recorded call with the manager | Frontline manager and peer coach |
| Days 61–90 | Execute core responsibilities with increasing independence | Complete a qualified handoff, run a discovery call, or lead a demo to the agreed standard | Frontline manager |
For each milestone, write down the passing criteria, reviewer, and follow-up if the rep needs another attempt. A discovery rubric might check whether the rep uncovered a concrete business problem, asked about impact, identified who is involved in the decision, and confirmed a next step. Have two managers score the same example before rollout so new hires get consistent feedback across teams.
How to choose sales training and onboarding software
Run a complete workflow in the demo. Ask the vendor to enroll two reps, assign different training, collect a practice submission, request a revision, and approve readiness. Include a manager and a learner so you can see where either person gets stuck.
Measure progress and proficiency separately. Track course completion and time to certification, then check time to the first manager-approved call or qualified handoff. Compare cohorts in similar roles and segments before attributing a change in pipeline or revenue to the training program.
Check who maintains content and scores practice. A rep can finish a lesson that teaches an outdated pitch. Ask how owners find stale material, update assignments, and review prior versions. If AI scores role-plays, compare its feedback with manager ratings on the same examples and check whether a reviewer can override the score.
Price the full program. Request an itemized quote for learner and reviewer seats, AI practice, reporting, integrations, and implementation. Ask how the vendor bills seasonal hires and whether you can export training history if you change platforms.
