E-Learning Platforms – Top 10 Providers Compared
Which learning platform is right for you? The following tables compare the ten most important online course providers for work, study, and leisure – with current prices, course numbers, and the points that really annoy you in everyday life. There are also separate tables for Programming, Marketing & Design, free university courses, and learning platforms for students. What E-Learning actually means is explained in a separate article. For companies, there is an extra list with the top learning platforms for corporate training.
The Top 10 E-Learning Platforms Compared
| Platform | Short Profile | Price | More Info |
|---|---|---|---|
 UdemyLargest course marketplace |
The largest open course marketplace in the world: around 290,000 courses from about 90,000 instructors, used by well over 84 million learners. Since May 11, 2026, Udemy has been part of Coursera – but the platform continues with its own catalog, own login, and own prices.
|
from approx. 15 €per course at promotion price (list prices up to 199 €); Personal subscription approx. 20 €/month with annual subscription | ReviewGo to provider* |
 CourseraUniversity courses & professional certificates |
The largest MOOC platform with courses from universities (Stanford, Yale, LMU) and companies. Particularly strong are the Professional Certificates from Google, IBM, Meta, and Microsoft. After the merger with Udemy, the group counts over 290 million learners.
|
from 29 € / monthwith annual subscription (348 €/year); no commitment 51 €/month, often limited-time discounts; individual courses from approx. 49 €, audit mode for individual courses free | ReviewGo to provider |
 LinkedIn LearningContinuing education at work |
The learning platform of the career network LinkedIn with over 20,000 courses on business, IT, software, and soft skills. Completed courses can be added to your own LinkedIn profile with one click.
|
approx. 20 € / monthwith annual subscription (approx. 240 €/year); monthly cancellable approx. 39 €; included in LinkedIn Premium Career | ReviewGo to provider* |
 SkillshareCreative & Design |
Subscription platform with over 32,000 courses on design, illustration, photography, video, animation, and self-employment. Each course includes a small project that is shown in the community.
|
approx. 14 $ / monthAnnual subscription 168 $, billed in US dollars; monthly up to 32 $/month depending on booking method | ReviewGo to provider* |
 edXNew in comparison |
Founded by Harvard and MIT, now part of 2U. Over 4,000 courses from more than 250 universities and companies – from computer science to natural sciences to management, including complete master's programs. |
- Around 3,000 courses can be audited for free
- Courses from renowned universities (MIT, Harvard, Berkeley)
- MicroMasters and online degrees possible
- Almost exclusively in English
- Free access is now time-limited
- Certificates cost extra (usually $50–300 – edX does not have its own euro price list)
Khan Academy
Completely free
Nonprofit learning platform for school and foundational knowledge: mathematics, computer science, natural sciences, economics, and history. The AI learning coach Khanmigo explains exercises step by step instead of just revealing the solution.
- All courses and exercises permanently free
- Very good practice system with progress tracker
- German translation by the association KA Deutsch e. V.
- Apps for Android and iOS
- German content lags behind the English original
- No offering for professional continuing education
- Khanmigo costs extra and is only available in English
Blinkist
Non-fiction books in 15 minutes
Not a classic course provider, but a knowledge app from Berlin: non-fiction books and podcasts are prepared as 15-minute summaries (“Blinks”) for reading and listening. Since 2023, Blinkist has belonged to the Australian continuing education provider Go1.
- Over 7,500 titles, a large portion of them in German
- A free title every day
- App with download and read-aloud function
- Ideal for commuting and sports
- Summaries do not replace a book or a course
- German titles are significantly rarer than English ones
italki
Languages with real teachers
Marketplace for one-on-one video lessons: over 30,000 vetted teachers in more than 150 languages. You pay per hour – no subscription, no minimum commitment.
- Live lessons with native speakers
- Flexible scheduling, including evenings and weekends
- Affordable trial lessons to try it out
- Teacher’s price and level freely selectable
- Quality depends entirely on the teacher
- Credit system with fees when topping up
- No structured curriculum without your own planning
MasterClass
Courses by stars
Over 200 lavishly produced courses, taught by well-known personalities – Gordon Ramsay cooks, Martin Scorsese explains directing, Anna Wintour talks about leadership. More inspiration than training.
- Cinematic production, very pleasant to watch
- Instructors you would otherwise never get to see
- Download function in the app (from Plus subscription)
- 30-day satisfaction guarantee
- All courses in English, only subtitles in German
- No certificates, no exams
- Individual courses are no longer sold – subscription only
ZEIT Akademie
German-language & high-quality
The learning platform of ZEIT-Verlag: seminars with renowned professors on philosophy, history, psychology, rhetoric, and economics – entirely in German and with high production quality.
- Completely German-language – a rarity in this comparison
- Very high-quality video seminars
- Certificates of participation and accompanying materials
- Notable lecturers
- Comparatively small course offering
- Hardly any practical exercises, a lot of lecturing
- Expensive in relation to the number of courses
* Affiliate links: If you book something through them, I receive a small commission – the price does not change for you. The selection and ratings are independent of this and reflect my own assessment.
You are looking for continuing education for your team instead of yourself? Then the article about the top E-Learning providers for companies will help.
Free Courses from Universities and Institutions
If you don't want to take out a subscription, you'll find full-fledged courses at no charge from these providers. If anything, you only pay for the certificate.
| Plattform | Kurzprofil | Preis | Mehr dazu |
|---|---|---|---|
 openHPINew in comparison |
The MOOC platform of the Hasso Plattner Institute in Potsdam – the best German-language address for IT topics. Courses run over two to six weeks with videos, self-tests, and exercises.
|
freeall courses and certificates free; paid certificate with identity verification currently not offered | Free coursesGo to provider |
 FutureLearnBritish universities |
British MOOC platform with over 300 partners – including universities, the British Library, and the National Archives. The structure is heavily geared towards discussion in the learning group.
|
freetemporary; certificate or permanent access paid, unlimited subscription approx. 240 €/year (price displayed based on IP address) | Go to provider |
 Google ZukunftswerkstattMoved |
Google's free continuing education offer on online marketing, AI, cloud, and digital basic skills. Important: The offer has moved from
|
freeGoogle Career Certificates via Coursera (approx. 51 €/month or 348 €/year in Coursera Plus subscription), scholarships possible | Go to provider |
A much longer list of free offers can be found in the article on the free online courses and continuing education with certificate.
Learning platforms for learning programming compared
| Plattform | Kurzprofil | Preis | Mehr dazu |
|---|---|---|---|
 freeCodeCampFree & non-profit |
Non-profit platform with twelve certifications from responsive web design over JavaScript to Data Science – completely free. New are the Certified Full-Stack Developer certification and a Systems Programming certification (C/C++), which will appear in 2026.
|
freepermanent and complete – funded through donations | Go to provider |
 CodecademyInteractive in the browser |
Practice programming directly in the browser – without installation. Python, JavaScript, Web Development, Java, SQL and Data Science. Codecademy has belonged to the continuing education group Skillsoft since 2022.
|
DataCamp
New
Specialist for data and AI: Python, R, SQL, Power BI, Machine Learning and generative AI – all interactive in the browser, in short units with direct code feedback.
- The first section of every course is free
- Very good introduction to data science and AI
- Career paths with certification
- Exercises run without local installation
- Only in English
- Little depth for advanced learners
- Very granular exercises with a lot of guidance
JetBrains Academy / Hyperskill
Project-based
Learning paths for Java, Python, Kotlin, Go, and Frontend – you build real projects from the start in the JetBrains development environment. Since December 2025, Hyperskill runs independently with its own plugin; the JetBrains Academy remains as a separate course offering.
- Practical development tasks instead of video consumption
- Projects can be published directly on GitHub
- Work in a professional IDE
- Free trial period
- English only
- No mobile app – a computer required
- Quite challenging for beginners without prior knowledge
Udacity
Nanodegrees
Known for the „Nanodegrees“ in Cloud Computing, Cybersecurity, Data Science, AI and autonomous driving. Udacity has been part of Accenture since May 2024 and is part of the continuing education division LearnVantage. Since October 2025, there is also an accredited Master's in AI.
- Very current topics from tech and AI
- Projects are evaluated by humans, not automatically
- Mentor and career support
- Strong connection to industry
- By far the most expensive platform here
- Only in English
- Focus is increasingly on corporate clients
WBS CODING SCHOOL
Bootcamp with Bildungsgutschein (education voucher)
Full-time bootcamps from WBS TRAINING SE (education provider since 1979) in UX/UI Product Design, Data Analytics, and Data Science. The programs are AZAV-certified and therefore eligible for funding via the Bildungsgutschein (education voucher) from the Agentur für Arbeit – practically free for job seekers.
- AZAV-certified, funded up to 100% with a Bildungsgutschein (education voucher)
- Programs in UX/UI Design, Data Analytics, and Data Science
- Full-time with a fixed schedule and support
- Part of the established WBS Group
- Very expensive without funding
- Full-time format – no way to learn at your own pace on the side
Marketing and Design Courses Compared
| Platform | Short Profile | Price | More Info |
|---|---|---|---|
SkillshareBest selection |
The go-to place for creatives: over 32,000 courses on illustration, graphic design, video, photography, animation, and freelancing – in the affordable annual subscription.
|
approx. 14 $ / monthAnnual subscription 168 $, billed in US dollars | Experience reportGo to provider* |
 DomestikaOne-time purchase instead of subscription |
Spanish platform for creatives with very well-produced courses on illustration, hand lettering, photography, 3D, and marketing. Courses are purchased individually and remain permanently available.
|
approx. 10–40 € / courseList price approx. 40 €, on sale regularly from approx. 10 € | ReviewGo to provider |
 Yes I’m a DesignerAdobe specialist |
Course offering from Adobe instructor Martin Perhiniak covering Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign. In addition to self-paced courses, there are multi-week live workshops ("Design Sprint") with feedback on real projects.
|
from $19 / monthPlus $35/month, Pro $67/month; US dollars only; YouTube content free | Go to provider |
 CreativeLiveBack online |
Platform for photography, video, music and business. CreativeLive was facing closure after canceling new registrations in May 2025, but was acquired by CourseHorse in December 2025 and has been running normally again since February 2026.
|
from $299 / yearCreator Pass on sale, regular $499/year; CreativeLive only bills in US dollars; individual courses approx. $50–200 | Go to provider |
Note: Ratings like "high course prices" reflect my personal assessment.
Learning platforms for students compared
| Platform | Profile | Price | More info |
|---|---|---|---|
Khan AcademyFree |
Mathematics, computer science and natural sciences – completely free, with videos, texts and a very good practice system. Levels and progress indicators provide motivation; the AI coach Khanmigo helps with tasks.
|
freeKhanmigo currently only with US billing address ($4/month) | Go to provider |
sofatutorGrades 1–13 |
The largest German provider for students: approx. 14,000 learning videos in 23 subjects for all grade levels, plus exercises, worksheets and a homework chat with real teachers.
|
from 11,99 € / monthwith 24 months prepayment; Base regular 179,88 €/year, Premium from 14,99 €/month or 239,88 €/year; cancelable monthly up to 39,99 € | Go to provider |
SchlaukopfPractice for free |
A huge knowledge quiz sorted by grade level, subject and federal state – usable without registration, in the browser and as an app. Ideal for quick quizzing before a test.
|
freePremium (ad-free, offline) 3,99 €/month or 23,99 €/year | Go to provider |
scoyoDiscontinued |
Lovingly animated learning worlds for grades 1 to 7 in math, German, English and natural sciences. Attention: scoyo has ceased operations and is no longer accepting new subscriptions. Existing subscriptions will continue for the time being according to scoyo until customers are informed.
|
–New sign-ups no longer possible | Go to provider |
YouTube remains the best free supplement. Recommended German-language learning channels:
- Mathe by Daniel Jung – Mathematics from middle school to university
- simpleclub – all main subjects, explained very compactly
- musstewissen – German, Math, History, Chemistry and Physics (funk)
- MrWissen2go – Politics, History and World Affairs
- Sommers Weltliteratur to go – Classics of literature in short form
Do you already know the article about free online courses and continuing education on this blog?
There is no single best platform – it depends on what you're planning:
- Specific topic, one-time purchase: Udemy or Domestika
- Recognized certificate: Coursera or edX
- Continuing education at work: LinkedIn Learning
- Creative and affordable: Skillshare
- Programming without a budget: freeCodeCamp or openHPI
- In German and high-quality: ZEIT Akademie
- Retraining with funding: WBS CODING SCHOOL with Bildungsgutschein (education voucher)
How do I find the right course?
- Read course reviews and check the preview or the table of contents.
- Use free trial periods and money-back guarantees – almost all providers here offer one.
- With subscription providers, think in advance whether you can really complete several courses per year. Otherwise, single purchases are cheaper.
- Or read the reviews here on the website. :)
