Online Course Platforms of 2024 (Free & Paid)
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The demand for online education is rising, changing how we learn and teach. Online course platforms have become indispensable tools, providing accessible, flexible, and high-quality education to millions of students and professionals worldwide.
Whether you’re a teacher looking to create and share your knowledge with a global audience or a learner eager to acquire new skills and credentials, these platforms offer the tools and resources to help you succeed.
I have carefully selected platforms catering to educators and learners, ensuring comprehensive coverage of your needs.
So, without any further ado, let us get started.
Top 10 Online Courses Platforms: In A Nutshell (2024)
One line. For Course makers. Selling courses online.
Here are the essential details about the abovementioned 10 platforms to build your course online and sell.
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1. Teachable
100,000 creators use Teachable to share knowledge. Teachable is popular due to its easy-to-create and sell course, coaching, and digital download options that course creators can give their students.
Here are a few key features of Teachable:
You can try Teachable for free and start earning without investing in a subscription fee. Once you start earning, you can change your plan from your admin panel.
Regarding transaction fees, the free plan charges the most, while the paid plans, like Pro and Business plans, charge none. The Basic plan has a 5% fee, and the Free plan incurs $1 + 10%.
2. Kajabi
Kajabi offers an all-in-one platform for creating, marketing, and selling digital products, including online courses and memberships.
Users on Kajabi can use the following key features :
Kajabi’s automated marketing funnels and detailed analytics help optimize and scale businesses, while contact tagging allows for targeted marketing. The platform includes a mobile app for on-the-go access for your students.
The membership management features help foster community feeling, leading to recurring revenue generation. My favorite part about Kajabi is that it does not take a cut of sales, which means no transaction fee.
3. Squarespace Courses
Squarespace Courses is a versatile tool for designing, selling, and promoting online courses. It offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required.
Squarespace Courses key features include:
Users can enroll students in cohorts, create lessons and chapters, and accept payments via PayPal or credit card. Squarespace Courses stands out with its professional design capabilities and integration with other Squarespace services, including memberships and print-on-demand merchandise.
The basic plan has a 9% transaction fee, but the subscription is cheap. This helps new course makers make a course for cheap and get charged only when the course is sold. Also, once your course takes off, you can upgrade to another plan and incur a 0% transaction fee.
4. Thinkific
Thinkific is a user-friendly platform designed to create and scale online courses for beginners to experts. It gives you control over branding, content, and revenue while providing reliable and secure technology.
Thinkific supports various learning formats, including:
The platform includes a community feature, a Thinkific App Store with over 80 apps, and a white-labeled mobile app.
Additionally, it supports memberships, subscriptions, and digital downloads for a steady income and better student engagement.
Online Courses Platform Comparison Table: For Learners
If you are a learner looking for platforms that provide free courses online with certificates, check out the list below, curated for learners looking to learn new skills, change careers, and save money on traditional education.
| Sr.No. | Platforms | Average Course Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Coursera | $59/month or $399/ Year | Specializations and theoretical concepts |
| 2. | Udacity | $249/ month. Prices may vary based on the program | Coders and Programmers |
| 3. | Edx | $50 TO $300 | STEM faculty |
| 4. | Skill Share | $19/ month or $99/year | Artist |
| 5. | Khan Academy | Free | School Students and SAT preparations |
1. Coursera
Coursera has a library of 7000+ courses that you can access with the Coursera membership. Buying a single course on Coursera may be more expensive. Therefore, I recommend getting a membership that allows you to earn unlimited certificates.
Note: Coursera offers government free online courses with certificates, partnering with various countries to provide skill development programs. This collaboration aims to create a skilled workforce and reduce unemployment.
2. Udacity
Udacity is great for techies. On this platform, you will find courses called nano degree programs that give you in-depth knowledge of a subject. Udacity courses, in my observation, have been regularly updated compared to other course platforms, justifying their expensive nature.
3. edX
edX courses are to be taken in sequence, for they are set in learning pathways for gradual learning. I like edX for learning STEM subjects. However, I find the platform expensive as it has no membership plans; each course needs to be bought individually.
4. Skill Share
If you are creative, Skill Share has thousands of courses curated by top-notch experts in various fields, such as design, photography, illustration, and more. I recommend using Skill Share to stay updated on what is happening in the art and creative industries.
5. Khan Academy
Khan Academy is great for children or anyone looking for free courses online with certificates. The platform is free to use and aims to provide education for all. The animation and illustrations are fun to watch from a child’s perspective.
How do I choose an online course platform?
If you are a course maker or seller, choosing a platform for your course depends on the following:
- Budget
- Whether you are tech-savvy
- Who is your audience?
If you are a beginner, look for a platform that will help you market your course and find an audience.
To choose an online course platform for learning, you must:
- First, establish your aim and goals.
- How much time and money can you dedicate to the course?
- Whether you need a certificate?
Once you have answers to these questions, you can take free trials or even free courses on the platform to determine which platform’s teaching style is good for you.
Top Picks: Online Platforms
If you are unable to pick a platform, here are my top 3 picks For selling courses online:
Whereas, my top 3 picks for learning online courses are:
- Coursera
- Skillshare
- Khan Academy
Final Verdict: Online Courses Platforms Are A One-Stop Solution For Course Makers.
Online Course Platforms are the future of learning. Course makers and course takers can use this list to gather information about my tried-and-tested platforms, which will surely help anyone from beginner to expert.
Most of the abovementioned options offer a free trial or a free plan. Make sure you use it before you invest in any of these platforms.
I want to remind you that marketing tools are extremely important for promoting your course. So, evaluate that factor and launch your course online today with one of these platforms.