7 Best Free Online Course Platforms for Beginners

Launching an educational business is an exciting journey, but software costs can often be a barrier. Fortunately, the rise of free online course platforms has democratized education, allowing anyone to share knowledge without a massive upfront investment. Whether you are a solo tutor or a growing institution, finding the best free lms is the first step toward success.

However, not all free plans are created equal. Some free online course platforms restrict your student numbers, while others impose heavy transaction fees. For those seeking a beginner friendly course builder, the goal is to find a balance between ease of use and powerful features. You need a solution that supports scalability, allowing your school to grow from ten students to ten thousand without forcing you to migrate.

In this guide, we have analyzed factors like the ability to sell digital products, monetization options, course curriculum flexibility, and the benefits of self-hosted solutions versus SaaS models.

1. LearnPress (The Best WordPress Solution)

LearnPress is a powerful WordPress LMS plugin designed as a complete solution for turning your WordPress website into an online education platform. Unlike SaaS platforms, LearnPress is Self-hosted, meaning you have full control over your content, user data, and customization. It integrates seamlessly into the WordPress ecosystem, allowing you to easily create, manage, and sell online courses right from your own site.

For those looking for the best free lms on WordPress, LearnPress stands out because its core plugin is comprehensive. It doesn’t just give you a trial; it gives you a fully functional system. This makes it an incredible free course builder for anyone who wants to avoid monthly subscriptions. You can build a robust Course curriculum with lessons and quizzes immediately after installation.

Key Features:

• Free core plugin with affordable premium add-ons.
• Integration with WooCommerce for payments and subscriptions, making it a standout choice among powerful Ecommerce LMS Platforms
• Course creation tools with built-in quizzes, assignments, and multimedia support.
• Customizable course layout and design options.
• Multi-language support for creating courses for a global audience.
• Integration with AI Chatbots to transform your e-learning website and provide 24/7 student support and instant query resolution.
• Advanced reporting and analytics to track learner progress and sales.

Price:

LearnPress is free to download and use forever. You only pay if you need specific advanced add-ons or themes. Because it connects with your own payment gateways, you can achieve zero transaction fees on your sales, unlike many hosted competitors.

2. Thinkific (Robust Freemium Model)

When discussing free online course platforms that are hosted in the cloud (SaaS), Thinkific is often the top recommendation. It is designed to help you create, market, and sell digital courses with ease. Thinkific is particularly famous for its Freemium model, which allows you to build a fully functional course without paying a cent upfront.

Thinkific serves as an excellent lms for beginners because it handles the hosting and security for you. You do not need to worry about technical maintenance. Its free course builder is drag-and-drop, making it simple to upload videos and structure your lessons. Furthermore, Thinkific allows you to white-label your school to a significant extent, ensuring your brand stays front and center.

Key Features:

• Drag-and-drop course builder supporting video, audio, and PDF.
• Instant access to your funds (no holding periods).
• Ability to create quizzes and surveys to engage students.
• Support for prerequisites within your Course curriculum.
• Professional themes that look good on mobile devices.

Price:

Thinkific offers a generous free plan that allows you to create one course with unlimited students. This plan includes zero transaction fees, meaning you keep all the money you earn (minus standard credit card processing fees). Paid plans start around $74/month if you need more courses.

3. Podia (Simple and All-In-One)

Podia takes a different approach compared to other free online course platforms. It positions itself as an all-in-one storefront for digital products, memberships, and courses. If you want a free course builder that is “simple and to the point,” Podia is a strong contender.

Podia eliminates technical headaches. It is designed for creators who want to set up a storefront in minutes. While it prioritizes simplicity over deep customization, this makes it a fantastic lms for beginners. The interface is clean and modern out of the box. Podia also supports monetization through digital downloads and webinars, not just standard courses.

Key Features:

• Unified platform for courses, downloads, and webinars.
• Built-in email marketing tools to nurture your leads.
• Clean, modern storefront design that requires no coding.
• Unlimited video hosting is included.
• Messaging widget to chat with potential students live.

Price:

Podia has a free plan that lets you build a full website and start selling downloads and coaching. However, to sell full courses, you may eventually need to upgrade. Podia is famous for its paid plans having zero transaction fees, though the free tier may have an 8% fee depending on the current offer.

4. Teachable (Easy Start for Creators)

Teachable allows you to build a beautiful online school without needing to be a coder. It is widely recognized as one of the most accessible free online course platforms for solo instructors. With over 100,000 instructors using it, Teachable has refined its user experience to be intuitive and fast.

As an lms for beginners, Teachable shines in its setup process. You can get a course live in an afternoon. It offers a solid freemium model where you can test the waters. While you might not have the granular control of a self-hosted solution like LearnPress, Teachable handles all the heavy lifting regarding video hosting and payments.

Key Features:

• Easy-to-use page editor for sales pages.
• Integrated payment processing to handle global currencies.
• Student management and basic quiz features.
• Ability to run an affiliate program to help others sell your course.
• A comprehensive dashboard to track student engagement.

Price:

Teachable offers a free plan with unlimited students and courses, which is rare. However, the trade-off is that the free plan charges a high transaction fee (around $1 + 10%). If you want zero transaction fees, you will need to upgrade to their higher-tier paid plans.

5. Udemy (The Marketplace Giant)

If you do not want to worry about marketing or building a website, Udemy is unique among free online course platforms. It is a marketplace, not just a software tool. This means you upload your course to their catalog, and millions of students can potentially find it.

Udemy is the best free lms option if your primary goal is exposure rather than branding. You use their free course builder to structure your content according to their quality standards. While you don’t own the student data entirely, Udemy handles all the hosting, SEO, and payment processing. It is a great starting point for monetization if you have zero audience to begin with.

Key Features:

• Access to a massive marketplace of over 40 million students.
• No setup costs or hosting fees.
• Built-in marketing tools to promote your courses.
• Mobile app support for students to learn on the go.
• Community of instructors for support and advice.

Price:

It is completely free to become an instructor and upload courses. However, Udemy operates on a revenue-share model. If Udemy brings you the student, they take a significant cut (up to 63%). If you bring the student via your referral link, you keep 97% of the revenue.

6. LifterLMS (Flexible WordPress Alternative)

Similar to LearnPress, LifterLMS is a powerhouse in the WordPress space. It is a plugin that transforms your site into a sophisticated learning management system. It is considered one of the best free lms plugins because the core software is free and open-source.

LifterLMS focuses heavily on engagement. It includes features like badges and certificates in the free version, which are great for student motivation. As a free course builder, it is highly flexible, allowing you to create complex Course curriculum structures. It ensures scalability because you can add payment gateways or advanced marketing add-ons as your revenue grows.

Key Features:

• Gamification elements like achievement badges and certificates.
• Drip content to release lessons over time.
• Membership functionality to protect content.
• Integration with popular page builders like Elementor.
• Detailed reporting on student performance.

Price:

The core LifterLMS plugin is free. To accept credit card payments directly, you will likely need to buy a payment add-on (approx $120/year), or you can use manual payments for free. Once set up, you enjoy zero transaction fees on your sales.

7. Skillshare (For Creative Classes)

Skillshare is another marketplace that functions differently from the standard free online course platforms. It is designed for “bite-sized” classes, primarily focused on creative skills like design, photography, and business.

If creating a comprehensive 10-hour Course curriculum feels daunting, Skillshare is the perfect lms for beginners. You create short, engaging video lessons. Instead of selling courses individually, you earn money based on the minutes watched by premium members. This unique monetization model allows you to generate passive income without constantly selling.

Key Features:

• Project-based learning approach encourages student interaction.
• Built-in audience of millions of creatives.
• Simple upload process for video lessons.
• Discussion forums for course engagement.
• Referral bonuses for bringing new students to the platform.

Price:

Free to upload and teach. You earn royalties based on watch time and referrals. There are no hosting costs or hidden monthly fees for instructors.

Conclusion

Choosing the right tool among the many free online course platforms depends on your long-term goals.

If you want complete ownership, scalability, and the ability to customize every pixel, a Self-hosted solution like LearnPress is the superior choice. It serves as the best free lms for WordPress users who want to avoid monthly fees and keep zero transaction fees.

If you prefer a hands-off approach where hosting is managed for you, Thinkific or Teachable offer excellent starting points with their Freemium model plans. For those who want to skip marketing and tap into an existing audience, Udemy remains the king of marketplaces.

Regardless of your choice, these free drag and drop course builder remove the financial barrier to entry. Learn How to Create an Online Course today and share your knowledge with the world.

FAQs About Free Online Course Platforms for Beginners

Read more: 6 Best LMS Platforms for Nonprofits