best online education platforms

We compared 13 popular online learning platforms for all ages, budgets, and interests – our favorites include Coursera for certificate courses and MasterClass for creative arts classes

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• 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

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 :

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 .

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.

FutureLearn

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 certifications

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 Learning

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 :

MasterClass

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 .

CreativeLive

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.

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 languages

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:

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.

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 Stone

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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