13 Best Microlearning Platforms for Creators in 2024

Are you an educational creator looking to monetize your expertise by teaching others online? With the rise of microlearning, it’s never been easier to package your knowledge into bite-sized, engaging lessons that learners can access anytime, anywhere. But with so many microlearning platforms out there, which one should you choose to host and sell your courses?

This post will explore 13 of the best microlearning platforms for creators and instructors in 2024. We’ll cover what makes a good microlearning solution and highlight each platform’s key features, pros, and cons. Plus, we’ll share tips on how you can profit from the booming microlearning trend. Let’s get started!

What Makes a Good Microlearning Platform?

Before we get to our list, let’s define microlearning and what to look for in a microlearning platform. Microlearning involves delivering educational content in small, specific bursts that put the learner in control of what and when they learn. A typical microlearning session lasts 3-7 minutes and focuses on a single learning objective.

RPS Research states that microlearning can boost knowledge retention by up to 80%. And according to Software Advice, it can increase learner engagement by 50%. No wonder it’s become such a popular training method. The global microlearning market is expected to grow to $2.7 billion by 2024.

To deliver effective microlearning, a platform should have the following key attributes:

• Mobile-first design – Optimized for learning on smartphones and tablets.
• Bite-sized content – Ability to chunk information into short, focused lessons.
• Multimedia formats – Support for video, audio, images, quizzes, etc., to cater to different learning styles.
• Learner analytics – Insights into learner progress and engagement to improve content.
• Monetization options – Ability to charge for courses via one-time purchase or subscription.
• White-labeling – Option to remove platform branding and add your own logo, colors, domain name, etc.
• Integrations – Connect with email, payment, and other business tools you already use.

The best microlearning platforms combine an intuitive course creation experience for instructors with a slick mobile app for learners to access content on the go. Let’s see how the top platforms stack up.

Best Microlearning Platforms

Here are our picks for the 13 best microlearning platforms for creators and businesses in 2024.

Teach.io

Teach.io is a powerful microlearning platform that lets you build a branded online school or learning community to educate your audience and customers. More than just a course platform, Teach offers a complete community engagement system, including discussion forums, member profiles, course reviews, certificates, member messaging, and more.

What sets Teach apart is its focus on community-based learning. You can create unlimited courses and structure them with sections and lessons containing video, audio, PDFs, quizzes, and assignments. Learners can interact with you and each other around your course content.

Teach.io Pros

• Fully customizable branded web portal and mobile apps
• Discussions, comments, and direct messaging
• Membership site features like member tagging and course reviews
• Monetize with subscription payment options
• Detailed learning analytics and segmented member data
• Well-designed, user-friendly interface for both admins and learners
• Exceptional support and regular platform updates
• Gamification elements to encourage engagement

Teach.io Cons

• No free plan (14-day free trial)

Teach.io’s community-driven approach makes it ideal for creators, coaches, and businesses who want to cultivate a community around their educational content. The ability to deeply engage learners and gather rich data on them is a huge value-add. 

Start your 14-day free trial today.

TalentCards

TalentCards is a mobile-focused microlearning platform designed for employee training. It lets you quickly turn existing training material into gamified micro courses delivered to learners’ phones.

Courses are built as decks of “cards,” each containing bite-sized information in the form of text, images, videos, quizzes, or surveys. The cards can be standalone or organized into learning tracks for more comprehensive training.

TalentCards Pros

• Fast, easy, no-code course authoring using existing content
• Gamification elements like points, badges, and leaderboards
• Automatic translation of courses into 100+ languages
• Detailed reporting on user and card-level performance
• Off-the-shelf course library on common corporate training topics
• Free plan for up to 5 users

TalentCards Cons

• Designed for employee training, not selling courses
• Card format can feel limited for in-depth topics
• Basic quiz functionality compared to other platforms
• No customization of mobile app or learner experience

TalentCards is best for companies who want to repurpose existing training content into mobile-friendly microlessons.

EdApp

EdApp is another corporate microlearning solution with a slick mobile app for delivering training. Acquired by SafetyCulture in 2020, it’s now used by major brands like Mercedes, Shell, and the United Nations.

Like TalentCards, EdApp uses a card-based format for lessons. You can enhance your microlessons with games, quizzes, and course assessments. There’s also an in-app prizing feature to reward learners with real or virtual gifts.

EdApp Pros

• Intuitive drag-and-drop lesson authoring tool
• Template library with 80+ interactive lesson types
• Supports SCORM content
• Powerful gamification
• Free editable course library
• Unlimited free plan for small teams

EdApp Cons

• Less flexibility in lesson layouts and formatting compared to a traditional LMS
• Can’t sell courses, only suitable for internal training
• Basic reporting and analytics

If you want an easy way to create interactive, gamified microlessons for employee onboarding and training, EdApp is worth checking out. The unlimited free plan is great for small businesses. Paid plans start at $1.95/user/month.

EduMe

EduMe is a mobile-first training platform that prioritizes user experience. Originally built for the diskless workforce, it’s now used across industries to train employees, customers, and more.

What’s great about EduMe is how easy it is to create good-looking, engaging microlessons. You can add various content blocks like text, images, videos, quizzes, and simulators to a scrollable lesson. The in-app branding and notifications are also highly customizable.

EduMe Pros

• Beautiful, user-friendly lesson design
• Easily add existing content from Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, etc.
• Support for SCORM and xAPI e-learning standards
• Customize all touchpoints, including in-app branding and push notifications
• Multi-language support
• Granular user permissions for different admin roles

EduMe Cons

• No full mobile app, just a web app
• Course library is only available as an add-on
• No built-in payment processing or marketplaces to sell courses
• Gets pricey with add-ons

EduMe is a solid platform for microlearning-based employee and customer education. It doesn’t have all the features of a full-fledged LMS, but that’s by design.

Thinkific

Thinkific is a leading online course platform that allows you to package your educational content into short-form lessons for bite-sized learning.

While not exclusively a microlearning solution, Thinkific does let you structure lessons in multiple short modules. You can add different content types like video, text, quizzes, surveys, PDFs, and assignments to create an engaging learning experience. Courses can be sold for a one-time fee or subscription.

Thinkific Pros

• Flexible course-building options, including micro courses
• No-code drag-and-drop editor for lessons and site pages
• Multimedia content types, including videos, quizzes, surveys, etc.
• Built-in payments for course sales
• Good analytics on student engagement and revenue
• Free plan to test the platform

Thinkific Cons

• Have to structure courses properly for micro-learning, no dedicated micro course format
• Limited branding and customization of course player
• Basic mobile experience through a web app, no native mobile apps
• Many key features are only available on higher plans

If you’re an individual creator who wants to offer your courses in easily digestible micro-modules, Thinkific can work well. Just be mindful of how you structure content for a true microlearning experience.

The Leap

The Leap, previously known as Virtually, is an emerging microlearning platform aimed at helping experts quickly launch live cohort-based courses.

You create a course outline with short lessons of 1-15 minutes, each covering a single concept or skill. Lessons can include videos, images, and files. During a live cohort, you deliver the lessons in scheduled sessions while interacting with students via video, chat, and polls.

The Leap Pros

• Optimized for short, live video-based lessons
• Easy scheduling of live cohorts and sending learner invitations
• In-platform community, breakout rooms, assignments, office hours, etc.
• Handles payments, payouts, and affiliate tracking
• Course bundles and subscriptions
• Hands-on support to help build and launch your live cohorts

The Leap Cons

• Focused on live cohorts, no evergreen or on-demand courses
• Minimal content types, no quizzes or interactive elements beyond live video
• Can’t fully self-serve, must apply to teach on the platform

The Leap is purpose-built to deliver live micro-learning experiences, making it unique among online course platforms. If you want to teach short, live lessons and nurture an intimate learner community, it’s worth applying for early access.

Axonify

Axonify is an employee training platform that uses advanced learning science principles to deliver personalized microlearning. Geared toward large enterprises, it’s used by major companies like Walmart, Bloomingdale’s, and Merck.

Axonify’s AI engine adapts the training to each employee based on their knowledge gaps, performance, and behaviors. Admins can create question-based micro courses that incorporate video, images, and SCORM content. Employees access daily 3-5 minute training sessions via web or mobile app.

Axonify Pros

• Delivers hyper-targeted training based on individual needs
• Question-based approach for knowledge retention
• Real-world rewards system to incentivize training
• Analytics to connect training to key business metrics
• Plug-and-play content library for common industries
• Integrates with other enterprise systems

Axonify Cons

• Sold as a complete solution – can’t just purchase the microlearning component
• Requires larger employee base to take advantage of AI-based personalization
• Less control over course sequence and material
• Pricing only provided after demo

As a sophisticated enterprise training solution, Axonify won’t be the right fit for solo creators or small businesses. (In that case, you’re better off using something like Teach.io). However, it’s one of the best platforms available for larger companies who want to maximize employee performance through data-driven microlearning. Expect to make a significant investment.

OttoLearn

OttoLearn is a specialized microlearning platform that delivers  training to desk and deskless workers. It’s a division of Neovation Learning Solutions, a leading provider of corporate training.

Courses in OttoLearn are broken down into 2-minute microlessons that adapt to each learner’s mastery level. You create lessons with different “mastery triggers” that learners must demonstrate to complete the lesson. The lessons persist from any device, allowing continuous learning.

OttoLearn Pros

• Adapts each lesson to the learner’s current mastery level
• Mastery triggers like locate, label, choose, or enter an answer
• Spaced repetition to reinforce concepts
• Real-time analytics and weekly summaries to track training impact
• Easily add existing videos, documents, presentations, etc.
• Rapid lesson authoring and iteration

OttoLearn Cons

• It is not a full-featured LMS; it only handles the microlearning component
• Basic multimedia content support compared to other platforms
• No customization of the mobile app
• Lacks gamification and strong learner engagement features
• Pricing not publicly available

For companies who want to cut training development time while increasing knowledge retention and job proficiency, OttoLearn is a compelling microlearning solution. Just know that it’s not a complete replacement for a LMS. Contact the company for a demo and pricing.

Udemy

Udemy is the world’s largest marketplace for online courses, and it has over 50 million students. While it’s not mainly a micro-learning platform, you can certainly use its course creation tools to build micro courses.

Udemy lets you add various content types like video, quizzes, assignments and coding exercises to your course. Courses are divided into sections and lectures. For a micro course, you would create short, 2-5 minute lectures each covering a specific learning objective.

Udemy Pros

• Potential to reach a huge global audience of learners
• No hosting fees – Udemy takes a cut of course sales
• Multiple instructor support tools like Q&A, announcements, and direct messaging
• Supports numerous content types
• Has a free mobile app for learners
• Detailed student analytics

Udemy Cons

• Have to compete with thousands of other courses
• Limited control over course pricing and promotions
• Very few branding and customization options
• Doesn’t have dedicated micro course features
• Revenue share favors Udemy unless you bring students

If you don’t want the hassle of marketing and selling your courses, creating a micro-course on Udemy could help you reach a large student base. But you’ll be competing with 150,000+ other courses. Consider using Udemy in addition to other platforms.

7taps Microlearning

7taps is a mobile-first microlearning platform that allows you to create and deliver bite-sized lessons to learners. Its unique approach involves chunking content into short “taps” that learners can quickly consume on the go.

Pros

• Optimized for modern learners who prefer consuming content on mobile devices
• Rapid course creation and collaboration
• Gamification elements like points and progress tracking boost engagement
• Direct integration with Teach.io to monetize your micro courses
• Analytics to track learner progress and course effectiveness

Cons

• Spreadsheet-based authoring may have a learning curve for some
• Limited customization options for course appearance
• Basic multimedia support (images and video only)
• Pricing not disclosed on website

Code of Talent

Code of Talent is a microlearning platform with a focus on social and collaborative learning. It combines bite-sized lessons with features like live streaming, breakout rooms, and peer learning groups to foster an interactive learning experience. Courses can be created with the drag-and-drop editor and enhanced with gamification elements.

Pros

• Emphasis on social learning to boost engagement and completion rates
• Virtual classroom features for live training and collaboration
• Gamification features
• Built-in course authoring
• Mobile app for on-the-go learning

Cons

• Steeper learning curve than some other microlearning platforms
• Pricing on the higher end compared to competitors
• No direct monetization options for course creators
• Requires download of mobile app for full functionality

LearnUpon

LearnUpon is an LMS that offers microlearning capabilities alongside more traditional e-learning features. Its micro course creator allows you to string together different content types like text, images, videos, and quizzes into short learning paths. Major brands like Zendesk, Twilio and Vauxhall trust the platform.

Pros

• Combines micro courses with full LMS features for a comprehensive solution
• Intuitive course builder
• Supports a variety of content types, including SCORM
• Built-in gamification and social learning features
• Extensive integrations with third-party tools
• Robust reporting and analytics

Cons

• Higher price point than microlearning-specific platforms
• Can be overkill if you only need a basic microlearning tool
• Lack of a native mobile app for learners
• Doesn’t offer a built-in marketplace for selling courses

Tovuti LMS

Tovuti is an all-in-one learning management system that includes microlearning support. The simple course builder allows you to create short, interactive courses and personalize the learning path for each user. The platform also offers interactive elements like virtual classrooms, discussion boards, and built-in content authoring.

Pros

• Offers microlearning features alongside a full-fledged LMS
• Virtual classroom and webinar capabilities for blended learning
• Gamification features, including points, badges, and certificates
• Flexible checkout for selling courses and memberships
• In-depth reporting and analytics on learner progress
• Responsive design for mobile access

Cons

• Steeper learning curve with many features to navigate
• Higher starting price than many other platforms
• Additional fees for certifications and other add-ons
• Complicated pricing structure based on “active learners”

How to Create a Paid Membership Site

Now that you know the top microlearning platforms, how can you, as a creator, tap into this massive trend? Here are a few ideas.

1. Niche down and solve one specific problem. Don’t try to be the “microlearning expert.” Focus on a particular niche, identify a pressing challenge your audience faces, and create a micro-course that solves it.
2. Presell to validate demand. Before developing a full micro course, test the waters by preselling a smaller version to your existing audience. If you get a good uptake, then develop the complete course.
3. Make every lesson actionable. The best microlearning focuses on specific, real-world skills. Structure each short lesson around one key objective, walk learners through it step-by-step, and then give them a way to apply it immediately.
4. Use the best content medium for each lesson. Video is great for walkthroughs and how-tos. Text and images work well for reference material. Quizzes reinforce learning. Mix it up.
5. Offer different formats and price points. Some learners may want a one-off micro-course to quickly uplevel a skill, while others may prefer a subscription for ongoing access. Have a few options to serve different segments.
6. Build a community, not just a course. Microlearning is even more impactful when learners can engage with you and each other. Teach.io really shines here with its discussion feeds, member profiles, and messaging.
7. Promote, promote, promote. No matter how great your micro-course is, you need to market it. Announce it to your email list, share it on social media, run paid ads, partner with affiliates, get press coverage, and do everything you can to get it in front of your ideal learners. 

The key is to remember that microlearning is ultimately about quickly delivering a desired result. If you can package your expertise into bite-sized lessons that help people achieve a specific goal, you’ll be well-positioned to profit in this growing market.

The Future of Learning is Micro

This post covered a lot, from what makes an effective microlearning platform to some of the top solutions available for creators and businesses. To recap, here are the best microlearning platforms for 2024:

• Teach.io: All-in-one platform for building a branded online school with courses and community
• TalentCards: Employee training platform with gamified mobile micro courses
• EdApp: Mobile-first training solution used by major global brands
• EduMe: Beautifully designed microlearning platform for the diskless workforce
• Thinkific: Popular online course platform with a micro course feature
• The Leap: Platform for live cohort-based courses delivered in short lessons
• Axonify: Enterprise microlearning solution that uses AI to personalize training
• OttoLearn: Adaptive microlearning platform built on agile learning principles
• Udemy: Massive online course marketplace where you can list micro courses

Each platform has its strengths, so the “best” one will depend on your specific use case and audience. Solo creators will have different needs than a large enterprise. 

That said, Teach.io offers the most well-rounded solution for monetizing your expertise through microlearning. With Teach, you get a fully customizable branded web portal and mobile apps, a robust course builder, integrated community features, multiple monetization options, and hands-on support to ensure your success.

Whether you’re an experienced creator looking to scale or you’re just getting started with online courses, Teach.io gives you everything you need to build a profitable micro-course business. You can try the platform free for 14 days – no credit card required.

The future of learning is undoubtedly micro. Busy professionals need relevant skills training delivered in short, engaging bursts that fit their schedules. On the other side, creators and businesses can reach more people by unbundling their expertise into bite-sized learning units.

By hopping on the microlearning train now, you’ll be ahead of the curve and well-positioned to impact more lives while increasing your income. The key is to choose the right tech stack to bring your micro-courses to the masses.