Have you ever wondered how people are learning new skills from home? 

Online courses have become extremely popular. In 2024, the revenue in the global online learning market is projected to reach US$185.2 billion. That’s huge!

But with so many platforms out there, how do you pick the right one? Whether you’re a teacher, a business owner, or just someone who wants to learn, choosing the right platform is key. Some platforms are great for creators, others are perfect for businesses, and some are made for educators. 

Finding the one that fits your needs can make all the difference. Let’s look at some of the features that are important when choosing a course platform. 

Key Features to Look for in an Online Course Platform

When choosing an online course platform, there are some important things to look for:

• User Experience: The platform should be easy to use. It should have simple tools to help you create content. A good interface can save you a lot of time.
• Monetization Options: You should be able to make money from your expertise. Look for platforms that let you sell courses, memberships, or coaching sessions seamlessly.
• Scalability: As you grow, your platform should grow with you. It should offer marketing tools, analytics, and integrations with other apps.
• Customization: You want your courses to look professional. Choose a platform that lets you brand your website and customize it.
• Engagement Tools: Keep your learners interested with quizzes, assignments, community features, and certifications.

Top Platforms Overview

There are many online course platforms, each offering something unique. Some are perfect for education, while others are great for marketing or creativity. Let’s look at the best ones for different needs.

12 Best Online Course Platforms for Different Needs

Each of these platforms offers a different and unique feature. Decide based on your needs and what would best resonate with your audience. 

Now, let’s look at these platforms one by one. 

1. SuperProfile: All-in-One Platform for Course Creation and Personal Branding

When it comes to creating and selling courses online, SuperProfile is much more than just a platform—it’s a complete toolkit for building your digital presence and personal brand. Whether you’re a creator wanting to monetize your skills or an educator aiming to deliver a seamless learning experience, SuperProfile has everything you need to succeed in 2024.

What makes SuperProfile stand out is its ability to help you not only launch courses but also grow your brand and expand your professional network. You can offer a fully integrated learning experience with built-in sales, payment solutions, and community-building features. If you’re looking to turn your expertise into a flourishing business, here’s why SuperProfile is a top choice.

Key Features:

• Comprehensive Course Creation
  With its no-code interface, SuperProfile makes course creation straightforward and efficient. Whether you're offering a series of videos, webinars, brochures, or downloadable materials, SuperProfile gives you complete control over the learning experience. The platform is built to handle everything from design to promotion and sales, making it easy to go from zero to 100,000 students.
• Diverse Monetization Options
  SuperProfile gives you flexibility in how you monetize your offerings. You can sell digital courses, offer subscription-based learning programs, and even monetize exclusive access to your Telegram or Discord communities. By providing multiple monetization methods, SuperProfile allows you to diversify your revenue streams. 
• Email Marketing and Lead Magnets
  Grow and engage your audience with email marketing features. SuperProfile lets you build and manage your email list and set up lead magnets to attract new subscribers. From automated email campaigns to personalized outreach, you can keep your learners engaged and informed.
• Seamless Payment Integration
  SuperProfile takes care of payments, supporting multiple options like credit cards, PayPal, UPI, and more. You can focus on creating content while the platform ensures secure, smooth transactions.
• Advanced Analytics
  With detailed analytics, you can track your course performance and audience engagement. You’ll gain insights into what’s working and where improvements can be made, from student engagement to sales metrics, helping you optimize your courses and marketing strategy.

Pricing:

• SuperProfile offers custom pricing based on your needs, allowing you to scale as your audience grows. Whether you're starting small or looking to expand rapidly, SuperProfile has a solution that works for you. Start your free trial today!

Pros:

• Combines powerful branding tools with course creation.
• Easy integration with social media for connecting with the community and promotion.
• Flexible pricing and seamless payment options.
• In-depth analytics for tracking performance and audience engagement.
• Community-building tools for Telegram and Discord.

Cons:

• The platform offers a variety of features that may require some initial exploration for new users.
• Extensive customization can make setup slightly time-consuming for those who prefer an out-of-the-box solution.

SuperProfile is ideal for creators and professionals who want to build their personal brand while delivering high-quality online courses. Whether you’re teaching, coaching, or building an exclusive community, SuperProfile equips you with all the tools you need to succeed.

2. Thinkific: 

Thinkific is great for small businesses and entrepreneurs. It’s a great choice for those who want to create and sell courses without worrying about transaction fees. Here’s what it offers:

Key Features:

• Customizable Core Templates: Thinkific offers flexible templates, allowing you to design your courses to fit your brand perfectly without technical hassles.
• A Built-in Website Builder: Thinkific's website builder helps you create a professional online presence, making it easy to launch your course and grow your business. 
• Integration with Zapier for automation: Automate your workflow and save time by connecting Thinkific to hundreds of apps via Zapier for seamless business operations. 

Pricing:

• Free plan available; paid plans start at £39/month.

Pros:

• Thinkific provides an intuitive drag-and-drop course builder, enabling creators to design and organize their courses without requiring technical expertise.
• Unlike many other platforms, Thinkific does not charge transaction fees on any of its plans, including the free tier.
• Thinkific offers robust integrations with various third-party tools, including email marketing services like Mailchimp and Constant Contact, analytics platforms, and payment gateways such as PayPal and Stripe.

Cons:

• Limited Free Plan. 
• Lacks SCORM compliance, a standard that enables e-learning content to integrate seamlessly with various learning management systems (LMSs). SCORM stands for Shareable Content Object Reference Model.

3. Teachable: 

Teachable is ideal for coaches and content creators. This platform is a top pick for coaches who want to offer a variety of learning experiences, from video lessons to quizzes. It includes:

Key Features: 

• Video Lessons: Easily create and deliver engaging video content to enhance student learning experiences.
• Downloadable resources: Provide students with additional downloadable materials, like PDFs or worksheets, to support their learning journey.
• Quizzes: Test your students' knowledge and reinforce learning through customizable quizzes.
• Coaching products: Offer personalized coaching services to students with dedicated one-on-one or group coaching sessions, all managed through the platform.

Pricing: 

• Free Plan: Includes a $1 + 10% fee per transaction.
• Paid Plans: Start at approximately $57 per month.

Pros: 

• Teachable provides a straightforward and intuitive interface, making it accessible for users without technical expertise. 
• Teachable includes integrated affiliate marketing features, enabling course creators to establish and manage affiliate programs directly within the platform. 
• The platform offers customization options that don't require coding skills, allowing users to personalize their course sites to align with their branding.

Cons: 

•  While Teachable allows for some customization, its website design capabilities are relatively basic compared to other platforms.
• Teachable imposes transaction fees on its lower-tier plans, which can affect profitability for creators just starting out. 

4. Kajabi: 

Kajabi is the go-to platform for large businesses. Especially for businesses that need a robust, all-in-one solution for scaling their online course offerings. It offers:

Key Features: 

• Course creation: Offers an intuitive course creation platform, allowing you to design, host, and sell online courses with ease.
• Podcast hosting: You can seamlessly integrate podcast hosting into your Kajabi site, expanding your content offerings to your audience.
• Email marketing automation: Kajabi’s built-in email marketing tools help you automate campaigns, segment lists, and nurture leads effortlessly.
• Sales pipelines: With Kajabi’s sales pipeline builder, you can create streamlined funnels to convert leads into paying customers effectively.

Pricing: 

• Starts at $145/month with no transaction fees.

Pros: 

• Comprehensive features for scaling businesses.
• No need for third-party tools.

Cons: 

• Higher cost compared to other platforms.
• Kajabi may require a bit of time for new users to fully navigate and utilize all tools effectively.

5. LearnWorlds:

LearnWorlds is all about customization. LearnWorlds stands out for its focus on interactive learning, making it perfect for educators who want to engage their students. It’s perfect for those who want control over course design:

Key Features: 

• Customizable student engagement features: LearnWorlds offers tools to create interactive and personalized learning experiences that keep students engaged.
• Interactive video: Enhance learning with clickable, interactive videos that allow for quizzes, notes, and prompts within the video content.
• Advanced learning analytics: Track student progress and behavior with in-depth analytics to optimize the learning experience and improve course performance.
• Robust course builder: Build and design comprehensive courses with ease using LearnWorlds’ flexible, feature-rich course creation tools.

Pricing: 

• Starts at $28/month. 
• Free plan available with limited features.

Pros: 

• LearnWorlds offers extensive customization options, allowing creators to tailor their courses and websites to align with their brand identity.
• The platform incorporates gamification elements such as quizzes, certificates, and interactive videos to enhance learner engagement.
• LearnWorlds includes various tools to facilitate interaction between instructors and learners, including discussion forums, surveys, and live sessions.

Cons: 

• Navigating through the multitude of options may require time and patience to master.
• Due to its rich feature set, beginners might find it challenging to utilize LearnWorlds effectively without prior experience in course creation or technical skills.

6. Podia: 

Podia is budget-friendly and perfect for small creators. Podia is especially useful for creators who want a simple, no-fuss way to monetize their content. It includes:

Key Features: 

• Digital Downloads: Easily sell digital products like eBooks, guides, and templates directly to your audience.
• Coaching: Offer personalized coaching sessions with integrated scheduling and payment options.
• Memberships: Build and manage membership programs to provide exclusive content and foster a loyal community.
• Native Email Marketing: Engage your audience with built-in email marketing tools to promote your products and stay connected with your customers.

Pricing: 

• Starts at  $9/month.
• No free plan.
• Trial options are available.

Pros: 

• Podia’s pricing model is straightforward, with no hidden fees or complex add-ons, making it easy for creators to budget and understand exactly what they’re paying for. 
• Podia allows creators to add and manage unlimited email subscribers, even on their basic plans, without extra fees or limitations. 

Cons: 

• While Podia offers essential tools for digital sales, it may lack some advanced features that other platforms provide, such as more sophisticated course creation tools or detailed analytics.
• Podia's entry-level plan includes a 5% transaction fee, which can impact earnings, especially for those just starting out.

7. Udemy: 

Udemy is a great marketplace platform. Udemy’s marketplace model is perfect for reaching a global audience and earning from your courses quickly. It works well for reaching a large audience:

Key Features: 

• Marketplace Model: Udemy operates on a marketplace model, allowing instructors to create and sell their courses while students can browse and enroll in a wide range of topics.
• Diverse Course Offerings: With over 200,000 courses available, Udemy provides extensive variety, covering subjects from professional skills to personal development.
• Global Reach: Udemy has a vast global audience, offering courses in multiple languages and enabling instructors to reach students from around the world.

Pricing: 

• Revenue sharing model with instructors. 
• No subscription fee.

Pros: 

• Udemy has a massive user base, with millions of students from around the world actively searching for courses on a wide range of topics. 
• Unlike subscription-based platforms, Udemy operates on a pay-per-course model, where students purchase individual courses rather than paying a recurring fee.

Cons: 

• Highly competitive - Udemy’s large marketplace means thousands of courses across similar topics, making it challenging to stand out. Creators often find themselves competing with other instructors offering similar content, sometimes at lower prices, which can impact visibility and enrollment.
• Udemy sets frequent discounts and site-wide promotions, often slashing prices without the instructor’s control. While this can increase visibility, it limits creators' ability to set consistent pricing, affecting perceived course value and overall earnings. 

Platforms like SuperProfile, in contrast, allow creators full control over pricing and promotion, giving them flexibility to set rates that reflect the quality and depth of their content.

8. Skillshare: 

Skillshare is perfect for creative courses. It’s ideal for creatives who want to teach or learn through project-based, hands-on courses. It’s great for artists, designers, and writers:

Key Features: 

• Wide Range of Courses: Skillshare offers thousands of courses across creative, business, and technical subjects, allowing users to learn a variety of skills.
• Project-Based Learning: Courses focus on hands-on projects, encouraging students to apply their learning immediately.
• Community Interaction: Skillshare fosters a collaborative environment where users can engage with other students and instructors for feedback and support.

Pricing: 

• Subscription model: $31/month or $168/year.

Pros: 

• Skillshare’s course catalog is tailored to creative fields like graphic design, photography, illustration, and writing. This focus makes it an excellent platform for artists, designers, and other creative professionals seeking to learn new skills or refine their craft.
• Skillshare’s monthly subscription grants unlimited access to its entire course library, which is cost-effective for users who want to explore multiple topics or learn at their own pace.
• Skillshare fosters a strong, collaborative community where students can share their work, receive feedback, and even interact with instructors.

Cons: 

• Skillshare’s open marketplace model allows anyone to create and publish courses, which results in a wide range of quality across the platform. While many instructors are experienced professionals, some courses may lack depth or structure, leading to inconsistent learning experiences. 
• Skillshare’s catalog is heavily oriented towards creative and practical skills, such as illustration, design, and photography. For those seeking more academic or specialized technical knowledge, Skillshare may not provide the depth or breadth of content available on other platforms with a stronger academic or professional development focus.

9. Mighty Networks: 

Mighty Networks is the top choice for building a community. It combines course creation with community tools. It’s a suitable platform for those who want to build a vibrant community around their courses. In addition to its built-in community options, users can also integrate external platforms like Telegram or Discord to create dedicated spaces for student interaction and engagement.

Key Features: 

• Course Creation: Easily create and sell online courses within your branded community platform.
• Community Building: Engage your audience with discussion boards, group events, and personalized member spaces.
• Events & Webinars: Host live events, webinars, and virtual meetups seamlessly within your network.

Pricing: 

• Starts at $32/month. 
• No transaction fees.

Pros: 

• Mighty Networks offers a suite of tools to foster interaction among members, including discussion boards, polls, and events.
• Beyond standard community tools, Mighty Networks supports live streaming, chat, and messaging, allowing real-time communication between hosts and members.
• The platform enables creators to offer memberships with exclusive content, courses, and events.

Cons: 

• Compared to other platforms, Mighty Networks may lack certain advanced features for course creation, such as detailed analytics or complex assessment options.
• The platform's extensive features can be overwhelming for newcomers, requiring time to fully understand and utilize all available tools effectively.

10. Kadenze: 

Kadenze is a fantastic platform for those interested in the arts and academia. It is perfect for those interested in deepening their knowledge of the arts and creative technology:

Key Features: 

• Art and Creative Courses: Kadenze specializes in offering courses focused on art, music, and creative technology.
• Partnership with Prestigious Institutions: The platform collaborates with top universities and industry leaders to deliver high-quality content.
• Certification and College Credit: Learners can earn verified certificates and even college credit for certain courses

Pricing: 

• Free courses available.
• Premium membership starts at $18/month.

Pros: 

• Kadenze is known for its rigorous, high-quality courses that delve deeply into creative and academic subjects.
• Kadenze partners with esteemed universities and institutions, such as Stanford, Princeton, and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
• Focus on creative and academic subjects.

Cons: 

• While Kadenze excels in creative and academic subjects, its catalog is limited for learners seeking courses outside these areas. 
• Although Kadenze offers forums and opportunities for student interaction, its community features are not as extensive as other platforms.

11. Simplero: 

Simplero is an all-in-one platform that is perfect for those who want to run their entire business from one place. It’s more than just a course platform—it’s a full business management tool.

Key Features: 

• All-in-One Platform: Simplero combines course hosting, email marketing, and payment processing, providing everything you need to run your online business.
• Email Marketing Integration: Built-in email automation tools allow you to manage and nurture your audience directly within the platform easily.
• Course and Membership Hosting: Host online courses and membership sites with robust customization options for an engaging user experience.

Pricing: 

• Starts at $73/month. 
• There are no hidden fees or additional charges.

Pros: 

• You get everything you need in one platform. 
• It’s user-friendly and eliminates the need for multiple subscriptions.

Cons: 

• The pricing is higher compared to other platforms, which might not be ideal for small businesses or beginners.
• Customization options for course layouts and website design are somewhat limited. 

12. Pathwright: 

Pathwright is a fantastic platform for offering structured, step-by-step learning experiences. It’s ideal for educators and institutions that value clear learning paths.

Key Features: 

• Complete Design Control: Customize the entire learning experience, from course layouts to branding, with full control over design elements.
• Interactive Learning Paths: Create engaging, step-by-step learning paths that guide students through lessons, activities, and assessments.
• Built-in Community Features: Foster student interaction with discussion forums, private messaging, and social learning tools integrated into the platform.
• Multimedia Support: Easily incorporate videos, images, quizzes, and other media to enrich the learning experience.

Pricing: 

• Starts at $89/month. 
• They also offer a free trial to get started.

Pros: 

• The platform is great for creating clear, engaging learning paths. 
• It’s easy to use and offers detailed tracking of student progress.

Cons: 

• The pricing can be a bit steep for individuals or small businesses.
•  It’s more suited for structured educational environments rather than casual learning.

How to Choose the Right Platform for Your Needs

Choosing the right platform is all about your goals. Here’s what to think about:

• Platform Types: Do you want a marketplace like Udemy or a self-hosted option like Thinkific, or do you want to create more than just courses and opt for SuperProfile?
• Target Audience: Are you teaching hobbyists, professionals, or enterprises?
• Scalability: Consider if you’ll need more features as you grow.
• Budget: Look at transaction fees, subscription costs, and any extra tools you might need.

Conclusion

Choosing the right online course platform can significantly impact your success, whether you're an educator, creator, or professional looking to monetize your skills. It’s essential to evaluate your specific needs—such as customization options, ease of use, monetization tools, and support for growth—before making a decision. The platforms we've discussed offer a range of features, but the key is to select the one that aligns with your goals.

Among these options, SuperProfile truly shines as a complete, all-in-one solution for creators and educators looking to do more than just host courses. With SuperProfile, you can monetize your content, offer one-on-one sessions, host webinars, sell digital products, and manage communities—all supported by advanced analytics to track your success. It’s designed to help you create a full, monetized online presence that grows with you.

Ready to take the next step and elevate your online education game?

SuperProfile offers a free trial so you can see firsthand how it can transform your brand, engage your audience, and boost your revenue. Get Started For Free!