The term “online educator” usually invokes images of a polished respected professor, a bestselling author, or a highly-paid speaker. Doubtless, someone who has studied and trained for years, perhaps decades. And whose name is recognized in their field.
And no doubt a person who is very different from you.
But you’ll be surprised. Sure, some online course creators are already known educators in their areas of expertise. But many more aren’t. I’ve met online educators of all shapes and sizes, all genders and ages, all nationalities and levels of expertise. In other words, people who look just like you and me.
In fact, you may have a profitable online course hiding out inside you.
So you are looking to sell online courses but confused by a large number of online course platforms?
In this post, I draw on my two decades of e-learning industry experience to highlight the best online learning platforms and help you narrow your list. It’s a great companion to my free platform selection guide.
(Psst. If you already have a platform, be sure to check out the next steps at the end of this post.)
Why is selecting an online course platform so tricky (and what makes it easier)?
One of the most important things to know about choosing the best online course software is that most platforms out there are not designed to sell online courses. They are made to deliver internal corporate training or to support academic programs.
Small Scale Online Course Platforms
The small scale is only in comparison to enterprise-level platforms such as those used by large companies or universities. These are hosted platforms geared toward solo trainers, independent consultants, “edupreneurs,” or small businesses that want a turnkey way to create their own branded site to sell online courses. Also, unlike other options in the space, they allow you full control over your user data.
While the feature may be relatively similar, they can be very different in their “look and feel” and how focused they are on helping online entrepreneurs succeed. They would need to provide adequate resources, educational content, and dependable support. Be sure to check out the free trial options, where available, so that you have a chance to test drive before committing.
My focus is to provide options that allow you, as an online course creator, full control. Below are two options I’ve used and am very happy with.
Teachable
Teachable got started because the founder was frustrated with Udemy, particularly with how Udemy controls information about and access to students. In response, the Teachable team has created a platform that enables you to offer online courses. These courses can be located “on your website, allowing you to control your branding, student data, and pricing all from one place.”
Thinkific
Thinkific provides a truly full-featured software solution to help you create, deliver, market, and sell your online courses. Similar to Teachable below, there is a free plan, but …
… an added bonus …
… Thinkific does not charge transaction fees on any of its plans, paid or free. You still don’t quite get to sell online courses for free because your payment processor – e.g., PayPal, Stripe – will charge you a transaction fee.