Alison

Overview

Alison combines a large free online course library with career-development resources, psychometric assessments and learning management software for organisations. The learner catalogue spans more than 6,000 courses across 10 categories, which Alison describes as CPD-accredited. Courses are self-paced, with no time limit to complete them, and may lead to Certificates or Diplomas.

Free learning also includes career tools, such as a Career Ready Plan, Career Guide, résumé builder, job listings and course recommendations. Alison reports more than 50 million learners and 15 million graduates in 193 countries. Founded in Ireland in 2007, the company is headquartered in Mount Carmel, Loughrea, Ireland.

For broader comparisons, see MOOC Platforms and Online Course Marketplaces.

Key features

Courses and credentials

Alison offers more than 6,000 free courses and describes its courses as CPD UK accredited. Learners can study at their own pace; the platform states there is no time limit for finishing a course. A completed course may lead to a Certificate or Diploma. Free learning includes advertising, while Premium is offered as an ad-free option.

Career development

Alongside courses, Alison offers psychometric assessments and career resources, including a résumé builder, job listings, a Career Guide and a Career Ready Plan. Learners can also receive course recommendations.

Offline study

Offline learning is available through the Alison App, but only for English-language courses. Downloaded courses are for personal use and may not be shared or distributed. Quizzes, assessments and certificates require an internet connection, so offline access does not cover every part of a course.

Learning management for organisations

Organisations can use Alison's Free LMS for up to 10 users, with access to more than 6,000 courses and basic assignment and reporting tools. LMS+ removes the user limit and adds features such as groups, co-branded certificates, advanced reporting, Content Hub storage and bulk certificate discounts. Psychometric assessments are available on selected plans.

Administrative controls include inviting learners, assigning courses, managing groups and setting roles and permissions. Alison also offers an API integration option; customers need to assess whether their LMS, HR system or platform can support the required customization. Alison states that LMS+ follows ISO 27000/9000 standards and GDPR compliance practices. Its API description does not impose software-integration restrictions.

Pricing

Alison uses a freemium model. The listed consumer options are Free at no cost, Single Course Download at $1, paid once, and Unlimited Offline Access at $5 a month. The single-course option downloads one course for offline personal use; the monthly option allows unlimited course downloads while the subscription remains active.

For organisations, Free LMS costs nothing and supports up to 10 users. LMS+ plans are billed monthly: Starter is $99 a month, Growth is $249 a month, and Enterprise is $599 a month. Growth has a free trial available. The supplied pricing details do not state a refund policy.

The app-focused plan labels also appear as Lite Plan at $1, paid once and Unlimited Plan at $5 a month. The Lite Plan keeps a downloaded course accessible until deleted; the Unlimited Plan provides downloads while its automatically charged monthly subscription is active.

Platforms

Alison is available on the web and through Android and iOS apps. The app requires Android 7 or higher or iOS 15.6 or higher. Offline access is app-only, currently limited to English courses, and requires an internet connection for quizzes, assessments and certificates.

Who it's for

Individual learners looking for free, self-paced courses may find Alison's broad catalogue and career tools useful, particularly if they want course completion to lead to a Certificate or Diploma. The trade-offs to consider are advertising in free learning and the limits on offline study.

For businesses and other organisations, the LMS is positioned for employee, compliance, customer, partner, franchise, government, education, startup, nonprofit and training-provider use cases. Free LMS suits small groups of up to 10 users; LMS+ is intended for organisations needing unlimited learners, more administration and reporting features, or storage and certificate allowances. Alison provides customer support and learning advisors for Free LMS and LMS+.

Pros and cons

• Pros: More than 6,000 free courses; self-paced study without a stated completion deadline; career resources and psychometrics; certificates and diplomas available; web and mobile access; a Free LMS option for up to 10 users.
• Cons: Free learning includes advertising; offline courses are app-only and English-only; quizzes, assessments and certificates require internet; downloads are for personal use and cannot be distributed; LMS+ is separately priced for organisations.

Alternatives

Other services to consider include edX, Khan Academy, Great Learning, Canvas Network, Coursera, DataCamp, freeCodeCamp and FutureLearn.

Verdict

Alison brings free learning, career resources and organisational training tools together in one service. Its extensive course catalogue, flexible pace and available credentials make it relevant to learners seeking accessible online study, while its LMS options cover groups from small organisations to those needing unlimited learners. Before choosing, account for ads on free learning, the internet requirements for course assessments and credentials, and the separate monthly costs and allowances for LMS+.