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20 Best Websites To Find Online Courses (Free & Paid)

We did our research to find the best online course websites. The list includes top-quality courses to learn new skills fast.

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Top 20 Websites to Find Online Courses

Key learnings.

Online courses are a great way to build new skills in a relatively short period of time. They are less expensive than traditional classes and you can follow a course from the comfort of your own home.

In this guide, you’ll find the best online course websites covering a range of topics, including digital marketing, graphic design, coding, personal development, marketing, business, photography, and much more.

All courses are delivered online by accredited academies and online learning platforms. Together with the paid courses, the list includes some great free online courses that are definitely worth your time.

So, if you want to explore new career paths, build a new skill, start a new hobby or learn a new discipline, you’ll love this list. We’ve done our research and handpicked the best free and paid sites offering online training courses. All you have to do is find the best course for you and start learning!

These are the best online course websites to find high-quality online courses :

• Reliablesoft Academy
• MasterClass

Google Skillshop

• LinkedIn Learning
• HubSpot Academy
• Simplilearn
• Semrush Academy
• Google Digital Garage
• Meta Blueprint
• Harvard University (Online Courses)
• Microsoft Learn
• Alison (Free Online Courses)
• CXL Institute

1. Reliablesoft Academy

Founded in 2002, Reliablesoft Digital Marketing Academy is one of the most reliable training platforms to learn digital marketing. Through their online academy, they offer 13 courses covering all important areas of digital marketing, including:

• Facebook / Instagram Ads
• Google Analytics
• Content Marketing
• Keyword Research
• Email Marketing
• Social Media Marketing
• Digital Marketing
• Affiliate Marketing
• Retargeting
• YouTube Marketing

Their most popular course is the Digital Marketing Full Course , which teaches students the secrets of online marketing through a series of videos and tutorials. Upon completing the course, you can get an SEO and Digital Marketing Certification.

Students can download the courses offline or follow the lessons using the online interface.

Reliablesoft courses are highly rated by students , affordable, and have a 60-day unconditional money-back guarantee (the best money-back from all online academies).

Currently, online courses are offered at an 80% discount . The offer is valid for a limited time only.

Explore Online Courses

Udemy is perhaps the most popular online learning platform. According to statistics provided by the company, they have more than 130K online courses in their database and a student base of 35 million people.

Udemy courses are grouped into several categories, the most popular are:

• Development
• IT and Software
• Personal Development
• Photography

Udemy courses are budget-friendly and come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. In their library, besides paid courses, you’ll also find a number of free courses. Just type in “Free Courses” in their search bar, and you’ll get a list of more than 10,000 courses you can follow without paying.

To find the best courses on Udemy , choose one of the course categories from the top menu and then filter the results based on the number of ratings. You can also look for the ‘bestseller’ badge displayed in the description of popular courses.

If Udemy is not the right learning platform for you, there are great alternatives .

3. Coursera

Coursera offers online courses from world-class universities and reputable companies. It positions itself as a leading online learning platform for higher education. They claim to have more than 70M learners worldwide and partnerships with more than 200 universities and educators in different industries.

In their catalog, you’ll find a number of free courses, paid courses, specializations, certificates, and degree programs.

Their most popular course categories are:

• Data Science
• Computer Science
• Information Technology

University students can enroll in Coursera courses for free, provided their university is part of their partners’ program.

For non-university students, the cost varies per course, specialization, and certificate. For some courses, you can enroll for free and then pay for the certificate. For other courses, you can buy a monthly subscription and access a number of courses as long as you pay the monthly fee.

While Coursera offers great courses and accredited certifications from leading companies and universities, its refund policy is very strict.

So, I recommend reading their pricing fees and conditions before enrolling in a course to avoid any unpleasant surprises. You can also consider one of the Coursera Alternatives .

Udacity focuses on career advancement and provides the essential tools to succeed in landing the job of your dreams.  The website has a robust catalog that not only covers the skill but also provides classes on applying for jobs and interviewing.

Here are the training programs that are included:

• Programming and Development
• Artificial Intelligence
• Cloud Computing
• Autonomous Systems

Udacity is another free membership platform offering free and paid online courses. There is no monthly subscription requirement, but registering as a user is necessary in order to gain access to the catalog. Within the search features, it allows you to filter free courses so that you can browse if you’d like to try them before you buy.

This platform also offers career prep opportunities, including meeting with career coaches, resume reviews, LinkedIn reviews, and more. Just an added bonus to the Udacity platform and in line with their mission to train the world’s workforce in the careers of the future.

5. Skillshare

Jumping from the very techy world of coding, Skillshare was founded with creatives in mind. Skillshare seeks to not only help members get inspired and learn new skills but also allow instructors to share their expertise and earn money.

Founded in 2010, Skillshare has curated some of the best online classes to take for innovators and creators.

Here are just a few of the categories it offers:

• Illustration
• Freelancing

In order to access all Skillshare courses, you will need to create a Premium account which comes with a 7-day free trial. After the trial period, you can pay an annual fee of $99 or $19/mo. I even saw a 30% off special on their website, so be sure to look out for the deals!

What I find valuable about this membership is that you will receive access to ALL of the incredible online classes and workshops available on the platform. To help you narrow down your decision, here is a list of the best skillshare courses you can take this year.

You are able to follow your favorite instructors, keep a library of the classes that you want to take, check out your class history, and have more convenient and user-friendly features. It’s definitely one to check out.

6. MasterClass

If you’re into pop culture, you’ll love being a part of MasterClass . Ranging from industries such as acting, creative writing, sports, and beyond, popular celebrities and experts in the field are sharing their mastery with the everyday person.

The platform is fun and current but still packed with education.

Here are some of the course topics that are covered in MasterClass:

• Arts & Entertainment
• Sports & Gaming
• Science & Tech
• Design & Style

MasterClass is set up as a membership platform at $15/mo billed annually. Although they do not offer a free trial, they do extend a 30-day satisfaction guarantee.

It’s very user-friendly allowing downloading to watch offline, the use of PDF workbooks for every class, and mobile-friendly. They add new classes every month so you are sure to have more to browse. If you are curious, MasterClass is for you.

Additional resources to find more online courses

• Best Digital Marketing Courses – 10 great courses to teach yourself digital marketing online.
• Best Social Media Marketing Courses – the top courses to learn social media marketing.
• Best Content Marketing Courses – free and paid courses to get started with content marketing.
• Best SEO Courses – a list of SEO courses with a certification to build your SEO skills and become an expert.
• Best eCommerce Courses – online courses to teach yourself eCommerce. The list includes both free and paid training courses.
• Best Free SEO Courses – the best free courses on search engine optimization. Take online or download offline.
• Best Google Ads Courses – the best courses to master the secrets of Google Ads.
• Best Free Online Marketing Courses – a list of the top courses on online marketing that are 100% free.
• Best WordPress Courses – the top courses to learn WordPress online.

7. Google Skillshop

It’s no surprise that many businesses are using Google as a platform to run, scale, and advertise their businesses. With a mission to “organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful,” it’s no wonder it has managed to turn its name into an action one can actually take.

Because of its usefulness in the digital marketing world, it’s worth checking out their free Google Skillshop center to learn more about using their platform. Through Skillshop you can achieve a number of free Google certifications in the following categories:

• Google for Education
• Google Marketing Platform
• Analytics Academy
• Google My Business
• Google Ad Manager
• Google Cloud
• Waze Academy
• Google AdMob
• Authorized Buyers
• Android Enterprise Academy

is a free learning center with lengthy and in-depth lessons. If you’re looking to move forward with Google Ads or use the Google platform in any way to market your business, Skillshop is definitely worth browsing.

8. LinkedIn Learning

As a platform that aims to connect professionals with one another, it’s a seamless transition to using LinkedIn as a professional development tool. LinkedIn Learning has over 16,000 of some of the top online courses in a wide range of industries.

The courses are broken down into the 3 main categories of business, creative, and technology.

Here are just some of the sub-categories available on the platform:

• Business Analysis and Strategy
• Career Development
• Finance and Accounting
• Leadership and Management
• Marketing Sales
• Audio and Music
• Graphic Design
• Web Development
• And so much more

LinkedIn Learning provides a mix of both paid and free courses with a monthly membership of $29/mo. You are able to try it for free for a full month on an individual plan. One of the unique features of this platform is that they offer team memberships when you fill out a form to connect with a sales consultant.

With industry experts teaching these online learning courses, it has been trusted by industry leaders such as Kellogg’s, Lego, MGM Resorts, Zillow, and more. If you have a goal to make the learning culture a part of your team, LinkedIn Learning is a top-notch option.

9. Codecademy

If you’re looking to uplevel your knowledge in an industry that is the way of the future, Codecademy has some of the best online courses available for coding. Codecademy is looking to rebuild the education system from the bottom up in creating the education that the world truly needs.

Here are the subjects that Codecademy courses offer:

• Developer Tools
• Machine Learning
• Code Foundations
• Game Development
• Mobile Development
• Data Visualization

There is also a wide range of coding languages that are offered such as Javascript, HTML & CSS, PHP, and more.

The pricing for Codecademy is a 3-tier membership. The good news here is that there is a free option, and although this option is limited in its content and real-world projects, it’s a great way to get some foundational training.

The Pro Tier is intended for the individual and is $19.99/mo paid annually or $29.99/mo if paid on a monthly basis. The 3rd tier is a team member which you can get a quote if you enter your email and company name. There is also a discount for college students!

Overall, if you want to add coding to your professional skills, Codeacademy is the place to start.

10. HubSpot Academy

Hubspot Academy offers everything from quick and practical courses to comprehensive certifications. They aim to help business professionals develop their skills regarding inbound sales, marketing, and customer support.

Hubspot is a reliable and credible platform which is one of the many reasons it’s one of the best places to educate yourself or your team.

Listed here are some of Hubspot’s course topics:

• Customer Service
• Advertising
• Hubspot Software

Even though you do have to create an account to get access to the Hubspot Academy courses, it is completely free. So if you are willing to invest your time in learning more about digital marketing, sales, and advertising, this is a great option for you.

If you are active on LinkedIn, the free certification courses will benefit you. Adding industry-recognized badges to your profile lets potential clients know that you are educated and willing to invest in your professional development. A little time and effort go a long way.

11. Simplilearn

Starting out in 2009 as a blog sharing project management tips, Simplilearn has grown into the world’s #1 online Bootcamp. This platform offers high-end classes for digital professionals from industry leaders.

Through individual courses, comprehensive certification programs, and partnerships with world-renowned universities, this platform provides work-ready skills for the ever-changing digital world.

Among these online courses are topics that cover:

• Project Management
• Cyber Security
• Business & Leadership
• Software Development
• Quality Management

Simplilearn is compiled of individual courses, so there is no membership requirement. If you are looking for higher education options and access to some of the best online classes in digital skills, this platform is worth browsing.

Some of the online boot camps offer both self-paced and live class recording options, and depending on the complexity and caliber of the course, it could range anywhere from $99-$3,000+.

I suggest thoroughly checking out the landing page of the course you are considering; watching the intro video, looking at the ratings, and reading the FAQs will help you avoid unrealistic expectations.

12. Semrush Academy

Semrush is all about online visibility, making its online courses on digital marketing top-notch. Not only does Semrush offer these courses, but they have an entire platform of SEO and digital marketing tools that are free for users. SEMRush Academy is a bonus feature.

Here are the categories that are included:

• Pay Per Click
• Social Media Management
• Competitive Research
• SEMRush Software

And everything they offer in the academy is 100% free. Once you are a registered SEMRush user, click on your desired category and start browsing, watching, and getting certified.

So, if getting more digital marketing knowledge is on your to-do list, check out these online learning courses.

What edX has to offer is higher education that’s accessible to anyone. Founded by Harvard and MIT, this platform has some of the best online courses from the most popular universities around the world.

There is a wide range of subjects on edX including:

• Agriculture
• Communication
• Engineering
• Food & Nutrition

edX provides free access to its catalog of both free and paid online courses. The unique feature of this platform is that they provide accessible college programs including online Master’s Degrees.

If you’re looking for continuing education in any form, but are a busy person needing online accessibility, these programs are the perfect opportunity for you.

14. Google Digital Garage

Google Digital Garage (now part of Google Skillshop) is unique in that, although it has its own set of courses, it has also curated courses from other online course platforms (some even on this list already!) Google Digital Garage also offers live classes that are streamed through YouTube.

Here are the 3 main categories that are included in this learning platform:

• Data & Tech

Google Digital Garage is free and very user-friendly. If you’re looking for the best place to learn more but not be overwhelmed, this is a great option for you. There are simple categories and filters so that you can narrow down your search.

Selections may take you off of the platform to another online course website, but you can simply click on the filter “Google” under course provider to make sure you are selecting one of the Google courses. There is even one free digital marketing certificatio n course available!

15. Meta Blueprint

Meta Blueprint is a social media marketing course library full of self-paced and step-by-step tutorials. Not only do they offer courses, but they also have advanced courses in Facebook advertising and certifications as well.

Some of the courses here include:

• How to Advertise on Instagram
• How to Create Ads on Facebook
• Get Started with Commerce Manager
• Map the Customer Journey

Again, Meta Blueprint is another free platform that allows you to uplevel your digital marketing skills with no risk. When logged in to Facebook, you are able to keep track of your course program and build your own library of active courses.

The certification program that it offers is a sure way to stand out on your resume and LinkedIn. You can take the blueprint courses, take practice exams, view a study guide, and then participate in the official certification exams. It’s worth the effort!

16. Harvard University (Online Courses)

Harvard University has an entire site dedicated to its online learning. Because of its resources, the subjects available range anywhere from art & design, to health & medicine, and then to programming.

Here is a list of more categories that Harvard University offers online:

• Education & Teaching
• Mathematics
• Social Science

These programs range anywhere from $0 to $50,000+. Although most of the classes offer certificates of completion, some can be completed as credit toward a degree. If you want some formal education in your field, Harvard University is the best place to be.

17. Microsoft Learn

Microsoft learning aims to encourage both beginners and experienced professionals to achieve their goals faster with self-paced learning. There are 3 ways to learn on this platform through online courses, certifications, and live and recorded events.

Rather than categories, Microsoft Learn breaks down the courses by role:

• Administrator
• AI Engineer
• Business Analyst
• Business User
• Data Analyst
• Data Engineer
• Data Scientist
• Database Administrator

Microsoft Learn is not the most user-friendly site, so I suggest using the “Discover Your Path” function to find the courses that are right for you.

The courses range from no cost up to $1,500+. If you head over to this platform, make sure to check out the “Learn TV” option for some valuable learning opportunities.

18. Alison (Free Online Courses)

Alison’s belief is that “free education, more than anything, has the power to break through boundaries and transform lives. They are one of the world’s largest free learning platforms for education and skills training and offer a wide range of categories including:

As advertised in its mission statement, Alison provides all of its courses for absolutely free. Of course, the trade-off for that is that you will see ads throughout the platform, which seems like a good deal. But if you aren’t about that, you can pay a $7.99 monthly fee.

Another thing to know is that the courses are free, but the diplomas and certificates are not. So if you are looking to have certificates for your resume, be aware of that before getting started.

19. Upskillist

With 100+ courses to choose from, Upskillist offers a plethora of online courses. They believe it’s never too late to learn, so they make it easy for real qualifications that lead to success.

These online courses included categories like:

• Health & Wellness

Upskillist starts with a 4-week free trial. Then, you can select one of their premium subscription plans. The cost is $39/mo (for 3 months), $35/mo (for 6 months), and $19/mo (12 months).

Their courses offer certifications and have the bonus of being educator-supported, meaning you can get your questions answered, which is always helpful when navigating online courses.

20. CXL Institute

CXL Institute offers 100+ online courses covering different topics. The main areas include:

You can pay $249 monthly and get unlimited access to all courses or buy courses individually for $299. All CXL courses come with a Certification and a 7-day money-back guarantee.

All instructors are industry experts and the lessons are carefully crafted to keep learners engaged throughout the course.

Learning a new skill is easier these days with the plethora of online courses available on the Internet. You can go through a course at your own pace and without having to attend a physical class on campus.

Most courses listed above are on-demand and offer lifetime access, meaning that you can follow the course at any time and for as long as you want.

The cost varies per academy and type of course but it’s affordable for most people and less expensive than classroom-based learning.

You can also view our list of the best online courses with certificates to find high-quality online courses that come with a free certification.

Do you know of any great courses or online course providers missing from the list? Let me know in the comments below.

Alex Chris is a digital marketing consultant, author, and instructor. He has more than 18 years of practical experience with SEO and digital marketing. Alex holds an MSc Degree in eCommerce and has consulted with Fortune 500 companies in different industries. He blogs regularly about SEO and Digital marketing, and his work has been referenced by leading marketing websites. Connect with Alex on Twitter and LinkedIn .

December 8, 2020 at 10:52 am

Excellent courses! Easy to understand and highly recommended.

October 3, 2021 at 10:54 am

Thanks for commenting. Yes, they are great online courses to build new skills.

All the best Alex

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About Reliablesoft

Online training.

Best online courses and online class sites of 2024

Learn new skills without leaving your house

Best for guided projects

Best for professional skills, best for celeb classes, best for online degrees, best affordable option, best for business, best for uk, best for nanodegrees, best for creatives, best for digital transformation.

• How we test

The best online courses and online class sites make it easier to learn new skills from home through distance learning online.

1. Best for guided projects 2. Best for professional skills 3. Best for celeb classes 4. Best for online degrees 5. Best affordable option 6. Best for business 7. Best for UK 8. Best for nanodegrees 9. Best for creatives 10. Best for digital transformation 11. FAQs 12. How we test

Long gone are the days of having to attend a college to take a class. Now, with available learning platforms, through the use of video streaming, there are a wide variety of skills that can be learned from the comfort of your abode.

Websites abound that have online classes on demand. This can range from a single lecture on a specific topic, to a series of lectures to gain new knowledge in a field, to entire graduate level degrees offered by leading universities. You can even learn from professors on the other side of the planet via this method!

Course topics cover the spectrum. Some can be professionally oriented, designed to update skills for older workers, or those with a degree outside the area of study. Other courses are designed to supplement knowledge, offering additional study, such as advanced training for a certification exam. However, it is not all so serious, with coursework also available that borders on entertainment, with options for a cooking class, or film appreciation. In any case, in a competitive work environment, having some recent coursework can be an important CV builder, without having to do the rigors of a formal degree.

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The best online courses and online class sites of 2024 in full:

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

1. Coursera

Our expert review:

Reasons to buy

Reasons to avoid.

Coursera is an online educator that also focuses on college level education, and has partnered with leading universities including Arizona State University and Duke University, and also has alliances with many Fortune 500 companies. This platform is notable as the emphasis is on university courses, along with over a thousand free content videos, and also certificate programs. This content can be taken to acquire a college degree, all fully online. 

The standout feature is the Guided Projects, which are done to allow the learner to put their newly acquired skills to use, under the watchful guidance of an instructor. Those looking to acquire some job ready skills, whether in the form of a certificate, a degree or an advanced degree, from a name brand university should take a look at this platform.

Read the full Coursera review .

• ^ Back to the top

2. LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning is an educational outgrowth of the highly popular, professional networking platform. As you might suspect, this platform is focused on development of professional skills, with a catalog that is expansive at over 16,000 offerings. The plan is simplified, with only a single tier, but it can be subscribed to either annually or monthly. We also like the interactive basis of this platform, which focuses on demonstration of the skills obtained, with online quizzes and exercise files available. 

The content is also quite professional, with the education conducted via expert instructors in their fields. Learners also praise the flexibility in learning, via the smartphone apps, an audio only option (perfect for jogging), and offline learning possibilities. Finally, the integration with LinkedIn is apparent, with the ability to put the certification achieved upon successful completion of the course onto the learner’s LinkedIn page.

Read the full LinkedIn Learning review .

3. MasterClass

While some platforms have courses by the thousands, MasterClass offers less, in numbers, with just over a hundred courses on offer. However, what it lacks in breadth of subject matter, it more than makes up for with its list of educators that easily qualify as Hollywood A-listers and the like. 

We take exception to the annual billing without a month to month option, but there is a choice of plans among three tiers. Also realize that learning cinematography from acclaimed director James Cameron has got to be an experience, but overall MasterClass offers more casual content, so don’t look for an online master’s degree here. 

Another standout feature is that the content is high quality, with each course having trailers that could be shown in a movie theater to help students decide if the course is worth pursuing. While there are fewer courses on offer, also realize that each one is a comprehensive look at the subject, being broken up into around 20 segments, each averaging about 10 minutes in length.

Read the full MasterClass review .

For those looking for an online learning platform to obtain a college degree- either undergraduate or graduate - edX is an excellent choice. Rather than having to look at online schools one at a time, edX makes it possible to access coursework among 160 universities, the likes of Berkeley, Harvard University and Boston University. Furthermore, this coursework is taught by university professors that teach over 3,000 courses. 

Courses are designed to result in obtaining a certificate, an online college degree, or even applied towards a degree at a university. This high level of quality education does not come at a bargain price, or an all you can eat monthly subscription, but rather these types of degrees can have a cost in the thousands, however keep in mind that they are less than attending the same school in residence, not to mention saving the costs of room and board at a dormitory. 

Read the full edX review .

Coming out of Ireland, Alison is an affordable approach to a learning platform. The notable standout is that everyone can afford it, with a free (ad supported) tier, and thousands of courses available for learners to take. We also appreciate the still affordable higher tiers, that eliminate the ads, with offerings of flexible monthly, annual and lifetimes tiers, with options to have a certificate of completion, or letter of attestation of the completed coursework at bargain basement prices. 

Some shortcomings need to be noted, such as the lack of degrees and the automated approach to support. Still, for those that just want some courses, and are on a limited budget, Alison is a solid starting point with a catalog sure to offer opportunity for its already 3.5 million learners.

Read the full Alison review .

Udemy is notable for its super large course catalog, a ridiculously large 155k courses focused on business content taught by over 56k instructors. This is driven in part by the over 7,000 enterprise customers. Users are sure to like the comments for the course that are integrated into the platform, the transparency in when the course was last updated, along with the high quality trailers to help assess if a course is right for your needs. 

We also noted the choice of tiers, and the longer 30-day money back guarantee period. Some downsides do encompass that some courses need to be purchased individually as opposed to a monthly subscription, the limited support options that are missing a direct phone number and an email address, and the bugs with the apps, especially with offline viewing. For those looking for the right business course, with support materials to support the learning, Udemy is worth a good look.

Read the full Udemy review .

7. FutureLearn

Leave it to the Brits to package some great educational opportunities from the UK into an online learning platform, through the internet available from anywhere, anytime. The course content offered by FutureLearn fits into ExpertTracks, which is a 10 to 12 week block of learning, and covers 3 to 4 courses leading to a certificate upon completion of study. The content focuses on beginner level content designed for job education. 

Some significant downsides include the lack of smartphone apps, average user reviews, and unclear pricing. The limited support options also hamper this service. New users should check out the free course availability as some courses can be started on a trial basis, and also keep in mind the 7-day trial period. Those not looking for an ExpertTrack should also look for the single courses that are available as well. 

Read the full FutureLearn review .

Udacity has a focus on providing education for business and technology with courses in areas such as Data Science and Artificial Intelligence and instructors that are industry experts. 

Learners like fully online nanodegrees that emphasize job related education, which are targeted at more developed than a certificate program, while falling short of a traditional college degree. Feedback is provided through a mentoring program, which is personalized to develop the student’s skills via direct critique of submitted projects. 

While the higher cost of this option may be a barrier (which gets paid on a monthly basis), and the support options could be better, it gets high marks in the user reviews of its smartphone apps. For those looking to develop computing skills via online education, Udacity is a worthy option.

Read the full Udacity review .

9. SkillShare

SkillShare has a large catalog of 35,000 plus online videos, divided into the categories of Create, Build and Thrive. It also has Workshops that offer a more in depth look into areas. It is easy to get started with this platform, as there are three tiers offered, and a week long free trial. However, we found the service to be more expensive than some others, with only an annual plan offered rather than offering it on a month by month basis. 

Also, another issue was that credit card info was a requirement for accessing the trial, and we found reports of the difficulties with cancellation of this service. Going through this service, issues aside, we found it an attractive option for those looking to learn new creative skills, with coursework offered in areas including illustration, photography and design.

Read the full SkillShare review .

10. Pluralsight

Coming out of Utah, Pluralsight provides technology based education, targeting skills for the digital transformation. It is a highly developed platform, with partnerships to educate those in industry, with such known tech names as Adobe and the Nasdaq counted among its 17,000 business users. 

While the emphasis appears to be on the enterprise market, there is the option for individual users as well. There is a choice of two plans for these individual users, we appreciate the option to pay monthly or annually, and on the upper tier there are over 7,000 courses. 

Support is also solid with many choices to get in touch to get help. There are some issues we encountered with creation of our account, but for those seeking out advanced technology education, that is up to the high standards of enterprise, Pluralsight is worth a look.

Read the full Pluralsight review .

We've also featured the best online learning platforms.

Online course and class sites FAQs

What is an online course website.

An online course website is an online platform for education. Each typically utilizes video lectures as the primary mode of learning, along with supplemental materials to reinforce the education, and demonstrate the learning. This can include course syllabi, graded projects, chat rooms for students, mobile apps for learning on the go, practice questions, and even formal exams. The education is often on a large variety of topics, but more in depth than what you would typically find on more casual websites, that are more for entertainment than formal education. These online courses are an excellent opportunity to acquire new skills, update knowledge, and branch into new areas.

Online Learning Platforms vs Learning Management Systems

An online learning platform has much in common with a learning management system (LMS), and the two terms are commonly confused, and even used interchangeably. However, there is a key difference.

A LMS is defined by Wikipedia as “A software application for the administration, documentation, tracking, reporting, automation and delivery of educational courses, training programs, or learning and development programs.”

In contrast, there is no clear definition for what an online learning platform is, and also its alternate term, eLearning. The online learning platform is a more generic term that also encompasses a LMS, but alternately not every online learning platform has all the features of an LMS.

For example, there is plenty of educational content online, such as on YouTube and other websites, and this can be used for learning purposes. However, this does not meet all the requirements to be a LMS platform, as it lacks documentation, tracking, and reporting of the educational progress.

Online Learning Platform vs Online Course Websites

As stated above, there is no clear definition for what an online learning platform is, other than to say that there are plenty of websites for education. They can range from a more formal LMS that can provide tracking, documentation and reporting of the education that has been done, to less formal sites that can be as open as an online educational video. For example, sites such as Lifehacker, or wikiHow provide education, but it is not formal, or trackable in the sense that they would provide a certification.

Then there is the term “Online course website.” Again, this is a vague term that covers both extreme ends. While some would use it interchangeably with a LMS, the latter is the preferred term that once again can provide tracking of educational progress, and is more formal, able to provide documentation of education progress including certificates or degrees as applicable.

What is a MOOC?

A MOOC is a “Massive Open Online Course.” These are offered by edX, a leader in online education. The idea is that while a traditional classroom gets limited in how many students can attend, with a MOOC, as it gets offered through the internet, literally millions of folks can all take the class and benefit from the education. It is literally an economy of scale so that high quality education can be disseminated.

According to edX, the first MOOC offered was through MIT, and it is a course entitled “Circuits and Electronics.” As of 2019, over 50k learners have taken this course!

With such success, it is no surprise that there has been growth in this MOOC segment. There are now MOOC’s for business so that education can occur for corporate learners. Also, edX has offered college credits for select MOOC’s since 2015.

What sort of computer do I need to take online courses?

The good news is that just about any modern computer will be absolutely fine for this online education, and these platforms work through any web browser. Those looking to do this inexpensively can get the job done with a Chromebook , which tends to be quite affordable.

Most of the platforms offer apps for smartphones, on both the iOS and Android platforms. This is ideal for learning on the go, and also allows the education to proceed on a tablet device from either platform.

For a Windows laptop , ideally a larger screen with 1080p resolution (or higher), and a solid set of speakers would be ideal. However, don’t think you need to expend serious resources on this, as even an entry level laptop, with a Celeron processor, 4 GB of RAM, and a minimal internal hard drive will be more than adequate for the education. You can even use Windows 10 in S mode, although having the full version of Windows 10 is easier as then you can install other software, such as a word processing program to take notes.

Also check out our roundup of the best laptop .

How do I build and sell a course?

With the popularity and growth of so many online learning websites, it has presented the opportunity for folks to not only take these courses, but also to be able to teach them as well. The first step is to figure out what you want to teach, which can range from a university type of course, to a casual single lecture. 

The potential educator should also take an honest assessment of their skill level, and what actually qualifies them to teach the course. A qualification that learners will appreciate is having a degree in the field, especially a graduate degree, such as the terminal degree in the field, such as a PhD. Having such a degree clearly shows the scholarship in the area, and would qualify you to teach at any college or university, along with an online platform. 

Not having a terminal degree can in some cases be substituted by a certification or license in select fields, such as a manicurist who wants to teach nail care. Additionally, with this democratization of content, there can be plenty of situations where experience in the area can also qualify the individual to be able to impart knowledge, such as working in the field successfully for a number of years, or even performing the task at home, such as a stay at home parent that wants to teach laundry skills.

Figuring out your qualification, and the type of course then will help to determine what platform it will be appropriate for. For example, unless you are a professor at Harvard, your content will not be appropriate for the online Harvard education site. However, there is no shortage of sites, so next you need to find a site, and certainly start with checking the sites above, realizing that some are better suited to more formal courses, and others are looking for more casual content. Once you identify the target site, get in touch, as most of them have links for those looking to be the next great educator.

Is YouTube a good online course website?

YouTube, and other online streaming site s are a valuable resource to learn new skills. There is no shortage of content available, to learn anything and everything, such as how to cook a new dish, how to repair your car, and a lesson in home improvement.

However, this type of content has its limitations. One is that it is taught by anyone, and there is a varying skill level, and in most cases it is not taught by skilled instructors, such as a university professor. In many cases the goal is as much to entertain as it is to instruct. This is fine for casual content, such as in our prior example of a cooking video, but not as well suited for more formal instruction.

Finally, while a LMS can provide proof of the education, YouTube does not offer this. In other words, there are no certificates, or degrees offered to provide an employer as a demonstration to the new knowledge obtained.

Are Harvard online courses really free and worth it?

Harvard University is a leading institution, and they do indeed have online educational offerings. They certainly have a full variety of coursework available, and it is a mix of paid and free content. As Harvard has consistently topped the list of endowed US universities, with a staggering $40+ billion of endowments, this is a chance for them to give something back.

Harvard has partnered with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and founded edX. While the free courses that Harvard offers are on a website for Harvard Online , realize that the course content is on edX.

There are plenty of high quality courses available through Harvard University, approximately 140 in a recent count. Some are quite specific, and not quite what would qualify as a standard university class, such as “Nonprofit Financial Stewardship Webinar: Introduction to Accounting and Financial Statements” that would target only a select group with interest in this area. Mixed in are courses that are not free, and have a cost, so be sure to double check when signing up, or you can filter to only look at the free courses.

A popular area of these online courses is the CS50 series, which covers computer science topics. This coursework is targeted to AP high school students in this area. It includes about 30 courses, such as the “CS50's Introduction to Game Development,” an intermediate course that covers “The development of 2D and 3D interactive video games.” The course is in English, and is designed to be completed over a 12 week period, for 6 to 9 hours weekly, although it is self-paced to accommodate other learning paces. While this course can be audited for free by anyone, a Verified Certificate is available for those that complete it for $199.

How we tested the best online course websites

There is no shortage of learning platforms out there to choose from. Thankfully for you, we have sorted through them to find the ones that will benefit users.

We look at a number of factors, and truth be told no one learning platform will be the best for everyone. Things to consider start with the pricing, and for that we look at the plans. Some platforms even have free courses offered. Others charge by the course, and some companies have a monthly subscription, there is truly a learning platform for every budget.

Content is another factor. Some platforms focus on a specific area, such as computer programming, while others have more expansive catalogs that rival what any major college would offer.

Another issue is the quality of the coursework. Some are more crowd sourced, allowing a democratization of education. At the opposite end of the spectrum, we have platforms that partner with top rated professors at name brand universities to teach the content.

Finally, there are the extras offered, such as the available smartphone apps. Also, there are the available certifications, and degrees that can be completed for looking for a more formal education.

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Tom Bedford was deputy phones editor on TechRadar until late 2022, having worked his way up from staff writer. Though he specialized in phones and tablets, he also took on other tech like electric scooters, smartwatches, fitness, mobile gaming and more. He is based in London, UK and now works for the entertainment site What To Watch.

He graduated in American Literature and Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. Prior to working on TechRadar, he freelanced in tech, gaming and entertainment, and also spent many years working as a mixologist. He also currently works in film as a screenwriter, director and producer.

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10 Best Learning Websites For Taking Online Courses (2024)

The Good Trade editors endorse products we’ve personally researched, tested, and genuinely love. Learn more about our methodology and business model here .

We’ve researched dozens of online courses for the best educational learning platforms — these are our top 10 picks.

Many of us follow a pretty typical education trajectory: elementary school, middle school, high school. Some of us go on to college or university, and others go even further, earning higher degrees and making careers in academia. No matter how far your formal education journey takes you, learning doesn’t have to stop there. We can continue learning—whether for career advancement or simply for fun.

Why should you take online courses?

Online learning platforms offer lots of advantages for anyone looking to advance their career or learn something new. They are flexible and accessible in comparison to in person classes, as you’ll be able to access course materials anytime and anywhere you have access to a computer and an internet connection. Most online courses allow for self-paced learning, making it easier to commit and follow through with the workload as your personal schedule and priorities shift (here’s our tips on how to stay productive while learning remotely ). You can even access online courses from institutions anywhere across the globe, allowing you to learn from top experts without having to leave your home. 

You’ll find online courses are also more affordable than in-person lectures. By studying online, you’ll save tons of money that would typically be spent on commuting and accommodations. Online courses, by comparison, are also cheaper than traditional in-person classes, making it easier for you to advance your skills on your terms. 

That’s why we love these ten learning platforms that are leading the way in online education. These websites are free or low-cost and offer courses from a wide spectrum of topics like knife and cooking basics to graphic design and mobile development. For the tech lover, language learner, or aspiring artist, there’s something for everyone. 

Our criteria:

Our team has audited dozens of online courses and learning platforms courses, as well as scoured thousands of customer reviews for this round-up of our favorite educational websites. We update this list regularly with emerging favorites that meet our criteria below:

• AVAILABILITY OF EXPERT INSTRUCTORS | These online course websites offer a wide selection of courses taught by certified professionals who have authority in their industry.
• RANGE OF COURSES AND CERTIFICATIONS OFFERED | Each of these learning websites provide courses and certifications for various relevant and in-demand skills, topics, and professions.
• AFFORDABILITY | We’ve prioritized low-cost and free online learning platforms on this list.

No matter where you are in the world or your educational background, let’s keep learning together with these online training and certification programs.

(Psst, and for a subject close to our hearts, check out this list of our favorite online writing classes !)

Best Overall | Best For Casual Learners | Best Free Option

Best For  | Affordable classes for professional skills Features | Certifications available, courses taught by real-world experts, 210K+ courses available, 67M+ learners globally, available app Our Pick   | Ultimate Photoshop Training: From Beginner to Pro Pricing  | À la carte ($12–$200+) 

Udemy ’s focus is to make quality education more accessible—and they’ve made some serious progress. To date, it’s achieved over 900 million enrollments around the world with courses ranging from Instagram marketing to aromatherapy. Starting at just $12, you can access more than 210,000 online courses that work with your pace and your lifestyle—plus, it’s yours forever. There’s a reason why businesses like Adidas and Mercedes-Benz utilize Udemy for their teams. Available in many languages and accessible around the world, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by taking up Udemy’s trial offer—time to get to learning!

2. Coursera

Best For  | On-demand higher education degrees, university certificates, and credits Features | Certifications & degrees available, courses taught by experts from 275+ leading universities & companies, ability to earn recognized credentials, available app Our Pick   | Modern Art And Ideas Pricing  | Guided projects (starting at $10/per course); Specialized program (starting at $49/month); degrees (starting at $9K/per)

Coursera believes that everyone should be able to learn anywhere, anytime, and from the world’s top education providers. Since then, it’s reached over 129 million learners and partnered with more than 275 universities to bring all kinds of content to users. Whether you’re looking for a general course, a specific specialization, or a university-recognized degree, Coursera will be your one-stop-shop. You’ll find specializations in topics like data science or econometrics as well as degrees that can be taught over one to four years.

3. Masterclass

Best For  | On-demand classes from industry experts across fields Features | Courses taught by globally-recognized icons & experts, 200+ classes available, available app, available on Roku & Amazon Our Pick   | Sara Blakely Teaches Self-Made Entrepreneurship Pricing  | Starting at $120/year (Unlimited classes)

Masterclass brings revered and renowned heroes, icons, and experts to your screen for one-on-one classes in their areas of expertise. Whether you’re learning acting from Natalie Portman, scientific thinking from astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson, or self-expression from famed queen of drag RuPaul, each practice and process is broken down into an average of 20 on-demand, cinematically produced video lessons and a downloadable workbook with optional assignments. With over 200 instructors offering high quality education and insight, the fields you can explore are endless.

Best For  | Self-paced college courses from top institutions Features | Certifications & degrees available, courses taught by experts & professors, partnered with universities, 4,400+ programs available, 81M+ learners, available app Our Pick   | IBM: Software Engineering Basics for Everyone Pricing  | Free–$25,000+ (Online Master’s Degrees)

What happens when two of the most prestigious higher education institutions come together for open learning? edX . Harvard and MIT collaborated to create the only MOOC (massive online open courses) provider and nonprofit around. Today, it works with more than 250 partners, including MIT, Columbia University, and Georgia Tech, to name a few. The online learning options run the gamut: you can choose one course or an online Master’s Degrees, with a range of professional certificates and “micro” Master’s programs.

5. Skillshare

Best For  | Accessible classes for personal and business development Features | Certifications available, courses taught by knowledgeable teachers, available app Our Pick   | Graphic Design Basics: Core Principles for Visual Design Pricing  | Free, Premium ($32/month or $168 annually)

Skillshare offers more than 34,000 classes to anyone, anywhere, based on design, business, tech, and more. It prides itself on providing more than just access to education; Skillshare considers itself an online learning community of more than 830K active members. At Skillshare, you can learn skills, network with others, and discover new opportunities, all in one place. There are classes available for free (check out “Going Freelance” or “Intro to SEO”), or if you upgrade to Premium you can unlock even more. Those funds enable them to pay teachers, and you’ll have access to classes offline and without ads. Not sure if you can afford them? Skillshare offers plenty of scholarships (and free or low-cost trials), too, so there is something for everyone.

6. LinkedIn Learning

Best For  | Professional development Features | Certifications available, courses taught by industry professionals, personalized course recommendations, available app Our Pick   | Project Management Foundations Pricing  | Starts at $20/month (Unlimited classes)

You’ve likely already heard of LinkedIn, and may even currently use it for networking and job-searching. But the employment-oriented service also offers online education. With LinkedIn Learning , you gain access to over 20,000 expert-led classes across business, technology, and creative. (Dozens are added every week and there’s no limit to how many you can watch.) The platform also provides personalized course recommendations based on your skills. With classes available in 13 languages, you can download exercise files so you can practice while you learn and will earn a certificate for each class you complete.

Best For  | Free online classes for endless learning Features | Certifications & diplomas available, courses taught by the world’s leading experts, 6M+ graduates across the globe, available app Our Pick   | Introduction to Spanish Pricing  | Free, paid certifications/diplomas available

No matter what your interest is, Alison likely has a course for you, including ones that offer certifications and diplomas. Completely free to use, payment only comes in with certified or diploma courses. Otherwise, you can learn to your heart’s content on topics like project management, web design, or amateur French and German. Not sure where to start? Check out the Career Guide for many career paths and associated class options. From architecture to manufacturing to human services, you can find knowledgeable instructors and high-quality content for every imaginable subject.

Best For  | Online classes for in-demand tech and programming skills Features | Certifications & nanodegrees available, courses taught by industry experts, 205K nanodegree certifications earned, available app Our Pick   |  Intro to Programming Pricing  | Starts at $249/month (Unlimited classes)

Students first—that’s the policy of Udacity , an online learning platform started by two Stanford instructors who knew that offering up quality education would revolutionize the future of learning. What began as an “Introduction to Artificial Intelligence” course soon became hundreds of classes that focus on in-demand skills like virtual reality, full-stack development, and even self-driving cars. Ideal if you’re looking for a job in the world of tech or programming, Udacity’s classes are free. You only have to pay if you want to pursue a “nanodegree” which takes you down a specific career path.

9. Khan Academy

Best For  | Nonprofit based learning courses for students pre-k to college Features | Classes taught by teachers and experts, available in 36 languages, available app Our Pick   | Official LSAT® Prep Pricing  | Free

Khan Academy is a non-for-profit learning resource with a mission to empower students’ education through their accessible online platform. Started by one man who simply wanted to tutor math to his cousin, the company has now grown into a huge team that’s committed to offering world class educational skills. Here, you’ll find foundational school courses ranging from 6th grade math and AP college physics to SAT test prep and financial literacy classes. Best of all, these courses are self-paced, offer both instructional videos and exercises, and are 100% free! Take your growth into your own hands and at your own pace.

10. Catapult

Best For  | Zoom classes and virtual workshops for writers Features | Courses taught by industry experts, online and in-class options available  Our Pick   | 6-Week Open-Genre Generative Seminar: From First Thought to First Draft Pricing  | À la carte ($15 for independent study—$6,000+ for year long course)

Writers and readers looking for a community love Catapult for the wide variety of online classes, workshops, independent studies, and seminars offered in all genres. Take a generative fiction class, dig into revision techniques for your novel, or learn how to write a query letter to agents from leading writing and publishing professionals on a day-job-friendly schedule. You can even join a class to read and study books with other writers! Our team has taken multiple classes and loved our experiences, especially the connections we have made with other writers around the world.

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30 Best Online Learning Platforms for 2024

Table of Contents

Some of the best online learning platforms include LearnWorlds, Coursera, Skillshare, Udemy, Docebo, Edx, Moodle, Teachable, and Thinkific.

Those are leading a fast-growing elearning industry . An unbreakable piece of evidence is the increasing number of people becoming interested in online learning for both learning and teaching purposes–either to learn a new skill or to teach online .

Luckily there are many online learning and course platforms that offer the opportunity to learn or create, and sell online courses .

For online instructors, trainers, and aspiring edupreneurs this is great news. But the struggle of choosing the best online learning platform out of the many options out there is real.

To help make this process easier, we came up with a list of the top online learning platforms analyzed by type and category that you can use to offer high-quality learning experiences.

And, to make it easier for you to choose the right platform for your needs, we broke them down into distinct categories.

Table of contents

Our choice of the top course platform: learnworlds, best online learning platforms, best online course platforms, best traditional learning management systems (lmss), best wordpress lms plugins, best authoring tools, your professional looking academy in a few clicks.

Before we go on, it’s important to distinguish the difference between the two terms ‘online learning platforms’ and ‘online course platforms,’ which often gets blurred.

What is an Online Learning Platform?

An online learning platform is an information system that provides a safe learning environment where students can take online courses.

Such online learning platforms are often called ‘online course marketplaces’ because they give learners the opportunity to search for and pay for online courses directly.

While some of these course marketplaces are used to feature online courses, the majority are more educational-based and strictly offer university-level education.

What is an Online Course Platform in Relation to a Learning Management System?

An online course platform is a type of learning management system (LMS) that online instructors can use to create, host, deliver and sell online courses.

An LMS is the higher category usually used by enterprises for employee training , customer education , and onboarding or by academic institutions to support teaching. However, the whole category can sometimes include course platforms or even WordPress plugins being used by SMEs to create and sell online courses.

Unlike online learning platforms, online course platforms are cloud-hosted software that allows instructors to create online classes or individual lessons by uploading educational material that they have created using text, images, video, PDF files, and audio.

In essence, individuals or SMEs can use a course platform to create their own course marketplace instead of offering their courses in a popular courses marketplace like Udemy, Edx, MagnetBrains , or Skillshare. This way, they can keep all the revenue and user data that they otherwise would have no control over.

Online Learning Platforms VS Online Course Platforms

An online learning platform emphasizes and presents the learner’s perspective whereas an online course platform takes the perspective of the online instructor/ teacher.

The two titles are often used interchangeably, and the real differences come from the person using the definition and the context of the conversation. From a student’s perspective, a learning platform is a place to find educational content , search and buy courses or whole educational programs. Whereas, from an educator’s perspective, it is the place to deliver knowledge .

Online learning platforms are often used to identify marketplaces for courses or education, like Coursera, Udemy, and LinkedIn Learning–formerly known as Lynda, while course platforms usually refer to the software used to create a learning environment, such as LearnWorlds, Thinkific, Kajabi, or Teachable .

Using an online learning platform takes off a lot of the hard work of building an audience, marketing, and sales, but you may not have control over pricing, user data, and branding.

With an online course platform, you have greater flexibility and freedom in managing your learning resources and course materials. Also, you get to have a say in the design and look of the entire website that hosts your online courses and in regards to the course itself – how it is being presented and promoted.

Which platform you are going to choose essentially comes down to your business’s needs.

If you choose to go with a standalone course platform, you will need to look into more specific requirements that are found in a learning management system. This is because there are many types of LMSs, and each one specializes in a certain category or serves a specific purpose better than others.

For entrepreneurs, course creators, training organizations, and SMEs, a course platform offers an all-in-one solution that fits your requirements .

LearnWorlds comes with a powerful set of eCommerce features , course authoring , user analytics , and website-building capabilities right out of the box. And it’s the platform our team has been developing and nurturing for the past 9 years, with thousands of customers in 80+ countries around the world trusting it to deliver online learning!

Whether you are looking for an internal training solution or simply to create , market , and sell your online courses or train your employees and customers , we offer the best possible solution you need at an affordable price.

Start your 30-day free trial with LearnWorlds today!

📝 Disclaimer : Positions below are arbitrary and do not indicate any preference. Numbering is used to show the number of platforms and further differentiate one from the other. We do think that every platform comes with its own advantages and disadvantages depending on the use case they are intended for.

As we go over each learning platform, we look into its advantages and disadvantages to help you decide whether it fits your needs or not.

As we mentioned before, learning platforms are more suitable for learners looking for a subject to study . They have a massive library of courses and learning paths.

Some of them accept individual instructors to teach with varied conditions to approve the content. If you don’t want to launch a course under your own website, this is the second-best way to do it. Each has its own requirements for instructors to upload their course materials and how they monetize the content.

We have, however included pros, cons, and information for both students and instructors looking into these platforms.

Platform #1: LinkedIn Learning (formerly known as Lynda)

LinkedIn Learning which was formerly Lynda.com is an educational platform that offers professional courses in business, digital marketing, web development, and more creative fields like design amongst other subjects, in the video lesson format.

The platform comes as a premium service for LinkedIn users and offers over 16,000 courses in 11 languages and focuses on helping individuals invest in their professional development. LinkedIn Learning also partners with top companies to provide its learners with the most in-demand professional certificates.

• Highly recognizable and valued for skills training
• Comes with a one-month free trial
• Provides personalized course recommendations for users
• Offers certification upon course completion
• Allows you to assess your progress using quizzes
• Has offline learning access to learn on the go
• Grants you access to other premium career features
• The quality of the courses it offers is ambiguous and you need to conduct some research into them before enrolling
• Joining as an instructor may be challenging

Who is it for?

• Learners: It is mostly suited for professionals and businesses looking to train their employees.
• Instructors: Apart from individual learners, business teams, universities, and government organizations can use the platform for educational and training purposes.

As a course creator, you can also apply to become a LinkedIn Learning instructor here .

LinkedIn Learning comes with two subscription plans for learners:

• Monthly: 1-month free trial, then $39,99/month
• Annually: 1-month free trial, then $19,99 /month

*Pricing information retrieved from LinkedIn Learning on October 26, 2023.

Platform #2: Udemy

Udemy is one of the most popular online course marketplaces on the web, featuring more than 213,000 online video courses. This educational platform has over 60 million students, 65 thousand instructors, and subject matter experts creating online courses.

Udemy makes course creation possible for everyone with the possibility of acquiring new skills. In doing so, it offers a range of online learning materials including PDF documents, PowerPoint, text, and video content, among many others.

Instructors can join Udemy and start teaching online, but it takes a huge piece of the pie from the revenue and has control over pricing and discounting the course.

• No setup cost (for instructors)
• Geared towards self-paced learning and video courses
• No need for highly technical knowledge
• A Udemy app available for iOS and Android

Cons (for instructors):

• Limited interaction with students
• High competition between instructors
• No personal branding option
• Minimal control over prices
• No data ownership or control over branding – it keeps emails and user data and does not share this information with instructors
• Visibility depends on your own marketing, the platform only promotes courses that are already popular
• Students: Udemy has a course for almost every discipline, but potential students always need to read the reviews before buying one. Quality is not consistent.
• Instructors: It’s great for teachers, instructors, educators, and freelancers who are just starting out.

Pricing / Revenue (for instructors):

To start charging students a fee for courses on Udemy, you will need to become a premium instructor. In such a case, the following conditions apply:

• No starting fee but very high commissions on sales of up to 75%.
• 37% when students come through their paid user acquisition channel.
• 97% on course sales when you sell through your own links. Udemy keeps a 3% administration fee.

*Pricing adjusted on a global price tier matrix developed by Udemy.

*Pricing information retrieved from Udemy Support on October 26, 2023.

Platform #3: Coursera

Coursera is an online education platform with over 100 million users that is dedicated to offering high-quality online training courses worldwide. While partnering with top universities and businesses, it provides students the opportunity to receive certifications from renowned institutions upon joining their paid courses.

Coursera offers individual courses, specializations, certifications, and degree programs (for bachelor’s and master’s degrees) that support on-demand video lectures, homework exercises, peer-reviewed assignments, and community discussion forums.

With Coursera Plus, students can get unlimited access to 90 percent of the learning programs in the Coursera catalog via a yearly or monthly subscription option.

• Offers a variety of learning options and activities
• Awards students with different types of accreditation (through degrees and certificates)
• Provides high-quality educational tools and instructor interactions
• Courses are free if you are not looking for a certification
• Limited to educators in partner institutions
• Less flexible course creation options compared to other platforms
• Does not offer instructor feedback, only peer reviewed assignments as a feedback mechanism
• Students: Anyone who wants to learn from prestigious institutions, whether they are looking for a one-off course, certification, or an online degree.
• Instructors: It is aimed at professors who are based at a HE partner institution or business .

Coursera offers free courses, subscriptions, and one-off payments depending on the course or program.

Platform #4: Skillshare

Skillshare is another popular course marketplace that has more than 13 million users and up to 35,000 lessons in various creative fields. Course lessons last from 20 to 60 minutes and are made from a series of small videos, class projects, and a student community that encourages interaction through discussion forums.

Classes on Skillshare are taught by industry leaders, everyday creatives, and professionals and are divided into 4 categories:

Creative arts : from graphic design to fine art, cooking, and music production. Technology : including data science, web design, and e-commerce. Business : finance, accounting, and project management. Lifestyle : teaching, languages, gaming, and wellness.

• Offers easily digestible and bite-sized learning
• Comes with a supportive discussion forum where students exchange feedback
• Provides the ability to take many courses for the same price
• Class content limited to only four categories
• Course material can be low quality
• Skillshare reviews from users are low across multiple review platforms
• No certificate of completion or any other formal recognition
• Students: It is suitable for students interested in the creative arts, technology, business, and lifestyle classes.
• Instructors: It’s great for instructors who are in the creative fields and want to make a side income. Instructors can make money through Skillshare’s royalty system and referral program .

Students: After a 7-day free trial, the pricing is $32 per month or $168 per year for access to all the courses (different regions may have different pricing).

Instructors: Free to join, but it comes with specific class quality guidelines and teaching policies you need to follow.

Skillshare pays instructors based on minutes watched from their course by students, teacher engagement, and premium referrals.

*Pricing information retrieved from Business Insider on October 26, 2023.

Platform #5: edX & Open edX

EdX.org (course marketplace) and Open-edX are two sides of the same coin. EdX is the learning platform where students find online courses from various universities, and Open-edX is an open-source content management system.

Both were created by a team of scientists from Harvard University and MIT with the goal of providing online university-level education across the globe.

EdX.org offers over 4,000 online courses from 250 prestigious businesses and universities offering higher education in many disciplines. These mainly specialize in the sciences–engineering, computer science, data science, math, humanities, business, and management.

• Free and open-source. (for instructors)
• Provides in-depth knowledge and added value (for students)
• Comes with a mobile app on iOS and Android
• Interactive online classes – allowing students to chip in
• Discussion forums seem to be outdated and difficult to navigate
• Requires technical knowledge or hiring a developer/web designer to implement (for instructors)
• Comes with the additional costs of a self-hosted server and its maintenance (for instructors)

Students (EdX): it has a very diverse library of courses suitable for most ages looking to learn a subject or new skills.

Instructors (Open-edX): It’s great for businesses who can afford a team or outsource the development and maintenance of the platform on their own servers.

Pricing for Instructors:

Free to join, but there may be additional costs of procuring a server and system support and getting expert help from Open-edX’s service providers or freelancers whose pricing varies according to your project’s requirements and budget.

For more information on Open-edX course creation expenses, check out this guide .

Platform #6: Udacity

Udacity is a learning platform that teaches learners the skills and knowledge they need, preparing them for a successful career in the technology industry.

Its training programs are known as ‘nanodegrees’ and are being offered as part of the platform’s collaboration with major tech companies like Google and Microsoft. Udacity’s mission is to transform talent at scale.

Udacity boasts a community of more than 17 million learners and 700 instructors.

• Has a simple and intuitive user interface
• Offers top-notch course content quality
• Provides additional career services (for students)
• Comes with more than 200 free courses
• Awards certificates (not accredited)
• Supports live tutoring (for instructors)
• Not much variety of course topics
• Course material is mainly in the English language
• No mobile app available
• It is a pricey option compared to other platforms

Students : It is ideal for individuals interested in updating their existing knowledge in the technology field, enterprises , and governmental organizations.

Instructors : It mainly targets industry leaders and professionals from Fortune 500 and Global 2000 companies, who have shown leadership and expertise in the tech fields.

For students : Udacity offers both free and paid courses, and prices may vary depending on the course/program itself (depending on its subject and duration). Udacity’s subscription costs $249 for a monthly plan or $2,390 with an annual payment.

For Instructors : Instructors are contracted and get paid differently depending on the contract terms. With Udacity, there are different types of instructor work, including:

• Instructor – developing a full course
• Advisor – offering advice on an Udacity school or nanodegrees
• Course proposals – proposing a new course
• Other course support – building projects, lessons, assessments, etc.

An instructor gets selected to teach on Udacity after showing a demonstrated record of professional experience and expertise in a digital subject area related to Udacity schools and after passing the instructor evaluation process.

*Pricing information retrieved from Udacity on October 26, 2023.

Online course platforms are the backbone of the eLearning economy, used by entrepreneurs and businesses of all sizes to create their own educational academies, marketplaces, and training grounds.

If you are looking to start an online academy of your own, have full control over branding, pricing, and user data, then an online course platform is what you are looking for.

Platform #1: LearnWorlds

LearnWorlds is our very own cloud-based LMS platform that comes as an all-in-one eLearning management solution offering the ability to build your online academy while creating, marketing, and selling unique, interactive, and learning experiences .

Our platform brings everything you need in one place, making the process of creating online courses easy, quick, and affordable.

LearnWorlds is designed by experts in eLearning as a modern LMS platform and includes build-in authoring tools and ecommerce capabilities. LearnWorlds also comes with a state-of-the-art mobile app , community, marketing, and educational features.

• Very easy to set up and create course content
• Does not require any technical skills to use
• Comes with built-in course authoring capabilities
• Offers a state-of-the-art no-code Website Builder
• Offers a fully customizable, coding-free Mobile App Builder for iOS and Android
• Has built-in reporting, e-commerce, marketing, and affiliate features
• Comes with a built-in online community and discussion boards
• Supports SCORM and HTML5 files , including Graded SCORMs
• AI Assistant to build courses with artificial intelligence
• Offers responsive 24/7 customer support
• No pre-built sales funnels
• Limited gamification options (badges only)
• Does not support TinCan

LearnWorlds comes with the most powerful website builder for elearning sites, with website, page, and zone templates. The platform is a 100% white-label platform with fully customizable branding. It enables you to manage who sees which zones/pages and control the navigation experience of the users.

Watch the video below for a quick preview and try it out yourself from here .

It’s ideal for entrepreneurs, individual instructors, educators, small/medium businesses, professional trainers, and companies that want to train their employees or educate their customers .

It offers a 30-day free trial and then 4 subscription pricing plans:

• Starter plan: $29/month (plus $5 per course sale)
• Pro trainer plan: $99/month
• Learning center: $299/month
• High Volume and custom corporate pricing are available

*Pricing Information retrieved from LearnWorlds on October 26, 2023.

💁 Find out more about LearnWorlds’ alternatives .

Platform #2: Thinkific

Thinkific is a standalone course platform that helps you build and sell online courses. Thinkific provides everything you need to create your online education business, including an easy-to-use interface to build online courses and rich multimedia to add right into your course content.

• Includes a landing page builder
• Offers built-in sales and marketing tools
• Has various integrations with popular software
• It helps you build your online learning community
• Is a cloud-hosted platform you can connect your domain with
• Has a white-label option
• Has 24/7 support
• Offers limited control over website design
• Can be difficult to build complex courses
• Does not support SCORM, TinCan, or AICC
• Doesn’t include social features
• Focuses more on sales features rather than learning

It’s ideal for solopreneurs, small/medium businesses – SMEs, and coaches who want to generate more income.

Free to join with limited functionality. It offers a 30-day free trial on the Pro plan.

Subscription plans include:

• Free Plan – $0
• Basic – $49/month
• Start – $99/month
• Grow – $199/month
• Thinkific Plus – Customized pricing

*Pricing information retrieved from Thinkific October 26, 2023.

💁 Compare Thinkific to LearnWorlds.

💁 Compare Thinkific Pricing to Teachable & LearnWorlds.

Platform #3: Teachable

Teachable is an online teaching platform that serves the everyday instructor, helping them transform their knowledge into a business. Teachable provides an easy and simple solution for uploading your learning content, customizing your online school, and communicating effectively with your students.

• Simple and easy-to-use course authoring with quiz capabilities
• Has a landing page editor and blogging capabilities
• Comes with built-in eCommerce features
• Includes built-in affiliate, marketing, and sales tools
• Comes with a built-in email marketing tool
• Offers an app that is common to all schools (only Apple – App Store)
• Offers email support and a knowledge base
• Limited learning/teaching and assessment capabilities
• Does not support SCORM or TinCan
• Offers limited customization options on landing pages and branding
• No social or community building features
• Not very responsive customer support
• Limited white-labeling options (e.g. sign-ins and emails cannot be white-labeled)

It’s a great option for new course creators, solopreneurs, coaches, and creative professionals.

Teachable has the following pricing options:

• Free plan: $0/month (limited functionality and $1 + 10% per transaction)
• Basic plan: $59/month (plus 5% transaction fee)
• Pro plan: $159/month
• Pro+ plan: $249/month
• Business plan: Customized pricing

*Pricing information retrieved from Teachable on October 26, 2023.

💁 Compare Teachable with LearnWorlds

💁 Are you looking for a SCORM-compliant LMS ?

Platform #4: Kajabi

Kajabi is an all-in-one online platform that offers the tools to sell digital products , including online courses, coaching programs, and podcasts . Kajabi specializes in building high-converting sales pages, landing pages, and webinar pages for your online business and launching your advertising campaigns.

• Comes with built-in email and marketing tools
• Offers various integrations with popular software
• Provides sales pipelines/funnels building capabilities
• Features an online community
• Offers a collection of beautiful themes
• Allows the creation of landing pages
• Can be difficult to set up
• Has the most expensive pricing options
• Offers limited control and customization over website design
• Doesn’t offer as many course creation or learning features
• Focuses more on small digital product sales

It is for non-techy online course creators, digital entrepreneurs, small businesses, freelancers, creators, and individual instructors selling simple format courses and downloadables.

Offers a 14-day trial with a credit card. Then it goes to a monthly payment of the subscription plan, which includes:

• Basic Plan: $149/month
• Growth Plan: $199/month
• Pro Plan: $399/month

*Pricing Information retrieved from Kajabi on October 26, 2023.

💁 Compare Kajabi with LearnWorlds

Platform #5: Podia

Podia is an online learning platform that makes creating and selling online courses, memberships, and other digital products an easy task. Podia offers a rich resources library and free tools for entrepreneurs who want to build their online store, school, community, or website.

• Very easy and simple to use
• Has sales page customization options
• Comes with a website builder
• Offers email and affiliate marketing options within the platform
• Allows you to have your own membership subscription
• Doesn’t offer a community area on the platform
• Lacks learning tools like grading, assessment/assignments, and certificates
• Very limited in its capabilities – suiting smaller video-based learning, coaching, and downloadables only
• No white-label option

It’s great for content creators and artists who want to monetize their content and knowledge with simple learning activities and gated videos.

Subscription pricing plans include:

• Mover: $39/month
• Shaker: $89/month

Pricing information retrieved from Podia on October 26, 2023.

💁 Compare Podia with LearnWorlds

💁 Find out more Podia Alternatives

Platform #6: WizIQ

WizIQ is a cloud-based education platform for real-time or self-paced training that allows educators to use their own custom-branded domains. It delivers live and on-demand webinars, and it’s a very popular tool amongst online course creators who prefer live training, coaching , or a classroom-like environment.

• Offers elearning reporting and analytics
• Provides the opportunity to teach in a virtual classroom
• Has a mobile app (mLearning) that is available on Apple and Android
• Comes with course authoring with test and assessment capabilities
• Has eCommerce features and multiple integrations
• Offers a white label option
• Has no gamification options
• Its customer support representatives are difficult to reach after setup (based on online reviews)

It’s ideal for enterprise employees, individual teachers, trainers, colleges, universities, tutoring, and Test-Prep companies.

It offers a free 14-day trial and its pricing starts from $18 /month (when billed annually). Then the price varies depending on rooms and attendees, and the number of registered users for their:

• Live Classroom (Professional & Enterprise, or Pay-Per-Use plans), and
• LMS (Elite and Infinite Plans)

For more information, contact WizIQ directly.

*Pricing information retrieved from WizIQ on October 26, 2023.

Platform #7: Academy of Mine

Academy Of Mine is an all-in-one platform that empowers you to create and sell your courses in professional training, continuing education, certifications, and B2B training. With this platform, you can customize existing features or build new features via API. On top of that, you can craft interactive content with PPT, PDF, video, and many more.

• Supports SCORM content
• Offers reporting on learners’ progress
• Provides branding and white-label options
• Integrates with popular tools and uses API
• Comes with a flexible website builder
• Very responsive support team
• Needs a lot of work to customize the site
• Only offers a few video guides to help you learn how to work with the platform
• Very high price to get started or scale a project/business

It’s ideal for academics, large enterprises , public administrations, and small/medium businesses interested in offering training and certifications.

Academy Of Mine comes with a free trial but has no free version. These are the pricing plans it offers:

• Professional: $999/month
• Enterprise: custom pricing

*Pricing information retrieved from Academy Of Mine on October 26, 2023.

💁 P.S.: We also have a dedicated article on the top online course platforms .

A Learning Management System is a software application that is used to plan, manage, and deliver eLearning content. It is used widely in the eLearning industry and acts as a distribution vehicle for course content or training resources for different learning and development programs.

These are the best learning management systems in the market:

Platform #1: Docebo

Docebo comes with a top cloud-based LMS solution that ticks off the majority of every organization’s training needs and requirements. The platform is learner-centric and comes with L&D capabilities using learning-specific Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms that help to personalize the learning experience. Docebo is trusted by notable companies, including Bloomberg and Sharp.

• Compatible with SCORM 1.2 and 2004 editions, AICC, and Tin Can API
• Has engaging gamification and social learning capabilities
• Provides analytics on the effectiveness of learning programs
• Offers instructor-led training (ILT) features
• Supports more than 40 languages
• Allows third-party integrations with 400+ tools
• Allows offering certificates and selling online courses (eCommerce)
• Doesn’t offer customizable or advanced reporting capabilities
• Has limited functionality on certain objects of the LMS that require richer API
• Doesn’t come with enough features on its standard package that would better suit small and medium-sized businesses

It’s aimed for use by human resource professionals, HR departments, or enterprises.

Pricing is based on the number of active users. Docebo’s subscription plans include:

• Growth: suitable for organizations that have up to 300 users.
• Enterprise: suitable for organizations that have over 300 users and are looking for a more advanced elearning solution.

The business doesn’t provide detailed pricing information. To find out about prices, you need to contact Docebo directly.

*Pricing information retrieved from Docebo & FinancesOnline on October 26, 2023.

💁‍♀️ Best Docebo Alternatives

Platform #2: LearnUpon

LearnUpon is another great cloud-based option intended for educational purposes, corporate training, customer education, and partner training. This platform is well-known for its functionalities, user-friendly interface, and multilingual support it offers. Its ability to segment different teams and create unique learning paths is one of the advantages it offers, helping you support learning across every audience.

• Features great gamification options
• Comes with eCommerce functionality
• Compatible with SCORM and xAPI/Tin Can API
• Offers third-party integrations with key business tools
• Offers the ability to support multiple audiences in one system using multiple portals
• Supports blended learning methods – ILT, webinars, PowerPoint presentations, etc.
• Has high-pricing plans
• There is no option for HTML5 courses

It’s ideal for educational institutions and businesses of all types and sizes.

It offers a free trial and demo. Pricing is not publicly available and is based on the number of active users available on each plan. There are 3 subscription plans:

• Essential: for 150 to 300 users
• Premium: for 300 to 1000 users
• Enterprise: for 1000+ users

To get detailed information on pricing, contact LearnUpon directly.

*Pricing information retrieved from LearnUpon on October 26, 2023.

Platform #3: Litmos

Litmos (formerly known as SAP Litmos) is a popular platform that offers a variety of eLearning solutions for businesses, including corporate, customer, partner, services, support training, and compliance training. Amongst its bigger strengths is the ability to create customized learning paths for the needs and the style of every company and its employees.

• Has an intuitive course builder and built-in authoring
• Compatible with SCORM, AICC, xAPI/Tin Can API
• Offers built-in reporting, dashboards, and social communication functionality
• Comes with eCommerce and third-party integrations
• Allows the creation of customized learning paths
• Provides ILT, video assessments, and virtual classroom capabilities
• Has a content library with 2,000+ ready-made training video-based courses
• Has limited customization options
• Its interface isn’t as appealing as others
• It might be an expensive option depending on your business requirements
• Its assessment and feedback delivery process are slower than usual
• Lacks a dedicated payment gateway connection

It’s great for businesses of all types and sizes, focusing mostly on corporate training.

It offers a 14-day free trial. Pricing is not publicly available on the site, but it is based on the number of active users after contacting their sales team. Various online sources mention a price range between $2-$5 per user depending on the plan and number of users.

Access to the LMS, specific courses, and add-on features comes with a quote-based plan, after making a pricing request to Litmos directly.

*Pricing information retrieved from Litmos on October 26, 2023.

Platform #4: iSpring Learn

As another great LMS option, iSpring Learn can be integrated with the corporate training program of any business. Due to the large variety of pricing plans and standalone tools it offers, an organization can choose what fits with their learning needs and budget the most.

iSpring is the cheapest option for smaller businesses but is not as feature-rich as the other LMS in this category.

• Has unlimited file storage
• Features an intuitive learner interface
• Comes with a course template library
• Presents rich gamification features
• Provides analytical and real-time reporting
• Compatible with SCORM, AICC, and xAPI/Tin Can API
• Offers an integrated authoring tool with blended learning capabilities
• Allows mobile and offline access for a more convenient learning experience
• Uses an automated course management tool that makes administrative tasks easier
• Doesn’t offer multilingual support
• No direct learner-to-learner messaging inside discussion forums
• Has limited design customization, branding, and API options
• Has limited eCommerce capabilities and integration options

It’s suitable for organizations of all types and sizes.

It offers a 30-day free trial and a live demo. Pricing is based on the number of active users and starts at $2,99 per user/month for organizations with 50 users or fewer.

• It comes with three subscription plans – Basic, Advanced, and Pro for each set number of users (50, 100, 300, 500 and 1000 users). For more details on pricing information, check the platform’s pricing here .

*Pricing information retrieved from iSpring Learn on October 26, 2023.

Platform #5: Blackboard

Blackboard is an LMS solution that offers an adaptable learning environment suitable for both academic and business development purposes. As a learning platform, it provides a range of social and blended learning features that can make any type of training engaging throughout its course.

• Comes with a mobile app for learners and instructors (iOS and Android)
• Compatible with SCORM, AICC, IMS LTI, and xAPI/Tin Can API
• Features reporting, tracking program outcomes & accreditation standards
• Offers the ability to categorize users by different metrics (e.g. skills and department)
• Integrates with social media channels and video conferencing tools
• Limited reporting capabilities
• Limited gamification options
• Doesn’t have any security-enhancing features

It fits well with the requirements of educational institutes, public administrations, educators, trainers, instructional designers, as well as SMEs and enterprises.

It offers a 30-day trial on selected products. To learn about pricing options and get your custom plan, you need to contact Blackboard directly and arrange for a demo with an expert.

*Pricing information retrieved from Anthology on October 26, 2023.

Platform #6: Moodle

Unlike the majority of LMSs, Moodle is a free, open-source learning management platform. Moodle was designed by a group of developers and offers a range of drag-and-drop tools and useful resources that can help the everyday user. The platform is translated into over 95 languages and powers learning environments worldwide.

• Has a desktop and mobile app (iOS and Android)
• Offers a variety of customization options and integrations to plugins and add-ons
• Gives you access to a community of developers, users, and certified partners that share best practices on the use of the platform
• Doesn’t offer an email or 24/7 support
• Primitive and not as user-friendly interface
• Comes with limited gamification options
• Can be expensive if you are hosting the solution but don’t have an in-house IT team
• Its setup can be tricky and time-consuming without the help of a certified Moodle partner
• Its consultation services may come with an additional fee

It’s suitable for educators, freelancers, businesses, and public administrations.

Moodle comes in two variations. The first one is the original open-source Moodle which is free to use and runs most self-hosted eLearning websites. The other one is MoodleCloud, which offers a cloud-based solution, and its pricing is based on the number of users and file storage.

For off-the-shelf hosting:

• Starter : €120/year (50 users, 250MB)
• Mini : €200/year (100 users, 500MB)
• Small : €370/year (200 users, 1GB)
• Medium : €860/year (500 users, 2.5GB)
• Large : €1,630/year (1,000 users, 5GB)

For premium hosting: Customized pricing

*Pricing information retrieved from MoodleCloud on October 26, 2023.

Platform #6: Talent LMS

TalentLMS is another popular and cloud-based LMS option and already serves 70,000+ teams worldwide. It offers online course creators and businesses the opportunity to build training programs and share them with remote teams.

The platform comes with a range of options from building to organizing and delivering course content, as well as customizing website design and scaling your business.

• Offers a clean and user-friendly interface
• Easy to create courses in different categories
• Comes with a mobile app (for iOS and Android)
• Supports SCORM, CMI5 & xAPI content
• Comes with TalentLibrary – a collection of ready-made courses
• Provides an assessment building engine (with different testing options)
• Offers gamification and e-commerce options
• Has reporting, integrations, mass actions, and account branching capabilities
• Not as responsive customer support service
• Has limited course setup and content variety options
• Offers limited functionality inside discussion forums

It is for businesses and organizations of all sizes – from SMEs to enterprises that want to train their customers, employees, and partners.

Subscription plans include standard plans and active plans.

Standard plans (on the yearly plan) include:

• Starter : $89/month
• Basic : $189/month
• Plus : $369/month
• Premium : $569/month

Active plans (on the yearly plan) include:

• Starter Active : $179/month
• Basic Active : $339/month
• Plus Active : $489/month
• Premium Active : $649/month

Pricing changes on each plan when TalentLibrary is added to the package. See additional prices on TalentLMS .

*Pricing information retrieved from TalentLMS on October 26, 2023.

If you are using a WordPress-powered website, and you want to start creating and selling courses, a WordPress LMS plugin is what you need.

With an add-on tool like a plugin, you get to increase the functionality of your site and allow yourself more control over the administration and management aspects of your online course business.

WordPress LMS plugins are usually the cheapest option for hosting a cloud LMS , but offer much less functionality and come with high maintenance costs. They usually require some experience with WordPress or a developer to customize to your exact specifications.

They are ideal if you want to combine them with other plugins to offer a unique experience and add features to your membership site, however, there is a dangerous downside to using them. Combining many WordPress plugins without a dev team to support them may come with many bugs and incompatibilities.

The following LMS plugins are recommended if you have the team and time to implement and effectively maintain them:

Plugin #1: LearnDash

LearnDash is the most popular premium WordPress LMS plugin in the market. With it, you can design, promote, and sell online courses. Currently, it is being used by Fortune 500 companies and prestigious universities. Out of the best features it offers, its speed and its drag-and-drop course builder make the process of course creation both easy and enjoyable.

LearnDash Themes : There are many themes you can choose when using Learndash. WP Mayor has collected the 12 best themes that will elevate the quality of your online courses and your school’s. Astra, Social Learner, eLumine, and Unidash are some of the most notable ones.

• Offers membership, subscription, and one-time pricing options
• Features test and management tools, e.g., grade books and student metrics.
• Works with any WordPress theme and multi-sites
• Supports many types of media, including video, audio, images, Adobe Captivate files, and Google Docs
• Compatible with PayPal and Stripe payment gateways
• Provides the ability to market courses through monetization tools (shopping cart, memberships, subscriptions, course bundles, and course licenses)
• Provides automated email notifications and detailed reporting
• Integrates with popular tools (like Zapier, Slack, & ConvertKit)
• Offers drip-feed content, flexible prerequisites, badges, and certificates
• Allows you to install extra extensions and premium add-ons (such as the frontend course creation add-on) for advanced functionality
• No free trial, but you can cancel within 15 days (if you don’t like the product)
• Doesn’t have any video conferencing tools
• Has to be integrated with a third-party plugin like WooCommerce or Easy Digital Downloads to offer comprehensive payment options

It can be used by individuals, authors, companies, universities, training organizations, and entrepreneurs worldwide to help them create and sell their courses.

There are two ways to use LearnDash – either getting the plugin or launching a fully-hosted course website.

LearnDash plugin’s pricing is based on the number of site licenses:

• 1 site license: $199/year
• 10 site licenses: $399/year
• Unlimited: $799/year

LearnDash Cloud (full-site) comes in a monthly and yearly subscriptions in 3 plans:

• Starter: $29/month
• Yearly: $299/year

Information retrieved from LearnDash on October 26, 2023.

💁 Compare LearnWorlds vs LearnDash

💁 Compare LearnWorlds vs WooCommerce

Plugin #2: LifterLMS

LifterLMS is the leading free open-source WordPress LMS solution. It comes with content management tools that can help you offer individual courses, training-based membership websites, and MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses). LifterLMS allows you to build an LMS that can be enriched with add-ons and meet the unique needs of individuals, small groups, and niche markets.

LifterLMS Themes : There is a large variety of themes you can choose from with LifterLMS. Find them on the platform’s website and pick the one that works the best with your subject, industry, or business (e.g. consultancy, entrepreneurial, and more).

• Comes with a 30-day demo for $1
• Has an automated mailing system and video lesson support
• Offers course completion certificates and achievement badges
• Supports flexible payment options (bundles, coupons, upsells, and more)
• Comes with built-in membership features, quizzes, and gradebooks
• Has a drag-and-drop builder that makes it easy to set up and create courses
• Integrates with key marketing tools, including MailChimp, WooCommerce, and WPForms
• It can get expensive if you need multiple add-ons (e.g. payment gateways)
• Not SCORM-compliant

It is suited for businesses, teachers, and WordPress users – developers, designers, and IT professionals who build LMS websites and training portals. It is also fit for do-it-yourself innovators who are interested in creating online courses, coaching or training-based membership websites, and hosted LMS platform switchers.

LifterLMS has three subscription packages.

• Earth Bundle : $199/year
• Universe Bundle : $360/year
• Infinity Bundle : $1200/year

*Information retrieved from LifterLMS on October 26, 2023.

Plugin #3: LearnPress

LearnPress is another popular choice amongst WordPress LMS plugins. It offers a free version which means that all the essential features are free, and you can get add-ons at a cost depending on how advanced you want your school website to be. It is rather easy to use, and it has a friendly interface.

LearnPress Themes : You will most likely need to pay around $50 (one-time) to get a theme. Choose your theme from the LearnPress theme collection wisely because the add-ons you get can only be used for the specific theme you choose.

• Has a free plan and mobile app (iOS & Android)
• Offers theme demos that allow you to preview your website design
• Frequently updated to address bugs and improve security
• It is a great option for beginners
• Allows integration with BuddyPress and BBPress forums
• Its free add-ons include Wishlist, course reviews, and prerequisite courses
• Has an in-built automatic email system that allows you to send quiz results to participants
• Supports a collection of payment gateways such as PayPal, 2Checkout, Authorize.net, and Stripe
• Has management tools for tracking students, grades, and course content
• Might be expensive to get all the features and add-ons at once
• Its best available plan only offers up to 3 site licenses
• Needs premium add-ons to offer the drip-feed and certificates capability
• Doesn’t come with a setup wizard like most WordPress plugins
• Lacks a variety of communication tools

It is best suited to individuals who already have or want to build an eLearning website or online school, entrepreneurs, web development agencies, and educational institutions.

• LearnPress Free : $0
• LearnPress Theme Bundle : starting $49 – $69 (one-time payment – 1 site license)
• LearnPress Pro Bundle : $249.99 with access to all add-ons (one-time payment – 3 site licenses)

*Information retrieved from ThimPress on October 26, 2023.

Plugin #4: MemberPress

With MemberPress as the ‘all-in-one’ membership plugin, you can create powerful WordPress membership sites . MemberPress offers a solution that allows you to protect your course by offering gated content that you can share with specific members or a closed community.

While it is not really a learning management system, many entrepreneurs use MemberPress alone or in a combination with other plugins to offer online courses.

LearnPress Themes : If you are struggling to choose a theme for your membership site, MemberPress has prepared a dedicated list of membership themes that they recommend for use.

• Restricts and manages access to your learning materials and courses
• Hosts unlimited members and memberships
• Has automatic upgrade and downgrade prorations
• Provides full subscription and transaction management
• Offers content access drip, access expiration, and premium community forums
• Includes comprehensive reporting, custom registration, account fields, and built-in integrations
• Doesn’t have a free trial or free version
• Doesn’t offer certificates
• Doesn’t have a drag-and-drop builder
• Might be more complicated or need a longer time for setup
• Doesn’t offer live online learning or webinars; only documentation
• Works best for online courses when combined with a WordPress LMS plugin like LearnDash

It is ideal for creators, podcasters, hobbyists, entrepreneurs of any industry (fitness, beauty, arts, etc.), tutors, teachers, writers, coaches, nutritionists, consultants, designers, religious organizations, communities, and online stores.

MemberPress has three subscription packages:

• Basic : $179.50 per year
• Plus : $299.50 per year
• Pro : $399.50 per year

*Information retrieved from MemberPress on October 26, 2023.

Plugin #5: WPLMS

WPLMS is one of the best social learning management systems for WordPress on the market. This tool makes it easy to create and sell online courses, work with other instructors within a community and earn commissions. Some of the notable features it offers are activity tracking, course directories, course management, and a front-end course creator.

WPLMS Themes : Its biggest asset is the collection of education-specific WordPress themes it comes with that makes it easy to adjust to your school site requirements. You can get an idea of what it offers through WPLMS’s theme demos .

• Has a mobile app (for iOS and Android)
• Is one of the most affordable and feature-rich WordPress LMSs
• Extends and integrates with third-party services and popular WordPress plugins including WooCommerce for monetization and BBPress for discussion forums
• Supports video conferencing through integration and gamification of courses
• Offers microlearning, gamification, certificates, and badges
• Supports activity tracking, student management, question banks, and custom reports
• Provides the ability to offer course bundles, membership and corporate plans
• It doesn’t come with a free version or a free trial
• Its course creation interface is lacking in some areas
• It doesn’t come with a full drag-and-drop interface
• Lacks some customization options compared to other LMSs

It is suitable for training centers, businesses interested in offering corporate training, course tutors, colleges, schools or academies, universities, and MOOC platforms.

WPLMS has two types of licenses:

• Regular license: $75 (one-time payment)
• Extended license: $3,000 (one-time payment)

*Information retrieved from Themeforest on October 26, 2023.

On top of online learning platforms, standalone course platforms, and WordPress Plugins, there is also the option to use individual software to create different types of learning content. These are called authoring tools .

You can use an authoring tool to design and redesign the content and arrange it into an interactive format that makes sense and serves a learning purpose. The usual format these tools come in is SCORM, HTML5, xAPI, or TIN CAN files, and the results of an authoring tool can be exported and uploaded for hosting in an LMS that can support these formats.

Below are some of the best options to choose from:

Tool #1: Articulate Storyline 360

Articulate Storyline 360 is a popular course authoring tool amongst many demanding course creators and instructional designers. Many individuals and businesses are choosing it as their favorite tool because it has award-winning course creator assets, features, and useful resources and does what it promises to do.

• Has a comprehensive set of features and course-authoring apps
• Allows you to create courses manually from existing templates
• Offers live and on-demand online training (live webinar by experts)
• Has a variety of quizzes and course templates
• Allows you to add various interactions with the content
• Comes with a large library of templates, course assets, photos, videos, icons, and illustrations
• Features a review app to help you gather feedback from stakeholders easily
• Has a downloadable program only
• Has one price tier and feature set only
• It is an expensive solution compared to others
• It relies heavily on the PowerPoint experience
• Difficult to use and might need a technical expert to help you out

It is more suitable for newer designers because of its ease of use. Also, it is an ideal choice for freelancers, academics, and businesses of any size or industry.

Articulate 360 has different pricing for companies, freelancers, and academic professionals:

• For companies : $1,399/yearly (per user)
• For freelancers : personal plan – $1,099/yearly (one user) and teams plan – $1,399/yearly (per user)
• For academic : personal plan – $549/yearly (one user) and teams plan – $699/yearly (per user)

*Information retrieved from Articulate on October 26, 2023.

Tool #2: Elucidat

Elucidat comes with a beautiful user-friendly interface, modern and easy navigation, which makes it one of the easiest-to-use course creation tools on this list. While it doesn’t offer the flexibility to create your own course template, its 25,000 different ones are enough to compensate for that. As an authoring tool, Elucidat is designed for enterprises and L&D teams.

• Offers enhanced collaboration options (for L&D teams)
• Provides data protection (GDPR, data encryption)
• Comes with user permissions and access controls
• Features localization workflows
• Supports HTML5, video SCROM (1.2, 2004), xAPI (TinCan) on all browsers
• Comes with a rich course template library
• Has a range of support resources
• It lacks integrations
• You need to contact sales to get a pricing quote

It is ideal for large enterprises, academics, and non-profit organizations .

Elucidat offers a 14-day free trial and has four pricing options: Basic, Team, Enterprise, and Scale. For all plans, you need to contact Elucidat and request a price for each, depending on your requirements and the number of users.

*Information retrieved from Elucidat on October 26, 2023.

Tool #3: Adobe Captivate

Adobe Captivate is a popular choice for an authoring tool, and it’s one of the top premium ones in the market. Depending on what you need it for, you can use it to create immersive learning scenarios and high-quality online courses. Adobe Captivate promises to help you create stunning courses in minutes, and as one of the top rated and most recognized brands, it regularly updates its tool.

• Has a clean and easy-to-navigate user interface
• Allows you to create interactive training courses or videos
• Includes a green screen feature where you can insert your background
• Offers the possibility to create storyboards and offer VR immersive learning Supports smart video recording helping you create studio-quality HD videos
• Frequently updated with new services and features
• Available on MAC and Windows
• Supports a variety of mobile forms
• Has a PowerPoint integration
• Offers overlay and ready-to-go slides
• Can be difficult to use or overwhelming for new users
• Not an intuitive and user-friendly interface
• Expensive to purchase compared to other tools

It is aimed for use by freelancers, small/medium companies, large enterprises, and non-profit organizations.

Adobe Captivate offers a free trial and its price starts at $33.99/month.

*Information retrieved from Adobe on October 26, 2023.

Tool #4: Lectora

Lectora – powered by ELB Learning, checks off the majority of the feature points that come with any course authoring tool. Packed up with a responsive design, automated versioning, interactivity, branching, quizzing features, and course template options, this tool will prove itself handy for creating eLearning content.

• Comes with a built-in asset library (icons, eLearning templates, stock images, audio, video, PowerPoint templates)
• Supports SCORM, xAPI, HTML5, AICC, and cmi5
• Integrates well with every LMS platform
• Easy to use and easy to understand
• Comes with a wide range of editing features
• Offers knowledge tests, quizzes, built-in navigations, and interactions
• Has some new features that can be quirky with different browsers
• Offers limited options in interactions
• Comes with limited abilities in advanced animations

It is ideal for freelancers, small/medium companies, large enterprises, and non-profit organizations.

Lectora has three pricing plans:

• Silver Suite : $999/year (for individual use)
• Gold Suite : $1,399/yearly (for teams, per author pricing)
• Platinum : $1,999/year (for teams, per author pricing)

*Information retrieved from ELB Learning on October 26, 2023.

Tool #5: EasyGenerator

Just like its name suggests, EasyGenerator is an authoring tool that is super easy to use. It has rich interface options, and it is great for use by individuals who are just starting out and have no previous experience in creating online courses. This tool aims to simplify the course creation process to make it accessible to everyone.

• Offers the ability to do PowerPoint imports
• Provides course auto-translation with one click (from/to 75 languages)
• Has a drag-and-drop functionality
• Supports SCORM (1.2, 2004) and xAPI
• Allows you to access learner insights (performance & engagement)
• Comes with a stock-image library
• It is compatible with most LMS platforms out there
• Its drag-and-drop feature doesn’t always work on mobiles
• It can be difficult to use in the beginning

It is ideal for individuals who have no eLearning background. It is up for use by freelancers, small/medium companies, large enterprises, and non-profit organizations.

Easy Generator has three pricing plans:

• Pro : $108/month (1 author, 10 courses, 100 learners)
• Team : $541/month (5 authors, unlimited courses, unlimited learners)
• Enterprise : you need to contact EasyGenerator for custom pricing (unlimited authors, unlimited courses, and unlimited learners)

*Information retrieved from EasyGenerator on October 26, 2023.

Choosing an Online Learning Platform

As you can see, there are many options available when it comes to offering online learning, and each one carries its own strengths and weaknesses. While you may find it time-consuming to go through every small bit of detail that describes each platform and tool, conducting some research on those you are most interested in is highly recommended before finalizing your decision.

Don’t forget, most platforms allow you to have a test drive before you buy their products, so make sure you give it a try and see how it works with other edtech tools!

In the end, the best option for you is to choose the one that best accommodates your needs and works well with your budget.

Want to try out LearnWorlds? It is our very own all-in-one online course platform and what we believe to be the best for creating, selling, and delivering online courses. Get your 30-day free trial today!

Further reading you might find interesting:

• How to Teach Online
• The 7 Best Kajabi Alternatives Reviewed
• The 10 Best eLearning Authoring Tools: Review & Comparison
• Customer Education: The What, Why & How Behind It [Guide]
• 6 Top Thinkific Alternatives Reviewed
• The 5 Best Teachable Alternatives Reviewed
• The 9 Best Mighty Networks Alternatives Reviewed
• Best Online Coaching Platforms

Kyriaki Raouna

Kyriaki is a Content Creator for the LearnWorlds team writing about marketing and e-learning, helping course creators on their journey to create, market, and sell their online courses. Equipped with a degree in Career Guidance, she has a strong background in education management and career success. In her free time, she gets crafty and musical.

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Back in the day, if you wanted to learn something new, you'd go to school for it. Today, educational institutions offer their full programs and individual courses online. Experts in almost every field create programs and courses online to share their knowledge with a worldwide audience.

Both educational institutions and individual experts who want to offer their courses online need somewhere to host it and get it out to people who want to learn. This is why there are many platforms dedicated to offering online courses. Some focus on tighter niches like green technology . Others include courses in a variety of fields.

Whatever you're interested in learning, you can find a course about it from the educational course sites listed below. From beginner levels to intermediate and advanced, there's something for everybody.

Diversity of content; some inexpensive

Top-notch faculty and institutions

The "anyone can be an instructor" approach means lesser-known instructors will be hit-or-miss

Udemy is the online education site that tops this list for being a popular and valuable resource. You can search over 190,000 courses on different topics. Download the Udemy app to take your learning mobile for quick lessons and study sessions when you're on the go.

Some Udemy courses are free, and others start as low as $15. If you're an expert looking to create and launch a course of your own, you can become an instructor with Udemy and take advantage of their massive user base to attract students.

Excellent courses taught by national leaders

Reasonable price points

Academic rigor is reasonably strong

Topics are heavily focused on programming and science

If you're looking to take courses from over 275 of the country's top universities and organizations, then Coursera is for you. Coursera has partnered with the University of Pennsylvania, Stanford University, the University of Michigan, and others to offer universal access to the world's best education.

You'll find over 5,400 paid and unpaid courses on Coursera related to computer science, business, social sciences, and more. Coursera also has a mobile app available so you can learn at your pace on-the-go.

LinkedIn Learning

Ala carte model for one monthly subscription cost

Focus on professional development

Hit-or-miss content based on the skill and expertise of the course designer

LinkedIn Learning is a popular educational hub for professionals looking to learn new business, creativity, and technology skills. With over 20,600 expert-led courses, categories include animation, audio and music, business, design, development, marketing, photography, video, and more.

When you sign up with LinkedIn Learning, you get a 30-day free trial. You're then charged either $20 a month for an annual membership or $40 for a month-to-month membership. If you want to deactivate your membership and come back later, LinkedIn Learning has a reactivate feature that restores your account information, including your course history and progress.

Open Culture

 Open Culture

Great clearinghouse of free educational materials

No cost to browse the large library of offerings

Open Culture isn't an educational provider. It's only a curator of other people's content

If you're on a budget and looking for quality education content, check out Open Culture's library of 1,700 courses with over 45,000 hours of audio and video lectures that are free. You'll have to spend a bit of time scrolling through the single page containing 1,700 course links with courses organized by category in alphabetical order.

Many of the courses available on Open Culture are from leading institutions from around the world, including Yale, Stanford, MIT, Harvard, Berkley, and others.  Audiobooks , ebooks, and certificate courses are also available.

Open-source philosophy

Well-curated and well-delivered content by industry experts

Credential programs available

Content tends to be dominated by programming and the sciences

Similarly to Coursera, edX offers access to higher education from over 160 of the world's leading educational institutions, including Harvard, MIT, Berkley, the University System of Maryland, the University of Queensland, and others. Founded and governed by colleges and universities, edX is the only open-source and nonprofit MOOC (Massive Open Online Courses) leader.

Find courses in computer science, language, psychology, engineering, biology, marketing, or any other field that interests you. Use it for high school level education or to earn credits for university. You'll receive an official credential from the institution to verify your achievement.

Great content for creative professionals

A subscription-only model with no trial period

Envato's Tuts+ is for those who work and play in creative technology. In addition to its vast library of how-to tutorials, courses are available in design, illustration, code, web design, photography, video, business, music, and audio.

Tuts+ has almost 30,000 tutorials and over 1,300 video courses, with new courses added every week. There isn't a free trial, but the membership is affordable at $16.50 a month.

Focus on technology skills that are in demand by businesses

A well-designed platform that offers credentials and transcripts

The catalog is deep, but not broad

Heavy focus on tech topics

Udacity is dedicated to bringing higher education to the world in the most accessible, affordable, and effective ways possible. Udacity offers online courses and credentials that teach students the skills that are currently in demand by industry employers. They claim to offer their education at a fraction of the cost of traditional schooling.

This is an excellent platform to look into if you plan on working in technology. With courses and credentials in Android, iOS, data science, and software engineering, you can get access to the most up to date education in these innovative areas that are relevant to today's tech companies and startups.

No-cost education

Clean, easy-to-use interface

Wide variety of subjects

Some courses are too niche

Not many well-known providers of content

With 25 million students from across the world, ALISON is an online learning resource that offers free, high-quality courses, education services, and community support. Their resources are designed for anyone looking for a new job, promotion, college placement, or business venture.

Choose from a variety of subjects to pick from thousands of free courses designed to provide you with certificate and diploma level education. You'll also be required to take assessments and score at least 80 percent to pass, so you'll have the skills to move forward.

An eclectic collection of lessons on a variety of subjects

Free content

Some content is so terse (like five-minute video courses) that its value is questionable

OpenLearn is designed to give users free access to educational materials. It was launched in the late 1990s to offer online learning in a broadcast collaboration with the BBC. Today, OpenLearn offers topical and interactive content in a variety of content formats, including courses.

You can filter the free courses by activity, format (audio or video), subject, and more options. All courses are listed with the level (introductory, intermediate, and more) and the time length to give you an idea of what to expect.

FutureLearn

 FutureLearn

Emphasis on group learning and peer engagement

A broad cross-section of content

Can't jump into a course whenever you want, many have start and end dates

Like OpenLearn, FutureLearn is part of The Open University. It is another alternative on this list that offers course programs from leading educational institutions and organization partners. Courses are delivered a step at a time and can be learned at your pace while accessed from a desktop or mobile device.

One benefit of FutureLearn is its commitment to social learning, giving its students the opportunity to engage in discussions with others throughout the course. FutureLearn also offers full programs, which contain several courses for more extensive learning.

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Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are free online courses available for anyone to enroll. MOOCs provide an affordable and flexible way to learn new skills, advance your career and deliver quality educational experiences at scale.

Millions of people around the world use MOOCs to learn for a variety of reasons, including: career development, changing careers, college preparations, supplemental learning, lifelong learning, corporate eLearning & training, and more.

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The 18 most popular online professional certification programs on Coursera, led by companies like Google and Facebook

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• Coursera offers online certification programs from top employers such as Google and Facebook .
• You can become job-ready for desirable, entry-level roles in a matter of months.
• Here are the most popular certificates on Coursera, from project management to data analytics .

One of the most enduring appeals of taking an online class is the simple, affordable gateway it can provide to a new, better-paying, and stabler career. An additional perk of finishing an online course or program is gaining a professional certificate : A recognition you can add to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV to show future employers your proficiency and initiative.

Unlike master's degrees or bootcamps, online professional certificates are usually shorter-term, more flexible, and a fraction of the cost of traditional continuing education. Entry-level certificates also don't usually require prior knowledge or degrees to sign up for.

Coursera , one of the most popular online platforms, offers a number of professional certificate programs through top employers such as IBM , Meta (f.k.a. Facebook ), Google , and Amazon Web Services , often taught by experts at those companies. 

Most Coursera programs are self-paced and cost from $39-$49 per month, so the faster you finish, the more you save. (If your goal career requires you to take multiple programs, or you plan on really taking your time to complete the coursework, you may also want to consider a Coursera Plus subscription if it saves you money .)

Below, you'll find the 18 most popular entry-level certificate programs on Coursera . Class objectives range from getting job-ready for data science roles to successfully passing the Intuit Certified Bookkeeping Professional exam . Some programs even give students who've completed the programs access to an exclusive careers network that connects them with dozens of employers . 

The 18 most popular entry-level Coursera professional certificates right now:

Google data analytics.

Enroll here

Learn how to tackle the day-to-day responsibilities of a junior or associate data analyst by gaining key skills like data cleaning, data analysis, and data visualization using tools like Tableau and programming languages like R and SQL.

Google Project Management

For those looking into entry-level project management roles, this program explains the basics of Agile project management, focusing on Scrum events, artifacts, and roles. Students also learn strategic communication skills through real-world scenarios.

Google UX Design

This program covers a broad overview of the design process before going into the fundamentals of UX design and having students complete a UX portfolio of three projects: A mobile app, a functioning website, and a cross-platform experience.

Google IT Support

Learn the skills necessary to apply to entry-level IT jobs, from completing IT support tasks like computer assembly, wireless networking, program installation, troubleshooting, debugging, and customer service.

IBM Data Science

Develop career-relevant skills in data science and machine learning. Note: You don't need prior knowledge of computer science or programming languages.

Facebook Marketing Analytics

This early career program teaches students marketing analytics skills to take them from beginner to job-ready.

Google IT Automation with Python

To advance your IT career, learn skills in Python, Git, and automation, including managing IT resources in the cloud, writing Python scripts, and troubleshooting IT problems.

IBM Data Analyst

Build the skills needed for entry-level data analyst roles through the course of eight classes. You'll gain practical experience with data manipulation and analytical techniques and use data analysis tools including Excel, SQL, Python, Jupyter Notebooks, and Cognos Analytics.

Facebook Social Media Marketing

This five-course professional certificate program is designed to make social media marketing beginners equipped for entry-level roles. You'll create and analyze an effective advertising campaign for your target audience, make a creative brief, establish and manage a social media presence, and use Facebook Ads Manager to perfect your ads.

IBM Cybersecurity Analyst

Over eight courses, students gain the technical skills to be job-ready for a cybersecurity analyst role. You'll gain skills for incident responses and forensics using real-world cybersecurity case studies and build knowledge in data protection, endpoint protection, and SIEM, as well as systems and network fundamentals.  

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This five-course program helps students build job-ready skills for entry-level Sales Development Representative (SDR) positions.

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5 free online courses with certificates in 2024.

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Online Education. Serious african man studying and working online, watching webinar on a laptop and ... [+] taking notes. African man on a distance learning, sitting at kitchen table at home

We all know that gaining a certificate is a sure-fire way to attract the attention of recruiters and hiring managers when searching for a new position, or that of your employer when seeking to progress up the ladder.

But unfortunately, with the cost of living crisis, not everyone can afford the luxury of attending a three-day conference or business training event, obtaining a certificate from a higher education institution, or even being able to pay for some of the relatively low-cost distance learning courses online.

Especially if you've been hit with a layoff, you understand just how critical it is to guard your pennies closely, to make them stretch until the first payday in your new job. But at the same time, while completing a course is certainly an achievement, it's even better when you have a certificate to prove it. This means that many professionals like you who have been laid off or are struggling to make ends meet with their current salary, are facing quite a paradoxical situation.

The good news is that you don't need to sacrifice your certificate if you are tight on cash. You can still learn a new skill, totally for free, with a reputable provider—some of them being big name employers such as Meta or Google—and come away with a certification at the end.

The five courses with certificates below are just a sample of online courses that will not only help you improve and learn new skills, but will give you something to show for it—all without you having to spend a dime.

Best High-Yield Savings Accounts Of 2024

Best 5% interest savings accounts of 2024, 1. ibm—python for data science, ai, and development.

This comprehensive foundational course is provided by Coursera and taught by IBM instructors. It is self-paced and very much hands-on, including 22 assessments or assignments. The course teaches you the fundamentals of the programming language Python, and how to apply Python to read and write files and work with data. Upon completion, you can obtain a certificate. The entire course and certificate (which you can also share to LinkedIn) is free if you require financial aid.

2. Google IT Support

Another popular free online course with a certificate, that teaches you in-demand skills is Google's IT Support certificate, also offered by Coursera. This is a fantastic certification to add to your resume if you are applying for an entry-level IT role. When you finish your studies and earn a certificate, you are able to utilize their career and job search resources, including access to an employer consortium of major tech companies, such as Google and Salesforce.

3. Google Project Management Certificate

If you're launching your project management career, you might have the goal of obtaining your PMP certification. This is a worthy endeavour, but it might be out of reach if you cannot afford to expend money on your professional development right now. Google's project management certificate, which covers the foundations of project management, is available via Coursera, and you can get a free certificate upon completion as well.

This is a great way to get your foot in the door and obtain recognition from employers while on your journey towards advancing your project management expertise with a certificate from the Project Management Institute.

4. CompTIA Security+

Alison offers courses within cyber security and information technology such as Comptia Security+. With all of Alison's courses, you can be eligible for a certificate if you pass the final assessment with a minimum of an 80% score.

Unlike some of the other course providers listed in this article, Alison's certificates do come with a small fee—their lowest being their digital certificates priced at $22 at the time of writing. However if you are unable to afford this, they state on their website that you can still use and share your learner record which works just as well for the purpose of proving your professional development.

5. Excel For Beginners

If your role requires the use of Microsoft Excel and you're not feeling confident with it, Great Learning offers a free course covering the basics such as cell referencing, and sorting and filtering data, and a free certificate of completion is also included.

You don't need to sacrifice content and training quality when you study for free

These courses offering free certificates are a mere handful of the thousands that are available on these and other platforms, covering a wide range of subjects, from tech, to sales and business development, to marketing, leadership, and finance. With so many options available, there is nothing holding you back from reaching the next level in your career development journey.

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Online marketing for beginners: 10 paid and free courses to start with

In today’s digital marketplace, personalization is king. Hubspot’s The State of Marketing 2024 report underscores this, revealing that 75% of marketers credit personalized experiences with boosting sales and customer loyalty. This strategic focus is reshaping companies’ online narratives, directly influencing a return on investment (ROI) and growth trajectories.

The digital realm demands a deep understanding of consumer behavior, market trends, and keeping up with technological trends and advancements. For those carving out a career in digital or online marketing, you’re in an era where science meets creativity. 

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Dr. Jonah Berger, a Wharton School professor at the University of Pennsylvania and bestselling author of books like Magic Words and The Catalyst , views the right digital marketing course as a critical piece in the puzzle of success.

“If you already have your product, a class can teach you how to get it to the right customers,” he asserts. Berger emphasizes the versatility of digital marketing education, noting that it can guide entrepreneurs in everything from product design to startup selection.

He advises prospective students to first identify their needs and desired outcomes before choosing a course. “The more that courses help you address a particular tactical need you have, the better off you’re going to be,” he explains. He encourages focusing on “modern marketing” trends such as customer centricity, highlighting the shift towards prioritizing the customer’s perspective over the product or service.

For Berger, truly successful digital marketing lies in “the marriage of data science and behavioral science.” He stresses the importance of understanding customer decision-making while leveraging data for deeper insights. This approach is paramount in a landscape dominated by search engines, social media, and omni-channel marketing strategies.

For those interested in working in the online marketing industry, taking a course can be an effective way to build a solid foundation. Fortune compiled a list of both free and paid online marketing courses you can take on your home computer to help you add the skill to your digital toolbox. 

5 free online marketing courses

Enrolling in a free course can give you the necessary skills to get started without breaking the bank. These five free online courses teach digital marketing at an introductory level. Each varies on program length but offers generalized coursework. The list is in alphabetical order.

1. CareerFoundry: Digital Marketing Program

This one is for people who don’t have a lot of time but still want to dip their toes in the digital marketing waters. To figure out if digital marketing is right for you, CareerFoundry can send you a free five-day short course to your email inbox. Each lesson takes around 15 minutes, offering barebones instruction to the world of digital marketing and making a career change. It’s worth noting that the content you receive is the beginning lessons of a much more robust, four to seven-month long, $6,900 immersive, should you want to opt for the paid version. 

2. Google: Fundamentals of Digital Marketing

This 40-hour course, offered by one of the most popular search engine companies, teaches digital marketing at an entry-level . The 24-module class, accredited by the Interactive Advertising Bureau Europe and The Open University, contains hands-on exercises.

Tutorials include topics like making it easy to find a business on the internet and reaching customers through email and video. After passing each tutorial, the course offers one final assessment, and after taking and passing that, you will receive a sharable award to add to your LinkedIn profile.

3. Meta: Blueprint

Facebook’s parent company, Meta, offers 36 free courses in its Blueprint program . The program aims to give learners fast, self-guided digital marketing walkthroughs and training on sites like Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Topics range from bringing your business online and establishing marketing goals to attracting an audience and making creative Instagram Stories. 

4. Simplilearn: Digital Marketing Strategy

This free course by Simplilearn consists of seven main modules, each containing a self-paced string of video lessons. It aims to provide learners with an introduction to the digital marketing landscape. 

In two hours, you will learn about customer segmentation and persona, plus you’ll learn how to conduct market research and create a marketing calendar. After each chapter, there is a knowledge check, and after completing the class, you will receive a certificate of completion. According to the site, more than 25,000 people have enrolled in this course.

5. Udemy: Marketing on Instagram 

This introductory course from Three Sixty Academy , offered on the Udemy platform, teaches learners the fundamentals of Instagram marketing and how to increase your follower base and maximize ROI. The course consists of nine tutorials over the course of 40 minutes. According to the site, more than 30,000 students have enrolled in this course. 

5 paid online marketing courses

Taking paid courses can be an effective way to learn marketing concepts and practical applications. By paying for a course, you can access comprehensive content and detailed explanations in a structured learning environment. This can help you gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter and improve your skills. Courses are listed in alphabetical order.

1. Coursera: Introduction to Digital Marketing

Coursera has a beginner-level course that lasts for around nine hours and is taught by Steve Fritzenkotter, a continuing education instructor from the University of California, Irvine. The course covers everything from search engine marketing and two-way communication with customers to storytelling and reputation management. 

According to the site, it’s free to start, but after a seven-day trial period, you’ll be required to pay $49 monthly. The subscription gives you access to all of the lectures, assignments, knowledge checks, discussion forums, and even a certification of completion. Lastly, the course has more than 10,500 enrollees. 

2. eCornell: Assessing Opportunities in Paid Digital Media

eCornell’s online paid media course covers the basics of search engine marketing, email marketing, and video marketing through a paid lens. The course tackles topics like social media and mobile ads and will guide you through the process of drafting a paid media marketing plan. 

This two-week, fully online, instructor-led course is targeted towards marketing managers who want to understand the role digital marketing plays in an organization. The course is priced at $1,199 and is part of eCornell’s Digital Marketing program, which is priced at $3,699 and includes four courses. After completing the entire program, you will have earned a certificate.

3. Harvard Business School: Digital Marketing Strategy

Harvard Business School Online’s digital marketing course is seven weeks long, self-paced, and contains six modules. The key concepts taught are the evolution of marketing, different approaches to budget allocation, and customer engagement techniques like storytelling and personalization. 

The featured exercises include building a practice budget, calculating a customer’s lifetime value, and advising a real-life company on its marketing plan. The course costs $1,750, and the application is free, but you must be at least 18 years old to apply. 

4. LinkedIn Learning: Advance as a Digital Marketing Specialist

LinkedIn Learning’s digital marketing career path is a comprehensive program with nine courses. Each one is more than ten hours long and is designed to teach learners how to create effective customer touchpoints, develop content strategies, and gain expertise in SEO and analytics. Upon completing the program, students receive a certificate that can be added to their LinkedIn profile.

The lectures are delivered by industry experts Brad Batesole, who teaches part-time at California State University Northridge, and Marta Dapena-Baron, a former marketing lecturer at the University of Michigan and Cornell University.

To access this course path, users must subscribe to the service. The subscription costs $379.88 per seat per year, with a two-seat minimum requirement for teams.

5. Udemy: The Complete Digital Marketing Course—12 Courses in 1 

This $199.99 course offered by Udemy teaches students how to master digital marketing strategy and the fundamentals of social media, SEO, YouTube, email, X (formerly Twitter), Quora, and Facebook marketing. Taught in 17 languages over 22.5 hours of videos and articles, it also teaches you copywriting, making a website, and performing market research. 

According to the site, the course comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, and it caters to three target audiences: individuals who wish to enhance their skills for job opportunities, website owners looking to boost their traffic and sales, and pre-launch business owners who are unsure where to begin.

Things to consider before enrolling in an online marketing course

If there’s one takeaway from this article, it’s that there are a lot of options in terms of the kinds of courses you can take. An overwhelming number of options can lead to analysis paralysis, so it’s important to remember that while some courses might sound great, they might not give you the exact results you’re looking for. 

Before spending your hard-earned cash or wasting your time with any marketing course, consider these factors:

• Hands-on practice : According to a report by the U.S. Department of Education ,  the term “hands-on approach” refers to guided instruction through experience. “It’s one thing to hear somebody say something. It can be quite another to make sure you can apply that thing,” Berger says. “It’s important to learn from others, but you need to make sure you can apply those learnings as well.” 
• Reviews : Berger says that word of mouth is another powerful tool in determining what you should spend your money and time on. “When I am making a tough decision, I turn to others—either looking at reviews online or talking with people offline—to understand what other people think and help make better decisions.” Sites like Udemy and Simplilearn provide ratings on the front pages of courses. 

So, what is the best online marketing course to take?

The best online marketing course is the one that best suits your needs. While you can scroll through thousands of TikTok and YouTube videos to pick up key information, a structured course can give you the backbone you need to improve your digital marketing skills. 

Whether you want to learn for free or for money, there’s an option for everyone. But if you’re still on the fence about taking an online marketing course, hear Berger’s advice: 

“Marketing touches almost everything we do—we all have a customer. Brand managers sell products, B2B companies sell services, leaders sell ideas, doctors convince patients to take medicine, lawyers try to convince their clients to take action, and employees try to convince their bosses.”

He explains that whether we interface with our customers, spouses, or children, we aim to understand them and meet them where they are. “It’s about understanding who you’re interacting with and delivering them value.” If that sounds interesting to you, then digital marketing could be a good career path. 

Fortune outlined the path you need to take to become a digital marketer , and we also compiled a list of 16 entrepreneurial classes you can take online now .

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5 Popular Language Learning Sites to Help Expand Your Skills From Home

Take advantage of these online courses to pick up a new language before you head out on your travels

By Rylee Johnston

Rylee Johnston

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Trending on billboard, what are the best online learning sites.

Instead of leaving you to do the research yourself, Billboard Shopping has rounded up some of the most popular online language learning sites to help you find the right platform for you or to gift your loved one.

Keep reading to discover the best language learning sites below.

Rosetta Stone

Rosetta Stone is one of the most-popular online language sites, thanks to its easy-to-follow format and long list of languages. Once you sign up, you’ll be given a personalized learning plan that you can follow on your laptop, tablet or complete lessons straight from your smartphone. Live-streamed classes are offered or you can download lessons and audioguides to take with you on the go.

Unlike Rosetta Stone, which only offers language courses online, Udemy offers a variety of online classes, including languages, photography, business skills and even health and wellness. Whereas Rosetta Stone gets you lifetime access to all the classes on its site, Udemy lets you choose individual classes to take. When you sign up, each course comes with on-demand videos and practice tests to assess your skills. Most courses come with downloadable articles and a certificate of completion when you finish — and you can do it all on a smartphone or a computer.

For a more customizable experience, Udemy is offering a new-learner offer that’ll get you classes for as low as $14.99/month. The platform also offers a seven day free trial, so you can access more than 11,000 classes, certification prep, goal-focused recommendations and AI-powered coding exercises. You can choose from a personal plan or if you’re looking to share it with your entire workforce, there’s an enterprise option.

Similar to Udemy, Coursera provides a range of online courses including languages like Korean and French. Each course will come with a set amount of lessons with an estimated amount of time it will take to complete. The lessons also list out how many videos you’ll be required to watch, if there are any readings and the total amount of quizzes. If you’re in a time crunch, each lesson also tells you how much time it’ll take to get through. If you’re traveling you can do most of the work through your smartphone or you can use a laptop.

Preply offers a more interactive experience no matter if you want to learn Arabic or Japanese. When you sign up, you will be able to find a tutor who you’ll connect with for up to 50 minutes virtually. From there, you’ll get to know one another and create a customized learning plan based on your goals. Then, you get to decide how many lessons you want to have a week or month, and you’ll be charged on a 28-day cycle. You can do it all through a computer, tablet or smartphone.

More than 30,000 real-life tutors are available with lessons starting as low as $5 per session. You can choose how many lessons you want to do and read reviews based on other learners to discover the best tutor for you.

Babbel looks to teach you language skills you can apply to your life right away. Using a focus on speaking and pronunciation, you’ll be able participate in live online courses with real instructors or use the online app to play language games, listen to podcasts and more using your smartphone. When you first sign up, you’ll be able to create your own personalized language learning routine based on your schedule all through the app.

Choose from a one, three, six or 12 month subscription or you can pay a one-time payment for a lifetime subscription.

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