Quick Guide To 6 Best Online Teaching Platforms 2023

You are here to level up your teaching career. I can tell and I’m glad you are here. After all, the e-learning industry is booming financially, with an expected valuation of over $680 billion by 2030. That’s huge. And, that totally makes sense for teachers to get the most out of it. However, you need to gear up with an online teaching platform that is by your side.

To put you a step ahead, I have a round-off comprising 6 online teaching platforms. I’ll be covering the pros, cons, suitability, and pricing for each. Plus, we will be talking about important aspects of online teaching to develop an informed outlook.

Some basics first.

What Is An Online Teaching Platform?

An online teaching platform is online software that facilitates online teaching. It is equipped with specific features and tools that teachers use to create an interactive learning experience and online courses for online learners. Moreover, there is a pricing model and system in place for monetization.

Such platforms are used both by online teachers and students. Please note that online teaching platforms are different from online learning platforms and LMS (Learning Management Systems).

How To Choose The Online Teaching Platform?

Here’s what you need you to need to understand.

An online teaching platform has to be equipped with tutoring tools and features. It has to keep teaching in focus rather than turning it into an e-commerce model. Otherwise, it will hinder the quality of teaching and the credibility of the teacher.

Let us talk about the must-have features of a quality online teaching platform.

Features Of A Quality Online Teaching Platform

The right online teaching platform will have the following features and tools.

• Live video tutoring tool with an in-built presentation feature for holding lessons, workshops, and webinars.
• A user-friendly course-builder with a drag-and-drop editor
• A community-building facility with tools for community coordination and moderation.
• A content management system and resource library.
• An advanced student analytics system for tracking participation, performance, scores, quizzes, and engagement.
• Cohort-based learning system and drip course feature.
• Third-party app integrations that are well-suited for online teaching.

6 Online Teaching Platforms 2023

It is high time to make the most of these online teaching platforms. However, please know that your choice of a certain platform will affect your experience and desired outcomes. So, choose wisely!

1 – GroupApp

Starting strong with GroupApp! GroupApp is a community-centric online teaching platform. This community-driven platform with an innovative approach enables teachers to harness the power of learning communities to make the best out of online teaching. In communities, students can grasp better, participate in group exercises, and network. It is just like a virtual classroom.

Online teachers can build, launch, manage, and monetize online courses through an online community.

With GroupApp, you can bring your online courses, memberships, and coaching programs together in one place and build a learning community around your expertise that earns you more.

GroupApp Pros

• GroupApp provides a seamless and user-friendly experience that is free from all sorts of complexities.
• GroupApp is the most affordable option when it comes to online teaching platforms. Plus, it has a Free plan!
• GroupApp features naturally complement teacher-community scaling up and personal brand growth.
• It is a new platform with a fresh approach to online teaching, unlike the rest of the platforms.
• GroupApp is focused on community or cohort-based online teaching. That makes it solely driven to work best for educators and experts. Other platforms are more focused on the e-commerce and business aspect of typical course selling. That means quality education is not their priority.
• GroupApp is equipped with a robust course builder. It is simple and does not require any technical knowledge for usage. You can incorporate video-recorded lectures, PDFs, course resources, and audio into the course builder.
• Online teachers like you will have access to their personalized course management dashboard.
• The dashboard displays all key course analytics, such as views, enrollments, access requests, student assessment, tracking, opt-outs, and student performance in different tabs.
• Teachers can design drip courses, cohort-based learning programs, and segmented coaching. This allows them to provide a well-tailored learning experience to groups based on their needs. Moreover, it provides a smart way of efficiently managing students and courses.
• Teachers at GroupApp can hold live events and one-to-one video calls with students. You can also integrate your presentations with an in-built feature. This makes it easier for teachers to enhance learning and increase engagement.
• All students in every community have access to the community library with all resources within quick reach. Teachers can broadcast emails to their communities, making coordination easier.
• With GroupApp, you can use an assortment of APIs, such as Zapier, making the process easier.

GroupApp Cons

• There is no mobile app but it’s ON ITS WAY!
• GroupApp does not provide any gamification features for learning
• GroupApp is only focused on online teaching, making it not so suitable for entrepreneurs with products.
• Limited payment gateways.

GroupApp Pricing – Most Affordable with Great Value!

GroupApp comes with a free plan that offers a stepping stone for beginners. It has 3 paid plans (Basic, Pro, and Premium). I like that the pricing is so simple and clear. GroupApp paid plans are the most affordable ones. Each one offers great value.

I highly recommend going with the Pro plan. If you opt to pay annually, you get a discount too.

Check out GroupApp pricing!

GroupApp Is Well-Suited For:

GroupApp is well-suited for online teachers looking for an affordable option with all the vital features of an online teaching platform. Especially it is the go-to choice for any teacher who wishes to benefit from personal community-building.

2 – Thinkific

Here’s a well-known online teaching platform that’s been in business for a decade now. It’s Thinkific. Essentially, it is a hosted online course platform.

It is equipped with all the top-notch tools required for student tracking, engagement, course building, and course marketing. It would not be wrong to say that Thinkic is an industry leader.

Thinkific Pros

• 80+ Third-party app integrations
• No transaction fees
• Comes with an intuitive drag-and-drop builder for customization
• 30 days free trial period
• You get instant access to your funds
• There is a free plan available but it is limited
• 24/7 support is available.
• You can connect your domain to your Thinkific account.
• Great for experienced online teachers who are looking to switch
• Advanced student assessing system comprising quiz and scoring system
• An efficient live tutoring facility using Zoom
• Allows you to generate revenue, student engagement, and progress reports

Thinkific Cons

• There is no mobile app available
• At the moment, there is no built-in course marketplace at Thinkific.
• Not ideal for beginners as it is expensive and can be complex
• Required basic know-how of HTML and CSS
• Thinkific does not include many social features
• Thinkific does not support TinCan, SCORM, and AICC.
• No support when it comes to sales tax
• Course builder is not very user-friendly

Thinkific Pricing – Here’s What I Think

Essentially, it offers 3 paid plans (Basic, Start, and Grow) along with a free plan. I would say Thinkific is a bit expensive. That makes it a non-viable online teaching platform for beginners, for whom cost is a big factor. However, if you can afford it, give it a try!

Here is a detailed overview of Thinkific Pricing.

Thinkific Is Well-Suited For:

It is a great platform for experienced online teachers, experts, and mentors. Thinkific can work wonders for corporate training and university-level educators.

3 – Teachable

How cool is the name, Teachable! This online teaching platform enables one to make, market, and monetize online courses. Let us have a look at its pros and cons.

Teachable Pros

• Extensive resource libraries for online teachers to make the most out of the platform.
• An insight-driven student management system that analyzes student behavior.
• Teachable provides room for personalization with efficient tools.
• It enables you to market your courses effectively with built-in tools. You can easily perform email marketing, course page SEO, and social media integrations.
• Teachable allows you to offer bulk discounts to students as the site is coupon code friendly.

Teachable Cons

• It lacks community-building features.
• Teachable will not refund your amount in case you wish to cancel your subscription.
• 24/7 live chat and support are only available for Pro and Business members.
• Not ideal for beginners as the platform is not affordable.
• Global payout options are not suitable for users outside the United States.
• Charges a high 10% fee on the free plan.
• Limited course exposure.
• Teachable does not support TinCan or SCORM
• Teachable does not facilitate multi-lingual teaching
• There is no phone support available for Teachable users. It is only based on chat and email.

Teachable Pricing – Here’s What You Need To Know!

Teachable also offers a free plan. Plus, it has 3 paid plans (Basic, Pro, and Business). Now, here is the thing. First, it is not affordable, even the basic plan is a bit pricey.

Secondly, the Basic plan is way too limited in terms of features that it does not make sense to go for it. When it comes to Pro and Business plans, they might not be a viable option financially.

Click here for a detailed pricing guide to Teachable.

Teachable Is Well-Suited For

Ideal for school teachers who aim to experience online teaching, i.e. beginners.

4 – Skillshare

Skillshare is a popular one! We all know about it as it has garnered much attention in a few years. It is powered by 11,000+ teachers conducting over 34,000 classes. It is a simple video course-creating platform. Teachers make money for every paid minute when the course is viewed.

Skillshare Pros

• Skillshare is very friendly to use in terms of its interface and functioning.
• It is a straightforward video tutoring platform that is free from all sorts of complexities.
• Skillshare is a free course hosting platform for teachers. That makes it ideal for beginners.
• Teachers get massive exposure to up to a million users at Skillshare
• Skillshare offers two ways of money-making for teachers: Royalties and referrals.
• You can also create cohort-based short video courses while keeping the engagement high.
• Teachers get access to an extensive resource library and Skillshare teacher support center.
• You can become an affiliate at Skillshare and earn 40% of every customer you acquire.
• Ideal for creating a channel that will complement your personal brand.
• Teachers can repurpose their existing courses and publish them on Skillshare

Skillshare Cons

• It is difficult to scale up as a beginner at Skillshare.
• You are responsible for promoting your course which can be difficult at times.
• A consistent income is not guaranteed.
• Skillshare keeps a good chunk of your earnings for every paid minute.
• Skillshare is not a suitable option for teachers and experts specializing in non-creative fields.
• There is no analytic system available for teachers.
• Not all categories at Skillshare sell well making it financially beneficial to certain creative fields

Skillshare Pricing – It’s FREE For Teachers!

That’s the best thing about Skillshare! Teachers do not need to pay to teach at Skillshare.

Skillshare Is Well-Suited For:

This online teaching platform is perfect for teachers aiming to build a personal teaching brand and have expertise in creative fields. Moreover, it is good enough for anyone wishing to tap into online teaching.

Here’s how you can start teaching at Skillshare

5 – Kajabi

Up next, I have Kajabi! Kajabi is an online teaching platform for everyone. This robust platform is cloud-based software for teachers or course creators. Essentially, it is an all-in-one platform will all the critical tools required to create, distribute, promote, launch, and analyze courses.

Moreover, it enables you to create your community with memberships.

Kajabi Pros

• Kajabi enables you to make your personal brand
• You can get a custom domain with each plan.
• It is focused on community-centric growth which is a great thing for teachers.
• Teachers can customize their websites and courses using a drag-and-drop editor/course maker.
• This is the leading platform if you want to run a massive-scale online course business. This is a plus point for teachers in terms of revenue and growth.
• You get all your needs met on the platform. That makes it a one-stop solution for teachers transitioning into online course entrepreneurs.
• If you are an established online creator and thinking of making a switch, Kajabi is ideal for you.
• Kajabi also enjoys authority and a reputation in the industry. That can ultimately give an edge to teachers and creators using Kajabi.
• Kajabi offers mobile applications for both iOs and Android users.
• You can build sale funnels and pipelines for your business with Kajabi. This is something many other platforms lack.
• Several tools are in place to market and monetize your online teaching lectures.
• Allows you to make affiliate programs to market your courses to a wider audience.
• Kajabi has an in-built analytics system that records page views, product progress, offers sold, affiliates, video analytics, revenue, and course subscriptions sold.

Kajabi Cons

• There is no free plan at Kajabi
• Kajabi is one the most expensive online teaching and membership platforms in the market.
• It is not recommended for beginners due to its high cost and complexity.
• Kajabi can be overwhelming if your experience and exposure are very limited and you are new to it.
• You cannot import your site from WordPress to Kajabi. You will need to start everything from scratch if the case of switching your platform,
• Kajabi is more focused on building businesses rather than personal brands.
• It is not particularly designed for teachers only
• Kajabi’s in-built email marketing function is efficient and has bugs.
• Many users have found Kajabi analytics quite limited. Moreover, you cannot integrate Google Analytics 4, which is a big drawback of Kajabi.
• Basic plan users do not have access to 24/7 quality support.

Kajabi Pricing – Kajabi Costs A Lot!

Kajabi does not offer a Free plan, as I mentioned before, and it is the most expensive out there! It has 3 paid plans (Basic, Growth, and Pro). The Basic plan which is priced at $149 a month lacks the best features and does not provide good value for money.

The Growth and Pro plans are quite expensive, making Kajabi a non-viable option for beginners or teachers with limited budgets. However, if you opt for annual billing, you get a certain discount.

However, I highly recommend Kajabi to established online teachers and experts who can afford it because Kajabi is an awesome all-in-one platform.

Check out kajabi’s detailed pricing guide here.

Kajabi Is Well-Suited For:

Let me set that straight. Kajabi is not made for beginners. It is suitable for teachers and experts with a large following. Established creators looking for a complete one-stop solution can opt for Kajabi.

6 – Podia

Podia is a white-label course hosting and online teaching platform. Essentially, it is a website builder that specializes in creating personalized sites for housing your courses and teaching material. Plus, it allows you to create your community. However, community-making is not its primary area of focus.

Podia Pros

• Podia offers a user-friendly interface that is easy to adapt to.
• You will not be charged any transaction fees at Podia online teaching platform.
• There is no coding or technical know-how required as you can effortlessly build your site with a drag-and-drop editor.
• Podia provides an in-built assortment of useful tools for marketing and promotion, i.e. email marketing.
• You get a 14-day free trial period and no card is required for this trial period (Isn’t that such as relief).
• Online teachers and creators get a one-stop solution for their needs. Podia provides you with course-building, launching, marketing, and monetization tools in one place.
• Podia has a very straightforward earning channel for teachers which is course monetization. That makes it ideal for educators as they do not necessarily need to rely on referrals or any affiliate programs.
• When you host your courses or any other product at Podia, a third-party application will take care of order fulfillment and payment processing. That cuts the hassle.
• You can create a passive source of income through your courses.
• Podia offers 1900+ third-party app integrations such as Stripe and Zapier.
• Podia has in-built video tutoring and chat features making it easier to interact with students and increase engagement.

Podia Cons

• The biggest drawback of Podia is that there is no mobile app available.
• The website builder is not efficient, and customization options are limited.
• Podia does not support TinCan and SCORM.
• Podia lacks the most important feature when it comes to teaching, which is assignment submission.
• You cannot create separate groups on your site.
• Podia charges an 8% transaction fee for the Free plan. The zero transaction fees benefit is only for the paid plans(Mover and Shaker Plans).
• The free plan provides little to no value for beginners. Instead, it can take a toll on their monetization.
• There are very few payment gateways.
• Podia’s email system is not efficient.

Podia Pricing – Seems Like A Good Deal!

Podia has a Free plan which is just okay for experiencing online teaching. It has two paid plans, the Mover and Shaker Plan.

I would say both paid plans are very reasonably priced keeping the features in consideration. Podia provides good value for money. However, Podia is very limited as an online teaching platform. You can still opt for other platforms for an encompassing online teaching experience.

Check out Podia Pricing here.

Podia Is Well-Suited For:

Podia is ideal for teachers and educators looking for an affordable online teaching platform.

Difference Between An Online Teaching Platform And An Online Learning Platform

These terms are often used interchangeably, which is wrong. Let me clear the air for you.

Online Teaching Platform

An online teaching platform is essentially designed for teachers. Teachers can create, market, and monetize their courses. Plus, they can offer live video lessons. On such platforms, teachers have most of the autonomy.

Online Learning Platform

An online learning platform is ideally designed for self-paced learning. On such platforms, e-leaners have control. Students pay for access to a certain course and might earn a certification.

The Ball Is In Your Court Now!

You need to be very mindful when choosing an online teaching platform. Because, it can impact your audience, course quality, and most importantly your revenue.

How To Pick The Right One?

So, what kind of platform you should opt for?

Well, first, you need to look for a platform that has all the fundamental features of an online teaching platform that we discussed above. This is a must!

Consider GroupApp for instance. It has all the fundamental features of a quality online teaching platform.

Secondly, look for online teaching platforms that are community-focused.

Because online teachers are actively harnessing the potential of online communities for growth and increased revenue. On this condition, GroupApp shines again as it is primarily focused on communities particularly learning communities. It aims to create online communities with high engagement. GroupApp is scalable and it grows with you!

GroupApp is actively assisting online teachers to increase their income. GroupApp empowered online educators at National Business Education Association (NBEA) which has been around for 100 years.

Here’s what Director NBEA Joe McClary says about GroupApp

Looks like GroupApp is the perfect fit for an online teacher!

Then, it’s wise to try GroupApp for once.