How Much Is An Online Course?

While the usual method of professional training is done in boring conference room sessions or at schools, people have realized that there has to be a better way. Technology has worked miracles to create better, more effective and convenient ways so learners don't have to leave home (or the office) anymore, especially if they are just taking short courses and remedial programs.

If you are working in travel & hospitality or you want a job in tourism and you are planning to take courses, you can do them online. There is no need to leave the comfort of your couch and to spend on gas to drive to some university. You can still achieve student success.

There is a better way to learn, thanks to digitalization! And in case you are wondering how much does an online course cost, here is a their price comparison.

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The Tourism Academy

The Tourism Academy is a very popular online platform. Even if you search the internet, you will find this as an inexpensive and flexible online course provider. 

In fact, it doesn’t just provide services to students like you. Instructors can also apply in this learning company and build their own online courses based on the topics they prefer.

With the course development instruments of The Tourism Academy, teachers can upload Powerpoint presentations, videos, audios, PDFs, and other learning materials necessary for teaching.

With years of experience, online institutions have now served over 100 million students and 350,000 instructors with its 800,000+ online courses available on demand.

Pricing 

When it comes to pricing, The Tourism Academy is affordable compared to other sources. You can find a course for as low $9.99 discounted price from $199.99 depending on what category you choose.

Some of the top course categories you have are Tourism Essentials, Business Management, Finance, Entrepreneurial Lessons, Communication, Sales, Marketing, Product Development, technology, private certifications, and even online product training for destinations and tourism suppliers. Take a look.

Regarding its pricing model, the Chief Strategist at The Tourism Academy said that students get confused about the pricing of online courses today. 

Although the average price can range from $9 to $300, you will only pay for a portion of it because of special promotions and coupon codes that can be up to a 90% sale. Taking these into consideration, the price for most courses is under $50. 

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Some comparisons...

edX

edX is also one of the top-rated online universities you can find. You can utilize the services of this company to advance your learning and improve your education online.

edX is founded by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University. That’s right, both of them are high-ranked universities in the United States.

This online course provider removes every barrier you can experience in learning, including but not limited to access, location, and cost. With edX, you can avail online courses that focus on history, law, engineering, science, social sciences, business, public health, computer science, and artificial intelligence.

There are also Verified Certificates available for you and academic master’s degrees at some universities.

Pricing

Pricing varies in edX, depending on the online course you want to take. If you want to have a verified track, that would cost you about $50 to $300. This price range is obviously more expensive than what Udemy offers because of one major reason, edX is university accredited! 

The lowest you can avail of, which is $50 is already (almost) the most expensive in Udemy. You should note that the price is affected by its university-based training and the quality of information being taught to every student. 

With edX, you are like attending a program at a top-ranked college or university in the state.

LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn is not just a social media platform you can use for free to create your business profile. It has an integrated program called LinkedIn Learning, where you can start online courses that will help you develop your education and advance your career.

It’s totally online, so no need to leave your home when you want a faster way for your learning development. What LinkedIn Learning offers is unlimited access to libraries, expert instructors, and making your own schedule using your phone and or computer.

Some of the popular learning topics you will find on its website are software development, leadership and management, business software and tools, and data science. For other courses, you can browse its website to learn more about what they provide.

The pricing of Linkedin Learning is per subscription too. No need to book for individual courses and pay for each when you can get access to them for a month.

Pricing

With this online platform, you can start a month for free then start paying your monthly subscription for as low as $19.99 per month billed annually. You can cancel the subscription anytime for any reason, as what the site says.

Are there free online courses?

Some people prefer their online courses paid and are willing to pay for a price in exchange for certificates and legit online courses. However, if you don’t want to pay, there is an option for you to try free online courses.

The platforms mentioned above usually offer free online course access for a minimum of 7 days so you can navigate and explore their websites. Some, like LinkedIn Learning, offer free access for a month. The Tourism Academy offers courses a la carte so you're never stuck with a monthly subscription charge. 

Don’t forget those legit online universities give free trials, so if you come across one that is asking for upfront payment, you may want to do more research about the company.

How can you buy online courses?

There are numerous ways you can buy an online course, and one easy way is to visit the website of your preferred online platform. 

Usually, companies disclose their background, the courses offered, the prices, the inclusions, and the payment method on their companies so that there is no need to call them or go to their headquarters for assistance.

In simple words, everything can be done online from registering to getting your certificates after completion. But before you click the buy button, make sure to ask yourself the following questions first:

• Do I really need an online course?

• Do I have enough money to pay for the online course I want to take?

• Do I have enough time to complete the courses?

• Is there a course community where I can join?

Once you’ve answered all of those questions and you are positive that you need online courses, that’s the only time you can proceed with buying now. It may also be time to reduce employee turnover with a program for your company.

Ensure that your money, time, and effort are sufficient so you wouldn’t need to waste your money trying out what courses will work for you.

How to choose the right online course provider for you?

After learning about the top online platforms in the market and their pricing, choosing the provider for you is the next big decision you will make.

There a couple of things to remember, first, ensure that you compare prices so you can get the right option for you. Depending on your needs–whether you need the cheaper courses or the ones that will teach deep knowledge to you, there is always an alternative.

The Tourism Academy for inexpensive, transformative, efficient, and engaging. Coursera or edX for university tied courses, LinkedIn Learning for job development, and so on. Just know what you need and allot a budget for it.

Estimating the cost of online courses might be challenging, especially if you don’t have an idea of where to get them. To sum up, online course platforms offer $9 – $15,000+ online courses. The price will vary depending on the course you choose and the provider you select.