Building a standout portfolio means showcasing your ability to use a variety of instructional design software tools — without breaking the bank. Here is a selection of tools with free plans and trials to highlight your versatility and skills, impressing hiring managers.
Learning Authoring Tools
H5P — Versatile content authoring tool for interactive content such as presentations, quizzes, and interactive videos. Wide range of content types, ease of use, and flexibility.
Genially — Interactive content creation platform for designing presentations, infographics, and interactive images. Create engaging and visually stunning content.
Canva — Free plan with access to thousands of templates and design elements. Perfect for creating visually appealing graphics, presentations, and infographics.
Adobe Express — Suite of design tools for creating graphics, web pages, and videos. Intuitive interface with extensive library of templates.
iSpring Free — PowerPoint add-in that converts presentations into interactive e-learning courses. Features include quizzes, interactions, and narration.
Padlet — Collaborative platform for creating digital bulletin boards, documents, and web pages. Great for fostering collaboration among learners.
Assessment and Quiz Tools
The following tools cover the full range of formative assessment needs — from simple quizzes to live polls and interactive presentations.
Quizlet — Create flashcards, quizzes, and study sets. Easy to create interactive quizzes and study materials.
Google Forms — Create quizzes and assessments seamlessly integrating with Google Workspace apps.
Typeform — Create interactive quizzes and assessments. Modern and user-friendly interface.
Questiory — Innovative tool for creating interactive presentations collecting and visualizing data. Join Beta Testing for full free access.
Socrative — Student response system for creating quizzes, assessments, and educational games in real-time with instant feedback.
Poll Everywhere — Create interactive polls, quizzes, and open-ended questions. Integrates seamlessly with presentation software.
Mentimeter — Interactive presentation tool with real-time audience engagement features.
Quizizz — Game-based learning platform for multiplayer quizzes and interactive review games.
Edpuzzle — Video-based learning platform for interactive video lessons with embedded quizzes.
Wooclap — Interactive polling and quiz platform with live classroom engagement features.
Microsoft Forms — Simple tool for surveys, quizzes, and polls with collaboration features.
Simulation and Game-based Learning
Unity — Powerful game development platform with a free version for creating interactive 2D and 3D experiences.
Unreal Engine — Robust game development engine with a free version for high-fidelity interactive experiences.
Twine — Open-source tool for creating interactive fiction and text-based games, ideal for narrative-driven learning.
Scratch — Beginner-friendly visual programming language and online community for interactive stories, games, and animations.
Construct — User-friendly HTML5 game development engine with a free version.
GDevelop — Open-source game development software without coding knowledge required.
Cospaces Edu — Platform for creating virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) experiences for educational purposes.
Virtual Classroom Software
Zoom — Feature-rich platform including unlimited one-on-one meetings, 40-minute group meetings, and screen sharing.
Google Meet — Unlimited video meetings for up to 60 minutes. Ideal for users of Google Workspace.
Jitsi Meet — Open-source video conferencing platform, simple, secure, and customizable. No account required.
Microsoft Teams — Unlimited chat, video calling, and collaboration with up to 100 participants.
Learning Management Systems (LMS)
Moodle — Open-source platform with extensive customization options for creating courses with quizzes, forums, and resource sharing.
Google Classroom — Integrated with Google’s suite, ideal for K-12 schools. Straightforward for managing classes and assignments.
Canvas — Free-for-teacher plan including course creation, grading, and integration with numerous educational apps.
EdApp — Mobile-first microlearning platform for corporate training. Features gamification, spaced repetition, and course library.
TalentLMS — Free plan supports up to 5 users and 10 courses, perfect for piloting eLearning projects.
Open edX — Open-source platform behind edX courses, allowing educators to build learning tools and contribute features.
Strategic portfolio development tips
- Targeted Projects: Choose projects reflecting the needs of the industries or roles you aim for.
- Microlearning Focus: Prioritize high-quality microlearning examples — reviewers may spend only a few minutes perusing your portfolio.
- Software Diversity: Exhibit your proficiency with a wide range of instructional design tools.
- Comprehensive Demonstrations: Include storyboards, eLearning modules, video tutorials, and assessments.
- Real-World Impact: Incorporate evidence of the learning impact your projects have achieved.
- Reflective Insights: For each project, offer a concise reflection on your design process and challenges.
Key Questions Answered
The most commonly asked questions about this topic, concisely answered.
- You can build a strong portfolio using entirely free tools. For authoring: H5P, Genially, Canva, iSpring Free. For assessments: Google Forms, Quizlet, Typeform, Socrative. For simulation: Twine, Scratch, GDevelop. For LMS: Moodle, Google Classroom, TalentLMS free tier. For collaboration: Zoom, Jitsi Meet, Google Meet. Most tools listed here have permanent free plans, not just trials.
- H5P is free and open-source when self-hosted or used through a compatible platform (Moodle, Canvas, WordPress). The hosted service at H5P.com has a paid tier for standalone use. Free limitations vary by integration — in WordPress you need the H5P plugin, and some content types have dependencies. For portfolio projects, using H5P through a free Moodle installation or the H5P WordPress plugin is a practical no-cost approach.
- Create speculative projects that showcase your skills across different formats: a branching scenario in Twine or Genially, an interactive video in H5P or Edpuzzle, a quiz in Google Forms or Quizlet, and a short animated explainer in Canva or Powtoon. Focus on microlearning examples — reviewers may spend only a few minutes looking. Include storyboards, process notes, and a brief reflection on each project's design rationale.
- iSpring Free is a free PowerPoint add-in that converts presentations to eLearning with basic quiz and interaction capability. iSpring Suite is the full paid version that adds advanced interactions (14 interaction types), dialogue simulations with branching, role-plays with character mood bars, screen recording, and SCORM/xAPI publishing. For portfolio projects, iSpring Free is sufficient to demonstrate PowerPoint-to-eLearning conversion skills.
- Unity has a free personal tier and is industry-standard for 2D and 3D experiences. GDevelop requires no coding and exports to HTML5. Construct is another no-code option with a free version. Twine is ideal for narrative-driven, text-based simulations. Scratch is beginner-friendly for demonstrating game-based learning concepts. All export formats that can be embedded in LMS platforms or portfolio sites.
- Genially is an interactive content creation platform with a generous free tier for creating presentations, infographics, interactive images, and games. In an instructional design portfolio it is used to demonstrate: interactive infographics, animated presentations, escape room-style interactions, and clickable scenario environments. Its no-code drag-and-drop interface makes it accessible for designers without technical development skills.
- Free plan terms change frequently — always verify current limits before committing to a tool for a long-term project. Common limitations include: number of published projects (TalentLMS: 10 courses free), user limits (TalentLMS: 5 users free), storage limits, export restrictions (some tools only export to PDF on free plans, not SCORM), and branding (free plans often include platform watermarks). Plan your portfolio around tools where free limitations will not affect the final presentation.
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- Target your projects toward the specific roles or industries you want to work in
- Prioritise microlearning — reviewers spend minutes, not hours, reviewing portfolios
- Demonstrate software diversity — show multiple tools, not just one platform
- Include process artifacts — storyboards, wireframes, and needs analysis documents show your thinking
- Show real-world impact where possible — completion rates, learner feedback, or behavior change evidence
- Yes. A professional portfolio is achievable using free tools alone: H5P or Adapt for interactive eLearning content, Canva for visual design and infographics, OBS Studio for screen recordings and video, Audacity for audio, and Google Sites or Carrd for hosting the portfolio itself. The key differentiator is design quality and process documentation, not the cost of the tools you used.
- H5P is the closest free equivalent for creating interactive, assessment-driven content (branching scenarios, drag-and-drop, course presentations). While it does not replicate Storyline's full capabilities, it demonstrates the same design thinking: creating interactions, assessments, and multimedia integration. Combine H5P projects with documented storyboards and design rationale to show the skills employers value most.
