With many Americans facing tighter budgets and more time at home, a number of typically costly online classes are being offered at reduced prices or even for free.
Companies and services such as Nikon, Rosetta Stone, Peloton, MasterClass, Coursera and more are providing attractive deals on their courses. Some offerings will help you pass the hours, others introduce or refine hobbies, and a few could give you an edge in landing a new or improved job.
So reach for that remote behind the chip bag, pause your streaming queue and explore what you can learn right now.
6 Companies Offering Free or Heavily Discounted Courses
Below is a roundup of organizations providing normally premium classes for little or no cost. As always, read the terms carefully before enrolling and, if needed, set reminders to cancel free trials before charges begin.
1. Peloton
Peloton, known for streaming indoor cycling classes to owners of its roughly $2,300 bikes, also offers hundreds of workouts that don’t need a bike. Currently, Peloton is giving 90 days of complimentary classes to anyone who signs up before April 30.
Although Peloton’s live sessions out of its New York and London studios are paused until at least April 30, the platform’s on-demand library features hundreds of past and newly recorded classes you can choose from. Selections include a 10-minute abs routine, a 20-minute cardio blast, a 30-minute yoga flow or a 60-minute boot camp.
Peloton has also added Fit Family Programming and Dance Cardio to better serve households spending more time indoors. Users can filter classes by music, instructor, duration, difficulty and workout type.
The app automatically logs every completed session, encouraging multi-day streaks and consistent practice.
Sign up for the trial at https://www.onepeloton.com/digital/checkout/digital-90d. You can also check options if you’re looking for a peloton alternative to fit different needs or budgets.
2. Rosetta Stone
Rosetta Stone, the widely used language-learning program, typically charges between $180 and $299 for its courses. Currently, a three-month subscription is free for kindergarten through 12th grade students and their parents.
For others not engaged in home schooling, package prices have been lowered to about $100. Paid users can also access Live Group Coaching sessions — usually an extra fee — at no cost through June 30.
Rosetta Stone recommends learners spend 30 minutes a day, five days a week, but users can progress at their own speed and on their own timetable.
Find out more at rosettastone.com.
3. Fender
The iconic guitar company Fender is offering three months of free lessons to the first one million aspiring or current guitarists who sign up on its site. Lessons typically cost about $90 annually.
The program starts with chords and scales, then moves into full songs. After three months, many students should be able to play tracks such as:
- “She Loves You” by The Beatles
- “American Idiot” by Green Day
- “Last Night” by The Strokes
- “Pumped Up Kicks” by Foster the People
- “Zombie” by The Cranberries
Register at https://try.fender.com/play/playthrough/.
4. MasterClass
MasterClass’s vast library of pre-recorded courses features instructors like poet Billy Collins, tennis champion Serena Williams, Spanx founder Sara Blakely, ballerina Misty Copeland, chef Gordon Ramsay and humorist David Sedaris.
Members also get access to live Q&A sessions with artists and top professionals; those sessions are now open to everyone every Wednesday at 12 p.m. ET.
Individual classes start around $90, while an annual pass to more than 80 classes costs about $180. MasterClass is running a special: buy a yearly membership for $180 and receive an additional membership to share at no extra charge.
Learn more at masterclass.com.
5. Nikon
Nikon Inc. is making ten Nikon School Online courses — which normally cost up to $50 apiece — available for free through the end of May.
These Nikon School Online sessions are part of Nikon’s Creator’s Hour, which also includes free tutorials, interviews with renowned creators and live talks featuring Nikon Ambassador photographers. Course topics include Fundamentals of Photography, Discovering Macro Photography, Photographing Family and Pets, Environmental Portraiture and The Art of Making Music Videos.
Sign up at https://www.nikonevents.com/us/live/nikon-school-online/
6. Coursera
Coursera, a platform that offers courses taught by instructors from universities and companies, is expanding no-cost access and upgrades such as completion certificates. Normally, students pay about $39 per month for Coursera’s services, which allow auditing classes from institutions around the world, including Ivy League universities and organizations like Google and Amazon.
Now, people who enroll by May 31 can access courses taught by expert instructors for 180 days. In many cases, premium upgrades — graded assignments, one-on-one sessions and certificates of completion — are being offered at no extra charge.
Founded by two Stanford professors in 2012, Coursera reports that 87% of participants in professional development programs went on to receive a promotion, a raise or make a career change after taking courses.
Details are available at coursera.org.
Jordan Blake is a freelance writer and editor based in St. Petersburg, Florida.
