Best online learning platforms that offer a wide range of top courses that allow you to enhance your skills and knowledge.
Online learning platforms
Table of Contents
Technology has simplified things –In this modern age, nobody wants to lag and would empower themselves to move ahead in their career.
Online learning platforms have so many things to offer including marketing, data science, customer services, and whatnot.
Several platforms for online learning have been at the pinnacle of learning online for students, bloggers, and individuals.
This allows you to access learning at your fingertips in any subjects or courses you want to and be the next big thing.
In this post, I will share with you the best online learning platforms that are popular and have a huge list of courses.
Not only are they convenient, flexible, and affordable but the advantage to learn in peace in a world that’s extremely busy.
What is the meaning of online learning platform?
Online learning platforms Vs Learning management system
Before we dive into the online learning platforms let’s understand what exactly is an online learning platform.
It is a marketplace that is designed to educate learners of all levels from beginners to advance.
An online learning platform encompasses all kinds of courses including Yoga, writing, data science, and computers.
Like academic institutions, these platforms provide learners to access courses and learn with their flexibility.
Educators can sign up to any popular platforms and access course, tools required that learners need under one platform.
Online learning platforms Vs Learning management system
As we have discussed online learning platforms are a digital marketplace that enables you to access courses at convenience.
A learning management system is more of a technical thing that allows you the potential to create and sell courses.
Technically, LMS provides you with all the necessary tools for online learning platforms to deliver it to learners.
This includes adding study materials, uploading documents, MAQs, video materials, and user profiles, etc.
LMS provides you the opportunity to create your own identity, training, and brand to create courses and sell online.
There are the best LMS –Learning management system that is equipped with the best features to offer you results.
Additionally, white-label LMS lets you create your training so customers view it as your training or courses.
List of online learning platforms
Now that I have your attention we will discuss about the top online learning platforms that you can access online.
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1. Coursera
Coursera is one of the most popular online learning platforms and is leading in terms of value addition courses.
This e-learning digital platform allows you to hone your skills from its more than 5000 courses available online.
Partnered with more than 200+ leading universities and top companies providing job-related training and coaching.
That is actively offering multiple arrays of learning opportunities since 2012, to every group of individuals.
Let it be hands-on projects or courses, job-ready certificates, and degree programs.
As of now more than 113+ million learners, businesses, 700+ campuses, and government have availed its benefits.
The courses are short as 6 months which allows you to hold a firm ground on specific niches to grow in a career.
These are project managers, Data analysts, UX designers, Digital marketers, Data scientists, and front-end developers.
For anyone interested in online degrees Coursera, offers top degree programs from the best university around the world.
Or start with a free course or others you may complete in a day to learn more about a particular topic and increase your knowledge.
Who is it for?
Coursera is for someone who is looking for growth in their career including professionals, Students, and learners.
It offers course certificates in a variety of subjects and degree programs for academic learners all over the globe.
This has made Coursera one of the top online learning platforms that offer accreditation to students learning a course.
Additionally, government officials are also among the top learners that avail in-demand skills and learning structures.
And a perfect platform for those who are skilled enough and people would benefit from his/her teachings.
2. Edx
Thinking of earning a degree edx, is another best online learning platforms that will fulfill your need of formal education.
Edx partners with top institutions and the best universities in the world i.e. Harvard, Berkeley, and MIT.
This allows you the privilege to learn a plethora of subjects and courses from more than 200+ leading institutions.
Start with hot topics like Data Analytics, Cybersecurity, Digital marketing, and coding to outsmart your competitors.
Or enroll in Degree programs from top universities in Healthcare, Economics, Business administration, and data science.
It offers you an e-learning platform for more than 2500+ courses of the highest echelon in subjects like maths and computer sciences.
The platform with 40 million learners worldwide is an exclusive example of its superiority just like others.
Additionally, it offers free courses students, individuals can enroll in if they don’t prefer credentials.
Who is it for?
This is for someone who is looking for degree certifications especially top quality education with your flexibility.
The platform approaches job-oriented courses that allow students to get insights from experts and can land a job easily.
Edx for Business is a one-stop solution that allows you to build and train the future workforce in top job-related areas.
3. Udemy
Udemy is a plethora of virtual learning that allows learners to access wide variety of courses across multiple disciplines.
A broad selection of 2, 10,000 online video courses are taught by over 70,000+ instructors aka industry experts.
The platform with 67 million learners is able to teach you in more than 75 different languages of the globe.
It has a variety of subject to choose from that includes finance, web development, ethical hacking, marketing and SQL.
Courses on Udemy are video based, allowing you to learn at your own convenience and finish it at your will.
Additionally, Udemy offers some promotions & discounts allowing potential learners to get it at an affordable price.
Who is it for?
These courses are for someone who is looking to learn new skills or educate yourself on a topic at an affordable price.
In particular, students who are new and are just starting out and advance learners who want to grow in that specific area.
Additionally, it is also good fit for professionals that want to keep themselves updated with the new developments in their field.
Employers also can use Udemy to train their employees in required skills or topic that adds to company’s productivity.
4. LinkedIn learning
LinkedIn formerly known as Lynda was founded in 2003, LinkedIn learning was later acquired by Microsoft in 2016.
As we know LinkedIn is a network of professionals that allow them to show their skills and specialties and find jobs.
Similarly, LinkedIn learning is an auxiliary company of LinkedIn that provides professionals courses to prospects.
You can find courses in subjects like creative, business, technology and certification courses as well.
Today the company boasts more than 18,000 courses that have best in class industry experts to assist you.
It is one of the best online courses available now that consist of highly qualified professionals or instructors (SME).
Each program has interactive program that offers assignments, quizzes, practices and detailed videos to make it easy for learners.
The best part is when you complete a certification course it allows you to display on your LinkedIn profile.
Pricing for LinkedIn learning is $26.99/month billed annually and monthly plan is $39.99/month.
Who is it for?
This platform provides the best learning space dedicated to professionals and businesses in the field of tech, business and creativity.
Anyone who is willing to upgrade their skills like students, professionals, employees and entrepreneurs are invited.
It offers nearly highly demanding courses that anyone can learn and upskill their potential of moving ahead in career.
If you are someone that is looking forward to learn new skill and stay up to date LinkedIn learning is the place to go with.
The pricing for LinkedIn learning is $26.99/month billed annually and monthly plan is $39.99/month.
It is the best online learning platform for business that will enhance your skills and upgrade you with latest version.
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5. Skillshare
Is skillshare worth it ?
Skillshare is one of the online learning platforms that emphasizes on honing your skills in creative field.
It has over 35000+ courses available with over 11,000 teachers to train you to your entrepreneurial upclimb.
The topic Skillshare has to offer are UX designs, social media, animation, marketing, freelance, writing and graphic designing.
This platform gives you the opportunity to learn new skills, upgrade and earn money at your own convenience.
So, Skillshare follows a project-based learning approach, encouraging learners to apply their skills through hands-on projects.
The platform fosters a sense of community, allowing learners to share their projects, provide feedback, and engage in discussions.
Creative’s can learn skills that they would like to excel in and at the same time achieve you personal and professional goals.
Platform has three different pricing plans that includes (2-19 users) for Starter @ $159 per user/year, Enterprise and Revive.
Who is it for?
The platform is popular among creative’s worldwide and offers individuals variety of topics and hands-on projects.
Additionally, it offers you an online platform that you can use to learn new skills for personal and professional growth.
A platform one of its kind that allow creative to showcase your skills and engage with other creatives, teachers.
6. Plural sight
Pluralsight, is among the best online e learning platforms that we have in the industry that offers technology related courses.
The technology related courses including Cybersecurity, data science, information and software development.
It has over 7000+ courses in areas like programming, web development, cybersecurity, cloud computing, data science, and more.
Its courses are designed to help you accelerate in your career or level up your team and dive deep into the tech realm.
This platform is equipped with tailored, effective learning experiences for all the courses and assessments.
Who is it for?
So, is Pluralsight worth it?
Pluralsight is a platform for online learning that covers a wide array of topics in the category of technology.
The courses of Pluralsight are available for learning of different experience level from beginner to professionals.
Students and professionals of different interests can dive into the tech learning pool and learn from the industry experts.
It offers individual learning courses but, is advised to stick to the plans of its own build to enhance teams and business.
7. Khan Academy
Khan Academy free online courses platform that offers education opportunities to students in various subjects.
It offers practice exercises, instructional videos, and a personalized learning dashboard that empower learners.
In subjects like science, math, computing, history, economics, including K-12 & test preparation ((SAT, Praxis, LSAT) content.
Students from every corner of the world learn at their own pace on Khan Academy in more than 36 different languages.
The platform allows learners to track their progress, earn badges, and access personalized recommendations.
This platform is widely recognized for its user-friendly interface and the high-quality education it provides at no cost.
Who is it for?
Students who are unable to get basic education are advised to enroll at Khan Academy to learn K-12 Subjects.
As we know there are more than 617 million students who don’t have basic math and reading skills.
In such a scenario, Khan Academy can be a beacon of hope providing students the learning opportunity to excel in their life.
8. Codecademy
So, anyone that is looking for platform for online learning to learn basic to advance level coding for free its Codecamedy.
Codecademy, is one of the dedicated platforms for online learning that helps you excel in coding and programming languages.
In more than 10 different languages that include Python, HTML/CSS, JavaScript, PHP, Ruby, SQL, Swfit, C and C++.
The Codeacademy’s approach provides learners to practice, review concepts, watch tutorials and build and share projects in browser.
The platform provides real-time feedback to help learners’ correct mistakes and improve their coding skills.
It offers you both free and premium subscription plans, with the latter plan give you the access to more content and features.
Who is it for?
Codeacademy, is a platform that provides interactive classes of coding to different experience level, from beginner to advance.
Learners from all background are invited to learn coding and programming and get invited from top companies.
It has various different coding courses for students, learners that are just starting out and looking forward good career.
Freelancers and entrepreneurs can also avail this opportunity to learn coding and increase job opportunities.
Additionally, the platform also offers courses in various different programming languages at all levels.
9. Future Learn
Futurelearn, is another best website for online courses with certificate that offers courses in various disciplines.
The platform collaborates with the top universities and institutions allowing potential learners to learn at their own comfort.
It offers both free and paid online courses that are most in demand skills and career oriented.
Students of different background can choose to get an online degree from leading universities i.e. Coventry and Brunel University.
Each courses run for a specific duration, enabling learners to engage with course materials, participate in discussions, and complete assessments.
In different subjects that includes are history, IT, Law, Study skills, business management, creative arts and media.
The platform emphasizes social learning, encouraging learners to interact with peers, share ideas, and gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter.
Who is it for?
Here is another learning platforms online that allow you to find degree courses, online courses and short courses for learners.
Students, individuals and entrepreneurs can avail the available wide variety of programs and earn a job oriented degree.
Freelancers can also join its short courses and micro credentials program and upskill your knowledge or earn an online accreditation.
In many ways an individual can use Futurelearn and earn some relevant degrees and certificate to find jobs in respective field.
10. MasterClass
Masterclass with a new approach is an online learning platforms that offers classes taught by professionals in their fields.
Learners can gain insights and learn from the likes of writers, musicians, chefs, sports legends, business leaders, and more.
This is among the learning platforms online that provide you the very best in every niche and polish your real potential.
Be it improving on a professional level or improving your skills Masterclass, is unique for anyone looking for the best.
It provides high-quality video lessons, behind-the-scenes access, and interactive assignments in more than 180 classes.
So, it offers a distinctive learning experience, allowing learners to glean wisdom and inspiration from industry icons.
Who is it for?
This is among the best online e learning platforms that boast experts with profound knowledge in their respective trade.
Masterclass brings you the best in class experts, celebrities to learn exciting and creative topics like design and writing.
Anyone that is looking for top-notch instructor in its respective field is invited to join Masterclass despite of any skill level.
So, the platform allows you to polish your skills and learn from the very best that are looking for professional development.
Compare the Best Online Learning Platforms
Company | Courses | Price | Certificate | Accredited |
Coursera | 5,800+ | The coursera pricing starts from $10 (Guided projects), $39 for professional courses and for degree courses $2000. | Yes | Yes |
Edx | 3,500+ | The Edx pricing starts from $50 (Individual course), $300 for professional courses and for degree courses $10,000. | Yes | Yes |
Udemy | 213,000+ | You have courses at Udemy $11 to $200 or more per course | No | |
LinkedIn learning | The LindedIn learning pricing starts from $20 (Individual course), $39 monthly subscription and for annual subscription $323. | |||
Skillshare | 35,000+ | SkillShare is a subscription based model that costs you around $159 per year that is $14 per month. | No | |
Plural sight | 7,000+ | Pluralsight is a subscription based model that costs you around $29 per month $299 per year and $45 per month and $449 per year. | Yes | No |
Khan Academy | ||||
Codecademy | Codecademy allows you to learn on its platform for $39.99 a month and $239.88 yearly that is around $19.99 per month. | |||
Future Learn | Futurelearn monthly subscription cost you $19.99 for 2 months and $39.99 thereafter to $1000 for certificates. | |||
MasterClass | 180+ | Masterclass has three different pricing options that includes Individual $120, Duo $180 and family $240 all billed annually. | No |
How to Choose the Best Online Learning Platforms?
What Is an Online Learning Platform?
An online learning platform is a virtual space that provides the opportunity for learners to learn about a particular topic remotely.
Individuals can join these online learning platforms to acquire knowledge about any topic/subject at their own comfort.
These online platforms can teach you on topics like maths, science, Physics, English, chemistry and geography.
Additionally, they carry degree courses, diploma, short course, freelance, coding, programming and designing.
Courses are generally adopted for the people that have finished their basic schooling aimed to polish their skills.
What to Look for in an Online Learning Platform
Every other online learning platforms have its own courses and different modes of teaching practices.
In terms of what you like the most like your schedule and expectations that you wish to learn from that course?
Best online courses websites provide classes that are self learning and are convenient for learners as they are recorded.
So, you have everything in control from lectures, quizzes to assignments as it has structured based learning module.
Students that like to learn coding platforms have built in way that allows them to practice their skills online.
Most popular online learning platforms
The current trend suggests that each country has different opinion on online learning platforms but the global rank is different.
Comparing it with other 5 popular online learning platforms i.e. coursera, Udemy, Skillshare, Edx and Linkedin learning.
The results are based on the data of 12 months in the past globally each ranking against the other worldwide.
It clearly suggests that Udemy is leading the pack and present day 08/07/2023 it is increasing more in popularity.
The other leader is Coursera, is among the top choice of people in United States, Canada, Spain, India and Italy.
FAQ: Online learning platforms
Ans –Here are some of the best online learning platforms i.e. Coursera, Udemy, Skillshare, MasterClass and Pluralsight.
Ans –It’s an online marketplace that is designed to educate learners of all levels from beginners to advance.
Ans –It’s an online learning platforms that allow you to access the resources of library online that educates prospects.
Ans –Here are the list of online learning platforms that are popular and often used for online learning i.e. Udemy Business,Skillshare,LinkedIn Learning,Coursera,edX,MasterClass ,Pluralsight and Future Learn.
Ans –The popularity of Udemy exceeds over other and boasts over 8000+ courses that anyone can avail online.