The sweeping changes in education have led to the increase of online course platform options in the past decade. Now, you may be overwhelmed with the abundance of online learning platforms. No need to worry! We looked into the best online course platforms of 2023 to help pick the best option for you. Keep on reading to find out more!
What is an Online Course Platform?
An online course platform, or an online learning platform, is a digital learning space filled with educational material where learners can engage with lectures on different subjects. Often referred to as online learning and teaching marketplaces, educators create online courses for the members to sign up for the classes of their choosing, with topics ranging from academic and business to creative fields.
Why Should You Use Online Course Platforms?
- You don’t have to follow a strict schedule.
Learners can access the educational content at any given time, which means you’ll be able to manage your time and pick the best time to focus on their lectures and tasks accordingly. A personalized schedule can help the learners stay motivated to create the best learning experience.
- You can choose among many possible learning techniques.
Learning is not universal; conventional methods that work for others may hinder your experience. Online course platforms offer a variety of techniques such as interactive videos, teacher-student interactions, games, and so on.
- You can monitor and optimize your progress.
All processes are tracked and compiled through Learning Management System (LMS) software which allows you to see what learning methods work best for you.
- It is cost-efficient.
You can find most courses online for free but you can also pay for slightly better resources depending on your preferences. You can save both time and money by simply looking at the content of the courses and deciding for yourself before committing to a class.
Top 5 Online Course Platforms of 2023
Skillshare
One of the best options for creative people, Skillshare is for those who enjoy exploring and learning about topics such as digital art, photography, music, writing, and so on. With over 40,000 course offerings, their motto “For creatives, by creatives” seems to capture the essence of the platform. The Skillshare for Teams program also aids businesses and teams to collectively improve essential skills to create a strong and efficient workforce.
Trial: 7-day trial
Pricing: $2.49/month
Ratings: 8.5/10 (207 reviews on BitDegree). People seem to be satisfied with the content and the resources overall. Some comments emphasize the lack of interaction between the instructor and the student.
Coursera
One of the most popular online learning platforms which partner with over 200 universities and companies. The courses mostly focus on essential academic and career skills to help its user’s professional development. There are over 1800 free courses and around 7000 courses in total which you can take at your own pace. If you’d like a certificate to add to your resume or LinkedIn page, however, you need to subscribe to a payment plan or pay per certificate after completing a course.
Trial: 7-day free trial
Pricing: $59.00/month or $399/year
Ratings: 8.6/10 (295 reviews on BitDegree). Most comments express that they are pleased with the content but some find that the prices are often inconsistent and confusing.
edX
Co-founded by Harvard and MIT and partnered with over 160 universities, edX offers online courses to educational institutions, governments and organizations. With sub-categories like sciences, engineering, humanities, businesses, edX has a course library that caters to those who seek higher education, corporate skills and individual development all the same. What’s impressive about edX is that you can audit track for all courses for free. However, you will need to pay for the certificate if you want to add it to your resume.
Trial: None
Pricing: Certificate prices range between $50 – $300
Ratings: 9.1/10 (252 reviews on BitDegree). As the high ratings indicate, most users seem to be pleased with the quality content, other than a few courses with hefty prices here and there.
Udemy
When you’re looking for online course platforms, Udemy is probably one of the top search results you’ll see. One reason for that is that it has a vast library of over 185,000 courses on programming, design, business and personal development, and more. While most courses require payment between $12 – $200, there are around 10,000 courses you can try out for free. The only downside is that although you get a certificate of completion at the end of a course, they’re usually not accredited.
Trial: 7-day trial
Pricing: per class
Ratings: 9.6/10 (309 reviews on BitDegree). People are generally happy, aside from the lack of academic credit.
Udacity
Also one of the top-ranking online learning platforms with programs called Nanodegrees for individuals, companies and organizations. Although Udacity only offers technical courses like programming, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, data science, business and other similar categories, each syllabus contains detailed information about the prerequisites and the level of the courses. Although you need to pay for Nanodegrees and certificates, you can still sign up for free classes.
(Conditional) Trial: 1-month free access after enrolling in a Nanodegree
Pricing: ~$700-~$2500 per 3-5 month-long Nanodegrees
Ratings: 9.6/10 (561 reviews on BitDegree). People are very pleased with the content and resources. The pricings for the Nanodegrees seem to cause controversy.
If you’re looking to start your own online courses, check out our content creator membership software to monetize your skills and knowledge with ease!
Check out other articles from our blog:
–How To Sell Videos Online & Charge Viewers in 8 Easy Steps
–Online Coaching Guide, Where to Start?
–6 Ideas for Providing Unique Content on Your Membership Site
