What Are The Best Online Learning Platforms For Freelancers? 9 Best Places to Learn Freelancing Skills

Upskilling as a freelancer is nonnegotiable. It is the only way for you to improve your skills and provide high-quality service for your clients. If you are new to freelancing, learning through online courses is the best way to acquire knowledge and skills to help you understand how to work for your clients.

The internet has opened up many avenues for more online learning platforms with thousands of courses, both free and paid. As a result, online learning has gained immense popularity among people who want to learn at their convenience.  If you want to sharpen your skills or gain the know-how to start your freelancing career, this article will share the best online platforms for freelancers.

What are Online Learning Platforms?

An online platform is a portal or website that hosts educational resources on different topics. The platforms provide the required information on a subject, and learners can learn at their own pace and complete a test at the end to qualify for a certificate. It provides a good platform for people to learn new skills or improve their knowledge.

The courses can be in different formats, such as video, text, web-based courses, assignments, and quizzes, arranged systematically in sections or chapters.

9 Best Online Learning Platforms for Freelancers

There is no shortage of information on the internet. It can get confusing to know the right one to choose from, as every platform has its own unique features. Let’s look at some of the best online learning platforms to consider.

1.LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning is one of the best online learning platforms, offering high-quality online courses from influential leaders in the industry. You can get courses in everything from copywriting to editing, SEO, and web design.

Unlike Udemy and Skillshare, the instructors are more strictly vetted. Once you complete a course, you can download the certificate and add it to your LinkedIn profile. The downside is that some employers may not recognize the certificates from LinkedIn Learning. However, they are good enough to boost your freelancing skills.

2. edX

With edX, you can access free online courses from top-ranked universities and organizations worldwide. It provides formal, self-paced education and partners with some of the top universities in the world, such as Harvard and MIT. You can take IT, data sciences, business, and linguistics courses.

The courses are of high quality, and the certificate of completion is recognized. Furthermore, most of the courses are free, and you can apply for financial aid for paid courses.

3. Coursera

Coursera is one of the most prestigious online learning platforms with bachelor’s, master’s, and certificate programs from accredited academic institutions. Most of the courses are related to the health sciences and computer science. However, you can also get communications, cybersecurity, English, project management, and digital marketing courses. Coursera is ideal for freelancers who want to learn more in-depth and can afford to pay monthly or annual fees.

You can expect high-quality courses from professional professors in institutions that partner with Coursera.  Furthermore, the certificates of completion are recognized by many institutions and employers. The downside is that the courses may have start and end dates, so you may miss some. In addition, you only get a seven-day free trial, so you need to pay a monthly subscription to access the courses and get certificates.

4. Udemy

Udemy is one of the largest online learning platforms, with thousands of courses on various topics. Each course has its pricing model, but a few free online courses exist. Often, they have monthly offers that subsidize their courses or offer course bundles.

Udemy is ideal for freelancers who want to learn design, personal branding, marketing, programming, or freelance skills. The best part is that you will get a certificate at the end of the course, which you can add to your freelance portfolio. The downside is that since anyone can upload a course on Udemy, the material may not be well vetted, and some employers don’t recognize the certificates. Also, you need to pay for each course versus a membership plan on Skillshare or Coursera.

5. Skillshare

Skillshare is another popular online learning platform with thousands of courses, from web design and writing to social media marketing and video editing. The platform offers a subscription model where you can access all the courses you want by paying a monthly or annual subscription. It is ideal for anyone who wants to explore a variety of courses.

To get started for free, you can apply for the free trial and start learning. The downside is that Skillshare does not offer certificates for its courses. So, you can only use it to gain the required knowledge and not to get a certificate that you would use for a job application. Like Udemy, anyone can upload a course, so some courses may not be very good. However, it is still a good option since you don’t pay for each course separately.

6. Simplilearn

Simplilearn is another popular online learning platform with hundreds of courses for beginners and advanced levels. The platform offers certification courses for SEO, content marketing, special media marketing cybersecurity, and machine learning.

7. Alison

Alison is an online learning platform ideal for freelancers who want free online courses. Some of the best freelancer courses on Alison include copywriting, graphic design, blogging, video editing, and web design. You can also learn programming languages such as HTML and CSS.

The platform is absolutely free and can be a good place to add to your knowledge and learn at your own pace. However, if you want a certificate, you will be required to pay for each course that you do.

8. Udacity

Udacity is an online learning platform for freelancers who want to advance in technology. You can get courses in data science, digital skills, programming, artificial intelligence, and cloud computing.

9. YouTube

This list would not be complete without the mention of YouTube. It is ideal for you if you want free access to educational content. There are thousands of free tutorials on copywriting, affiliate marketing, web design, and social media marketing.

The downside is that you won’t get a certificate at the end of the courses. Furthermore, since anyone can create content there, some may not be at par with online learning platforms such as Coursera or LinkedIn Learning. However, it is a good start if you have a limited budget and want to start learning immediately.

FAQs

• Which site is best for online learning?

Some of the best sites for online learning include Udemy, Skillshare, LinkedIn Learning and Coursera.

• Which is better, Coursera or Udemy?

Both Udemy and Coursera are great online learning platforms. However, Udemy is higher rated than Coursera.

• Which website is best for free online certification courses?

The best sites for free online learning with certification include Simplilearn, Coursera, edX, Udemy, Google Skill Shop, and Alison. Most of these platforms provide free courses, but you may need to pay for certificates.

• Does Coursera give free certificates?

Initially, Coursera provided certificates for free. However, currently, you have to either apply for financial aid if you cannot afford to pay for the certificate or pay monthly to access all courses and get certificates.

• Is Udemy certificate recognized?

Udemy gives certificates of completion when you complete your online course online to prove that you have completed the course. Unfortunately, Udemy is not an accredited institution, and its certificates cannot be used for formal accreditation. However, some employers appreciate the value of online learning for freelancers as evidence that they have the required knowledge and skills.

Final Thoughts

Gone are the days when you had to be physically present in class to learn something. Online learning platforms have revolutionized access to education. They are a blessing to freelancers because they offer flexibility to learn at your own pace from wherever you are. These online learning platforms have both free and paid courses.

Don’t be confused and waste time contemplating which one to go for. Choose one course on the freelancing skill you want to acquire and take action immediately, and you’ll be on the way to becoming a top freelancer in your industry.

Which online platform have you tried before, and how was the experience? Let us know in the comments below.

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