So now you've got an amazing online course idea brewing, you’re wondering what platform is the right pick for your needs to build and sell it.
This guide breaks down the top 8 online learning platforms for 2024, each with its own strengths and quirks, to help you find the perfect match for your course. (The following list is not ranked.)
Teachable - Beginner-friendly
The "all-in-one" champ, Teachable offers everything you need from course creation tools to marketing features and student management. Its user-friendliness makes it one of the easiest platforms to start with.
Thinkific - Control, branding
Thinkific is another "jack of all trades" platform, particularly strong in course customization and content delivery. It allows for extensive branding and integrates well with other tools, making it a good choice for established course creators seeking control.
Turion - Strong learning communities, easy to get started, great revenue-share rates, multiple monetization options
Another platform that is easy to start with. Turion offers great community forums and messaging systems to help create connections and network effects. With strong communities, Turion can easily help courses to boost their sales without the need of hefty marketing investment. Connecting and interacting with your students are much more convenient and efficient with Turion’s offerings. The platform also has plans to allow advertising for videos.
Podia - Simple single courses, landing pages
Simplicity is Podia's mantra. It focuses on creating beautiful landing pages and sales funnels, making it perfect for streamlined single-course offerings. Their built-in memberships and community features are also a bonus.
Kajabi - All-encompassing online course/business solution
Kajabi is the "all-singing, all-dancing" platform. It combines course creation, landing pages, email marketing, and even website building, making it ideal for entrepreneurs seeking an all-encompassing online business solution. However, a steep learning curve is its downside.
Udemy
Udemy offers great reach and a built-in audience. However, you'll have less control over branding and pricing, and revenue share is lower. It's a good choice for promoting your expertise and building a wider audience.
Skillshare
Skillshare is another established platform with a focus on short, practical courses. It's a great way to test the waters and build a following, but revenue potential is quite limited.
LearnWorlds
LearnWorlds shines in its interactive learning features and community tools. It's ideal for creating engaging, immersive courses and fostering a close-knit student community.
- Exclusivity: no obvious restrictions, course creators can sell on other platforms as well.
- Pricing: Subscription-based & transaction fees
The "all-in-one" champ, Teachable offers everything you need from course creation tools to marketing features and student management. Its user-friendliness makes it one of the easiest platforms to start with.
Thinkific - Control, branding
- Exclusivity: no obvious restrictions, course creators can sell on other platforms as well.
- Pricing Model: Subscription-based
Thinkific is another "jack of all trades" platform, particularly strong in course customization and content delivery. It allows for extensive branding and integrates well with other tools, making it a good choice for established course creators seeking control.
Turion - Strong learning communities, easy to get started, great revenue-share rates, multiple monetization options
- Exclusivity: no restrictions, course creators can sell on other platforms as well.
- Pricing Model: Revenue sharing with platform.
Another platform that is easy to start with. Turion offers great community forums and messaging systems to help create connections and network effects. With strong communities, Turion can easily help courses to boost their sales without the need of hefty marketing investment. Connecting and interacting with your students are much more convenient and efficient with Turion’s offerings. The platform also has plans to allow advertising for videos.
Podia - Simple single courses, landing pages
- Exclusivity: no obvious restrictions, course creators can sell on other platforms as well.
- Pricing Model: Subscription-based
Simplicity is Podia's mantra. It focuses on creating beautiful landing pages and sales funnels, making it perfect for streamlined single-course offerings. Their built-in memberships and community features are also a bonus.
Kajabi - All-encompassing online course/business solution
- Exclusivity: some potential restrictions. Best to check with them before trying to sell your courses on other platforms.
- Pricing Model: Subscription-based
Kajabi is the "all-singing, all-dancing" platform. It combines course creation, landing pages, email marketing, and even website building, making it ideal for entrepreneurs seeking an all-encompassing online business solution. However, a steep learning curve is its downside.
Udemy
- Exclusivity: some potential restrictions. Best to check with them before trying to sell your courses on other platforms.
- Pricing Model: Revenue sharing with platform.
Udemy offers great reach and a built-in audience. However, you'll have less control over branding and pricing, and revenue share is lower. It's a good choice for promoting your expertise and building a wider audience.
Skillshare
- Exclusivity: no obvious restrictions, course creators can sell on other platforms as well.
- Pricing Model: Revenue sharing with platform.
Skillshare is another established platform with a focus on short, practical courses. It's a great way to test the waters and build a following, but revenue potential is quite limited.
LearnWorlds
- Exclusivity: some potential restrictions. Best to check with them before trying to sell your courses on other platforms.
- Pricing Model: Subscription-based
LearnWorlds shines in its interactive learning features and community tools. It's ideal for creating engaging, immersive courses and fostering a close-knit student community.
With the best options presented in front of you, it is important to check their original websites for any changes on features, pricing, revenue share, exclusivity policies, etc. Do some research and try out a few of them.
Generally, we think people should start with the ones that have revenue share, instead of subscription-based pricing. By doing so, you won’t need to pay upfront when you’re just trying out. Some of them can get really expensive before you can even get to sell a course. The playing field is also leveled as you won’t have competitors who can pay a lot to have premium features and tools. Most platforms with revenue share will offer all their latest features and tools to all of their creators.
A common mistake for some people is that they focus too much on setting up pretty websites and landing pages, and too little on the course content and interaction with students. Valuable and high quality course content will deliver true value to your students, while interacting with students makes learning a lot easier for them. These will be the ultimate secret in gaining more students, and having them spread the word around about your wonderful teaching moments!
A common mistake for some people is that they focus too much on setting up pretty websites and landing pages, and too little on the course content and interaction with students. Valuable and high quality course content will deliver true value to your students, while interacting with students makes learning a lot easier for them. These will be the ultimate secret in gaining more students, and having them spread the word around about your wonderful teaching moments!