Online learning platforms are getting more popular every month. In recent years, e-learning has undergone a massive boom as people seek to further their education without spending a fortune on tuition or living expenses.
However, many people perceive higher education as expensive and inaccessible. That’s where E-learning platforms come into the picture. These platforms offer college-level classes in various subjects, often at a much more affordable price than traditional universities. And the best part? They are available to anyone with an internet connection.

Here are some of the best online learning platforms out there:
Codecademy — Best online learning platforms
As one of the most well-known names in the world of E-learning platforms, Codecademy was one of the first MOOCs E-learning platforms to hit the internet. Since then, it has continued offering free coding lessons. The company now boasts over 45 million students. It offers courses on everything from HTML/CSS, Java, PHP, and Python to Ruby on Rails, JavaScript, and SQL.
If you are just getting started with the best online learning platforms or looking to get some experience in a new language, Codecademy is the perfect place to start. Each course’s design teaches you all the fundamental concepts of particular languages. Moreover, you can progress from a complete beginner to a proficient coder in no time.
On top of its vast selection of courses, Codecademy also offers a personalized learning experience. This is with real-time feedback from instructors. Also, it has an active community forum where you can interact with fellow students. You can request further help whenever you need it.
Udemy — Best educational platforms
Do you need a massive, incredibly diverse collection of online courses available at all levels and in various subject areas? Udemy is the perfect choice for the best online learning tools. You can learn how to play the guitar or manage your time more effectively.
One of the most appealing things about Udemy is that it’s not limited to one type of teaching style. It includes both recorded lectures and live lessons. However, its live lessons can be a little buggy and difficult to navigate. Therefore, you can choose whichever format works best for you.
If there’s something you want to learn online, Udemy has a course. The site also has an app for taking classes on the go. Moreover, it is integrated with Facebook. Therefore, you can share your progress with friends.
edX — Affordable E-learn platforms
One of the first not-for-profit, the best educational online platforms that offer over 2,000 courses from universities and companies. This includes Harvard, MIT, Microsoft, Berklee College of Music, Boston University, etc.
Although edX’s courses are almost text-based, they are broken up into bite-sized chunks. Thus, it makes them easy to digest and understand. And if you’re looking for something a little less structured than a course, edX also offers MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses). It delves into specific topics without the structure of an entire course.
edX’s courses are self-paced, making them ideal when juggling work or family commitments but still wanting to learn new things.
Udacity — Alternative best learning tools
With a MOOC (Massive Online Open Course) platform, Udacity offers free and paid courses. While the paid courses have a price tag, those who opt for these classes are often eligible for a “nanodegree.”
What’s a nanodegree? It’s an online certification that proves you’ve gained valuable skills from the course. Udacity also partners with AT&T, Google, Facebook, Salesforce, and Cloudera — meaning there are plenty of opportunities for students to work with real-world data. Some of the most popular courses on Udacity include:
- Intro to Computer Science.
- Data Analysis with R.
- Intro to Statistics.
- iOS Development Nanodegree.
The free courses offered at Udacity are self-paced. Therefore, there are no due dates. However, if you sign up for one of the nanodegree courses, they can take as little as three months to complete. The courses cost anywhere from $200 to $800.
Best learning tools — Coursera
One of the largest providers of massive open online courses (MOOCs) is undoubtedly Coursece. This online learning platform partners with more than 100 universities from over 20 countries to make it one of the best educational platforms. Also, it offers courses and specializations in various topics. This includes data science and machine learning, programming, business, and personal development.
A Coursera membership gives you access to all their courses. You can take each course for free. However, you cannot submit assignments or receive a certificate upon completion if you want to stay on track with your progress and get a certificate when you finish the course. Also, you can pay by the month ($39-USD 79) or by the year ($399) for a particular course or specialization.
You can also earn a verified certificate by completing the assignments in a specific course. The cost varies depending on the type of certificate.
PluralSight – Best educational platforms
Are you looking for a great resource to learn new technical skills, especially as a developer? Pluralsight can help. It’s like Netflix for learning. You can watch whole courses or individual videos from an ever-growing library of courses covering almost any topic.
It has one of the biggest libraries with over 3,500 courses (and growing) and about 400,000 video tutorials.
In addition to its massive library, PluralSight has some other cool features:
- You can earn PDUs/CDUs for your PMI/IIBA certifications for free by watching PluralSight courses.
- Download courses to watch offline on your phone or tablet.
- The course quality is high, and the instructors are good at explaining things in a way that’s easy to follow.
- Most of their videos have transcriptions, so you can read along if you prefer (or can’t understand the instructor).
- They offer a 10-day free trial to try out their platform before committing to a plan.
Craftsy – Diversified E-learning platforms
With Craftsy, you can learn about various topics, including cooking, photography, and quilting. The site offers a variety of classes in each subject area.
If you’re interested in learning more about food, you can take baking, candy-making, and even gluten-free baking classes. You learn how to cook with different types of food such as seafood or vegetables. The platform has multiple classes on those subjects.
The learning platform offers several craft-related classes if you’re looking for something to do with your hands. You can learn how to sew clothing, make jewelry, and create quilts. The site also provides classes on topics such as knitting and crocheting.
In addition, the learning tool has several courses available on taking better pictures and editing them afterward for photographers interested in learning more about their hobby or profession. The courses can help you improve your photography skills and give you tools for editing your photos once they’ve been taken.
In addition to these topics, the e-learning platform offers video lessons on gardening and DIY projects like building a pergola or tiling a floor.
Khan Academy – Best online learning platforms
This educational site offers free courses in a wide range of subjects. The Khan Academy website ranks among the best learning tools in the market. It features a wealth of instructional videos and interactive exercises that You can access anywhere.
The bulk of the Khan Academy library consists of video tutorials, with over 7,000 lessons on everything from basic arithmetic to calculus. New content gets added constantly, and the library is searchable by topic or grade level.
The Khan Academy also offers extensive practice materials to help users solidify their understanding of the subject. The grading for all exercises is automatic and recorded in a user’s account and on their personalized dashboard. The dashboard tracks progress and serves as a central hub for students to find lessons and content specific to their needs.
Lynda — Popular E-learning platforms
As a member of the LinkedIn family, Lynda is building a reputation as one of the best online learning platforms. It offers more than 5,000 courses covering various topics such as data analysis, graphic design, and video editing.
The online learning platform is available monthly or annually for individuals and teams. The basic plan starts at $20 per month and includes access to all courses, quizzes, and certificates. You can download course materials for $30 per month and use interactive tools like searchable transcripts and playlists.
The primary team plan starts at $375 per year for five users. Moreover, it comes with all the individual plans and team management tools’ features. This includes analytics, bulk user management via CSV file uploads, and priority support via phone or email.
Skillshare — Cheap best learning tools
The learning platform has thousands of classes for you to choose from, including photography, graphic design, web design, and more. While some classes are free to take, you have to pay for a premium membership to access the entire library.
Once you enrol in a class, you can watch the lessons on-demand and learn at your own pace. Depending on the class you take, you may also be able to download worksheets and project templates.
Skillshare’s premium membership is $8.25 per month for an annual plan or $15 per month for a monthly plan. You can try it free for 30 days to see if it’s right for you.
FAQs
Learning platforms are software programs that provide students, teachers, and administrators with an easy way to communicate within the classroom.
For one thing, they can serve as a central hub for all your coursework. With all your syllabi, assignments, and grades stored in one place, it’s easier to stay organized and on top of your workload.
The first thing you’ll want to consider when looking at different learning platforms is whether they offer integration with the tools you already use.