Most of the platforms on this list sell a subscription, not single courses, and the prices run from free to $249 a month. What you get for the money varies just as much. Some hand you a certificate for every class, some charge extra for it and some do not offer one at all.
So start with the goal, not the brand. Do you want to learn for free, earn a certificate for your resume, pick up a creative skill, learn to code or get better at business? The quick picks below match one platform to each of the most common goals, and the table compares price, free options and certificates across all 15.
The 15 best online learning platforms at a glance
| Platform | Best for | Price | Free option | Certificate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KAKhan Academy | Free learning | $0 | Everything | None |
| eXedX | University courses | From $50 a course | Free audit | Paid |
| FLFutureLearn | Short university courses | $49.99/mo | Limited access | With paid plan |
| CoCoursera | Career certificates | $59/mo or $399/yr | 7-day trial | Included |
| GGoogle Certificates | Entry-level job skills | $49/mo | 7-day trial | Included |
| inLinkedIn Learning | Skills for your current job | $39.99/mo | 1-month trial | Included |
| SkSkillshare | Creative skills | $167.88/yr | 7-day trial | Included |
| MCMasterClass | Famous instructors | From $10/mo, billed yearly | None listed | Sold separately |
| DoDomestika | Art, craft and design | $33.90/mo | None listed | Included |
| CLCreativeLive | Photo, video and design | $299/yr | None listed | None listed |
| CcCodecademy | Learning to code | From $14.99/mo | Free Basic plan | Paid plans |
| PSPluralsight | IT and cloud careers | From $21/mo | 10-day trial | Exam prep |
| UcUdacity | AI and data programs | $249/mo | Some free courses | Included |
| UdUdemy | One course at a time | $19.99 to $199.99 | Free courses | Paid courses |
| HSHubSpot Academy | Free marketing certifications | $0 | Everything | Free |
Prices are each company’s own published U.S. prices, checked for this update. Several of these platforms have changed their plans in the last two years, and sale prices come and go, so confirm the price at checkout.
Best free online courses
Free comes in two kinds. One platform here charges nothing for anything. The other two let you follow a course for free and charge only if you want graded work and a certificate at the end.
Khan Academy
Free for everyoneKhan Academy is a nonprofit, and every course on it is free. It covers math, science, economics, computing and test prep from grade school through early college, with practice built into each subject.
Good to knowYou will not earn a certificate or credit here, so use it to learn or catch up, not to prove a skill to an employer. Its AI tutor, Khanmigo, is a separate $4 a month or $44 a year.
See Khan AcademyedX
University coursesedX runs university-level courses and longer programs such as MicroMasters and professional certificates. Auditing a course is free. You pay only if you want graded assignments and a verified certificate.
Good to knowAudit access lasts for a limited time that varies by course. If you buy the certificate track and change your mind, you can get a refund for 14 days after you pay or the course starts, whichever is later. Professional certificate programs start around $500.
See edXFutureLearn
Short coursesFutureLearn offers more than 1,400 short courses from universities and other institutions. Join for free and the lessons arrive a week at a time, or pay for Unlimited and get everything at once.
Good to knowFree learners get no certificate, cannot take the tests and lose access to the material once the course is finished. The annual plan was marked down to $244.99 when we checked, so look for a sale before you pay list price.
See FutureLearnBest online courses for career certificates
If the goal is a new job or a raise, pick a platform whose certificate comes from a name employers know, and check how long the program takes. Most of these bill by the month, so finishing faster costs less. Once the credential is on your resume, learn how to negotiate your salary so it shows up in your pay.
Coursera
Career certificatesCoursera carries more than 10,000 courses and certificate programs from over 350 universities and companies, including Google, IBM and Microsoft. Coursera Plus opens most of it for one price, and each course you finish earns a certificate.
Good to knowThe monthly plan starts with a 7-day free trial. The annual plan comes with a 14-day money-back guarantee instead. Want just one course or Specialization? Those run $49 to $79 a month. Degrees are not part of Plus.
See CourseraGoogle Career Certificates
Entry-level job skillsGoogle built these certificates to train people for entry-level jobs in data analytics, project management, cybersecurity, digital marketing, IT support and UX design. Google says many learners finish in three to six months at under 10 hours a week, and no experience is needed.
Good to knowYou pay by the month, so your pace sets the price. At $49 a month, three to six months comes to about $147 to $294. Graduates get access to a job board that includes more than 150 U.S. companies that have agreed to consider them for entry-level jobs. No certificate guarantees a job.
See Google CertificatesLinkedIn Learning
Skills for your current jobLinkedIn Learning comes with a LinkedIn Premium subscription and holds more than 25,000 courses in business, software, technology and creative skills. Finish a course and the certificate can go straight onto your LinkedIn profile.
Good to knowYou cannot buy a single course, and LinkedIn Learning is not sold by itself to individuals. It is part of Premium, so the price also covers Premium’s job search tools. You earn a certificate by watching every video in a course.
See LinkedIn LearningMore21 high paying jobs that don’t require a degree
Best online classes for creative skills
Creative platforms are mostly yearly memberships, so the question is how much you will use it. Read the billing terms before you sign up, because most of these charge for the full year up front. If writing is the skill you want to get paid for, start with our guide on how to become a freelance writer.
MasterClass
Famous instructorsMasterClass is a library of 200+ video classes taught by well-known experts, with new classes added every month. You can watch on a TV, phone or computer, or switch to audio-only mode and listen.
Good to knowThere is no monthly billing. Standard is $10 a month, Plus is $15 and Premium is $20, each charged for the year up front. Standard works on one device with no downloads. MasterClass Certificates is a separate product that starts at $299.
See MasterClassDomestika
Art, craft and designDomestika focuses on hands-on creative work such as illustration, crafts, photography and design. A Plus subscription lets you watch more than 1,000 courses and gives you 12 credits a year to trade for any course and keep it.
Good to knowThe first-year price is an introductory rate. Domestika says the yearly plan renews at $329. Courses in the Plus catalog are free to watch only for a limited time, so spend a credit on anything you want to keep.
See DomestikaCreativeLive
Photo, video and designCreativeLive’s Creator Pass opens a library of 2,300+ on-demand classes in photography, video, design, music and business, plus more than 100 live classes a year. You can also buy a single class and keep it.
Good to knowThe annual pass can be refunded within 7 days of purchase, one time per customer. Single on-demand classes are not refundable, though you can swap one for a class of equal value within 7 days.
See CreativeLiveBest platforms for learning to code
For coding, start free and pay only once you know you will stick with it. The paid plans add what a job search needs: projects for a portfolio, certificates and interview prep.
Codecademy
Learning to codeCodecademy is built for learning to code, with structured courses, skill paths and projects. The Basic plan is always free, so you can find out whether you like programming before you pay.
Good to knowCertificates, skill paths and portfolio projects need a paid plan. Career paths, interview prep and professional certification prep are only on Pro, which is $19.99 a month billed annually or $39.99 month to month.
See CodecademyPluralsight
IT and cloud careersPluralsight is aimed at people who already work in tech or want to. Core Tech covers more than 3,900 courses in software development, IT operations, and product and UX, with skill assessments to show where your gaps are.
Good to knowAI, cloud, data and security each have their own plan at $24.50 a month billed yearly, and each includes Core Tech. Complete covers all of it, more than 6,500 courses, for $39 a month billed yearly or $55 month to month.
See PluralsightUdacity
AI and data programsUdacity, now part of Accenture, sells one subscription to 500+ courses in AI, data, cloud and programming. Its Nanodegree programs are built around projects that are reviewed by people who work in the industry.
Good to knowThis is the most expensive subscription on the list, so go in with a plan and a deadline. The four-month bundle is based on the average time Udacity says a Nanodegree takes, and it switches to month-to-month billing afterward.
See UdacityMore20 best jobs where you work alone
Best online courses for business skills
Business skills are where paying per course still makes sense. You usually need one thing, such as spreadsheets, marketing or managing people, not a library. Learning a skill to earn on the side? Pair it with one of these side hustle ideas.
Udemy
One course at a timeUdemy is a marketplace where you buy one course and keep it for life. It is the place to look when you need a single skill, such as web development, digital marketing or leadership, and do not want a subscription.
Good to knowEligible courses can be refunded within 30 days. If you plan to take several, the Personal Plan subscription starts at $13 a month. Coursera acquired Udemy in May 2026, and the two still run as separate sites.
See UdemyHubSpot Academy
Free marketing certificationsHubSpot Academy offers free courses and certifications in marketing, sales and customer service, including social media, content marketing, SEO and email. The certifications on its homepage run from two to eight hours.
Good to knowSome of the training is about HubSpot’s own software. If you do not use it, pick the general courses, such as digital marketing or SEO. HubSpot says more than 200,000 professionals have earned its certifications.
See HubSpot AcademyFree vs. paid online courses
Free usually covers the lessons, not the proof. On edX you can audit a course for free, but graded assignments and the certificate sit on the paid track. FutureLearn’s free tier releases lessons a week at a time and gives no certificate. Udemy’s free courses come without a certificate, and Codecademy’s free plan limits which courses you can take.
Two platforms are free all the way through. Khan Academy charges nothing for any course, though it does not offer certificates. HubSpot Academy’s courses and its certifications are both free.
Paying makes sense when you need the certificate, the graded projects or the structure to finish. If you only want the knowledge, start free. On edX you can begin as an auditor and upgrade later, as long as you do it before the course’s upgrade deadline. And if you are weighing courses against a degree, there are also colleges that don’t charge tuition, and it helps to know which college degrees have the best return on investment.
Free trials and refund windows
A free trial only helps if you know what happens when it ends. These are the terms each platform publishes. Set a reminder a day or two before any trial runs out.
| Platform | Free trial | Refund or guarantee |
|---|---|---|
| CoCoursera | 7 days on the monthly plan | 14 days on the annual plan |
| inLinkedIn Learning | 1 month of Premium | Billing starts when the trial ends |
| SkSkillshare | 7 days | Within 48 hours of the first charge, if unused |
| MCMasterClass | None listed | 30-day satisfaction guarantee |
| CLCreativeLive | None listed | 7 days on the annual pass |
| PSPluralsight | 10 days | Not stated on its pricing page |
| UdUdemy | None listed | 30 days on eligible courses |
| eXedX | No trial, but auditing is free | 14 days on a certificate purchase |
Skillshare is the one to watch. Its trial rolls into an annual membership that is billed in full, and renewals are not refunded.
Are online course certificates worth it?
A certificate of completion shows you finished a course. It is not a degree or a license. Udemy says plainly that it is not an accredited institution and that its certificates cannot be used for formal accreditation. Khan Academy says work done on its site does not count toward a diploma or degree.
That does not make a certificate useless. It gives a hiring manager something specific to ask about, and it shows you can finish what you start. Certificates built with employers go a step further. Google says people who finish one of its career certificates get access to a job board that includes more than 150 U.S. companies committed to considering graduates for entry-level jobs.
The skill matters more than the paper. List the certificate, then show what you built with it: the project, the portfolio or the result at work. If you are starting from a blank page, here is how to write your first resume, and these first job tips cover what comes after the offer.
MoreHow to write a strong skills section for your resume
How to choose an online course
Start with what you want at the end. A credential for a job search points to Coursera or a Google Career Certificate. A hobby or a creative skill points to a membership such as Skillshare. One specific skill for work points to a single Udemy course.
Then look at how you pay. A monthly subscription rewards people who finish fast, because every extra month costs money. A one-time purchase suits slow and steady learners, since the course stays yours. An annual plan is the cheapest per month and the most expensive if you quit in week three.
Check three things before you enter a card number: whether the plan includes a certificate, what happens when the free trial ends and how long you have to ask for a refund. Be honest about your time too. Three hours a week for three months beats a burst of enthusiasm that fades by the second weekend. Already have a degree? See these ways to upskill after a bachelor’s degree.
Online courses FAQ
It depends on what you want. Khan Academy is the best free option, since every course costs nothing. Coursera is the strongest for career certificates, at $59 a month or $399 a year for Coursera Plus. Skillshare suits creative skills, Codecademy suits coding and Udemy is the pick when you want to buy one course and keep it.
Khan Academy is free for every course, and HubSpot Academy offers free courses and certifications in marketing and sales. On edX you can audit a course for free without graded work or a certificate. FutureLearn has a free tier with limited access, Codecademy has a free Basic plan, Udemy has free courses and Coursera lets you preview the first module of a course.
Yes, but the list is short. HubSpot Academy gives free certifications in subjects such as digital marketing, social media and SEO. Most other platforms keep the certificate behind a payment: edX audits, FutureLearn’s free tier, Udemy’s free courses and Codecademy’s Basic plan do not include one.
From nothing to $249 a month. Among the subscriptions here, MasterClass starts at $10 a month billed annually, Skillshare is $167.88 a year, Codecademy Plus is $14.99 a month billed annually, LinkedIn Premium with LinkedIn Learning is $39.99 a month, Coursera Plus is $59 a month and Udacity is $249 a month. A single Udemy course runs $19.99 to $199.99.
They work differently. Coursera is mainly a subscription for courses and certificates from universities and companies. Udemy sells single courses for a one-time price of $19.99 to $199.99, with lifetime access and a 30-day refund window on eligible courses. Coursera acquired Udemy in May 2026, and the two still run as separate sites.
They are worth it when they back up a skill you can show. A certificate of completion is not a degree, and Udemy states that it is not an accredited institution. Certificates tied to employers carry more weight. Google says graduates of its career certificates get access to a job board that includes more than 150 U.S. companies committed to considering them for entry-level jobs.
The bottom line
Pick by goal and you will not overpay. Learn for free on Khan Academy, or earn free marketing certifications from HubSpot Academy. For a resume credential, Coursera and the Google Career Certificates are the strongest choices here. Skillshare is the easy pick for creative skills, Codecademy for coding and Udemy when you want one course to keep.
Whatever you choose, start with the free tier or the trial, put the end date on your calendar and finish one course before you buy another. When the new skill is ready to earn and you are looking at paid job boards, read our FlexJobs review first.
