Like many industries, educators navigated unprecedented territory throughout COVID-19, and still, as the long-term effects of learning loss have pivoted learners away from the traditional classroom. As a result of COVID-19, however, online learning boomed, fundamentally changing the educational landscape forever.
Some of the lessons learned during then have only clarified in time, like: choosing the right online class platform is everything.
With more online class platforms available than ever before, it’s crucial to know how to evaluate them. Here, we’ll explore things to consider before choosing an online class platform and which learning tools are necessary for optimal success.
5 Things to Consider When Choosing an Online Class Platform
Within the next five years, the online education industry is projected to reach $227.65 billion in value. And given the rapid innovation in learning brought on by COVID-19 over the last five years, it’s no surprise that the market numbers reflect this massive adaptation.
Yet, 2026 presents a world of choice paralysis with an overabundance of options. So before we delve into the checklist of must-haves for your online class platform, there’s an important distinction to make.
Though these terms are often used interchangeably, online learning platforms and online class platforms are not exactly the same thing. Knowing the difference between them can inform a clearer and more empowered decision. Here’s what to know:
- Online learning platforms: Offer courses, lessons, quizzes, assignments, progress tracking, and sometimes certificates. Online learning platforms are a broader category that provide a place to learn, often leveraged by course creators, instructional designers, and school or district admins.
- Online class platforms: Offer live or interactive classes in the format of a virtual classroom. Examples include Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams. Online class platforms provide a place to take or teach a class, often leveraged by educators, corporate trainers, and program managers.
Now, this doesn’t mean that online learning platforms aren’t relevant here, because they may be. It simply emphasizes the importance of identifying your learning goals to find an online class platform that’s most aligned with them.
Of course, there can be overlap between these two tools, because some platforms like Google Classroom or Moodle offer a combination of these features. Consider which online class platform can support your workflow best using the following criteria.
1. Ease of Use
If you’re looking to introduce a new online class platform across districts, classrooms, and for daily use with students, ease of use is imperative. Though intuitive interfaces, minimal learning curves, and beginner-friendly navigation are important, ease of use spans beyond the technology itself.
Effective online class platforms help district administrators:
- Provide targeted instruction to achieve school outcomes
- Adopt simple account setup
- Nurture a consistent learning experience across districts
- Remove complex software installation barriers
- Strengthen school-wide technology support
- Offers cross-district resources
- Scale successful learning strategies
- Reduce training support and requirements
- Empower teachers and students to have provide active learning experiences
For teachers, strong online class platforms:
- Offer subject-specific assignments
- Provide memorable assignments
- Support personalized instruction
- Provide intuitive technology without needing advanced tech backgrounds
For learners, a supportive online class platform:
- Makes creating, editing, sharing, and submitting assignments easy
- Enhances student empowerment, voice, and choice
- Nurtures critical skill development such as creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration
- Engages via multimedia creation and dynamic video projects
With easy deployment, online class platforms become an integrated part of teaching and learning versus a tech barrier that disempowers. From district rollout to teacher adoption, to classroom implementation and student use, an effective online class platform helps everyone quickly understand the platform to best leverage learning outcomes.
2. Integration
Whether for corporate trainers, program managers, or those simply wanting to switch online class platforms, the ideal teaching structure often requires integration with other tools. Using online class platforms that aren’t compatible with your video hosting platform or learning management system can create unneeded stress.
For seamless integration, look for:
- Single sign-on so both teachers and students can use the platform with appropriate credentials
- Easy syncing with roster and student information
- Compatibility with other classroom apps, tools, and devices
- Alignment with school and district-wide privacy and security requirements
- Assessment tools for monitoring progress, learner gaps, and iteration
- Consistent workflow across departments, schools, and districts
Instead of creating an entirely new workflow, integration streamlines processes to house communication tools, courses, roster information, learner data, scheduling, assignments and grading capabilities all in one place.
For example, WeVideo’s video learning platform is an intuitive add-on, as it easily syncs with dozens of learning management systems and video hosts. This reduces the need for both learners and teachers to swap between multiple systems.
Instead, students can access their school account through WeVideo, or vice versa, and easily create, edit, and submit assignments through the platform while teachers monitor and manage each step of the learning process.
3. Pricing
Pricing is always something to consider when adopting any new tool or platform.
Different pricing structures depend on various things, such as:
- Amount of users
- Basic features
- Advanced features
- Analytics or collaboration tools
- Sharing and permissions
- Storage capability
Every online class platform’s pricing structures are defined uniquely, so be sure to weigh what’s most important for your specific use case.
In our online learning platforms guide, we broke down pricing based on the platform. Some tools like Moodle and Khan Academy are free to use and host, whereas other tools offer some free access to basic courses and features, but may not allow for full access without a plan.
The type of course, length of course, budget, and curriculum can influence which pricing options make the most sense. Some tools, like WeVideo, also provide custom pricing for enterprise organizations.
4. Engagement Features
A quality online class platform should offer engagement tools that enhance instruction delivery. Beyond passive consumption and rote textbook memorization, learners not only need engagement features that keep them tuned in, but an online class platform that nurtures engagement long-term.
Engagement features like multiple choice questions, fill in the blanks, mandatory, and branched learning pathways are always helpful, but engaging online class platforms help teachers and instructors monitor student comprehension throughout each lesson.
Other supportive engagement features may include:
- Autograding for streamlined workflow
- Progress tracker that help identify learner gaps
- The ability to provide more personalized feedback and comments based on progress to nurture performance outcomes
- Collaboration tools that promote group projects
- Notifications to keep learners informed about assignments, projects, and grades
Engagement features support both one-way and two-way communication between teachers and students so that everyone is optimally set up for success.
5. Video Creation Tools
Last but not least is one of the most underrated yet critical criteria for defining quality online class platforms: video creation tools.
Given that video is simply an integrated part of every learner’s daily media consumption, having video creation tools in class is a natural, expected, and necessary part of transforming passive lessons into relevant and active learning experiences.
Beyond 83% of people across industries simply preferring video to audio or text, 84.2% of those polled in WeVideo’s 2026 The State of Active Learning report say video technology improves outcomes.
Gone are the days where online class platforms can sustainably exist without video creation support. Otherwise, we’d consider having video creation tools the obvious distinction between a high-quality online class platform and its opposite.
That’s also what makes WeVideo a strategic add-on to other video hosts and learning management tools. With an all-in-one learning platform that embraces standards-aligned assignments, personalized instruction, and analytics tools to monitor performance every step of the way, there’s no wiser streamlining solution.
Streamline Success with a Strong Online Class Platform
Though it’s a common misconception to think of online class platforms as solely serving the students, that’s only one piece of the learning ecosystem. From deployment to everyday utilization, a strong online class platform nurtures the complete learning operation, empowering administrators, trainers, teachers, and learners alike.
Online class platforms demand a high-level vision beyond simply assigning and grading assignments; consider them a wise long-term investment in delivering high-quality instruction and achieving learning outcomes.
Curious how WeVideo can bring dynamic video learning to your class? Reach out to us for seamless implementation of your online class platform today.