24 Best Online Learning Platforms in 2024

The best online learning platforms have all the tools and services necessary for delivering quality online training.

But the question is: how do you find the right platform for your business?

I have the answer for you.

This post explores the top eLearning platforms under different categories to assist you in finding the ideal solution for your needs.

What Is an Online Learning Platform?

An online learning platform or eLearning platform is a digital platform used for imparting education or training online.

These platforms enable learners to learn anytime, anywhere, and instructors can track their progress and performance in real-time.

They act as a web-based method of delivering online learning. By using these tools, you can combine courses with images, videos, podcasts, quizzes, and surveys to make the experience interactive and engaging.

Online learning platforms are in high demand as there is nothing like taking control of your learning at your own pace.

Best Online Training Platforms

1. ProProfs Training Maker

ProProfs Training Maker is the world’s easiest and most versatile cloud learning management system (LMS) to create, share, track, and analyze online courses and assessments. My team and I use it regularly for our in-house training sessions.

Besides creating courses and integrating quizzes and surveys, this online learning platform lets you track real-time progress and get insightful LMS reports on course engagement levels and learners’ involvement.

Among the best online training platforms for employees, this LMS offers many powerful features to help streamline training processes. You can use existing training materials such as docs, images, videos, and presentations to put an online course together.

With ProProfs, you can create learner groups and sub-groups and assign different roles and permissions based on group, team, department, and location.

Due-date reminders, gamification, Q&A community, assessments, learning paths, and a  fast-growing library of customizable courses and templates are other highlights of the platform.

Why ProProfs Training Maker?

• Incredibly easy to understand and use
• Customizable options to add own content, branding & other settings
• Can serve as a complete solution for any industry
• Delightful human support 24/7

Pricing:

Forever free plan (up to 10 learners). Paid plan starts at $1.99/learner/month for large teams. No hidden charges. 15-day money-back guarantee.

2. Docebo

The next tool I’ve lined up for you is Docebo. It is an award-winning platform that facilitates efficient and engaging training programs. With its user-friendly interface and extensive features, Docebo enables organizations to create, manage, and deliver effective eLearning content.

It supports various learning formats, including webinars and social learning. Docebo incorporates advanced analytics to track learner progress, identify knowledge gaps, and provide personalized learning paths.

The integration feature enhances accessibility and collaboration. This platform empowers businesses and educational institutions to deliver high-quality online training experiences through its scalable learning management capabilities.

Why Docebo?

• Clean UI
• Easy to customize
• Has PPT import feature
• Curated learning paths

Pricing:

Custom quote

3. LearnUpon

LearnUpon is another cloud-based LMS that enables organizations to deliver and manage online training programs. With LearnUpon, companies can create and distribute courses, track learner progress, and assess performance through quizzes and assessments.

The platform supports various multimedia formats, including videos, presentations, and documents, allowing for interactive and engaging learning experiences.

As one of the best online learning platforms, it offers features like certification management, reporting and analytics, and integrations with popular tools and platforms. It caters to various industries and organizations with a user-friendly and scalable solution for effective online training and development.

Why LearnUpon?

• Intuitive platform
• Ability to create customized learning spaces for multiple audiences
• SCORM compliance
• Delivers high-impact training

Pricing:

Custom quote

4. Litmos

Litmos is a versatile learning solution offering a comprehensive corporate training and employee development platform. With its user-friendly interface and robust features, Litmos enables organizations to deliver engaging online courses, track learner progress, and assess performance.

The best part about this LMS, in my observations, is that it supports mobile learning, blended learning, and gamification, making it adaptable to diverse training needs.

Litmos is known for its strong focus on customer satisfaction, providing excellent support and customization options. It has gained recognition for its innovative approach to training, helping businesses worldwide enhance their workforce skills and drive organizational growth.

Why Litmos?

• Highly flexible
• Great customization options
• Real-time progress tracking
• 24/7 accessibility to courses

Pricing:

Custom quote

5. iSpring Learn

When it comes to online training, iSpring Learn is one of the well-known and leading platforms. So, I had to feature it on my list.

Organizations use it to streamline their training processes. The platform is characterized by a user-friendly interface that makes it easy for administrators and learners to navigate. This tool is versatile and suitable for new hire onboarding, product training, and compliance training.

This tool allows organizations to create and deliver interactive courses, track learners’ progress, and assess their performance. The LMS supports various types of content, including presentations, quizzes, and videos, to make it engaging for learners.

With its robust features and flexible customization options, iSpring Learn empowers organizations to deliver effective and engaging online training, improve learning outcomes, and boost productivity.

Why iSpring Learn?

• Time-saving automation
• Enables data-driven decision-making
• Smart training management
• Social learning

Pricing:

Starts at $2.29/user/month

6. SkyPrep

SkyPrep is an online training platform designed for businesses and knowledge providers to create, manage, and deliver training materials and courses efficiently.

What makes the platform unique is its comprehensive suite of tools and features that cater to various training needs, from employee onboarding and professional development to customer education and compliance training.

The platform is known for its user-friendly interface, scalability, and robust analytics and reporting capabilities. All this makes it a versatile choice for organizations of all sizes.

Why SkyPrep?

• A clean interface makes it easily navigable
• Customizable branding to create a personalized experience
• Comprehensive reporting for making informed decisions
• Designed to accommodate a growing number of users and expanding content needs

Pricing:

Custom quote

Best Online Course Platforms

7. Udemy

Udemy is one of the best online course platforms for businesses and students to take online courses on different subjects.

It’s a massive open online course (MOOC) platform where instructors can create courses using images, videos, PDFs, ZIP files, and live classes.

Creating a course requires time and effort on many platforms. But what I like about Udemy is that the tool has done an outstanding job of simplifying it for new instructors.

Apart from course creation, it allows users to market them to their audiences. And this has been made possible through email campaigns, retargeting ads, external partner promotions, and search & delivery.

Udemy has partnered with popular niche content sites to help instructors in course promotions. Its course quality checklist ensures that the courses are professional, marketable, and worthy of delivering a great learning experience.

Why Udemy?

• High-quality courses
• Self-paced learning
• Great for upskilling the workforce
• A catalog of 210,000+ courses

Pricing:

Free and paid courses are available

8. Teachable

Teachable is an online platform for creating, hosting, and selling subscription-based courses and coaching. This online software doesn’t require you to know CSS or HTML.

The online course platform suits those requiring a high-quality mid-tier solution. It’s a great pick for small businesses and beginners creating courses for the first time, thanks to its user-friendliness and competitive pricing.

Overall, it’s intuitive, and you don’t need to go through too many complicated settings and options.

Apart from course creation, you can include quizzes, custom brand your course, and use live classes, drip feeding, and certificates.

Why Teachable?

• User-friendly interface
• Best for beginners
• Supports live classes
• Allows collaboration and discussions

Pricing:

Starts from $0/month (Limited to 1 published product)

9. Coursera

I find Coursera to be one of the best online course platforms. Here expert instructors can create courses on any topic they wish to teach.

This platform is available to a global base of learners. And students can have access to unique courses, which they might not get under traditional learning schemes.

No matter where you are in your teaching journey, Coursera has all the resources and tools you need to accomplish your goals.

With Coursera, you can create resilient learning models. Along with the University of Michigan and Duke University, Coursera has developed the best practices and guidelines to deliver an excellent learning experience and measurable learning outcomes.

Why Coursera?

• Certified courses
• Track, measure & benchmark skills to maximize training effectiveness
• Financial aid is available
• Flexible timetables for course participants

Pricing:

Starts from $399/user/year

10. LearnWorlds

LearnWorlds is a robust online course creation platform to create and sell courses. With so many impressive features, this online learning software deserves a place among the top solutions.

During my free trial with the tool, I saw how it is packed with advanced features like gamification, site builders, and student feedback.

Similarly, this software solution supports a high level of customization. But it has a steeper learning curve than other course creation platforms.

Leverage their readymade course catalogs once you’re ready to create your course. These catalogs have interesting features like video players, downloadable attachments, and online tests.

Why LearnWorlds?

• User-friendly interface
• Pre-built templates
• An academy to learn, grow, and graduate
• Supports gamification

Pricing:

Starts from $24/month

11. edX

The concept of edX is quite similar to Coursera’s and that’s why I put them in the same category of platforms. They both bring certified courses created by top universities to everyone.

Learners can access over 3,500 courses on diverse subjects from top universities and organizations worldwide.

edX provides an online discussion forum to collaborate, share ideas, and get answers to questions. And the best part is that it provides an eBook to gather more knowledge from tutorial videos.

edX’s ability to train and upskill aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners with top-notch learning quality makes it one of the best online course platforms today.

Why edX?

• Verified certificates on course completion
• Partnerships with prestigious organizations and universities
• Free course auditing option
• Self-paced learning

Pricing:

Starts from $50 per course

12. LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning is a reputed online educational platform from the world’s leading professional network. The platform offers a wide range of high-quality courses to those interested in enhancing their professional skills.

I happened to take a few of its courses recently relevant to my profession and industry, and I’d say the expertise of its instructors and the relevance of the content are valuable as expected.

Learners can cancel the courses anytime, and the first month is free. There is also a certificate of completion with the courses.

The platform is a great way to acquire new knowledge and stay ahead in one’s career.

Why LinkedIn Learning?

• Course recommendations tailored to each learner
• Engaging video-based content taught by industry experts
• Supports microlearning
• Integration of learning progress with LinkedIn profiles

Pricing:

1-month free trial. After your free month, pay as little as $10.19/month

Best Online Learning Platforms for Business

13. Trakstar Learn

When it comes to business learning, Trakstar Learn truly means business. It is a learning management system that is specifically designed to meet the needs of businesses and enterprises.

As an easy-to-use online learning platform, it simplifies onboarding, employee training, and compliance training. You can create, update, and manage online courses easily.

Trakstar Learn provides a platform for preserving institutional knowledge and making it accessible to learners worldwide.

Its learning management capabilities encompass features like auto-enrollment, course tracking, and progress monitoring.

Why Trakstar Learn?

• Virtual classrooms to conduct live online training sessions & webinars
• Robust reporting & analytics to monitor training effectiveness
• Integration with performance management software to align learning with performance goals
• Collaboration & social learning communities

Pricing:

Custom quote

14. Absorb LMS

Absorb LMS is a cloud LMS “engineered to inspire learning and fuel business productivity.” It is a big shot in the online training world and an ideal solution for small to large businesses.

The LMS is among the first few platforms I explored and studied in detail.

It boasts an intuitive user experience, and this functionality is ideal for businesses with a diverse set of learners, including those with different learning styles and background experience levels.

The dashboard is designed for learners to access learning resources quickly, track their progress, and access grades and certificates.

With this LMS, businesses can reinforce their training program’s effectiveness with an engaging and attractive interface, encouraging learners to take courses more frequently.

Why Absorb LMS?

• Efficient administrative tools that simplify the administration of enrollments, training & reporting
• Highly scalable to meet evolving training needs as small to medium businesses grow
• Reliable and secure infrastructure based on Amazon Web Services (AWS)
• Ensures optimal data security

Pricing:

Custom pricing

15. Adobe Learning Manager

In my experience, Adobe Learning Manager (formerly Adobe Captivate Prime) is not as commonly heard as other online training platforms. But I’d say it is a hidden gem.

This award-winning platform integrates learning experiences into users’ brands. Its headless LMS capability enables businesses to deliver learning content natively within any app or website.

Adobe Learning Manager is well-suited for business use cases, such as corporate learning and development.

The platform enables businesses to create personalized and multimedia-rich digital learning experiences for employees, partners, and customers. On top of it, it offers everything that any standard online learning platform does to drive engagement, track progress, and team collaboration.

Why Adobe Learning Manager?

• Customizable learning paths for different roles and departments within an organization
• Flexible & convenient access to content anytime, anywhere, on various devices
• Integration with CRM and HRMS
• A content marketplace containing over 86,000 courses

Pricing:

Custom quote

16. Ethena

The first thing I saw when I landed on Ethena’s landing page is the realization that it specializes in compliance training. It is a trusted space for businesses looking for corporate training, especially on compliance matters.

The provider offers a modern approach to compliance training that is more engaging and effective than traditional methods. This ensures that employees not only understand the rules and regulations but also learn how to apply them in real-world situations.

By promoting active learning, Ethena enhances the retention and application of knowledge, resulting in a more effective training program.

With its up-to-date and comprehensive content, it provides a holistic approach to compliance training and empowers learners to make better choices and build a stronger ethical culture within an organization.

Why Ethena?

• Easy admin tools to deliver the right training at the right time without overtraining
• The platform integrates with almost all leading HRIS platforms
• The content is crafted by experienced educators & award-winning creatives
• Automatic periodic reminders to ensure course completion

Pricing:

Starts at $20/learner/year

17. Circle LMS

Circle LMS is an online training platform heavyweight that caters to organizations, ranging from small enterprises to large corporations.

What I found particularly notable about this platform is how it automates complex training processes. It can easily handle a large number of users and complex organizational structures, including multiple departments or locations.

The LMS automates repetitive tasks such as user registration, course assignments, and tracking progress and completion. This automation saves administrators time and ensures consistency in training delivery.

With APIs and webhooks, large enterprises can customize and extend the LMS to fit their complex workflows and specific training delivery needs.

Why Circle LMS?

• Supports interactive content, multimedia, and gamification elements
• Mobile learning to stay relevant in today’s mobile-first world
• Custom-fit experience for every learner
• Robust data security to protect sensitive information and comply with regulations

Pricing:

Starts at $1

18. Tovuti

Tovuti has received a fair level of popularity and recognition among the top online learning platforms for businesses. I found several tools and functionalities in the platform that can help businesses efficiently manage and deliver training.

They include versatile course creation and management tools, a customizable interface, learning paths, integrated assessment, reporting,  and certification.

Yet another feature that I know businesses will love is the time-saving automation, including enrollment, notifications, reminders, and certifications.

Additionally, the LMS provides personalization features to tailor the learning experience for individual learners and deliver content based on their preferences, roles, or progress.

Why Tovuti?

• Built-in eCommerce capabilities for businesses looking to sell courses online
• Integration with CRM, HRIS, and webinar platforms
• Fully responsive and accessible on various devices
• Social learning & collaboration features for active learning

Pricing:

Starts at $11,160/year for up to 50 users

Best Online Learning Platforms for Education

19. Blackboard Learn

True to its name, Blackboard Learn is designed to cater to K-12 and higher education institutions. Its innovative and all-inclusive features make it a highly suitable and widely adopted learning management system for school-going kids and students.

The platform supports various instructional formats, including multimedia content, assessments, and assignments.

It also provides a collaborative learning experience through discussion boards, group projects, and virtual classrooms.

The platform is equipped with tools for tracking student progress, grading, and feedback.

Why Blackboard Learn?

• It’s designed with modern learners in mind
• Native integrations with tools that instructors use most
• Easy updates without any interruption or downtime
• Comes with anti-plagiarism tools

Pricing:

Starts at $9,500.00 per year

20. Moodle

Moodle is best known for being an open-source LMS designed primarily for educators and learners. The platform facilitates a seamless virtual learning experience.

It is widely used in various educational settings, including schools, universities, and professional training, to facilitate online learning, course management, and collaborative learning experiences.

Key features of Moodle include course creation and management, quizzes and grading, forums for discussion, file management, and the ability to integrate with other educational tools and plugins.

Its flexibility, scalability, and extensive community support have made Moodle a popular choice for delivering online education globally.

Why Moodle?

• This platform is highly customizable & adaptable to different educational settings
• It is free to use for everyone regardless of budget constraints
• A modern, intuitive, and easily navigable interface
• Forums, wikis, blogs, messaging, quizzes, surveys, and more for interactive and collaborative learning

Pricing:

Free

21. Canvas

Canvas by Instructure is one of the most robust and versatile online learning platforms for schools, colleges, and universities. Apart from course creation, it offers powerful tools for collaboration and assessment to keep students engaged.

Canvas supports a wide range of multimedia formats and provides seamless integration with various third-party applications. It also enables personalized learning experiences, facilitates communication through discussion boards and messaging, and offers comprehensive analytics for tracking student progress.

With a great deal of flexibility and scalability, Canvas LMS empowers educators and institutions to deliver high-quality online education.

Why Canvas LMS?

• Live video sessions for real-time interaction between instructors and students
• Mobile-friendliness to participate in sessions right from mobile devices
• Supports gamification to enhance engagement and motivation
• Single Sign-On (SSO) for streamlined authentication process

Pricing:

Free

22. Skillshare

If there is a truly learn-centric platform, I believe it has to be Skillshare.

It is an online learning community where students can take an online class, watch video lessons, create projects, and even teach a class themselves. learn in self-paced settings.

This platform is focused more on maintaining a collaborative environment rather than lecturing – and it’s a unique feature of Skillshare that sets it apart from other online platforms.

The platform is for everyone wanting to teach or take a class. However, it is also ideal for people interested in learning professional programs, such as leadership, photography, analytics, and creative writing.

Why Skillshare?

• Easy to use
• Thousands of hands-on classes
• Accessibility on multiple devices
• Opportunities to learn from creative experts

Pricing:

Free classes available. Team plans start at $159/seat (2-49 seats)

23. Google Classroom

I had to include Google Classroom in this category of platforms as it is from a market-dominating company with a significant impact on various industries.

It is a modern digital platform aimed at enhancing interaction and collaboration between teachers and learners. It focuses on streamlining the distribution and exchange of educational content, such as classwork, assignments, questionnaires, and files.

With the complete incorporation of Google Drive along with other Google applications like Gmail and Calendar, it offers an efficient solution for managing either individual or several classroom settings.

Google Classroom is an ideal platform for education and classroom management in the K-12 and higher education sectors.

Why Google Classroom?

• Google Classroom can be accessed from any device with an internet connection
• Private messaging between teachers and students for individualized support and feedback
• Teachers can create separate classrooms for different subjects or grade levels
• Efficient feedback loop to provide immediate feedback on assignments and assessments

Pricing:

Starts at $0 per license per month

24. Brightspace

Brightspace by D2L is highly suited for both K-12 and higher education institutions. It provides a comprehensive set of tools and features that cater to the specific needs of each educational level.

Let me elaborate.

The platform offers a user-friendly interface that is easy for young learners to navigate. It provides a centralized platform for teachers to deliver content, assignments, and assessments. Interactive lessons, quizzes, and discussion boards encourage active learning.

There are also gradebooks, attendance tracking, and communication tools for parents to stay updated on their child’s progress.

One of the key strengths of Brightspace is its support for personalized and adaptive learning experiences. It collects data on student performance and engagement and then uses that data to provide personalized feedback, recommendations, and learning paths.

Why Brightspace?

• Brightspace is built for learning at every stage of life
• Supports competency-based learning to progress based on skill mastery
• A community of 1,100+ international organizations already using Brightspace
• Uncover insight into learning with powerful analytics at your fingertips

Pricing:

Custom quote

Online Learning Platforms Vs Online Training Platforms Vs Online Course Platforms

Know the subtle differences between these three types of platforms.

Choose the Right Online Learning Platform

This list has hopefully given you a good idea of how advanced platforms can bring about a major shift in how you teach or train and how your audiences learn.

We’ve put these tools under different categories to simplify your search based on whether you’re looking for a business or educational solution.

Analyze the core features, strengths, and pricing plans of as many of these tools as possible to arrive at the best one.

If you’re looking for a cloud LMS that caters to both enterprise and educational needs equally well, request a personalized demo.

After all, you’d want to invest in a suitable tool for the long term. So, take the time to learn about these tools thoroughly.

Thank you for reading.

Evaluation Criteria

The evaluation of products or tools chosen for this article follows an unbiased, systematic approach that ensures a fair, insightful, and well-rounded review. This method employs six key factors:

1. User Reviews / Ratings: Direct experiences from users, including ratings and feedback from reputable sites, provide a ground-level perspective. This feedback is critical in understanding overall satisfaction and potential problems.
2. Essential Features & Functionality: The value of a product is ascertained by its core features and overall functionality. Through an in-depth exploration of these aspects, the practical usefulness and effectiveness of the tools are carefully evaluated.
3. Ease of Use: The user-friendliness of a product or service is assessed, focusing on the design, interface, and navigation. This ensures a positive experience for users of all levels of expertise.
4. Customer Support: The quality of customer support is examined, taking into account its efficiency and how well it supports users in different phases – setting up, addressing concerns, and resolving operational issues.
5. Value for Money: Value for money is evaluated by comparing the quality, performance, and features. The goal is to help the reader understand whether they would be getting their money’s worth.
6. Personal Experience / Experts’ Opinions: This part of the evaluation criteria draws insightful observations from the personal experience of the writer and the opinions of industry experts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I use an online training platform?

Online training platforms are a sustainable medium of learning. They provide access to educational content in a flexible digital format where learners can take courses from anywhere without needing relocation or commuting. Additionally, these platforms house a vast number of courses from renowned educational institutions and industry leaders. This enables individuals to enhance their skills or pursue specific qualifications conveniently and efficiently.

What are the key features to consider in online learning platforms?

Among others, the course variety and depth, interactive learning tools, user-friendly interface, progress tracking, and accreditation or certification options are a must. These features contribute to a comprehensive and engaging learning experience, and users can acquire knowledge effectively.

How shall I choose the best online learning platform?

Consider the platform’s reputation and track record, the quality of course content and instructional design, the availability of support, instructor interaction, user reviews, and testimonials, and the pricing and delivery model. Taking these factors into account will help you select an online learning platform that aligns with your learning goals, preferences, and budget.

Watch: How to Choose the Best SaaS LMS Software

What factors should I consider when comparing online course platforms?

Look at the relevance and accuracy of the course content, instructional methods, learner support, accessibility, and pricing plans. Additionally, it will help to know the platform’s reputation, user reviews, and success stories to determine the overall satisfaction and effectiveness of the courses offered.