If you want to get ahead in your career, free online business courses can help you meet your goals.
However, it can be difficult to navigate through all of the offerings to find the best and most legitimate courses that will actually benefit you.
Read on to discover the best business courses you can find on the internet, all available for free.
The Best Free Business Courses Online
World-renowned universities and educational companies offer free business courses you can enroll in today.
1. Alison
The Alison platform offers dozens of free online business courses that you can take for free. Most courses last 2 to 3 hours.
Topics include occupational health and safety, quality management systems, conflict management, and workplace safety.
You can also take more broad-based courses that cover entrepreneurship, business management, leadership, or finance.
All of Alison's courses are free to take, although you might have to pay a small fee if you want a certificate of completion.
2. Columbia University
Columbia University offers dozens of free online business courses through ColumbiaX on the edX platform.
Take courses on corporate finance, free cash flow analysis, risk and return, crisis resource management, or data science (among others).
All courses are available on demand and can be completed on your own time and at your own pace.
While all courses are free of charge, you can also choose to get a valid certificate for a small fee after completing the course.
3. Harvard University
Harvard University offers more than a dozen business courses that are free for anyone to take online.
These courses cover organizational strategy, pricing strategy, understanding customer needs, identifying competitive risk, and more.
Most of the free courses are short, lasting under an hour, so you can quickly get up-to-speed on the topic at hand.
Some courses are longer, lasting several weeks. A certificate is available at the end of the longer courses for a few hundred dollars.
4. Hubspot Academy
If you're ready to build or enhance your business's online presence, Hubspot Academy is the place for you.
The platform includes dozens of courses on digital marketing, search engine marketing and optimization, and more—all 100% free.
Unlike many free course providers, Hubspot also offers a free certificate for many courses if you pass a multiple-choice exam.
All courses are self-paced and can be accessed at any time once you sign up so you can complete them when it's convenient for you.
5. Kutztown University
The Kutztown University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) offers free online courses on a variety of small business topics.
The university boasts one of the largest collections of free, on-demand entrepreneurial training materials in the United States.
Courses run the gamut from start-up to managing a business, including topics such as taxes, finance, technology, and marketing.
All courses have open enrollment and can be accessed at any time. Each course features an exam at the end to test your knowledge.
6. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) offers thousands of free online courses through its OpenCourseWare platform.
You can take courses on business plans, taxes and business strategy, economic analysis, financial statements, and more.
MIT also offers many tech-based courses if you're interested in how technology has the potential to transform business.
All courses are self-paced and free to take. Certificates are available for many courses with payment of a fee.
7. Open University
The Open University, headquartered in the U.K., offers more than a hundred free business courses online through its OpenLearn platform.
If you're interested in a more global business strategy, Open University is a great place to start.
Take courses on business agility, digital communication, digital marketing, technology and business innovation, and more.
Through the OpenLearn platform, many courses also offer free certificates upon completion.
8. U.S. Small Business Administration Learning Platform
If you're ready to start or expand your own small business, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is there for you.
The government agency's learning platform offers dozens of business courses for free.
The SBA also offers full online learning programs specifically tailored for women, minorities, and returning veterans.
These programs address the unique challenges these groups face when trying to start or expand a small business.
FAQs about Free Online Business Courses
Read on to learn the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about business courses available online for free.
Are Free Online Business Courses Legitimate?
Many free courses are totally legitimate, although it's definitely worth checking into the reputation of the institution offering the course.
Free courses offered by well-known brick-and-mortar colleges and universities tend to have better reputations.
Why Should I Take a Free Online Business Course?
Free online business courses offer flexibility so that you can learn on your own terms and at your own pace.
If you want to advance your career without spending time and effort applying to and attending school, free online courses are a great option.
Is It Worth It to Pay for a Certificate from a Free Course?
That's up to you. Once you've taken the course, you have the knowledge. A certificate simply tells other people you have it.
If you're sending out resumes in hopes of a new position, a certificate shows that you're still investing in your education.
But if you own your own business and are just taking the course for your own edification, there's no need to pay for a certificate.
Find the Best Free Online Business Courses Today
Contact Best Accredited Colleges today if you want more information about business courses that you can take online for free.