Eight great sites that offer online classes (2024)

If you’ve already streamed your favorite series for the third time, and you’ve hit a wall with your latest game, what should you do while you’re sheltering at home? Well, maybe pick up a new skill or hobby by taking a class.

There is a huge number of courses available online, from coding to history to languages, and a lot of different resources to choose from. Below, we’ve listed some of the major sites where you can find online classes, some you can attend in real time and others you can pop into at your leisure.

While many of these websites charge fees for memberships or specific classes, we’ve indicated which ones also offer free courses.

Eight great sites that offer online classes (1)

Eight great sites that offer online classes (2)

Code Academy offers courses on computer science, data science, and web development. You can sign up for the free plan, which gives you access to 25 courses, or you can opt for the Pro level for $19.99 a month, which comes with 65 courses as well as exercises, quizzes, and projects. Signing up for the Pro subscription also gets you access to Code Academy’s “paths,” class sequences that can help you prepare for a specific career or learn a specific skill.

Eight great sites that offer online classes (3)

Eight great sites that offer online classes (4)

Coursera is one of the most well-known platforms for online classes, and its catalog is so extensive that you could even complete a degree on the site. It hosts courses from institutions and organizations, including Google, Stanford, and, more recently, MoMA in a broad range of subjects. You can join Coursera for free, and you can audit many of the classes for free, but you will have to pay if you want a course certificate, to submit assignments, or get grades. Some courses have a one-time fee, or you can pay a monthly subscription fee to access a related set of courses, called a “Specialization.” You can also pay a yearly subscription fee for Coursera Plus, which gives you access to and allows you to earn certificates for most of Coursera’s classes. (Here’s a full list.)

Eight great sites that offer online classes (5)

Eight great sites that offer online classes (6)

edX was founded by Harvard and MIT, and it partners with other universities, including Berkeley, Brown, and Cornell, to provide courses online. The site has a broad variety of classes, including subjects that range from data sciences to the arts and humanities. Most courses are available for free, but you will typically have to pay between $50 and $300 to be able to submit assignments for feedback and to receive a certificate.

Eight great sites that offer online classes (7)

Eight great sites that offer online classes (8)

If you really want to take a Harvard course, the university lists its online courses on its website. (These listings link to edX, which is where you can take the class.) Harvard offers courses on a variety of subjects; the classes go from two to over 12 weeks. The site lets you easily filter the results to find free courses. The paid courses cost anywhere from $30 to over $3,000, and if you want a certificate to prove you’ve finished a free course, that will come with an additional fee. (The ones we looked at ranged from $49 to $169.)

Eight great sites that offer online classes (9)

Eight great sites that offer online classes (10)

Kadenze offers courses on art and technology — everything from graphic design to preparing for a career in media to learning an instrument. While some of these courses are created by Kadenze, others come from institutions such as the Maryland Institute College of Art, Berklee College of Music, Stanford, and Columbia. You can sign up for the free subscription, which allows you to enroll in the courses, but you can’t submit assignments or receive college credit. To get access to additional course content, submit assignments, and receive grades, you can sign up for the Premium plan, which costs $20 a month. In order to earn credit for the course, you’ll have to pay $300 per credit on top of that monthly subscription fee.

Eight great sites that offer online classes (11)

Eight great sites that offer online classes (12)

Khan Academy is a nonprofit designed as a resource to support students from preschool through high school, and it offers all of its courses for free. It includes courses in math, science, and engineering, as well as in the arts and humanities. It does offer some courses that may be useful for people who are no longer students, such as career advice, entrepreneurship, personal finance, and MCAT and LSAT test prep.

Eight great sites that offer online classes (13)

Eight great sites that offer online classes (14)

Like Kadenze, Skillshare offers courses mainly in the arts, with classes in animation, music, photography, and creative writing, but also offers instruction in business, technology, and marketing. Its course catalog is intended to encourage creativity and help people build creative skills into careers. Skillshare has a number of courses available for free, but to access the full catalog of courses, you have to pay for a premium membership of either $19 a month or $99 a year.

Eight great sites that offer online classes (15)

Eight great sites that offer online classes (16)

Udemy has a collection of 100,000 courses available, most of which tend to be career-focused, with subjects such as finance and accounting, office productivity, programming, and marketing. However, Udemy also offers courses on subjects such as music, lifestyle, personal development, and health and fitness. While most of Udemy’s courses have a fee associated, you can filter your results to see the courses Udemy offers for free; however, you won’t earn a certificate or be able to communicate with the instructor like you would in a paid course.

Eight great sites that offer online classes (2024)

FAQs

Which is the best site for online courses? ›

Top 10 Online Course Providers
  • EdX – Best Course Variety.
  • FutureLearn – Best for Accelerated Courses.
  • Coursera – Best for Credentials.
  • Udacity – Best for IT Courses.
  • Codecademy – Best for Coding Courses<
  • HubSpot Academy – Best for Marketing Courses.
  • Udemy – Best for Business Courses.
Nov 29, 2023

Which online certification is most recognized? ›

Which online certification is most valued?
  • Cybersecurity Courses.
  • Data Science And Big Data.
  • Artificial Intelligence And Machine Learning.
  • Digital Marketing.
  • Web Design Certificate Programs.
  • Google Analytics Certifications.
  • Coding Languages And Computer Science Online Certificate Programs.
  • Aws Certifications.

Who is the best for online classes? ›

Top Online Colleges
RankSchool NameFinancial Aid Available
#1University at Buffalo--SUNYYes
#2University of FloridaYes
#3University of Illinois--ChicagoYes
#4 (tie)Arizona State UniversityYes
12 more rows

What is the best website for free online courses? ›

Top 7 Free Online Course Providers
  • EdX – Best Overall.
  • Coursera – Best Language Variety.
  • FutureLearn – Best for STEM Courses.
  • Codecademy – Best for Coding Courses.
  • Udacity – Best for IT Courses.
  • Memrise – Best for Foreign Language Courses.
  • Udemy – Best for Business Courses.
Nov 10, 2022

Which website is best for free online courses with certificates? ›

While Coursera, edX, Udemy, Google and Great Learning offers loads of free online courses with certificates, do have a look at Alison, NPTEL and others.

What is the easiest online certification to get? ›

Easy certifications to obtain
  1. Information technology (IT) certifications. ...
  2. Human resources certifications. ...
  3. Language certifications. ...
  4. First aid certifications. ...
  5. Project management certifications. ...
  6. Software certifications. ...
  7. Government certifications. ...
  8. Notary public certification.
Mar 15, 2024

Do employers take online certificates seriously? ›

Experts say employers are largely more interested in the person than the degree. They generally won't recognize immediately if that person's degree was obtained online or in person. Some schools are fully online while others offer online programs in addition to their traditional in-person options.

What certification pays the most without a degree? ›

15 high-paying jobs that don't require a degree
  • Airline and commercial pilot: $134,630.
  • Transportation, storage, and distribution manager: $105,580.
  • Elevator and escalator installer and repairer: $97,860.
  • Detectives and criminal investigator: $90,370.
  • Web developer: Web developer: $78,300.
  • Project coordinator: $74,670.
Jan 17, 2024

What is the #1 online college in the US? ›

Want an online degree that's:
SchoolOnline Enrollment
# 1#1 Southern New Hampshire University Online157,898
# 2#2 Western Governors University156,935
# 3#3 University of Phoenix88,738
# 4#4 Liberty University81,026
51 more rows

What is the easiest online college to get into? ›

The Easiest Online College Degree Programs
  • Brigham Young University-Idaho.
  • Academy of Art University.
  • Baker College.
  • University of Maryland University College.

Which online course has most value? ›

What Are The Most Profitable Online Courses?
  • Work From Home Business.
  • Influencer Marketing.
  • Machine Learning.
  • Artificial Intelligence.
  • Cybersecurity.
  • Programming.
  • Blockchain.
  • Cryptocurrency Investing.
Nov 22, 2023

What is the most popular online school app? ›

Top Education Apps Ranking on 15 April
Usage RankApp and Publisher
11ClassDojoClassDojo
22Duolingo: Language LessonsDuolingo
33Canvas StudentInstructure
44Google ClassroomGoogle LLC
46 more rows

What is the difference between wondrium and the great courses? ›

What is the difference between Wondrium and The Great Courses? Wondrium allows you to stream a curated collection of courses produced by The Great Courses. You can purchase digital downloads and DVDs of individual courses at thegreatcourses.com. How often will you add new content?

Which is better coursera or Udemy? ›

In summary, Coursera offers a range of certificates, from single courses to full degrees, many of which carry academic weight and accreditation. Udemy, meanwhile, provides completion certificates that are great for personal growth and demonstrating your learning journey, though they lack formal accreditation.

Are free online courses really free? ›

MOOCs are free, but they may charge for certain features, like certificates of completion. For example, while edX users can audit courses for free, verified track participants pay about $50 to $300 per course.

Is Udemy certificate valid? ›

Can I use Udemy certificates for formal accreditation? Udemy is not an accredited institution. Certificates demonstrate skills and accomplishments, but they cannot be used for formal accreditation.

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