Are you considering creating and disseminating your knowledge via an online course but are concerned about the expense? The good news is that starting doesn't have to cost a fortune. Effective course planning, recording, organization, and promotion are made possible by free tools.
This guide examines the top free resources for 2025 that are supported by data from scholarly studies and news reports about the operation of digital learning. Just science and tools to help you teach more effectively, no LMS marketing jargon.
You can experiment, validate your idea, and learn by doing without having to risk money up front if you start with free tools.
This is supported by evidence: students in active learning environments were 1.5 times less likely to fail and scored about 6% higher on exams than students in lecture-only classes, according to a large meta-analysis spanning 225 STEM courses (Wired). Another study states that students' learning gains were increased by 62% when digital methods were combined with lectures, as opposed to 33% when lectures were used alone (ResearchGate).
Gain insight into what to teach and how to organize it:
Why it matters: Well-designed courses reflect the preferences of students. Planning around learner demand ensures relevance and engagement, as 90% of students prefer online learning over traditional classroom settings (Growth Engineering).
A key component of online education is video. Try:
Why it matters: Compared to only 8–10% in traditional classrooms, learners can retain up to 60% of the material when watching eLearning videos (Shift eLearning). You can access this power without incurring significant editing costs by using free video tools.
Slides provide structure and visual support:
Why it matters: According to The Hechinger Report, online course completion rates are between 12 and 15% higher than traditional class completion rates of 4 to 9%. This is because engaging slides help students stay in class longer and decrease dropout rates.
Interactive testing increases engagement:
Why it matters: Evaluations improve memory. Active recall and spaced practice greatly enhance retention, according to research on learning strategies (Times of India).
When your course is prepared, communicate with students using:
Why it matters: According to Exploding Topics, 20% of college students now finish all of their online coursework on mobile devices. Delivering mobile-friendly campaigns that reach students where they are is made easier with the help of free marketing tools.
If you don't employ evidence-based teaching strategies, even the greatest free resources won't help:
These methods cost nothing to implement—you just need to design your course with them in mind.
Although free resources aid in getting started, they can seem disorganized—one tool for videos, another for tests, and a third for payments. Learnyst can help with that.
Learnyst provides you with:
The best part is that you can begin for free trial and scale as your student base (and revenue) increases.
Anyone can create an online course using free tools. They allow you to create, record, plan, test, and promote courses without having to pay for them up front. They can produce outcomes that are comparable to those of costly setups because they are supported by research-proven techniques like active learning and microlearning.
When you're ready for a more seamless, businesslike experience, think about upgrading to Learnyst for an all-in-one solution. Start small with Google Trends, OBS, Canva, Google Forms, and Mailchimp.
Among the top free tools are Learnyst (all-in-one course building), Google Forms (quizzes), Canva (design), OBS Studio (recording), Notion (planning), and Mailchimp (marketing). These encompass every step of the process, from creating the course to advertising it.
Yes, you can use Google Slides for presentations, OBS Studio for video recording, and Google Forms for quizzes to make an online course for free. Even Mailchimp's free plan allows you to market. You can start for free and grow with platforms like Learnyst.
You can record excellent course videos for free using programs like OBS Studio, Screencast-O-Matic (free version), and Loom. These tools are perfect for teaching tutorials, lectures, or explainer videos because they can capture both the screen and the webcam.