The best online learning platforms are an excellent choice for anyone interested in expanding their knowledge.
Becoming an expert in a specific field can help push your career forward, but these platforms are also useful for those who are just curious and love to learn.
We reviewed some of the most prominent platforms and thoroughly explained their features. We also provided a detailed guide on choosing a perfect online learning platform that meets your needs.
– 10 Best Online Learning Platforms –
Udemy has a wide variety of courses and is one of the most popular platforms for online learning. Many prominent companies utilize it to encourage their employees to learn and be more productive, but it’s also popular with hobbyists.
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One of the best paid online learning platforms is MasterClass, and it’s well-known for its A-list celebrity instructors. It covers a wide range of topics and offers high-quality and well-thought-out courses.
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Skillshare is one of the best online course platforms for building practical skills and expanding horizons. It has many unique features and is incredibly easy to use. Its users can utilize the acquired knowledge right away and create projects after finishing a course.
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Coursera is one of the best sites for online courses and specializations. It provides quality learning material and has instructors from prestigious universities. It’s one of the few platforms that offer accredited certifications learners can include in resumes. Users can even earn a bachelor’s or master’s degree on Coursera.
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edX is one of the best online learning sites you can find. It’s a nonprofit organization whose platform runs on open-source software. Its mission is to enable education for all who are willing to learn. edX bases its learning experience on cognitive science and cooperates with over 120 institutional partners.
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Udacity is among the best online learning platforms for business, IT, engineering, and similar fields. It offers both courses and nanodegree programs. Even if it provides a very limited range of topics, the learning material is quality, and there’s a lot of practical learning.
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Linkedin Learning is one of the best online training platforms, and it’s accessible through a Linkedin Premium profile. It’s a great learning tool, as it provides diverse learning material. It’s possible to post the certifications on your Linkedin Profile and increase your chances of finding work.
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FutureLearn is one of the free online learning platforms and cooperates with world-class organizations and universities. The material ranges from audio and video to useful articles and to-do lists. FutureLearn is great for extroverted learners who want to communicate with other users.
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WizIQ is among the best online teaching platforms and the largest cloud-hosted training platforms in the world. It functions as a virtual classroom. WizIQ has a vast number of tools, and it’s also excellent for making, selling, and learning from courses.
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The best platform for online courses for making and selling your own courses is Teachable. It’s a useful online learning platform both for learners and instructors. What makes it different is the ability to host or participate in live webinars.
Read Full Review– Brief Reviews of Online Learning Platforms –
Udemy Review
Essential Features:
◊ A wide range of learning material
◊ Users can publish courses
◊ Courses are rated
◊ Lifetime access to all courses
Additional Features:
♦ Engaging with instructors
♦ Personal learning recommendations
♦ Udemy for businesses
♦ Discount codes available
Udemy is undoubtedly one of the most popular online learning platforms. It provides courses in 65 languages that are suitable for both professionals and hobbyists. Udemy supports instructors and learners and enables anyone to share their knowledge.
Courses
Udemy has the world’s largest selection of courses. There are over 130,000 Udemy courses sorted into 13 categories. Many of them aren’t offered directly by Udemy, as anyone can publish a course. Learners can rate them, which helps them determine the quality of their content. Udemy regularly removes courses that don’t contain valuable content.
Interface
Udemy’s interface is simple and user-friendly. Both businesses and individuals can use it quite easily. The courses that Udemy provides are well-organized and divided into segments. You can see the course content before enrolling, which makes it one of the best free online learning platforms.
Certification
Unfortunately, Udemy’s certificates aren’t accredited, and completing some courses won’t grant you certificates. Learners can put certificates in resumes, but employers don’t place much value on them. Also, courses won’t count toward continuing education units (CEUs) or college credit.
Pricing
There are no subscription options for individuals, and users pay per course. Many of them are free, but it’s easy to get excellent discounts using coupons and promo codes. The most expensive courses cost around $200. Udemy pricing for business is $360 a year for each member of a team of 5–20 people, which is relatively expensive.
Mobile App
If we ignore minor issues, such as occasional problems with bluetooth or offline learning, Udemy’s mobile app is excellent. It has a 4.8 rating on Apple Store and 4.5 on Google Play. The content is excellent, but you can’t bookmark any courses or see bookmarks in the app.
Customer Support Options
Users mostly try to get in contact with Udemy’s customer service representatives because of the problems with Udemy refund policy. However, sometimes they don’t respond and you must contact them more than once, which can be frustrating for some users.
Best For
Udemy is the best for people with many hobbies, as you can find a course about almost anything. However, it’s probably not the best choice if you want to advance your career due to the lack of accredited certificates and courses with low ratings.
MasterClass Review
Essential Features:
◊ World-class teachers
◊ High-quality videos
◊ Organized lessons
◊ Inspirational content
Additional Features:
♦ Users can publish courses
♦ TV app
♦ PDF workbooks
♦ Active community
There’s no other online learning platform similar to MasterClass as learning from celebrities makes it unique. Learners get some valuable pieces of advice from the most prominent professionals.
Courses
Only around 90 courses are available on this learning platform, but its instructors are the best of the best. MasterClass courses provide quick tips, inspirational content, and answers to learners’ questions added to a comprehensive FAQ section.
Interface
MasterClass’s interface is incredibly user-friendly and straightforward. It’s designed in such a way that users can learn at their own pace. The course materials are well-organized and divided into 10 to 20 lessons.
Certification
MasterClass doesn’t offer certificates, not even for the most popular online courses.
However, whoever completes a course gets a confirmation email containing a congratulation message together with quick tips on how to continue studies or using the platform.
Pricing
MasterClass is relatively expensive, but all courses are available with an annual membership that costs $216 and is charged $18 a month. You can enroll in any class you wish and learn from the best at your own pace. Therefore, MasterClass pricing is not unreasonable.
Mobile App
The MasterClass app is simple and easy to use. Learners who prefer using their phones can have the same experience as desktop users. It has a 4.9 rating on Apple Store and 4.6 on Google Play. It’s also available on Apple, Amazon Fire, Android TVs, iPad, and Roku.
Customer Support Options
Users occasionally complain about reaching customer support and the inability to solve problems regarding accessing courses, MasterClass refund policy, and others. It’s better to reach MasterClass customer service via email due to the high number of calls the platform receives. Email support is available 24/7.
Best For
MasterClass is mostly for creative professionals, students, and those seeking motivation and valuable pieces of advice. However, it’s not recommended for career advancement, as it doesn’t provide a lot of practical knowledge or certificates. If you prefer completing a course that will directly benefit your professional career, consider using another learning platform.
Skillshare is a platform that offers a lot of learning material to its users. Its content is more focused on skills for creative types. It offers interaction with other learners and has qualified instructors.
Courses
The quality of content that Skillshare provides is regularly controlled. The platform offers over 27,000 Skillshare courses with additional materials, such as worksheets or reading material. All courses are classified into three categories that are divided into subtopics. However, instructors don’t always clearly disclose if the course is for beginners or advanced learners.
Interface
Skillshare’s interface’s only drawback is timestamps or comments during videos, meaning that the video player should be improved. Aside from that, Skillshare’s interface is fast, intuitive, and easy to use. Every action button is visible and easy to find.
Certification
Even though Skillshare doesn’t provide accredited certifications, it’s still one of the top free online course platforms. Skillshare offers a different kind of certificate, and that’s a user’s final project. A good project is firm proof that a learner is capable and skilled.
Pricing
If you sign up for a free version, all free content will be available to you. However, a Premium membership will get you a lot more material. It costs $3.29 per month if you sign up for an annual plan or $8 a month if you choose to pay monthly. There is a seven-day free trial for a Premium version and no refund after seven days of purchasing a Premium membership. You can find a suitable Skillshare coupon and get a nice discount.
Mobile App
The Skillshare app has minor issues with controls when a device is in the landscape mode, and sometimes videos load in the middle of watching. However, the content is the same, and users are generally satisfied with the app. Its rating is 4.5 on Google Play and 4.8 on Apple Store.
Customer Support Options
Even though Skillshare is one of the best online learning platforms for artists, the lack of options to get in contact with customer support is a drawback. You can only submit a request regarding a specific issue you have. There are some complaints about reaching Skillshare’s customer support, and users mostly have problems with canceling subscriptions.
Best For
Skillshare is the best learning platform for those who want practical knowledge and to apply that knowledge as soon as possible. It’s an excellent learning platform for artists because of the hands-on learning, various projects, and feedback they get from others.
Coursera Review
Essential Features:
◊ Peer-graded assignments
◊ Accredited certification
◊ Professional instructors
◊ Users can publish courses
Additional Features:
♦ Career learning path explorer
♦ Bachelor’s and master’s degree programs
♦ Courses in 65 languages
♦ Coursera for enterprises and students
Coursera is, without doubt, one of the most reliable online learning platforms that offer courses from the leading universities. The platform’s devotion to meeting users’ needs is evident, and it’s perfect for those who want to advance their career.
Courses
In addition to Coursera courses, specializations, and degrees, the platform cooperates with over 200 renowned companies and universities, which will help you push your professional career forward. The quality of courses is outstanding, and you can use discussion forums to ask questions or find answers to already asked questions, making the learning experience even smoother.
Interface
Coursera has a quick and intuitive user interface, despite having many options ranging from career learning path explorer to trending courses or programs for students and enterprises. Courses are well-organized, explained in detail, and have tables of contents.
Certification
What puts Coursera at the top of the list of online learning platforms are accredited certificates that can be included in resumes and are often recognized by employers. You can choose to enroll in a free course, but free courses won’t grant you a certificate.
Pricing
Joining Coursera is free, while Coursera Plus costs $399 per year. The platform offers a 14-day money-back guarantee for any course. You can ask for a refund and purchase the same course again. If you are interested in Coursera pricing for business, Coursera for teams and small businesses costs $400 per user a year, while large organizations have custom pricing plans.
Mobile App
Coursera’s app has a 4.3 rating on Google Play and 4.8 on Apple Store. The app’s software works fine, but there are occasional bugs with loading active courses or assignment results. Also, issues with downloading material can occur. Some users report that the files are deleted after some time.
Customer Support Options
Coursera’s customer support team is excellent. You can contact one of the members easily and solve any problem, or ask about Coursera refund policy and special offers. It’s possible to reach them via live chat, which is very convenient. However, solving issues regarding subscriptions last longer.
Best For
Coursera is one of the best online learning platforms for career advancement because employers usually recognize certificates. Moreover, since users can’t create courses, the learning material this platform offers is legitimate. Coursera is for people who want to upgrade or learn new skills and perform better at work.
edX Review
Essential Features:
◊ Course filtering
◊ Users can publish courses
◊ Open-source platform
◊ Discussion forums
Additional Features:
♦ Free Honor Code certificates for students
♦ edX for business
♦ Self-paced and instructor-paced courses
♦ Micro-bachelor’s and master’s degree programs
edX has over 100 million course enrollments and 34 million active learners. It cooperates with prominent enterprises and universities, such as Berkeley, Harvard, and Microsoft, which speaks volumes about this platform.
Courses
edX offers around 3,000 courses, and they’re mostly science-oriented. Learners can enroll in both self-paced and instructor-paced courses. With edX courses, you’ll have access to the teaching staff and get feedback from the experts. edX’s learning approach is based on experience, practice, and practical use.
Interface
edX resembles an online school, and the course catalog is neatly classified. However, discussions should be organized better, so students can get in contact more easily. The interface is simple and intuitive. The guidelines may be relatively confusing.
Certification
edX is one of the best online learning platforms because it offers a variety of certificates, such as Honor, Verified, and XSeries, for example, but learners won’t receive the credentials they would at a traditional university. If you fail a course, you won’t receive a certificate, and you will have to retake it.
Pricing
edX courses are free if you don’t want to earn a certificate. If you do, you will have to pay between $50 and $300 per course, according to the edX pricing plan. There are no additional fees associated with courses.
Mobile App
edX app is useful, but occasional bugs can occur. The app has a 4.7 rating on the App Store and Google Play, and users are generally satisfied with its features. The edX app allows users to take courses at their own pace, download them to their devices or stream them, take quizzes to test their knowledge, and more.
Customer Support Options
The issues users mostly need help with are logging in and changing passwords, edX refund, ID verification, etc. Reaching edX customer service isn’t easy because you can only submit a request. It may take a while before you receive a response.
Best For
edX is best for students and those who want to work on their education and skills. Also, this learning platform is more focused on science, so if you’re interested in science and can’t afford traditional education, edX is a splendid choice.
Udacity Review
Essential Features:
◊ Nanodegree programs
◊ Course and nanodegree filtering
◊ Learning from projects
◊ Free courses
Additional Features:
♦ Udacity for enterprises and government
♦ Job opportunities
♦ Career advisors
♦ Scholarship programs
Udacity is a prominent Silicon Valley-based MOOC platform that develops its content with prominent partners, like Google, Nvidia, Mercedes, etc. It’s a private organization that provides quality content for those interested in business and technology.
Courses
Udacity offers both free and paid courses. There are around 200 free Udacity courses. Udacity’s unique feature is its nanodegree programs that consist of four to ten courses.
very program has a presentation video where you can find information about the syllabus.
Interface
Udacity’s interface is user-friendly and easy to follow. Some courses provide subtitles in Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, and several other languages. Udacity is engaging, as it provides a variety of quizzes, tests, and other educational materials.
Certification
While Udacity grants certification after completing a nanodegree program or a paid course, its certificates aren’t accredited. However, Udacity is one of the best online educational sites because it helps learners get hired by prominent companies cooperating with Udacity. Certificates can be included in resumes and are recognized by employers.
Pricing
Aside from free courses, Udacity’s price for nanodegree programs is $399 per month. Some nanodegrees last longer and are more expensive. After the refund period, which lasts two days, you can cancel the subscription anytime, and you won’t be billed anymore. You only can ask for a refund once.
Mobile App
Unfortunately, Udacity doesn’t have an app. Still, it’s one of the top online learning platforms. Learning on-the-go is sometimes more convenient, but the Udacity learning materials are very comprehensive even without the app.
Customer Support Options
It’s easy to reach Udacity’s customer support, as there are many ways to get in contact with the team. They are responsive and eager to solve almost any issue. Some learners complain about problems with getting a refund.
Best For
Udacity is best for those interested in computer science, AI, business, and programming. Also, it’s a brilliant choice for career advancement and finding a job easily. However, people who mostly learn through apps should use another platform.
LinkedIn Learning Review
Essential Features:
◊ Learning paths
◊ Progress tracking
◊ Course updates
◊ Offline learning
Additional Features:
♦ LinkedIn Premium features
♦ Courses in multiple languages
♦ Personalized team learning
♦ Retaking courses
Linkedin Learning is a part of Linkedin Premium and allows its users to gain knowledge, share the certificates on their profile, and increase their chance of finding employment through Linkedin.
Courses
LinkedIn Learning offers courses in creative, business, and technology fields. Courses older than two or three years are regularly replaced with new ones. One of the handy LinkedIn learning features is that users can set their weekly goals and learn at their own pace. However, levels of course difficulty are not always accurate.
Interface
LinkedIn Learning is simple and easy to use. If you already have a LinkedIn account, you will have no problem using LinkedIn Learning. LinkedIn offers over 70 learning paths, along with learning exercise files and quizzes, but there’s little variety in content delivery methods.
Certification
The certificates you get after finishing LinkedIn Learning courses aren’t accredited and shouldn’t be included in resumes. However, since LinkedIn is an excellent platform for finding jobs, linking them to your profile can help various employers notice you.
Pricing
LinkedIn Learning is available when you purchase LinkedIn Premium. LinkedIn Premium pricing ranges from $29.99 for Premium Career to $59.99 for Premium Business. If you are interested in Sales Navigator Pro, a monthly fee is $79.99, while Recruiter Lite costs $119.95 per month.
Mobile App
The app is included in LinkedIn learning pricing, and you can download it for free. LinkedIn Learning app is handy and only has occasional issues with courses that aren’t updated yet. It can be relatively difficult to navigate to new users. Its ratings are 4.6 on Google Play and 4.8 on Apple Store.
Customer Support Options
You can reach LinkedIn customer support easily, as there’s a live chat option. Customer support is responsive, and users rarely have any complaints regarding the service.
Best For
LinkedIn Learning is best for those interested in creative, business, and technology fields and people who want to advance their skills. It’s also very convenient for LinkedIn users, as the Premium version unlocks more features, apart from LinkedIn Learning.
FutureLearn Review
Essential Features:
◊ Unique courses
◊ Online degrees
◊ Learning flexibility
◊ Assignments and tests
Additional Features:
♦ Active community
♦ Taking exams in person
♦ Different teaching style
♦ Free certificates
FutureLearn is a private organization that offers unique courses, and that’s why it stands out from its competitors. It has over 175 global partners and around 10 million learners.
Courses
FutureLearn offers courses you can’t find anywhere else, and a lot of them are free to access for a course length plus additional two weeks. FutureLearn courses are interactive and engaging, and the overall user experience is some of the best out there. However, a relatively small course catalog may be the platform’s biggest disadvantage.
Interface
FutureLearn has a unique interface. It’s designed to be intuitive, fast, and user-friendly. The courses are neatly organized into weekly units, and learning through many tests, quizzes, and assignments is available.
Certification
FutureLearn offers various types of accredited certificates. However, micro-credential programs, premium courses, and online degrees have a fee. To earn a certificate, a learner must achieve a score of over 70% on all test questions and mark over 90% of course steps as complete.
Pricing
FutureLearn cost depends on the version you use. FutureLearn Unlimited costs $279.99 per year and enables you to have unlimited access to all courses and certifications. If you want to join ExpertTracks to master new skills, a monthly fee is $39 for as long as you need to complete the courses. There’s a seven-day free trial.
Mobile App
FutureLearn is only available through the website because the app hasn’t been launched yet. It’s not clear when FutureLearn might develop the app, but it would be perfect for people on the go.
Customer Support Options
The main problems users complain about are issues with getting a FutureLearn certificate and getting refunds. Reaching customer support is easy, but it doesn’t mean that your problem will be solved quickly.
Best For
Even though FutureLearn doesn’t offer many courses, it’s best for those who wish to improve their employability and pursue further study. It can be useful to anyone who wants to gain more knowledge or get a recognized degree. It’s also good for people who can’t afford online education.
WizIQ Review
Essential Features:
◊ LMS software
◊ Live training sessions
◊ Monitoring learning progress
◊ Cloud-based
Additional Features:
♦ Extra storage
♦ Video conferencing tool
♦ Over 1,000 learners per course
♦ Various integrations
WizIQ is an affordable and very effective learning management system software and a world-class virtual classroom. This is the best platform for selling learning materials and creating live training sessions.
Courses
WizIQ is excellent for learning and teaching. You can enroll in a course or sell your own. There are self-paced and live WizIQ courses for learners, and many are free. The option to include a co-instructor, assignments, and tests in the courses is also available.
Interface
WizIQ’s interface features left-hand navigation and centralized widgets that enable you to track activities. However, the navigation is slightly difficult because of so many features that WizIQ offers. Problems with storage, plugins, and uploading may occur, and it’s easier to stream lessons using a link.
Certification
WizIQ is one of the best easy online platforms to create web-based learning because it enables learners to earn certificates after finishing a course. The certificate is downloadable, with the learner’s name, instructor and their logo, and date of completion written on it.
Pricing
When compared to its competitors, WizIQ is quite affordable. You can choose between the live classroom and the LSM plan. Live classroom involves professional, enterprise, and per-per-use plans. Professional is ideal for individual teachers. Enterprise is ideal for universities, corporate trainers, and test prep institutes. Pay-per-use involves pricing per minute. LMS includes the elite and infinite plan. WizIQ pricing starts from $25 a month and is billed annually.
Mobile App
WizIQ’s app is useful but has a lot of features that could be improved, such as video loading speed or the visibility of alphanumeric details and written characters. It has a 3.1 rating both on Google Play and Apple Store.
Customer Support Options
Sometimes, users aren’t satisfied with their response time and the effort they put into solving a particular problem. Luckily, users have many ways to contact the customer service and get information about the platform, WizIQ coupons, plugins, etc. Customer support is unreachable at times and that can frustrate some users.
Best For
WizIQ is excellent for teachers, enterprises, and those who want to publish and sell their courses. It’s the best platform for live learning, but you might consider another platform to upload video content since it doesn’t have much storage space. WizIQ is also a good choice for students.
Teachable Review
Essential Features:
◊ Integrated payment processing
◊ Custom domain
◊ Adding webinars to lectures
◊ Creating tests and quizzes
Additional Features:
♦ Blog publishing
♦ Editing navigation links
♦ Site translation
♦ Coupons and discounts
Teachable is different from other online learning platforms, mostly because it’s designed for creating and selling courses. However, learners can also gain valuable knowledge with Teachable.
Courses
Teachable courses are organized into categories that include lectures. It’s important to note that users can’t use third-party online learning course creation software. Learners can use a course catalog to find live workshops and limited time, new, or free courses.
Interface
One of the handy Teachable features is including webinars and live video streams in a lecture. Users create custom domains, and Teachable helps them with many marketing-oriented features. Teachable is a solid, user-friendly, and straightforward platform for creating courses. Problems with logging in can occur.
Certification
Teachers can make a certificate that learners receive after completing a course, but they need a Professional plan or higher to have access to a certification maker. There are three templates for certificates, but teachers can make their own. Learners will receive a certificate after completing Teachable courses.
Pricing
Teachable has three pricing plans, including the Basic ($39 per month or $29 per month if billed annually), Pro ($119 per month or $99 per month if billed annually), and Business plan ($299 per month or $249 per month if billed annually). Free courses are available for a limited time.
Mobile App
Teachable doesn’t have an app for Android devices. The Teachable app for iOS allows users to stream videos, view handouts, track progress, jump from course to course, and do tests and quizzes. It has a 4.7 rating on the App Store.
Customer Support Options
If you need help with using a Teachable coupon, logging in, or have any other issues, you can always contact Teachable customer support. However, it may take a while before you receive a response.
Best For
Although this platform is excellent for teachers and learners, it’s primarily for those who want to sell their course materials and share their knowledge with those interested in upgrading or learning new skills.
– Buyer’s Guide – How to Select the Right Product for You? –
Reading these short reviews about the best online learning platforms can help you choose the platform that will meet your needs. This guide will aid you in setting your goals and finding the right product for you.
Is the Number of Provided Courses Important?
If you are curious and just want to learn without a specific goal, then you should choose a platform with more free courses. The best way to make sure that teachers are professional is to find a platform with university courses and accredited certificates.
How Can a Platform’s Interface Influence My Learning?
If you’re searching for the best online learning platforms for architecture or computer science, you need a platform that’s fast and comprehensive. Usually, a poorly designed interface demotivates learners. However, if you’re only searching for free courses, the interface’s quality shouldn’t worry you.
Why Is Certification Beneficial?
It’s not always important to receive a certificate after finishing a course. The knowledge you gain is far more significant. For instance, if you plan to advance your career or find employment, you can benefit from earning an accredited or valued certificate.
Does Pricing Justify the Platform’s Quality?
The price can’t guarantee the value of a course’s content. However, the best online learning platforms for programming, machine learning, or similar fields are usually more expensive. Investing in comprehensive and well-rated courses is always a good choice.
Is Learning Through Mobile App Helpful?
An app isn’t necessarily something you need if you have access to your computer most of the time. Busy people and those who commute can often save a lot of time learning through apps. If you need more learning flexibility, choose a platform that offers an app.
Is Having More Customer Support Options Relevant?
Even a good online learning platforms comparison typically doesn’t include information about customer support options because reaching customer support teams fast is much more important than being able to reach them in more ways. If you’re a seller or interested in expensive programs, you need responsive customer service.
Who Are These Platforms Best For?
Online learning platforms are for anyone who’s curious and wants to improve their skills. They’re the best for people who will benefit from finishing courses, such as students or people who seek employment, want to do their job better, or share their knowledge with others.