The world has evolved, and online education has become the new norm as we know it. It has gotten so advanced that you can learn whatever skill you want through online courses specially dedicated to teaching that skill.
With online platforms like Coursera filled with courses on almost every industry you can think of, you have easy access to vast knowledge.
Freelancing can be quite complex for those who want to venture into the industry. The good news is, that you can learn everything you need to know about freelancing through these online courses, whether paid or free.
You might be wondering if an online course is worth it.
With these top-rated online courses, you can expect to advance your freelance career without passing through the roadblock you would have if you didn’t take the course.
With these courses readily available online, you don’t need to go to the university to gain the knowledge of everything freelancing entails, nor do you have to work it out alone.
Becoming a successful freelancer will mean learning all the necessary skills of a professional freelancer.
With all these said, confusion tends to arise on the best courses to choose from as a freelancer.
This article will explain the differences between free and paid courses in freelancing and which freelancing course is best for beginners.
Table of Contents
Differences Between Free and Paid Courses in Freelancing
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Guidance from instructors
Guidance from instructors
A free freelancing course has its limitations compared to Paid courses.
It’s quite challenging to get answers to questions you might have. You are left to figure out the course on your own, without any guidance whatsoever on your journey through the course.
These instructors spend lots of time and resources creating a single course, then make it available for free. They need financial encouragement to go a step further for you.
Paid courses are different. These instructors keep their courses well updated to ensure you get the best out of the course.
They are also ready to answer any question you might have in any area of the course and guide you on your journey to becoming a freelancer. They also share their personal experiences with you; this way, you can avoid making the same mistakes they made.
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Community support
With paid freelance courses, you get to be a part of a freelance community of similar interests where you can grow and learn. Community support gives you a sense of belonging, commitment, and growth.
Being part of a community means being able to ask questions, discuss issues and get answers from your mentors and fellow freelancers.
Most free courses don’t provide community support, and you are left to seek support yourself; this can be overwhelming as you’ll get answers from different sources.
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Job opportunities
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Many paid courses recommend their students to recruiters or clients. However, getting job opportunities from a free freelance course is very rare.
Your chances of getting clients through referrals from your instructor or your course community are highest when you’re taking a paid freelance course.
Read also: 8 Soft Skills You Need for Successful Freelancing
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Structured learning system
Paid freelance courses provide an advanced and structured learning system that is dedicated to the level and advanced concepts of freelancing.
Free freelance courses don’t provide the in-depth lessons you need if you are serious about freelancing; they mostly cover just the basics and are only suitable for those interested in knowing the fundamentals of freelancing.
These basics are mostly knowledge you can research on Google.
A paid course is best if you want to gain firsthand knowledge of every aspect and everything you need to become a freelancer.
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Dropout rate
Free courses have higher dropout rates than paid courses because no fee is attached.
It’s easier to drop out of something you did not pay for than something that you spent your money on.
Paid freelance courses show how dedicated and willing you are to advance in your freelance career, and who would want to let their hard-earned money go to waste?
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Certificate
Most free freelance courses don’t provide certificates after completion of the course. This makes it difficult to be included in your resume or LinkedIn profile.
Paid courses give you certificates that’ll build up your portfolio and resume, show your credibility and make your professional profile attractive to clients.
Read also: Should You Substitute Linkedin for Resume?
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Tests
Tests are part of the learning journey of every course; unfortunately, most free courses don’t have options for tests and quizzes, making it difficult for learners to test their understanding of the course.
Whereas paid courses provide testing systems that give learners a better understanding of the course.
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Resource file
a woman hand is searching data in a folder on a digital screen
This is one of the best advantages a paid course has over a free course. In addition, paid freelance courses provide you with resources that make your freelance journey easier.
Some free courses only offer these resources to learners who are willing to pay for them, and some don’t. So you have to rely on yourself 80% of the time.
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Cost
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This is probably the most prominent difference between free and paid freelance courses. Unlike paid freelance courses, free courses come at no cost, which means that no payment is needed for registration.
As the name implies, Paid freelance courses require payment for registration. Sometimes these costs can go high and can be difficult to afford, especially if you are a beginner looking to become a freelancer.
This is why careful review and research should be done to ensure the course you want to purchase is worth the money. But the benefits that come with these high costs are also high.
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Faster access
Freelance courses that come at no cost are easily accessible as you don’t need to wait for payment confirmation.
You can take the course at your own pace and convenience. There’s no pressure to finish it because it comes at no cost. Free freelance courses are great for accessing and evaluating your skills.
Read also: Pros and Cons of Freelancing in Nigeria
Websites that Provide you With Both Free and Paid Freelancing Courses for Beginners
Working as a freelancer has a lot of advantages. You can earn more money, choose your work hours, and control how you work.
However, it can be very intimidating if you are a beginner looking to become a freelancer. Being able to know which freelancing course is best for beginners can help guide you on your freelance journey.
This is why I put together a list of the best freelancing courses for beginners.
Insight.ng is a leading digital media company established in Nigeria. They cover topics on Entrepreneurship, Career, Personal Development, Freelancing, and Digital Trends with some spices of a happy Lifestyle.
Insight also has a paid course for any type of freelancer who is passionate about their profession.
The great thing about Insight is that you can do an internship with them as a freelance writer and grow your writing skills.
Alison is a great platform that makes its courses available for free to anyone. One of these courses is ‘Principles and dynamics of freelancing’ this course was published by YouAccel Training. In this free course, you will learn about the challenges, benefits, and how to overcome the challenges of freelancing.
You can drop your impressions in the comments section or chat with Insight.ng on WhatsApp regarding free and paid freelancing courses.
Udemy is a world-renowned learning institution and a marketplace that offers thousands of updated freelance courses to help freelancers learn the skill they need in their freelance journey.
These courses will help you take the big leap into freelancing. One example of the courses you can find on Udemy is ‘Copywriting – Become a freelance Copywriter, your own boss’; this course gives you everything you need for a fast-track start. It is created by Len Smith and Sean Kaye.
The course teaches you everything you need to know about building a successful copywriting business and turning basic writing skills into a paycheck. The course is a paid course.
Skillshare is an online learning platform with thousands of creative courses. They offer a 7-day free trial on their courses. You can try out this course on skillshare; the course is ‘Let’s Talk Freelance: Best Skillshare Course’ this course teaches you how to work with popular platforms like Upwork, how to create a killer proposal, and other ways to become more productive and land high-quality clients.
Coursera is an online course provider that works with universities and other organizations to offer online courses, certifications, and degrees in varieties of niches. An example of the courses on Coursera is ‘Introduction to Freelancing: Design a UX for Social Good & Prepare for Jobs’; this course will equip you with the skill you need to become an entry-level UX designer. At the end of the course, you will have a new cross-platform design project to add to your portfolio.
The course will also prepare you to land your first job as a freelance UX designer.
The courses I have outlined above will go a long way in helping you become a successful freelancer.
Now that you know the differences between paid and free courses in freelancing, weigh your options and make the best use of the best option.
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About Author
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Esther Onyeije is a freelance content writer who specializes in writing Blog posts, Articles, and social media posts for blogs and websites.
She uses her background in writing to provide solutions to the pain points of your target audience and create clear and accessible content that makes challenging topics easy for any reader.
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