Free time is a gift, and we all want to spend our free time on activities that fulfil us. And if you’re the type of person who wants to spend their free time learning new skills, you’re in luck. There are plenty of free online courses out there which you can take to learn and improve a wide range of skills that you’ll be able to start in just a few clicks.
Finding the best free online courses isn’t always easy though. So, we’ve put together a list of our favorite free courses that you can get started with today.
We’ve handpicked the free courses on this list to cover a broad range of topics, including marketing, entrepreneurship, social media, and even productivity. With the free online courses list you’ll be able to take control of your time and access some of the best online courses for your personal development.
13 Best Free Online Courses for Young and Aspiring Entrepreneurs
1. Shopify Compass
First up on our list of the best free online courses we’ve got Shopify Compass.
But let us be clear, Shopify Compass isn’t just one free online course. In fact, it’s a platform that’s dedicated to creating free online courses for entrepreneurs who are interested in getting started with their own online business. And that’s because Shopify Compass wants to help take the guesswork out of entrepreneurship with “step-by-step guidance” for people of all experience levels.
So, if you’ve ever considered starting your own business, or you want to learn some skills that could help you with running a business in the future, Shopify Compass will have a free online course for you. Plus, once you sign up you’ll get access to a community of entrepreneurs who you can share ideas with as well as access to special events. It’s a no brainer.
2. Design Your Dream Life
You’ve probably fantasized about living your dream life. But you are afraid to take the leap. Design Your Dream Life course gives you the resources you need to turn fear and failure into fuel for success. Unlock the guidance to create your best life – then live it every single day.
The course, taught by blogger Tom Kuegler, teaches you how to develop the habits that separate individuals living their dream lives from the rest. The instructor also shares a list of tools to help you set actionable goals, track your process, and get clear on the bigger picture – so you can take all the steps you need to turn dreams into reality.
The best part? You also get access to downloadable templates, worksheets, and calendars as you brainstorm and strategize your perfect life. It’s time to stop settling for less than you deserve.
3. PhotographyCourse
Photography has always been a valuable skill to have. But in the past, photography was much more exclusive – you needed expensive equipment to get started. Of course, that made learning the skill tough too, as you needed a large financial commitment upfront.
But it’s much easier to get into photography nowadays. We all have phones in our pockets that we can use to enjoy photography, and the free online courses on PhotographyCourse will give you the skills you need to level up your Instagram page, your website’s design, and much more.
PhotographyCourse is a one-stop destination for all things photography – you can start off with their free beginner courses if you’d like, or you can select something more specific, if you’ve already got a little bit of experience.
Google has created free digital marketing coursesthat have been specifically designed to “grow your business or jump-start your career”, and we think they’re some of the best free online courses around.
You can jump in from the beginning of their modules and take the course in its entirety, or you can select specific lessons from their free online course that suit your immediate needs.
Oh, and if you complete the full “Fundamentals of Digital Marketing” course, you’ll receive a certification too. You can add the certification to your resume or LinkedIn, and having a certification from Google is never a bad thing.
Knowledge and a qualification is tough to argue against, right? Especially when it’s free online learning.
So, if you’re looking for ways to spend your free time and you’ve got an interest in digital marketing, this is one of the best online courses for you.
5. Canva’s Design School
Up next on our list of the best free online courses we’ve got Canva’s Design School.
This is a fantastic set of online courses that’s aimed at anybody who’s interested in learning more about Canva as a tool, the basics of design, or if you’re looking to take your existing skills to the next level.
Canva is already a pretty straightforward tool to use, and you’ll find a bunch of free courses from their Design School that’ll make it even easier.
Design School’s library of free online courses do specialize in growing your social media skills, your graphic design skills, and much more, like building your presentation skills. The barrier for entry for these free online courses is super low too – all you really need is an email address and a laptop to get started.
So, it doesn’t matter if you’ve been studying design for a little while already, or if you’re totally new – Canva’s Design School courses can help you to grow your design chops.
6. Facebook Blueprint
Facebook is undoubtedly a powerful asset for anybody who’s interested in marketing. But, it’s definitely not easy to succeed with Facebook as a marketing platform.
And that’s why we’ve added Facebook Blueprint to our list of the best free online marketing courses that everybody can benefit from.
Essentially, you’ll find all the information that you’d ever need to succeed with Facebook marketing at your fingertips.
And all you need to get started is a Facebook account. Just log in and select a broad topic that you want to learn more about – from there you can start at the beginning of the topic and go all the way through or just select a smaller lesson and hone in on a particular topic that you’re struggling with.
7. Highbrow’s Productivity Course
Looking for a free online course that’ll help you to boost your productivity?
Well, Highbrow has got just the thing for you. And really, who wouldn’t want to be a bit more productive with their time?
This online course is a little bit different though, as it’s sent via email, rather than hosted on a website. It’s one of the shorter online courses on this list, but make no mistakes, it’s definitely still worth taking.
You’ll receive 10 emails over 10 days, one each day, consisting of about 5 minutes worth of content to read through. It’s easy to consume, in terms of both content and the format. And within the emails you’ll find proven ways to increase your productivity with small steps that you can start with straight away.
Plus, it includes productivity tips from leaders like Angela Merkel, Oprah Winfrey, and Elon Musk. An all star cast to help you achieve all star results. So, if you’re looking for a shorter free online course to take, give this one a try.
8. Asana Academy
Following on with the theme of productivity, the next free online course on our list, from Asana, will help you to take your work output to the next level.
We’ve personally found that having a visual representation of the tasks that you need to complete each day, and breaking them down into smaller, easy to complete chunks, can take your productivity to record highs. It also makes big tasks seem much more doable, too.
And that’s why Asana’s Academy is one of the best free online courses to take in 2021. You’ll learn how to master the Kanban methodology using Asana and you can even take their courses to become a Certified Asana Pro, which will earn you a certificate, which you can use on your resume or LinkedIn.
This online course is primarily aimed at people who want to improve their social media skills. You’ll find the most benefit from this course if you’re at the beginning of your journey with using social media marketing for a business or brand.
You’ll be able to access modules in this free online course that’ll help you to find your voice on social media, guide you in creating the best content for your audience, and much more.
One important point to note though, is that this course is hosted on Skillshare, which offers a free trial, but isn’t free forever.
That said, you’ll be able to sign up for Skillshare and access this course for free for 2 months, which is more than enough time to complete it.
10. FutureLearn’s Introduction to Web Development
This free online course on web development will help you find your feet in the website building landscape. For three weeks, at only two hours per week, the course isn’t overwhelming, but it’s packed with valuable knowledge and tips on how to build your own interactive website.
If you’ve ever wanted to explore the world of web design, then the Introduction to Web Development course is the perfect starting point, with information on HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. What’s more, you’ll learn to design websites that are fully equipped to rank on Google.
Discover the box model and learn how browsers format sites. Unwrap the Document Object Model’s mysteries and discover how you can dynamically change webpages as your visitor’s land on them. By the end of the course, you’ll even build your own site.
11. HubSpot’s Excel for Marketers
HubSpot is a better-known company for offering automated marketing, sales, and customer service management solutions. But did you know that it also provides world-class courses covering in-demand skills and the latest trends from business experts? An example is this Excel for Marketers crash course designed to guide you through the basics of managing your data in spreadsheets.
If you frequently use Excel for uploading data to your Google Analytics dashboard or company CRM, you probably know how easy it is for that data to become cluttered and confusing. The Excel for marketers crash course shows you how to import and organize your Excel data and how to access various valuable functions.
By the time you’re done, you’ll have all the skills you need to create metrics dashboards, keep data automatically updated, and more.
12. SEMrush’s On-Page and Technical SEO Course
Maintaining your website’s search engine performance can be a real headache. That’s why SEMRush created a free online course to help you navigate the roadblocks. This immersive course will teach you how to maintain your site’s performance with optimized content that appeals to both the search engines and your users.
Through 7, 1-hour lessons, you’ll learn how to analyze your competition, find the right keywords to appeal to your audience, and more. There’s also a series of video lessons from Ashley Ward, a digital marketing expert. By the end of the modules, covering everything from technical SEO to on-page signals, you should be equipped to handle all of the ins and outs of a complex SEO or SEM strategy.
There’s even a test session at the end where you can put your newly developed skills to the test before you go out and start updating your marketing.
13. Wishpond’s Email Marketing Masterclass
Oka y, the last free online course on our list is aimed at one of the most effective marketing channels – email marketing.
In this free course you’ll learn about common email marketing mistakes (and how to avoid them), how to build marketing funnel, how to grow your email lists, and much more.
So, if you’re interested in creating an email marketing strategy in the future, whether it be for your brand or your day job, this is a great free online course for you.
What Online Course Should You Do?
When you’re choosing a free online course from our list, remember to pick one that helps you to solve a problem. Be proactive with your development, and pursue knowledge in areas that you want to know more about.
And remember, the best online courses are already out there just waiting for you to enroll.
Now, we’ve given you our picks for the best free online courses that you can take, but of course, we’ve gone general with our list. We tried to choose free courses for this list to make it accessible for everybody. And we really do believe that everybody will find some value from at least one course on this list.
In summary, here are 13 of the best free online courses that you can take to boost your skills and get ahead:
Shopify Compass courses
Design Your Dream Life
PhotographyCourse lessons
Google’s Digital Marketing Course
Canva’s Design School
Facebook Blueprint
Highbrow’s Productivity Course
Asana Academy courses
Buffer’s Social Media Strategy
FutureLearn’s Introduction to Web Development
HubSpot’s Excel for Marketers
SEMrush’s On-Page and Technical SEO course
Wishpond’s Email Marketing Masterclass
So, which courses are you interested in enrolling in? Was there a great free online course that we missed? Let us know in the comments below!
