Online courses are a great way to build new skills relatively quickly. They are less expensive than traditional classes, and you can follow a course at your own pace, even from home.
In this guide, you’ll find online course providers covering various topics, including digital marketing, graphic design, coding, personal development, marketing, business, photography, and more.
Together with the paid courses, the list includes some great free courses that are definitely worth your time.
So, if you want to explore new career paths, build a new skill, start a new hobby, or learn a new discipline, you’ll love this list.
Top 20 Online Courses Websites
- Reliablesoft Academy
- Udemy
- Coursera
- Udacity
- Skillshare
- MasterClass
- Google Skillshop
- LinkedIn Learning
- Codecademy
- HubSpot Academy
- Simplilearn
- Semrush Academy
- edX
- Google Digital Garage
- Meta Blueprint
- Harvard University (Online Courses)
- Microsoft Learn
- Alison (Free Online Courses)
- Upskillist
- CXL Institute
1. Reliablesoft Academy
Founded in 2002, Reliablesoft Digital Marketing Academy is one of the most reliable training platforms to learn digital marketing. Through their online academy, they offer 14 courses covering all important areas of digital marketing, including:
- SEO
- Facebook / Instagram Ads
- AI
- Google Analytics
- eCommerce
- Content Marketing
- Keyword Research
- Email Marketing
- Social Media Marketing
- Digital Marketing
- Affiliate Marketing
- Retargeting
- YouTube Marketing
- Google Ads
Their most popular course is the Digital Marketing Full Course, which teaches students the secrets of online marketing through a series of videos and tutorials. Upon completing the course, you can get an SEO and Digital Marketing Certification.
Students can download the courses offline or follow the lessons using the online interface.
Reliablesoft courses are highly rated by students, affordable, and have a 60-day unconditional money-back guarantee (the best money-back from all online academies).
Currently, online courses are offered at an 80% discount. The offer is valid for a limited time only.
2. Udemy
Udemy is perhaps the most popular online learning platform. According to statistics provided by the company, it has more than 130K online courses in its database and a student base of 35 million people.
Udemy courses are grouped into several categories. The most popular are:
- Design
- Development
- Marketing
- IT and Software
- Personal Development
- Business
- Photography
- Music
Udemy courses are budget-friendly and come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. In their library, besides paid courses, you’ll also find several free courses. Just type in “Free Courses” in their search bar, and you’ll get a list of more than 10,000 courses you can follow without paying.
To find the best courses on Udemy, choose one of the course categories from the top menu and then filter the results based on the number of ratings. You can also look for the ‘bestseller’ badge displayed in the description of popular courses.
3. Coursera
Coursera offers online courses from world-class universities and reputable companies. It positions itself as a leading online learning platform for higher education.
They have more than 70M learners worldwide and partnerships with more than 200 universities and educators in different industries.
Their catalog offers a number of free courses, paid courses, specializations, certificates, and degree programs.
Their most popular course categories are:
- Data Science
- Business
- Computer Science
- Personal Development
- Information Technology
University students can enroll in Coursera courses for free, provided their university is part of their partners’ program.
For non-university students, the cost varies per course, specialization, and certificate. For some courses, you can enroll for free and then pay for the certificate. For other courses, you can buy a monthly subscription and access many courses as long as you pay the monthly fee.
You can take advantage of their 7-day free trial to review the courses you might be interested in before committing to a paid subscription.
Read our guide on the Best Coursera Certificates for a list of courses to build job-ready skills.
4. Udacity
Udacity focuses on career advancement and provides the essential tools to succeed in landing the job of your dreams. The website has a robust course catalog that covers the skills and also provides classes on applying for jobs and interviewing.
Here are the training programs that are included:
- Programming and Development
- Artificial Intelligence
- Cloud Computing
- Data Science
- Business
- Autonomous Systems
- Career
Udacity is another membership platform offering free and paid online courses. A monthly subscription is required, which gives you access to all courses.
5. Skillshare
Founded in 2010, Skillshare offers some of the best online classes for innovators and creators.
It seeks to inspire members, help them learn new skills, and allow instructors to share their expertise and earn money.
Here are just a few of the categories it offers:
- Illustration
- Design
- Photography
- Video
- Freelancing
To access Skillshare courses, create a Premium account with a 7-day free trial. After the trial period, you can pay an annual fee of $99 or $19/mo.
What I find valuable about this membership is that you will receive access to ALL online classes and workshops available on the platform.
To help narrow your decision, here is a list of the best skillshare courses you can take this year.
6. MasterClass
MasterClass provides classes in several industries, including acting, creative writing, sports, and entrepreneurship. Popular celebrities and experts in the field share their mastery with the everyday person.
Here are some of the course topics that are covered in MasterClass:
- Business
- Arts & Entertainment
- Sports & Gaming
- Science & Tech
- Design & Style
- Music
- Food
- Writing
MasterClass is a membership platform billed annually at $15/mo. Although it does not offer a free trial, it does have a 30-day money-back guarantee.
You can download courses to watch offline, and they add new classes every month, so you are sure to have more to browse.
7. Google Skillshop
Google Skillshop is the official learning platform for getting training from Google. Through Skillshop, you can achieve several free Google certifications in the following categories:
- Google Ads
- Google Marketing Platform
- Analytics Academy
- Google My Business
- Waze
- Google Ad Manager
- Google Cloud
Read our comprehensive review of Google Skillshop to find out more.
8. LinkedIn Learning
LinkedIn Learning has over 16,000 of some of the top online courses in a wide range of industries.
The courses are grouped into three 3 main categories: business, creative, and technology.
Here are just some of the sub-categories available on the platform:
- Business Analysis and Strategy
- Career Development
- Finance and Accounting
- Leadership and Management
- Marketing Sales
- Audio and Music
- Photography
- Graphic Design
- Web Development
- And so much more
LinkedIn Learning provides paid and free courses with a monthly membership of $29/mo. You can try it for free for a full month on an individual plan.
One unique feature of this platform is that it offers team memberships when you fill out a form to connect with a sales consultant.
With industry experts teaching these online courses, LinkedIn Learning is trusted by industry leaders such as Kellogg’s, Lego, MGM Resorts, Zillow, and more.
9. Codecademy
Codecademy has some of the best online courses available for coding.
It's a great choice if you’re looking to uplevel your knowledge in the IT industry.
Here are the subjects that Codecademy courses offer:
- Web Development
- Data Science
- Computer Science
- Developer Tools
- Machine Learning
- Code Foundations
- Web Design
- Game Development
- Mobile Development
- Data Visualization
A wide range of coding languages, such as Javascript, HTML & CSS, PHP, and more, are also offered.
The pricing for Codecademy is a 3-tier membership. The good news here is that there is a free option, and although this option is limited in its content and real-world projects, it’s a great way to get some foundational training.
The Pro Tier is intended for the individual and is $19.99/mo paid annually or $29.99/mo if paid monthly. The 3rd tier is a team member, for which you can get a quote if you enter your email and company name. There is also a discount for college students!
10. HubSpot Academy
Hubspot Academy offers everything from quick and practical courses to comprehensive certifications. It aims to help business professionals develop their skills in inbound sales, marketing, and customer support.
Hubspot is a reliable and credible platform, which is one of the many reasons it’s one of the best places to educate yourself or your team.
Listed here are some of Hubspot’s course topics:
- Digital Marketing
- Web Development
- Customer Service
- Sales
- Advertising
- Hubspot Software
Hubspot Academy courses are completely free. So, if you are willing to invest your time in learning more about digital marketing, sales, and advertising, this is a great option for you.
11. Simplilearn
Starting in 2009 as a blog sharing project management tips, Simplilearn has grown into the world’s #1 online Bootcamp. This platform offers high-end classes for digital professionals from industry leaders.
This platform provides work-ready skills for the ever-changing digital world through individual courses, comprehensive certification programs, and partnerships with world-renowned universities.
Among these online courses are topics that cover:
- Project Management
- Cyber Security
- Cloud Computing
- Business & Leadership
- IT Service
- Digital Marketing
- Software Development
- Quality Management
Simplilearn is comprised of individual courses, so there is no membership requirement. If you are looking for higher education options and access to some of the best online classes in digital skills, this platform is worth browsing.
Some online boot camps offer both self-paced and live class options. Depending on the complexity and nature of the course, the cost could range anywhere from $99 to $3,000+.
I suggest thoroughly checking out the course's landing page you are considering; watching the intro video, looking at the ratings, and reading the FAQs will help you avoid unrealistic expectations.
12. Semrush Academy
Semrush Academy offers free online courses to advance your marketing career. The courses are taught by renowned marketing experts and come with a certification.
Courses are grouped into the following categories:
- SEO
- Semrush Tools
- Content Marketing
- Analytics
- E-commerce
- Sales
- Marketing
- PR
- Paid Advertising
- Social Media
- Career
- AI
- Business
- Local SEO
- Marketing career
Once you are a registered SEMRush user, click on your desired category and start browsing, watching, and getting certified.
13. edX
What edX Academy has to offer is higher education that’s accessible to anyone. Founded by Harvard and MIT, it has some of the best online courses from the most popular universities worldwide.
There is a wide range of subjects, including:
- Agriculture
- Art
- Chemistry
- Communication
- Design
- Data Science and Analytics
- Engineering
- Food & Nutrition
- Fintech
- History
- Language
- Math
- Marketing
- Music
- Philosophy
- Science
edX provides free access to its catalog of free and paid online courses. This platform's unique feature is that it provides accessible college programs, including Bachelor's and Master’s Degrees.
If you’re looking for continuing education in any form but are busy and need online options, these programs are the perfect opportunity for you.
14. Google Digital Garage
Google Digital Garage (now part of Google Skillshop) is a platform owned by Google that offers training on online marketing.
Courses are free and easy to consume, and some come with certificates. The most popular course is Fundamentals of Digital Marketing, which is one of the two certificates offered by Google on digital marketing.
15. Meta Blueprint
Meta Blueprint is a library offering self-paced, step-by-step tutorials. It also offers courses and certifications in social media marketing, online marketing, and Meta products.
Some of the courses here include:
- How to Advertise on Instagram
- How to Create Ads on Facebook
- Get Started with Commerce Manager
- Map the Customer Journey
Meta Blueprint is another free platform that allows you to uplevel your digital marketing skills with no risk. When logged in to Facebook, you can keep track of your progress and build your own library of active courses.
16. Harvard University (Online Courses)
Harvard University has an entire site dedicated to its online learning. Because of its vast resources, the subjects available range from art and design to health, medicine, and programming.
Here is a list of more categories that Harvard University offers online:
- Business
- Computer Science
- Education & Teaching
- Mathematics
- Science
- Social Science
These programs range anywhere from $0 to $50,000+. Although most classes offer certificates, some can be completed as credit toward a degree. If you want some formal education in your field, Harvard University is the best place to be.
17. Microsoft Learn
Microsoft Learn encourages beginners and experienced professionals to achieve their goals faster with self-paced learning. This platform offers three learning options: online courses, certifications, and live and recorded events.
Rather than categories, Microsoft Learn breaks down the courses by role:
- Administrator
- AI Engineer
- App Maker
- Business Analyst
- Business User
- Data Analyst
- Data Engineer
- Data Scientist
- Database Administrator
Microsoft Learn is not the most user-friendly site, so I suggest using the “Discover Your Path” function to find the courses that are right for you.
The courses range from free to $1,500+. For alternative learning opportunities, check out the “Learn TV” option.
18. Alison
Alison believes “free education, more than anything, can break boundaries and transform lives". They are one of the world’s largest free learning platforms for education and skills training and offer a wide range of categories, including:
- IT
- Language
- Science
- Health
- Humanities
- Business
- Math
- Marketing
- Lifestyle
- And more
Alison provides all its courses for free. Of course, the trade-off for that is that you will see ads throughout the platform, which seems like a good deal.
19. Upskillist
With 100+ courses to choose from, Upskillist offers a plethora of online courses. They believe it's never too late to learn, so they make it easy for real qualifications that lead to success.
Their online courses are grouped into categories like:
- Photography
- Marketing
- Business
- Beauty
- Health & Wellness
- Technology
- Music
- Design
- And more
Upskillist starts with a 4-week free trial. Then, you can select one of their premium subscription plans. The cost is $39/mo (for 3 months), $35/mo (for 6 months), and $19/mo (12 months).
Their courses offer certifications and have the bonus of being educator-supported, meaning you can get your questions answered, which is always helpful when navigating online courses.
20. CXL Institute
CXL Institute offers 100+ online courses covering different topics. The main areas include:
- Marketing
- Analytics
- CRO
- Advertising
- Content Marketing
- eCommerce
- Management
You can pay $299 monthly for unlimited access to all courses. All CXL courses come with a Certification and a 7-day money-back guarantee.
All instructors are industry experts, and the lessons are carefully crafted to keep learners engaged throughout the course.
Additional Resources To Find Online Courses
- Digital Marketing Courses - courses to teach yourself digital marketing online.
- Social Media Marketing Courses - the top courses for learning social media marketing.
- Content Marketing Courses - free and paid courses to get started with content marketing.
- SEO Courses - a list of SEO courses with a certification to build your SEO skills and become an expert.
- eCommerce Courses - online courses to teach yourself eCommerce. The list includes both free and paid training courses.
- Free SEO Courses - the best free courses on search engine optimization. Take online or download offline.
- Google Ads Courses - courses to master the secrets of Google Ads.
