The best website for online courses depends on what you are trying to do. Coursera is the strongest all-round choice for university-backed credentials, edX for academic and technical depth, Udemy for cheap practical courses on almost any topic, Skillshare for creative skills, LinkedIn Learning for career and software training, and Khan Academy for free foundational subjects.
This guide covers 21 websites for online courses across digital marketing, coding, business, design, academic subjects and personal development. Each entry says who it is best for, what it costs, and whether there is a genuinely free option.
Best Websites For Online Courses: Quick Comparison
| Website | Best for | Free option |
|---|---|---|
| Coursera | University courses and career certificates | Audit most courses free |
| edX | Academic and technical depth | Free to audit |
| Udemy | Variety and budget practical skills | Free course section |
| Skillshare | Creative and artistic skills | Free trial only |
| LinkedIn Learning | Career and software skills | Free month |
| Khan Academy | Free foundational school subjects | Entirely free |
| Reliablesoft Academy | Digital marketing and AI | Free courses included |
| HubSpot Academy | Inbound marketing and sales | Entirely free |
| Semrush Academy | SEO and marketing tools | Entirely free |
| Google Skillshop | Google product certifications | Entirely free |
| Meta Blueprint | Facebook and Instagram ads | Courses free, exams paid |
| Google Digital Garage | Digital marketing fundamentals | Entirely free |
| Alison | Free certificates across many subjects | Free with ads |
| Codecademy | Learning to code interactively | Free Basic plan |
| Microsoft Learn | Microsoft and Azure skills | Learning paths free |
| Udacity | AI, data and engineering | No |
| CXL | B2B marketing and AI, advanced | No |
| Simplilearn | Bootcamps and live cohorts | No |
| Harvard Online | Single courses from a named university | Some free courses |
| MasterClass | Learning from well-known practitioners | No |
| Upskillist | Supported hobby and career courses | Free trial only |
Career-Focused & Industry Certifications
Ideal for professionals looking to upskill, switch careers, or earn industry-recognized certifications.
1. Reliablesoft Academy
- Best For: Learning digital marketing and AI with a single lifetime purchase.
- Cost: $127 for the 21-course bundle, smaller bundles from $47
- Free option: Free courses included
- Explore Online Courses
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 24 courses covering all important areas of digital marketing and AI, 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 guarantee from all online academies).
The full bundle of 21 courses is currently $127, down from $1,260. Smaller bundles are available at $67 for 6 courses and $47 for 4 courses.
2. Simplilearn
- Best For: Structured bootcamps with live cohorts and university partnerships.
- Cost: Per-program pricing
- Free option: No
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.
3. CXL
- Best For: Advanced B2B marketing and AI training for working marketers.
- Cost: Subscription, annual/quarterly/monthly
- Free option: No
- Explore Online Courses
CXL offers 80+ certifiable courses and Minidegree programs. The platform was previously called CXL Institute and has since narrowed its focus to B2B marketing and AI, so the catalog is now built around:
- B2B marketing
- AI for marketers
- Analytics and measurement
- CRO and experimentation
- Advertising
- Content marketing
- Growth and management
CXL is sold as a subscription on annual, quarterly or monthly terms, and the effective monthly rate drops sharply the longer the commitment. Annual subscribers also get the live courses, which are not included on the shorter plans. All courses come with a certification, and the 7-day money-back guarantee applies to the annual plan only.
All instructors are industry experts, and the lessons are carefully crafted to keep learners engaged throughout the course.
4. HubSpot Academy
- Best For: Inbound marketing, sales and service certifications.
- Cost: Free
- Free option: Entirely free
- Explore Online Courses
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.
5. Semrush Academy
- Best For: SEO and marketing-tool training with certificates.
- Cost: Free
- Free option: Entirely free
- Explore Online Courses
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.
6. Google Skillshop
- Best For: Official certifications for Google products.
- Cost: Free
- Free option: Entirely free
- Explore Online Courses
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.
7. Meta Blueprint
- Best For: Facebook and Instagram advertising skills.
- Cost: Courses free, certification exams paid
- Free option: Courses free
- Explore Online Courses
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.
8. LinkedIn Learning
- Best For: Career and software skills that link to your LinkedIn profile.
- Cost: Monthly subscription
- Free option: Free month
- Explore Online Courses
LinkedIn Learning has over 26,300 courses and Learning Paths in a wide range of industries, with dozens added each week.
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.
Tech, Data, and Programming Platforms
Perfect for learning to code, analyze data, or build software, from beginner to advanced.
9. Codecademy
- Best For: Learning to code by writing code in the browser.
- Cost: Free Basic, paid Plus and Pro
- Free option: Free Basic plan
- Explore Online Courses
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.
Codecademy runs three individual plans: Basic, Plus and Pro. Basic is always free, and although it is limited in content and real-world projects, it is a genuine way to get foundational training without paying.
Plus adds the skill paths and is aimed at learning one specific skill. Pro is the career-focused plan and is the only one with career paths and certification paths. Both are billed monthly or annually, with the annual rate meaningfully cheaper, and both come with a free trial. Team plans are quoted separately.
10. Udacity
- Best For: AI, data and engineering programs with mentor feedback.
- Cost: Subscription
- Free option: No
- Explore Online Courses
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 runs on a subscription that gives you access to its catalog. Its focus has narrowed substantially toward AI, data and engineering, so treat it as a tech school rather than a general course library. It now also offers a Master's in AI for an enrollment fee on top of the subscription.
11. Microsoft Learn
- Best For: Microsoft, Azure and role-based technical certifications.
- Cost: Learning paths free, exams paid
- Free option: Learning paths free
- Explore Online Courses
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.
Most of the learning paths are free, and the paid items are the certification exams and instructor-led training. For alternative learning formats, look at Microsoft Learn Shows and Learn Live, which replaced the retired Learn TV.
12. Udemy
- Best For: Cheap, practical courses on almost any topic.
- Cost: Per-course pricing
- Free option: Free course section
- Explore Online Courses
Udemy is perhaps the most popular online learning platform, built on a marketplace model where independent instructors publish their own courses. Udemy has combined with Coursera, and the two platforms together reach more than 300 million learners and over 12,000 enterprise customers. Both still run as separate sites, so you browse and buy on Udemy exactly as before.
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.
University-Level & Academic Learning
Access top-tier education from world-class universities and institutions.
13. Coursera
- Best For: University-backed credentials and career certificates.
- Cost: Subscription or per-certificate
- Free option: Audit most courses free
- Explore Online Courses
Coursera offers online courses from world-class universities and reputable companies. It positions itself as a leading online learning platform for higher education.
Coursera partners with leading universities and companies to offer courses, Specializations, Professional Certificates and full degrees. It has combined with Udemy, and between them the two platforms reach more than 300 million learners and over 12,000 enterprise customers. The two catalogs stay separate: Coursera is the one with the university credentials.
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.
14. edX
- Best For: Academic and technical depth from Harvard, MIT and others.
- Cost: Free to audit, paid for certificates
- Free option: Free to audit
- Explore Online Courses
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.
15. Harvard University (Online Courses)
- Best For: A single course carrying a named university brand.
- Cost: Varies widely by program
- Free option: Some free courses
- Explore 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.
Free Learning Platforms
No cost and no catch, perfect for budget-conscious learners who want to get started today.
16. Google Digital Garage
- Best For: Digital marketing fundamentals, free with completion awards.
- Cost: Free
- Free option: Entirely free
- Explore Online Courses
Google Digital Garage is Google's collection of free courses on online marketing and digital skills. Google closed the original Digital Garage site in 2025, and the courses now run on Google Skillshop.
Courses are free and easy to consume, and some come with a completion award. The most popular course is Fundamentals of Digital Marketing: 17 modules and about 40 hours, with a free award you can add to your LinkedIn profile.
17. Khan Academy
- Best For: Rebuilding a school or early-university subject from scratch.
- Cost: Free
- Free option: Entirely free, no ads
- Explore Online Courses
Khan Academy is a non-profit that offers its entire library free, with no ads, no subscription and no paid tier. It is the platform most often recommended when people ask for a free way to learn a foundational subject properly.
It covers school and early-university material rather than professional skills:
- Math, from early arithmetic to multivariable calculus
- Physics, chemistry and biology
- Computing and computer science
- Economics and finance
- History and art history
- Test prep, including the SAT
Khan Academy is the right choice when you need to rebuild a subject from the ground up, or fill a gap that is blocking you elsewhere. It is the wrong choice if you want a career credential, because it does not issue professional certificates.
18. Alison
- Best For: Free certificates across a wide range of subjects.
- Cost: Free, ad-supported
- Free option: Entirely free
- Explore Online Courses
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.
Creative & Lifestyle Learning
Best for personal development, creativity, and lifestyle enrichment.
19. Skillshare
- Best For: Hands-on creative classes in design, illustration and photography.
- Cost: Subscription
- Free option: Free trial only
- Explore Online Courses
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.
20. MasterClass
- Best For: Learning craft from well-known practitioners.
- Cost: Annual membership
- Free option: No, but 30-day money-back
- Explore Online Courses
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.
21. Upskillist
- Best For: Educator-supported hobby and career courses with certificates.
- Cost: Subscription after trial
- Free option: Free trial only
- Explore Online Courses
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.
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.
- iSpring Academy - ready-made courses to help businesses train employees on key corporate topics.
