Best Online Learning Platforms
Online courses and online education, in general, have become very popular in the last decade. Choosing the best Best Online Learning Platform that suits your cost, schedule, and career path can be very difficult.
The List of the Best Online Learning Platforms in 2022 includes Coursera, Udemy, edX, Udacity, Skillshare, Alison, Future Learn, and many more. To be able to choose the right platform for you depends on the pricing, whether or not the certificates are accepted by employers, and sometimes if the platform is accredited
Before looking at the list of the Best Online Learning Platforms, let’s look at what an online platform is and how to access accounts, then we will dive into the pros and cons of the most popular online platforms in 2022.
What is an online learning platform?
An online learning platform is a website or educational materials and content portal. It provides students with all the required information in one location, including lectures, resources, chances to interact with other students and teachers, and more. Additionally, it’s a great tool for both the student and the teacher to keep track of a student’s development.
MOOCs are free online learning spaces that welcome unrestricted participation from students worldwide. The majority of them provide their learners with valuable programs, tools, discussion boards, and quizzes. Students can take whatever class they choose for free, study for free, and communicate with experts through MOOC forums thanks to MOOCs.
Numerous worthwhile platforms have been developed since the first MOOC platform was established in 2006, including Udemy, Coursera, edX, Udacity, etc.
Statistics from the e-learning sector show that the market for MOOCs is currently worth $5.16 billion. Up until 2025, it is anticipated to expand at a 32.09% yearly rate. Between 2020 and 2024, the US e-learning market alone might expand by $12.81 billion. By 2027, the global market for mobile learning might total $80.1 billion.
How To Access Online Learning Platforms
Like any other membership website on the internet, you can access online learning platforms using your email address and a password. The general steps are listed below
- Step 1: Create an account with your email address
- Step 2: Confirm your account by clicking the confirmation link sent to your email address.
- Step 3: Login into your account using your email address and your password.
- Step 4: Start Learning
Read Also: Is It Worth It To Take Online Courses?
Best Online Learning Platforms in 2022
There are tons of online learning platforms out there today, but the list we have curated is based solely on our personal experience with some of these online platforms and reviews from users online. The list of the Best Online Learning Platforms includes:
- Coursera
- Udemy
- Alison
- edX
- Udacity
- Datacamp
- Future Learn
- Skillshare
- Learning LinkedIn
- Pluralsight
- MasterClass
- Codecademy
- Khan Academy
Coursera
Number of courses: 5,000+
Pricing: Professional certificate classes begin at $39 per month, guided projects start at $9.99 for each course, and higher university-issued certifications start at $2,000 per course. A $399 deal is also available for small businesses.
Certification: Yes
Accreditated Institution: Yes
The massive open online course provider Coursera Inc. was established in the United States in 2012 by computer science professors Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller from Stanford University. Coursera offers online courses, certifications, and degrees in a range of areas in collaboration with universities and other organizations.
Who is Coursera for? : Anyone who seeks education from prestigious schools, whether they are seeking a certificate, a degree, or just a single course.
| Pros | Cons |
| Courses designed in-depth by colleges and organizations, Students with low incomes can also apply for financial aid. | Due to a large number of students, teachers frequently fail to answer inquiries or provide comments. |
| Accredited certificates accepted by employers | No certification with free courses |
| Provides more than 1,500 free courses | Restricted selection of course subjects (mainly business and science) |
| Classes offered in a variety of languages | There are start and end dates for some courses, so you could miss out. |
| Follows the traditional academic learning method | Degree programs require additional applications |
Udemy
Number of courses: 204,000+
Pricing: Single courses might cost anything from $11 to more than $200.
Certification: Yes, not all of them, though.
Accreditated Institution: No
Udemy, Inc is a for-profit supplier of massive open online courses, targeting both students and working people. Eren Bali, Gagan Biyani, and Oktay Caglar formed it in May 2010.
There are over 204000 courses available on Udemy, an online learning and teaching marketplace with over 54 million users. Study marketing, data analytics, programming, and other topics.
Who is Udemy for? : Nearly every subject is covered by a course on Udemy, but always read the reviews before enrolling. There is inconsistent quality. It offers classes in 11 different subject areas, including music, design, and business.
| Pros | Cons |
| Lectures in multimedia that include readings and tests | Only supports video-based courses |
| 30-day refund guarantee | Certificates not recognized by employers |
| Easy to use with a user-friendly interface, an Udemy app available for iOS and Android | Employers do not recognize certificates |
| The learning is self-paced so there are no deadlines | Instructors can publish courses without reviewing the materials. |
| Certifications after course completion |
Alison
Number of courses: Unlimited
Pricing: Alison’s courses are 100% free every time. The premium membership is €7.99 per month or €499.00 for lifetime access. You’ll also need to pay for certificates after course completion. The prices on these vary between certificate courses and learning paths, ranging from €21.00 to €215.00.
Certification: Yes
Accreditated Institution: Yes
ALISON is an Irish platform for online education which teaches workplace competencies. It was launched In Galway, Ireland, on April 21, 2007, by a social entrepreneur Mike Feerick
Who is Alison for? : Its catalog of courses is extremely wide and ideal for students of most ages who want to pick up new knowledge or skills.
| Pros | Cons |
| The most adaptable and practical learning environment you may find | You have to pay in order to remove ads from the platform |
| Tailored assistance with career preparation, especially if you decide to upgrade to a premium membership | Mobile incompatibility, though in 2022 they have recently updated their iOS app. |
| 100% Free online courses | |
| A great platform for career advancement | |
| A wide variety of courses in different fields |
edX
Number of courses: 3,500+
Pricing: Starts at $50 to get an official certificate that has been confirmed.
Certification: Yes
Accreditated Institution: Yes
edX was founded by Harvard and MIT and it has since become the American massive open online course provider. It offers a global student population online university-level courses in a variety of fields, some of which are free. Additionally, it carries out learning research depending on how users interact with its platform.
Who is edX for ?: Its catalog of courses is extremely wide and ideal for students of most ages who want to pick up new knowledge or skills.
| Pros | Cons |
| Offering both bachelor’s and master’s degree programs | There aren’t many courses available in the humanities and creative fields. |
| Provides courses from renowned institutions including Harvard and MIT | A rather clumsy interface |
| Students with low incomes can apply for financial aid. | Financial aid is not available for all courses. |
| 14-day money-back guarantee | |
| Recognized for its STEM-oriented curriculum |
Udacity
Number of courses: 2,00+
Pricing: Ranges from $399 a month to $1,995 for four months of access to selected courses.
Certification: Yes
Accreditated Institution: No
Sebastian Thrun, David Stavens, and Mike Sokolsky formed Udacity, Inc., a for-profit educational institution in the United States that offers massive open online courses. Thrun claims that the company chose the term Udacity because it wanted to be “audacious for you, the student.”
Who is Udacity for? : Anyone wishing to learn new things and develop new skills in fields like data science, business, and programming should check out Udacity. Its courses are created to provide you with practical, marketable skills that are based on real-world projects.
| Pros | Cons |
| Programs that are extensive and contain numerous lessons | Might be pretty expensive compared to others |
| 7 – day money – back guarantee | No apps for android or iOs users |
| There are numerous scholarship opportunities. | |
| Get individualized project feedback | |
| Offers assistance with resumes and portfolio reviews |
Datacamp
Number of courses: 350+
Pricing: If you pay monthly, the regular plan will run you $15 per month or $12 per month every year.
Certification: Yes
Accreditated Institution: No
DataCamp is an online learning platform that gives students the opportunity to gain new technical skills or sharpen existing ones. From non-coding basics to data science and machine learning, you can pick up the data skills you need online and at your own speed.
Who is Datacamp for? : It is an online learning environment where you can study data skills at your own speed. If you are interested In studying data skills then Datacamp should be a platform to consider.
| Pros | Cons |
| With several videos and interesting assignments to complete, DataCamp courses emphasize interactive learning. | Not a lot of guidance for those who get lost |
| Focused solely on data science, analytics, and engineering | DataCamp doesn’t offer a verified certificate from a partnered University or Organization |
| Easy to use and affordable | Video content lacking detail |
| User-friendly interface and navigation. | Limited course topics |
| More than 260 specialists in data science and analytics. |
Future Learn
Number of courses: 2,400+
Pricing: The majority of its brief courses are free, while the longer ones range in price from $39 a month to about $1000, including a certificate. There is a cost associated with upgrades, unlimited access to course materials, and certificates.
Certification: Yes
Accreditated Institution: Yes
The British digital education portal called FutureLearn was established in December 2012. Open University and SEEK Ltd. both own a portion of the business. It is a learning platform for microcredentials, degrees, Massive Open Online Courses, and ExpertTrack. A worldwide learning platform called FutureLearn offers the best online courses from the top universities and corporations in the world.
Who is Future Learn for? : Its catalog of courses is extremely wide and ideal for students of most ages who want to pick up new knowledge or skills.
| Pros | Cons |
| Students have access to one of the top online learning communities through FutureLearn. | Mobile incompatibility |
| Availability of free courses | They have a smaller course catalog |
| High-quality course content taught by highly-rated instructors | |
| Excellent user interface & navigation | |
| self-paced and well-designed curriculum |
Skillshare
Number of courses: 30,000+
Pricing: $14 per month, which equals $168 annually
Certification: No
Accreditated Institution: No
Skillshare is a platform for those who prefer to study through instructional videos online, It is a community of learners located in the US. The unaccredited courses can only be accessed through a paid membership. You can acquire new skills on Skillshare, an online learning platform with thousands of innovative courses and programs taught by professionals.
Who is Skillshare for? : Creatives who want to learn new talents or advance their current ones should use Skillshare. Since its courses cover subjects like illustration, design, photography, video, freelancing, and much more, it comes as no surprise that they appeal to creative workers (such as chefs, artists, designers, etc.), entrepreneurs (such as marketers or SEOs), freelancers, or small businesses who are all looking to advance their creative careers.
| Pros | Cons |
| Provides team plans for teams of more than 20 persons. | Quality control is difficult so anybody can become a teacher. |
| Free – trial for 7 days | Only supports video-based courses |
| Covers nearly every creative field | Doesn’t offer certificates after course completion |
| Vast selection of courses | |
| Instructors sometimes include celebrities |
Learning LinkedIn
Number of courses: 5,000+
Pricing: You can subscribe to LinkedIn Learning on a monthly basis for $39.99 per month*, with the first month being free as a trial period, or on an annual basis for $26.99 per month, with the first month being free. Access to LinkedIn Learning is given automatically to those who subscribe to LinkedIn Premium on a monthly basis.
Certification: Yes
Accreditated Institution: No
LinkedIn Learning is an American online learning provider. It offers video classes in computing, artistic, and business skills taught by professionals in the field. A division of LinkedIn owns it. The LinkedIn courses can be divided into four groups: Technology, Business, Creativity, and Certifications
Who is it for? : Professionals and companies wishing to teach their staff will find it most useful.
| Pros | Cons |
| Quality control procedures are carried out before recruiting instructors. | Cannot connect with professors or other students |
| Different learning styles are catered to, such as the choice of scrolling transcripts in place of videos. | Few course topics (e.g., only business, tech, and visually creative) |
| Increased interactivity with hands-on practice exercises and quizzes | Completion certificates aren’t accredited |
| Completion certificates for your LinkedIn profile |
Pluralsight
Number of courses: 5,000+
Pricing: Plans range in price from $229 to $449 annually.
Certification: Yes
Accreditated Institution: No
Pluralsight, Inc. is an American privately held online education company that offers a variety of video training courses for software developers, IT administrators, and creative professionals through its website. Pluralsight offers online courses and data-driven insights that support skill development to assist businesses, teams, and people in creating better products.
Who is Pluralsight for? : The courses at Pluralsight are designed for Businesses. Every topic has a technological component, such as information and cyber security, software development, and IT operations. The company Pluralsight, which has worked with leading industry partners including Adobe and Microsoft, designed and produced its courses.
| Pros | Cons |
| Courses are in three tiers of organization for simple course selection | Courses are developed for intermediate and advanced learners |
| Unlimited access to classes with subscriptions | No refund policy |
| Affordable price for intensive courses | |
| User-friendly website | |
| Best for organizations and enterprises |
MasterClass
Number of courses: 150+
Pricing: For annual memberships, the price ranges from $15 to $23 each month.
Certification: No
Accreditated Institution: No
MasterClass is the streaming platform where the world’s best come together so anyone, anywhere, can learn from and be inspired by their knowledge and stories. Members who purchase an annual subscription have unrivaled access to 150+ teachers and programs in a range of subjects, including writing, business, design, sports & gaming, and entertainment.
Who is Masterclass for? : Anyone who is passionate about a particular subject, such as adventure photography or Middle Eastern cooking, would find the MasterClass platform appealing. The well-known instructors that teach MasterClass’ classes are what really set it apart. Neil Gaiman can instruct you in the craft of storytelling.
| Pros | Cons |
| There is a constant level of quality in the courses. | No certificates after courses completion |
| 30-day satisfaction guarantee | No free class and No Trials |
| All classes are available to members after subscription at no additional cost. | Fewer courses available compared to the competition |
| High-quality videos | Only yearly subscriptions are offered. |
| Courses offer a thorough curriculum. |
Codecademy
Number of courses: 1,800+
Pricing: The current monthly membership fees for Codecademy range from $0 (Basic) to $20 (Pro); the latter is charged annually at a cost of $240. Students who qualify may also sign up for the equivalent features but less expensive Student Pro membership ($150/year).
Certification: Yes
Accreditated Institution: No
Codecademy is an American interactive online platform that provides free coding lessons in 12 different programming languages, including HTML, CSS, Python, Java, Go, JavaScript, Ruby, SQL, C++, C#, and Sass. Gain the technical knowledge to land the job you want. Join the 50 million+ individuals who have chosen Codecademy to launch a new career (or advance in their current one).
Who is Codecademy for?: It is for anybody who wants to learn a new skill or upskill an old one, especially on topics like HTML, CSS, Python, Java, Go, JavaScript, Ruby, SQL, C++, C#, and Sass.
| Pros | Cons |
| 180+ Free interactive courses | No accreditation |
| An excellent tutorial platform for learning programming | Little is known about the course’s creator, the instructor. |
| Front-end and back-end development is the main focus. | Limited course topics |
| Career paths and pro subscriptions for professional development | |
| You will develop your own portfolio-worthy projects after acquiring real-world experience to show prospective employers. |
Khan Academy
Number of courses: No data
Pricing: It is totally free for both learners and teachers
Certification: No
Accreditated Institution: No
Salman Khan founded the non-profit educational institution Khan Academy in the United States in 2008. Its objective is to develop a set of online resources to aid in student education. The company creates videos with brief teachings in them. Additionally, there are teacher resources and supplemental practice exercises on the website. Learn for free about a variety of subjects, including history, economics, physics, chemistry, biology, finance, art, and computer programming.
Who is Khan Academy for? : Its target is people who want to study Grammar, science, history, AP®, SAT®, and more are all covered in Khan Academy’s library there are also lessons for math grades K–12 through early college.
| Pros | Cons |
| You will never spend a dime taking courses at Khan Academy because they are completely free. | Khan Academy was once attacked for including false information in some of its classes, but the company hired 200 fact-checkers to help fix the issue. |
| The instructors of the high-quality courses are subject-matter authorities. There are readings, tests, and videos. | Lack of personalized experience with instructors |
| Easy-to-use, intuitive, and user-friendly | No certificates |
| The emphasis is on mastery learning, which allows students to proceed at their own pace. | Only one teaching method (virtual blackboards and videos) |
| No ads | Course topics/subjects are constrained and mostly concentrate on K–12 education and American requirements. |
Conclusion
Online learning platforms offer a handy way for you to advance your job or begin something completely new, regardless of what stage of life you are in.
Our best of all goes to Coursera, due to its selection of courses and official accreditation, Coursera is our top pick for an online learning platform. Its collaboration with prestigious academic institutions and business enterprises guarantees that the course curricula are academically thorough and adhere to professional requirements for career advancement.
But if you looking for online learning platforms with a variety of topics you can always check out Udemy and Alison, Datacamp and Udacity are for those interested in data science and other tech-related topics, If you want your kids to study online check out Khan Academy, are you interested in Coding? check out Codecademy. We will keep updating this list as we do more research on online learning platforms so keep an eye on this content.