10 Best Online Course Platforms To Buy and Sell Courses
Online courses are a big hit these days. Getting all the information regarding each and every subject sitting at home! Students are the ones who are most benefited with such platforms. Schools and colleges these days have a number of subjects and each subject has sub-chapters and so on. Memorizing all this information in a short period of time is a challenge faced by all the students, to overcome the burden of this such platforms are created where courses are provided for all the age group of students which covers their academic courses as well as additional information. For example, if a student is preparing for the board exams they can take some online courses which have explanatory videos, presentations and a test that each student has to take at the end of each course to check how far they have gained the knowledge of the particular course they have taken up. Similarly, if a student is preparing for medical examinations or any national level examinations these courses are helpful to keep a track of their understanding of the topics that are covered and those yet to be covered. Likewise, some students want to go abroad for higher studies, they have to give an online test with which they can apply for foreign universities, such as IELTS, TOEFL, etc. Online courses for such tests are also available which are taken up by a lot of students. There are a lot of websites who provide sample papers, modules, weekly online tests. Some of the websites stick to a particular subject such as science, commerce, etc, while others may have a combination of subjects. Each website asks for a certain amount from the students who take up the course for a particular duration and have to pay an additional amount each time they want to renew it. In some cases, students who don’t have enough money to pay for a full-time education can sit back with the online courses which are very informative and don’t have any time barriers for completion of the courses. They can go through the courses as per their availability and can even get a certificate after completing the course. Some courses even offer Virtual classes where experts could do live streaming of the topic they want to educate the students with. They can install the application as well on their cell phones.
Udemy
Udemy is an online learning platform that helps in selling and buying courses. They provide a lot of online courses. Some of the offered courses are marketing IT and software, development, design, business, and personal development. They have around 100,000 videos, some of the topics covered are complete Python Bootcamp, Data science course, Complete Digital Marketing Course. One can get access to 3,500 courses anywhere at any given point in time.
Pros:
- Self-paced learning is the most important factor as students can complete the courses according to their time and speed. There is no time limit to complete the course.
- Expert Instruction is also a part of the program which is very helpful as the experts on the particular topic would assist the course.
- Lifetime access which is self-paced. Courses can be accessed for a lifetime for any course taken up by a student
- Courses are offered for almost all the subjects for personal growth as well as for building a career.
Cons:
- Prices that are offered are not so transparent for the students. Some of the prices can be confusing for the students taking up the courses they can vary without having any uniformity.
- Courses offered may or may not be that useful for the students they have to take the courses to understand whether the subject is useful or not.
- The feedback that is provided by the students gives a mixed review. It might be helpful to some but not for the rest.
SkillShare
Skillshare is a creative platform that offers courses inclined towards the creative aspect. It allows people to create their own content and help teach the students willing to go for the same. It provides courses in the following categories such as business, technology, creative and lifestyle. Skillshare provides 2,100 free classes which include videos and tutorials.
Pros:
- Offline downloading of the courses can be saved in mobile phones or tablets, which is helpful to study offline.
- Advertisements would not bother you while one is going through them.
- They provide scholarship to students who are in need, people can contribute accordingly.
- Skillshare offers a 30-day free trial session. This trial plan can be canceled if the student is not satisfied with the courses offered without going further they can cancel it at any point in time.
Cons:
- Customer service is weak in case of responding to the mails sent for any queries or modifications.
- People consider it as a Scam as most of the trials provided are not for free they charge the students and are redirected to the refund policy if they ask the money back, which is not helpful.
- Automatic deactivation of the account is made randomly and they even ask for payments after that.
Teachable
Teachable is one of the upcoming online platforms that help students with the simple tools that are attractive to the students for easy understanding and learning. As e-learning is the next upcoming thing in the market, the team supporting the platform and providing content have to have a good experience in the same field to get a good hold on the subject that they are focusing on. The better the teacher the students gain the most. Such platforms are helpful in creating content, selling them and delivering the content in the given field to get a wider audience who might be inclined to know more about the topic. They are user-friendly and less expensive to purchase as well as sell on the online platform. There are a number of webinars which can be recorded and saved which can be streamlined according to the need of the student.
Pros:
- It is out of the box, unlike the normal e-learning platforms which deliver the courses just by uploading the content.
- It is an upscale platform where all the tools are easy to use. Students prefer an easy learning platform where they can focus more on the content rather than understanding the system.
- Easy money making is the key to teachable. The easy tools make it more approachable for the students as they can be of any age group which helps the understanding better.
Cons:
- The features are yet to be updated as there are a lot of developments in the tools and every platform is keeping up with the updates. Upgraded tools help with better accessibility.
- Prices are the same for all the users and teachers which should be altered in case some faculties have lesser users.
- Third-party mail id is used instead of any official mail id which may not be a good option and users may or may not be comfortable.
Podia
Podia is one of the upcoming online platforms for e-learning which focuses on content creation access along with digital products and membership for them.
Pros:
- Launching the content is smooth without any glitch or intricate steps to follow.
- Prices are inexpensive and affordable by all categories of students. They would not cut any transaction fees irrespective of the plan that the student is using.
- Customer service has been very helpful throughout. It has positive feedback regarding query management.
- Consistently adding new features and keeping up to date. Each additional feature helps in smooth downloading and uploading of the content.
Cons:
- Third-party software services are a bit problematic as it is not so reliable by most of the users.
- Email personalization is not possible as personal users cannot be addressed directly.
- Phone support is not supported by Podia. It offers other ways of communication such as live chats email etc.
ThinkIFIC
Thinkific is useful for small scale business startups who want to start online courses as their business. The courses provided and the materials for the courses are very simple and easy to understand not very complex. They have maintained a simple English language with which anyone can understand the language to proceed with the courses. It does not ask for transaction charges for any of the plans offered. They provide free trials for three courses with unlimited users taking up those courses. You can create your own texts and templates as it helps you be creative and customize the page. The curriculum is very robust as well.
Pros:
- Self-paced learning is extremely helpful for students who are working professionals.
- The interface used by the admin and the user as well are easy to use and process.
- Drafting is also easy as they allow users to be creative by designing their courses.
- Quick launches are a hit as one can set their own timer as well which is exciting as the clock ticks.
Cons:
- Sales pages are not customizable as they do not allow to edit and design the sales pages which are a drawback as it would not project the exact thought and business might be affected
- Access to all the features is not provided they charge a certain amount for that.
- There is no way to sell the courses as the emails and marketing platform is weak.
Kajabi
Kajabi is an excellent platform for small scale businesses that are planning to sell their courses on this platform. They have their content as well as the digital products that they want to sell. All the courses provide in-depth information on all the subjects. Kajabi is also termed as a feature-rich online course platform. It has high positive reviews from most of the students using this platform to gain good knowledge and understand the subject. The digital product business is running very smoothly in Kajabi with many happy and satisfied students. The best part is it can be installed on your mobile devices which is very easy to access anywhere at any given time and learn.
Pros:
- One-stop for all the business it incorporates almost all the subjects in its courses.
- They have excellent customer service as all the queries are taken care of and are replied on time.
- All the features are updated on time which helps it grab the attention of the students as every update makes the app work smoothly.
- Some of the features which are available already are sales pages, website, shopping cart, online courses, marketing funnels.
Cons:
- Some of the features are very slow to process which hampers the business to start as well the students get stuck while going through the courses.
- Custom fonts are not liked much by the users as the options are restricted for them.
- Some of the features such as completion of the certificates and gamification are not up to the mark.
Codecademy
Codecademy helps with coding and programming and even complex games, websites, etc. It is well developed for all those who are very keen on such subjects. It helps in upskilling the students which can be useful for them. They help in analyzing the given data and building the necessary websites. Coding will be easy to crack even if you have prior knowledge of the subject beforehand or not. How will you know whether the coding is going the right way or not? Well, Codecademy gives you instant results of each coding made. Which makes it easier to know how far the students have learned and rectified the mistakes. Everything that the student has learned can be put to practice on real-time projects. It gives them a boost and helps them gain confidence. Some of the courses that they offer are Web Development, Programming, and Computer Science, Data Science, etc.
Pros:
- They have an interactive way of teaching which is very dynamic in nature.
- They are various forms of coding that can be learned with trial and error it can be learned to perfection.
- Overall experience is easy and enjoyable for the students to learn and explore.
Cons:
- The course is a bit expensive as most of the businesses are small scale.
- Free trials are limited and most of the quality content is charged.
- Most of the courses lack content which is a drawback for the app as well as the students.
Udacity
Udacity is an advanced programming course that is provided to the students. They offer a number of programs such as deep learning, machine learning, data science, web development, artificial intelligence, and cloud computing. The courses are taught by mentors who come from throughout the world under one roof to help the students with their subjects that they opt for. They focus on the industry and the advanced technologies which help the students have industry-based experience as well. Some of the features of Udacity are assessing the skill which is there in the skill development courses provided. Course recommendation is another such add ons which helps the students have an idea of all the courses that would match with their interest. They also have manager portals which help them see the progress of their students.
Pros:
- Field experience is not required to do any course. One can take up any course of interest and learn accordingly.
- Projects are very interesting as they use a lot of examples while teaching and make the whole experience an easy path.
- There are a lot of quizzes and tests that help the student updated with the day to day learning.
Cons:
- Few materials are outdated and have less relevance to the topic and subjects.
- The prices are a bit expensive for some students as it depends on the currency of a country which varies.
- Courses are somewhat time-consuming as some of the codes are outdated therefore course completion takes a while.
- Students have raised their opinions regarding the teaching style, some felt a script is being read.
Lynda
Lynda is one of the dynamic platforms for online learning for coding and multimedia software. Even the prices are attractive for the students. They have covered a large number of topics that give options for the students to select their topics and have an idea about other possible topics as well which they can go through. Lynda is a one-stop as it offers access to a number of courses for a monthly free subscription. Additional courses such as photography and video editing are also part of the courses provided. People who want to start their own business and launch their own courses on this platform can easily go ahead with it. The number of digital launches that is done helps it in its brand marketing and people are well aware of this and are keen to be part of this program.
Pros:
- They have both video and written content provided, which is helpful for those who cannot keep up with video learning.
- Many courses can be downloaded for free. Such services are not provided by all the e-learning platforms.
- Absolutely user-friendly for the students as it is very transparent with the interface.
Cons:
- Recent updates should be checked before opting for any course as most of the courses are not updated, and show results which have expired already.
- There is no discussion forum in which students can discuss their queries on the subject or any related issues to anyone.
- Courses take a long time to complete. Students have to give a lot of time and attention per course. People who are doing a job might find some difficulties to keep up the slow pace.
Treehouse
Treehouse is a very reliable and reputed e-learning platform that is liked by students and people have taken up a number of courses from this platform. There are professional courses which are for beginners as well as advanced users. Some of the subjects provided by this platform are game, web, and other product development. Basically whoever wants to have an idea about coding and would want to get a job in the industry in coding. This course is ideal for them. The website is very transparent with the courses it provides and the prices for each of the courses. The website is very much updated and organized. It is updated with the dates and types of courses and each category is mentioned to make it easy for the students to know the steps to go ahead with the course.
Pros:
- Self-paced courses are the most helpful as most of the students are professionals or studying therefore it is easy for them to learn according to their timing.
- Easy to keep track of the current courses. For example, if one is in the middle of a course and has to start again the day after, they would start from where they have stopped.
- All the current technologies are updated and taught by professionals. This helps the students get knowledge about all the latest tools.
- All the sessions are very interactive and quick to learn as it is taught in simple language.
Cons:
- Some of the beginner courses are very basic for which people lose their interest to go further.
- Prices for each course are a bit expensive for some users. There are a lot of other websites which offer similar courses and are less expensive.
- They just focus on the IT aspects of the business not an individual business as a whole. People who are looking for the overall development of their business, might not find it useful.
WizIQ
WizIQ has made online learning an easy way to learn. It gives the opportunity to people who want to start up their own business, and those who want to sell their courses online on this platform. Online classes held are very interactive with professionals helping the students learn. Tutoring has never been this easy and fun. They hold webinars which are interactive sessions by the professionals who are held live and can be saved in case it is missed by some students. It is known as one of the best cloud-based solutions provided in the world. Custom academies are easy to be created in just a few clicks. Analytics and insights are very helpful in the overall development of the website as well as for the students.
Pros:
- The website is well structured. It shows the rank of the learner and how far they have learned the courses.
- The teachers can use the login credentials, in order to understand the subjects better, as well as they can refer to the courses of other teachers.
- In case a new student joins a course, the teacher shall get a notification regarding the same.
- There are some formats that are supported by the website such as pdf, ppt, etc.
Cons:
- The courses are not organized in a proper manner and it is difficult to find the course one is looking for.
- There is a single option to save any course that is to save the link of that particular course.
- Weak customer service is reported by some of the students, the customer support executives fail to understand the queries.
- They cannot handle a large customer base, a limited number of students can be handled by them at a time.
Sitepoint
A leading e-learning platform for the students who are keen to learn about Javascript, Design & UX, WordPress. Sitepoint has unlimited resources that help students. It focuses mainly on the aspect of the business. It is a great platform for those who are interested in product creation. Best in the hosting services they have a maximum number of satisfied customers. Computer learning has been an easy task with the help of Sitepoint with the help of programming and web designing.
Pros:
- Customer service is a plus point on this website as they deliver the right information and are available 24/7.
- Proficient teaching skills are a plus point as the students are all beginners and they get attracted when the courses are easy to understand. They grow curious to know more.
- Web security is taken care of by Sitepoint as it keeps updating all the latest trends.
Cons:
- This website has a single language that is English. Users who are not English speaking fail to follow this website which is a drawback for the growth of Sitepoint.
- There has been a gradual fall in the outputs which may be a result of outdated updates.
- Some of the e-books available seem to be duplicated or lack proper content.
Coursera
One of the trusted e-learning websites as is self-paced and there are a lot of free courses available that help the students get an idea of all the available courses. They even provide the certificates after the course is completed. The courses are taught by professionals around the globe. The live projects could be availed by the students which give them the idea about the corporate projects that they would handle in the future. There have been a lot of success stories of the students who have taken up this course and got good placements. The best way to get a distant course in Coursera.
Pros:
- Content offered by this website is highly reliable and students prefer this website over the other e-learning websites.
- Certifications provided by Coursera are from the best universities which add value to the certificates to get better jobs.
- There are around 150 plus university partners,2,700 plus courses,250 plus specializations,4 plus degrees.
- Some of the students find the website very transparent each course and the fee attached to each is mentioned clearly.
Cons:
- Some of the students have complained that they are being charged after the course has been completed.
- Free trials are fake sometimes and students are charged even if they cancel their free trials.
- There have been cases where the fees charged before and after the courses differ which gives a negative impact on the students as well as the brand.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy is the most popular e-learning website. There is a non-profit organization and provides free courses to anyone, anywhere around the world. It is a very popular brand among the students who rely on this website to gain knowledge from a well-known site which would add value to their career. Prices are appreciated by most of the students. They have coupon extensions as well for additional courses or any relevant course. They made learning super easy for anybody who wanted to learn. Their courses include from the primary level to the competitive exams. Even children have their courses which will help them understand subjects from the very beginning.
Pros:
- The explanation and demonstration done by some of the teachers are very well explained and understandable. Children get the classroom teaching experience from such videos which makes them more interested in learning more.
- Features get added to the website on a regular basis which helps them update with the latest tools. Children can get accustomed to the new ways of learning which is helpful for them as well in the long run.
- Courses include not only videos explained courses but also quizzes which creates a great path for the students to get an update of the daily subjects they have learned.
- Great platform for self-study as the illustrations are directed with explanations for the problems for subjects such as maths. Physics etc.
Cons:
- Some of the videos are recorded in different voices which creates a mismatch between the video and the audio.
- Certain videos may have a bit faster pace than it normally should be. This ends up creating issues for the students to keep up with the video and learn better.
- Some of the answers and the procedures taught are not relevant and they are incorrect in some of the teaching videos which confuses the students.
- The major drawback of the website is if a student gets a single answer wrong they have to start the whole set from the beginning, this makes the student lose patience.