Learning something new or upgrading your skills can be overwhelming, especially when you don't know where to begin. Having good learning resources on hand can streamline the learning process.

For those looking to learn a new skill online, hundreds of e-learning platforms featuring thousands of courses are available. However, choosing between them can be difficult.

To narrow down your choices and make your learning journey more effortless, we will cover five of the best tutorial websites where you can get started learning new skills.

1. Udemy

Udemy Homepage Showing Different Courses

Students trying to learn new skills or professionals aspiring to broaden their expertise are Udemy's main target market. You can think of any topic, and you'll find it on Udemy. That's how vast its array of courses is.

You can browse its categories and subcategories using the intuitive interface to locate courses on particular topics. Furthermore, you can narrow down your choices based on your requirements with handy filters.

Most of the instructors you'll find on Udemy are professionals with years of experience in their fields. Courses range from those lasting less than an hour to those that require more than ten hours to complete.

However, the courses are well-organized, with a detailed outline of the course content publicly available for you to make an informed purchase. Moreover, with the free preview of a few videos available, you'll have a chance to see the instructor's teaching style.

Udemy does not have a subscription-based model, so you have to purchase every new course separately. That is a major drawback compared to other platforms. You can get a business account, but the prices may still exceed your budget.

However, its huge discounts on courses and availability of hundreds of free courses on every topic make it an excellent option for those on a limited budget.

2. MasterClass

MasterClass Course Homepage

MasterClass offers a unique opportunity to learn practical skills such as cooking, photography, writing, tennis, and so on, from a celebrity of your choice.

Since all instructors are celebrities, they are all masters of their trade. When it is coupled with excellent production quality and well-structured videos, the learning process becomes a breeze.

As the courses are recorded, you can access them on the go. However, even though a wide range of life skills courses are available, the number of courses is quite limited.

Unlike Udemy, where you can learn almost anything, you will only be able to learn a few things here. Nonetheless, if you succeed in finding a course about the skill you need, you can't find a better one anywhere else.

Despite being a premium platform, subscribing to it won't break the bank. As with Skillshare, the platform is a subscription-based service and offers three different packages. Typically, they cost between $180 and $276, with the flexibility to use the account on one to six devices.

If you have some extra cash on hand, learning from your favorite celebrities at a low price wouldn't hurt.

3. Skillshare

Skillshare Course Homepage

Skillshare has everything you need, whether you're looking to improve your design skills, discover productivity hacks, or get professionally trained on a specific subject from scratch. Instead of working as a traditional learning platform, it acts as a community builder.

Skillshare instructors are a mix of professionals and hobbyists, but most of them have a great deal of experience. Nevertheless, since there is no strict check and balance, your chances of bumping into a low-quality course are still there.

The courses are pre-recorded so that you can take them at your convenience. Furthermore, most courses are one hour in length or less on average, and even those are arranged in smaller chunks. Aside from courses, you can also attend workshops about specific topics.

In addition, Skillshare keeps track of the courses you've taken and lectures you've already watched, so it's easy to see where you left off. As you progress through your learning process, you can practice the concepts and share them with others in the community to get feedback.

Furthermore, unlike other platforms where you must purchase each course individually, Skillshare works on a subscription basis. By subscribing to a monthly or yearly subscription, you will have access to all courses available on the platform.

You can learn more about how much Skillshare costs and how to get started by reading our article about everything you need to know about Skillshare.

4. YouTube

Playlist of a Microsoft Excel Course on YouTube

YouTube has been a free teacher for millions around the globe. YouTube has millions of videos covering almost any topic you can think of, whether a general life hack or learning professional software.

With courses on almost every professional skill compiled into playlists that take you from scratch and make you the expert, it's a go-to platform for many.

The downside of learning a skill from YouTube is that it can be distrustful. Who knows, maybe you'll wind up watching the newly released episode of your favorite show in the middle of the learning process.

Although it's free, you'll have to show some discipline to focus on what you're learning and avoid wandering off the platform.

In short, whether you're a student seeking a tutorial on a particular topic or an Excel expert trying to make sense of complex formulas, YouTube will be your perfect partner.

5. Udacity

Exploring Subcategories of Courses on Udacity Homepage

The Udacity website is an excellent resource for those in the tech and programming fields. It is more of an educational platform aimed at students.

Most people prefer Udacity's nanodegree program, which helps you develop skills that can be converted into a full-time job. However, remember that it is not a substitute for a college education.

The instructors on Udacity are well-experienced, and the content is of high quality. But you must be selective in picking only the updated courses, as you may run into a course that hasn't been updated in years.

There is also the downside that you cannot complete the courses on the spot. Instead, they are spread over a few months, with limited content available every week. Thus, it cannot offer the kind of flexibility that Udemy, Skillshare, and other platforms provide.

Furthermore, its pricing is relatively high compared to other websites and platforms, coming in at around 399 dollars per month, and it only offers a 2-day refund policy. It is best to check out free resources to learn programming-related skills before enrolling in Udacity.

Which Websites Should You Choose From the List?

As YouTube is free, you can explore it anytime, and considering the value Skillshare can provide; it's worth signing up for its yearly subscription.

While you can hand-pick courses on Udemy or get some discounts, a MasterClass subscription is an incredible deal if you want to expand your knowledge in a particular field.

Udacity should only be considered if you cannot find a particular course anywhere else and if you can receive financial aid.

For students, you might want to check out dedicated platforms like EdX, Coursera, OpenLearn, etc., where you can find free college courses.