21 Best Free and Affordable Online Course Platforms of 2023

Are you looking for the best online course platform to upskill or reskill in 2023? From entry-level courses to professional certifications and degree programs, there are now dozens of affordable online course providers that make learning new skills easier than ever.

Our recommendations offer free, low-cost, and comprehensive premium options with flexible payment plans. Everyone can choose their ideal platform depending on budget constraints, desired skill level, and other personal preferences like user experience.

This article will explore the 21 best free and affordable online course platforms of 2023, highlighting their key features, pricing, and benefits to help learners and instructors make informed decisions about their educational journeys.

What is an Online Course Platform?

An online course platform is a software application or website that allows for creating, delivering, and managing educational content over the Internet.

It is a platform that enables instructors, educators, and content creators to create and publish courses, which learners can access and take from any location with an internet connection.

These online course platforms include course authoring tools, multimedia content integration, assessment and feedback mechanisms, and learner tracking and analytics to support online learning.

They are typically designed to be user-friendly and accessible to learners with varying levels of technical expertise to acquire new skills and knowledge without needing to attend traditional classrooms.

They provide a forum for instructors and educators to share their knowledge and reach a wider audience.

These are the 21 Best Free and Affordable Online Course Platforms Of 2023:

Our selection is based on features, pricing, course variety, and user experience. These platforms offer affordable courses to help you learn new skills, improve your knowledge, or earn a certification.

1. Thinkific

Thinkific's home page for the online course platform and other features
It shows a lady and man holding their laptops and a man sculpturing a wood

Thinkific is a cloud-based learning management system (LMS) that enables individuals and businesses to create, market, and sell online courses.

Thinkific’s online course platform is a highly user-friendly interface for course creation, student management, and marketing automation, making it an ideal choice for beginners and experienced course creators.

Thinkific is one of the best intuitive online course platforms because of its unique features, which include its scalability. It is a popular online course choice for entrepreneurs looking to build vibrant communities and monetize memberships.

Key Features:

Course creation: Thinkific offers a simple course builder enabling users to create and customize online courses platform.
Content hosting: Thinkific offers unlimited hosting for your course content, including videos, audio, PDFs, and other materials.
Payment processing: Thinkific enables you to accept payments for your courses via several payment gateways, including PayPal, Stripe, and others.
Student management: Thinkific offers tools to help you manage your students, such as enrollment, progress tracking, and communication. The courses are well-structured and organized, allowing learners to navigate and access the content they need easily.
Marketing and sales: Thinkific includes built-in marketing and sales tools, such as customizable sales pages, coupons, and email marketing.
Integrations: Thinkific integrates with third-party tools like Zapier and Google Analytics.
Mobile app: Thinkific provides a mobile app for iOS and Android that enables students to access courses on the go.

Pros:

Simple to use: Thinkific’s course builder is simple and intuitive, making creating and customizing your online courses easy.
Fully customizable: Thinkific gives you complete control over your course content, branding, and course website design.
Affordable: Thinkific provides a range of pricing options, including a free plan and a low-cost Basic plan, making it suitable for all budgets.
Comprehensive: Thinkific provides all the tools you need to create, sell, and deliver your online courses in one platform, saving you time and effort.
Supportive: Thinkific provides excellent customer service, which includes a comprehensive knowledge base, online community forums, and responsive email support.
Secure: Thinkific protects your course content and student data with secure payment processing and data encryption.
Scalable: Thinkific is scalable and can handle courses of any size, from a single course to a full-scale online school.

Pricing:

Free: Free trial available.
Basic: $36 per month (If billed annually)
Start: $74 per month (If billed annually)
Grow: $149 per month (If billed annually)

2. Teachable

Home page of teachable online course platform

Teachable is a cloud-based learning management system (LMS) that enables individuals and organizations to create and sell online courses.

Teachable allows users to create multimedia courses that include videos, audio files, PDFs, and other resources and make them available to students worldwide.

In addition, Teachable gives creators the tools they need to educate and engage their online audience. Users can easily create and distribute courses, coaching programs, and downloadable content.

Teachable is considered the best online course platform for beginners. It enables educators to get paid on their terms, offering flexible pricing and payment options.

Key Features:

Course Creation Tools: Teachable provides an easy-to-use course creation interface that allows instructors to easily create and structure their courses using a drag-and-drop editor.
Website Builder: With Teachable’s website builder, you can create a personalized course website that promotes your brand and courses.
Course Hosting: All courses are hosted on Teachable’s servers, eliminating instructors needing to manage their hosting.
Analytics: Teachable can track student progress, monitor course performance, and make data-driven decisions to improve their courses.
Student Management: Using Teachable’s student management tools, instructors can easily manage their students, track their progress, and communicate with them.
Marketing Tools: Teachable includes a suite of marketing tools to assist instructors in promoting their courses, such as customizable landing pages, email marketing, and affiliate marketing.
Integrations: Teachable integrates with several third-party services, including email marketing platforms like Mailchimp and payment gateways like Stripe.

Pros:

User-Friendly Interface: Teachable has a user-friendly interface that allows anyone with no technical knowledge to create and sell online courses easily.
Customizable Design: Using Teachable’s website builder, you can create a custom design that matches your brand and style.
Reliable Payment Processing: Teachable’s payment processing is secure and dependable, ensuring you are paid on time and without complications.
Marketing Tools: Teachable offers a variety of marketing tools to help you attract more students and effectively promote your courses.
Support and Resources: Teachable provides excellent customer support and various resources, such as online tutorials, webinars, and a knowledge base, to assist users in successfully creating and selling courses.

Pricing:

Free: Free trial available.
Basic: $39 per month (If billed annually)
Pro: $119 per month (If billed annually)
Business: Customized Pricing (Available on request)

3. Learnworlds

Learnworlds is one of the best online course platforms for creating and marketing online courses. It provides course creators with comprehensive tools and features to build and customize their own branded online school, manage their courses, and sell them to learners.

Learnworld provides a comprehensive solution for educators who want to create, sell, and promote their online courses. As a standalone platform with a user-friendly interface, Learnworlds is an all-in-one solution that streamlines the entire course creation process. It has various design tools, interactive content creation features, and built-in marketing tools that help educators create unique and engaging courses that appeal to their target audience. With Learnworlds, educators have greater flexibility and control over their online courses, allowing them to provide their students with an impeccable learning experience.

Key Features:

Course Creation: Learnworlds offers an intuitive course builder allowing you to easily create interactive, multimedia-rich courses.
Customization: The platform allows for extensive customization, allowing you to create unique online school and course pages that reflect your brand.
E-commerce: Learnworlds includes e-commerce functionality that enables you to sell courses and other digital products directly from your online school.
Assessment and Quizzing: Learnworlds allows you to create quizzes and assessments to track your student’s progress in their learning.
Certifications: When your students complete your courses, you can issue them with certificates of completion.
Community Features: To help you foster a sense of community among your students, Learnworlds includes features such as discussion forums and messaging.
Mobile Learning: The platform is mobile-responsive, so your students can access your courses from any device.

Pros:

Simple-to-Use Interface: Learnworlds has a simple-to-use interface that simplifies creating and managing courses.
E-commerce Functionality: Learnworlds includes e-commerce functionality, eliminating the need to integrate with third-party payment processors to sell your courses.
Marketing Tools: The platform includes a suite of marketing tools to assist you in promoting your courses and expanding your audience.
Course Engagement Features: Quizzes, assessments, and discussion forums are just a few features Learnworlds offers to engage your students and improve their learning experience.
Support: Learnworlds has a responsive customer support team available 24/7 to assist you with any questions or issues.

Pricing:

Starter: $24 per month (If billed annually)
Pro Trainer: $79 per month (If billed annually)
Learning Center: $249 per month (If billed annually)
High Volume & Corporate: Customized Pricing (Available on request)

4. Kajabi

Kajabi is a cloud-based platform for creating and selling online courses, membership sites, and digital products. It is an all-in-one platform with tools for content creation, marketing, sales, and online course delivery.

Key Features:

Course Creation Tools: Enables users to easily create and sell online courses with various multimedia options.
Membership Site Creation: Create and manage membership sites with various access levels and subscription options.
Marketing Tools: These include email marketing, landing pages, and sales funnels to assist with selling courses and products.
Website Creation: A drag-and-drop course creator with pre-designed templates for creating custom websites.
Community Building: Use forums, chat, and commenting features to create an online community around your brand.
Analytics: Provides detailed analytics and reporting to track the performance of your courses and products.

Pros:

All-in-One Platform: Kajabi is a comprehensive platform that enables users to build their online course business from beginning to end without needing multiple tools.
Simple to Use: The platform is simple to use and requires little technical knowledge to get started.
Customizable Design: Kajabi provides various templates and design options to help you create a one-of-a-kind online presence.
Excellent Support: Kajabi provides live chat and email support 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Marketing Tools: The platform offers several marketing tools to assist users in selling their courses and products.
Payment Processing: Kajabi integrates with major payment gateways to securely process payments.

Pricing:

Free: 14-day free trial available.
Basic: $119 per month (If billed annually)
Growth: $159 per month (If billed annually)
Pro: $319 per month (If billed annually)

5. Podia

Podia is a digital product, course, and membership all-in-one online marketplace for creators, entrepreneurs, and small businesses. Users can use the platform to create and host their products, manage their sales, and interact with their customers in a single platform.

Key Features:

Course creation tools: You can create courses and include multimedia content like videos, PDFs, quizzes, and discussions.
Membership site functionality: You can set up a membership site and grant different levels of content access based on the subscription plan.
Email marketing integration: To communicate with your students or members, you can integrate with email marketing services such as ConvertKit, Mailchimp, and Drip.
Affiliate marketing program: You can create an affiliate program and invite others to promote your courses in exchange for a commission.
Customizable website templates: You can customize your website to match your branding using pre-designed templates or by using your HTML/CSS.
Sales and marketing tools: You can create and sell digital products, set up payment plans, and offer coupons or discounts.

Pros:

All-in-one platform: Podia includes everything you need to create and sell digital products, courses, and memberships without requiring the integration of multiple tools.
User-friendly interface: Podia is simple to use and includes a drag-and-drop editor for course creation and website customization.
No transaction fees: Podia do not charge transaction fees on your sales, which can save you money over time.
Excellent customer service: Podia provide excellent customer service via email and live chat, as well as a comprehensive knowledge base with useful articles and tutorials.
Free trial: Podia provides a free trial period to test the platform and its features before deciding to subscribe.

Pricing:

Free: Free trial available.
Mover: $33 per month (If billed annually)
Shaker: $75 per month (If billed annually)

6. Coursera

Coursera is an online learning platform that offers courses, specializations, and degrees from world-renowned universities and institutions. It offers diverse courses in fields such as technology, regular and online business, creative arts, and others.

Key Features:

Course Catalog: Coursera has an extensive catalog of courses in various fields, with both free and paid options.
Specializations: A specialization is a set of courses designed to help students gain knowledge and skills in a specific field of study.
Degrees: In collaboration with top universities and institutions, Coursera offers online degrees in various fields.
Interactive Learning: Interactive and engaging features such as quizzes, assignments, and discussion forums are included in courses.
Certification: Upon completion of a course or specialization, learners can earn a certificate, providing tangible recognition of their skills and knowledge.
Mobile App: Coursera has a mobile app that allows students to access courses and content from their mobile devices.

Pros:

Comprehensive Course Catalog: Coursera provides a comprehensive catalog of courses in various fields, with both free and paid options.
High-Quality Instructors: Courses are taught by instructors from the world’s top universities and institutions.
Flexibility: Learners can learn at their own pace and on their timetable, making balancing learning with work and other responsibilities simple.
Affordability: Many Coursera courses are free, paid, and specializations are less expensive than traditional education options.
Career Services: Coursera offers career services such as job search support and career advice to help learners advance their careers.

Pricing:

Free: Free trial available.
Team: $399 (If billed annually)
Enterprise: Customized Pricing (Available on request)

7. Treehouse

Treehouse is an online learning platform that provides web development, design, and business courses. It focuses on giving learners practical skills and hands-on projects to help them build portfolios and advance their careers.

Key Features:

Wide range of courses: Treehouse provides courses in web development, design, and business, covering topics such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Python, PHP, and others.
Practical projects: Each course includes practical projects that allow students to apply what they’ve learned and build their portfolios.
Interactive quizzes and challenges: To help learners reinforce their knowledge and skills, Treehouse provides interactive quizzes and coding challenges.
Video tutorials led by industry experts: All courses are taught by industry experts and include video tutorials that break down complex concepts into easy-to-understand segments.
Learning tracks and skill assessments: Treehouse offers learning tracks that guide learners on a path to mastery and skill assessments to help them measure their progress.

Pros:

Practical, hands-on approach: Treehouse focuses on practical skills and real-world projects, which can assist learners in developing a solid portfolio and advancing their careers.
Experienced instructors: All courses are taught by industry experts with real-world experience.
Interactive and engaging learning experience: Treehouse provides interactive quizzes, coding challenges, and video tutorials to make learning more engaging and enjoyable.
On-demand learning options: Treehouse provides on-demand courses that learners can access whenever, wherever, and at their own pace.
Reasonable pricing: Treehouse has competitive pricing and a free trial to help learners test the platform.

Pricing:

Courses: $15 per month (If billed annually)
Courses Plus: $49 per month (If billed annually)
Techdegree: $199 per month (If billed annually)
Enterprise: Customized Pricing (Available on request)

8. LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning is a platform for online learning that offers video courses and tutorials taught by industry experts. It covers various topics, such as business, technology, and creative skills.

Key Features:

Extensive course library: LinkedIn Learning has an extensive library of courses and tutorials covering various topics and skills.
Experienced instructors: All courses are taught by industry experts with real-world experience.
Personalized learning experience: LinkedIn Learning recommends courses based on learners’ interests and career goals.
Bite-sized videos and playlists: Courses are divided into short, easy-to-digest videos, and learners can organize their learning by creating playlists.
Mobile app: LinkedIn Learning has a mobile app that allows learners to access courses and learn while on the go.

Pros:

Integration with LinkedIn: LinkedIn Learning is integrated with the LinkedIn platform, allowing learners to add completed courses to their LinkedIn profile and showcase their skills to potential employers.
High production value: LinkedIn Learning courses are well-produced, with well-designed slides and engaging video content.
Convenient and versatile: LinkedIn Learning courses can be accessed at any time, from any location, and at the learner’s pace, making them ideal for busy professionals.
Affordable pricing: LinkedIn Learning offers reasonable pricing and a free trial to allow learners to test the platform before committing to a subscription.
Wide range of topics and skills: LinkedIn Learning covers a wide range of topics and skills, which makes it an excellent platform for professionals in different industries and roles.

Pricing:

Free Trial: 1-month free trial
Post-Free Trial: $19.99/month (Billed annually), $39.99/ month (Billed Monthly)
Buy for my team: Customized Pricing (Available on request)

9. Skillshare

Skillshare is an online learning platform that provides video courses and tutorials in the areas of creativity, design, business, and technology. It emphasizes project-based learning and online community engagement to assist students in gaining practical skills and connecting with peers.

Key Features:

Wide range of courses: Skillshare provides courses in creative skills, design, business, and technology, including graphic design, photography, writing, marketing, and more.
Project-based learning: Skillshare courses emphasize practical skills and project-based learning, allowing students to apply their knowledge and build a portfolio.
Excellent peer feedback and community engagement: Learners can share their projects with the community and receive feedback from peers and instructors, which can help them improve their skills and connect with other professionals.
Mobile app: Skillshare has a mobile app that allows learners to access courses and learn on-the-go.
Community engagement: Skillshare has a community of learners and instructors who share their experiences and knowledge, which can help learners connect and network.

Pros:

Practical, hands-on approach: Skillshare focuses on practical skills and project-based learning, which can assist learners in developing a strong portfolio and advancing their careers.
Reasonable pricing: Skillshare has competitive pricing and a free trial to allow learners to test the platform before committing to a subscription.
Interactive and engaging courses: Skillshare courses are designed to be interactive and engaging, with high-quality video content and clear instructions.
Covers a wide range of topics and skills: Skillshare encompasses a wide range of topics and skills, making it an excellent platform for creative learning.

Pricing:

· Free Trial: 7-day free trial then ($2 monthly | $24 (If billed annually)

10. Skool

Skool is an all-in-one platform for creating online courses, building communities, and organizing events. It is intended to be simple and easy to use, and it includes various tools to assist users in creating engaging learning experiences for their students or customers.

Key Features:

Course management: Skool enables users to easily create and manage their courses, including uploading course materials, establishing pricing and payment options, and tracking student progress.
Community building: Skool offers a platform for users to create and manage their communities, which include discussion forums, chat rooms, and member profiles.
Event schedule: Skool allows users to schedule and manage events like webinars and workshops and easily integrate them into their course or community pages.
Gamification: Skool includes gamification features like leaderboards, level hierarchies, points, daily activity tracking, rewards, and much more.
Everything in One Place: Skool makes your life easier by providing everything you need with a single login, profile, and search.

Pros:

Simplified course management: Skool’s course management tools make it simple for users to create and manage their courses without technical knowledge.
Creating engaging and interactive communities: Skool’s community-building tools can assist users in creating engaging and interactive communities, which can improve student engagement and retention.
Price flexibility: Skool’s affordable monthly plan makes it an appealing option for course creators looking to create an online course without breaking the bank.
Responsive customer service: Skool offers responsive customer service to assist users with problems or questions.
User-Friendly: Skool is an excellent choice for a user-friendly, all-in-one platform with many features and support.
Free Trial: Skool provides a free trial, making it worthwhile for course creators who want to create an online course without hassle.

Pricing:

Simple Pricing: $99 per month.

11. Mighty Networks

Mighty Networks is a platform that allows creators and entrepreneurs to build brand communities where members can connect, learn, and collaborate.

Key Features:

Customizable branding: Mighty Networks allows creators to customize their community to match their branding and aesthetic fully.
Community management: Users can manage their community by setting rules, moderating content, and monitoring member activity.
Discussion boards: Members can participate in discussions and ask questions within the community.
Events and courses: Users can create and host events and courses for members and track progress and completion.
Membership tiers: Users can create different membership levels with different access to content and features.

Pros:

Engagement features: With discussion boards, events, and courses, Mighty Networks provides tools for creators to keep members engaged and learning.
Monetization options: With membership tiers and the ability to sell courses and events, creators can monetize their community.
Mobile app: The mobile app allows members to access the community on-the-go easily.
Analytics: Mighty Networks provides valuable analytics to help creators track engagement and growth metrics.

Pricing:

Community: $33 per month (If billed annually)
Business: $99 per month (If billed annually)
Mighty Pro: Customized Pricing (Available on request)

12. LearnDash

LearnDash is a learning management system (LMS) plugin for WordPress that enables individuals and organizations to create and manage online courses, quizzes, and other educational content.

Key Features:

Course Builder: LearnDash comes with a drag-and-drop course builder that makes it easy to create courses and lessons and add multimedia content like videos and quizzes.
Gamification: With LearnDash, you can add gamification elements like badges and certificates to motivate learners and increase engagement.
Drip-feeding: You can schedule content to be released gradually over time, which can help with course pacing and retention.
Advanced quiz options: LearnDash offers advanced quiz options like randomization, essay questions, and timed quizzes.
Integration options: LearnDash integrates with various tools, including WordPress plugins, payment gateways, and email marketing platforms.

Pros:

Flexible and customizable: LearnDash is highly customizable, with various options for course design, functionality, and branding.
User-friendly: LearnDash’s interface is intuitive and easy to navigate, making it a good choice for course creators and learners.
Robust reporting: LearnDash offers detailed reporting features that enable course creators to track learner progress, engagement, and performance.
Scalable: LearnDash can handle many learners and courses, making it a good choice for businesses or organizations with growing training needs.
Active community: LearnDash has a large and active user community, which means plenty of resources and support are available.

Pricing:

1 Site: $199 per year
10 Sites: $399 per year
Unlimited: $799 per year

13. Ruzuku

Ruzuku is a cloud-based online course creation and delivery platform that allows you to create and manage courses, engage with your learners, and track your progress.

Key Features:

Course Creation: Ruzuku provides an easy-to-use course creation tool that allows you to create and customize your online courses. You can upload multimedia content, including videos, images, and audio files, and create interactive quizzes to engage your learners.
Course Management: You can manage your courses from a central dashboard that provides a real-time overview of your course progress, including enrollment, completion rates, and engagement.
Live Webinars: Ruzuku includes a live webinar feature that allows you to host live sessions with your learners. You can use the built-in chat feature to engage with your learners and answer their questions in real-time.
Communication Tools: Ruzuku provides various communication tools, including email, discussion forums, and a built-in messaging system. You can use these tools to communicate with your learners and support them.
Integration with Other Tools: Ruzuku integrates various tools, including payment processors, email marketing software, and learning management systems.

Pros:

Easy-to-Use Interface: Ruzuku has a simple and intuitive interface that makes creating and managing your courses easy.
Flexible Pricing: Ruzuku offers flexible pricing plans that allow you to pay only for the features you need. There are no setup fees, and you can cancel your subscription anytime.
Great Support: Ruzuku provides excellent customer support, including email support, a knowledge base, and various video tutorials.
Customizable Branding: You can customize the look and feel of your courses to match your branding, including uploading your logo and choosing your color scheme.
Mobile-Friendly: Ruzuku courses are mobile-friendly, meaning learners can access your courses from any device, including smartphones and tablets.

Pricing:

Free: Free trial available.
Core: $99 per month (If billed annually).
Pro: $199 per month (If billed annually).

14. Academy of Mine

Academy of Mine is an enterprise-level learning management system (LMS) that provides a fully customizable platform for creating, managing, and delivering online courses. It is designed to meet the needs of businesses, educational institutions, and other organizations that require a robust, scalable, and feature-rich LMS.

Key Features:

Course creation tools: Academy of Mine offers several tools for developing online courses, such as multimedia content, quizzes, surveys, and assignments.
In-platform e-commerce: Users can sell their courses directly from the platform, eliminating the need for additional e-commerce tools or plugins.
Comprehensive student management tools: The platform includes tools for managing student enrollments, tracking progress, and issuing certificates of completion, all of which contribute to a positive learning experience.
Analytics and reporting: Users can track student performance, course completion rates, and revenue metrics through the platform’s analytics tools.

Pros:

Extensive course creation tools: Academy of Mine offers a variety of features for creating and delivering engaging and interactive online courses.
Custom branding options: The platform enables users to create a fully branded learning experience for their students, which aids in developing their brand and credibility.
Advanced analytics and reporting: Academy of Mine provides detailed insights into course performance, student engagement, and revenue metrics, assisting users in optimizing their courses and increasing profits.
Integrations: Academy of Mine is compatible with various third-party tools, such as payment gateways, email marketing services, and customer relationship management (CRM) systems.

Pricing:

Startup: $299 per month
Essentials: $599 per month
Professional: $999 per month
Enterprise Plan: Starts at $24k/Year

15. WizIQ

WizIQ is an online learning platform that provides a range of tools for educators to create and deliver interactive live, and self-paced courses. It is designed for individuals, educators, and organizations of all sizes wanting to offer online courses.

Key Features:

Virtual classroom: WizIQ provides a virtual classroom environment for live online teaching, with tools for interactive whiteboarding, screen sharing, and real-time chat.
Course creation tools: The platform offers tools for creating multimedia content, assessments, and assignments, as well as course analytics and reporting features.
E-commerce functionality: Users can sell their courses directly through the platform, with options for payment processing, course promotion, and student management.
Integrations: The platform can integrate with a range of third-party tools, including learning management systems (LMS), customer relationship management (CRM) systems, and content management systems (CMS).
Mobile app: The platform offers a mobile app that allows students to access courses and participates in live classes from their mobile devices, providing greater flexibility for learning.

Pros:

Live classes: WizIQ offers tools for creating and delivering live online classes, effectively engaging students, and facilitating discussion.
Course creation: WizIQ provides tools that allow educators to easily create and share course materials, such as videos, documents, and quizzes.
Student management: The platform includes tools for managing students and tracking their progress, which can help educators monitor student participation and performance.
Analytics: WizIQ provides detailed analytics to help educators track course metrics and identify areas for improvement.
User-friendly: WizIQ has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy for educators to create and manage online courses.

Pricing:

Customized Pricing (Available on request)

16. Upskillist

Upskillist is an online learning platform that offers courses in various subjects, including business, technology, and creative skills.

Key Features:

Live online classes: Students attend live, interactive online classes led by experienced instructors.
Flexible scheduling: Classes are offered at various times to accommodate different schedules.
Course materials: Students can access course materials, including videos, readings, and quizzes.
Certification: Upon completing a course, students receive a certificate of completion.
Mobile app: Students can access course materials and attend classes on mobile devices.

Pros:

Affordable: Upskillist’s courses are affordable, making them accessible to a wide range of students.
Interactive: The live online classes allow students to interact with instructors and classmates in real-time.
Wide range of subjects: Upskillist offers courses in various topics, providing students with many options for learning.
No prior experience required: Courses are designed for students of all skill levels, so no previous experience is necessary.
Learning flexibility: The flexible scheduling and mobile app make it easy for students to learn on their schedule and from anywhere.

Pricing:

Free: 28-day free trial available.
Enterprise Plan: $120 per user (annually)

17. Udemy

Udemy is one of the best online learning platforms that provide courses on various topics such as business, IT, marketing, design, personal development, and many more. Since its inception in 2010, the platform has become one of the largest online learning marketplaces, with over 155,000 courses and 40 million students worldwide.

Key Features:

Self-paced courses: Students can learn at their own pace and on their schedule.
Wide range of subjects: Udemy offers courses in various subjects, with over 155,000 courses available.
Course materials: Students can access course materials, including videos, readings, and quizzes.
Certification: Upon completing a course, students receive a certificate of completion.
Mobile app: Students can access course materials and learn from mobile devices.
Affordable pricing: Udemy offers courses at affordable prices, with many courses available for less than $20. This makes it accessible to learners of all backgrounds and budgets.

Pros:

Affordable: Udemy’s courses are affordable, making them accessible to a wide range of students. Sometimes the platform offers free courses.
High-quality instructors: Udemy’s instructors have experienced professionals in their fields.
Lifetime access: Students have lifetime access to the courses they purchase, including any updates or additions made to the course.
Global Community: Udemy has a global community of learners and instructors, providing opportunities for networking and collaboration.
Refund policy: Udemy offers a 30-day refund policy, allowing students to try a course risk-free.
User-friendly interface: Udemy has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy for learners to navigate and find the courses they need.
Expert instructors: Udemy works with expert instructors who have real-world experience in their fields.

Pricing:

Enterprise: Customized Pricing (Available on request)
Team: $360 per user (annually)
Leadership Academy: Customized Pricing (Available on request)

18. AbsorbLMS

AbsorbLMS is a cloud-based learning management system (LMS) designed for small and medium-sized businesses to provide online training and education to their employees, partners, and customers. It offers a complete solution for managing, tracking, and reporting e-learning activities.

Key Features:

Course creation: Administrators can create online courses and upload content such as multimedia and assessments.
Reporting and analytics: Absorb LMS offers comprehensive reporting and analytics o track learner progress and course completion.
Gamification: These features are available in Absorb LMS to engage learners and incentivize learning.
Mobile learning: Learners can use their mobile devices to access courses and content.
Integration: Absorb LMS integrates with other systems, such as human resources and CRM software.

Pros:

User-friendly: Absorb LMS is simple to use and intuitive for administrators and students.
Customizable: Absorb LMS allows for customization, including branding and course design.
Scalable: Absorb LMS can be scaled to meet the needs of companies of all sizes.
Customer service: Absorb LMS offers excellent customer service, including 24-hour technical support.
Security: Absorb LMS includes robust security features such as data encryption and two-factor authentication.

Pricing:

Free: Free trial available.
Customized Pricing (Request a quote)

19. iSpring Learn

iSpring Learn is a robust online training platform designed to meet the learning needs of any organization. Its intuitive user interface, powerful analytics, and easy integration make it a go-to option for companies looking to upskill their workforce.

With iSpring Learn, organizations can create engaging e-learning courses that their employees will love. The platform’s interactive features encourage learners to engage with the content, making it more effective in imparting new skills and knowledge.

Additionally, iSpring Learn’s reporting capabilities provide valuable insights into learners’ progress, enabling you to track their performance and adjust your training tools and strategy accordingly.

Key Features

User-friendly Interface: iSpring Learn’s user-friendly interface makes it easy for course creators to create and organize courses with lessons, quizzes, and other content.
Mobile Learning: iSpring Learn’s responsive design enables learners to access courses on any device, providing a convenient learning experience.
Automated Learning Paths: iSpring Learn allows course creators to create automated learning paths based on learners’ skills and interests, providing a personalized learning experience.
Gamification: iSpring Learn offers gamification features such as badges and leaderboards to increase learner engagement and motivation.
Advanced Reporting: iSpring Learn provides advanced reporting features that enable course creators to track learner progress, monitor course effectiveness, and generate detailed reports.
Collaboration Tools: iSpring Learn provides collaboration tools, such as discussion forums and chat, enabling learners to communicate and collaborate with other learners and instructors.
Integrations: iSpring Learn integrates with various third-party tools and platforms, such as Salesforce, Zapier, and Google Analytics, providing additional features and functionality for course creators.

Pros:

User-friendly interface: iSpring Learn has a simple and intuitive interface that makes it easy for course creators to create and organize courses.
Mobile learning: iSpring Learn is fully responsive, making it easy for learners to access courses on any device from anywhere.
Advanced reporting: iSpring Learn provides detailed analytics and reporting tools that help course creators track learner progress, measure course effectiveness, and identify areas for improvement.
Collaboration tools: iSpring Learn includes tools like discussion forums and chat that enable learners to interact and collaborate, as well as with instructors.
Integration with other tools: iSpring Learn integrates with other tools, such as Salesforce, Zapier, and Google Analytics, allowing course creators to extend its functionality and tailor it to their specific needs.
Scalability: iSpring Learn can support unlimited learners and courses, making it a good choice for organizations of any size.
Security: iSpring Learn is built with enterprise-grade security features, including SSL encryption and data backup, to protect learners’ data.
Good support: iSpring Learn provides responsive support with a comprehensive knowledge base, user community, and a dedicated support team.

Pricing

iSpring Suite: $770/Author/year
iSpring Suite Max: $970/author/year
iSpring Suite Premium: $1,970/author/year

20. Xperiencify

Xperiencify is one of the best online course platforms that eliminate the hassle of completing online courses and programs.

With a user-friendly interface that’s both easy to navigate and aesthetically pleasing, Xperiencify offers a simple and fun way for more people to achieve their educational goals.

This platform has revolutionized how people learn online by providing highly interactive and engaging courses that educate and entertain. These are critical features needed by coaches to create engaging online courses.

Key Features

Personalization: Xperiencify allows course creators to create personalized learning experiences for each learner based on their individual needs and preferences.
Gamification: Xperiencify includes gamification features such as badges, points, and leaderboards that can motivate learners and increase engagement.
Advanced analytics: Xperiencify provides detailed analytics and reporting tools that allow course creators to track learner progress, measure course effectiveness, and identify areas for improvement.
Automation: Xperiencify includes automation features that can help course creators save time and deliver more personalized learning experiences.
Interactive content: Xperiencify allows course creators to create interactive content
Mobile optimization: Xperiencify is fully optimized for mobile devices, making it easy for learners to access courses on any device from anywhere.
Drip content: Xperiencify allows course creators to deliver content to learners over time, which can help keep learners engaged and motivated throughout the course.
Support: Xperiencify provides responsive support, including a dedicated help center and community forum, to help course creators get the most out of the platform.

Pros

Personalized learning experiences: Xperiencify offers learning experiences tailored to each learner’s needs and preferences.
Gamification features: Xperiencify offers gamification features such as badges, points, and leaderboards that can increase learner engagement and motivation.
Social learning tools that encourage collaboration and knowledge-sharing among learners.
Advanced analytics and reporting: These features allow course creators to track learner progress and effectiveness.
Automation features: These features help to save time and deliver more personalized learning experiences.
Interactive content: These include quizzes, surveys, and assessments that can improve learner engagement and retention.
Integrations: Xperiencify effectively integrates with various other tools and platforms, making it easy for course creators to extend functionality and tailor it to specific needs.

Price:

Pricing is available on request via Xperiencify’s website

21. Accessally

Accessally is a top-notch online course platform tailored for coaches, trainers, and creators looking for a fully customizable experience.

It offers various features that vary from interactive quizzes to certificate creation, giving you the requisites to create a dynamic and engaging course. With an easy-to-use interface, users can effortlessly create and host their course and generate revenue from your creation.

Furthermore, Accessally’s analytics feature allows users to monitor their progress and adjust their courses according to the results.

Key Features

Membership site functionality: AccessAlly allows course creators to create membership sites that offer users access to multiple courses or other resources.
Advanced automation tools: AccessAlly includes advanced automation tools such as tagging, conditional logic, and triggers that allow course creators to deliver more personalized learning experiences and automate tasks such as email marketing and course enrollment.
Payment and subscription management: AccessAlly includes payment, and subscription management features that allow course creators to sell courses, manage payments, and offer recurring subscriptions.
Customizable course player: AccessAlly allows course creators to fully customize the course player, including the look and feel, buttons, and navigation.
Integrated learning management system (LMS): AccessAlly includes an integrated LMS that allows course creators to manage course content, track learner progress, and provide assessments and certifications.

Pros:

Comprehensive membership site functionality: AccessAlly allows course creators to create membership sites that offer users access to multiple courses or other resources, providing a more comprehensive learning experience.
Integrated payment and subscription management: AccessAlly includes cost and subscription management features that allow course creators to sell courses, manage payments, and offer recurring subscriptions.
Robust LMS functionality: AccessAlly includes a comprehensive LMS that allows course creators to manage course content, track learner progress, and provide assessments and certifications.
Excellent customer support: AccessAlly offers excellent customer support through various channels, including live chat, email, and a dedicated support team.
Scalable and flexible: AccessAlly can be customized and scaled to meet the needs of course creators, whether they are just starting or have a large and growing audience.

Pricing:

AccessAlly Essentials: $82/month (for Small Businesses & Solopreneurs).
AccessAlly Pro: $108/month (for online educators & marketers).
AccessAlly Community: $124/month (for coaches, educators & community leaders).

Features to consider when choosing Online Course Platforms

When choosing an online course platform, there are several features you should consider. Here are some of the most important ones:

For Instructors:

Course Creation Tools: Look for a platform with an easy-to-use interface for creating and managing courses. It should simplify uploading content such as videos, PDFs, and quizzes.
Customization: It is critical to be able to customize your course platform to match your branding and personalize the student experience. Check to see if the platform allows for customization.
Student Management: Select a platform with features like enrollment management, progress tracking, and student messaging. These features allow you to keep track of student progress and provide personalized support as needed.
Pricing: Look for a platform that fits your budget and has a pricing structure that meets your needs.
Integrations: Check to see if the platform integrates with any other tools you use, such as your email marketing platform or learning management system (LMS).
Course Delivery: Consider the platform’s delivery options, such as live webinars or pre-recorded videos, and ensure they match your teaching style and objectives.
Marketing and Sales: If you intend to sell courses, ensure the platform includes marketing and sales tools like discount codes, affiliate programs, and customizable sales pages.
Support and Training: Finally, look for a platform that offers excellent support and training resources to help you get the most out of the platform and troubleshoot any issues.

For Learners:

Content Quality: The platform’s courses should be well-designed, up-to-date, and engaging. The content should be created by subject matter experts and be of high quality.
Learning Experience: The platform should have a user-friendly interface allowing learners to navigate and find the required courses easily.
Certification: Upon course completion, the platform should provide a certificate. This is especially important for learners who must demonstrate their knowledge and skills to potential employers.
Price: The platform should have a competitive pricing structure that is affordable to students, including zero transaction fees.
Support: The platform should support learners with questions or technical difficulties.
Flexibility: The platform should allow for scheduling and pacing flexibility. Learners should have access to the course material at any time and be able to complete the course at their own pace.
Compatibility: The platform should be compatible with different devices, such as desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. This allows learners to access the course material anywhere and anytime.

4 Reasons why companies should invest in online education

It enables employees to enhance their skills and knowledge conveniently, allowing them to stay up-to-date with industry trends and best practices.
Online training offers flexibility, accommodating employees’ schedules and preferences, which promotes higher engagement and motivation.
It fosters a culture of continuous learning and personal growth within the organization, attracting and retaining top talent who value professional development opportunities.
Online training can facilitate cross-functional collaboration and knowledge sharing among team members, leading to improved teamwork and innovation.

Executive Summary

Finally, the availability of free and affordable online course platforms has transformed the way we learn and acquire knowledge.

Individuals can now access quality education from anywhere in the world, at any time, and at an affordable cost, thanks to the rise of e-learning.

Whether you are a student looking to improve your skills, a professional looking to advance your career, or simply interested in learning something new, the 17 best free and affordable online course platforms of 2023 provide plenty of options to meet your specific needs and interests.