5 Course Creation Tools I Love (and You Will Too)

I see a lot of debate around what the best tools of the trade are when it comes to course creation — and as a course creator and learning specialist, I thought it was time to put my recommendations out there with the rest of them.

You might be surprised by how “simple” some of my recommendations are, but honestly, I love to keep it simple. You don’t need a pile of fancy course creation tools to make something your students will fall in love with (and brag about).

My Favorite Course Creation Tools That You Might Just Love, Too

It’s time to get into the good stuff: all the tools I use as a course creator for myself and my clients. This isn’t everything I’ve ever used (that list would go on forever), but it is a list of my personal favorites and what I default to for every project. 

And while my fav tool is my whiteboard, we’re focusing on the digital tools for the day!

Here are my favorite course creation tools:

#1. Google Docs

Surprised to see this one on the list? You shouldn’t be! Most business owners rely on Google Docs, and I’m no exception — which is why it’s first on the list! I use Google Docs to store curriculum, take notes, and map out my ideal student profile.

#2. Course Creation Checklist

My Course Creation Checklist isn’t just a resource in the shop you can use to map out your course; it’s also a resource I use as a base for my own course planning. It has the same timeframe and general game plan as I use and expect.

#3. Lucidchart 

Lucidchart can help you plan and organize the entirety of your student journey — from course content to getting on your email list, asking for testimonials, and determining the upsell and downsell (it’s my operations’ secret weapon)

#4. Podia

Podia is a forever favorite host for courses. It’s made by course creators for course creators which means they’ve thought of everything you might need in your course. They also make it easy for you to set up your check-out, manage students, and create assessments.

#5. Loom

You’ll need a reliable way to record yourself for your lessons and Loom is my go-to. You have the ability to record yourself without a presentation, with a presentation, and only the presentation.

One More Thing Before You Go…

I know I listed a lot of digital course creation tools, but I also love to bring them out of the digital world and into the physical one. I always head back to my whiteboard when I’m struggling to map out my course ideas or need a visual to refer back to when planning.

Are you surprised I didn’t mention Canva? Despite being my fav DESIGN tool, I actually find it overhyped when it comes to creation… if you haven’t appropriately planned out your outcomes first, etc., there’s nothing for you to put on your slides, and you’ll be completing work that you’ll end up REDOING anyway.

The key is to find tools that work for you — ones that don’t give you a sense of dread every time you pull them up on your computer and have a true, functional use in creating your course.

What are some of your favorite tools? Have you tried or currently use any on the list? Send me a DM on Instagram @laurendewey.co; I’d love to hear from you!