Top 10 Online Learning Platforms for All Skills [2021]

Educational institutions and learning approaches have dramatically changed in recent years. Schools and colleges are remained close for months due to pandemic. Students have been taking their academic classes through online sessions. However, people nowadays, mostly creative learners are paying more attention towards different online learning platforms that teach more than just formal education.

eLearning has already gained a massive popularity among individual learners and mentors. You no more need to visit any educational institutes or universities to master new skills and earn your certified degrees. All you need is an internet connection and you have access to unlimited learning resources. The best part is many online learning platforms offer several courses at no cost at all for all levels of students.

One can learn creative skills like arts, literature, music, crafts and design, or enhance their knowledge on technical fields. You can find all kinds of lessons in one single platform at the best affordable price rates. Here is the list of some of the best online learning platforms.

List of Best Online Learning Platforms 2021

Online Learning Platforms Remarks
Udemy All kinds of lessons available
SkillShare Best for learning creative skills
Coursera Academic based online courses
LinkedIn Learning Best for professional learning
Edx.org College-level online courses
Udacity Best for learning tech skills
MasterClass Lessons from celebrity coaches
MindValley Best for personal growth and transformation
PluralSight Learn IT and cyber security
DataCamp Interactive lessons on data science

Udemy

Udemy is one of the most popular online learning platforms and we might have definitely heard about it somewhere. It provides more than 155,000+ courses with over 140 million learners worldwide. You can find courses on every topic you can think of from various tutors.

Top 10 Online Learning Platforms 2021

There are Udemy classes available on numerous categories for all sorts of soft skills and technical skills. You can boost your knowledge on any topic from a vast choices including literature, arts, music, health and fitness, personal growth and lifestyle, IT and science, business and marketing and much more.

Pros
  • Udemy offers the largest library of available courses
  • Most classes are fairy affordable with individual course payment
  • Many free courses are also available in this platform
Cons
  • Since Udemy isn’t an accredited institution, you only receive a certificate of completion which isn’t officially valid
  • Anyone can publish their courses on Udemy due to which, the content quality might not meet your learning expectation

SkillShare

SkillShare is an eLearning community that mostly promotes creative skills and provides related courses. There are more than 35000 classes and over 5 million learners uplifting their creativity. If you are bored of formal classes, you can check out some interesting skills here and start learning. SkillShare has a wide range of courses divided into three major categories: Thrive, Build and Create.

Top 10 Online Learning Platforms 2021

Different categories feature lessons on different fields of creative skills such as lifestyle and productivity, business analytics, freelance and entrepreneurship, leadership and management, marketing. Similarly, for artists, lessons are available on animation, film and video, graphic design, music, creative writing, photography and web development.

Pros
  • You can find courses on almost any creative skills taught by field experts
  • It has a subscription based payment so you can access as much classes as you want with a single subscription
  • There are also courses available that are produced from SkillShare experts and other industrial companies, so the content quality is top class
Cons
  • Students don’t receive any certificate of course completion
  • Most classes are available only in English language

Coursera

Coursera is more than just an online learning platform which offers actual academic courses taught by real professors from renowned universities like Stanford, Yale, and Princeton. More than 50 million students have accessed certified academic classes.

Top 10 Online Learning Platforms 2021

Students can take diploma courses for 4-6 months on various subject specialization including Arts and Humanities, Business, Computer Science, Data Science, Information Technology, Health, Math and Logic and Personality Development.

Pros
  • You get an audit option where you can access many courses for free but you won’t receive graded assignments, a certificate, and bonus materials
  • Coursera has partnered with top Universities to provide higher education degree; hence, you will receive an accredited certificate
  • Most courses are available in multiple languages: English, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Portuguese, Arabic, French, German, Korean, Vietnamese, Japanese
Cons
  • Most courses contain higher education contents so it might be difficult to join without some basic knowledge on selected field

LinkedIn Learning

Linked Learning was formerly known as Lynda, one of the oldest eLearning platforms, which LinkedIn later acquired to deliver high quality courses for different levels. There are more than 16000 online courses on a wide range of topics available at Linked Learning.

Top 10 Online Learning Platforms 2021

Subscribers can find courses for all levels, beginners, intermediate and advanced. There are numerous topics to choose from including Web Development, Software Programming, Economics, and Business Management. LinkedIn Learning can help you learn many practical skills and boost your career.

Pros
  • LinkedIn Learning subscription is affordable for all levels of learners with an access to all courses available
  • All courses are produced by verified LinkedIn tutors so that the content quality is high
  • It provides certificate of completion which you can further integrate to your LinkedIn profile
Cons
  • LinkedIn provides 30-day free trial but doesn’t offer any free courses
  • The community engagement is very low which might not favorable for interactive learners

Edx.org

Edx.org is one of the biggest eLearning portal for college-level degrees with courses created and taught by real college instructors. There are more than 3000 courses and over 35 million edX students. You can enroll for several programs like MicroBachelors, MicroMasters, Professional Certificates or Master’s Degrees.

Top 10 Online Learning Platforms 2021

Out of thousands of courses available, one can pick from multiple choices such as Biology & Life Sciences, Architecture, Chemistry, Art & Culture, Electronics, Education & Teacher Training, Medicine, Food & Nutrition, Physics, Science, Music, Law, History, Language, and Environmental Studies. There are also course discussion and group tasks where students can as question and interact with each other.

Pros
  • Edx has partnered with universities like Harvard, Berkeley, MIT or Boston University, so you can earn an accredited certificate
  • You can get free access to all courses if enrolled in Audit track; however, you won’t receive graded assignments and verified certificates of completion
  • The courses are created from world class universities so the content quality is top notch
Cons
  • Most courses have higher level syllabus so basic knowledge of topic is necessary
  • There are very courses available in multiple languages

Udacity

Udacity is mainly popular for its Nanodegrees which provides tech skills and project based programs. It is an innovative platform where you can learn skills that are highly in demand in the industry. Udacity courses can enhance your chances of getting hired as an IT professional.

Top 10 Online Learning Platforms 2021

The available subjects under Nanodegrees include topics like Artificial Intelligence, Coding, Robotics, Mobile Programming, Business, and Data Science. They are generally 3-6 months courses in which students get one-on-one mentorship from experts.

Pros
  • Since Udacity is focused on more practical skills can gain industry based technical skills
  • Udacity has partnered with leading tech companies like Google, Nvidia and Mercedes so there is high chance of job placement
  • Students also get career advice and guidance on making their CV or planning necessary skills
Cons
  • There are limited courses available and the library isn’t much varied to find classes on different topics
  • Since Udacity Nanodegrees consist expertise learning, most of the programs are expensive

MasterClass

MasterClass is a unique approach of learning about our topics of interest from experts and celebrities. The major attractive factor of MasterClass learning is that it features world famous celebrities and successful personalities as your personal tutor. If you are interested in any industrial sector and inspired by the professional in that field, this platform is a good choice.

Top 10 Online Learning Platforms 2021

The classes are divided into nine categories: Film & TV, Culinary Arts, Writing, Music & Entertainment, Sports & Games, Business, Photography, & Fashion, Business, Politics & Society, Lifestyle, and Science & Technology. Celebrities share their experienced knowledge with practical advice and demonstrations.

Pros
  • MasterClass courses are produced in interesting manners and have engaging cinematic quality so that you can learn skills you’re passionate about in more fun way
  • You can learn from world recognized actors, writers, film makers, artists, musicians and many more
  • The courses are very affordable and you can access all classes with monthly subscription
Cons
  • The course structures do not meet much educational goals since they are mostly one-way discussion of topic
  • It has a limited range of topics and there are no free courses available for trial

MindValley

MindValley is an online platform best suited for personal growth and life transformation. Its main goal is to help learners succeed in life by unlocking full potential of all aspects of human transformation, physically, mentally and spiritually. There are over 50 courses taught by top class field experts.

Top 10 Online Learning Platforms 2021

The courses are divided into multiple categories such as Mind, Body, Soul, Career, Entrepreneurship, Relationships, Kids, Teens and Parenting, and Performance. Each quest lasts 30 to 50 days, with just 20 minutes a day of video-based lesson and practice exercises.

Pros
  • The video lessons are short and engaging to keep the learners engaged and make the most out of learning
  • Trainers include CEOs of large companies, best-selling authors, celebrity coaches, famous therapists and entrepreneurs, and international speakers so the contents are top quality
  • MindValley offers a 7-day free trial and also releases free master classes every week
Cons
  • The courses are based on specific topics so you get to choose from limited options to learn
  • Although the classes are short, the price range may seem quite expensive

PluralSight

PluralSight is an IT learning platform which offers courses in topics like software development, data science, information and cybersecurity, and other technology skills. There are more than 7500 courses available that students can learn on their own pace.

Top 10 Online Learning Platforms 2021

It offers Mini-degree programs which consist of a several inter-related courses such as individual programming languages, security certifications, and technical skills in particular software. You can take the full length course or try dome individual classes as required.

Pros
  • Courses are designed to meet all important needs of individual learners for easy and efficient learning
  • They offer 24/7 email or phone support to the students in case of any queries
  • There is a 10-day or 200-minutes free trial in which you can access all courses for free
Cons
  • The choice of learning topic is limited; most courses are only tech related
  • After the completion of free trial, there is no free courses available in PluralSight

DataCamp

DataCamp is a tech related eLearning platform where you can learn data skills on topics like data science and machine learning. It provides interactive learning with tutorial videos and engaging assignments.

Top 10 Online Learning Platforms 2021

DataCamp provides learning programs for all sorts of beginners and helps learners to achieve their career change goals. You can engage with more than 270+ experts from the data science and analytics community.

Pros
  • Most courses are interactive and interesting to make the learning more productive
  • There is a wide range of courses to choose for all levels of students
  • The pricing plans are simple and transparent making the subscription easier
Cons
  • Students do not receive an officially accredited certificate but only a certificate of completion
  • The video contents are very brief and provide less details on lessons

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Prabin Rai
Prabin Raihttps://techsanchar.com
I prefer writing as a means of exploring and staying updated with trends and talks around the globe! Content Writer | Graphic Designer

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