E-learning platforms are fast gaining traction thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. While they were there for a long time, only a few people paid attention. Today, many people are embracing them for various reasons. Perhaps, the significant e-learning platform benefits come from convenience and affordability. Really, an e-learning platform is much more affordable than having a face-to-face class. In fact, with a bit of digging, you can find a free e-learning platform. Furthermore, these online learning platforms let you take control of your academic life. Plus, you can turn your educational materials into another revenue stream.
How to Select the Best Online Learning Platform
Whether you are looking for an e-learning platform for schools or an e-learning platform for companies, there are some key facts you need to consider. Check them out.
- Course Content: The content of whatever you plan to learn is very important. So before enrolling in a course, check out its course content. However, note that most online courses are in the form of specialization.
- Course Structure: A better course structure is essential since it leads to a better learning experience and more effective professional development. Therefore, check out the structure before enrolling in an online course.
- Price/Charges: You can enroll on a free e-learning platform, but they may not be as engaging and high quality as the premium options. Also, some courses allow free trials while others will give refunds. Another option is courses offering unlimited access or relying on a subscription model.
- Community: The community makes learning more exciting and compelling. Typically, they help when you are stuck, as you can ask your peers questions that seem problematic. This is much more motivating.
- Features: E-Learning platform features determine the engagement level and amount of help you can get. So, ensure you have access to a wide range of necessary features to complete your course effectively.
With that information, we have lined up the 10 best online e-learning platforms for you. Check them out.
Price |
Content Ratings |
Range of Courses Ratings |
Helpful Features Ratings |
Total Score |
|
Geniebook |
|
9.0 |
9.0 |
9.0 |
9 |
Udemy |
From 13.99 |
9.5 |
9.5 |
9.5 |
9.5 |
Tutopiya |
S$15-S$45 per lesson |
9.0 |
9.0 |
8.8 |
8.93 |
Coursera |
Free/ starting from $9.99 |
9.7 |
9.5 |
9.6 |
9.6 |
Thinkific |
Free – $39 monthly |
9.0 |
– |
8.8 |
8.8 |
LinkedIn Learning |
$20 – $50 |
9.5 |
9.5 |
9.5 |
9.5 |
Archy Learning |
$25 – 100 per month |
9.0 |
9.0 |
8.8 |
8.93 |
Skillshare |
$168 per year |
8.5 |
8.8 |
9.0 |
8.77 |
MasterClass |
$15 – $23 per month |
9.0 |
8.6 |
9.0 |
8.87 |
edX |
Free or $49 per course |
9.5 |
9.5 |
9.3 |
9.43 |
Geniebook
If you are looking for an online platform suitable for primary and secondary students, Geniebook might be the right choice. This e-learning platform for schools uses both human teachers and machine learning algorithms trained on MOE’s syllabus. This accelerates students’ learning and understanding of different subjects, including English, Mathematics, and Science.
Highlights
- It uses AI technology to point out students’ strong and weak areas.
- It has three learning products – GenieSmart, GenieClass, and GenieAsk, making it unique from the rest
- Popular courses include English, maths, and Sciences
Prices
- 1 subject $1852.65
- 2 subjects $3528.86
- 3 subjects $5293.29
Udemy
Udemy features an extensive library of topics to educate on different matters, but most on entrepreneurial skills. This e-learning platform is among the largest, considering it has more than 35,000 instructors, 24 million students, and a fantastic 80,000+ courses.
That makes it a widely-known, mainly used, and professional English e-learning platform. The courses are categorized into modules.
But videos, notes, and assignments supplement them. Nevertheless, you can only study the courses online (Udemy app or Website) – you cannot download them.
Highlights
- A reliable platform as top companies such as Mashable and Forbes uses it
- Popular courses include Creative writing, Business courses, IT courses
- An e-learning platform for companies
Price
- From 13.99
Tutopiya
Need one on one online classes? Try Tutopiya. Nuna Ghouse created this online learning platform to offer one-on-one e-tuition in English and mathematics. The choice to provide one-to-one classes is to meet the different needs of diverse learners.
Typically, the platform can create tailored content for students aged 8 to 18 – so it is one of the best e-learning platforms for secondary schools. Additionally, it has powerful features such as recorded lectures and flexible schedules for revision.
Highlights
- Parents get constructive feedback
- Deal in maths and English
Prices
- S$15-S$45 per lesson
Coursera
Being a top-rated online platform in the world. It has millions of learners and partners with 200 top universities and companies to develop the best courses in different subjects.
This platform offers certificate courses, individual courses, and university-level courses. While some courses are free, others require you to pay for them.
The platform allows you to buy each course separately or subscribe to the Coursera Plus plan that gives you access to all courses. Like any other e-learning platform, free online courses are shallow.
Highlights
- Partners with top universities and companies to create courses
- Offer free and premium subscriptions
Price
- Free/ starting from $9.99
Thinkific
Thinkific allows you to create your e-learning platform. Typically, the platform has immense flexibility to generate learning products and organize a custom learning experience. So, if you have a team that you want to teach something, use this platform to create a course and deliver your content to them.
Highlights
- It offers a tutorial on how to create a course and its curriculum
- Flexible and intuitive
Price
- Free – $39 monthly
LinkedIn Learning
LinkedIn Learning began as Lynda.com in 1995 and has grown to 17,000+ courses spanning technology, business, and creativity. The platform is good at teaching you how to use complex software.
It breaks down complex ideas into simple actions for easy understanding. Learn more about apps such as Excel, Adobe etc.
Highlights
- Detailed how-to tutorials
- 17,000+ courses available
Price
- $20 – $50
Archy Learning
If you are a creator, influencer & entrepreneur, Archy is a great option. Using the platform, you can quickly widen your base by creating and engaging your audience. The platform allows you to build, launch, scale and market your courses easily.
It has handy features such as classroom progression bars to make the learning experience more enjoyable.
Highlights
- Features allow you to create suitable classes for your audience
- It has an enterprise academy branch dedicated to academic institutions and corporate spaces
Price
- $25 – 100 per month
Skillshare
If you are into creative arts or you need to acquire new skills, Skillshare would be a worthy learning online platform to try. While the platform might appear less formal than others, its main focus is practical skills instead of degrees and certificates.
The courses are guided by prominent creatives and are broken down into 3 – 5 minutes episodes. No lesson goes beyond two hours.
Highlights
- Free introductory courses
- Team-based courses –to improve team-building and efficiency management
- Common courses cover Interior Designing, Visual Arts and Writing
Prices
- $168 per year
MasterClass
MasterClass exposes you to the world’s best practitioners in the area of your interest. You can take directing lessons from Martin or cooking lessons from Gordon Ramsey.
The platform has 100+ courses meticulously shot, produced and broken down into 15 – 20 bite-sized lessons.
Highlights
- Celebrity instructors
- Practical advice supported by workbooks
- Top quality videos
- Great for introductory lessons only.
Price
- $15 – $23 per month
edX
if you need something formal, edX should be your to-go option. This learning platform offers a very formal environment, and it partners with top universities, including Harvard, MIT and Berkeley, to offer real university courses online.
However, most courses are in the STEM fields, for instance, data analysis, engineering, and math. However,
Highlights
- Free courses if you don’t need a certificate
- A collection of high-quality courses
- Few courses in the creative field
Price
- Free or $49 per course
Conclusion
We have highlighted some of the best e-learning platform examples in this write-up. These platforms work differently for different categories of people.
But we have covered different categories of these individuals. If you have a child in primary or secondary school, we recommend, Geniebook or Tutopiya. For anything beyond this scope, the rest are fine.
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