Online Courses

The 5 at a glance

Our 5 picks, ranked

1. Rank 1

   Coursera

   University and industry courses with certificates you can add to your CV.

   Best forCareer changers and anyone who wants recognized certificates

   What it does

   Coursera offers thousands of courses and certificate programs from universities and companies. You can watch many courses for free, and pay only if you want the certificate or graded work.

   Strengths

   • Huge range: business, tech, data, health, languages and more
   • Courses from well-known universities and companies
   • Many courses can be audited for free
   • Coursera Plus gives unlimited access for one price

   Good to know: Certificates and graded work need a paid plan, and individual courses are priced separately from Coursera Plus.

2. Rank 2

   DataCamp

   Learn data skills by writing real code, step by step.

   Best forBeginners and professionals learning Python, SQL, data and AI

   What it does

   DataCamp teaches data analysis and AI skills through short lessons with exercises you complete right in your browser. It has guided career tracks, so you always know what to learn next.

   Strengths

   • Hands-on exercises instead of just watching videos
   • Focused on data, Python, SQL and AI
   • Clear learning paths for beginners
   • A free plan lets you try the first chapter of every course

   Good to know: Annual plans are billed upfront and usually can’t be refunded, and prices have changed a few times this year, so check before you buy.

3. Rank 3

   Skillshare

   Thousands of practical classes for creative and everyday skills.

   Best forCreative hobbies and practical skills like design, writing and photography

   What it does

   Skillshare is a membership with a very large library of short, project-based classes taught by working creators and professionals.

   Strengths

   • Huge library covering design, illustration, writing, photography and more
   • Short classes you can finish in a weekend
   • Project-based learning
   • Offline viewing in the mobile app

   Good to know: It mainly sells yearly memberships, and it does not give completion certificates.

4. Rank 4

   Scrimba

   Learn to code in an interactive player where you can edit the lesson itself.

   Best forBeginners learning web development, JavaScript and React

   What it does

   Scrimba teaches coding with interactive video lessons. You can pause at any moment and edit the teacher’s code right inside the player, then run it yourself.

   Strengths

   • Pause and edit the instructor’s code directly in the lesson
   • A free tier with complete courses, including React
   • Guided learning paths for web development
   • Pro plan adds more courses and certificates

   Good to know: It focuses on coding only, so it is not the right choice if you want other subjects.

5. Rank 5

   MasterClass

   Learn from famous experts in beautifully produced classes.

   Best forCurious people who want inspiration from top names in their field

   What it does

   MasterClass offers over 200 video classes taught by well-known experts in areas such as cooking, writing, business, music and more.

   Strengths

   • High-quality, cinematic video production
   • Wide range of topics from famous teachers
   • Easy to watch on TV, phone or computer
   • 30-day money-back guarantee

   Good to know: It is billed yearly only and renews automatically, and it does not give completion certificates.