13 best online course platforms for creators
Discover the most effective online courses platforms that can help you create an engaging online learning product and increase your online business.
There's an idea you have for a fabulous online course. You're just looking for the right place to develop it.
Through an online platform for courses, you can design your own course, include images and videos, and even include interactivity elements such as quizzes or course completion certificates. Additionally, you can build sales pages, process payment, and monitor your students all in the same place.
In this article, we'll cover what to look for when choosing courses software. We'll go over 13 of the most popular online platforms for course entrepreneurs, small-business owners, and entrepreneurs.
All pricing is accurate at the time of writing however, prices are dependent on changes over time.
Features to look for in choosing an online training platform
Before we dive in, here are some factors to take into consideration when selecting the right online training tool for your company.
UnlimitedBusinesses change over time and this is a positive aspect. Utilizing platforms that allow you to offer unlimited courses, there's no need to worry about outgrowing your e-learning software in the future as your product's needs change.
Multiple types of files: You shouldn't be constrained by the kind of media you can include in your classes. Look for platforms that permit you to add video, audio and text modules.
Support for creators:Don't go it alone. Prioritize online teaching platforms with easy customer support as well as tools including chat rooms, live chat Knowledge bases, videos to assist you in your quest.
Price:Most creators have a small budget, which is why selecting a low-cost platform is essential. You don't need to pay for the most expensive product available when budget-friendly options can accomplish the task.
With this in mind With these considerations in mind, here are 13 useful tools that will help you create and market your training course.
13 best online course platforms for entrepreneurs and creators
#1
The process of creating a course can be done in a matter of minutes. It is possible to add texts, videos and audio files, as well as quizzes or coaching sessions as well as files to your classes and modules.
You can embed elements from 1900+ sources, including YouTube, Vimeo, SoundCloud, Spotify, Google Slides, TikTok, Instagram, GitHub, and Google Forms.
After you've uploaded the material for your course, you can use 's beginner-friendly page builder to create a website for your course or sales page for the course you're offering. If you need help, offers best-in-class chat and email support every day of every day of.
According to the professional bladesmith Ben Abbot , "I've always had a dream of creating online classes that aid bladesmiths at all skill levels to improve their skill. This has been made possible with their simple and useful platform."
What are 's features?
Unlimited customers
Payment integrations with Stripe and PayPal
Coupons, payment plans and subscriptions
advantages: has a free plan to create your own website, set up a community, and draft the online course you want to offer before spending your money. 's paid plans include unlimited courses and content hosting. The courses can be launched in advance or offered as bundles and it's possible to organize your materials as a drip, or self-paced program.
scores 90.91 percent on the Creator Friendliness Index . The platforms that support creators provide resources as well as pricing structure, along with guidelines that support creatorsproviding you with more control over running your business. doesn't charge transaction fees on all paid plans.
Cons: is a turnkey solution. Therefore, if you prefer to build your course and website entirely from scratch, with the help of a developer, it won't be the best fit.
How much does cost?
Free (8% transaction fee)
Mover: $39/month
Shaker: $89/month
Earthquaker: $199/month
#2 Kajabi
Kajabi provides templates for self-study, drip courses, as well as membership classes. It is possible to add as many modules and lessons as you want using videos assessment, audio files, text, and downloadable material. If you're stuck contact Kajabi support through live chat or via email.
What are the Kajabi's capabilities?
Unlimited website and content hosting
Upsells, coupons, subscriptions as well as payment plans
Carts abandoned for recovery
Course insights and analytics
Campaigns, email broadcasts pipelines, automated sequences and sequences
Payment Gateways: Stripe and PayPal
Score for creator friendliness: 68.83/100
Kajabi pros: Kajabi has a pipeline tool that allows you to make advanced sales funnels. There are also website templates that you can download to spark your imagination. Kajabi doesn't charge transaction fees with the paid plans they offer.
Kajabi cons: Kajabi is one of the most expensive online course platforms for creators as there is no plan that is free. There are also strict limits on the number of products you can create and how many users can enroll on all plans.
Kajabi's product and its customer limitations:
Basic: 3 products, 3 funnels, 1,000 active members
Growth: 15 products, 15 funnels, 10,000 active members
Pro: 100 products, 100 funnels, 20,000 active members
How much does Kajabi cost?
Basic: $149/month
Growth: $199/month
Pro: $399/month
#3 Thinkific
Within the course builder, Thinkific creators are able to add online content, quizzes and survey powerpoints with voiceovers. Plans with higher tiers let you add the creation of prerequisite courses and require students to finish modules in the correct sequence.
Thinkific offers a complimentary plan that lets you develop three courses and establish your site. The free plan doesn't have any transaction costs as well as all plans have unlimited students. If you require assistance, Thinkific offers phone and email assistance.
What features are available at Thinkific?
Sell bundles of courses, bundles as well as subscriptions
Unlimited content and unlimited video hosting on all plans
Students may leave reviews of their courses
Exam integrations with higher plans
Tools for ensuring compliance with the course
Creator-friendliness score: 87.01/100
Thinkific pros:With Thinkific, you are able to sell unlimited courses and create unlimited content for every paid plan. It is possible to connect the tools available on the Thinkific application store to add more capabilities if you want to add extra features.
Thinkific Cons:Thinkific is a popular online course option, but there's not an easy way to sell other digital products including ebooks, downloads and even coaching sessions. Furthermore, many desirable features like the basic community, memberships products, bundles of product, payment plans, and subscriptions can only be found on the pricey Pro plan or higher.
What is the price Thinkific price?
No cost (No charge for transactions)
Basic: $49/month
Pro: $99/month
Pro+Growth add-on: $149/month
Premier: $499/month
4. Teachable
Teachable's free plan includes one course and unlimited students. Paid plans offer unlimitless self-paced courses and cohort courses, as well as training products and video bandwidth. There are course design templates for you to get going, and you can add tests, videos, quizzes text, and even customized CSS to your modules for courses.
Teachable support is available by email with all plans. Support via chat live is provided with the professional plan and higher.
What are the Teachable's capabilities?
Unlimited courses and coaching on paid plans
Quizzes, certificates of completion and comments on lectures
Trials and subscriptions for free or memberships as well as payment plans
Design a unique storefront as well as sales pages for your course
Affiliate center with automatic payouts
Essential email marketing features for marketing
Score for creator friendliness: 77.92/100
Teachable advantages:Teachable offers course compliance features like the enforcement of lesson orders to make sure students are able to move through the material in a correct manner. Additionally, there are integrated affiliate tools and a student recommendation option.
Teachable cons: Teachable doesn't come with a built-in social feature. If you're looking to create to create a community of students, you'll have to use third-party software to join at the cost of an extra fee. Teachable is also a provider of high transaction costs on their Basic and free plans.
How much does Teachable cost?
Free plan: ($1 + 10% transaction cost on products purchased)
The basic rate is $39/month (5% transaction fee)
Pro: $199/month
Business: $299/month
#5 LearnWorlds
Creators can add videos, transcripts of the video with overlay buttons as well as links. Students can highlight or take notes in the course viewer. Additionally, instructors may add assessments, randomized tests as well as certificates of completion for courses. LearnWorlds support is available through email, phone, a ticketing system as well as live chat.
What do you think of LearnWorlds Features?
Sell courses, memberships as well as subscriptions and bundles
Make your own website
Video editing tools integrated with transcripts and transcriptions
Marketing through affiliates
Mobile app (for an additional fee)
Unlimited SCORMs / HTML5
Creator friendliness score: 76.62/100
LearnWorlds pros: LearnWorlds users can manage affiliates, establish memberships, and run promotions on their course. It is also possible to develop a white-label iOS or Android app for an additional fee.
LearnWorlds Cons: LearnWorlds is heavily geared towards course creators, which means it's not the right choice for you for you if you provide online downloads, webinars or training, or community.
With the LearnWorlds Starter plan, you are able to only provide paid courses (no no-cost courses), and LearnWorlds will charge you $5 per course. You can create a simple website, but you're restricted to 3 pages. The cost of $99 per month Pro Trainer plan to get additional capabilities.
How much does LearnWorlds cost?
Starter: $29/month (+$5 fee per course sale)
Pro Trainer: $99/month
Learning Center: $299/month
Corporate: Custom pricing
#6 LearnDash
Through LearnDash You can design courses with requirements, drip content, subscriptions and memberships. It is also possible to send automated notification to students, allow course discussion forums and present certificates to successful students.
They can also be subscription-based annual memberships or just one-time purchase. If you're in need of getting in touch, you can get in touch with LearnDash customer service from Monday to Friday.
What are LearnDash's features?
WordPress LMS plugin
You can enroll unlimited students, and you can make sales of unlimited courses
It works with the majority of WordPress themes
One-time purchases, subscriptions, enrollments, bundles of courses and bulk licences
Quizzes and incentives for students, certifications, and evaluations
Notify students
LearnDash pros:LearnDash offers student engagement instruments like leaderboards, quizzes games, assignments, and gamification. LearnDash does not charge charges for transactions, and you are able to use it with most WordPress themes, making it extremely flexible.
How much does LearnDash cost?
Basic: $199/year
Plus package: $229/year
Pro package: $369/year
Costs of hosting your WordPress website and the domain registration
#7 Uscreen
Uscreen is video membership software that includes course-making features as well as community tools. This software is best for people who have an the vast collection of video content they want to store in one place.
All Uscreen customers get high-quality video player, website as well as unlimited streaming bandwidth. For creating classes, you are able to tag your videos by topic and then arrange them into catalogs. The possibilities include one-time purchase as well as tiered subscriptions, rental and trial offers for every plan.
Uscreen users can access help via email.
What are the Uscreen's capabilities?
Make a website for membership to host your videos
Design your own website and app
Livestreaming events
Uscreen cons: Uscreen is on the costly side, and there's no free plan. It's only suitable for video-based courses, so if you offer other products including live coaching, downloads or interactive communities, it's better to go with a different program.
How much does Uscreen cost?
Basic: $79/month plus $0.50 per subscriber
The growth rate is $159 per month plus $0.50 per subscriber
Uscreen Plus Uscreen Plus: Custom pricing (This plan comes with the white-label mobile application as well as the streaming TV app)
#8 Mighty Networks
In addition to classes, Mighty Networks has advanced community features like live streams, personalized feeds, member profiles Direct messaging, virtual events, and calendar functions. Mighty Networks customers can access support through a ticketing system or the "Host Support" button.
What are Mighty Network's features?
Create unlimited courses on the Business plan and all the way up
Communities are able to have unlimitless members and moderators
Chat messaging for private and group chats
Community of support for creators
Referral program for members
Creator friendliness score: 59.74/100
Mighty Networks pros:With Mighty Networks, you can develop courses that include the inclusion of a community component. Mighty Networks supports video courses, drip courses, and livestreaming. Additionally, you are able to include unlimited moderators or instructors.
Mighty Networks cons: Mighty Networks is, first and foremost, a community platform. It doesn't have a built-in method to offer services, such as the coaching program or downloading digital files. There's a storage limit in plans like the Community and Business plans and transaction fees on all tiers.
Also, you can only export a list of your members and their email addresses using the Business plan. This can make it difficult to migrate from Mighty Networks to a new platform.
How much does Mighty Networks cost?
Community plan monthly cost of $39 (3% transaction fee)
Business plan 119/month (2 per cent transaction cost)
Mighty Pro: Custom pricing
#9 Academy of Mine
All-in-one solutions for online training, Academy of Mine is an application that allows you to develop, market and promote your online course using an own white-label system. It's a good choice if you're within the B2B industry and want to sell bulk licenses to just one client.
As per their site, Academy of Mine is typically used for:
Continuous education
Safety-related training
Employee development
Training and certifications for professionals
Training in compliance
Employee onboarding
Assistance for Academy of Mine users is available through email and an online ticketing system.
What are features of HTML0? Academy of Mine features?
Create self-paced course with questions, surveys, and assessments
Create sales and marketing pages
Website builder and custom branding
Bulk import and export features
Ecommerce analytics and reports that are flexible and adaptable
Third-party integrations
Academy of Mine pros:Academy of Mine works excellent for the development of corporate or team business education programs. It is possible to create self-paced or live courses and build your site.
Academy of Mine cons: Academy of Mine is an expensive option specifically designed for businesses of all sizes but not individuals who want to create. Additionally, there are limitations on the amount of storage space available and the daily active users.
How much does Academy of Mine cost?
Essentials: $599/month
Professional: $899/month
Enterprise: Custom pricing
#10 Teachery
Teachery is simple but effective software designed for course creators by course creators. It doesn't have a ton of whistles or bells however, it's an easy choice when you just want to create an online course company.
Teachery includes a course creator with two different templates. Within your lessons and modules include audio, video, or slide slides. It is possible to create endless selling, payment as well as email page pages that promote your course. Contact the Teachery help desk via email.
What features are available in Teachery?
Unlimited courses, lessons, as well as students
Sell memberships and bundle products
Integrations that work with Mailchimp, ConvertKit, and Zapier
Affiliate program
One-time, free, and recurring installments
Teachery pros:Teachery is a white label course platform you can personalize to suit your branding and design. There are two simple payments plans that cover every feature of the platform.
Teachery Cons:Teachery is not optimized for selling digital downloads or other services. It doesn't have a community option that they offer, nor do they provide audio or video hosting therefore you'll have to use videos hosted by third party providers such as YouTube and Vimeo.
How much does Teachery price?
Monthly plan Monthly plan: $49/month
Annual plan $470/year
#11 Ruzuku
Ruzuku is a learning management system which allows you to create an online course that is engaging and interactive, with student forums and Q&A areas. Utilizing Ruzuku it is possible to teach live, continuously updated or self-directed online classes that include a user-friendly student dashboard.
What are the Ruzuku's capabilities?
Participants can have social profiles, bios, and photos within the community of course
Copy a previous course to run it multiple times
Announcements via email to students of courses
One-time or subscription payments
Course completion data
Forum FAQ and student discussion
Ruzuku advantages: Ruzuku gets good ratings for customer service as well as their extensive instruction courses, tutorials, assistance documents, as well as the Facebook group. You can use Ruzuku to create unlimited courses as well as all plans come with video and audio hosting.
Ruzuku negatives: Ruzuku is not ideal if you offer digital downloads, communities, as well as coaching and consultation services. Even though sending emails to announce events can be accomplished, there's any advanced marketing tools for emails. There is also no full web-based creator.
How much does Ruzuku cost?
Bootstrapper: $99/month
Up and Comer 149/month
University: $199/month
#12 Udemy
Features:
User-friendly course builder and uploader
Learners can leave course reviews
Built-in marketing tools
Instructors may be included in the site-wide offers to increase enrollment
Creator friendliness score: 52.78/100
Udemy benefits: Udemy promotes your courses on its platform, so your marketing can be more hands-off. Udemy is also an established platform with brand recognition as well as a huge users, which make it much easier for students to come across you organically.
Udemy negatives:On Udemy, you can't control the quality of your content, branding and earnings. You aren't in control of your target audience, and you can't migrate your students' lists off the platform in the future. Additionally, you aren't able to run cohort courses, live courses, or membership courses.
How much does Udemy cost?
You can join for free Udemy for a creative but you'll be included in Udemy's revenue sharing plan.
Revenue sharing plan:
The instructor gets 97% of the time when a student utilizes their instructor's referral code
The instructor gets 37% of the amount if there is the referral code does not get used.
#13 Skillshare
Student pay an annual cost for unlimited access to every course on the platform, and teachers earn money based on how long students view their videos. Teachers earn their money through sending students to Skillshare. Creators have access to support through emails.
What are the Skillshare features?
Earn money through royalties or through the Skillshare affiliate program.
Creators may be found by students who already use the platform.
Upload one class each 7 days
Video lessons can be created.
Creator friendliness score: 44.78/100
Skillshare benefits:Because Skillshare is an online library for learning, there's less marketing required on your end. Skillshare already has a built-in public, which could result in more people taking a look at your classes. It's also free for developers to start.
Skillshare cons: When students watch your lessons via Skillshare it doesn't mean you own your audience. You can't build an email list of your students. Nor can you contact them again in the future.
Each lesson must adhere to the guidelines of Skillshare, meaning there is less control on your own work. The community features aren't available as well as you cannot offer digital downloads as well as live-cohort courses, memberships, or different formats other than video lectures.
What is the cost of HTML0? Skillshare cost?
Free to creators
For choosing the right online training platform for your entrepreneurial venture
Creating online courses can be an excellent way to grow your company and share your expertise. When choosing the best online education platform, you should ask yourself the following questions:
Is the platform all-in-one so I can manage my business from one central location?
Does the platform limit the number of products I can create?
Is it easy to contact support if I need help?
Do I have to include audio, video, text, and other types of information?
Does the cost seem reasonable at this phase of my business?
Your knowledge and experience are highly valuable. If you create an online course, you'll be well in the process of sharing your enthusiasm to others. Enjoy giving!