Online learning platforms are a terrific alternative for you and your family to study on your own time, whether you're hoping to acquire new marketable abilities or want to study a new subject. It's clear why people gravitate to the best eLearning systems; they provide substantial benefits in some form or another. Although some schools may offer courses at significantly reduced rates, others may charge much more. After the course, you will have learned something new and maybe useful to your profession.

One of our 10+ best online learning platforms mentioned in this article will satisfy your curiosity, whether you want to dig deep into technical subjects or explore creative training to advance your software skills. Read on to learn more.

11 best online learning platforms of 2023
In this article
  1. Part 1. What is Online Learning Platform?
  2. Part 2. Top 11 Online Learning Platforms [Free Included]
  3. Part 3. How to Pick the Best Online Learning Platform?

Part 1. What is an Online Learning Platform?

Online learning platforms provide users with a digital setting to access educational materials and information. Online courses, videos, interactive quizzes, assignments, and debates are some learning aids offered.

It lets students study whenever and wherever by giving them access to an online learning environment. They provide customers with freedom and convenience by enabling them to study on any device that can connect to the internet whenever and wherever they choose. By using online learning platforms, educators and institutions may reach more students, including those who don't reside near a school or choose not to attend in-person classes.

Part 2. Top 11 Online Learning Platforms [Free Included]

Online learning has become a convenient and effective approach to mastering new skills. This has increased online education platforms catering to users' specific needs. This section will explore and discuss the 11 best online learning platforms of 2023, their key features, and their pros and cons.

1. Udemy

Udemy is an online learning platform established in 2010 to enhance people's lives by pursuing knowledge. It provides more than 155,000 courses taught by specialists in various industries, such as business, technology, personal development, and many more.

udemy interface

Key Features

  • Unlimited access for a lifetime.
  • Downloadable materials, tests, and tasks.
  • Proof of Completion Certificate.
  • Mobility in study thanks to Udemy's portable app.
  • Udemy provides several self-paced courses, so students may take as long as they need to finish.
Pros
  • Affordable pricing
  • a vast selection of courses
  • the ability to learn at your pace
  • access to courses from any device.
Cons
  • It cannot create videos.

[Extra Tip] Try Using DemoCreator!

Since Udemy lacks video creation abilities, it bounds universities and educational institutes to provide full-fledged lectures with graphics and visuals. Hence, Democreator is a better option, as it allows you to record anything present on the screen; you can now create a lecture by sharing as much helping material as you want with the students in one go.

Wondershare DemoCreator is a versatile software for screen recording and video streaming. This program is popular among video artists since it can capture displays at up to 120 fps. It is incredibly advantageous for students and instructors that must share their presentations and learning information. It allows for hands-on video processing and is supported by Windows 7, 8, and 10.

Key Features

  • It lets you edit once and apply transformations, effects, and format conversions to several clips.
  • Supports many live-streaming platforms.
  • Screen drawing features let you draw on the recording screen in real-time, adding serial numbers.
  • Selects the full region to capture several monitors.
  • DemoCreator can also record high-quality audio from a microphone.

Free Download
Free Download

Best for whom?

Udemy is ideal for people who want to acquire a new skill or expand their knowledge base without spending a fortune.

Pricing plan: Free to $199.99 per course

2. Coursera

Coursera is an online learning platform established in 2012. It collaborates with prestigious educational institutions and other organizations to provide classes, certifications, and degrees on various topics. Coursera is an online education platform that allows students to obtain new skills and information from prominent educational institutions such as Stanford, Duke, and Yale.

coursera interface

Key Features

  • Self-paced education.
  • Availability of a worldwide academic network.
  • Activities with real-world applications and evaluations from peers.
  • Certificates and degrees from top universities are also available.
Pros
  • Learning from top institutes and professionals.
  • Flexible learning.
  • Industrial certifications.
  • Easy-to-use interface
Cons
  • Most specialization courses can be expensive.

Best for whom?

Coursera is best for people who want to get certificates or degrees from some of the best colleges and universities.

Pricing plan: Free to $99 per course

3. edX

EdX is an online education platform established in 2012 by Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. EdX is a not-for-profit organization (MIT). It features over 3,000 classes from over hundred and forty of the most prestigious educational institutions in the world, including Harvard, MIT, and Stanford.

edx interface

Key Features

  • Access to a community of learners from all over the world.
  • Projects that people can do themselves.
  • Checked credentials.
  • EdX provides graduate-level MicroMasters programs to teach advanced skills and knowledge in a certain field.
Pros
  • The chance to learn from well-known schools.
  • A lot of different classes and programs.
  • The chance to get credentials that employers will accept.
  • Offers advanced level courses for free
Cons
  • Has fewer specialization courses.

Best for whom?

Learners who want new skills and knowledge from top universities and institutions should use EdX.

Pricing plan: Free to $300 per course

4. LinkedIn

LinkedIn owns the online education platform previously known as Lynda.com under LinkedIn Learning. It has more than 16,000 courses covering various interests, from business and technology to art and design. Courses on LinkedIn Learning are geared toward helping students improve their employability.

linkedin interface

Key Features

  • Individualized training plans.
  • Training from qualified professionals.
  • A library of downloadable quizzes and exercises; portability in your learning thanks to the LinkedIn Learning mobile app.
  • You may get a certificate of completion and choose from various language options on LinkedIn Learning.
Pros
  • Integration.
  • Direct linking with industry experts.
  • Access courses offline.
  • Free courses available.
Cons
  • The variety of courses may not be vast.

Best for whom?

Learners who desire to improve their professional abilities and take their professions to the next level will benefit the most from LinkedIn Learning.

Pricing plan: Free to $29.99 per month

5. Skillshare

Skillshare is an online education marketplace that provides students access to thousands of lessons covering various business and creative topics. Our platform caters to those interested in expanding their skill set, delving deeper into their creative potential, and taking their interests to the next level.

skillshare interface

Key Features

  • Project-based learning, electives in design, writing, marketing, technology, and more.
  • Feedback and criticism from peers.
  • Get together with other students and teachers.
  • Focuses on the creative edge.
Pros
  • Easy to use.
  • Offers multiple free courses.
  • Offline courses.
  • Mobile app.
Cons
  • Cannot interact with instructors like LinkedIn.

Best for whom?

Those who wish to learn about art, design, and writing, as well as business skills like marketing and entrepreneurship, will find the most value in using Skillshare.

Pricing plan: Free to $19.99 per month

6. Mindvalley

Mindvalley is a virtual university that teaches self-improvement, spirituality, health, and business. This digital educational hub is dedicated to helping its users alter themselves completely. It boasts an excellent worldwide student body of 10 million and a staff of 300 or more from throughout the globe.

mindvalley interface

Key Features

  • Courses in various fields taught by professionals from across the globe.
  • Backing from locals and active participation.
  • Acquiring knowledge via experience.
  • Center one's attention on bettering oneself.
Pros
  • Focuses on professional growth.
  • Knowledgeable mentors.
  • Community network.
  • Easy to use.
Cons
  • Some courses may be expensive

Best for whom?

Learners who are most likely to benefit from Mindvalley focus on self-improvement and personal development.

Pricing plan: Free to $49 per month

7. Udacity

Udacity is an online educational platform that primarily focuses on giving classes and programs in business and technology. Learners may acquire skills in great demand on the job market by taking advantage of the platform's wide range of courses, which start at an introductory level and go up to advanced courses and nanodegree programs.

udacity interface

Key Features

  • A curriculum centered on student-driven projects that emphasizes the practical application of knowledge gained.
  • Professional lecturers with extensive real-world experience.
  • Helping students find and apply for suitable employment opportunities is the primary goal of career services.
Pros
  • Emphasis on gaining competence.
  • Getting ready for a career.
  • Customized responses from teachers and classmates.
  • Flexibility in one's learning rate.
Cons
  • Some courses can be expensive.

Best for whom?

Udacity is ideal for students seeking to acquire marketable technology and business skills.

Pricing plan: Free to $399 per month

8. iSpring Learn

iSpring Learn is a web-based learning platform that provides companies and other organizations with a comprehensive answer for the education and growth of their workforce. The platform provides users with tools for creating and delivering courses, managing learners and teams, and monitoring learning progress and results.

ispring learn interface

Key Features

  • User-friendly course development.
  • Individualized study plans.
  • Compatibility with well-liked corporate programs like Salesforce and Microsoft Teams.
  • Analytical reporting and visualization of results.
Pros
  • Complete employee development features.
  • Easy-to-use.
  • Platform customization.
  • Suit organizational requirements.
Cons
  • Not suited for individuals.

Best for whom?

iSpring Learn is ideal for companies and organizations looking for an all-in-one solution for training and developing staff members.

Pricing plan: Free to $166 per month

9. Future Learn

FutureLearn is an online learning platform that provides courses and programs in a broad variety of topic areas, including technology, education, healthcare, and business. Learners get access to high-quality courses and programs thanks to the platform's partnerships with prestigious educational institutions and other organizations from all over the globe.

future learn interface

Key Features

  • A variety of ways to teach courses.
  • Short courses are also included.
  • Micro-credentials.
  • Full programs.
  • Expert teachers, help and participation from the community, and mobile access.
Pros
  • A variety of course choices.
  • Experts in teaching.
  • Partnerships with the best universities and organizations.
  • Mobile accessibility.
Cons
  • Programs can be expensive.

Best for whom?

Users of FutureLearn are those who are curious about a broad variety of topics, value learning from professionals and want to work together with students from all around the globe to achieve their educational goals.

Pricing plan: Free to $39 per month

10. Moodle

Moodle is a free and open-source LMS (learning management system) that provides educators and businesses with a versatile setting to design and deliver digital instructional materials and training programs. The flexibility and scalability of the platform make it ideal for various teaching and learning scenarios.

moodle interface

Key Features

  • Format options for classes.
  • Independent study coupled with group effort.
  • Testing and other forms of interactive learning.
  • Powerful reporting, analytics, and compatibility with other technologies like video conferencing and social networking.
Pros
  • Open-source.
  • It provides customization and adaption to educational or training requirements.
  • Delivery and assessment flexibility.
  • Community support.
Cons
  • Requires technical expertise to set up

Best for whom?

Moodle is the ideal platform for building and delivering online courses and training programs for educators and companies searching for a flexible and scalable solution.

Pricing plan: Free to use

11. Blackboard Learn

Blackboard Learn is an LMS developed specifically by educational institutions (K-12, higher education, and corporate training) to design, develop, and distribute online learning content. The system provides users with several options for designing courses, working with others, evaluating student work, and maintaining open lines of communication.

blackboard learn interface

Key Features

  • Course templates, drag-and-drop content authoring, and multimedia integration.
  • Discussion boards, blogs, wikis, and group projects let students collaborate on the platform.
  • Blackboard Learn includes quizzes, examinations, and surveys.
  • The platform has several integrations.
Pros
  • Multiple ranges of features.
  • Integrate with other tools.
  • Flexibility.
  • Multiple course formats.
Cons
  • Steeper learning curve.

Best for whom?

Blackboard Learn is ideal for K-12 schools, colleges, and institutions seeking a robust learning management system with course authoring and delivery options.

Pricing plan: Available upon request

Part 3. How to Pick the Best Online Learning Platform?

There are a few things to consider when picking an online learning platform. Some of these things are the quality of the courses, the level of the teachers, the partnerships, the different ways to learn, the price, the certificates, and the ability to measure your learning path.

- Course Quality.

Choosing a platform with high-quality courses with relevant and up-to-date information is important. Look for platforms that offer a wide range of courses in your area of interest, and read reviews and ratings from other students to figure out how good the courses are.

- Teachers' Level.

The quality of teachers can have a big effect on how people learn. Look for platforms with experienced and knowledgeable instructors in the field you want to learn about.

- Partnership.

Some online learning platforms offer courses in partnership with top universities or organizations, which can give the courses more credibility. Look for platforms that have partnered with well-known organizations.

- Learning Manner Options: Video Only or with Transcripts.

When choosing an online learning platform, think about how you learn and what you like. Some platforms only have videos, while others also have transcripts, interactive quizzes, and other tools for learning.

- Price.

Online learning platforms have a wide range of prices, so you should consider your budget when choosing one. Some platforms have courses that you can take for free, while others require you to sign up for a plan or pay for each course.

- Certificates.

You should look for learning platforms that provide certificates following the successful completion of a course since this may lend more legitimacy to your educational endeavors and give documentation of the things you have accomplished.

To Sum Up

The ability to acquire new knowledge and hone existing abilities at a time and place best suits you is a major benefit of online education platforms. Choosing which platform is ideal for your requirements might be difficult among the many options available. You may choose the platform that best suits your needs and preferences by considering course quality, instructor expertise, partnerships, learning method alternatives, pricing, credentials, and the ability to monitor your learning route. You can advance in your studies and profession if you have the necessary tools and the motivation to study.

Oliva Eve
Oliva Eve Mar 09, 24
Share article: