16 Best Websites to Learn New Skills

Are you on the lookout for a website to learn new skills? Not all websites are good at that even though their propaganda will make you believe them. I have searched for the best websites to learn new skills and have found trustworthy ones. And some skill learning websites I chose may even surprise you.

So let me quickly share it with you.

Best Websites To Learn New Skills

Each skill type requires a matching website for learning skills. Some websites are free and some should be paid for. Ultimately, the goal is for you to walk away with some new skill you want to learn. That is why I spent so much time searching for the best websites to learn new skills.

Diverse Skill Learning Websites

Can a website teach you multiple skills? And if so, how well can it do it? Turns out, all the best websites to learn new skills I chose are pretty great at teaching you. Now, the websites’ names may not come as a surprise in this section as they are renowned for their diverse courses.

1. Coursera

Coursera offers over 7000 courses covering various skills. The website is well-liked for its course content and professional certificates. You can audit the course if you don’t want to pay. However, you won’t get a certificate unless you purchase it at the end of the course. Fortunately, it does offer a 7-day free trial you can cancel at any time.

The cons? You might find some courses unsatisfactory or the ones you are searching for may not exist. For example, if you want to learn digital painting, the best Coursera can do is point you to graphic designing courses. Doesn’t quite fit the bill, right? A small section may cover what you are searching for, but it is better to find another website that offers better.

But the courses it does offer are stellar and you will find it extremely difficult to point out flaws in those courses. Some courses have peer-grading assignments. Trust me, I hated it at first, but then I realized it was useful. Having someone view your work from a different perspective does help.

2. edX

Every website to learn skills that offers a variety of courses has a ‘What do you want to learn?’ section. Use it to explore if you haven’t made a decision. edX has over 260 institutions waiting at its proverbial wings to teach you whatever you want to learn. edX is best known for its courses on AI and coding, but its other courses are great, too.

edX helps you learn using different techniques and makes you practice what was taught. You can immediately apply what you have learned in real-world situations. The only evidence you have learned about anything won’t be a framed certificate on a glorified wall. Moreover, you can audit the course but not if you want certificates.

3. Udemy

Udemy is an extremely affordable option as it slashes the price of its courses often and you get lifetime access. You will have no objection if you enroll in one of its highly-rated courses. Remember, the courses are only as good as the instructors and the content. So, check out what the course offers and the reviews section.

You can purchase the course you want or subscribe to a personal plan if you want to learn multiple skills or want to study several courses simultaneously. Unlike Coursera, Udemy shows you courses for digital painting if you type it in the search field. It has courses for almost everything. Udemy is a great skill-learning website; no one can deny that.

4. Alison

Coursera and edX offer bachelor’s and master’s degrees but Alison offers Diplomas. You can enroll for free in any course or diploma. The only drawback is like on any other website, you have to pay for the certificate. I have a diploma in Economics; however, I don’t have a certificate to show as I didn’t pay. 

It is the best free website for learning skills. Did you know? There is a course even for gardening. The resource material was good, too. Coursera and edX may let you audit a course, but they restrict access to some assignments and quizzes. Alison doesn’t do that. But beware, the certificates have to be bought.

Best Websites to Learn Tech Skills

It can be challenging to find the best website to learn skills, especially when that skill is technology. However, certain websites caught my eye and I have mentioned those below:

5. Udacity

I immediately began fangirling the minute I saw Udacity’s homepage. What do you want to learn? Data science, programming, AI, cybersecurity, or cloud computing? It offers courses for all these and more. It even claims to have real projects for you to work on to understand and apply what you have learned.

However, the subscription plans are a nightmare. Subscription allows you access to every course Udacity has. You can opt for the monthly if are a fast learner or four-month subscription if you need to enroll in multiple classes. Udacity is the best website to learn computer skills. So, the subscription may be worth it from long-term perspective.

6. Pluralsight

Pluralsight excels at teaching software development. It also offers popular courses on Data & Machine Learning, IT ops, and more. You can see free demos of some courses where the instructors talk about the problems you may face and how to find the solution. This website’s most attractive feature is its hands-on lab.

It provides a risk-free environment where you can make mistakes and learn from them. However, the website’s vibe makes it more suitable for companies looking to train their employees than individual learning. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give it a chance.

7. freeCodeCamp

FreeCodeCamp is one of the best free skill-learning websites. Even metaphorical babies who knew nothing about coding learned a lot and some even changed careers. Did you read that? A free website to learn coding can change your life for the better. You can learn front and back-end development, Python, JavaScript, SQL, and more using this website.

However, it takes hundreds of hours of stumbling and bumbling during practice. So, be patient, and don’t start banging your head against the wall the second you make a mistake. Even highly trained professionals make mistakes and consume copious amounts of coffee to identify the semicolon they forgot to type somewhere in their program. You even get certificates on completion.

Best Websites to Learn Creative Skills

Some are naturally gifted when it comes to creative skills, while others have to practice a lot. It doesn’t matter which group you belong to. The websites I chose will guide you throughout your learning journey.

8. Skillshare

Feel like learning graphic design, illustration, animation, photography, creative writing, music, and more? This is the right website for you. Industry experts teach you the courses you choose. What’s better than that? However, you have to subscribe to gain access to all the content and get additional features like offline viewing and community support.

The 7-day free trial lets you explore the thousands of courses available and pick one that you like. So, spend that week wisely and cruise through as many courses as you can to find out which one suits you best. Get a monthly or annual subscription based on your preference. It is one of the best skill-learning websites.

9. Domestika

I didn’t even know there was something called architectural sketching until I opened this website. All the courses look great and a clear explanation of what is going to be taught and the materials required is provided. So, no worries, you can find the one that best suits you and purchase it. Sometimes, the course costs are slashed for a limited period. 

You can wait for that or subscribe to the website’s monthly or annual plan which appears to be reasonable. The high-quality videos, professional instructors, self-paced study, and feedback make this website one of the best websites for learning new skills. This website teaches writing and fashion in addition to the usual illustration, photography, animation, etc.

10. CreativeLive

I must say this website is user-friendly, and I assure you, you will want to dive right into a course as soon as you find one that suits you. Besides the usual creative arts, it teaches self-improvement, entrepreneurship, lighting, and posing. Seriously, there are courses for posing? One course even offers a guide for children on how to pose.

The monthly subscription may start as low as $13 per month or you can purchase the courses for $49 each. Sometimes, the courses go on sale at a reduced price. So, watch out for it. A course even teaches you how to think like a book designer. I am dying to try it out. What about you? This website will catch your eye if you search for websites to learn skills.

Best Websites to Learn Business Skills

It is important to search thoroughly when looking for websites to learn skills required for business. Therefore, I have taken extra care to search for the best website for learning a new skill related to business.

11. LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning is a trusty website that teaches you to communicate with confidence and use questions to enable critical thinking, interpersonal communication, etc. Expert instructors teach you and you get AI-powered coaching. You can track your progress, too. 

A 30-day free trial is available if you want to check out what the website offers before subscribing. However, there is an ongoing debate that while the website is legit, not all the courses it offers are good. Some opine the courses may not be worth your time and money. Others feel it has worked out well for them and helped them hone their business skills.

12. HBS Online

The Harvard Business School Online teaches you the business essentials, such as entrepreneurship & innovation, leadership & management, finance and accounting, strategies, etc. It also offers a course on AI essentials for business. I don’t know if Harvard students are douchebags or if every TV series I watched merely bashed them for fun.

I sure hope you guys don’t have an unpleasant experience. You will have to empty most of your pocket judging by the price of each course. But hey, perhaps that’s what turns those students into douchebags. They have to earn back the money by excelling at their job after all. However, the website may be one of the best websites to learn business skills.

Best Websites to Learn Personal Development Skills

Personal development is as important as developing other skills. In fact, some would argue it is more important. Either way, the following two websites to learn new skills will help you develop: 

13. Mindvalley

Mindvalley claims to aid you in unleashing your mind’s full potential and accessing altered states of mind. Their Silva Method promises results in 4 weeks/28 days. However, you have to set aside 15 – 20 minutes of your time for your personal development. The annual subscription is $199.

However, it can go down to $99 sometimes. People have claimed to feel inner peace and increased focus after using the Silva method. Enhanced intuition and unshakable positivity are among the other things Mindvalley promises. Perhaps, already intuitive people will know if it is worth the hype. Just kidding, give this website a try if you want.

14. MasterClass

MasterClass is unique because it asks you several questions at the start to know exactly what course you require. It gives you a 30-day risk-free trial to decide whether the subscription is worth it. Students have only positive things to say about the courses. But they say the subscription may not be worth it if you have a narrow field of interest.

Are you interested in becoming a better musician, artist, writer, or all of the above? MasterClass will help you out. Interior designing, fashion, leadership skills are some other things you can learn from this website. It even has courses on sports and athletics, science & technology, games and digital media, acting & performing arts, and more.

Best Websites to Learn Language Skills

Learning languages can be tricky, but it is crucial for communication. Thinking everybody knows English and I can get by just fine is an ignorant sentiment. You can travel anywhere and survive with English alone. However, you will miss out on the joy of learning new things about various cultures.

Moreover, nothing compares to the sense of accomplishment you feel when you master a foreign language. It sets you free; it makes you think you can do everything if you can learn a language from scratch. The following websites will help you learn any language you want. 

15. Italki

Italki is best known for its awesome instructors who charge very little for what they teach. You have the luxury of choosing your instructor and scheduling the class whenever you need it. Italki teaches several languages and has raving reviews from its satisfied students. 

So, you won’t regret choosing this website unless you pick an instructor whose teaching style is not compatible with your learning style. However, it is a rare occurrence you can avoid by watching the instructors’ introductory videos.

16. Busuu

Busuu is one of the best free skill-learning websites. It teaches multiple languages for free and you can upgrade to the premium plan whenever you want. The upside to using this awesome website is you get bite-sized lessons that are easy to digest. 

However, it may get tedious if you are using it for free. Busuu will ask you to watch an ad to unlock every lesson if you have not subscribed to it. That may be a deal breaker for some. So, what do you think? Is it worth watching ads to learn something valuable? After all, it is one of the best websites to learn skills for free.

How to Choose the Right Website for you to Learn a New Skill

Be sure about what you want to learn – You will have trouble picking a website if you don’t know what you need to learn yet.

Do your research – free trials are there for a reason. Check out the websites and the courses it has to offer and make a list of their pros and cons according to you. After all, everyone has a different learning style.

Pocket-friendly courses or Go big? Do you have a budget you can’t exceed? Or don’t you care how much you pay as long as you get quality content and competent instructors? Free courses are rare, but pocket-friendly ones aren’t. So, pick whichever website suits your financial condition.

Tips for Success

Never Falter – You will make mistakes. I know, I sound a bit like Professor Trelawney, making vague predictions that are bound to happen. However, most people are disheartened by their mistakes and stop continuing their learning process. Instead, accept that mistakes are partly for the good as you learn from them.

Get help from your community – Do not shy away from asking for help from the community. They are all here struggling just like you and would help you if you would do the same for them when the time comes. Clear your doubts or merely ask for tips to destress. Just be part of the learning community.

Try again if you fail – Mistakes are small, but sometimes we make monumental errors in our projects that make us question our existence. At those times, try again. Analyze what you did wrong and try to rectify it. Even J.K. Rowling was turned down by many publishers. She went on to become one of the best-selling authors of all time. So, be patient.

Why I Selected these Websites for Learning New Skills

Coursera and edX are excellent, trustworthy websites that offer a variety of courses. Their standards are high and the courses are rich in content. I prefer Coursera to edX because my interests are better aligned with what it has to offer. You might feel that edX is better; if so, let me know.

Udemy is by far my favorite. I love using it, and in my personal experience, the courses I chose never failed to fulfill the promises. Alison is a good website, too. It is one of the best websites to learn new skills for free. It has tons of free content.

Udacity is a great choice for techies. I love how many different topics its courses cover. I like Pluralsight’s labs where you will feel safe making mistakes. freeCodeCamp is King among free websites to learn skills. The confidence you will gain interacting with the community and practicing coding is fascinating.

Skillshare is a great website for learning creative skills; there is no denying it. Domestika has courses I never heard of before and CreativeLive is an extremely affordable option for creative skill learners. It, too, offers a variety of courses. I still can’t get over the courses for posing.

LinkedIn Learning and HBS Online are trustworthy for learning business skills. Mindvalley intrigued me because of its claims. Can a person really access altered states of mind? MasterClass is intuitive and user-friendly, which for me is a major bonus point.

Italki’s instructors give it a competitive edge over other language-learning websites. Busuu is free and easy to use except when it makes you watch ads. Both websites make you enthusiastic about learning a new language and make the learning process as smooth as possible. Busuu is one of the best websites to learn new skills for free.

Final Words

Now that you have seen the best online websites to learn skills, make your choice, stick to it, and plod on until you finish the course. You don’t feel satisfied if the learning journey is too easy, do you? 

Some things in life are best appreciated because of the struggles we go through to attain them. Knowledge and skills fall into that category. Also, let me know what you think are the best websites to learn new skills.