Overview

Alison is a free-first learning platform that pairs a large self-paced course catalogue with career tools and training software for organisations. It suits independent learners who want to build skills without a course deadline, as well as teams that need a low-cost way to distribute training. Its strongest case is breadth at no cost; ad-supported learning and meaningful offline restrictions are the main trade-offs.

The catalogue spans more than 6,000 courses across 10 categories, which Alison describes as CPD-accredited. Courses can lead to Certificates or Diplomas. Learners also get career resources such as a résumé builder, job listings, a Career Guide and course recommendations, alongside psychometric assessments. Alison reports more than 50 million learners and 15 million graduates across 193 countries. Founded in Ireland in 2007, the company is headquartered in Mount Carmel, Loughrea.

For a wider shortlist, browse MOOC platforms and online course platforms.

Key features

Self-paced courses and credentials

Learners can work through courses at their own pace, with no time limit to finish. That flexibility suits people fitting study around work or other commitments. Certificates and Diplomas give learners a completion credential, and Alison says its courses are CPD UK accredited. Free learning includes advertising; Premium is offered to remove ads, so the free route trades an uninterrupted experience for cost-free access.

Career tools

Alison goes beyond course delivery with a Career Ready Plan, Career Guide, résumé builder, job listings, course recommendations and psychometric assessments. That combination is useful for learners who want career planning alongside skills development, rather than a course catalogue alone.

Offline study

Offline access is app-only and limited to English courses. The app requires Android 7 or higher or iOS 15.6 or higher; quizzes, assessments and certificates still need an internet connection. A one-time course download is suitable for occasional travel, while the monthly option covers unlimited downloads only while the subscription remains active. Downloads are for personal use and cannot be shared or distributed.

Organisational learning

Free LMS supports up to 10 users per organisation, with access to more than 6,000 courses and basic assignment and reporting tools, without software, content or implementation fees. Organisations can invite learners, assign courses, manage groups and set roles and permissions. LMS+ adds unlimited learners without seat licences or usage tiers, along with ad-free learning, co-branded certificates, bulk certificate discounts, advanced reporting and Content Hub storage. Selected plans include psychometric tests. Alison also offers an API option, but a customer's technical team must assess compatibility with its LMS, HR system or platform customisation. LMS+ displays ISO 27000/9000 standards and GDPR compliance; customer support and learning advisors are available for Free LMS and LMS+.

Pricing

Alison is freemium. Free learning includes self-paced course access and the possibility of earning Certificates or Diplomas, but it is ad-supported. The app's offline options are separate purchases: a single course download costs 1.00 USD once and remains accessible until deleted; unlimited downloads cost 5.00 USD per month, charged monthly, and end when the subscription is no longer active.

For organisations, Free LMS costs 0.00 USD per free and covers up to 10 users per organisation, with 6,000+ courses and basic assignments and reporting. It is a sensible starting point for a small team; larger groups need an LMS+ plan, and Free LMS does not include the advanced reporting, unlimited learner capacity or expanded certificate and storage allowances of LMS+.

Starter: 99.00 USD per month, with 500 MB of Content Hub storage per month, three complimentary certificates per month and a 30% discount on bulk certificate purchases. It fits organisations with modest storage and certificate needs.
Growth: 249.00 USD per month, with 3 GB of storage, 10 complimentary certificates per month, a 40% bulk-certificate discount and up to 180 psychometric tests per month. A free trial is available. This is the middle tier for teams that need assessments and more monthly capacity.
Enterprise: 599.00 USD per month, with 5 GB of storage, 20 complimentary certificates per month, a 50% bulk-certificate discount and up to 600 psychometric tests per month. It suits organisations needing the largest stated monthly allowances.

All three paid LMS+ prices are monthly. The published allowances make the plan choice consequential: certificate, test and storage use is capped by tier even though learner seats are not.

Platforms

Alison is available on the web, Android and iOS. Offline learning requires the Alison app and applies only to English courses; quizzes, assessments and certificates require internet access. The app's minimum requirements are Android 7 or higher and iOS 15.6 or higher.

Who it's for

Alison is a strong fit for independent learners who value free, flexible study and career resources, and for organisations that want to start employee, compliance, customer, partner, franchise, government, education, startup, nonprofit or training-provider programmes without an initial Free LMS fee. Small organisations can use the 10-user tier; larger ones can move to LMS+ without seat licences. It is less suitable for learners who need fully offline course completion or organisations whose certificate, test or storage needs exceed their chosen tier's monthly allowances.

Pros and cons

Pro: More than 6,000 courses are available for free, with self-paced study and no time limit to finish.
Pro: Career tools and psychometric assessments extend the offer beyond course consumption.
Pro: Free LMS includes 6,000+ courses and basic administration for up to 10 users without software, content or implementation fees.
Pro: LMS+ has no learner-seat limits, and its higher tiers add specified allowances for tests, certificates and storage.
Con: Free learning includes advertising, while removing ads requires Premium.
Con: Offline study is English-only and app-only, and assessments, quizzes and certificates still require connectivity.
Con: LMS+ monthly test, certificate and storage allowances vary by tier, which can constrain teams with heavier usage.

Alternatives

Choose edX if you prefer its free audit track, which limits course access and excludes graded assignments and certificates. Great Learning is another freemium option, with 1,000+ self-paced free courses and certificates available for a nominal fee.

Pluralsight is a paid alternative with a 10-day trial; its Core Tech plan is 449.00 USD per year, billed monthly, and the trial excludes lab and sandbox features. Khan Academy is another freemium choice. Brilliant has a free tier capped at two lessons or practice sets per day. Coursera is a freemium alternative. OpenClassrooms offers free-access courses online with an account.

Verdict

Choose Alison if you want a broad, self-paced course library with career resources at no cost, or need an organisational LMS that can start free for up to 10 users. Its main advantage is the combination of free learning and career support; look elsewhere if ad-free study, complete offline access or uncapped monthly LMS usage is essential.

	Alison	Cisco Networking Academy
Free plan	Yes	No
Free trial	Yes	No
Paid from	$5/mo	—
Open source	No	No
Platforms	Android, iOS, Web	Web
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Completion certificates	—	Yes

Alison vs Cisco Networking Academy

Alison

Cisco Networking Academy