Trainual Review

My Honest Experience with Trainual

Before Trainual, onboarding at my landscaping business was frustrating. I’d repeatedly explain the same processes, hoping they’d stick. Every time I hired someone, it felt like starting from scratch, and I was losing time.

I wasn’t sure if Trainual would work for me because it’s a tech tool, but I gave it a shot. The templates were a game-changer. I had safety procedures, customer handling, and equipment training documented in hours. New hires could log in and follow step-by-step instructions without me holding their hand.

The mobile access was a huge help. My team could access the training while out in the field. No more calls asking what to do next. The progress tracking feature let me see who was on track and who needed help without constantly checking in.

There was a bit of a learning curve, but once my team got the hang of it, everything ran smoothly. Trainual has saved me so much time. It’s definitely worth it for any small business looking to scale.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely. 

Try the 7-day free trial and see how much smoother your onboarding can be.

What is Trainual?

Trainual is a cloud-based platform that helps businesses create training materials, document processes, and onboard new hires in a much more efficient way. It serves as a central hub where you can keep all your company’s procedures, making it easier for everyone to access and follow along.

For a business like mine, where each employee has specific tasks like handling equipment, client service, and billing, it’s important that everyone knows exactly what’s expected of them. Trainual helps keep everything organized and easy to understand.

Why Trainual Works for Small Businesses?

As a small business owner, time is one of my most valuable resources. Before using Trainual, I spent too much of it onboarding new employees and repeating the same instructions. Now, everything is documented in a single place, and new hires can go through it step by step at their own pace.

Here’s why it’s worked for my landscaping business:

  • Saves Time: I no longer need to personally walk every new hire through all the processes. They can simply log in to Trainual and follow the guides.
  • Consistency: Each new employee gets the same information, ensuring nothing important is missed.
  • Customization: I’ve been able to tailor the platform to my business’s specific needs, from training on equipment safety to customer service.

Trainual Features

Trainual is packed with features that cater to businesses of all sizes, simplifying training, onboarding, and process documentation. 

Let’s take a look at key features based on feedback from multiple sources.

1. Customizable Templates & Branding

Trainual offers a wide range of templates for things like policies, processes, and onboarding. These templates are fully customizable, allowing businesses to personalize them according to their specific needs. You can also add your company’s branding—such as logos, fonts, and colors—to make the training materials look professional and consistent with your brand​.

2. Content Creation and Management

You can create and store a variety of content, from text-based materials to multimedia like videos, images, and GIFs. Trainual’s drag-and-drop editor makes it easy to build training modules, while the system’s content management tools allow for easy updating and tracking of these materials over time​.

3. Learning Paths and Tracks

Trainual allows you to set up customized learning paths for different roles within your business. You can assign specific training sequences to new hires based on their department or role. This structured approach ensures that employees complete their training in the correct order, without feeling overwhelmed​.

4. Progress Tracking & Reporting

With Trainual, you can track the progress of your employees as they complete their training. Detailed reports provide insights into completion rates, time spent on tasks, and quiz results. This helps you identify areas where employees may need additional support​.

5. Mobile Access

For businesses that operate on the go, Trainual’s mobile access feature allows employees to complete training or access procedures from any location using their mobile devices. This is especially useful for fieldwork environments like landscaping, where staff might need quick access to safety protocols or equipment instructions​.

6. Integrations

Trainual integrates with popular third-party tools like Slack, Google Drive, and HR systems like BambooHR and Gusto. These integrations allow businesses to sync data, streamline workflows, and enhance overall productivity​.

7. E-Signature and Forms Automation

Trainual provides the option for legally binding e-signatures, which is great for HR processes like signing employee handbooks or other policy agreements. Automated forms make it easy to gather and store important employee information, saving time and reducing the chances of errors​.

8. Certification & Compliance Tracking

You can set up quizzes and tests at the end of training modules to assess employee knowledge. Trainual allows you to issue certifications upon successful completion of courses, ensuring that employees meet regulatory or internal standards​.

9. Alerts and Notifications

Employees and managers receive notifications for upcoming training deadlines, progress updates, and new materials that have been added. This keeps everyone on track without needing constant manual reminders​.

10. Multi-Language Support

For businesses with diverse teams, Trainual offers multi-language support, allowing you to create training content in multiple languages, ensuring that all employees can access and understand the materials​.

11. Team Directory and Org Chart

Trainual’s organizational chart feature allows you to map out team roles and responsibilities visually. This makes it easy for employees to see how they fit within the organization and what tasks they are responsible for​.

12. Security & Remote Access

Trainual ensures that all your data and training materials are securely stored on cloud-based servers with daily backups. The platform is PCI Level 1 compliant, which provides top-tier security for your business. Remote access means your team can log in from anywhere without sacrificing security​.

13. Advanced Learning Tools

Trainual offers advanced tools like video simulations, quizzes, and role-based templates that can enhance employee engagement. It also provides a searchable content library, where employees can quickly find information they need without having to dig through files​.

14. Support and Customer Service

Trainual has a responsive customer service team that offers support via email or chat. They also provide onboarding assistance for businesses that require extra help setting up the system​.

Pros and Cons of Trainual

Pros:

  • Time Saver: Cuts training time in half, freeing me up to focus on other tasks.
  • User-Friendly: The interface is easy to navigate, even for those who aren’t tech-savvy.
  • All-In-One Solution: All training materials, from written procedures to videos, are stored in one place.

Cons:

  • Learning Curve: It took some time for a few of my employees to get used to the platform.
  • Limited Customization for Advanced Needs: While it works well for most things, some advanced customization options are limited.

Trainual vs. Alternatives

I looked into a few other platforms before settling on Trainual:

  • Whale: Similar to Trainual but felt too complex for my needs. It offers a lot of features, but Trainual’s simplicity won me over.
  • Lessonly: Better for larger teams with more specific training needs, but for a small business, it seemed like overkill. Plus, it’s more expensive.
  • Talent LMS: Great for companies that need a full learning management system, but Trainual felt more focused on onboarding and SOP documentation, which is what I needed most.

How Much Money Will Trainual Save Us?

For a Small Business Plan (1-25 employees), Trainual costs $249/month when billed annually. If you’re like me and plan to hire several employees each year, this cost is quickly offset by the time and money you save during training.

Let’s say you plan to hire 6 new employees, each earning $40,000/year. Normally, training them takes around 30 days, but Trainual can cut that time in half. Here’s how much you can save:

  • Hours saved: 960 hours
  • Money saved: $15,924

Plus, you’re not just saving on time. You’re also reducing mistakes, boosting productivity, and improving retention. In fact, using Trainual for onboarding has been shown to:

  • Improve new hire retention by 82%
  • Increase new hire productivity by over 70%
  • Boost profit margins by 24%

Trainual Pricing

Trainual offers several pricing plans based on the size of your business and the number of employees you need to onboard. Here’s a breakdown of the current options:

  • Small Plan: For teams with 1-25 employees, it costs $249/month if billed annually (or $299/month billed monthly). This plan includes group onboarding and all the essential features to get started.
  • Medium Plan: For teams with 26-50 employees, it costs $279/month if billed annually (or $349/month billed monthly). You also get a 1:1 implementation included, which is great for more personalized setup support.
  • Growth Plan: For larger teams with 51-100 employees, the plan costs $419/month if billed annually (or $499/month billed monthly). Like the Medium Plan, this also comes with 1:1 implementation.
  • Custom Plan: For teams over 100 employees (up to 10,000+), Trainual offers custom pricing. You’ll need to talk to their sales team to get a tailored quote, and this plan also includes personalized implementation support.

Trainual Optional Add-Ons

Trainual also offers a few add-ons for extra functionality:

  • Unlimited E-Signatures: Collect legally binding e-signatures from employees for $29/month.
  • Custom Domain: Enhance your branding with a custom domain for $14.99/month.
  • Trainual+: For $49/month, you get access to premium features like training paths, multi-language support, and more.

My Recommendation: Try the 7-Day Free Trial

If you’re unsure which plan works best for your landscaping business, I highly recommend starting with Trainual’s 7-day free trial

This trial gives you full access to the platform without needing to provide your credit card. It’s the perfect way to test out its features, see how it fits your team, and decide whether it’s worth the investment.

After trying the free trial, I found it really easy to navigate, and my team got used to it quickly. Plus, with Trainual’s scalability, you can start small and upgrade as your team grows.

Trainual Review FAQs

Does Trainual offer a free trial?

Yes! They offer a 7-day free trial with full access to all features. You don’t need a credit card to try it out, which is a huge plus.

Can I upload existing documents to Trainual?

Yes, you can import existing Google Docs or Word files directly into the platform, making it easy to transfer your current materials.

Is Trainual secure?

Absolutely. Trainual uses PCI Level 1 compliant servers, and everything is backed up daily.

Is Trainual Worth It for My Landscaping Business?

Yes. The time and money I’ve saved since switching to Trainual have been worth the investment. It’s streamlined my entire onboarding process and made sure my team is on the same page from day one. Plus, with a 7-day free trial, you’ve got nothing to lose by giving it a try.

If you’re a business owner looking to save time, improve training, and avoid mistakes, Trainual is definitely worth considering.