Do you have in-depth knowledge in a particular field? Sharing your skills and insights can be as easy as uploading a video on YouTube. However, you need a robust framework if you want to make money.
That’s where online course software comes in. They package your expertise in coding or sewing into professional online courses.
The online learning industry is on track for explosive growth, with a projected market value of 1 trillion U.S. dollars by 2032. And it’s not just online school systems that are cashing in. Business and informal course creators are part of that market share.
Finding the best online course builder for your business can be overwhelming. That’s where we come in. We’ve compiled a detailed list of the best online course platforms. We’ll compare features and pricing and tell you factors to consider when deciding how to sell courses.
TL;DR: The best online course platforms
Here’s a quick overview of the top 10 tools we picked that can help you create and monetize your own course (Jump to full list).
| Platform | Key Features | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| GetResponse | AI course builder, unlimited courses, email marketing, integrated webinars, 0% transaction fees | 30 days Free trial, then $48/month |
| Thinkific | Unlimited courses/students on paid plans, drag-and-drop builder, advanced customization | Starts at $49/month |
| Kajabi | Unlimited landing pages, email marketing, payment processor, flexible payment options | Starts at $69/month |
| Udemy | Marketplace insights, student progress monitor, optional marketing program | Free, 3% to 63% revenue share on sales |
| LearnDash | Unlimited courses/students, drip-feed lessons, gamification | Starting from $199/year (1 site) |
| Academy of Mine | Self-paced courses, customizable learning system, analytics, video conferencing | Professional: $999/month, |
| Teachable | Unlimited students, email/affiliate marketing, AI builder, custom domains | Free for one course, then starts from $39/month |
| Podia | Unlimited courses/coaching/webinars, email marketing, video hosting | Free, then $33/month |
| Skillshare | Built-in user base, class planning templates, community-based progress | Free, but revenue is based on watch time by premium members |
| Coursera | Recognized accreditation, institutional partnerships, mobile app | Free but needs a collaboration with affiliated institutions |
What is an online course platform?
Online course platforms are tools and services that help users create, manage, and sell online courses.
There are different online course builders — online learning platforms, online training platforms, and learning management systems.
They fall into two categories:
- Course creation software gives you control over course creation, including branding, content formats, and pricing. It charges a monthly fee.
- Course marketplaces host your online courses as part of a catalog. Think of them as the Amazon of online classes. You can personalize your course landing page, but little else. They are free but take a share of sales revenue.
The best platform to create and sell online courses depends on your needs and goals. If you are generating brand awareness, you need online course marketplaces to help you reach target audiences.
If engagement is a priority, an online course creation platform offers robust customization options, such as interactives, to engage your students.
What to look for in an online course builder
Many components and functionalities go into making the best online course platform — web hosting, content creation, payment processing, marketing, and more.
The following are course-building factors to consider when you compare online course platforms:
Editing and customization options
The right online course platform is intuitive and easy to use. Ask yourself:
- Is the platform user-friendly?
- Is there a steep learning curve?
- Do I need technical/coding skills?
You shouldn’t have to spend hours learning how to use an online course builder or hire a designer to create your course pages.
Drag-and-drop editors and predesigned templates handle the technical and design aspects of course building, allowing you to focus on creating the best course possible.
Supported content and assessment formats
Different platforms offer different content formats to deliver lessons — video, audio, text, graphics, and interactives. Choose course builders that support various formats. That way, you can accommodate students’ learning styles and keep them engaged.
Pay attention to file specifications. Some platforms support specific audio and video file types, so you may need to convert your files before uploading.
You also want an online teaching platform that allows you to measure student data, such as progress metrics and completion rates. If your course offers certification, you need tools like exams and quizzes to assess student retention and comprehension.
Payment methods
If you’re selling your online course, your platform of choice should be able to process various payment modes. These include major credit cards, digital wallets, and online payment services like Stripe or PayPal.
The platform should also offer different payment plans, from subscriptions to one-time purchases.
Available integrations
While many online course platforms offer various features, you’d be hard-pressed to find one with all the options you want. Furthermore, technology is evolving, and new software is available daily.
If the platform you want doesn’t have all the features you need, it should be able to integrate with your existing tech and third-party tools, such as email software, messaging apps, video conferencing, and more.
Marketing features
Marketing is pivotal to business success. If you need more experience or an established marketing infrastructure, a platform with built-in marketing features is necessary.
Look for platforms that facilitate marketing campaigns through the following core channels:
- Email marketing
- Mobile push notifications
- Social media
Software integration will be crucial to marketing success if you have an established marketing infrastructure.
Affordability
You’ll notice price differences as you compare online course platforms. Many course builders offer multiple pricing tiers depending on features, type of user (individual or organization), number of students, etc. These plans range from free and basic to premium.
Obviously, you want an online learning platform that fits your budget, but cheap now can be expensive later. For example, the transaction fees in a free plan are typically higher than in a premium plan. When you scale, you’ll pay more than if you were on a paid plan.
You can’t just look at the price. You must also factor in the pricing structure. Examine what essential features are available in each plan. Use the free trial, if available, to determine which software aligns with your goals.
Types of online course platforms
There are four types of online course platforms.
- Standalone Platforms: offer course creation tools to build, host, and sell your courses. You need to integrate marketing software to execute marketing strategies.
- All-in-one Platforms: offer everything. You can build and host courses, collect payments, and run marketing campaigns.
- Online Course Marketplaces: offer course building and hosting services for free. In exchange, you share a percentage of the course sales.
- WordPress LMS plugins: allow you to host courses on your WordPress website. The software offers course creation and promotion features.
- Enterprise Learning Management Systems: offer custom-made course design to meet an organization’s unique learning requirements.
Each type will be suitable for different online course creators. For example, standalone platforms are ideal for course creators with established audiences and marketing infrastructure. You should choose all-in-one online platforms if you don’t have experience with course creation and digital marketing.
New course creators do well on digital course marketplaces because they are free and have an existing audience. WordPress plugins are ideal for tech-savvy creators who want more control of their courses. Enterprise learning systems work for organizations with high customization requirements.
Top picks for online course builders
You won’t go wrong with the course software on this list. They fit the bill of the best online course platform. The difference depends on your needs and preferences.
1. GetResponse
GetResponse is a renowned email marketing platform that offers course-building services. The AI-powered creator allows users without coding or design skills to create, market, and sell multi-module online courses.
Enter a prompt about your course, and the course builder will generate seven modules. The platform supports text, audio, video, interactives, and live lesson delivery. Alternatively, you can build your course from scratch using the course navigator.
Users can access the platform’s robust email marketing features, including signup forms, conversion funnels, and marketing automation. E-commerce integrations enable the sale of courses through popular payment gateways like Stripe and PayPal.
Key features
- AI course builder
- Website and landing page builders
- 0% transaction fees
- Unlimited courses
- Email marketing
- Integrated webinars
- 24/7 chat support
Pricing
GetResponse offers one plan at $48/month for 500 students. It comes with a 30-day free trial of premium features and an early-bird pricing offer.
GetResponse is the ideal comprehensive platform for freelancers and content creators.
2. Thinkific
Thinkific is a popular course creation platform, boasting over 77,000 course creators. Users can create, market, and sell online courses from scratch or using predefined templates.
The platform supports multimedia formats such as PDF, video, audio, interactives, and live lessons.
Other digital products include downloads, community, memberships, coaching, and webinars.
Thinkific supports marketing efforts with a landing page builder, email templates, and sequences. Through Zapier, you can integrate your existing marketing and email automation software. The platform offers white-label branding, allowing you to create a fully branded experience.
You also have control of payments with Thinkific’s built-in payment processor. It supports free, paid, bundled, and limited-time pricing packages.
Key features
- Unlimited courses on all paid plans
- Unlimited students on all plans
- Predesigned templates
- Drag and drop course builder
- Landing page builder
- Advanced customization
- Extensive app integrations
- Full eCommerce functionality
- 24/7 support
Pricing
- Basic: $49/monthly
- Start: $99/monthly
- Grow: $199/monthly
All plans include a 14-day free trial and a 25% discount on annual billing. Thinkific also offers a free version with one course and a custom enterprise plan.
Thinkific is the ideal standalone platform for individuals and small businesses with established marketing infrastructure.
3. Kajabi
Kajabi is an all-in-one knowledge platform that helps over 50,000 users turn their expertise into diverse income streams. Users can create, market, and sell courses, podcasts, memberships, community, and coaching sessions.
Kajabi offers customizable templates to help educators create mini, full-blown, and drip programs. You can deliver lessons via text, video, audio, interactives, and live sessions.
It supports marketing efforts with a website and landing page builder, email marketing, and automated marketing funnels. You can also create coupons and discounts to facilitate selling.
Like Thinkific, Kajabi has a built-in payment processor with flexible options, such as PayPal, Google Pay, Apple Pay, Afterpay, and more.
Key features
- Unlimited landing pages (except Kickstarter plan)
- Unlimited email marketing (except Kickstarter plan)
- 0% transaction fees
- Landing page builder
- Custom domains
- Podcast creation
- Mobile app
- Student assessment
Pricing
- Kickstarter: $69/month for 50 students
- Basic: $149/month for 1,000 students
- Grow: $199/month for 10,000 students
- Pro: $399/month for 20,000 students
Kajabi comes with a 14-day free trial, a 30-day money-back guarantee, and a 20% discount on annual billing. Kajabi also offers custom enterprise plans to suit your specific needs.
Kajabi is the ideal all-in-one Platform for freelancers and small businesses with limited IT and marketing infrastructure.
4. Udemy
Udemy is the largest and most popular online course marketplace. It has over 200,000 listed courses and a built-in audience of 70 million learners. Users can create courses or upload existing text or video content. The Marketplace insights tool helps you identify in-demand topics, and the curriculum page organizes your course outlines.
The course builder helps you plan, create, and publish your course step-by-step.
To become a premium (paid) instructor, you must apply and be approved. Your courses also undergo a review process to ensure they meet the platform’s quality checklist, which includes 30 minutes of video content and five lectures.
Udemy’s optional marketing program offers features in the platform’s email blasts and site-wide discount schemes. However, you shouldn’t leave all marketing to Udemy. It tends to promote fast-selling courses and controls promotion prices.
Key features
- Video recording
- Marketplace insights
- Student progress monitor
- Mobile app
- Optional marketing program
- Knowledge base
Pricing
Udemy is free. However, it charges a 3% revenue share on sales generated by instructors and 63% on sales generated through the marketplace or marketing program. The significant cut is one of the reasons some creators seek Udemy alternatives.
Udemy is the ideal online Course Marketplace for new instructors without existing audiences.
5. LearnDash
LearnDash is a WordPress plugin that enables users to create online courses on their WordPress websites. This gives users high levels of customization and ownership.
It supports text, video, audio, and interactive lesson delivery. You can pace lessons or deliver them all at once.
LearnDash uses a drag-and-drop editor to build lessons and quizzes. The student management system includes gamification features like badges and quiz certificates to encourage engagement and course completion.
It works well with WordPress eCommerce and membership plugins. You can package courses in one-time offers, subscriptions, or memberships. The plugin allows you to use over 300 payment gateways to collect payments.
Key features
- Unlimited courses
- Unlimited students
- Drag and drop course builder
- Open API
- Drip-feed lessons
- Gamification
- Student management systems
- Flexible pricing models
Pricing
LearnDash LMS plugin determines pricing based on the number of sites using the plugin.
- One site: $199/year
- Ten sites: $399/year
- Unlimited: $799/year
Each plan gives you access to all available features and tools, and there are no transaction fees. There is no free trial, but there’s a 15-day money-back guarantee. You can also request a demo with no commitment to purchase.
LearnDash is the ideal WordPress LMS plugin for freelance educators and large businesses with established websites and multiple courses.
6. Academy of Mine
Academy of Mine is a comprehensive online training platform for B2B and B2C companies. Users can create professional training, certification, and employee development programs. The platform is fully white-labeled, enabling you to create a branded learning experience.
You can deliver self-paced courses and instructor-led webinars using PDF, PowerPoint, video, and interactives. You can also track student progress through attendance, assignment scores, course completions, and certification.
Academy of Mine integrates with various CRM, sales, and marketing tools, such as Salesforce, Shopify, and Facebook Pixel, facilitating sales.
Key features
- Fully customizable learning system
- Self-paced courses
- Video conferencing
- Analytic dashboards
- Dedicated server hosting
- Extensive integrations
- Award-winning support
Pricing
- Professional plan: $999/month
- Enterprise plan: custom pricing
Academy of Mine is the ideal enterprise LMS for large business organizations that require highly customized course creation.
Other notable mentions
Here are a few other platforms that can help you build a successful online course business:
1. Teachable
Teachable helps over 100,000 course creators create, market, and sell online courses, digital downloads, coaching sessions, and memberships.
You can build your course from scratch or use the AI builder to generate your curriculum.
In addition to course building, you can manage payment processing and marketing. Teachable allows you to offer flexible course packages, including one-time purchases, subscriptions, and payment plans. It also has native email and affiliate marketing tools, allowing you to promote your courses from the platform.
Key features
- Unlimited students on all plans
- Email marketing
- Affiliate marketing
- Website builder
- Mobile app
- Flexible payment options
- Business management tools
- Custom domain on paid plans
Pricing
- Free: $0 for one course
- Basic: $39/month for five courses
- Pro: $119/month for 50 courses
- Pro Plus: $199/month for 200 courses
- Enterprise: custom price
The free and basic plans incur transaction fees of 10% and 5%, respectively. The other plans don’t have transaction charges.
Teachable is ideal for creative entrepreneurs and coaches
2. Podia
Podia is a simple and versatile builder that allows users to create, market, and sell digital products, such as online courses, digital downloads, and coaching sessions.
You can build course websites and deliver lessons via audio, text, or video. However, you can’t create mixed-media lessons.
If you have existing courses, Podia will migrate your content for free. You can also sell course supplements like cheat sheets and eBooks as digital downloads or bundle them with your courses.
In addition to course building, Podia offers a simple email marketing tool. You can also integrate your existing email software and other marketing tech with Zapier.
Key features
- Unlimited downloads on paid plans
- Unlimited course on paid plans
- Unlimited coaching on paid plans
- Unlimited webinars on paid plans
- Free content migrations
- Video hosting
- Tax handling
- Live chat support
Pricing
- Free: $0
- Mover: $33/month
- Shaker: $75/month
The free and mover plans include transaction fees of 10% and 5%, respectively. There is no free trial since the free plan allows you to experience the platform at no charge.
Podia is ideal for content creators offering straightforward courses.
3. Skillshare
Skillshare is the go-to course marketplace for sharing creative skills, with 8,000 teachers and 600,000 students. Popular courses include photography, music, crafts, marketing, and animation.
Users deliver courses through a series of video lessons.
Skillshare doesn’t support assessments like quizzes. So, students show progress by posting work on the community forum.
Skillshare operates on a membership model. Students pay a monthly fee to access all courses on the platform. Teachers earn income based on how many students watch and engage with their lessons. You can also earn money through premium membership referrals.
Key features
- Unlimited courses
- Mobile App
- Built-in user base
- Class planning templates
- Extensive knowledge base
Pricing
- It is free to create courses, but creators can only earn revenue through referrals or based on the watch time of Premium members.
Skillshare is ideal for creatives looking to supplement their income by teaching.
4. Coursera
Coursera is the largest online learning platform for higher education, with 142 million users. It is designed for established and professional instructors, offering virtual classes from renowned educational institutions and business organizations like Stanford and IBM.
In the end, students receive recognized credentials. Consequently, not anyone can create and host a course on the platform. You have to be invited.
Course subjects include engineering, AI, social science, mathematics, business, and humanities. Instructors earn 15% of income from individual purchases or institutional partnerships.
You can create courses from scratch or use the course builder, which guides users through course creation workflow.
Key features
- Recognized accreditation
- Mobile app
- Institutional partnerships
Pricing
- Free to create courses
Coursera is the best learning platform for academics who want to build authority in their fields.
Quick tips to promote your online course
If people don’t know your course exists, they can’t sign up for it. Whether you opt for course creation software or a course marketplace, you need a robust marketing strategy to stand out.
Here are some tips to enhance your marketing efforts.
Email marketing
Sending email newsletters to your existing customer base is the equivalent of picking low-hanging fruit. These leads are interested in your brand and products and will most likely purchase your online course. If you’re new to email marketing, you can build your email list using a module of your course as a lead magnet.
Social media
Social media is a great way to generate interest for your online course. You can post a clip of a lesson using various video formats. In addition to linking courses in the caption or description section, update your bio to include a link to your course website.
Paid ads
Paid advertising, like Google Ads, enables your online courses to appear for specific keywords. You only have to discover which words audiences use to search your topic. That ensures you’re reaching the right target audience. You can also reach out to websites that serve your ideal customer and offer to pay for a banner ad.
Blogging
Writing blog posts (whether for your website or another brand) increases brand visibility to target audiences and search engines. So, blog about the topics you cover in your courses and add relevant links to your course web pages. You can also engage influential bloggers to review or write about your course.
Podcasts and webinars
Hosting or guesting on podcasts and webinars is a great way to generate interest in your course and establish expertise and authority. Most people don’t have time to read blog posts, but they can listen to podcasts while doing other activities.
Share insights related to your course topics and include links or CTAs to your course. You can also repurpose webinars for other marketing campaigns.
In closing
Whatever your teaching goals are, there is a platform to help you create and sell your courses to target audiences. You only have to find the right one, and that’s not easy. We made it easier by pinpointing the best online course builder platforms.
Depending on your needs, one platform will be more suitable than another. If you only want to create and host a course, you only need a standalone platform. If you also need marketing services, choose all-in-one platforms or course marketplaces.
GetResponse is an experienced email marketing platform that now offers entrepreneurs and businesses a way to monetize their expertise. With e-commerce integrations, users can create, market, and sell online courses on one platform.
Try it for free for 30 days, and if you sign up during our early bird special, you get a discounted price for 12 months.