A Storyline alternative for Mac
Storyline 360 runs on Windows 11, so on a Mac it needs Windows in a virtual machine. You can keep it that way, switch to Rise in the browser, or use a tool made for the Mac. Elabora is a free Mac and Windows app that also reads your .story files.
At a glance
| Tool | Where you build | Delivery formats |
|---|---|---|
| Elaborathis site | A desktop app for macOS and for Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit). | SCORM 1.2 packages, and web publishing on Elabora’s hosting or any web server. |
| StorylineArticulate | Windows 11. On a Mac, inside Windows in a virtual machine (Parallels Desktop; VMware Fusion on Intel Macs). | SCORM 1.2 to SCORM 2004 4th edition, xAPI and cmi5 packages; publishing to Review 360 and Reach 360. |
| CaptivateAdobe | A desktop app for Windows and macOS (version 13.2, August 2026). | SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004, AICC and xAPI; HTML5 packages. |
| RiseArticulate | In a web browser, on Windows or Mac. | cmi5, xAPI, SCORM and AICC packages; share links with an optional password; publishing to Review 360 and Reach 360. |
| iSpringiSpring | iSpring Suite: Windows 10 or 11, inside PowerPoint. iSpring Cloud AI: in a web browser. | SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004, xAPI and cmi5; HTML5 for the web; MP4 video. |
| LectoraELB Learning | Lectora Desktop: Windows. Lectora Online: in a web browser, on Windows or Mac. | HTML for the web, AICC, SCORM 1.1, 1.2 and 2004, cmi5 and xAPI. |
| dominKnowdominKnow | In a web browser (PC, Mac, Chromebook); on your own servers for Enterprise. | SCORM 1.2 and 2004, AICC, cmi5 and xAPI; web packages and share links; print and PDF. |
| EasygeneratorEasygenerator | In a web browser. | SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004 and xAPI on paid plans; share links. |
| MindsmithMindsmith | In a web browser. | SCORM 1.2 and 2004 on every plan, static or dynamic; xAPI on Enterprise; links, HTML and PDF. |
| PartaParta | In a web browser. | SCORM, PDF, HTML and public links; Markdown from Studio; Dynamic SCORM as an add-on. |
| GeniallyGenially | In a web browser. | Author plan: SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004, xAPI and LTI 1.3. Other plans: links, PDF and video. |
Each value comes from the vendor’s official page, read on the date shown.
Your 4 options on a Mac
1. Keep Storyline, inside Windows. Install Windows 11 in Parallels Desktop (on Apple silicon) or VMware Fusion (on Intel Macs), then Storyline in it. You keep your .story files and your habits. You add a Windows licence and a virtual machine, and Storyline runs in a window next to your Mac apps.
2. Move to Rise 360, in the browser. It comes with the same subscription and works in Safari. Rise builds courses from blocks; free-form slides, layers and triggers stay in Storyline. Read Elabora vs Rise 360.
3. Use a desktop app made for the Mac. Adobe Captivate has a macOS version. Elabora is a free app for macOS and Windows, made for writing courses with your AI.
4. Use a web tool. Lectora Online, dominKnow | ONE, Easygenerator, Mindsmith, Parta and Genially all work in a browser. Each has its own format, so your .story files stay behind.
When Elabora fits
Elabora suits a designer or a small team on a Mac who delivers SCORM 1.2 or web courses. You describe the course, approve the plan the AI proposes, then refine the screens yourself or through the agent. Courses can be slides, as in Storyline, or a scrolling page, as in Rise.
It reads what you already have. Attach a .story project or a published Storyline course when you create a course: Elabora rebuilds it as an Elabora course, in beta, and its import report lists what came over, what took a simpler form and what was left out.
When to keep Storyline in Windows
- Your LMS needs SCORM 2004, xAPI or cmi5.
- Your courses rely on software simulations, or on complex triggers and variables.
- You edit the same .story files with Windows colleagues.
In those cases, Parallels is the shortest path. You can still try Elabora for new courses, side by side.
Which one should you choose?
Choose Elabora if…
- You want a real Mac app, with nothing to virtualise.
- You want to reuse the content of your .story files on the Mac.
- SCORM 1.2 or a web link is enough for your LMS.
- You want your AI to write the course with you, for free.
Elabora’s limits today
We list them on every comparison. They are what we work on first.
- One delivery format today: SCORM 1.2 packages and web links. If your LMS needs SCORM 2004, xAPI or cmi5, keep your current tool for those courses for now.
- Importing Storyline and Rise courses is in beta. Some question types, triggers and interactions come over as text with a note, and the import report lists each one.
- A young tool: the first public version came out on 20 October 2026, and Elabora is in beta. Expect fewer tutorials and community answers, and a new version every few days.
- One author per course for now. Co-authoring and shared team spaces come later, with Elabora’s cloud.
- A smaller library: 7 templates and starter blocks, and no stock library of photos or characters.
Questions
- Is there a Mac version of Storyline 360?
- No. Articulate’s system requirements list Windows 11. On a Mac, Storyline runs inside Windows in a virtual machine.
- Which virtual machine works on an Apple silicon Mac?
- Articulate’s requirements name Parallels Desktop for Apple silicon Macs, and VMware Fusion as another option on Intel Macs.
- Can I open a .story file on a Mac without Windows?
- Elabora can import it, in beta. It reads the .story project and turns it into an Elabora course; the import report lists what came over. To edit the .story itself, you need Storyline, so Windows.
- Does Rise 360 work on a Mac?
- Yes, in Safari, Chrome or Firefox. It comes with the same Articulate 360 subscription as Storyline.
Try Elabora on your computer. It’s free.
Download Elabora