Best Online Courses — every ranking, by use case and budget
Every platform here was paid for with our own card. We enrolled in the same three courses on each, finished them, and checked what the certificate is actually worth. Scores are locked before any affiliate link is added.
By use case indexed
In-depth online courses reviews
Coursera
University and employer courses with certificates employers recognise, and degrees from accredited universities — the platform we would choose for a career move
Read Coursera ReviewedX
MIT, Harvard and Berkeley courses you can audit free, with verified certificates and MicroMasters that count toward real master's degrees
Read edX ReviewDataCamp
Browser-based coding exercises for Python, R, SQL and AI with instant feedback — the best way we found to actually learn data skills
Read DataCamp ReviewUdemy
The biggest catalogue anywhere — 250,000 courses — bought one at a time for a few dollars on sale, with lifetime access
Read Udemy ReviewLinkedIn Learning
Short, professional courses on software and business skills with certificates that post straight to your LinkedIn profile
Read LinkedIn Learning ReviewCodecademy
Interactive coding lessons with career paths for front-end, back-end and data — the friendliest first step into programming
Read Codecademy ReviewMasterClass
Beautifully produced classes from famous practitioners — inspiring to watch, not a way to acquire a skill
Read MasterClass ReviewSkillshare
Short project-based classes in illustration, design, photography and video from working creatives
Read Skillshare ReviewGuides that send readers to these rankings
Which Online Course Certificates Do Employers Actually Recognise?
Three tiers of certificate, from a degree to a completion badge, and where each platform sits.
Coursera vs Udemy: Which Is Right for You?
The two biggest platforms solve different problems. A one-page decision.