Best Online Learning Platforms

The Internet has allowed for virtually limitless amounts of data and information to be stored, created, and used on it. Traditional learning methods such as face-to-face individual courses have fallen out of favor for many people. Of course, nothing beats having a mentor in real life and physically going through the learning process, but thanks to the appearance of online course platforms, people now have unlimited access to hundreds of thousands of topics.

The ability for self-paced learning helps massively, especially those that aren't in a position to move from place to place. Gaining a new skill from the comfort of your home has become the norm; one that has boosted the development of new skills and abilities.

Knowledge is crucial in evolving as human beings. With new knowledge come new opportunities, and that is exactly why these online learning platforms have appeared. It doesn't matter what sort of skill or topic you're looking for, chances are that all of them are already covered.

Now, we all know that some platforms offer free online courses. Arguably, YouTube is one such platform albeit not oriented to anything specific except hosting video content. Even so, thousands of educators have used YouTube as an online learning platform, predominantly due to its ease of use. On top of that, they can share some basic video lectures on YouTube whilst using proper online education websites for hosting the bulk of their courses.

It's also worth mentioning that there isn't a single best online course platform; each has its own set of positives and negatives, but most of them are pretty great. In this top online learning platforms review, you'll find some that are completely focused on one or two major topics, as well as other platforms that are much broader.

Be sure to check out the User Guide near the end of the article to find out what you need to look at when deciding which online learning platform to pick.

Our Top Picks for The Best Online Learning Platforms

• Best overall online learning platform - Udemy
• Best for computer science and tech classes - Udacity
• Best for creative skills and fields - SkillShare
• Best for college education and online classes - Coursera
• Best for lessons from successful celebrities - MasterClass
• Best for data knowledge and learning - PluralSight
• Best competitively priced online learning platform - Thinkific
• Best learning and teaching pedigree - EdX
• Best for gaining strong knowledge and skill foundations - LinkedIn Learning
• Best for quick and efficient learning of analytics and other data sciences - DataCamp
• Best free online learning platform - Khan Academy

Reviews of the Best Online Learning Platforms

Udemy

Udemy is probably one of the most well-known online learning platforms. It's been around for quite a while (since 2009) and during their existence, the courses database has steadily kept increasing. We've now reached a point where Udemy offers more than 100,000 courses to interested students which is a pretty high number.

Among the thousands upon thousands of courses, you'll find topics ranging from IT, teaching, computer science, to productivity, lifestyle, and professional development. There's basically a little bit for everyone.

The platform itself is very easy to use and during our research, we haven't encountered any issues. Users have reported that Udemy does actually care for their students and course participants, hence why it has been one of the best online learning platforms for quite some time.

You may also enroll in free courses, although remember that these are either of promotional character (meaning they might scratch the surface of a given topic), or pretty basic. Nonetheless, they're a great way to test out the platform and check how you like everything.

As for pricing, Udemy isn't as expensive as some other online learning platforms but things can get spicy real quick if you go for the most expensive courses. However, you still get lifetime access to any course of your choice and that's pretty handy for when you want to come back to it later down the line.

The 30-day money-back guarantee is also a huge plus. The one aspect of Udemy that isn't quite good is that some online and individual courses aren't too good, with the fault lying with Udemy for their lack of quality control over said courses.

Ultimately, Udemy has been stellar throughout the years and are constantly adding even more online classes to their platform.

Features:

• $12.99 - $199.99 for lifetime access for one course
• 180,000+ available courses on various topics
• Multimedia lectures
• Lectures can consist of video, audio, text, quizzes, readings, and more
• 30-day money-back guarantee if you don't like a course
• Each class is made, taught, and priced individually

Pros:

• Most courses are fairly affordable
• Free online courses are available
• Loads of topics to choose from
• Lifetime access for purchased courses
• Refund policy is nice
• Easy to use

Cons:

• The more expensive classes are very expensive
• No professional certificates are available
• Some courses aren't up to standards

Udacity

Udacity is an absolute must choice for those that want to try their hand at computer science and tech skills. It's one of the best online learning platforms for people who want to learn to code, start a career in IT by getting a viable education, and partake in somewhat traditional classes.

By 'somewhat traditional' I mean that, although you do get a certificate of completion (otherwise called a 'nanodegree'), it won't be recognized as an 'official' certification document. Essentially, it won't guarantee you a job in your chosen field but it does show potential employers you've gone through the learning process.

Udacity users also enjoy a hands-on approach to learning with consistent and efficient practice sessions as well as real-life application of the gained knowledge. This is arguably the main talking point of Udacity since the only way to truly learn something is to go through theory as well as practice.

Their online courses platform is easy to use and you'll also receive individual reviews by seasoned professionals about your progress and work. Unfortunately, all of this comes at a cost. A pretty big one at that.

Let's say you were to choose a course that lasts for 6 months. The cost per month sits at $399 which means these 6 months will set you back a whopping $2,394! You can get a discount if you pay for the full duration at once, but the discount isn't as large as would be preferred.

On top of that, Udacity doesn't offer quite a broad spectrum of topics; the bulk of which is fully focused on IT professions. Unfortunately, there's no sense of community (or an actual community) either which can make you feel 'detached' from the studying process.

Despite all the negatives, Udacity is still a leader in the IT field when it comes to selling online courses due to the sheer professionalism and quality of the courses. If you can dish out the cash, you won't regret it one bit.

Features:

• $399/month for the 'nanodegree'
• Nanodegrees - certificates of course completion (courses can last between 1-12 months)
• Simple and intuitive UI
• Free courses available
• Career-oriented services
• Hands-on approach to learning
• Individual reviews of what you've learned so far

Pros:

• Individual courses are of exceptional quality (even the free ones)
• Plenty of useful features
• Easy to use
• Courses are detailed and professionally made
• Certificate of course completion comes in handy for future career choices

Cons:

• Very expensive, especially for longer courses
• Lack of efficient customer support
• Virtually no community
• Topics that are offered are fairly limited

SkillShare

You might have seen an abundance of SkillShare sponsored content as of late and for good reason. SkillShare has some of the most effective marketing strategies out of all the other best online learning platforms. They've been sponsoring content created by a wide variety of creative YouTube channels and personally, I've seen SkillShare inserts on channels that focus on history, art, geography, craftsmanship, and more.

As such, SkillShare is the best platform to choose if you're into gaining creative skills. Courses that you can expect on SkillShare can be about writing, interior & exterior design, 3D design, animation, film, photography, and much more. The abundance of content is clear.

One very positive aspect of SkillShare is the ability to use their platform for free. Granted, you won't be accessing loads of content since there aren't a lot of free courses to choose from. Everything else is locked until you purchase the Premium version.

Luckily, the Premium subscription model doesn't cost a lot; just $13.99/month if you pay for the full year (billed annually). Otherwise, it'll set you back $32/month which still isn't an astronomical number, so it's pretty affordable considering how packed it is.

As for the courses themselves, all courses are meant to engage you in the topic you're studying. What this means is that you'll find yourself doing assignments for practice throughout your chosen course. Additionally, SkillShare offers the ability to take team-based courses; these are perfect for businesses to enhance the creative skills of their employees all at once.

Unfortunately, there are a couple of glaring issues. The first is that you won't be getting a completion certificate of any kind. Secondly, the video player is not all that great and, considering you'll mainly be watching video courses, it may become annoying.

In general, SkillShare is a pretty great online course platform, especially for sharpening those creative abilities. It's pretty cheap to boot, on top of offering free courses which you can definitely try out before going for the Premium version.

Features:

• Subscription-based model that costs $32/month (or $13.99/month billed once a year at $167.88)
• Classes are mainly oriented towards improving creative skills
• Courses consist of video lessons and assignments to practice
• Free courses are available
• Team-based courses for businesses
• Other unique features such as Admin switching, working on team-based projects, etc.

Pros:

• Easy to use UI
• Loads of online courses to choose from
• Unique features that aren't found anywhere else
• Free classes are a great way to test out the online learning platform
• Pretty cheap
• Engaged and active community

Cons:

• No certificates for any online course
• Available only in English
• Video player isn't quite intuitive
• Some users have reported pricing problems and issues with subscription cancelation

Coursera

Although finding the right online learning platform is beneficial nowadays, traditional courses are still the most effective when it comes to teaching and learning. Coursera took a different route to other online course platforms by virtue of partnering with certain universities and organizations.

As such, Coursera is very unique in how they operate. For starters, there are plenty of different payment methods you could go for. The first is paying for individual courses, then we've got specializations, yearly subscriptions, degrees, auditing, and a financial aid option. The two most interesting ones of the bunch are audits and financial aid.

Auditing a course means getting it for free but giving up the right to a certificate. This is perfect for people who don't really need a certificate of completion and just want to study and complete the course.

Financial aid, on the other hand, means submitting a specific document requesting financial aid in your studies. Coursera will then evaluate the document and your courses may end up being paid for by Coursera! This is something that you won't find anywhere else.

A bit of caution though - Coursera courses are mainly academic-grade which means new students are expected to already have some experience and knowledge in the field of their choosing. Unfortunately, this essentially means that someone who wants to start from scratch will have a very difficult time understanding anything.

Nonetheless, all of Coursera's other negatives are issues that may or may not happen to you. It is a bit pricey, yes, but you get some of the best professors and courses available online. And it's because of all these positives that Coursera is considered one of the best online learning platforms in the world.

Features:

• $29-$100/course for individual courses
• $39-$89/month for specializations
• $399 yearly subscription
• $15,000+ for degrees
• Access to Auditing (get the course for free but without the ability to apply for a certificate)
• University and college-level courses
• Online degrees
• Financial Aid option
• Real and proven academic courses, taught by real teachers and professors

Pros:

• Verified and globally-accepted certificates
• Free courses are available
• Affordable, the degrees especially
• Ability to learn offline
• All courses are made with partnered organizations and universities
• Timetable flexibility
• Top-of-the-line professional service and support

Cons:

• The yearly subscription is somewhat pricey, as are larger courses
• Beginners will have issues following the courses as they are more oriented to seasoned students
• Some course instructors are shy on the camera

MasterClass

If you'd been dreaming of being taught by Gordon Ramsay or Martin Scorsese - your dream is about to come true. MasterClass has been conceptualized in a way that offers famous and successful celebrities a platform through which they can share their expertise and knowledge.

There are many popular figureheads that are all successful in their own fields that offer courses on various topics. And if you thought such a delight will set you back hundreds of dollars - you were wrong.

The MasterClass membership costs a measly $15/month (billed annually as you have to enroll for a year) which is exceptionally affordable, especially when looking at the other best online learning platforms.

Although not all celebrities are present on the MasterClass platform, there are plenty of them; more than enough to satiate all of your needs. All of the lessons have been created by the celebrities themselves (in partnership with the people over at MasterClass) to bring you carefully curated and specialized courses related to their respective topics.

The great part is that most courses have more than 15 lessons in them which give you ample info about a given topic. You'll also be able to get a refund if you request it within 30 days of purchasing the membership. All in all, the financial side of MasterClass is absolutely incredible.

The downsides are present but not necessarily influential in decision-making. You won't be able to take any free courses nor get certificates for course completion. Additionally, the topics that are available depend on what the celebrity has decided to teach. Essentially, you won't find tens of thousands of topics on MasterClass.

In the end, MasterClass is for those that want an enjoyable, epic journey with their favorite celebrities. The presentation of course material is pretty high quality so for the price - MasterClass is one of the best online learning platforms out there.

Features:

• $180 annually or $15/month for membership
• Loads of classes from specific niches
• Lessons are led by successful celebrities in their respective fields
• Courses consist of 15+ lessons
• Courses contain video lessons, lectures, workbooks, practical advice, demonstrations, and class discussions
• Membership includes unlimited access to all courses

Pros:

• Entertaining and fun
• One of the cheapest plans out of all online learning platforms
• 30-day refund policy is great for testing out the platform
• One of the best online learning experiences
• A-List celebrities double as teachers
• Very well produced; high quality of courses

Cons:

• No free courses
• No certificates for any of their online courses
• Course topics solely depend on who the presenter is

PluralSight

One of the best online learning platforms - PluralSight - has been hosting various online courses for interested and excited data professionals.

And it's not just data sciences that you can find at PluralSight; other computer sciences such as software development, cybersecurity, machine learning, cloud computing, and much more.

An absolutely stunning feature of PluralSight is that they offer carefully curated 'paths'. These paths are essentially like mini-degrees; a path can contain multiple varying courses that all revolve around the same topic.

In short, you'll be able to educate yourself on a topic from beginning to end, without having to manually create personalized courses.

PluralSight's customer support is one of the best on the market. Users can expect 24/7 phone support as well as additional options in case they prefer those. They answer quickly and efficiently; perfect for churning through courses.

Additionally, you can download course material using your phone or PC, enabling offline studying. This is a must for traveling and busy students that don't always have access to an Internet connection. You'll also be able to take tests at your own pace to see just how much you've learned throughout the course.

Unfortunately, those that aren't predominantly interested in data sciences won't be able to find something that fits their vision. PluralSight is completely focused on said sciences and as such, other topics aren't available.

Another slight negative is that there aren't any free classes; of course, the 10-day free trial is great but it's also limited to 200 minutes (whichever you complete first). Some 3 hours of content isn't quite enough for a full course.

Still, PluralSight is the industry leader in the ability to sell online courses due to their high-quality and relatively affordable price. The premium is a bit pricey though, but even so, PluralSight is definitely one of the best online learning platforms.

Features:

• $299/year or $29/month (Standard Plan)
• $499/year or $45/month (Premium Plan)
• Free trial available
• 7,500+ data-oriented courses available
• 'Paths' - Series of connected and related topic courses
• Interactive courses (Premium plan only)

Pros:

• 10-Day free trial is very helpful in checking out some courses
• 24/7 Phone support
• Courses can be studied by individuals or teams
• Ability to download course material and use it offline
• Self-paced tests for checking your retention of studied courses

Cons:

• Available topics are purely technology-based; most of them are data-oriented
• No free classes (irrelevant of the 10-day free trial)
• Premium plan is somewhat pricey

Thinkific

Thinkific is the first online course platform on our list through which you, yourself, can start teaching. In fact, anyone can do so and anyone can access the created lessons. Thinkific puts the focus on all sides here which means that you'll also be able to make money if you want to become a course creator.

In any case, let's take a look at Thinkific as a whole. The number of available courses is tremendous; over 30 million courses for a very fair price. Before purchasing a paid plan, you can use the free plan with which you'll get 3 courses to pick and take, as well as some other goodies.

Although, a word of advice - the free plan is better suited for up-and-coming course creators than students. For full access to all courses, you'll need to go for either the Basic plan or the Pro plan.

Thinkific has also made it possible to study these courses in more than 30 languages. On top of that, 15 countries are supported. Thanks to being so open to the world, and by having massive open online courses, Thinkific has risen through the ranks and joined the others as one of the best online learning platforms.

However, although Thinkific excels in what we previously mentioned, they are lacking in other areas, namely the amount of testing and quizzes. The platform does have them, but not as much as we were hoping for so there's not a lot you can do to track your progress.

Additionally, Thinkific doesn't allow for too much flexibility. For content creators, you'll get 10 customizable themes and that's it. Mind you, they are fully customizable but it still feels somewhat lackluster.

When you take everything into account, it's obvious that Thinkific has a couple of flaws but not enough to put their success and popularity under scrutiny. It's the top online learning platform for students and content creators alike.

Features:

• Free plan (3 courses, unlimited students, surveys & quizzes, content hosting, instant access to funds)
• $39/month for the Basic plan
• $79/month for the Pro plan
• 30,000,000+ available courses
• Available in 15 countries
• Available in more than 30 languages
• Fully customizable website design
• Analytics and marketing tools
• 10 custom themes

Pros:

• No transaction fees
• The free plan is good enough to start teaching online
• A free trial of a paid plan is also available (no credit card details input required!)
• There is virtually an unlimited number of courses
• Loads of supported languages and countries
• Additional tools are top-notch
• Fairly cheap considering all the features
• Has more than 40,000 course creators

Cons:

• Workshops and live office hours are not supported
• Lacks proper quizzing and testing of course material retention
• Isn't as flexible as some other online course platforms

EdX

EdX is as close as you can get to being in university but online. They're a pretty massive learning platform and offer online courses on various topics. Unfortunately, there aren't as many as you'd probably like, but the ones that are on the platform are magnificent.

EdX has a large number of partnerships with colleges and universities around the world such as Arizona State University. But an even more intriguing fact about EdX is that it was founded by Harvard and MIT!

Now, although these are some of the top universities in the world, the system EdX uses is not at all complicated or difficult. You will, however, need at least the basics of certain topics set because the courses are oriented more towards experienced and knowledgeable students.

This shouldn't deter you from trying though; EdX does have a couple of courses that you can take as a complete beginner but again, it's best if you have the foundations already covered.

You can also take all of the courses for free! But this comes with a drawback; you won't be able to receive a certificate of completion unless you pay for the course. The prices can vary drastically; from $50 to a few hundred so it can get quite expensive after a while.

All that's left for EdX is to clean up and optimize their platform a bit because some users have reported unexpected crashes which hinder progress.

Overall though, EdX is perfect for those who are looking for extremely high-quality made courses and a university-style learning experience.

Features:

• $50+ for individual courses
• $300+ for professional programs
• $10,000+ for Master's and other degrees
• Free courses available
• High-end pedigree
• Classes and courses consist of lectures, assignments, reading material, discussions, and quizzes
• Students can receive various certificates of completion

Pros:

• Popular, well-respected, and reliable online learning platform
• Lots of useful features to aid with learning
• University-level online courses
• Simple and intuitive UI
• The ability to get certificates is very nice
• Free courses are incredibly well-made
• EdX partnerships are some of the best in the business

Cons:

• Students need to have prior knowledge of most subjects that are covered in courses
• Not a lot of topics to choose from
• Platform is sometimes unstable and can cause crashes
• Some courses are very expensive

LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning is a LinkedIn subsidiary and as such, belongs to the main LinkedIn platform. LinkedIn Learning does a pretty good job of preparing people for certain skills and guiding them through the process.

In general though, you won't find a lot of different topics. This is because LinkedIn Learning is mainly focused on a specific set of skills, namely in the Business, Creative, and Technology fields. With that said, the platform itself has done a tremendous job with these courses.

You can expect individual courses to cost anywhere between $20 and $50 which isn't a lot but paired with a monthly (or annual) subscription, it can get pricey. To be honest, the whole payment process and methodology for LinkedIn Learning is somewhat baffling.

If you can see past that, you'll be happy to know that once you complete a course, you will receive a certificate from LinkedIn Learning themselves. It will be displayed on your private LinkedIn profile. However, these certificates lack any accreditation whatsoever so they aren't as powerful/respected as they could be.

On the plus side, LinkedIn Learning offers a 1-month free trial which bodes well for their online course business. Additionally, students gain access to over 16,500 courses that are pretty well-made.

All in all, if you want to learn some essentials skills and abilities from the topics I've previously mentioned, LinkedIn Learning is a great choice. Otherwise, you might have a better time finding your preferred courses elsewhere.

Features:

• Subscription costs $29.99/month (or $239.88 annually)
• Individual courses cost between $20 and $50
• Free trial is available (1 month)
• 16,500+ courses available
• Completion certificates
• Offline studying by virtue of course material download

Pros:

• The 1-month free trial is pretty nice
• Fairly cheap subscription cost and course cost
• Plenty of available courses
• Self-paced learning
• Ability to download course material and study offline
• Courses come in multiple languages

Cons:

• Somewhat barebones in terms of features
• Having to pay for both a subscription and courses isn't ideal
• Course completion certificates lack accreditation
• Topics are lackluster in quantity (predominantly has Business, Creative, and Technology courses)

DataCamp

DataCamp is another online learning platform that hosts courses predominantly made for those that are interested in data sciences such as analytics and programming. The platform specializes in these topics and they have an incredibly talented and experienced team of experts across all the course topics.

Taking DataCamp courses is a breeze compared to some other learning platforms; you constantly get feedback from the experts in the form of quizzes and assignments. On top of that, most courses are fully interactive which is arguably the best method of learning new things.

DataCamp's experts also like to show off real-life examples of certain topics. All of this for the fairly cheap price of $25/month or $33.25/month (depending on the subscription type), both billed annually at $300 and $399, respectively.

It's actually quite surprising and refreshing to see an online learning platform create enjoyable and fair learning paths for all. It doesn't matter if you're just starting out or have years of experience and want to expand that knowledge - DataCamp's courses will fulfill your knowledge desires.

Unfortunately, the platform's courses lack accredited certification; instead, you'll receive a 'Statement of Accomplishment' which usually doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of things. On top of that, their video content can be lacking and too short sometimes, leaving you confused due to crucial information being left out. There's no refund policy either.

When all is said and done, DataCamp still emerges as one of the best online learning platforms you can find. The topics they do cover are very well presented in the courses and you'll have a great time learning from their experts. Overall, a great online learning platform!

Features:

• Standard subscription costs $300 billed annually (comes to $25/month)
• Premium subscription costs $399 billed annually (comes to $33.25/month)
• Available courses are related to analytics, programming, and data science
• Interactive learning
• 270+ experts in the aforementioned fields
• Free plan available (comes with first few chapters of courses)
• Beginner-friendly

Pros:

• Interactive learning is a huge plus thanks to the variety of course content
• Large number of experts to guide you through the learning process
• Beginners, new students, as well as knowledgeable ones will feel right at home
• Free plan is nice to test out the platform
• Fairly affordable
• Quizzes and assignments to keep you engaged

Cons:

• Lacking accredited certification
• Video content is not the best
• No refund policy

Khan Academy

Khan Academy is one of the most beloved online learning platforms. It was started by Salman Khan way back in 2008. An interesting tidbit of info right off the bat - all video content on the Khan Academy platform is in the form of YouTube videos; the same platform Mr. Khan used when he started his tutoring career.

Khan Academy's main emphasis on learning is that it should be available to all. They follow a certain mission that guarantees the platform will stay free indefinitely. Khan Academy receives funding from donations, official partners and sponsors, and others. As such, you get an ad-free experience whilst using a free learning platform!

Students of the Khan Academy have reported overwhelmingly positive reviews of the platform, citing impeccable course enjoyment, great course flow, and high-quality content. Most topics are covered but a few are lacking in courses, mainly programming, web design, web development, etc.

The user interface is simple to use but it does feel a bit outdated once you spend some time with it. Even so, it's not a big deal considering everything is easy to use and access. The quality of the courses is also amazing; learning and mastering skills with the Khan Academy feels like a relaxing adventure.

Lastly, Khan Academy hosts tens of thousands of courses - again, all for free. And as you keep progressing through courses and finishing them, you'll gain experience points that contribute to your overall score and progression. It feels nice to be rewarded with an achievement badge after conquering a tough subject.

In conclusion, Khan Academy is a great choice for those who simply don't have the budget for more advanced online learning platforms. Getting this much free stuff with great quality to boot - you can't ask for more than that.

Features:

• Completely free of charge
• High-quality courses on various topics
• Simple user interface
• Personalized dashboards
• Video courses and content
• 'XP' system (you gain Experience Points for taking courses and completing them)

Pros:

• It's free for everyone!
• Highly reputable content with enlightening insights
• Tens of thousands of courses
• No ads even though it's free
• Great video content
• XP system motivates students towards greater success

Cons:

• Certain topics aren't well covered
• The user interface might feel outdated

Buyer's Guide for Popular Online Learning Platforms

Before setting out and buying a popular online learning platform subscription plan, you need to analyze and compare them with each other. There are a couple of metrics here that you must keep an eye out for.

Predominantly, you want to see what sort of online courses are included for each of the online learning platforms you're considering. Keep in mind that online platforms that specialize in one or two topics are generally much better if those topics are what you want to learn about. More generalized learning platforms are great choices for specific niches that aren't usually found elsewhere.

Mobile Platform Support

Although this aspect of an online course platform isn't crucial for making the correct choice, it is still very relevant, especially in today's world.

You might not always be able to sit at your computer and watch video lectures or read through courses, hence why mobile support is a helpful thing to have. On top of that, if you're traveling on a long trip by bus, train, plane or any other transportation method, it'd be great to have some sort of entertainment. The time you'd spend sitting, waiting to reach the final destination would be best spent learning.

Besides, using your mobile device to learn when you're not at your computer not only speeds up the learning process but provides you with essential flexibility so you can go through the course at your own pace.

Scalability

Imagine starting off your journey to getting an online degree only to find out that the paid courses you've gotten only go so far. Crucial topics are missing, some information is old and irrelevant, and the overall quality has dramatically decreased near the end of the course.

This would be a terrible outcome considering you've spent time to learn a new skill or get a couple of professional certificates, as well as paying money for something that hasn't really paid off.

Only the best online learning platforms are scalable in the sense that all kinds of topics get covered in courses; new ones are added regularly whilst old ones are refurbished and updated to have the latest and most correct information. This is quite an important aspect of online learning platforms so make sure to check just how scalable your chosen platform is before deciding to take their learning paths.

Ease of Use

In order to maximize the knowledge provided to users, an online learning platform needs to be easy and simple to use. The good thing is that most learning platforms are fairly simple in both design and usage but you should still take the time to familiarize yourself with them.

New skills aren't acquired overnight and most people learn at their own pace so being able to jump right back into where you stopped is very important. With that said, some online education platforms are pretty large and may be confusing due to the sheer abundance of content and knowledge.

These types of online learning platforms shouldn't turn you away simply because of that since they offer plenty of incentives in other regards. Still, it's best to use something that won't require hours of familiarization before you actually start taking in the information it provides.

Customer Support

Although it might seem that you'll be able to figure everything out on your own or fix issues by yourself, sometimes you won't be able to. The best online learning platforms have impeccable customer support teams while others even offer the possibility to contact the course's creator.

Many online learning platforms offer 24/7 support in the forms of live chat, phone, or Email. In general, you want your chosen learning platform to come with great support due to unpredictable issues that might occur.

On top of that, you'd want to use a platform that has a knowledge book of sorts; a source of various important information about the platform, as well as frequently asked questions. The customer support team should only be contacted when you can't find a solution through the knowledge book which is why such information databases are created.

Richness of Content

Some of the best online course platforms feature plenty of unique and diversified content to enthrall the user/student to learn as much as possible. A learning platform may offer topics related to geography, physics, coding, history, and much more - opening many doors for you in the search for knowledge.

Programmers and developers nowadays usually start their careers by taking online courses on various coding subjects. The online education platform phenomenon has allowed them to quickly and efficiently educate and train themselves with relative ease.

No more do they have to physically be there for a course and can access educational content from the comfort of their home. Companies that are looking for skilled programmers also don't need to pay for training (although some do offer training by using various online learning platforms) and as such, the hiring process is much easier.

In any case, unless you are looking for something specific, platforms that offer high-quality courses about a plethora of topics are generally the better choice.

Price

Lastly, you need to look at the price. Once you've analyzed everything a learning platform has to offer and how they operate, the price will either make or break your choice. The good news is that most online course platforms feature an affordable price.

The main difference between such online platforms is how their plans are offered. Some may require a monthly subscription but you'll gain unlimited access to all of their courses, while others ask for payment per course. Paying per course is great for people who don't want to dabble with topics that are of no use or interest to them, whilst a monthly subscription is perfect for those that want to learn as much as possible.

On top of that, several online learning platforms offer free classes to give you an idea of what you can expect from the rest of them. These are a great way to get a feel for how the online learning platform presents knowledge and information and whether or not they'd be a good fit for you.

Overall, getting online degrees isn't too costly but you generally shouldn't expect very low prices as each online learning platform needs to turn a profit in order to make more courses.

Frequently Asked Questions about Online Learning Platforms

What are online learning platforms?

The main purpose of online learning platforms is that of educating people about their chosen topics. They provide an easier method of accessing knowledge by virtue of being online; accessible from most devices that have an Internet connection.

Most students have reported that their learning experience has been much better following the use of online learning platforms due to their versatility; you can sit by yourself and go through hours of content in your quest for knowledge.

An online learning platform can have thousands of courses which is arguably too much for a single person to go through.

One thing to note though: Online learning platforms generally aren't for people who don't have an ounce of experience in a given field. They are best for those who have a rudimentary understanding of a topic or have gone through the traditional learning experience. They're meant to enhance and expand your knowledge of a topic but not necessarily start it. With that said though, the best online course platforms do offer complete courses about certain topics, from beginning to end.

These courses tend to be long and drawn out but this is purely because so much info needs to be covered.

Are online learning platforms expensive?

In general, they are not but it truly depends on what you're looking for. Online learning platforms usually offer two unique payment methods. Again, this depends on what you want to learn.

Some offer payment per course which usually doesn't cost much since you're essentially paying for a single topic, whilst other online learning platforms' courses are subscription-based. If you're paying for a subscription, you'll be getting unlimited access to all of their courses, provided you pay each month (or year, depending on how payment works).

Subscription-based learning platforms can be expensive due to the number of courses they offer so if you have a tight budget, your best bet would be to purchase individual courses (if the platform allows it).

What topics do online course platforms cover?

Theoretically? All of them. In practical terms? Most of them. The truth is that online learning platforms are getting larger and larger, offering more content to students as time goes by. Take Udemy for example - the platform currently hosts over 250,000 courses ranging from vehicle intricacies to astrophysics.

No matter what you're interested in learning, most of the best online learning platforms cover an insane number of topics, most of which you'll never get around to studying. Nonetheless, this provides plenty of opportunities for all kinds of people and their dreams.

Are online learning platforms an effective method to gaining creative skills and advanced knowledge?

The thing with self-paced learning and online course platforms, in general, is that you have complete freedom over what you learn and for how long. Unfortunately, this means that there's no sense of urgency or commitment with some people and that leads to abandonment of their studies.

When you have someone to report to all the time, someone who leads you down the best learning paths - your chances of faltering are minimal. Here, unless you are disciplined and can motivate yourself, you might find it difficult to progress.

With that said though, if you get over the initial issues related to learning by yourself, online learning platforms are definitely capable of teaching you various creative skills. There have been stories of people who started their programming careers by virtue of online learning platforms. Once they were finished with all the courses they wanted, they all received professional certificates of course completion with which they ended up getting jobs in the industry.

Final Thoughts

The best online learning platforms are capable of elevating their students' knowledge and providing them with sufficient information to perfect their chosen skills. The learning experience that comes with using online courses is exceptional in most cases, simply because you have complete control over what you're studying.

Personal development is important whether we're talking about hobbies, professions, or personalities. Online teaching also provides an income to teachers and mentors alike thanks to the ability to sell online courses they've created. This is usually done on an online course platform because these same platforms also offer exposure for the courses.

In general, people who want to take individual courses without having to share a classroom with people due to anxiety or introversion can finally do so without too much hassle. Simply take a few paid courses and gain plenty of knowledge.

There is no single best online learning platform; instead, the few dozen or so of them constantly push each other to provide even more knowledge and content. For once, market competition brings plenty of positives to the ordinary person who just wants to learn something new.

If you're looking for personal and professional development by virtue of studying, online learning platforms are the way to go.