Hello there Sea Changers. Welcome back to my series of program lists to assist those of you looking to work with the online world with my 10 best online course development platforms to teach people some stuff with this year. And of course, as with anything to do with software, there are a lot of platforms to choose from.
Hence, choosing which one is the best for your needs can be quite a daunting process. So to assist you here is a list of the 10 best online course development platforms that I have found. Let's check them out.
- ClickFunnels
- Kajabi
- Thinkific
- teach:able
- Udemy
- Podia
- Learn Worlds
- Mighty Networks
- LearnDash
- Xperiencify
That's right! Wealthy Affiliate provided me with all of the tools and training I needed to get this post in front of my audience - a.k.a YOU!
You too can start your very own online business here that can make you money from anywhere in the world!!
Before we start however, let's have a look at what I mean by the term ‘online course development platform' and how it can assist you with your online endeavours.
10 Best Online Course Development Platforms
Ok, so keeping the above in mind, let's now have a look at the 10 programs I have found and run through them by looking at:
- What they offer
- Features
- Pricing
And for those of you working within the affiliate marketing space I will highlight program details as well.
1. ClickFunnels
Clickfunnels is an extremely well-known digital product for those looking to incorporate sales funnels into their online courses. They have built their popularity on the back of Russel Brunson’s books and some solid funnel building software that offers full end to end functionality including:
- Fully interactive and functional funnel building software
- Customer recording and management
- Sales processing
- Analytics and sales
- Email lists and sequences
When it comes to online courses, ClickFunnels provides a ‘Membership' section allowing for the creation of online courses. From here, users can:
- Create lessons and menus
- Add content ether directly onto the page or as a downloadable file
- Establish access credentials and requirements
- Manage payments and subscriptions
Pricing
Click Funnels offers a free trial option with ongoing pricing in two tiers is as follows:
Affiliate program
The Clickfunnels affiliate program pays 40% plus upsell commissions on all new products purchased (via their sticky cookies) with a number of entry options for new prospective members. Access is included with your Clickfunnels subscription.
2. Kajabi
Kajabi is another program well known for the creation of online courses, coaching services and podcasts etc. with added ‘pipeline’ capabilities to manage sales and marketing as well. This includes the incorporation of:
- Online Courses
- Coaching
- Podcasts
- Memberships
- Communities
Within these functions, there is ability to create course and add content, videos and audio fiIes either embedded within the software or as a download. There is also the ability to manage progression and membership access as well. I use this program myself for my own training courses and have found the functionality extremely effective.
Pricing
After a free 14-day trial, Kajabi’s pricing options are as follows:
Affiliate program
“Kajabi Partners” are paid a 30% lifetime commission for each new member they refer. Application is via the website.
3. Thinkific
With a mission to “revolutionize the way people learn and earn online by giving them the tools they need to turn their expertise into a sustainable business that impacts both them and their audience”, Thinkific offers a complete suite of online course creation options for users and developers of all levels including:
- Course builder
- Self paced and scheduled classes
- Live lessons
- Multimedia
- Phone apps
- Completion certifications
Additionally, they include functionality to allow users to manage the end to end processes of online course creation including:
- Website and landing page creators
- Sales and marketing
- Online interaction and engagement with learners
Pricing
Thinkific offers a free ‘test drive' option with ongoing pricing as follows:
Affiliate program
The Thinkific affiliate program offers a 30% lifetime recurring commission on all monthly or annual paid
4. teach:able
teach:able is an online platform allowing users to create and sell their own online courses and/or coaching services in whatever subject they choose. This includes:
- Domain linkage
- Course creator and editor
- Integration tools
- Sales and use tracking
As with most sites listed here, there are opportunities here across any number of niches as well as those assisting others to create their own courses.
Pricing
teach:able offers a limited function free version and then the following pricing options:
Affiliate program
The teach:able affiliate program pays a 30% commission per subscription signup. Application is via Commission Junction.
5. Udemy
Udemy is an online training marketplace – meaning that freelance training developers can create and publish content for users to purchase and use. There are over 100,000 online courses containing multiple video lectures, online Q&A and some downloadable written content. Each course is purchased separately and is available permanently i.e. no need to repurchase after a certain time frame. Categories of courses available include (with some examples – there are plenty of others):
- Development – software, websites, apps.
- Business – strategy, finance, management
- IT and Software – hardware, software platforms
- Office Productivity – software
- Personal Development – productivity, self-esteem, leadership
- Design – web design, graphic design, clothing design
- Marketing – social media, strategic marketing, affiliate marketing
- Lifestyle – pets, sport, travel, arts and crafts
- Photography – types of photography, digital, film
- Health and Fitness – nutrition, general sports, yoga
- Music – promotion, software, techniques
- Teaching and Academic – maths, science, language
Pricing
Udemy is free to join with payments made on the courses that are viewed by the learner. For course developers, you simply kpoin the platform and follow the steps to upload your training.
Affiliate Program
The Udemy affiliate program is managed by Rakuten with commissions varying based on courses purchased by referees.
That's right! Wealthy Affiliate provided me with all of the tools and training I needed to get this post in front of my audience - a.k.a YOU!
You too can start your very own online business here that can make you money from anywhere in the world!!
6. Podia
For those looking for everything in the one spot, Podia provides a full suite of products for the creation of online training content including a free website. In terms of other products, they offer the following features:
- Online courses
- Digital downloads
- Webinars & workshops
- Coaching & consultations
- Affiliate marketing
- Email marketing
- Embeds
- Integrations
This platform is a great one for those starting out and want to get everything set up without having to integrate from other areas as well.
Pricing
Podia offers a free version that gives limited access to basic features (with fees added to transactions). As things grow, the following pricing then applies:
Affiliate Program
The Podia affiliate program pays 30% recurring commission on sales generated – Application is via Impact.
7. Learn Worlds
Aimed predominately at education and schools, Learn Worlds is another all encompassing online course and website builder. Its functionality is certainly impressive and able to meet the needs of education and corporate training development at all levels. This includes:
- Course creation tools incl. templates
- School and educational website creations
- Course marketing and sales
- Analytics and reporting
- Customisable user roles
This list really doesn't do the site justice however there is certainly enough here for every online training need. There is also the ability to create and integrate a cell phone app as well.
Pricing
Learn Worlds does not offer a free trial however all subscription options do come with a 30 day satisfaction guarantee. Pricing options are as follows:
Affiliate Program
The Learn Worlds affiliate program offers a minimum 30% commission on all referral sales. Application is via the website.
8. Mighty Networks
Mighty Networks is another feature rich online course creation site that “unlocks a new era of independent communities creating and mastering something interesting or important together”. Based on building something that everyone can gain from, it offers functionality that includes:
- Native Livestreaming & Video
- Chat & Messaging
- Events & Zoom Integration
- Paid Memberships
- Online Courses
- Live Cohort Course Creation
- Analytics & Member Data
- Zapier APIs & Workflows
And with and upgrade to their Mighty Pro feature, you can also get access to:
- Your Own App with Listings in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store
- Branded App Notifications
- Account Management and Strategy Support
This software would also work well in areas such as webinar creation and workplace communication as well.
Pricing
After a free trial option, Mighty Networks offers the following pricing:
Affiliate Program
Mighty Networks offers a 40% recurring commission on all sales. Application is via the website.
9. LearnDash
LearnDash is a WordPress based course creation application available as a website and plugin. Promoting itself as “taking cutting edge elearning methodology and infusing it into WordPress” it is feature rich allowing for integration of online learning and courses directly into your website . Their features includes:
- Branded learning portals
- Advanced quizzing
- Drag and drop course builder
- Ability to manage content delivery processes
- Management of prerequisite requirements
- Notifications
- Discussion forums
- Point assignment and leaderboards
- Certificates etc.
- Sales and marketing
- Subscriptions
- Email, payment, CRM and project management integrations
To be honest, there really is everything needed here for online courses of all types and to suit all needs.
Pricing
As above, LearnDash is available via both website access and a plugin with pricing as follows:
 |  |
Affiliate Program
LearnDash offers a 25% on all initial purchases – Application is via their Impact Radius.
10. Xperiencify
And finally we finish up a site aiming to fix a major problem when it comes to online courses – completion. Xperiencify has identified that “only about 3% of people who purchase online courses ever complete them” and developed a trick to rectify this – games.
In short, with this platform, you are able to create online courses with added games and rewards included to entice learners to complete. This includes:
- Page builders
- Gamification options
- Trigger points
- Variable rewards
- Urgency and FOMO
- Social proof
- Community
- Celebrations
- Personalisation
- Experience engines
Each course can be set up with gamification options relevant to the course and learner type to increase chances of completion.
Pricing
Xperiencify is offered free of charge as you set up your course, once it is ready to publish, pricing is as follows:
Affiliate Program
From what I can see, Xperiencify does not offer an affiliate program.
What is an online course development platform?
An online course development platform is software that allows for the creation of web based training courses, coaching, videos, worksheets and so on. Many such platforms allow individuals and businesses to run simple online courses, effective marketing campaigns as well as sales and ongoing management of learners as well.
Most are designed with built-in security measures to keep data, presentations and users safe as well as handling a number of other important tasks that allow for effective marketing of products and services such as:
- Websites
- Email marketing
- Lead generation
- Sales Presentations
- Automated follow-ups
- Payment processing
What are the benefits?
In light of recent world events (you know, that pesky COVID thing), the use of online course creation software has exploded as many companies and individuals attempt to take their business processes online. What many have found however is that not only can they assist in getting their training out there, but also:
- Establish themselves as an authority in their field
- Help to reach a much larger audience than they might otherwise be able to
- Reach more customers at the one time rather than one on one in person
- Gives audiences the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback
Many online course creation platforms are highly customizable and allow marketers to stream video broadcasts live or create prerecorded videos for later playback. Content can also be edited for accuracy and timeliness. Some platforms also allow training files to be stored on a server so they can be accessed repeatedly.
FAQ
What is an online course development platform?
An online course development platform is software that allows for the creation of web based training courses, coaching, videos, worksheets and so on. Many such platforms allow individuals and businesses to run simple online courses, effective marketing campaigns as well as sales and ongoing management of learners as well.
Conclusion
So… There are 10 of the best online course development software option to teach some stuff with this year. I hope it has been helpful for you and as usual, please do not hesitate to comment below if you have any questions, need some advice or have any experiences to share. Oh, and especially comment if you have any experience with these, or any other platforms as well.
Until next time
Have fun
Paul
Note: If you make a purchase from this page, there is a very good chance that I make a commission from it – these commissions do not increase your sale price. This may include sales made via wealthy affiliate or any of the online course development programs listed above.
Do you want further assistance with any of the above or need help to build your own online marketing website?
Are you looking for a comprehensive training platform that can give you step by step training, 24/7 support, tools to develop and host your very own website, ongoing assistance with SEO and social media and access to some of the best affiliate marketing minds on the planet, then click on the following link to read more about Wealthy Affiliate.
Introducing Wealthy Affiliate, My #1 Recommendation for Setting Up Your Own Online Business
When I started, I knew I wanted to work online, but had absolutely no idea where to begin! You see I had watched friends of mine run a sales party to sell essential oils and someone asked if they could just sell them online?
Then, as I sat on the bus heading into my office job, I started to wonder if I could do just that, sell essential oils online.
Anything to stop having to catch this bus to and from work every day right!
The trouble was, as I mentioned above, I had no idea how to even start.
So of course I started to look around online and found all these courses! They all promised me riches then took my money but left me with no riches!
Then I stumbled across the program that didn’t promise me riches, but told me it could help me get started even with no experience!
So I did that, joined Wealthy Affiliate that was it, and the rest as they say, is history!
But it doesn’t come without work!
That is the key here! I began on their starter membership and did the training! I then joined as a member and did some more training!
Each night after work, I would do a little more, then a little more.
And to cut a long story short, after 10 months I realized I didn’t really like writing about essential oils, so I sold the site for about $2000. But I had learned so much that I started another – about fishing and camping!
Then, after 18 months (by which time it had earned me close to $10k), I was offered $17k for the site, so I sold it too.
Now, through my travel blog, I’ve been able to fund my passion for travel and explore different places around the world.
In the past few months, I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to some amazing destinations, including Bali, Los Angeles, Dallas, Vancouver and Las Vegas.
The success of my travel blog has allowed me to fully fund my travels and explore new destinations with my family.
Try the Wealthy Affiliate as a Starter Member and Build your First Hub!
As you start your journey, Wealthy Affiliate is there for you with the most comprehensive training package I have ever seen – And as I have mentioned, I have used a few in my professional career trust me.
To get you started, Wealthy Affiliate has recently introduced the Hub.
The Hub
The hub is an AI based niche and website creation tool that will get you up and running with the foundation of your OWN business in just a few minutes. This includes:
- Your website – hosted and inclusive of a WordPress editor
- Your brand
- Your ‘done-for-you’ research
- Your blueprint
- A task list that is going to help you drive the creation and growth of your business moving forward.
The hub makes the website creation process simple which allows you to get started on the training with a solid base and understanding of the processes.
All you need to do is choose your subject – which is known as your ‘niche’ – and follow the steps on the screen.
Oh, and as you run through the training below you may realize that what you created above is not exactly what you want. That’s ok, you can just create a new hub!
Wealthy Affiliate Training
Then as you continue your journey, the Wealthy Affiliate Hub is there for you with the most comprehensive training package I have ever seen – And I have used a few in my professional career trust me.
Above we discussed the use of the Hub to set up a website. Once you have done this, you will be able to access the “Step-by-Step Core Training”.
This is available to all members including starter members and will give you everything you need to know to continue to create your online business.
Member Training
There are also Live weekly classes taught by REAL industry experts on a range of topics like artificial intelligence (AI), SEO, YouTube, WordPress, PPC marketing and more.
Great, What Else Does Wealthy Affiliate Have To Help You?
So, let’s keep this short, Wealthy Affiliate is a one-stop-shop platform that provides:
- The Hub – this is the starting point and uses AI processes to assist you in determining your niche and creating your brand.
- Complete training programs to assist with the development of your own affiliate marketing website in your own niche.
- Website creation and publishing tools including access to WordPress editors and themes.
- AI Content article design and content creation
- Domain name purchasing (you get a free domain when you upgrade to the Premium membership).
- Website hosting, security and backup.
- Online help and chat forums.
- Weekly live training events.
- 24/7 support.
- Keyword access tools.
- SEO assistance.
The platform has been active for over 15 years with the original developers and owners, Kyle and Carson, still extremely active in its day to day operations – especially as they rollout their AI capabilities.
You Can Try it Yourself For Free
Now of course I can tell you all about how Wealthy Affiliate works (because it does) until I am blue in the face. But every other program out there – including the shams and scams – will tell you the same thing!
So how about you just try it for free yourself. The Wealthy Affiliate Starter membership is free to join and gives you access to everything you need to get started – all without the need to spend a cent!
With the starter membership, you get:
- 1 Limited Business Hub
- 1,500 AI Word Credits
- Try the AI Author Platform (BETA)
- 1 Practice Website
- Jaaxy Starter
- Limited Help & Support
- Core Niche Training (8 Classes)
And of course I will be there to help you every step of the way as well!
Look, in the interest of transparency, whilst Wealthy Affiliate does offer a free starter membership, this is designed to give you a look around, have a practice and see if it is worthwhile for you – which is a really great option.
However, as with all new businesses, you will need to make some investment so if you are serious about making money online , you will need to upgrade to a premium membership as this will give you access to all the tools you need in the one spot to succeed!
Afterall, every business needs tools to grow!
So How Much Does This Really Cost?
Wealthy Affiliate does not use upsells once you join – but as I mentioned in the video, to succeed here you will need to invest in a membership. There are a couple of options that provide access to all the tools, training and assistance that you could need – and a free domain as well.
Wealthy Affiliate offers a trio of membership tiers, as detailed on their pricing page.
You can opt for the Starter membership at no cost, the Premium membership for $49 per month or the Premium Plus+ membership for $99 per month. That’s the full extent of it – and you can absolutely build your website without having to spend another cent.
You won’t encounter any unexpected additional charges or covert fees and as a Premium member, you’re equipped with all the essentials to initiate, develop and expand a thriving online enterprise.
Those who opt for the Premium membership are provided with
- Hosting for their websites
- A complimentary domain name
- Access to hundreds of hours of current expert tutorials
- Various marketing and research tools
- Personal guidance from seasoned professionals in the field
- And much much more
And for those of you who want to make a serious investment into your future, there are some yearly options as well below to give you peace of mind that you have a whole year ahead of you to get stuff done!
And Don’t Forget the Personal Coaching
Once you join, not only do you get plenty of assistance from me, but you also have access to expert coaching, support and mentorship from real industry experts.
I mean, you can have access to all of the top-tier affiliate marketing training in the world, but inevitably, questions arise, particularly during the initial stages.
With an exceptionally dynamic and engaged community that boasts over 2.7 million members, Wealthy Affiliate offers an environment where you, as a member, can fully immerse and leverage this network.
You’re never alone; you have the collective wisdom of an entire community at your fingertips, ready to assist at any moment.
Plus, there’s always-on, rapid-response website support to handle any technical queries you may encounter.
Wealthy Affiliate Works: Real Results From Real People
As I have mentioned a number of times, Wealthy Affiliate has helped me make real money online though its training and tools.
I have made money each month as well as a sale for $17,000.
But again, those promoting other programs will tell you the same thing!
So let’s get away from me and see what others are saying:
To start with, Wealthy Affiliate has a 4.9 out of 5 Star TrustPilot rating, which is a remarkable accomplishment in any industry, let alone the online business industry.
And here are some of those reviews:
And this is what people are saying within Wealthy Affiliate as well:
So, Let’s Make a Decision!
Let’s be frank, you have read this far so why not go all in, click on the button below to get started on the way to your very online business.
And once you are in and have had a play around with the hub, look for the little envelope on the top right and there will be a message from me. It is of course automated so respond to let me know you are there and we can start this journey together.
(oh, and the profile is mine so you can find me that way as well)
See you there
Paul
