Are you weighing the pros and cons of the various online course platforms?

You’ve found the right place if you are a content creator hoping to sell courses online or a student seeking to learn from online courses.

We’ll compare the best online course platforms, as well as their advantages and disadvantages, in this comprehensive guide.

What Should You Look for in a Platform for Creating Online Courses?

A few features to look for in an online course builder platform are as follows. These factors could have an impact on your ability to create better courses and expand your business over time.

1. Characteristics of course construction

You might have specific features in mind depending on the type of online course you want to sell. For example, you might want to assign homework to students, create quizzes, or provide a variety of payment options.

Course creation features vary depending on the learning management system (LMS). Make sure you read through them before signing up so you don’t have to switch platforms later.

2. Alternatives to payment

You should also make sure that they provide payment options that are within your budget as a business owner. Some online course creation platforms charge a percentage of the revenue generated from each course sold, which adds up over time.

3. Interconnections

Integrations allow you to link your online courses to other platforms and marketing automation software. You might want to integrate it with your email marketing service, social media marketing tool, or CRM software, for example.

Check to see if your online course platform supports third-party integrations and if it already has a number of useful ones.

4. Adaptability and independence

Many online course platforms may have their own terms and conditions, which may have an impact on your business. They may, for example, refuse to sell certain types of courses or have the power to shut down your entire business without warning.

Some platforms make flexibility a trade-off for ease of use, which means you have less control over your courses and can’t add new customizations or features.

5. Support and ease of use

You want to choose a course builder that is simple to use as a course creator and entrepreneur. It should have customizable templates, be compatible with your own website, and provide excellent customer service.

You should also ensure that it is user-friendly for your students and clients.

Let’s take a look at the best online course platforms on the market today, keeping these criteria in mind.

Best Platforms for Creating and Selling Online Courses

We’ve divided our guide into two parts. Content creators who want to create and sell online courses should use the first six platforms.

If you want to jump to the section about the best online learning platforms for students, click the link.

With that in mind, here are some of the best online course platforms for content creators and educators:

1. MemberPress

MemberPress is the most popular WordPress LMS plugin and the simplest way to create online courses.

It is built on the WordPress platform, which is used by over 39% of all websites on the internet.

MemberPress includes an addon for online courses that makes it simple to create, manage, and sell online courses. Their drag-and-drop course builder is extremely user-friendly.

You also don’t have to be concerned about your design abilities. MemberPress does have a virtual classroom feature that handles styling also is compatible with all WordPress themes.

On your course website, the classroom mode is designed to provide an interactive learning experience. You can include high-definition video as well as additional downloadable resources.

The best part is that you get access to MemberPress’s advanced content access management features. This allows you to sell an unlimited number of courses at various prices and subscription plans.

You can also add digital downloads with access control so that only students who are logged in can access them.

The MemberPress checkout integrates seamlessly with your email marketing service, allowing you to add each student to your email list and notify them of future course upsells or discounts.

To grow your online course business, you can use bbPress to create a discussion forum, Affiliate Royale to add a referral system or affiliate program, and SeedProd to create custom sales pages/webinar pages.

Pros:

  • Even for beginners, MemberPress is extremely simple to use. It doesn’t really require any coding skills to use.
  • The visual course builder makes it simple for educators to create courses.
  • With the classroom mode, students will have a better learning experience.
  • All of the powerful membership features, including the ability to drip course content, sell group memberships, and more.
  • You can set your own course prices, charge upfront vs. subscription payments, and offer multiple pricing options for your online school, among other things.
  • It accepts multiple payment gateways for credit cards, including Stripe and Authorize.net, as well as PayPal.
  • Unlike other platforms, it does not take a percentage of your course sales.
  • MemberPress works with all major email marketing services, including MailChimp, and has a Zapier integration that allows you to connect with over 2000 different apps.
  • Because it’s a WordPress plugin, you have complete freedom to customise your website’s design, add new features, and more.

Cons:

  • You’ll need to manage a WordPress site, which includes updating it and backing it up.
  • If you’ve never used WordPress before, there may be a slight learning curve as you get acquainted with it. The majority of beginners breeze through this stage.

Pricing: A single site license starts at $149 per year (no monthly fee).

How to Begin Using MemberPress:

You’ll need a WordPress website to build and sell courses with MemberPress.

2. LearnDash

Another popular WordPress LMS plugin and online course builder is LearnDash. Using WordPress, you can easily sell online courses.

LearnDash includes an easy-to-use drag-and-drop course builder that lets you create any type of course, complete with interactive video lessons, quizzes, and assignments.

You can give all course contents at once, or you can use the drip content feature to release content as users progress through the course. It’s simple to use and includes all of the features you’d expect from an LMS platform.

It works with all major payment services, as well as WordPress eCommerce plugins, bbPress, and other platforms. It even integrates with MemberPress, allowing you to manage subscriptions with MemberPress and course management with LearnDash.

You can use the SeedProd landing page builder to create sales funnels for your courses, and any of the WordPress gamification plugins to add gamification.

You’ll need the UncannyOwl Toolkit with the all access pass if you want to create SCORM or TinCan content. They let you add a lot of useful features to LearnDash.

Pros:

  • Quizzes, lessons, assignments, certificates, and more are all included in this full-featured WordPress LMS plugin.
  • Simple to use with a visual course builder for creating interactive online courses.
  • You can use integrations to add third-party tools that will help you promote your online course.
  • Unlike other platforms, it does not take a percentage of your course sales.

Cons:

  • MemberPress’s content access controls aren’t as robust.
  • Create multiple subscriptions with different access controls with less control.
  • Because it’s built on WordPress, you’ll have to manage your own site, which is relatively simple for most beginners.

Pricing for a single website license commences at $159.

How to Begin Using LearnDash:

You’ll need a WordPress website to use LearnDash to create and sell courses.

You’ll need your own domain name and web hosting to get started. Your website’s domain name is its internet address, such as yourblogmaster.com, and web hosting is where your website files are stored.

Bluehost is a service that we recommend. They’re giving Yourblogmaser users a 60% discount on hosting, as well as a free domain name and SSL certificate. Essentially, you could also initiate for $2.75 per month.

After you’ve finished setting up your website, you’ll need to install the LearnDash plugin and start creating your courses.

3. Teachable

Teachable is a hosted all-in-one platform that lets you quickly generate but also sell courses without dealing with any software or updates.

Teachable can be used on its own custom domain or as a subdomain of an existing website.

It’s simple to use and gives you a drag-and-drop interface for creating courses, uploading content, and publishing them. It also comes with marketing and analytics to aid in the promotion of your course.

Teachable also handles payments for you and provides your customers with a variety of payment options. You can also create landing pages for your courses using its highly optimized sales.

Pros:

  • It’s incredibly simple to use.
  • You won’t have to worry about installing software, updating it, or backing up your data.
  • You also won’t have to worry about scaling your resources as your company expands.
  • You can use third-party marketing and growth tools thanks to powerful integrations.

Cons:

  • MemberPress and LearnDash are less expensive than Teachable.
  • If you’re on the basic plan, you’ll also be charged a 5% transaction fee on each transaction.

Pricing starts at $29 per month for the basic plan, plus a 5% transaction fee. You can pay $99 per month for the Pro plan, which has no transaction fees.

4. Thinkific

Similar to Teachable, Thinkific is another fully-hosted online course platform.

It includes a drag-and-drop visual course builder that allows you to create highly interactive courses. You can add any type of content, including videos, to your course.

Thinkific includes all of the features that you’d expect from an LMS plugin. In addition, you can make multiple subscription programs, landing pages, and a membership community.

Pros:

  • For all users, Thinkific is very simple to use.
  • It is completely hosted, so you won’t have to worry about software, backups, or other technical issues.
  • You can expand your business without having to worry about the platform scaling.

Cons:

  • It has more features than a WordPress-based LMS like MemberPress.
  • The features of the free plan are quite limited.

Pricing: A free plan that allows you to offer up to three courses is available. The cost of a paid plan starts at $39 per month.

5. LifterLMS

LifterLMS is a popular WordPress LMS plugin for creating and viewing online courses.

LifterLMS is a powerful platform with tools that make creating online courses simple. It also provides a better learning experience for your users, which is critical for establishing a community around your website.

It can be used to start a small online coaching business or a full-fledged degree program. It allows you to create multi-tier courses with training modules, lessons, categories, and more.

Drip content, course progression requirements, group memberships, and other advanced features are included.

Pros:

  • A powerful platform for creating online learning communities that are highly engaging.
  • Simple course builder allows you to easily add any type of course material.
  • Third-party service integrations to help you promote and grow.

Cons:

  • You must maintain and update your WordPress website.
  • If you choose to buy individual addons, the price may go up.

Pricing for a single site starts at $99 per year. Addons must be purchased separately, and addon prices typically start at $99 per year.

How to Begin Using LifterLMS:

To get your WordPress site up and running, you’ll need to buy a domain name and web hosting.

You can use Bluehost, SiteGround, or any other WordPress hosting provider that comes highly recommended.

6. WooCommerce

WooCommerce is the world’s most popular eCommerce platform. It’s incredibly simple and adaptable, making it an excellent foundation on which to build your online course.

You’ll need their Sensei LMS extension to sell and manage online courses with WooCommerce.

Sensei LMS is a straightforward and easy-to-use LMS addon that lets you create courses, modules, lessons, and quizzes.

It’s simple to use, and the WooCommerce storefront theme makes it simple to set up a course website.

SeedProd’s page builder can be used to create customized sales pages. You can use the MonsterInsights analytics plugin for real-time analytics.

Pros:

  • LMS plugin that is simple and straightforward
  • It’s built on top of WooCommerce, which lets you sell both physical and digital items on the same website.
  • Essential WordPress plugins can help you expand your website and expand your business.

Cons:

  • To create paid courses and subscription programmes, paid addons are required.
  • Some advanced LMS plugin features are missing.
  • You’ll have to keep track of your WooCommerce store and make sure it’s up to date.

Sensie LMS is free, but to create paid courses, you’ll need the WooCommerce Paid Subscriptions addon, which costs $129 per year.

Students’ Favorite Online Course Platforms

Developing new skills and continuing to improve on them can open many doors of opportunity in the modern economy, whether you’re a student or an aspiring professional.

You can join a variety of online learning platforms for students to learn a new skill or pursue a passion.

7. LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda) is a well-known resource for learning digital, creative, and other professional skills. They offer a wide range of subjects and classes for users of all skill levels (not just beginners).

Professionals with real-world experience and qualifications in their fields teach LinkedIn Learning courses.

You can use their online teaching platform or their iOS/Android app to learn at your own pace.

You can also earn certificates for completing a course, which you can then display on your LinkedIn profile as a badge.

Pros:

Courses of higher quality, taught by professionals with relevant experience.

You can display badges and certificates on your LinkedIn profile.

You also gain access to LinkedIn Premium, which includes additional salary and job insights, unlimited profile viewing, InMail credits, and other benefits.

Cons:

Other online learning and skill-sharing platforms lack the breadth of this platform.

Because LinkedIn does not provide refunds, you should take advantage of their free trial before purchasing.

Pricing: There is a free trial, but the monthly price starts at $29.99.

8. Skillshare

Skillshare is one of the most popular online course platforms for students, with hundreds of courses covering a wide range of topics and categories.

It has a limited free trial period after which you can upgrade to premium to gain access to thousands of premium online courses.

Skillshare does not create courses; professionals and teachers do. Teachers are compensated based on the number of people who view their courses. This provides an incentive for teachers to provide higher-quality, more engaging courses.

Pros:

  • It’s inexpensive, and you can cancel at any time.
  • Thousands of classes covering a wide range of skills and subjects
  • It’s simple to use and has a built-in community element that makes learning enjoyable.

Cons:

  • It can be difficult to know where to begin when there are so many options.
  • Skillshare courses can be taught by anyone, and there aren’t many quality or standardisation checks in place.

Skillshare Premium costs $3.29 per month when paid annually.

9. Coursera

Coursera is another excellent resource for learning new skills.

They provide both free and paid courses, as well as online degree programs. They’ve teamed up with tech giants like Google and IBM, who want to promote the use of their products by providing free courses.

Furthermore, Coursera works with colleges that offer online degree programs. Professionals with qualifications and experience in the subject matter prepare the courses.

Pros:

  • Free enrollment is available in a few useful technical courses for beginners.
  • Platform that is simple to use and has a higher level of quality control than similar platforms.
  • Course materials from top IT companies and colleges are available.
  • Courses are taught in a more academic manner.

Cons:

  • College degree programmes are being marketed more aggressively.

The cost varies depending on which courses or programs you enroll in.

What is the most effective online course platform? (Expert Pick)

We recommend MemberPress as the best online course platform to build and sell online courses after evaluating all of the popular online course platforms.

LinkedIn Learning and Skillshare are the best online learning platforms for students if you’re a student looking to expand your skills.

We hope that this article was useful in assisting you in selecting the best online course platforms.

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Beginners Guide