7 Best All-In-One Online Course Platforms (free & paid)

If you’re a business owner or content creator looking for a platform to host YOUR own online course, you’re going to need to purchase some kind of online course platform.

But, how do you know which online course platform is best for hosting and marketing your training program?

After spending years selling my own online lead generation course, I’ve been able to test a wide range of different free, basic and paid all-in-one online course hosting platforms.

In this article, I’ll share my experience on which online course platforms work best!

The top online course platform (summary)

If you’re short on time, here’s a quick overview of some top online course hosting options:

• Kartra (Best overall)

• Skool (Best for community-driven learning)

• Teachable (best free option with basic features)

• Udemy (Best for beginners looking to sell low-priced courses)

• Coursera – (Good runner-up)

Tip: If you’re looking to sell a high ticket course, be sure to watch my free Masterclass training here which goes through how I do this using both free and paid lead generation strategies.

What are the best online course platforms?

Here are the top 7 online course platforms for hosting and marketing your training program:

1. Kartra

Best overall

Kartra is the best overall online course platform because it gives you an all-in-one sales funnel platform with everything you need to create, market, and sell your online courses.

Kartra is the tool I use to host and market my own online course. You can see an example of how I sell my online course using Kartra by clicking here.

What I like about Kartra is that you get EVERYTHING you need to create and sell professional-looking courses.

This includes:

• Built-in native video hosting
• Membership features
• Lead & CRM management
• Landing pages
• Opt-in forms
• Payment processing
• Affiliate management system
• Analytics
• And so much more…

If you’re looking for an online course platform and nothing more, there are cheaper options out there.

However, if you consider that Kartra is an all-in-one solution, you can actually save money by canceling a lot of other software that Kartra replaces (such as email marketing tools, video hosting, etc).

Overall, Kartra is worth definitely worth trying if you’re looking for an all-in-one solution to host, market and sell your online course.

Click here to get a 14-day Kartra trial

2. Skool

Best for building a community

Skool is super easy to use and it’s perfect for anyone who wants to build a community with their online course.

In my experience, Skool’s biggest and best unique selling point is its built-in community feature.

The Skool community is similar to Facebook groups because it allows students to interact with each other and ask questions. However, unlike Facebook, Skool doesn’t have any ads or distractions. This makes it easier for students to make progress with your online course.

Overall, Skool is the best platform for anyone looking to create and host their own online course with an online community being a key part of the training.

Click here to get a FREE trial of Skool

3. Teachable

Best free online course platform

If you’re looking for an affordable way to create and sell online courses, Teachable is a fantastic option. With Teachable, you don’t need any fancy tech skills or design experience. They’ve got you covered with all the tools you need to create a professional-looking course.

Teachable has a free plan which makes it easy for anyone to create and sell online courses.

You can upload videos, audio, PDFs, and more, and their drag-and-drop editor makes it super easy to organize your content.

Teachable was actually the FIRST platform I tested when I launched my online course.

In my opinion, Teachable is great for beginners because they will handle all the payments and even give you a built-in affiliate program so others can promote your course for you. Plus, with their analytics, you can see how many people are enrolled and how they’re doing in your course.

However, if you’re looking for more of an all-in-one course building platform, there are better alternatives (such as Kartra and Skool mentioned above).

Click here to try Teachable for free!

4. Udemy

Udemy is a popular online course platform that offers a diverse selection of classes across multiple subjects. This makes it easy for new customers to FIND your online course because you could appear on the Udemy search results.

However, the downside is that most courses on Udemy are very low cost (most are $5 to $50). This makes Udemy a difficult platform to use if you want to sell high-ticket courses.

Click here to try Udemy for free

5 – Coursera

Coursera is a leading online learning platform that collaborates with prestigious universities and organizations to provide a vast selection of courses. With Coursera, you will have access to a wide variety of options, including degrees, certificates, and individual courses.

Moreover, Coursera provides a variety of resources and tools to assist in creating and promoting your own courses, such as video hosting, course creation tools and payment integration. The platform also offers a mobile app to continue learning on the go.

Pros:

• Collaborates with reputable universities and organizations to provide a vast selection of courses

• Offers a variety of resources and tools to create and promote your own courses

• Provides a mobile app for learning on the go

Cons:

• Limited free course offerings

• Has less features compared to paid alternatives

6. LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning, formerly known as Lynda.com, is an online learning platform that allows you to create and share your own courses with a global audience. With over 15,000 expert-led courses, it’s a great way to reach professionals and expand your own personal brand.

The platform is super easy to use and you can create your course using your own videos, documents and presentations. Plus, you can also track your learners’ progress and get feedback on your course.

And the best part? You can earn money for each learner who enrolls in your course. It’s a great way to turn your expertise into a profitable business.

Pros:

• Reach a global audience of professionals

• Earn money for each learner who enrolls in your course

• Easy-to-use platform for creating and sharing your own courses

• Track learners’ progress and get feedback on your course

• Expand your personal brand and build credibility as a subject matter expert

Cons:

• Limited control over the course promotion

• Dependent on the number of users to earn revenue

• Competition with already established instructors

• Limited analytics and data on learner engagement

• Users need to have a LinkedIn account to access the courses.

So what are you waiting for? Sign up for LinkedIn Learning today and start sharing your knowledge with the world!

7. Khan Academy

Khan Academy is a non-profit organization that offers a ton of free online classes on all sorts of subjects. This platform is not only free to use but also easy to navigate, making it perfect for course creators involved in the charity space.

At Khan Academy, you have access to a variety of resources to enhance your courses, such as videos, quizzes, and interactive elements. This way, you can make sure your course is not only informative but also engaging and fun for your students.

You can also track your student’s progress on Khan Academy, which allows you to see what’s working and what needs improvement. This helps you make adjustments and improve your course over time.

Pros:

• It’s completely free to use

• User-friendly interface and easy to navigate

• Variety of resources available, including videos, quizzes, and interactive elements

• Ability to track students’ progress and make adjustments to the course

Cons:

• Limited customization options for the course layout and design

• Limited ability to sell or monetize the course

• Limited support and resources for course creators

• Limited analytics and reporting options for tracking student progress and engagement.

In summary, Khan Academy is a great option for creating online courses. With its user-friendly interface, variety of resources and ability to track progress, it has everything you need to create a successful course.

Click here to try Khan Academy

Conclusion

Choosing the best online course platform for your business really depends on what you’re looking for.

For example, if you’re looking for an all in one platform to host, market and sell your online course, go with Kartra (which is what I use!).

If you’re looking to build an online community with your online course, go with Skool.

And if you’re looking for the cheapest online course platform then go with Teachable.

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