Online learning is an important tool helping to close the widening global skills gap. Everyday people are increasingly accessing online courses to help them navigate today’s ever changing labour market. According to a report of World Economic Forum online learning platform Coursera recorded 20 million new student registrations in 2021. And Coursera is just an example of many online learning platforms. The number is exponentially increasing. Many students are getting benefited from these platforms. But somewhere learners get confuse while choosing a platform. So, this blog is specifically going to be a guide for you to choose the best online learning platform especially for this year 2023. Here is a list of the top 10 best online learning platforms.
1) Udemy
Rating: 4.6 out of 5
Pros: available in 65 different languages, no deadlines
Cons: no accreditation
Price: $11 to $200 depending on the course
Accreditation: no
Refund policy: 30-day refund policy
Link: Udemy
This online learning and teaching platform was founded in 2010, headquartered in the USA. Their main goal is to disrupt and democratize the educational system. This platform has way more courses available compared to others. With over 213,000 classes and over 70,000 instructors, you are bound to find something for yourself. It is best for people looking forward to gaining both professional and creative skill sets. Udemy is not suitable for people who would like to learn different skills, as you need to pay individually for different courses. It is not an accredited institution but you do get a certificate of completion after doing a paid course. This platform is considered one of the best for upskilling.
2) Skillshare
Rating: 4 out of 5
Pros: covers almost every creative field
Cons: courses available only in English
Price: $14 per month or $159 per year
Accreditation: no
Refund: 14-day refund policy
Link: Skillshare
This online learning community was founded in 2010, again headquartered in the USA. Highly popularized by social media, and deservingly so. This platform offers 35,000+ courses for over 5 million learners. They specialize in courses for creative professionals. So, the major learning base consists of small business owners, entrepreneurs, and people from similar fields. Their main focus is on teaching practical skills, which they can later use in their projects. It is best for the people, who would like to improvise their existing skills. The platform too offers a set of free classes, they are not as in-depth as the paid ones but are good whatsoever. They recently added certification for all the paid courses but are not
from an accredited institution.
3) Coursera
Rating: 4.7 out of 5
Pros: accreditations from well-known companies and universities, provides multiple scholarship programmes
Cons: Coursera will not give any certificates for free courses, you have to follow the stricted timelines
Price: professional certificate start at $39, University-issued certificates at $2000
Accreditation: yes
Refund policy: 14-day refund policy
Link: Coursera
This is one of the most sought-out learning platforms. This platform has partnered with almost 200 leading Universities and companies to create courses to supplement your education and give you a leap ahead in your career. It offers real academic courses with real professors for a fraction of the price. This platform has a great deal of courses for different fields. It is good for skilled people but still want a degree.
They offer four different types of certification namely, Specialization certificate which is not accredited. Professional certificate which is credited. MasterTrack certificate which is a high-quality university-issued certificate. A university-issued certificate is given by the University, and is not co-branded by Coursera.
Plus, the courses are in multiple languages for the convenience of everyone
4) Edx.org
Rating: 4.6 out of 5
Pros: provides multiple scholarship programmes, certification of international Universities without bearing the expenses
Cons: project deadlines, long time commitment
Price: begins at $50
Accreditation: yes
Refund policy: 2-day refund policy
Link: Edx.org
EdX is an American massive open online course (MOOC) provider created by Harvard and MIT. This platforrm has partnered with top institutions to bring quality education-oriented courses. It has partners like Harvard and MIT. This platform has over 15000 instructors.
Real college courses, created and taught by real instructors. There are a variety of courses in different fields.
They also offer a “Global Freshman Academy” where you can earn transferrable undergrad credits for select courses. Classes are very similar to online courses including study materials, lectures, and discussion. Lectures start at a given time but you are allowed to complete the course according to your speed.
Though the majority of courses are free, to get certification you need to pay approximately $49 per class.
5) LinkedIn Learning
Rating: 4.4 out of 5
Pros: affordable compared to other platforms, courses available in multiple languages, credible instructors
Cons: does not consist of in-demand courses, certificates are not accredited
Price: price of the courses range between $20-40
Accreditation: no
Refund policy: 30-day refund policy
Link: LinkedIn Learning
This platform is one of the oldest in the industry. Starting off as Lynda in 1995 features over 17000 courses in topics like business, technology, and creativity.
LinkedIn Learning is best for professionals or for people who have ample knowledge of the subject. It is not suitable for beginners. It is a good place to upskill or advance your career.
Students receive a certificate of completion for their courses but it is not accredited by any university or company. They can later be added to your portfolios and resume. If you are interested in joining this platform, use the free trial smartly.
6) Khan Academy
Rating: 4 out of 5
Pros: all courses are absolutely free
Cons: variety of courses is not wide
Price: free
Accreditation: no accreditation as no certification is given
Refund policy: none
Link: Khan Academy
This top learning platform features over 8000 video lessons on different topics. What is more interesting is that it is all free of cost! More than 70 million have used this platform for academic purposes including the preparation for SATs. There are streaks and games to make learning even more fun.
The lessons now are available in different languages for your convenience.
No certifications are given because the courses are meant to help students learn and understand their academics well.
7) Pluralsight
Rating: 4.2 out of 5
Pros: unlimited access to classes with the subscription
Cons: no refund policy, not for beginners
Price: $230 to $500 per year
Accreditation: no
Refund policy: no refunds
Link: Pluralsight
This platform launched in 2004 is made for working professionals to expand their knowledge of data science. The most unique feature of this platform is that it offers mini-degree programs for both individuals and teams.
The platform includes more than 7,000 individual classes across hundreds of paths.
They give certification for every completed course which is not accredited by any university or company.
8) Udacity
Rating: 4.6 out of 5
Pros: offers resume support, multiple scholarship programmes
Cons: project deadlines, one of the more expensive options
Price: starting at $399 a month
Accreditation: no
Refund policy: 7-day refund policy
Link: Udacity
If you are looking for something, there is a 99.99% that you will find it on this platform.
This platform is the most in-demand to learn tech skills. The platform for named after “audacious for you, the student”. It is known for high-quality free courses. It is best for the people willing to take their career to the next level whether as a freelancer or part of a company. Though the nano degree programs provided are not cheap but are the best in the market to learn some in-demand skills.
They give certificates to all the paid courses but they are not accredited by any institutions or companies.
9) Masterclass
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Pros: world-class instructors, short and comprehensive videos
Cons: no certification or free trial
Price: $15 to $23 per month
Accreditation: no accreditation as no certification is given
Refund policy: 30-day refund policy
Link: Masterclass
This platform is the best for all creatives of all level seeking for inspiration from the best professionals in the field. It offers a more hands-on approach to learning which not only makes it fun but also allows you to apply their knowledge to real-life situations. Their content is engaging and exciting and you can learn from the professionals of your field. You can learn acting from Natalie Portman, filmmaking from Martin Scorsese, singing from Christina Aguilera, cooking from Gordon Ramsay, and writing from Dan Brown. Each course consists of an average of 20 lessons, each lasting approximately 10 minutes. Which makes it easier for you to take classes.
10)YouTube
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Pros: high-quality video content for absolutely free
Cons: there might not be in-depth videos for the skills you are looking forward to learn
Price: free
Accreditation: no accreditation as no certifications are given.
Refund policy: none
Link: You Tube
One of most used and free learning platform has to be YouTube which is not only known for its entertainment videos but also it’s educational videos. Here you will find any educational video content for absolutely free! While selecting videos you have to pay close attention to each video’s title, description, instructor, views and Likes. It’s a thumb rule.
No certifications is provided as YouTube’s primary focus is not education.
Conclusion
Regardless of what phase of life you are in, online learning platforms provide a convenient way for you to grow in your present career or start a new on. These were the 10 best online learning platforms. Wisely choose a platform according to your requirements. Happy learning dear reader!