Online learning tools are extremely vital in today’s fast-paced environment. They’re similar to digital libraries, where you may learn new skills, obtain more knowledge, or stay up to date on the newest news. These platforms will become even more important as we approach 2025 because education and job growth are constantly evolving.
The best online learning platforms are really useful as they’re highly adaptable and accessible from anywhere. They’re a game changer, upending traditional learning methods and allowing everyone, regardless of age or experience, to study at their own pace and on their own terms. According to research, the online education market is predicted to earn US$239.30 billion in sales by 2027, growing at a 9.48% annual rate (CAGR 2023-2027).
Plus, online learning is getting better all the time, thanks to technology. The best learning management system (LMS) platforms now have interactive courses and personal learning plans. You can study all kinds of things, from coding computer science to art, and they even use smart tech to make learning fit you better. In this blog, we will take a closer look at the top 15 online learning platforms and how they can help you out. Let’s dig deep!
When choosing an online learning platform, evaluate your goals, format preference, cost, course variety, instructor qualifications, tech assistance, and usability. Make sure to emphasize content fit, flexibility, and schedule suitability. Also, opt for free trials to assess the platform’s suitability. This way, you can easily pick the platform that best aligns with your learning needs, whether for career advancement or personal growth.
What Is An Online Learning Platform?
An online learning platform is a digital tool specifically crafted for the delivery of educational content and instruction via the Internet. It serves as a full virtual classroom where students can access various educational materials and participate in educational activities from the comfort of their own devices.
These platforms are extremely customizable and may serve a wide range of learners, including K-12 kids, college scholars, and individuals seeking personal enrichment.
Online learning systems’ flexibility and accessibility have propelled them to the forefront of modern education. These platforms usually offer a wide range of courses, including academic subjects and vocational and training programs.
Online Learning Platforms vs. Online Course Platforms vs. LMSs
It’s common to mix up online learning platforms, online course platforms, and learning management systems (LMSs), but it’s important to understand their differences.
| Aspect | Online Learning Platforms | Online Course Platforms | Learning Management Systems (LMS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Function | The main purpose of online learning platforms is to act as thriving marketplaces for courses, with an emphasis on marketing, audience expansion, and sales funnels. | Online course platforms often focus on course marketing and sales while hosting and selling individual courses. | LMSs are designed to manage and deliver training to large user populations, with a focus on managing training content. |
| Target Users | Course creators who need marketing support and a marketplace to find students could use online learning platforms. | Online course platforms should be used by course authors who emphasize course quality over individual sales. | LMSs are designed for businesses and institutions with sizable user bases that demand efficient content management and training. |
| Marketing and Audience Growth | Online learning platforms excel in marketing and audience growth because they are in charge of promoting courses and gaining a following. | Despite having a stronger emphasis on course promotion and sales than online learning platforms, online course platforms may not have as many marketing features. | LMSs are less marketing-oriented than the other two platforms because they provide fewer marketing opportunities and are primarily utilized for training. |
| Brand Customization | Courses may lack a distinct personal touch due to the limited branding options accessible on online learning platforms. | More branding customization possibilities are offered by online course platforms, enabling course designers to customize their courses. | While concentrating on organizational branding and consistency, LMSs usually offer few options for course branding. |
| Pricing and Data Analysis Flexibility | Online learning platforms often provide few price alternatives and might analyze your data for you. | Online course platforms frequently offer extra price options to course developers and could have basic data analysis tools. | Since LMSs frequently don’t focus on data analysis and have limited price flexibility, other tools or systems must be used. |
| User Management and Progress Tracking | Although online learning platforms offer some basic user control, they might not have full tracking capabilities. | Online course platforms mainly include user administration and progress tracking. | LMSs are particularly well-suited for large-scale training initiatives because they come with complete user management and in-depth tracking tools. |
Our selection of these Online Learning Platform is based on thorough research and analysis. We have listed these softwares based on usability and satisfaction score that include features, ease of use, customer support, ratings, and number of reviews from SoftwareSuggest. Our goal is to help businesses select the right softwares that can help them optimize their business processes.
Best Online Learning Platforms for Businesses
We have deeply examined numerous learning platforms in order to help you choose the finest online learning platform. We put them through their paces, comparing what they can do and how easy they are to use. There is a wide range of online learning systems that organizations can use to teach and develop their personnel. Some of these include:
| Software Name | Free Trail Period | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| 7 days | Starts at $360 per year | |
| 30 days (limited access) | Starter (2-19 users): $159 per user/year | |
| 30 days (limited access) | Annual: $26.99/month | |
| Varies depending on the course or program | Coursera Plus Annual: $59/month | |
| Varies depending on the course or program | edX charges $349 per learner per year for small teams or businesses | |
| 7 days | Starts at $77 per month | |
| 14 days | Growth: $199/month | |
| 14 days | Shaker: $89/month | |
| 14 days | Basic plan: $59/month (plus 5% transaction fee) | |
| 30 days | Starts at $2.99 per user/month | |
| 14 days | On-request | |
| 7 days | Premium: $1,999/month | |
| Contact sales for details | Starts at $9,500 per year. | |
| 14 days for individual accounts, 30 days for institutions | On-request | |
| N/A | Starts at $116.13 per year. |
1. Udemy Business
Udemy is an excellent online learning platform for people and students wishing to master new skills. It is, however, not limited to them; it is open to anybody who is interested in learning or time management skills regardless of age or job choice.
Since its inception in 2010, Udemy has been a go-to destination for online courses. It covers a wide range of topics, such as coding, design, business, photography, marketing, personal development, and much more.
Who is it for?
- For students: Udemy provides courses in a variety of areas, but it’s wise to read reviews from previous students before registering because course quality might vary.
- For Instructors: Udemy offers new teachers, educators, and independent contractors a vital platform to launch their teaching careers.
Pricing
- Starts at $360 per year
- Udemy fosters skill growth and easy learning, a wise investment for self-improvement.
- This online learning platform prioritizes quality, updates, and customizable content for business clients’ success.
- Simple Udemy integration streamlines business processes, a valuable asset for companies.
- It can sometimes be difficult to find your learning paths from the homepage due to the website’s navigation.
- In some courses, the audio quality isn’t consistent, leading to unexpected volume variations.
A popular online learning site with over 35,000 courses created for more than 5 million students, Skillshare is comparable to Udemy in this regard. Skillshare specializes in offering courses in areas like graphic design, animation, and photography.
The emphasis on collaboration and social learning that Skillshare places on these topics makes it stand out. On the platform, students can post their assignments, comment, and ask questions about one another’s work.
Who is it for?
- Students: This platform is great for students who enjoy courses in the creative arts, technology, business, and lifestyle.
- Instructors: To commercialize their knowledge, instructors can use Skillshare’s royalty system and referral program.
Pricing
- Starter (2-19 users): $159 per user/year
- Enterprise (20+ users): On-request
- Revive (51+ users): On-request
- Skillshare offers a vibrant student community and a variety of courses.
- This online learning platform provides in-depth data and options for marketing integration.
- With Skillshare’s marketing tools, it becomes quite simple to evaluate performance.
- There are only video courses available, no LMS interface, and no certificate alternatives.
- Due to unlimited access for anyone, quality control is an issue.
You May Also Read: What is an LMS? Why do We Need an LMS System?
3. LinkedIn Learning
LinkedIn Learning, originally known as Lynda.com, is an outstanding learning resource. It provides a diverse range of video courses in areas such as business, digital marketing, web development, design, and more.
LinkedIn users can have access to the program with a premium subscription, and it has a collection of over 16,000 courses available in 11 languages. LinkedIn Learning’s major purpose is to help users improve their professional abilities.
Who is it for?
- Students: It mostly serves professionals and corporations looking to upskill their staff.
- Instructors: In addition to serving individual learners, the platform is a great educational and training resource for corporate teams, institutions, and government organizations.”
Pricing
- Annual: $26.99/month
- Monthly: $39.99/month
- Offers a free trial of one month on the well-known B2B platform.
- Through quizzes, you can get individualized course recommendations, certifications, and progress evaluations.
- Provides exclusive career features, offline learning, and beneficial professional development.
- Its courses are of uncertain quality; therefore, you should conduct extensive research before enrolling.
- It could be challenging to become an instructor on this online learning platform.
Best Online Educational Learning Platforms
Online educational learning platforms are rapidly being used by learners of all ages. Some of the most prominent ones are written below. Let’s take a closer look at them!
4. Coursera
Being one of the best online learning platforms, Coursera is used by over 82 million people worldwide. It collaborates with prestigious institutions and industries to sell online courses and provide excellent education. Students can get credentials from respectable organizations by enrolling in paid courses.
Coursera offers a number of options, including single courses, specializations, certificates, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs, and single courses. Discussion forums, assignments, and video lectures are all part of these courses.
Who is it for?
- Students: Individuals seeking knowledge from prestigious educational institutions, whether for a single course, certification, or an online degree.
- Instructors: This platform primarily serves educators linked with a partner institution of higher learning or a company.”
Pricing
- Single learning program: $49-$79/month
- Coursera Plus Annual: $59/month
- Coursera Plus Monthly: $399/year
- For diverse learners, Coursera provides top-tier courses from reputable schools with inclusive video transcripts.
- Graduates earn diplomas that are recognized by companies, as well as financial assistance for those in need.
- Coursera follows a typical academic approach, promoting education for people of various backgrounds.
- This platform’s online courses typically only offer options in the subjects of business and science.
- Class start and end dates may limit students’ flexibility and involvement.
5. edX
edX is a fantastic choice if you wish to have a formal education. Massive open online course (MOOC) provider EdX collaborates with world-class universities, institutions, and businesses like Harvard, Berkeley, and IBM to deliver top-notch online courses to students all over the world.
Like a traditional university, edX provides a wide range of academic specialties, including business, economics, linguistics, architecture, and the humanities. Nearly 3,000 courses, some of which are free, are offered by EdX and are divided into 300 programs.
Who is it for?
- Students: It features a huge selection of classes for persons of all ages who want to learn a subject or develop new abilities.
- Instructors: It’s a good choice for companies with the funds to hire a team or contract out the platform’s development and upkeep on their own servers.
Pricing
- edX For Individual Users: For edX individual users, free courses are available, and paid “Verified Track” courses can cost between $50 and $300, with master’s degree programs ranging from $10,000 to $25,000.
- edX For Business: For businesses, edX charges $349 per learner per year for small teams or businesses, while large organizations need to contact sales for a custom quote.
- EdX provides a wide range of certifications from famous organizations such as Harvard and MIT.
- Learners are free to finish courses at their own pace.
- EdX offers a diverse set of course topics and learning programs.
- A mobile app for interactive lessons and student engagement is included in the platform.
- Non-uniform course structure as a result of partner-created courses negatively harms the user experience.
- When compared to some rival platforms, edX has a smaller course count (3,000+).
You May Also Read: 11 Free LMS (Learning Management Systems) for Corporate Training
Best Online Course Platforms
Since social media and search algorithms are constantly changing, owning your channels is more important than ever. Both community building and list expansion are excellent goals for online courses. Some of the most common online course platforms include:
6. iSpring Market
The iSpring Market is undoubtedly a platform to take into consideration if you’re searching for an all-in-one learning tool that can assist you with designing, promoting, selling, and hosting your online courses.
It is very user-friendly while also enabling you to create visually stunning, polished, interactive courses that outperform similar products in the market. iSpring Market stands out as a top-tier online learning platform since it allows you to produce and submit virtually any type of learning content.
Who is it for?
- Both businesses and individuals looking for a quick eLearning course and webinar implementation can turn to iSpring Market. With its simple setup and powerful analytics, you can start selling courses right away.
Pricing
- Starts at $77 per month
- Gamified learning, a variety of course materials, and completion certificates are all available on iSpring Market.
- Limit your offerings and provide yourself with the most payment flexibility to encourage sales.
- ISpring Market stands out due to its comprehensive analytics for monitoring learner development.
- iSpring Market offers a few marketing and management tools.
- The given completion certificates are not certified or well-known.
7. Kajabi
Kajabi has an unusual strategy in that it prioritizes the sale of online courses over their development. As a result, this educational platform emphasizes its marketing and sales features, making it far more sophisticated than its course authoring tools.
These templates make it simple for course designers to properly present their offers. Although Kajabi’s tools for creating courses may not be as extensive as those for selling and marketing, they nonetheless offer useful resources for teachers.
Who is it for?
- Kajabi was designed for people and small enterprises, and it serves non-technical course designers, independent contractors, and digital entrepreneurs. It is perfect for businesses that provide simple courses and downloaded material.
Pricing
- Basic: $149/month
- Growth: $199/month
- Pro: $399/month
- Kajabi has a well-designed interface that allows for simple course creation and sales.
- It combines marketing tools and software while making visually appealing landing pages.
- Kajabi helps with the creation of sales funnels and the involvement of online communities.
- This software offers limited alternatives for student interaction and interactivity.
- There is no automatic awarding of certificates for course completion.
8. Podia
Podia is an easy-to-use web platform for developing and selling courses and digital items. It is a comprehensive solution for creators, with quick rewards and no transaction costs.
Podia, on the other hand, has an in-built course-building tool, so you’ll need to prepare your content ahead of time. Despite this, Podia is a significant resource for digital businesses and creators seeking an easy-to-use and effective platform for monetizing their material.
Who is it for?
- This unique platform is Ideal for content creators and artists looking to monetize their knowledge through simple learning sessions and limited video access.
Pricing
- Mover: $39/month
- Shaker: $89/month
- Earthquaker: $199/month
- Podia provides creators with fast rewards and no transaction costs.
- Email integration and affiliate marketing are also features of its user-friendly design.
- For creators, Podia offers a website builder and membership site integration.
- Podia offers limited customization options for storefront and course design.
- It lacks essential learning tools like graded assessments and completion certificates.
9. Teachable
Teachable is a user-friendly online teaching platform that caters to the needs of ordinary instructors who want to turn their knowledge into a profitable business. It takes a basic and user-friendly approach to the entire process.
This allows teachers to easily upload useful learning materials, personalize their virtual learning space, and develop successful communication channels with their students. This educational platform provides educators with the tools and resources they need to produce, market, and sell their courses.
Who is it for?
- It’s an excellent choice for first-time course creators, solopreneurs, trainers, and creative professionals.
Pricing
- Free plan
- Basic plan: $59/month (plus 5% transaction fee)
- Pro plan: $159/month
- Business plan: Customized pricing
- Teachable is a simple course authoring platform with quiz capabilities.
- It provides built-in eCommerce functionalities as well as affiliate, marketing, and sales tools.
- Teachable has a landing page editor and blogging capabilities alongside a built-in email marketing tool.
- It does not support SCORM or TinCan and only provides a few options for branding and landing page customization.
- Its customer service is not very responsive.
Best Learning Management Systems (LMSs) for Businesses
For effective training and development, your company must select the correct learning management system (LMS). Some of the most common LMS for businesses are listed below. Let’s take a look at them!
10. iSpring Learn
iSpring Learn is a powerful learning management system with a user-friendly interface and a plethora of capabilities. Course authors and administrators can easily upload various training materials, such as videos, audio, papers, or interactive SCORM content, ensuring that students have a seamless learning experience.
The platform’s dashboard is appealing graphically, allowing you to easily establish numerous learning routes and define permissions. You may organize learners for effective progress monitoring thanks to the platform’s excellent user management capabilities.
Who is it for?
- All sizes and types of businesses can use it.
Pricing
- Starts at $2.99 per user/month
- iSpring Learn provides simple authoring, round-the-clock assistance, and seamless video conferencing integration.
- For efficient e-learning, it offers limitless storage, gamification, and extensive statistics.
- The learning experience is enhanced through mobile and offline access, along with automated course administration.
- Revenue generation and online sales potential are hampered by limited eCommerce capabilities.
- Course compatibility is limited due to the inability to handle xAPI and cmi5 formats.
You May Also Read: LMS Implementation: 6 Steps Plan for Success
11. SAP Litmos
SAP Litmos, now known as Litmos, is a user-centric learning management system and training platform that provides a versatile one-size-fits-all solution. This educational platform has a large collection of resources encompassing compliance, sales, security, and employee skills training courses, with the goal of providing organizations with an informed workforce.
Litmos allows businesses to construct custom courses using its built-in authoring tools, which support a variety of training assets such as videos, audio, PowerPoint presentations, and SCORM packages.
Who is it for?
- With a primary focus on corporate training, it’s perfect for organizations of all sizes and sorts.
Pricing
- On-request
- It is cost-effective, with a variety of learning resources for applications across a range of industries.
- Flexible training environments with SCORM assistance increase training effectiveness.
- Although it lacks user-specific course removal and labeling, it is excellent for many sectors.
- For LMS newcomers, a steeper learning curve may cause early hurdles.
- The inability to remove specific users and the lack of tagging possibilities impede customization and feedback efficiency.
12. LearnUpon
LearnUpon is a fantastic online learning platform that’s great for schools, businesses, and more. It’s super easy to use, and you can use it in many different languages.
What makes it so popular are its many useful features, all available in one place. You can use it to keep track of training, manage it, and deliver it to all sorts of people, whether they’re employees or customers. LearnUpon works with text, images, audio, videos, and slides so that you can teach in different ways.
Who is it for?
- It is suited for educational institutions as well as enterprises of all sizes.
Pricing
- Essential: $1,249/month
- Premium: $1,999/month
- Enterprise: On-request
- LearnUpon provides customized training, completion certificates, and a wide range of material assistance.
- It allows for branded digital shops and interfaces with a number of prominent platforms.
- LearnUpon is a flexible learning management system with several integration possibilities.
- The lack of administrative flexibility may limit adaptation for some businesses.
- It does not directly support HTML5 courses, which can restrict the amount of multimedia content.
Best Learning Management Systems (LMSs) for Academics
Your particular requirements and preferences may help you decide the best learning management system (LMS) for academic purposes. Several popular learning management systems (LMS) that are often used in academic contexts primarily include:
13. Blackboard Learn
Blackboard Learn is a reputable eLearning business that was founded in 1999 and has flourished in the past decades. In addition to meeting the demands of the government customer education and industry, it provides online education for more than 100 million students.
This platform for online learning provides a variety of approachable instructional tools. Educators may communicate with students, run online courses, and administer tests with automated grading. It offers self-paced and live instruction while offering individualized learning opportunities.
Who is it for?
- Because of its strong academic emphasis, Blackboard is a popular learning platform for K-12, high school, and postsecondary learning environments. It will be extremely beneficial to both instructors and students.
Pricing
- Starts at $9,500 per year.
- This platform allows for effective teacher-student communication and collaboration.
- Both teachers and students will appreciate the user-friendly interface.
- Provides extra capabilities through various plug-ins.
- The ability to sell or market courses restricts how much money teachers can make.
- The mobile app may be buggy and take a long time to set up at first.
14. Canvas
Canvas is an advanced online learning platform that is ideal for academic and self-paced courses. It’s extremely adaptable, allowing you to construct and personalize your course website. You get key tools for measuring progress, such as quizzes, grade books, and reports.
Canvas works smoothly with apps such as Microsoft Teams and Google Workspace, allowing collaboration even among distant teams. While Canvas is not ideal for gamification, it excels at establishing a social learning community. Educators can communicate with pupils via voice, video, and messaging.
Who is it for?
- The highly secure LMS Canvas perfectly satisfies both your corporate and educational objectives. It offers numerous interfaces for distinct audiences, similar to Blackboard and LearnUpon’s portals. While Canvas is simple to use for the most part, learning its features is necessary to fully utilize it.
Pricing
- On-request
- For seamless educational experiences, Canvas offers a huge selection of integrations.
- Tools for social learning and collaboration increase student engagement and involvement.
- The time spent grading assignments is drastically decreased using Canvas’ SpeedGrader tool.
- Canvas’s full potential may necessitate a steep learning curve.
- Canvas lacks strong gamification features, which limits its appeal to some users.
15. Moodle
Moodle is an exceptional open-source learning management system (LMS) that has the great benefit of being completely free. It is the work of a committed team of engineers and has various user-friendly features. Moodle, which is available in over 95 languages, is an essential component of learning settings all over the world.
Moodle offers multiple tools and capabilities that benefit both instructors and students. Instructors have the ability to design their own websites, which provides students and instructors with an enhanced learning experience.
Who is it for?
- It caters to a wide range of users, including educators, freelancers, businesses, and public administrations.
Pricing
- Starts at $116.13 per year.
- With many parameter possibilities, Moodle is highly adjustable and offers a useful mobile app.
- For interactive material distribution, built-in assessment tools and quiz randomization are used.
- Moodle provides interoperability with many e-learning standards as well as a helpful user community.
- Lacks a user-friendly UI and 24-hour support, which might hurt the user experience.
- Without an internal IT team, there are few gamification features and probable financial difficulties.
You May Also Read: Blackboard Vs Moodle Vs Canvas: The Better LMS
How to Choose an Online Learning Platform?
When choosing which online learning platform is best for you, consider the community, structure, course material, and cost. Here are a few aspects to consider if you want to have an ideal online learning platform:
1. Variety of Courses
When it comes to selecting an online learning platform, look for a tool that offers a variety of courses. A broad range of courses ensures that learners like you can find educational content that not only matches their interests, career goals, and learning needs but also makes them feel catered to and valued.
Determine what you want to achieve. Your goals will guide you toward the right course.
2. Accreditation and Certification
Accreditation indicates that the courses meet certain quality standards. A platform that offers accredited courses and recognized certifications can add value to your resume and provide a competitive edge in the job market.
Try to identify legitimate and recognized online learning platforms, as multiple fake online courses are running in the marketplace.
3. Quality of Content
Assessing the course material is essential for understanding whatever you intend to learn or impart. Every online degree program and set of course materials takes a slightly different approach to each subject.
Look for platforms that offer well-structured courses with clear objectives, including multimedia content and interactive elements. Thus, quality content bridges the gap between theory and practice by including real-world examples, case studies, and assignments that allow learners to apply what they’ve learned in practical scenarios.
4. Instructor Expertise
The expertise of instructors can greatly influence the quality of education. Look for platforms that feature courses taught by industry experts, professors from reputable universities, or experienced professionals who tend to provide more reliable and insightful learning experiences.
- Credentials and Qualifications
- Professional Experience
- Teaching Experience
- Published Work and Research
- Positive Reviews and Feedback
- Professional Affiliations
Therefore, choose knowledgeable and experienced instructors who bring authority, depth of knowledge, practical insights, and effective teaching methods to their courses.
5. User Reviews and Ratings
Considering the importance of student reviews while selecting an online learning platform is crucial as it gives an overview of the course and the quality that the platform provides to its students.
Reviewing what past learners have to say about the platform can significantly influence your decision-making process and ensure you choose the right platform and courses to meet your educational needs. Moreover, Reviews can provide information on whether the course helped users advance in their careers, secure new jobs, or gain promotions.
Note: Look for reviews that discuss how the course has helped learners achieve their goals, such as learning new skills, advancing their careers, or understanding complex topics.
6. Pricing And Payment
Pricing and payment factors determine the affordability and accessibility of the courses and can influence your decision based on your budget and financial situation.
Choose a platform that offers flexible payment options, especially if you have a tight budget. Additionally, prefer those platforms that have installment plans, subscription models, and financial aid that can provide you with manageable ways to pay for your education. Be clear about every cost that could be incurred before choosing an online platform.
7. Community and Networking
In the realm of online learning, community, and networking nurture a sense of belonging, provide support, and open up opportunities for collaboration and professional growth. Networking with people from various backgrounds and industries broadens your understanding and brings in diverse perspectives.
Building a network of contacts through online learning communities can lead to professional opportunities, including job offers, collaborations, and mentorship. Look for platforms where instructors are actively involved in community discussions, including answering questions, participating in discussions, and providing feedback.
You May Also Read: Agile Learning: A Comprehensive Guide for Success
Conclusion
Numerous platforms are available in the realm of online learning to accommodate various educational needs. Whether you’re a student, teacher, corporation, or academic institution – there is a solution for everyone. Unique features are offered by top online learning platforms like Udemy, Coursera, LearnUpon, and Moodle to improve the learning process. Connect with our experts and learn more about online learning platforms!
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