It’s no secret that you can learn almost anything online.
An online course platform is the way to go if you’re looking for the most efficient way to do this.
But what are the best options? Let’s take a look.
Regarding online course platforms, there are three main types: WordPress-based, standalone, and shared.
No matter which type of platform you choose, they all exist to make the course production process easier for you.
So, if you want to learn something online, check out the best online course platforms available.
3 Types of Online Course Platforms
WordPress-based Online Course Platforms
Many creators used to rely on WordPress before the emergence of platforms specifically designed for creating and selling online courses.
WordPress is typically used for creating blogs and web pages.
Still, plugins can be used to transform a website into an online course platform.
However, this requires more technical knowledge and takes longer to set up.
The performance and look may not be as good as a separate platform.
Examples of WordPress-based online course platforms include LearnDash, LifterLMS, and LearnPress.
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Standalone Online Course Platforms
If you’re looking to start your school or website, you may want to consider a standalone online course platform.
This platform is excellent for setting up and expanding your business.
However, you’ll need to make the extra effort to promote and sell your course.
You may want to consider other traffic sources, such as your website or YouTube channel, to bring people to your online course.
If you stick with it, using a solo online course platform can be the most beneficial since you won’t have to give up as much of your earnings as you would with shared media.
Shared Online Course Platforms
This platform is a great way to get your courses out there and seen by more people.
It’s an index with thousands of courses from different producers, including yours.
You’ll get more exposure and the chance to reach more students, but you’ll have to give up some of your profits in exchange.
An excellent example of this type of platform is Udemy.
The Best Online Course Platforms
Podia
Podia is a relatively new learning management system that is gaining popularity.
It does not offer a free account, but you can get a 14-day free trial without needing to provide payment details.
Monthly subscriptions start at $33 with annual billing.
One of the advantages of using Podia is that they don’t charge any transaction fees on any of their plans.
This means you will get to keep all the money you make from your online course, minus any PayPal or other processing costs.
All plans include unlimited hosting, students, courses, and more, and the ability to create coupon codes.
If you upgrade to the Shaker plan, you can also set up a membership site where students can pay a recurring subscription to access instructional materials and courses.
Podia also offers a free live webinar demonstration of their system every week. You can register for the webinar on their website.
Coursera
Coursera is an online learning platform that allows students to take academic courses and receive a university diploma at a fraction of the cost of attending in person.
Subjects range from arts and humanities to arithmetic, logic, information technology, and languages.
Over 4,000 courses from over 200 colleges and corporations, including Yale, Google, and the University of Pennsylvania, are available.
A typical course may cost $39 and take four to six weeks, while an online degree may cost $9,000 and take one to four years.
Upon completion, students will receive a certificate that can help them find work or get a raise.
Courses may vary but generally include video lectures, self-paced quizzes, group forums, and hands-on projects.
The platform is mobile-friendly, allowing learners to access it from anywhere.
Additionally, hundreds of free courses can be used to get a feel for the platform.
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Teachable
It’s easy to get started with Teachable!
Sign up for free, and you’ll get unlimited hosting, courses, lecture comments, and quizzes.
Teachable’s Premium Plans start at $29 per month (billed annually) if you’re looking for more features.
These plans include unlimited students, custom domain support, and cheaper transaction fees.
You’ll need the Pro plan to get zero transaction costs, which is $99 per month (billed annually).
This plan includes adding course completion certificates and removing any Teachable branding from your teaching institution.
LearnWorlds
Now, if you want to create an online course that focuses on social learning, LearnWorlds is an excellent choice.
They offer a 30-day free trial to explore all the features before committing.
Their Starter subscription is $24 per month (billed annually) and includes unlimited students, paid courses, coupons, interactive ebooks, and quizzes.
However, there is a $5 transaction fee for every course sale.
To avoid this fee, you must subscribe to their Pro Trainer plan, which costs $79 each month (annual billing).
This plan also offers the opportunity to design bespoke certificates for students and a complete website builder with a blog and free courses.
What sets LearnWorlds apart from the competition is its emphasis on creating a social learning platform.
It’s similar to LinkedIn, where students have their profiles and can participate in the community.
If you’re looking for an innovative way to deliver online learning, LearnWorlds is worth considering.
Thinkific
Thinkific is an excellent online course platform if you don’t want to spend any money.
It offers a free plan with no transaction costs, so it’s perfect for creating your first course.
This plan lets you make up to three courses.
It also provides unlimited hosting, unlimited students (though some plans have an extra fee), student quizzes, and quick access to sales revenues.
The Basic Plan is the entry-level premium membership, costing $39 a month (annual payment).
This includes the ability to give discounts for promotions and the chance to add a custom domain to match your brand.
Plus, you can take an unlimited number of courses.
The Pro plan is the most popular and offers more advanced features, such as course price options, course completion certificates, memberships and bundles, priority help, and more.
So why not give Thinkific a try – it’s free to try out!
TalentLMS
TalentLMS is an online course platform that offers a lot of great features.
It includes webinar integrations, unlimited storage, gamification, and unlimited admins/instructors.
Gamification is a fun reward system that encourages student engagement.
You can start using TalentLMS for free and create up to ten courses, but you are limited to five students.
There are two types of premium plans available: Standard and Active.
Standard plans are based on the number of active students and start at $59 per month.
Active plans are priced by the number of students that use the site each month and start at $129 per month.
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Kajabi
Kajabi is an excellent choice for experienced course authors with a large audience.
It provides a one-stop-shop for expanding your online presence, with features like creating online courses, generating landing pages and websites, and offering marketing tools.
There is a 14-day free trial, which costs $119 per month (billed annually).
The Basic plan can manage up to 10,000 contacts and 1,000 active users and allows you to develop up to three items and pipelines.
Kajabi might not be the best choice for those new to designing online courses, but it’s worth giving the free trial a try.
Creative Mind Class
Creative Mind Class is an online platform for innovative teachers, like artists, and they have a unique pricing system.
You don’t have to pay any monthly or yearly fees – instead, you pay a variable transaction fee based on the services you need for your online school.
The Basic plan has a transaction fee of 8%, plus payment and processing prices.
This plan includes a ready-to-use teaching platform that can accommodate unlimited classes.
You can upgrade to the Pro plan if you want more student involvement, like debates and feedback sessions.
This plan has a 12% transaction fee.
The Empire plan has the most features, including landing pages with upsells, and the transaction fee is 16%.
Signing up for a Creative Mind Class account is free, so why not try it?
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Final Thoughts
Deciding which platform to use to build and sell your online courses is challenging.
There may be a ton of options out there that can be overwhelming.
So try out as many online education systems as possible until you get the hang of it.
Most of them have a free plan or trial, so take advantage of that.
Once you’ve done your research, pick the one that best meets your needs. Good luck!
