Online public speaking course: compare by goal
Beginners, stage fright, business presentations, storytelling, practice: match a course to your goal, then rehearse daily so the lessons stick.
- free
- paid/certificate
- self-paced video lessons
- live feedback
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Online courses side by side
Confidently Best for daily practice between lessons
One short take on your phone earns a grade for voice and face plus a tally of every filler.
No live audience, no certificate.
Free on iPhone and Android
If you want a phone-only option, see this public speaking app comparison.
| Option | Format | Length | Cost | Certificate | Live feedback | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Confidently | Phone app with daily practice games | Half-minute test, then daily games | free course Free test; in-app purchases | No | Instant scores for voice, face and fillers | Daily practice between lessons |
| Coursera: Introduction to Public Speaking (University of Washington) | self-paced video lessons 5 modules; first of a 4-course series | 1 week at 10 hours a week | Enroll for free; check current price for the certificate | Shareable certificate | No live coach; AI-graded speech upload | Beginners who want structure |
| edX public speaking courses | self-paced video lessons Courses and certificate programs | Varies by course | paid certificate/live coaching Check current price | On certificate programs | Depends on the course | A university-branded certificate |
| Dale Carnegie: Successful Public Speaking | live feedback Live online with an instructor | One 3-hour session, plus a year of on-demand training | paid certificate/live coaching US$399 per session as listed | Not stated | Yes, live instructor | A fast live session before a date |
| Alison public speaking courses | self-paced video lessons Free online courses | Varies by course | free course Free; a certificate costs extra | Optional, paid | No | Learning for free |
| LinkedIn Learning public speaking courses | self-paced video lessons 64 courses on its public speaking topic page | Varies by course | paid certificate/live coaching Check current price | Check the provider | No | Short workplace skill videos |
| TED Masterclass | self-paced video lessons TED's official course; US only, per its page | At your own pace | Check current price | Not stated | No | Shaping an idea into a story |
| AmberWillo | live feedback Live practice with fifteen or fewer people, you included | Sessions when they suit you | free course Free to start | No | A confidence score plus coaching notes once each round ends | Live practice in front of real people from home |
Provider facts from each provider's own page, checked .
Pick a goal to highlight the courses that fit it.
Get the free appHow to choose an online public speaking course
Choosing an online public speaking course takes five decisions.
Name your goal
Stage fright, business presentations, storytelling or one specific event. AmberWillo's course guide says to decide first between a structured course and one-to-one coaching. Senior leaders may want executive public speaking training instead.
Pick the format
Video lessons suit theory on your schedule; live sessions suit you when someone should watch you speak.
Decide on a certificate
Online courses tend to end with a completion certificate or a digital certificate of recognition, per AmberWillo's certificate explainer. Handy on a CV, not needed to improve.
Set a budget
AmberWillo's overview estimates $200 to $500 for a four-week online course, and thousands for six to twelve month programs.
Add practice
Courses teach the theory; the daily thirty-second rep on your phone is where it turns into habit. A goal-based plan for public speaking skills training fits next to any course.
Confidently, between lessons
Confidently picks two words at random and gives you half a minute to riff on them. It then rates voice and face on a ten-point scale, tallies your ums and flags the first thing to fix, followed by daily games with feedback.
Take the free 30-second testFree on iPhone and Android
- App Store
- Google Play
AmberWillo, for live rounds
The live-feedback part of an online course, without the course: small video rooms where you speak and get scored each round. Groups hold you and up to fourteen people with the same aim; each round closes with coaching notes and a milestone.
Do online courses work?
Online formats work for the fear side of public speaking. A 2019 meta-analysis of 30 trials with 1,355 people in Frontiers in Psychology found technology-assisted treatment as effective as face-to-face treatment for fear of public speaking. In a 2008 trial with 38 students, an internet self-help program worked on its own, and adding five live group exposure sessions did not improve the result significantly. Both tested treatment programs, not skills courses.
The skill itself pays off at work. O*NET defines speaking as "talking to others to convey information effectively", and in a NACE employer survey more than two-thirds of employers said they look for verbal communication skills.
Free course options
A free course covers the basics; you mostly pay for certificates and live coaching.
- Alison
- Free courses, including one on the fear of public speaking; certificate extra.
- Coursera
- Free to enroll in Introduction to Public Speaking.
- Confidently
- No-cost half-minute test; in-app purchases.
- AmberWillo
- Live group practice, free to start.
Reader questions
How to get better at public speaking as an adult?
Speak often, in short rounds, with feedback each time. One course gives you structure; rehearsing out loud most days builds the habit, and a quick round on Confidently counts.
What is the 3:2:1 rule in speaking?
It's a fluency drill: give a talk in three minutes, then the same talk in two, then in one. A 2017 classroom study in i.e.: inquiry in education found a small improvement in words per minute and pauses after weekly practice.
Is there a free online English speaking course for beginners?
This page covers public speaking, not English. Free picks: Alison's courses (certificate extra), Coursera's free enrollment and the Confidently test.
Which English speaking course is best online?
For English itself, choose a language course; this page compares public speaking courses. For confident talks in English, pick a course by goal above and practise aloud daily.
Sources
- Ebrahimi OV et al. Psychological interventions for the fear of public speaking: a meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 2019.
- Tillfors M et al. Internet delivered self-help with or without live group exposure sessions. Depression and Anxiety, 2008.
- Molina M, Briesmaster M. The use of the 3/2/1 technique to foster students' speaking fluency. i.e.: inquiry in education, 2017.
- O*NET OnLine. Essential Skills: Speaking.
- NACE. What are employers looking for when reviewing college students' resumes?
- AmberWillo. Online public speaking course.
- AmberWillo. Public speaking certificate online.
- AmberWillo. What is online public speaking and why learn it.
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