If you want to increase sales, you must select the best online course platform. In this post, we will go through the best online course platforms to sell your course online, as well as our top recommendations, so you can choose the ideal one for you.
The goal is to choose a platform that provides your students with a customized, professional learning experience 1that is so good that they are absolutely unaware they are using a platform.
What is an online course platform?
An online course platform is a system platform that helps to build and sell online courses that include webinars, downloadable documents, gradable quizzes, and assignments.
Some platforms also include an online community where students can connect. However, in order to create a successful course, you must first establish a solid foundation.
Top 3 Best Online Course Platforms
What are the Best Online Course Platforms?
1. Teachable
Best Online Course Platform for Beginners (FREE Trial or $29/month)
Teachable is a cloud-hosted solution that provides a simple course creation interface designed for beginners, this makes it one of the best online course platforms to choose when looking for a place to host your courses. It is the most popular platform for creating online courses on the market. Teachable is by far my favorite free online course platform for selling courses.
On the platform, they have over 100,000 teachers and have helped students just like you and me earn over $500 million. Teachable is used by big personalities like the New York Times, Pat Flynn, and John Lee Dumas, and if they trust these platforms, you can too.
Everything, including payments, course sales pages, and your affiliate center, may be quickly set up through the dashboard. There is also an in-house payment processor to manage payments for you.
Teachable has also recently implemented “Discover” – a storefront for online courses on their platform – and they're putting a lot of effort into it right now, so I think that's going to develop in the future. I can only think that having your course featured would be a terrific way to enhance course revenue.
Key Features:
- Import content directly from Google Drive, OneDrive, and Dropbox into your learning management systems in a matter of seconds.
- You may choose an expiration date for each course.
- Students who successfully complete your course can be awarded certificates.
- Use video, text, audio, and PDF files to create compelling courses.
- Use Google Forms to collect feedback from your students.
- Accept payments in over 130 currencies.
Pricing:
Teachable plans vary in price based on various features, which is wonderful because you only have to pay for the features you require. Plans begin for free and progress to $29. Each comes with an unlimited number of students and courses, although they do offer a free trial if you want to get started quickly and conveniently.
Get started with your Teachable Pro Plan for free.
2. Thinkific
With a Free Plan (FREE or $39/month), it's the best overall online course platform.
Thinkific is one of the best online course platforms to use if you want to have a successful online business. Although their free plan has limitations, it's a wonderful place to start if you don't want to purchase anything right away.
This application is a fully-featured tool that is exceptionally simple to use, even for total beginners. Moreover, you can personalize your course to match your existing brand.
From the user-friendly interface of this cloud-based online course design software, you can manage your clients, payments, course contents, integrations, and much more.
Key Features:
- Drag and Drop Feature: This tool allows you to easily arrange course content, digital downloads, and your own course website.
- Course Expiry: This platform allows you to choose an expiration date for each course.
- Whitelabel Capabilities: For a more professional appearance, you can white-label your course materials.
- Facebook and Google Ads: The platform supports Google and Facebook advertising.
- Reporting and Tracking: Thinkific provides advanced reporting and tracking tools.
- Unlimited Paid Courses: With all paid plans, you can create an unlimited number of courses at once.
Pricing:
Thinkific provides a free trial that allows you to try out all of the platform's key features without spending any money. The Basic subscription costs $39 per month, the Pro package costs $79 per month, and the Premier package costs $399 per month. For those who are just beginning to start, the basic plan is your best bet because it has few constraints and limits transaction fees.
3. LearnWorlds
Affordable Online Course Platform for Selling Courses (FREE Trial or $29/month)
LearnWorlds is a powerful online course-building tool with a variety of interactive elements that can help you sell online courses. For example, the platform's interactive movie player and E-Book reader provide a unique experience when compared to other platforms.
The sales pages for the courses, as well as the payment process, are designed to maximize conversions and purchases. Anyone can quickly develop a course on this platform because of the simple drag-and-drop editor. There is no requirement to have any prior experience.
Key Features:
- Page Builder: Quick-start templates that are fully configurable to assist you in creating outstanding pages.
- Video Player and Reader: This course design platform's unique feature is the ability to allow your students to interact with the content you provide using an interactive video player and reader.
- Assessment: The platform offers advanced quizzes, exams, and assignments sections.
- Multilingual: LearnWorlds offers excellent customer assistance in a number of languages.
- Built-in Social Media Network: Integrated Social Media Network: You and your students may simply connect and communicate with one another.
- Javascript and CSS: Javascript or CSS can be used to modify course pages.
Pricing:
LearnWorlds offers a free plan to get you started. Plans start at $24 per month if you decide this is the platform for you. Many features, such as drip-feeding courses, are included in the plans, and you can easily upgrade as your business expands.
4. Graphy
The most affordable online course platform with live streaming and a mobile app (Free or 3% of each course sale)
Graphy is an all-inclusive solution that includes a variety of features that allow you to build an online course from the ground up and advertise it outside your existing network using their built-in marketing tools.
Even if you are unfamiliar with web development, the no-code branded websites and applications provided by Graphy will be extremely useful. They make it simple to offer internet information.
It's fresher than some of the other platforms on our list, but with over 30,000 creators and over $50 million in revenue per year, I believe it's positioned to become an industry leader in no time. Graphy supports both new and experienced teachers in the education industry, with a user-friendly interface and extensive instructor capability.
Key Features:
- White-labeled websites and mobile apps with beautiful pre-designed themes and customizations.
- Their payment gateway integration allows you to accept both local and international payments.
- SCORM packages, video, audio, images, and all other file kinds are supported by the multimedia course builder.
- Secure video streaming and 360-degree multilayer protection ensure that no one can steal your content.
- Building online groups through public and course-specific forums.
- Advanced built-in marketing features to enhance website traffic and course enrollments.
Pricing:
With any of their plans, you can try out all of Graphy's essential features. All other plans have very affordable costs and are generally based on a percentage of each course sale, with the exception of the Launch plan, which has a $199 onboarding fee.
5. Podia
Best Webinar, Membership, Online Course, and More Platform (FREE Trial or $39/month)
Podia is an easy-to-use program that includes everything an instructor needs to develop and sell online courses on their own course site.
Podia, as a course platform, allows you to organize a webinar, produce downloaded content, create a membership group, and even offer live chat for easy connection with your students to enhance student engagement. Everything you need is at your fingertips with Podia, and their live chat widget is a very distinct differentiation.
Key Features:
- Podia allows users to combine courses that are related.
- Quickly download PDFs, checklists, ebooks, and other files.
- Allow or deny access to content in your course management system for any specific student.
- Email list marketing is one of the effective aspects that Podia has already integrated.
- Courses with many media types: audio, video, PDFs, photos, text, etc. to your courses.
Pricing:
The ‘Mover' package from Podia starts at $39 per month. The ‘Shaker' plan costs $79 a month and allows you to scale your business. You can try out the platform for free for 14 days.
6. LearnDash
Best Online Course Platform for WordPress users and Solo Course Creators ($159/year)
LearnDash is now the most popular LMS WordPress plugin on the market. It's ideal for anyone looking for a course platform that they can manage from their WordPress dashboard. You will have entire control over the development and customizing process with this self-hosted solution, allowing you to swiftly set up and run your courses.
This powerful tool is not constrained by the limitations of other hosted solutions. You get an intelligent course builder, as well as badges and certificates for course completion. It connects with a plethora of plugins and requires no technical knowledge to operate. It's difficult to beat LearnDash's functionality as a WordPress plugin.
This plugin's instructor role allows you to enable numerous instructors for your website and construct online schools/courses with diverse professors, similar to Udemy and other course markets.
Key Features:
- Course Certificate: Anyone who successfully completes a quiz will receive a course certificate.
- Course Progression: Limit students' progress until they have finished all prior lessons, tests, and learning modules.
- Comprehensive Quiz: Advanced Quiz: The software enables you to build intricate tests and exams.
- Learner Progress: Use the modern profile area to keep tabs on learners' progress.
- White-Labeling: You can white-label all of the products for your own brand.
- Unlimited Courses: There is no cap on the number of courses you can host because this is a WordPress plugin.
Pricing:
LearnDash's entry-level package is $159 a year. Unlimited online users and courses are included, as well as one site license. You can upgrade to the Pro level as your company expands for $329 a year.
7. Systeme.io
Best Affordable All-in-One Platform to Build a Business. (FREE or $27/month)
Systeme.io is an all-in-one marketing platform that includes everything an entrepreneur needs to launch and maintain an online business or sell online courses successfully.
Since its launch in 2018, it has slowly expanded to over 5000 users who rely on its numerous capabilities to manage their online companies efficiently.
The dashboard contains the funnel builder, email marketing tool, marketing automation tools, and much more.
Key Features:
- With Systeme.io's comprehensive page builder, you can create course sales funnels and landing pages in under a minute.
- It has a powerful email autoresponder which allows you to create email campaigns, and send email newsletters.
- You can sell your products by connecting your Paypal or Stripe account. You can also include upsells and order bumps in your sales funnel.
- Your courses can contain text, graphics, music, video, PDFs, and many more.
Pricing:
- Free Plan – $0: This plan is great for those that want to test out the platform and its functionality. It’s a pretty generous plan for being free and includes sales funnels, unlimited course storage, and even the ability to run an affiliate program.
- Startup Plan – $27. This plan is perfect for someone just starting and offers everything you’ll need to run your business. In addition, you can have three membership sites on it.
- Webinar Plan – $47. This plan offers the best value, and you’re able to have 2 custom domains, run 3 evergreen webinars, and you can have 5 membership sites on it.
- Enterprise Plan – $97. For bigger businesses, this plan allows 5 custom domains, and unlimited membership sites, and you can run unlimited evergreen webinars.
8. Katra
The Best Premium All-in-One Online Course Platform With a Wide Variety of Special Features ($1 for a 14-day trial or $99 a month)
Kartra is one of the greatest online course platforms since it is more than simply a course platform. Kartra provides a wealth of features, including checkouts, the option to construct a membership site, and the ability to run your own affiliate network. This is why it is the finest online course platform for those looking to build a genuine community.
This platform is useful for individuals who want to expand a business beyond the simplicity of a course platform rather than only creating courses. You will be able to use extensive tools and capabilities for promoting your course as well as becoming an administrator when you use this platform.
Key Features:
- Kartra reduces the requirement for a third-party integration by allowing consumers to checkout using their own software.
- Kartra Pages allows users to easily create high-converting landing pages, which should improve your capacity to collect emails and encourage visitors to take action.
- It is very useful to run various campaigns and funnels as it will allow you to control the way users take to convert them to students.
- You can do much more than just take one or two courses with the all-in-one platform. You can also build a membership website.
- Helping students with technical issues is more often than you may imagine. To aid with that, the platform's main offering includes a helpdesk component.
- Even though Kartra has many unique features, they are aware that sometimes you might choose to use other platforms that you are more accustomed to. They provide additional integrations and APIs with a huge number of other platforms.
Pricing:
On the most basic plan, Kartra costs $99 per month. They determine their pricing options based on visitors’ actions on your platform, which is nice because you pay for your results. They have a 25% discount if you pay for an annual plan, and although they don’t have a free plan, they do have a 14-day trial available for $1. Though one dollar is a bit of an annoyance, this platform is well worth it just for the trial.
9. Teachery
Budget-friendly Online Course Platform with Unlimited Courses (FREE TRIAL or $49/month)
Teachery is one of the newest platforms on my list, and it deserves to be included. Teachery is a good pick for beginners because they purposefully minimize some complex design and function components in order to provide customers with exactly what they require. They also have no transaction fees, which is always a plus.
They distinguish themselves by utilizing a guided lesson to assist new instructors in getting up and running quickly. Their main distinction from other platforms is that they are extremely user-friendly and assist novice course designers in getting things up and running and selling online courses to their audience.
Teachery is ideal for instructors who are brand new to the online business world and want to get started quickly and without incurring any transaction fees.
Key Features:
- To build a course, they provide you with two templates. This will reduce your sense of overwhelm and provide a quick fix.
- They have a user-friendly course editor that allows you to rapidly make the necessary adjustments without having to deal with technical difficulties.
- You can quickly set up a payment plan or create a private membership site for your students using this feature.
- You can easily design new sales or landing pages to generate traffic and increase course sales.
Pricing:
Teachery pricing starts at $49 per month and offers an unlimited number of courses and uploads. You can use their free, two-week trial period before paying anything.
How to Choose an Online Course Platform
It's not always easy to know what to look for when attempting to find the best fit, even while all of the online course development tools in this post can be incredibly helpful for individuals wishing to launch an online school. When selecting the best online course platform for you, the list of features that should be prioritized can help you decide.
- Select from the best online course platforms above with a good favorable evaluation from real users.
- Consider your own skill level, as well as that of your students. Choose course creation platforms that you and your learners will find easy to use.
- You require a platform with extensive customization possibilities, as well as a ton of distinctive and expert-looking themes and templates.
- Some platforms come with marketing tools, such as email autoresponders, to help you automate different aspects of your course marketing like hosting webinars to sell courses, email marketing, and more.
- To improve your student experience, choose a platform that has many third-party integrations to other software and services, such as student information systems, payment gateways, Mailchimp, Google Analytics, and many other platforms.
- This is important for both you and your students. Select a platform with responsive and knowledgeable technical assistance.
- Is the online course platform reasonable, or does it need a considerable upfront or monthly investment?
Knowing what to look for will help reduce confusion and frustration when selecting the best online course design software because there is no one-size-fits-all approach to creating the finest online course.
Conclusion
Selling digital products is an excellent approach to making passive revenue; after creating your course, you can continue to do so as long as there is demand.
With these best online course platforms for online courses available, it's important to take the time to determine your needs before selecting the one that would work best for your brand.
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