20 Best Free e-learning platforms (2024 Top List)

E-learning has been introduced as a modern type of education. It grants freedom and availability to students from all over the world. The need for online courses has emerged, and identifying the best free e-learning platform has become significant. These platforms enable you to learn new skills and build a knowledge base. They even help you gain certification from the comfort of your home, without setting foot in a classroom. 

As many free e-learning service providers are available, making the right selection can be challenging. At the same time, all platforms provide different facilities to meet the needs of students. They offer different approaches to learning. Hence, if you want extra academic help, you should train yourself in a new sphere. You also need to develop educational content; the proper platform is vital. Here is your ultimate guide to e-learning: how to find your best free e-learning platforms in 2024. 

Once you know what makes a platform special, you can search for the best free e-learning platform that meets your educational goals. These interactive online courses with easy-to-use interfaces are some of the tools you can find on these platforms. They can be helpful in your learning process. Whether this is your first time using a platform or you want to learn more, choosing the right platform can help. 

I. Why use the free e-learning platform? 

Online facilities are available in the public domain. Popular free e-learning has become a fundamental necessity and a faster method of education and career building. These platforms are offered for any subject. Practically, anyone from around the world with an internet connection can learn. 

Among the major benefits of having the best free e-learning platform is that you can learn on your own time. For a student, a working adult, or anyone who wants to learn but might not have time. The various platforms accommodate learning into your busy schedules.  Thus, this prompted approach enables you to go through the subject material as much as necessary for mastery. 

Indeed, this is very useful because free e-learning platforms are easy to access. They credibly differentiate themselves from conventional schooling styles, which entail enrollment physically, time, and resources. The best free e-learning platform can be accessed in almost any part of the world. This eradicates barriers to learning prescriptions because one cannot be able to attend personal classes physically due to one reason or another. 

Open-source e-learning sites also provide dissimilar choices of classes from hard-core technical fields such as computer programming and statistical analysis. In more artistic fields, such as photography and news writing, there is something to satisfy everyone. It helps the learners to sample several fields and gain new interests, yet they don’t have to take several expensive courses. 

Besides, the best free e-learning platform promotes the culture of learning as everyone gets a chance to learn something new. Considering today’s world is full of technology, keeping up with the latest updates is vital. Due to the available free e-learning platforms, it is easy to keep up-to-date and polish oneself for the workplace. 

In general, free-of-charge educational platforms are a major advantage for individuals and employers’ employment. It provides a variety of educational classes, customization, and an available chance to shift knowledge without the need to pay for formal education.

II. What does an online e-learning platform cost? 

The price of an internet-based e-learning platform can greatly differ. The price that must be paid depends on the features and content, as well as the kind of e-learning platform. Numerous platforms provide free courses with basic information. Certain courses require a nominal fee, while others require certifications. Cost factors such as the following are crucial. If you have intentions of looking for a free e-learning platform to join, you must ensure that it is the right one to join. 

In general, online e-learning platforms can be categorized into three main pricing models: 

• Free access: Most platforms offer many courses you can take for free. These platforms will suit learners who do not wish to spend any money searching for the best e-learning platforms. However, some of those may be paid. For extra functions, for example, the certificate of course completion or content that is available in full only to paid subscribers. 

• Subscription-based: Certain e-learning platforms exist based on mostly monthly, annual user fees to allow access to given tutorials. Subscriptions to these sites may come at a cost. It depends on the company, from 3.99 USD to 39 USD monthly. Although these platforms are not completely free, most provide trial versions or limited use for free. Therefore, they can be used by anyone who wants more than just the best free e-learning platform. 

• Pay-per-course: The other familiar pricing strategy is the per-course model, where the learners pay for the courses, they intend to take. The price of courses can be as low as 2 USD and as high as 399 USD, according to their difficulty level and length. These platforms can hardly be mentioned as the best free e-learning platforms. They can provide useful content if necessary. 

Before selecting the best free e-learning platform, we must look at the cost facet and the worth facet. So, some free services can provide content of the same quality as the paid ones. Some services can provide primary content free of charge but offer additional functions for a fee. This way, knowing the costs of operating and the necessary options, you can make the right choice for the learning process. 

III. 20 best free e-learning platforms to keep an eye  

Entering the world of e-learning, one might get lost in a sea of possibilities. Here are the top free e-learning platforms for learners wanting to improve themselves without overpaying. Here’s a detailed look at each platform:

1. Coursera

Learners looking for a university-style learning platform should go for Coursera, which was started by Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller. 

Key Features: 

• Courses from top universities and institutions. 

• Availability of recorded lectures, homework, and peer research papers. 

• Option to gain certificates for the programs and specialized training. 

• Most of the courses offered at this institution are audited freely; however, there is a certification fee.

2. edX

Developed by Harvard University and MIT, edX is for people expecting a vast amount of academic content and certificates. 

Key Features: 

• Anyone can take and enroll in the university-level classes. 

• Other certificates are available and can be purchased for some amount of money. 

• MicroMasters programs also have certificates, and these are also valid. 

• Discussion forums and practical projects are integrated to create interaction. 

• Lectures from such reputable universities as Harvard and MIT.

3. Udemy

Udemy is an online education portal that was started by Eren Bali, Gagan Biyani, and Oktay Caglar and is designed for learners looking for virtually any subject. 

Key Features: 

• There is an amazing library of courses that is filled with completely or partially free classes. 

• Access to the courses the user bought. 

• The activity of users to rate and provide other feedback could be used to select quality content. 

• Training is designed with the help of industry specialists and tutors.

4. Khan Academy

Salman Khan embarked on launching Khan Academy for students of all levels, especially in core areas. 

Key Features: 

• Fun, detailed, and mainly academic lessons in various fields, including numeracy, science, and economics. 

• Quizzes and teaching videos. 

• Smart planner for individual students’s results and achievements. 

• Islamic resources for the two: students and teachers.

5. LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning was originally known as Lynda.com. LinkedIn Learning was started by Lynda Weinman. It is intended for anyone who wants to further their career and education within their field of practice. 

Key Features: 

• The availability of thousands of professional courses. 

• Training in business, information technology, arts and creative skills. 

• LinkedIn profile integration to present the courses that a learner has taken. 

• Trial rights, with paid rights being available for any restricted information.

6. FutureLearn

Funded by The Open University and SEEK Ltd, FutureLearn is fit for learners who want to learn as and when it suits them, perhaps through a more diverse package. 

Key Features: 

• Scholarly courses from universities and specialty organizations. 

• Social learning through discussion forums and discussions with peers. 

• You get the basic version of what this domain name offers for free. 

• You have the option to buy a certificate and upgrade for more features. 

• Subjects include business, health, and information technology, among other fields.

7. Alison

Launched by Mike Feerick, Alison is aimed more at those seeking vocational learning and free certification. 

Key Features: 

• Availability of several courses and study resources retrieved through open access. 

• Choices of free and paid certificates and diplomas 

• In business, technology, and health courses from different academic levels. 

• Assessment quizzes and exams consisted of.

8. Google Digital Garage

Google established Google Digital Garage for learners interested in digital marketing, technology, and data skills, among others. 

Key Features: 

• Free courses are available in digital marketing, data analysis, and others.  

• Courses can be done from home and have certification to prove it.  

• Programs created by specialists in their respective fields. 

• Activities and examples to use acquired competencies.

9. Skillshare

Michael Karnjanaprakorn and Malcolm Ong propose Skillshare to meet the needs of creative workers and amateurs who need project-based learning. 

Key Features:  

• Availability of a portion of creative lessons and lectures for free. 

• Souci community and discussion of the class.  

• Lectures in, for instance, design, photography, and writing.  

• A chance to practically revise what has been learned.

10. OpenLearn

Initiated by The Open University, OpenLearn is for learners in the quest for university-standard material that is free for use. 

Key Features:  

• Any of the full series of videos and reading materials favored by the instructors.  

• From the Open University, Courses  

• It contains topics of virtually every field of study, including the sciences and the liberal arts. 

• Credit and distance learning courses are freely open to anyone interested.  

• More courses on campus are offered without requiring registration.

11. Codecademy

Considering it was created by Zach Sims and Ryan Bubinski. Codecademy is a platform for learners to get interactive coding tutorials for people interested in programming or related fields. 

Key Features:  

• A list of free interactive services consisting of coding lessons in multiple programming languages.  

• Experience accompanied by feedback provided as soon as possible.  

• Web development course, big data and analytics course, and many more.  

• You can avail yourself of the Pro version of the website to get more features and join more projects.

12. HubSpot Academy 

Marketing, sales, and customer service professionals could learn at HubSpot Academy, founded by HubSpot. 

Key Features:  

• Open courses on digital marketing, sales planning, and customer relationship management. 

• Options that can be seen once courses are finished. 

• Online lessons presented by experts and related quizzes and scenarios. 

• Some of the intended learning outcomes included practical usage of the various tools in HubSpot integration.

13. TED-Ed 

TED Conferences developed TED-Ed for visually inclined individuals who want to learn via videos. 

Key Features:  

• Nonprofit resources share presenters’ educational videos and animations on several subjects.  

• Lesson plans and a set of further questions for class discussion. 

• Articles produced by authors who are teachers and TED talkers. 

• Interesting and fun teaching aids.

14. MIT OpenCourseWare

MIT OpenCourseWare is a project developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology or MIT. It provides advanced students with free, university-level materials. 

Key Features:  

• MIT course content is available online; this includes lecture notes and assignments.  

• Primarily, it is the courses from many departments of MIT.  

• No registration is necessary, and joining this assembly is easy.  

• Additional references are provided for self-learning and enhancement of the given course.

15. Academic Earth 

Launched by Richard Ludlow Academic Earth is for students looking for university courses by topic. 

Key Features:  

• Massive open online courses from the world’s foremost universities. 

• Various topics: business, science, humanities, etc.  

• Combined classes for courses make them easily accessible.  

• It encompasses video lectures and other related course materials that may be used on certain topics. 

16. Open Culture 

Having left Dan Colman’s other projects behind to focus solely on OC, he aimed to bring many educational media to Open Culture. 

Key Features:  

• Internet streaming of college courses, audible books, films, and learning foreign languages for free. 

• Rainbow collection of academic materials. 

• Texts of various universities and institutions.  

• Access to free information in culture and education.

17. Harvard Online Learning 

To satisfy those who wanted academic material with accreditation from Harvard University, Harvard University developed Harvard Online Learning. 

Key Features:  

• Lectures and courses by the faculty of Harvard are free  

• Computer science, humanities, and data science are some of the examples where distance learning courses can be conducted.  

• It also permits users to get certificates after passing the tests at a price.  

• You can download the course and lectures even without registering or being enrolled.

18. Saylor Academy 

Saylor Academy is an online learning institution developed by Michael Saylor. It is self-paced for students in need of free, structured courses. 

Key Features:  

• Open classes where a student can choose to pay for certification at the end of the course.  

• Exploration at one’s own pace with detailed instructions. 

• This Dutch academic repository covers subjects as different as business and computer science.  

• Guaranteed openness of the courses without having to pay for enrollment fees.

19. Stanford Online 

That is why Stanford University developed the Stanford Online platform to provide postgraduate education from a prestigious university. 

Key Features:  

• Stanford University course free of charge  

• Assignments related to areas of interest, including artificial intelligence, health, and engineering, among other interests.  

• Ability to view lecture videos and other materials for the course.  

• The credit accumulation available for some programs and courses can be certified. 

20. Class Central 

Class Central was launched by Dhawal Shah. It is a platform for the list of all free online courses for learners. 

Key Features:  

• Crawls through the web, gathering free courses from universities and other learning platforms.  

• Online, easily searchable database that contains consumer reports and opinions of the service.  

• Categorized by subject and institution and then by type of book.  

• Access to the links with course information that enable users to enroll in the courses directly. 

All these are among the best free e-learning platforms in 2024. They provide many learning activities to interest learners while satisfying their learning needs. These platforms help you achieve great results in all endeavors. Whether for academic purposes, career professionalism, or even self-enhancement. These are achieved without spending a dime, usually seen in schools.

Also read: 15+ Best Online e learning platforms to choose (Update 2024)

IV. Adamo – A trusted partner for providing an all-in-one eLearning platform

If you are searching for the best free e-learning platform to be built, do not think twice about approaching us. Adamo is one of the names that you can rely on. Adamo has been in business for over a decade as a software developer. We have completed all our projects, while our clients have a satisfaction rate of 90% on average. The commitment to quality and excellence places Adamo in a position to support educational institutions and corporations that aim at developing compounded e-learning systems. 

What sets Adamo apart from other companies is that we will create platforms and offer consulting, design, development, and maintenance solutions. You are designing a new free e-learning platform or revamping an existing one. We shall be at your service and see that it meets your requirements and ideals. 

One thing that makes Adamo stand out from our competitors is the company’s provision of level solutions for certain needs. We can develop the most effective free learning environment. The platforms can affect corporate training, course academic learning, and other teaching and training needs. They are meant to be easy to use, expandable, and function rich. Their functions include elements such as the ability to include more engaging media and real-time data and integration with other applications. 

Regarding competitiveness in the market, relationship selection constitutes a significant decision. With years of experience and a success rate of satisfaction and assurance, Adamo is perfect for your e-learning platform business. But when you choose Adamo, you are not just buying software but a true business partner who will do everything to make the educational experiences innovative and successful.