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Coursera; edX; Gilbert Espinoza/Business Insider
- The rise of online learning is democratizing education by improving access to top-notch courses.
- We compared some of the platforms we cover the most to help you find the best ones for you.
- We looked at popular platforms like Coursera, edX, MasterClass, Skillshare, Duolingo, and more.
As online learning continues to grow in popularity, so do the options available to you. Whether you want to take a popular free Ivy League class for fun, pursue part of an online master's degree, boost your career with some additional certifications, or just learn a new language at your own pace, there are many options out there for you.
To help you decide which ones might work best with your schedule, budget, and goals, we compared 13 of the platforms we cover the most: edX, Coursera, FutureLearn, MasterClass, Skillshare, LinkedIn Learning, Udemy, Udacity, CreativeLive, Codecademy, Duolingo, Babbel, and Rosetta Stone.
- The best online learning platforms for accredited university courses and degrees
- The best online learning platforms for career skills certifications
- The best online learning platforms for creative skills and hobbies
- The best online learning platforms for learning a new language
Rachel Mendelson/Insider
Coursera, edX, and FutureLearn are three popular online learning platforms that offer courses, certificate programs, and even master's degrees from top universities as well as well-known companies and non-profit organizations.
All three have courses you can audit for free, as well as options to pay for a certificate of completion. They also have multi-course programs you can exchange for real college credits from select schools, or apply to their full master's programs.
The topics covered on each platform are incredibly diverse, covering everything from computer programming and finance to positive psychology and art history. They can be taken to advance your career or expand your knowledge in a subject for fun.
Keep reading below to learn the differences between edX, Coursera, and FutureLearn:
edXedX; Alyssa Powell/Business Insider
Cost: Individual courses are usually free to audit for a limited amount of time; certificates and longer programs vary in price.
Pros: You can most courses for free, including ones in longer programs (great for testing out a longer certificate program before committing to it); financial assistance is available
Cons: Some courses are archived, meaning you can still access them but can't earn a certificate; Charges one lump sum for courses instead of a subscription fee
You can browse all edX courses here.
CourseraCoursera; Alyssa Powell/Business Insider
Cost: Individual courses are usually free to audit; certificates and longer programs vary in price. You can also sign up for an annual Coursera Plus subscription ($399) and get access to 90% of Coursera's offerings.
Pros: Many programs charge a monthly fee, so the faster you finish, the more money you save; financial assistance available; offers some free certification courses
Cons: No financial assistance for Coursera MasterTracks; you can only audit one-off courses (you will have to pay for ones that are part of a Specialization)
You can browse all Coursera courses here.
FutureLearnFutureLearn; Insider
Cost: Individual courses are usually free to audit; certificates and longer programs vary in price. You can also subscribe to FutureLearn Unlimited for $189.99 annually to get unlimited access to courses.
Pros: UK-based, offers more international options; offers some free certification courses
Cons: Not as many course options as edX and Coursera; you can only audit one-off courses (you will have to pay for ones that are part of an ExpertTrack)
You can browse all FutureLearn courses here.
The best online learning platforms for career skill certificationsCodecademy; iStock; Gilbert Espinoza/Insider
What all of them have in common
LinkedIn Learning, Codecademy, Udemy, and Udacity all offer online courses, programs, and bootcamps that can advance your career, including in in-demand subjects like omputer programming that boast high job satisfaction.
Unlike in-person or intensive bootcamp programs, these courses are self-paced and flexible, letting you practice and earn a certificate on your own time. They can be great for quickly picking up a new skill to boost your resume, testing out a potential job path before committing to a longer program, or gaining the qualifications you need to transition careers or move up in your role.
Keep reading below to learn the differences between LinkedIn Learning, Codecademy, Udemy, and Udacity:
LinkedIn LearningLinkedIn Learning; Alyssa Powell/Insider
Cost: A LinkedIn Learning subscription is $19.99/month (annually) or $29.99/month (month-to-month).
Pros: Short video classes broken down into digestible segments; certifications go right on your LinkedIn profile; LinkedIn occasionally makes popular career courses free for a limited time
Cons: Less interactive; no way to submit homework assignments or reinforce what you've learned
You can browse all LinkedIn Learning courses here.
CodecademyCodecademy; Alyssa Powell/Business Insider
Cost: Codecademy Pro is $39.99/month (month-to-month) and $19.99/month annually. Pro Student offers 35% off to eligible current students. (Note: Codecademy is currently offering 40% off Pro and Pro Student memberships through October 22.
Pros: Some free beginner options; a huge range of programming courses; Fun, hands-on projects
Cons: Less interactive than traditional coding bootcamps
You can browse all Codecademy courses here.
UdemyUdemy; Alyssa Powell/Insider
Cost: You can pay a one-time fee per course or subscribe to a Udemy Personal Plan for $29.99/month for unlimited access to all Udemy courses
Pros: Easy to use on mobile; offers a huge range of course offerings; popular bootcamps are updated frequently so you're working with the latest information; frequent sales on courses
Cons: Less interactive; harder to reinforce or test what you've learned; not all courses come with certificates
You can browse all Udemy courses here.
UdacityUdacity; Alyssa Powell/Insider
Cost: Nanodegrees can be paid for as you go, starting at $399/month or $1,017 total
Pros: Offers some free courses; provides additional career resources and support to help you find a job after a Nanodegree
Cons: Nanodegrees can get pricey and involve a bigger time commitment if you want to finish faster to save money
You can browse all Udacity courses here.
The best online learning platforms for creative skills and hobbiesAlyssa Powell/Insider
While platforms like edX and Coursera are great for taking university-accredited courses for fun, MasterClass, Skillshare, and CreativeLive all offer subscriptions to unlimited online courses and are particularly great for growing creative skills like writing, photography, art, design, and acting — though they all offer courses in other subjects like personal development.
All three platforms offer courses from celebrities and experts at the top of their fields, from famous chefs and bestselling authors to well-known Stanford faculty members. They also offer courses in more niche creative subjects, from hand-lettering to bird photography.
While they don't offer the same direct feedback on your work as in-person instruction, they can be a fun way to unwind and learn a new skill at your own pace.
Keep reading below to learn the differences between MasterClass, Skillshare, and CreativeLive:
MasterClassAlyssa Powell/Business Insider
Cost: A MasterClass subscription is $180 annually (broken down to $15/month)
Pros: Beautiful and engaging video quality; celebrity instructors; offers a broad range of topics; digestible format; online forum provides a sense of community
Cons: No certifications; have to hold yourself more accountable to learn
You can browse all MasterClass courses here.
CreativeLiveCreativeLive; Alyssa Powell/Insider
Cost: You can pay a one-time fee per course or subscribe to a CreativeLive membership for $13/month.
Pros: Lots of in-depth bootcamps; great selection of in-depth courses to expand your skillsets
Cons: Less interactive; no direct feedback
You can browse all CreativeLive courses here.
SkillshareSkillshare; Alyssa Powell/Insider
Cost: A Skillshare Premium subscription is $32/month (month-to-month) or $15/month (annually)
Pros: Nice video quality; some celebrity and expert instructors; great for very niche topics
Cons: No certifications; mostly focused on art and design
You can browse all Skillshare courses here.
The best online learning platforms for learning new languagesAlyssa Powell/Business Insider
Duolingo, Babbel, and Rosetta Stone are three language-learning platforms we cover a lot, and each has different strengths depending on which language you want to learn, your level of experience, and your time commitment.
What they all have in common is flexibility — they can be great for brushing up on your high school Spanish or learning a few Japanese phrases before a trip.
Keep reading to learn more about the differences between Duolingo, Babbel, and Rosetta Stone:
DuolingoDuolingo; Insider
Cost: Free; Duolingo Plus is $6.99/month for features like ad-free experience and unlimited tries
Pros: Great for learning new vocabulary; Fun, gamified experience; Easy to use on mobile; Lots of language options (including Yiddish)
Cons: Not as much practice directly speaking with someone in conversation
You can browse all of Duolingo's language options here.
BabbelBabbel; Insider
Cost: $13.95 for 1 month; $9.95/month (3 months); $8.45/month (6 months); $6.95/month (1 year)
Pros: Focused on teaching you realistic conversation topics, such as travel or career-focused phrases; Uses native speakers to demonstrate lessons; frequent sales offered
Cons: Some language programs are not as strong as others; Not as many language options as other services
You can browse all of Babbel's language options here.
Rosetta StoneRosetta Stone; Insider
Cost: $11.99/month (3 months); $7.99/month (1 year); $179 lifetime (unlimited languages)
Pros: Fully immersive, mimicking real-life experience; Huge selection of languages to choose from
Cons: More expensive, requires more of a time commitment
You can browse all of Rosetta Stone's language options here.
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