Posted by Many people often worry about the caliber of online courses, such as “Will an online course platform teach you anything?” and “Will a future employer recognize it?” You needn’t worry because this article is meant to alleviate your fears and provide solutions to your problems. We have chosen 10 of the best online course platforms for you; these websites tick every box needed for an engaging and comprehensive learning experience at an affordable price.
Online learning has skyrocketed in just a few years, redefining how we acquire knowledge. Why the explosive popularity? It’s simple: online education is cost-effective, efficient, stress-free, and time-saving. That’s why more and more learners are embracing the freedom to choose when and how they want to learn.
Top Things to Consider When Selecting an Online Course Platform:
- Course Variety: Evaluate the platform’s course catalog to ensure it offers diverse subjects and topics that align with your learning goals and interests.
- Reputation and Credibility: Research the platform’s standing in the education industry. Look for user reviews, testimonials, and endorsements from reputable institutions or educators to gauge the platform’s credibility.
- Instructor Quality: Assess the instructors’ qualifications, expertise, and teaching experience on the platform. High-quality instructors can significantly enhance your learning experience.
- Learning Experience: Consider the platform’s learning features, such as video lectures, interactive quizzes, discussion forums, and assignments. An engaging and interactive learning experience can enhance your comprehension and retention.
- Flexibility and Accessibility: Evaluate the platform’s accessibility options, such as mobile compatibility and offline learning capabilities. Additionally, check if the courses offer self-paced learning or have fixed schedules to fit your availability and learning preferences.
- Support and Community: Look for platforms that provide adequate support channels, including technical assistance and access to a vibrant learner community. Supportive environments can enhance your learning journey and provide opportunities for collaboration.
- Pricing and Value: Compare the pricing models of different platforms, considering factors like subscription plans, one-time purchases, or individual course fees. Go for the best fit within your budget range.
- Certification and Accreditation: If you require certification for your courses, check if the platform offers recognized certificates upon completion. Accreditation from reputable organizations adds credibility to your learning achievements.
- User-Friendly Interface: Ensure that the platform has an intuitive and user-friendly interface. A well-designed platform can make navigation and course management more accessible and enjoyable.
- Scalability and Growth: If you anticipate expanding your learning journey, consider platforms that offer a wide range of advanced or specialized courses to support your ongoing educational needs.
Let’s get started revealing the best online course platforms, shall we?
Coursera
Coursera is an online platform that offers over 11,000 courses and four different types of certifications, A Specialization Certificate, a Professional Certificate, A MasterTrack Certificate, and a University-issued Certificate. It’s one of the largest global providers of massive open-access courses and was established in 2012 by two Stanford professors.
This online learning portal provides degree-level courses and credential programs. Most classes include business, physical science, engineering, and foreign languages like English, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Portuguese, Arabic, French, German, Korean, Vietnamese, and more.
It collaborates with more than 190 businesses and universities to offer entirely online, self-paced learning opportunities leading to undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate digital credentials. With 87% of customers reporting career benefits, Coursera has a high user satisfaction rating.
Coursera individual courses range from $29 to $99 each, while specialization courses cost $39 to $79 monthly.
Why We Like It
- Collaboration with 275+ prestigious universities
- Up to 2700+ free courses
- Its course prices are affordable
edX
In May 2012, edX was founded by Harvard and MIT; edX is one of the best providers of online courses as students get access to more than 4,000 courses from 250+ higher learning institutes that cover well-known topics like data science and the humanities. Through the MicroMasters and MicroBachelors programs, students can obtain college credits and professional certifications.
This platform also provides cybersecurity, front-end and full-stack programming, and computer science classes in Python. Available languages include English, Chinese, Russian, French, Italian, and Spanish. Upon successful completion, you earn a certificate as long as you enroll in the paid course.
Additionally, edX offers fully online graduate degrees, such as master’s degrees in marketing, nutritional sciences, and supply chain management. The courses consist of both text and video content and assignments. There are also course discussions where you can ask questions and interact with fellow students.
edX is the best choice for people who want to learn high-quality courses without paying so much. It is a good choice for students who have busy lifestyles and want to learn at their own pace.
Why We Like It
- 14-day refund policy
- Free course audit option
- You get to receive a verified certificate upon completion
Udemy
Another well-known online learning platform is Udemy. You can increase your knowledge with Udemy in any sector possible. This platform offers a variety of opportunities, from business and marketing to entertainment and hand weaving. Thirteen areas comprise Udemy’s course catalog: Business, Marketing, IT & Software, Office Productivity, Music, Personal Development, Teaching & Academics, Design, Lifestyle, Photography, Health & Fitness.
As the most extensive online learning provider, Udemy offers courses in 65+ languages. This platform is great because it has an extensive library with over 210,000 courses. There are beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels available for these courses.
Each Udemy course comprises a video tutorial; the typical course lasts about 5 hours, while some are only 30 minutes long. In addition, specific courses may also include assignments, quizzes, practice exams, coding exercises, and other extra materials. Additionally, you have 30 days to request a refund if you are unhappy with a course you have purchased.
Any course on Udemy can be downloaded and viewed whenever you want. The cost of the classes starts at just $16.58. New students enjoy a limited discount if they complete their payment within 6hrs.
Why We Like It
- About 500 free courses are available
- 30-day refund policy
- Certificate upon completion
LinkedIn Learning
In 1995, what is now known as LinkedIn Learning was first established as a tool to assist Lynda Weinman’s educational endeavor. It began offering online courses in 2002; by 2004, it had more than 100 courses available. It offers more than 21,000 courses with many topics ranging from spreadsheet advice to astrophotography.
In 2015, LinkedIn acquired Lynda.com for $1.5 billion. Given that LinkedIn Learning integrates with LinkedIn, it is easier for people looking to advance their careers effortlessly. It is available in other languages as well. Compared to most of its rivals, it produces excellent courses of a higher caliber overall.
LinkedIn Learning only offers a free trial of one month in terms of payment, and afterward, you can pay an annual or monthly subscription fee for LinkedIn. The monthly plan for individuals is $39.99, while the yearly plan costs around $240, or $19.99 monthly.
Why We Like It
- High-quality courses
- Cheap price model
- Ability to ask the program author questions and get real-time answers
Skillshare
A well-known online learning platform with three categories that make up its vast collection of more than 34,000 classes ranging from (Lifestyle, Productivity), Build (Business Analytics, Freelance & Entrepreneurship, Leadership & Management, Marketing), and Create (Animation, Film & Video, Graphic Design, Music, Creative Writing, Photography, Web Development, and more.
Skillshare advocates project-based learning, a methodology that empowers students to cultivate their creativity and harness these aptitudes to tackle real-life situations effectively. You can even create your course on this platform on the flip side.
Every course consists of a class project and a video presentation, typically lasting between 20 and 60 minutes. People who wish to learn new skills or enhance their current ones but only have a little free time should use Skillshare, whose primary aim is to assist them in acquiring knowledge in various subjects and applying it to their personal and professional lives.
With a free trial, the Premium Membership, which includes unlimited access to 27,000+ classes, starts at $13.99/month or $168/year.
Why We Like It
- Over 34,000 online courses
- Free trial available
- Instructors are leaders within their field
Mindvalley
It was founded in 2003 by Vishen Lakhiani and focused on personal growth. The main objective of Mindvalley is to enable students to achieve professional success by making full use of their potential with different categories such as Mind, Body, Soul, Career, Entrepreneurship, Relationships, Kids, Teens, and Parenting, as well as Performance.
Mindvalley’s library has more than 70 courses (or quests), all taught by top authorities in their professions, including CEOs of sizable corporations, best-selling authors, celebrity coaches, business owners, and international speakers.
Each quest lasts between 30 and 50 days and typically only requires a few minutes per day. It is a platform designed to transform every aspect of your life. The team comprises over 10 million students worldwide and 300+ Mindvalley’s trainers as experienced teachers, authors, and visionaries.
There is a 15-day free trial; you can cancel your plan within the 15-day window and get a one-click refund. Classes start at $299 per year.
Why We Like It
- 15-day money back
- High-quality video content
- Bite-sized video lessons
Udacity
Udacity is famous for its Nanodegree programs. A Nanodegree is a skill and project-based learning program. Nanodegree consists of a series of courses on topics like Coding, Artificial Intelligence, Mobile Programming, and Data Science. With about 300 courses, including 70+ Nanodegrees (learning programs), there is always an emphasis on course quality rather than quantity making it one of the best online course platforms.
These programs are meant to educate students for careers in business and technology. It creates courses in partnership with well-known companies (like Google or Nvidia) to produce high-quality content for its Nanodegrees.
You will receive a certificate when you finish one of its Nanodegree programs; most programs can be completed in 3–6 months. They also offer career advice to users and help you write your CV.
The average cost for a Nanodegree program is between $1200 and $2400, but it is possible to get a discount if you pay for several months upfront.
Why We Like It
- Udacity offers about 200 free courses
- User-friendly interface
- Top-quality content
CreativeLive
Founded in 2009 and has dual headquarters in Seattle and San Francisco, CreativeLive has over 10 million users. The focal point of the platform is creativity which is why its categories range from Photo & Video, Money & Life, Art & Design, Craft & Masker, and Music & Audio.
CreativeLive is one of the best platforms if you want to learn (or improve) skills and don’t mind paying a subscription. Its lessons are taught by more than 700 of the best creative professionals, including best-selling writers and Grammy and Oscar winners.
You can take these courses on a computer or a mobile device, making learning possible while on the go. Additionally, class materials and videos are downloadable.
This online platform is aimed at entrepreneurs and creative professionals. Its courses range from $50 to $200, discounted regularly.
Why We Like It
- Over 700 creative professionals
- Free live classes
- 30-day refund policy
MasterClass
MasterClass is an online learning platform offering over 180 classes in 11 different areas, including business, music, sports & gaming, food, design & style, and more. The celebrities and VIPs who teach on MasterClass’s platform set it apart from other e-learning platforms. The name MasterClass allows it to live up to its name.
This platform has courses taught by celebrities and experts. For example, you learn cooking from Gordon Ramsay, Singing from Christina Aguilera, or Anna Wintour teaching Creativity and Leadership. The classes are divided into nine categories: Film & TV, Culinary Arts, Writing, Business, Music & Entertainment, Lifestyle, Sports & Games, Business, Photography & Fashion, Politics & Society, and Science & Technology.
Its well-made classes have a cinematic sense that keeps you interested and wanting more. You may view lessons offline with a MasterClass subscription, and you’ll also get access to Sessions, a workbook for each session, and a vibrant international learning community. Comparing MasterClass to other educational platforms reveals that it is inexpensive.
You can enjoy all these benefits for as low as $10 a month. In contrast to rivals like Udemy or Skillshare, it also offers few courses. However, MasterClass doesn’t provide certificates of completion.
Why We Like It
- Very affordable
- It has a wide range of categories
- It has a user-friendly interface
FutureLearn
Futurelearn is one of the best online course education platforms allowing users access to programmes from leading universities. Most classes include video, reading materials, and audio content.
You can join them for free, but access to course tests and a Statement of Participation or Certificate of Achievement becomes available only if you upgrade over 10–12 weeks.
Available courses include Change Management, Cyber Security Operations (Cisco CCNA), Data Science, Digital Photography, Sports Coaching, Veterinary Practitioners, and Food Supply Chain.
Students who enroll in an ExpertTrack, Premium, Sponsored or Unlimited course on FutureLearn receive Certificates of Achievement. You must complete at least 90% of the course steps, earn a score of 70% or higher, and attempt each question on the course exam to receive this Certificate.
The Certificate contains details about the course, your overall grade, and a transcript of your learning. All students can post their questions and discuss topics with teachers and each other.
You should include it on your resume so future employers can see how it validates your skills. Regarding payment, the monthly subscription starts at $27.99, including access to over 1000 short courses.
Why We Like It
- Learn at your own pace
- Get unlimited access to short courses
- Partnerships with numerous universities
FAQs for Best Online Course Platforms
What is the best platform for online learning?
The best online learning platform depends on what you hope to learn online. For personal growth and mind development, try Mindvalley.
However, an online platform that offers a wide range of courses and comes at an affordable price is Udemy.
Is taking a Udemy course worth it?
Yes, taking Udemy courses is worth it. It is one of the best online course platforms. You can add your certification to your resume as an effective way to show your skills and knowledge to potential employers.
However, a few things to consider before enrolling should be the course’s quality, price, and content.
Conclusion
Online lessons are the only more accessible and better option for a convenient, productive, and effective form of e-learning. With the information provided in this article, make sure you research the course you want to study, the content of the programm, and, most importantly, the prices of these top online course platforms before signing up for any of them.
Want more tips and strategies for improving yourself? Check out this article on making money online.