8 Best Online Course Platforms [2025]

hese days, sharing what you know is easier than ever. You can hop on YouTube or start a blog in minutes. But if you’re looking to dive deeper, build a community, make a steady income, or grow your business by selling courses online, you’ll need a platform with some real muscle. The best online course platforms don’t just let you upload content — they help you create an entire learning experience, from designing beautiful course pages to organizing your curriculum and reaching the right audience.

After spending 1 year researching and testing over 100 different platforms, I’ve found the ones that really stand out. Whether you’re a single creator, scaling your corporate training, or looking to connect with a like-minded community, these are my 8 top online course platforms. Let’s dive in!

What is the Best Online Course Platform?

I’ve split my picks into two categories: Learning Management Systems (LMS) for corporate or educational training, and platforms specifically for building, marketing, and selling courses. My recommendations are the result of hands-on testing, where I evaluate each platform based on the specific features that help course creators succeed. 

I’m committed to providing unbiased, reliable evaluations. Our team spends hours testing every platform, running through typical workflows, and pushing the software to ensure it meets a range of needs. For this guide, we tested top online course creation platforms, keeping in mind their distinct purposes:

• Learning Management Systems. Typically designed for formal training in schools or businesses, LMS software is ideal for organizing curriculum, managing users, and tracking learning progress. These systems are best for companies or institutions that require an advanced toolset for employees, students, customers, or partners training.
• Course Creation and Selling Platforms. These tools focus on helping entrepreneurs, creators, and businesses build courses to sell to a broader audience. They often include tools for marketing, audience engagement, and payment processing, allowing creators to monetize their content.

Criteria We Used for Testing

• Ease of Course Creation. How intuitive is it to get started and build a course? We checked out templates, customization options, and the supported content types like video, audio, and PDFs.
• Interactivity and Engagement Tools. For both LMS and course-selling platforms, we looked at features for building quizzes, assignments, certifications, and interactive sessions, all of which keep learners engaged.
• Pricing and Accessibility. Since affordability matters, we prioritized platforms with options suitable for individual creators and small-to-medium businesses, while also assessing value for larger organizations.
• Marketing and Monetization. For platforms geared toward selling courses, we dug into the marketing tools available —like email broadcasts, SEO features, and payment structures — to see how they support growth and sales.

#1. EducateMe – Best Online Course Platform for Corporate Training

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Are you about to launch a corporate training course for employees, customers, or partners? Then EducateMe is what you are looking for. This online course platform brings all your learning needs into one cohesive, scalable solution designed to optimize and boost corporate training. From onboarding courses to advanced training for customers and partners, EducateMe allows you to manage every aspect seamlessly with advanced customization, automation, and analytics.

Key Features

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• Unified Learning Hub. Centrally manage courses for employees, partners, and customers with dedicated, customizable learning spaces.
• Flexible, Scalable Content Libraries. Grow effortlessly with varied course content formats and adaptable learning paths tailored to each group.
• Time-Saving Automation & AI. Automate course creation, reminders, and admin tasks to reduce overhead and improve efficiency.
• Advanced Customization. Fully brand your platform with custom colors, logos, labels, and SSO integration for a unique, professional experience.
• Seamless Tool Integrations. Connect with platforms like Zoom, MS Teams, or any necessary tools via API, and easily embed content for a unified training experience.

How To Create Course on EducateMe?

1. Use a 14-day free trial to create your account and discover course creation platform capabilities.
2. Customize your learning space with colors, fonts, logos, and more.
3. Connect Stripe integration to monetize educational content.
4. Upload your content using manual, AI-generated, or template-based creation. Use bite-sized modules, lessons, webinars, quizzes, assignments, and peer reviews to make your course more interactive and engaging. You can also embed videos, interactive learning elements, or external resources directly within your course materials.
5. Use Kanban assignment tracking dashboard, deadline management, group assignments, tagging, and sorting to create assignments for different groups of users.
6. Monitor course performance and learners' progress through advanced analytics and reporting tools.
7. Provide learners with the support they require throughout their learning journey via built-in messenger, live session hosting, automated notifications and feedback management. 

#2. Kajabi – Best Platform for Online Course with Marketing & Sales Tools

If you are a course creator or entrepreneur looking for LMS with strong marketing and monetization capabilities, then Kajabi is a good choice for you. While Kajabi covers all the key features you need for modern online learning, some of its tools might feel a bit basic for those with extensive programs. But if boosting your sales and conversions is the name of the game, Kajabi’s advanced sales funnels will have you covered.

Key Features

• Easy Course Creation. With a range of templates and an intuitive builder, you’ll have a polished, professional-looking course ready in no time.
• Sales Funnels. Dive into pre-built sales funnels that really help ramp up lead generation and course sales.
• Website Builder. Enjoy a flexible, customizable site builder that helps you create a standout online presence.
• Marketing Automation. Craft effective email campaigns, set up affiliate programs, and run promotions with ease to boost your sales.
• Flexible Payment Options. Whether you prefer one-time fees, subscriptions, or bundled packages, Kajabi gives you multiple ways to set up payments for your members.
• Branded Mobile App. Launch your very own branded app with Kajabi, allowing your learners to access your courses and content anytime, anywhere!

Pricing: Start from $69/month.

How To Create Course on Kajabi?

1. Sign up and dive into your settings. Link your PayPal or Stripe accounts under "Payment Integrations" so you’re ready to accept payments from customers.
2. Add your domain, customize email settings, and set your logo and brand colors. 
3. Use Kajabi’s product builder to create courses, memberships, or even coaching programs. Choose from proven templates or build your product from scratch to suit your vision.
4. Kajabi's drag-and-drop website builder lets you design your site using customizable templates — no coding needed!
5. Create targeted landing pages for promotions or lead generation using pre-built templates. 
6. Set up one-time email broadcasts or automated sequences to keep your audience engaged and informed.
7. Use Kajabi Pipelines (pre-built sales funnels) to automatically guide leads through the sales process with opt-in pages, sales pages, and follow-up emails.
8. Monitor your sales and engagement with Kajabi's analytics. 

#3. Thinkific – Top Online Course Platform for Single Creators

Thinkific is a popular choice for creators and small businesses who want a simple, reliable platform to make and sell online courses. Its user-friendly design makes course creation straightforward, and it’s equipped with essential tools to handle payments, marketing, and community engagement. With Thinkific, you can craft branded courses and membership sites and even set up a private community for your learners. If you’re a solo creator looking to monetize your content, Thinkific covers all the essentials to help you grow.

Key Features

• Easy Course Creation. Build courses with videos, quizzes, and assignments using a simple drag-and-drop editor.
• Built-in Sales Tools. Manage payments, offer subscriptions, bundle courses, and adjust pricing.
• Community Engagement. Create a private, interactive community for learners to connect and share.
• Marketing & Analytics. Run promotions, track performance, and use integrations to expand your reach.
• Website Builder. Customize course pages and build a branded site without needing any coding skills.

Pricing: free trial, with paid plans starting at $149/mo.

How To Create Course on Thinkific?

1. Create a free account or start a trial. Choose a plan that meets your needs. 
2. Outline your goals, target audience, and offerings (e.g., courses, communities, webinars).
3. Create a free digital download or coaching session as a lead magnet to attract potential customers.
4. Use Thinkific’s course builder to create a mini-course, digital download, or coaching session.
5. Connect a payment processor (e.g., Thinkific Payments) to start accepting payments.
6. Use Thinkific’s Site Builder to customize your course pages, home page, and product landing pages.
7. Set up Thinkific’s marketing tools, like email campaigns, to keep leads engaged.
8. After growing your audience, introduce premium courses, memberships, or product bundles to scale your business.
9. Use the Admin Dashboard to monitor sales, track performance, and manage students.

#4. Mighty Networks – Best Community-Based Online Course Platform

‍Mighty Networks is the best online course platform designed to build and nurture community-driven learning experiences. Known for its emphasis on social engagement, it offers a suite of interactive tools like live streaming, activity feeds, and discussion forums, which encourage participation and connection among learners. 

With a focus on branding and customization, Mighty Networks allows creators to design unique, cohesive learning communities directly on their websites. This platform supports course monetization through memberships, bundles, and other pricing models.

Key Features

• Live Streaming and Activity Feeds. It allows increasing real-time engagement with live events, community posts, and activity feeds.
• Customization and Branding. Users get full personalization of community spaces, including logos, colors, and fonts.
• Sales and Monetization Tools. Supports a range of sales options, including paid memberships, course bundles, and custom pricing plans.
• Multi-Platform Accessibility. Native apps for iOS and Android allow members to access content on the go, enhancing the community experience across devices.
• Integrated Community Features. Includes member profiles, discussion forums, event creation, and the option to integrate with 2000 tools via Zapier.

Pricing: 14-day free trial, starting price – $41/mo.

How To Create Course on Mighty Networks?

1. Sign up and begin by naming your community, setting up basic branding, and creating a structure during the free trial.
2. Set up your personal profile to introduce yourself as a host.
3. Personalize your Mighty Network with your logo, colors, and brand images for a cohesive look.
4. Set up “Spaces” for different topics or purposes, add or remove features, and adjust settings to fit your needs.
5. Arrange the main sections like Feed, Events, and Discovery in your left-hand navigation.
6. Choose your network’s privacy level — open, private, or secret — to control who can join and see content.
7. Offer memberships or courses by setting up a pricing plan for your community (optional).
8. Start inviting your audience to join, setting up a welcome checklist, and organizing an introductory event if needed.
9. Interact with your community through posts, events, and updates that appear across all spaces.
10. Highlight key posts, events, and spaces so members know what’s happening right from the Discovery page.

#5. Teachable – Best Courses Platform for Online Schools

Teachable is an ideal platform for single creators, trainers, and small online schools looking for a user-friendly solution with strong payment and tax management tools. Additionally, Teachable’s app, community features with gamification, and translation options boost the overall learning experience for students and provide an interactive environment.

Key Features

• TeachablePay. A specialized payment solution that automates taxes, payouts, and checkout processes, helping creators manage sales with minimal effort.
• Intuitive Course Builder. The easy-to-use course builder supports various content types, allowing for video, quizzes, and downloadable resources.
• Marketing & Sales Tools. Teachable offers tools for creating bundles, referrals, and lead magnets, helping creators expand their reach and boost sales.
• Automated Subtitles & Translations. Advanced course accessibility with automated subtitles and multilingual options for reaching global audiences.
• Community with Gamification. Teachable’s community features include gamification elements that promote engagement, creating a social and interactive learning environment.
• API & Integrations. Available on the Pro Plan, Teachable integrates with other tools, including popular email and marketing platforms.

Pricing: starts at $59/month.

How To Create Course on Teachable?

1. Sign up and begin course creation.
2. Optionally, use the AI-powered “Help me generate a course outline” tool to generate and customize a course outline.
3. In the Curriculum tab, create sections and add lessons with videos, quizzes, and downloadable files to each section.
4. Upload a course image, add a promo video, and set course categories and author details.
5. Optimize your course’s search visibility by setting an SEO-friendly URL, page title, and meta description.
6. Choose a pricing model and set your course to be visible in your product directory or hidden for private access.
7. Limit the content width for readability, hide the progress bar if desired, and enable compliance requirements if available.
8. Select where students go after purchase, such as the thank you page, course curriculum, or a custom URL.

#6. Udemy – Best Marketplace for Lunch First Course

‍Udemy is one of the best online course creation platforms for beginners, offering a ready-made audience and all the tools you need to share your knowledge. With Udemy, you don’t need to worry about building a following from scratch — they handle the marketing, so you can focus on creating great content. You can reach millions of potential students, and Udemy makes setting up your course quick and easy. Plus, they take care of the details like payments, refunds, and platform support, so you can focus on teaching.

Key Features

• Large User Base. Access to millions of active learners worldwide.
• Course Creation Tools. Easy curriculum builder with support for videos, quizzes, and downloadable resources.
• Built-in Marketing and SEO. Tools to optimize your course visibility and reach more students.
• Revenue Management. Automated payment processing and access to analytics to track earnings and performance.

Pricing: No fee to create and host a course on Udemy.

How To Create Course on Udemy?

1. Create a Udemy account to access the course creation platform.
2. Outline the content, learning objectives, and target audience for your course.
3. Use Udemy's curriculum builder to organize your course into sections and lectures.
4. Add videos, PDFs, quizzes, and other resources to each lecture in the curriculum. * Note: Your course must contain a minimum of 5 lectures and at least 30 minutes of video content.
5. Choose a pricing tier for your course or set it as free; apply discounts as desired.
6. Add keywords to your course title, description, and tags to improve visibility on Udemy.
7. Submit your course for review, publish it, and leverage Udemy's marketplace and promotional tools to reach students.
8. Answer questions, provide feedback, and encourage reviews to improve your course's success.
9. Track your course’s performance, sales, and ratings using Udemy’s analytics dashboard.
10. Regularly update course content based on feedback to keep it relevant and high-quality.

#7. Coursera – Online Course Platform for University-Level Education

Coursera is a top platform for creating and hosting online courses, especially if you’re focused on offering academic-quality content and credentials. They partner with universities and professional organizations, so your courses can get accredited and reach a global, motivated audience. Whether you're an expert or institution, Coursera provides all the resources to build high-quality courses with the credibility of official certificates. With structured programs and strong support for learners, Coursera makes it easy for instructors to offer professional-grade courses.

Key Features

• Accredited Partnerships. Collaborate with universities and companies for recognized credentials.
• Professional Course Tools. Comprehensive tools for creating interactive and in-depth learning experiences.
• Certificate Programs. Option for verified certificates and specializations to enhance course value.
• Analytics and Insights. Track learner progress and course effectiveness with detailed metrics.

Pricing: no fee whatsoever to be an instructor.

How To Create Course on Coursera?

1. Start by visiting Coursera’s Partner Portal to apply as an educator or institution and set up your account.
2. Once accepted, complete Coursera's onboarding process, which includes training on course creation standards and platform tools.
3. Outline the learning objectives, target audience, and course structure, aligning with Coursera’s guidelines for online education.
4. Plan your course syllabus, breaking down modules into individual lessons, assessments, and key learning outcomes.
5. Record and edit high-quality video lectures to cover each topic, using Coursera’s guidance for optimal delivery.
6. Create readings, quizzes, and interactive exercises to complement the lectures and deepen student engagement.
7. Design assignments, quizzes, and capstone projects that test understanding and allow students to apply their skills.
8. Choose between offering the course for free, as a paid course, or part of a specialization or degree program.
9. Interact with students via discussion forums, respond to questions, and provide feedback on assignments to enhance learning.
10. Receive revenue based on course enrollments, certifications, or Coursera for Business partnerships.

#8. SkillShare – Best Online Platform for Creative and Skill-Based Learning

Skillshare is one of the best online course hosting platforms for creatives and entrepreneurs looking to share their skills with a broad community of passionate learners. With a focus on project-based learning, Skillshare courses are easy to set up and highly engaging, making it perfect for artists, designers, and creators. The platform emphasizes short, engaging lessons that encourage hands-on learning, making it accessible and interactive. Skillshare's community-based approach also means you’ll get feedback and support from other creators, making it fun and collaborative.

Key Features

• Creative Focus. Perfect for creative fields like design, illustration, photography, and more.
• Project-Based Learning. Emphasis on practical, hands-on projects to engage learners.
• Community Interaction. Built-in support for class discussions and community feedback.
• Easy-to-Use Platform. Simplified tools for course creation and a friendly, informal teaching style.

Pricing: doesn’t charge creators to publish or host courses. 

How Does it Work?

1. Create a Skillshare teacher account or log in to start setting up your course.
2. Outline your course by writing detailed scripts or notes, using tools like Notion for organization.
3. Record your course content over a few days to maintain momentum, keeping sessions engaging and to the point.
4. Film a separate course introduction or trailer that highlights what students will learn, as required by Skillshare.
5. Ensure your course has at least 10 minutes of video content, good quality audio, and follows Skillshare’s promotional guidelines.
6. Create a new class on Skillshare, then upload each video to the platform, allowing time for the processing of each file.
7. Once all videos are uploaded and meet the guidelines, submit your course for publishing on Skillshare.
8. Register with Tipalti for payment, fill out tax information, and monitor views to start earning revenue per view on Skillshare.

Final Thought 

So, there you have it — eight of the best online course platforms with certificate tailored to a wide range of needs, whether you're creating for a corporate team, selling a unique skill, or building an online community. Each platform brings something different to the table, from the community-driven vibe on Mighty Networks to the marketing muscle of Kajabi.

If you're ready to dive into course creation, starting with a platform that balances flexibility and growth potential is key. EducateMe is a great pick, especially if you're looking to create corporate training courses or online academies that scale easily. With features like automation, detailed analytics, and seamless integrations, it can make the process smooth and scalable. Plus, you can even give it a spin with a free 14-day trial to see how it fits your needs.

Ready to share your knowledge and connect with learners? There’s never been a better time to get started!