Best Online Course Marketplaces in 2026
Updated
In short: Pluralsight is ranked #1 of 112 as of 1 October 2026, ahead of edX and Coursera. The best-ranked option with a free plan is edX. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Alison at $5/mo.
Choosing an online course marketplace means balancing the subjects and formats you want to study with how you’ll access the material. The ranking compares business plans, course certificates, course formats, free plans, mobile apps, offline access, paid-from pricing, and subscription access. Pluralsight, edX, and Coursera are among the first entries, followed by DataCamp and Alison. Check certificate availability and course formats against your learning goals, and consider whether offline access or a mobile app fits your study routine. Free plans, subscription access, and the listed starting price offer different details for weighing how you’ll pay and access courses.
112 online course marketplaces ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
| # | Platform | Score | Why | From | Free plan | Paid from | Subscription access | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pluralsight | 8.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $24.92/mo | No | $29one-time | Yes | View |
| 2 | edX | 7.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $12.50/mo | Yes | $50one-time | Yes | View |
| 3 | Coursera | 7.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | $1,699one-time | Yes | View |
| 4 |  DataCamp | 7.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 5 | Alison | 7.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $5/mo | Yes | $1one-time | Yes | View |
| 6 |  FutureLearn | 7.2 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $29.17/mo | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 7 | Great Learning | 7.2 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | ₹999/mo | Yes | — | — | View |
| 8 |  Emeritus | 7.1 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 9 |  OpenClassrooms | 7.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | €300/mo | Yes | — | — | View |
| 10 |  Inflearn | 6.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 11 |  Go1 | 6.8 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | — | — | Yes | View |
| 12 |  The Art of Service Academy | 6.8 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $69/mo | Yes | $69one-time | Yes | View |
| 13 | O'Reilly Learning | 6.7 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $41.58/mo | No | — | Yes | View |
| 14 | LinkedIn Learning | 6.7 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $31.66/mo | No | — | Yes | View |
| 15 |  upGrad | 6.7 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 16 | Unacademy | 6.7 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | ₹781/mo | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 17 | OpenSesame | 6.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | Yes | View |
| 18 | OpenLearning | 6.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $514.17/mo | — | — | — | View |
| 19 | GetSmarter | 6.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | — | — | No | View |
| 20 |  Stepik | 6.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 21 | Chinese University MOOC | 6.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 22 | Edraak | 6.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | — | View |
| 23 |  Learnerbly | 6.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 24 |  Schoo | 6.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 25 | Instancy LCMS | 6.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | — | View |
Is your platform on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which online course marketplace is ranked first on Inferse?
Pluralsight is ranked #1 of 112 with a score of 8.3. edX is second and Coursera third.
How many of these have a free plan?
9 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Alison has the lowest first paid tier we found: $5/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked on what each maker publishes, open and connectable first: a public API, open-source code, the depth of its documentation and a free tier to try it on. Model lists are sorted by the figure in their title, exactly as each provider publishes it. Paid placements never change a rank.