The first step to launching a killer online course is creating course content that is factually accurate, up-to-date, and visually appealing. Creating content may seem intimidating if you have little web or technological skills, but it doesn’t have to be. In contrast, creating great online content can be easy with the right tools.
In this blog post, we provide you with the top 20 tools for creating an online course. These tools range from course hosting to grammar editing. In other words, these tools will help you create a successful online course from start to finish. Let’s check them out.
Disclaimer: Some of the links on this site are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you.
- Teachable
What: All-in-one course platform
Best For: People who want the most professional looking course
Teachable is a popular all-in-one course hosting platform. It will allow you to create and sell your courses online. It even handles all phases of course creation, which will make your job as the creator much easier. Teachable is not the most affordable course hosting option, but it will allow you to create the most top-notch site for your students. - Thinkific
What: All-in-one course platform
Perfect For: People who want an affordable all-in-one course platform
Thinkific is a great platform for first-time course creators on a budget. With this one-stop platform, you can easily create, market, and sell your content. Some of the features of this platform include multimedia hosting capabilities, instant access to funds, and custom domain and branded landing page. You will be interested in Thinkific if you already have brand identity and want an all-in-one platform for cheap.
More so, you will want Thinkific over Teachable for its affordable pricing. - Kajabi
What: All-in-one course platform
Perfect For: People who want all their tools in one place
If you want to have all your tools in one place, you should consider Kajabi. Kajabi is an all-in-one online course platform that will let you create and market your online course, create and market your own website, host webinars, and host email marketing strategies. It will support almost all multimedia types like videos, audios, PDFs, and images.
The main downside of Kajabi is that it is much more expensive than other platform options, but it will prevent you from having to buy different tools.
- Beaver Builder
What: Plugin to use existing WordPress website as a course platform
Perfect For: People who want to use their pre-existing WordPress to host their online course
If you are not interested in an all-in-one platform, you should check out Beaver Builder. Beaver Builder is the perfect tool for hosting your online course on an already completed WordPress website. It is a plugin that will work with your existing website in order to create a beautiful sales page and membership site. All you will need to do is choose a template, insert content, and publish.
You will have a professional online course integrated with your WordPress website in no time. - WP Courseware
What: WordPress LMS plugin
Perfect For: People who want to boost their WordPress Website for LMS purposes
If you are looking for a way to boost your WordPress
course, you should consider WP Courseware. This tool is an LMS plugin that helps you to create, share coursework, and evaluate student work at an affordable price. This plugin is so effective that it is used by universities around the globe. The University of Wisconsin, Madison is just one example.
- Canva
What: Document creator
Perfect For: People who want to create professional workbooks and flyers at an affordable price
Designing course content can cost upwards of $1,000 if you truly take the time to produce the best quality content. To help make document-making more affordable, you should check out Canva. With Canva, you will be able to create clean and intuitive PDF Workbooks, flyers, and banners at an affordable price. It comes with a variety of formatting, font, and layout options to help you create content from scratch.
You can also incorporate logos or other branding identities if you use Canva For Work. - FormSwift PDF Editor
What: PDF creator and editor
Perfect For: People who want to create and edit PDFs on a budget
Most online courses include worksheets, lecture notes, or study guides. Usually, these documents are PDF files. In order to make PDFs, you will need a PDF creator and editor. FormSwift PDF Editor is one of the best options for creating and editing PDFs on a budget. Unlike other PDF tools that require a subscription or payment, this tool is free.
- PowerPoint
What: Presentation creator
Perfect For: People who want to show presentations in their course
Another great tool to create your online course is PowerPoint. PowerPoint is one of the best tools for creating presentations. It comes with a number of design layout, themes, and fonts that will help you to create the most visually appealing presentations. You will want PowerPoints to either upload for students to look or to have an outline for screen recorded videos. As you screen record your PowerPoint, talk through it as though you are giving a formal lecture. - Easy Test Maker
What: Tool for creating online assessments
Perfect For: Creators who want to provide their students with surveys, polls, quizzes, or tests
In regular classroom settings, student progress is tested with polls, quizzes, tests, and homework. With Easy Test Maker, you can give your online students the same experience. With this tool, you will be able to create multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, true-or-false, or short answer questions.
The variety of question-styles ensures that your tests reach all students. Better yet, this tool is free, making it great for creators on a budget.
- Grammarly
What: Editing software
Perfect For: People who want to edit documents at an affordable price
Grammarly is one of the best and most affordable editing software. You can either use Grammarly for free or upgrade to a Premium account. The Premium account will offer you more specific edit suggestions. Additionally, it can be used in a number of ways.
You can copy and paste content into your web browser, download the app and upload documents, or integrate it into your computer for correction suggestions on all written assignments. - Camtasia
What: Video creator and editor
Perfect For: People who want to create and edit videos at an affordable price
Camtasia is another great tool for creating content for your online course. It is specifically tailored for creating and editing video content that satisfies all learning types. This tool will allow you to record and edit videos in a way that looks and feels like professionally recorded videos. It is perfect if you want to provide videos, screen recordings, or tutorials for your students.
- Vimeo
What: Video host
Perfect For: People who want to share or embed videos on their website
Once you create and edit your videos, you have to be able to host them on your site. The best hosting tool for videos is Vimeo. Vimeo is an affordable option that allows you to upload, host, and share HD videos online. It allows you to share your videos by sharing a link or embedding them on your website. Vimeo even comes with a number of privacy settings to ensure that only your students have access to the videos. - Zoom
What: Online communications
Perfect For: People who need to screen record and host virtual lectures
Another great tool for creating an online course is Zoom. Zoom offers multiple features that can be incorporated into your course. You can host live tutoring sessions or screen record PowerPoints with Voice over.
Additionally, it integrates with Thinkific, making it a great tool if you chose that platform option. - APowerSoft Free Online Screen Recorder
What: Screen recorder
Perfect For: People who want to screen record for free
If you plan to create videos consisting of a screen recording and voice over, you will be interested in APowerSoft Free Online Screen Recorder. This tool is extremely easy to use and costs nothing. Another great aspect of this tool is that it does not require any downloads. All you need to do is go to their website and click “start recording.”
So, it is a great way to create your videos without paying a dime or taking up storage on your computer. - Nero Video
What: Video editor
Perfect For: People who are new to video editing or on a budget
Are you new to and intimidated by editing your videos? If so, you should check out Nero Video. Nero Video is a beginner- friendly video editing tool that will allow you to edit and upgrade your videos. It offers plenty of video effects, good audio tools, solid file format support, and is compatible with 4K content. Better yet, Nero Video is much more affordable than other editing software, making it great for those on a budget. - ActiveCampaign
What: Email marketing and customer management system Perfect For: People who want a powerful customer management system
One of the best ways to land customers is through email marketing. ActiveCampaign is a great tool for helping you to reach out and connect with potential customers and students. It is one of the most powerful customer management systems. - Zapier
What: App for connecting other apps to create an automation
Perfect For: People who need an easy way to create the systems and processes of their online course
Zapier is an app that will allow you to connect the other tools in order to create an automation. It links with tools like Thinkific, MailChimp, Zoom, and more.
It will make synthesizing all your content much easier, which will allow you to focus more on individual content and marketing strategies.
It even recommends Popular Zaps to increase subscribers. - Smartphone
What: Phone for researching, emailing, and videoing Perfect For: People who cannot afford a fancy camera
Believe it or not, but your smartphone could be one of the best tools for your online course. With your smartphone, you will be able to research information, market, talk to customers, and record videos or audios. With this in mind, your phone could be the best multi-use tool for your online course, and it doesn’t cost any extra money.
You can even look for more tools using your phone’s app store. - Camera
What: Camera for recordings
Perfect For: People who want professional video
If you want a better video experience, you should consider buying a professional camera such as a DSLR camera. These cameras can be more expensive than your phone when you include a good lens, but it will be used exclusively for your projects and create better content. The only downside is if you choose to use a DSLR camera, you will need to take the time to learn how to use it because it comes with a number of settings and features.
The time will be worth it though when you see the final results. - Blue Yeti Microphone
What: High-caliber microphone
Perfect For: People who need to record themselves speaking for their course
If you plan to speak at all during your online course, you should invest in a professional-grade microphone to eliminate static and make yourself sound clearer. One of the best microphones for online courses is the Blue Yeti Microphone. Though it is on the costlier side, it will enhance your voice and make you easier to understand and listen to.
Final Thoughts
There are a lot of factors that go into creating your online course. From choosing your course platform to finalizing hidden edits, you will need a number of tools to help you create the best content possible. In this guide, we listed the top 20 tools for creating an online course.
These tools offer a number of features and fit into most budgets. With these tools, you will create a professional.
For a limited time, I am offering an ebook on Launching an online course on my shop for $7.99. Click here to get your copy.
Here are the information you will learn in this guide:
- The benefits of launching an online course;
- Key steps to create and launch your online course;
- Top things to avoid when launching an online course;
- How to create a “customer avatar” to identify and get clear on your ideal customer;
- Top tips for launching your online course;
- How to choose the best course content;
- How to select the optimal target audience for your online course;
- How to create an effective and marketable online course outline;
- Best ways to record and publish your online course;
- Best tools for creating and editing an online course;
- Best online course platforms;
- How to make your online course more engaging for a variety of learners;
- Best ways to market your online course to increase revenue;
- How to test the profitability of your online course;
- How to determine the best course price;
- How to pitch your online course to potential customers;
- A pre-launch course checklist;
- And much more!
Like this post, I encourage you to share on social media or leave me a comment below.
