Thanks to the internet, you can learn just about anything online. There are tons of amazing free or low-cost learning platforms out there.
Offering high-quality teaching and coursework, these resources are great for professionals looking to upskill or anyone who wants to learn something new.
Coupled with essential books for entrepreneurs and podcasts for on-the-go professionals, you can develop nearly any skill you need to successfully run a business and be an expert in your field.
Here we’ll break down nine of the best online learning platforms for you to check out. They’ve been divided into three sections:
- Accredited courses: This is where you can learn from accredited institutions and earn certificates and degrees for your work.
- Non-accredited courses: These platforms offer learning pathways or multi-lesson programs that aren’t formally accredited.
- Individual videos or classes: Here’s where you can watch one-off videos and classes from non-accredited individuals.
Accredited Courses
Coursera
Coursera offers over 5,000 courses, certificate programs, and degrees that are designed to help you advance your career. They partner directly with institutions and companies, including big names like Meta, Microsoft, or IBM, to match current, in-demand jobs and skills.
Price: There’s a selection of free courses to choose from. Professional certificates start at $39.00/month; degree programs begin at $9,000+.
Certificates and accreditation: Coursera offers both certificate and degree programs in collaboration with 200+ partner institutions, including top-tier schools like Duke, John Hopkins University, and New York University.
Best for: Professionals looking to upskill in specific areas through accredited certificates and degrees. Particularly good for those who want to directly tie their skills to specific jobs or companies (i.e., how to be a back-end developer at Meta).
EdX
Similar to Coursera, EdX offers accredited certificate and degree programs in collaboration with many recognizable institutions, including its founders—MIT and Harvard.
EdX’s main difference is that all courses can be audited for free, making them accessible to all learners. Those who wish to receive a certificate can pay extra to do so.
Price: Free to audit; completion certificates start at $50.00/course.
Certificates and accreditation: EdX offers a variety of programs from accredited institutions, including professional certificates, MicroMasters programs, and full degrees (Bachelor’s and Master’s).
Best for: Professionals seeking accredited coursework from high-caliber institutions. Also suitable for anyone on a budget or those who want to learn without accreditation through auditing a class.
LinkedIn Learning
Formerly known as Lynda, LinkedIn Learning is growing to become one of the largest online providers. They offer courses in areas such as business, technology, and creative fields. It integrates directly with your LinkedIn profile and suggests courses based on your history and experience.
A LinkedIn Learning membership also provides full access to LinkedIn Premium. This is an excellent option for those who use the platform to recruit employees or find sales leads… and if you aren’t maximizing your profile yet, here are some LinkedIn profile tips to polish up your online presence.
Price: Free one-month trial, then monthly memberships begin at $20.00/month.
Certificates and accreditation: While they don’t have as extensive partnerships as Coursera or EdX, LinkedIn Learning does offer accredited coursework through select schools and companies.
Best for: Professionals who want access to unlimited coursework on a monthly membership and those who are already highly active on LinkedIn for networking, recruitment, or sales generation.
Non-Accredited Programs
Skillshare
Skillshare’s courses are designed for creatives of all stripes, created by individual experts rather than institutions or companies. Their monthly membership gives you access to all courses on the platform and has a high-quality app to make it easy to learn on the go.
Price: Monthly memberships start at $13.99/month.
Certificates and accreditation: Skillshare isn’t affiliated with any credentialed institutions. They offer both individual courses and learning paths made of multiple classes on the same topic.
Best for: Creatives who want to learn from other creatives. Popular classes are in fields like photography, drawing, animation, and writing.
Mindvalley
Unlike most platforms on this list that focus on professional or personal skill development, Mindvalley’s courses and lessons are directed to mindset growth and new ideas. Some topics offered through Mindvalley include manifesting dreams, making a positive impact, improving health, or improving love relationships.
Price: Monthly memberships begin at $41.58/month.
Certificates and accreditation: Mindvalley isn’t associated with any accredited institutions, but they do feature classes from notable leaders and celebrities like Jay Shetty, Gary Vaynerchuck, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Matthew McConaughey.
Best for: Anyone interested in personal growth and development. Also a great option for those interested in participating in a community of learners, as it offers features like live classes and a private social network.
Udemy
Udemy offers over 204,000 courses taught by 71,000 instructors—a huge library of courses on a variety of topics. Udemy offers learning programs on high-demand skills like learning Python, or niche topics such as ethical hacking and user experience design.
Price: Udemy offers per-course prices, ranging from as low as $11.00/course to over $200.00/course.
Certificates and accreditation: Udemy isn’t affiliated with accredited institutions, but some courses offer certificates of completion.
Best for: Professionals looking for single courses that match specific, niche skill sets.
Individual Videos or Classes
MasterClass
Learn from the best! MasterClass is an online streaming platform that offers high-quality videos by world-famous celebrities, experts, and masters in their craft. You can learn to sing with Christina Aguilera, cook with Gordon Ramsay, or write with Malcom Gladwell.
Price: Plans start at $20.00/month; MasterClass offers individual, duo, and family pricing options.
Certificates and accreditation: MasterClass isn’t affiliated with any accredited institution, but classes are taught by many famous and recognizable experts or celebrities.
Best for: Anyone who wants to learn from celebrities or other recognizable experts in the field. As a streaming platform, this is primarily a visual platform, great for an immersive online experience.
YouTube
YouTube might be the original online learning platform, pre-dating many of the others on this list. Because of its breadth of content, you can find valuable and high-quality videos and tutorials on just about any topic.
That said, YouTube isn’t a curated learning platform like the others, so it’s on the user to sift through the many options. You’ll need to do your own work to vet the creator and ensure it’s high-quality material. But, despite this, YouTube remains one of the top resources to learn new skills and expand your knowledge.
Price: Free; YouTube premium starts at $9.00/month and offers offline and ad-free viewing.
Certificates and accreditation: No. Some individual content creators might be affiliated with accredited institutions, but there’s no formal vetting or certification system in place.
Best for: Anyone seeking free resources from content creators.
With these resources, you can easily upskill yourself, learn something new, and increase your knowledge to boost personal and professional success. Looking for a workspace to apply your newfound knowledge and skills to grow your business? Then book a tour of The Post and come see what we have to offer.