With the best public speaking classes online, you can get the training you need to confidently and eloquently deliver speeches for a variety of occasions.Â
To be competent in almost any field, one must become a well-rounded speaker. That applies to everything from standing in front of an audience and delivering a speech to hosting online meetings to just interviewing for a job.
Being an effective public speaker has many benefits for both one’s career and personal life. Whether you are speaking to small groups or addressing a large audience, the ability to express your ideas clearly and confidently can help you succeed in a wide range of settings.
Perhaps most importantly, public speaking skills can help you forge deeper connections with others and build lasting relationships. By learning how to engage people verbally and connect with them on an emotional level, you can become a more genuine, empathetic individual.
Additionally, honing your public speaking skills will also benefit your career prospects, enabling you to stand out from the competition and elevate yourself above others on the job market.
So whether your goal is to excel in your personal or professional life, developing strong public speaking abilities should be at the top of your list of priorities.
The good news is you can get the public speaking training you need to master these skills from the comfort of your home.
I’ve reviewed and ranked the 10 best public speaking classes online based on the quality of the curriculum, instructor credentials, student reviews, skill level, cost, and other factors.
This guide has been fully updated for 2023 to include the best current options, so you can be sure you’re getting the latest, most accurate info to help you make an informed decision.
Read on so you can get the training you need to speak confidently.
Disclosure:Â Some of the links in this article are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost for you, we might get a commission if you click the link and purchase.
How We Chose the Best Online Public Speaking Courses
Public speaking is an important skill that is often undervalued. It can help you to communicate more confidently with your peers, and it can give you an opportunity to share creative ideas in group settings.
That’s why we wanted to put together this guide to help you find the right public speaking course for your needs.
We wanted to find the best courses available online to learn public speaking skills, so we looked at a variety of criteria when evaluating each course, including:
- Curriculum Quality–We carefully scrutinized the content included in each public speaking course to ensure it was comprehensive, accurate, and well-organized. We also took lessons to verify their quality and usefulness.
- Instructor Reputation–We paid close attention to the qualifications and experience of each instructor teaching the online public speaking course.
- Price/Value–It was important to us that the content provided in each course offered a great value for the price you pay. It’s important to note that cheaper isn’t always better because it’s about overall value. However, our guide does include both paid and free public speaking classes.
- Student Reviews–Lastly, we wanted to see what other students thought about each public speaking course we reviewed. We checked out their reviews and course ratings to make sure the feedback was positive.
After going through this process and looking at dozens of online public speaking courses, we were able to come up with a list of 10 classes we feel teach public speaking in the very best manner.
What are the Best Public Speaking Courses Online?
Here are my picks for the top 10 public speaking classes online in 2023:
- A Crash Course on Elocution and Confident Speech (Skillshare)
- Public Speaking Foundations (LinkedIn Learning)
- Complete Presentation and Public Speaking Course (Udemy)
- Public Speaking Masterclass for Every Occasion (Udemy)
- Dynamic Public Speaking Specialization (Coursera)
- RIT Public Speaking (EdX)
- Presentation: Speaking So That People Listen (Coursera)
- Successful Presentation (Coursera)
- Storytelling and Influencing: Communicate with Impact (Coursera)
- An In-Depth Approach to Debate and Critical Discussion (Udemy)
1. A Crash Course on Elocution and Confident Speech (Skillshare)
A Crash Course on Elocution and Confident Speech (Skillshare)
This online public speaking class serves as a crash course for beginners who need to learn the basics of talking in front of an audience and getting their message across effectively.
Price: Skillshare offers a 1-Month Free Trial. After that, the price is billed annually around $165 a year. Check our Skillshare pricing guide for more info.
Duration: Self-paced
Just like we make a draft for our school essays, public speaking also involves a great deal of groundwork.
Good speakers decide their openings and closings well before the presentation day. This helps to engage with the audience and make a lasting first and final impression.
These online public speaking classes are specifically aimed at learning how to open and close presentations.
A good start to your speech can either make or break the mood of your audience. Use of the right tone and words is the key. Speakers usually start off with a quote, a new research finding, or some intriguing facts.
But researching for the best opening and closing is the crucial part. Audiences demand authenticity so it’s the speaker’s responsibility to disclose their resources. This in turn builds a trust level with the audience and leads to a successful presentation. When the audience realizes the integrity of the speaker, they will be motivated to ask questions and hold discussions.
Apart from the openings, closings also need to be effective. Some call-to-action strategies or emotional appeal works best for informal closings. In a formal setting, closings would be more result or solution-oriented.
By the end of this public speaking class, participants will be able to formulate actionable openings and closings.
When you give your first presentation after taking these online public speaking classes, you will definitely notice the change in your presenting style and the audience’s attitude.
Click here to sign up for Skillshare’s free 30-day trial.
You will learn:
- How to open and close with quotations
- How to decide on an opening for statistical information
- How to deliver a compelling presentation with illustrations
- How to add humor in introductions and closing
- Speech practice tactics
User Feedback:
This class is very easy to understand and she does a good job staying focused on the objectives. There’s no filler content which I really like.
I found this helpful in my quest to speak more clearly and to read my voiceovers with proper inflection, speed, and confidence.
Best for: Anyone who wants to quickly learn how to be more confident and increase their public speaking skills
2. Public Speaking Foundations (LinkedIn Learning)
Public Speaking Foundations Online Class (LinkedIn Learning)
This online public speaking class offers beginners the essential skills they need to prepare and deliver a highly engaging speech or presentation.
Price: One-month free trial, then $19.99/month billed annually or $39.99 a month when paid monthly.
Duration: Self-paced
If you’re totally oblivious to the idea of public speaking, then this online speech class is designed just for you! It’s one of the best public speaking classes online for beginners.
Firstly, learn all the basics and then jump onto the advanced strategies for refining your public speaking skills.
Having said that, you should not feel inferior or left out just because you did not participate in public speaking before. Remember- all expert public speakers started as beginners and scaled their way up.
Once you get the hang of preparing a crisp, solid speech, a lot of other aspects will follow with practice. Also, it is advisable to interact with senior speakers and take feedback on your performance.
Experts reviews coupled with a basic online speech course are enough to kickstart your public speaking journey.
Click here to try this course free during your one-month LinkedIn Learning trial.
You will learn:
- How to identify the audience
- How to outline the speech and use persuasive writing
- How to use a microphone efficiently
- How to warm up before final delivery
- How to deal with pre-performance anxiety
- How to work with props and visual aids
- How to use perfect grammar in speeches
Best for: Beginners to public speaking
3. Complete Presentation and Public Speaking Course (Udemy)
Complete Presentation and Public Speaking Training Course (Udemy)
This is Udemy's most popular public speaking course, and it teaches everything you need to know about giving a great speech for business & personal presentations.
Price: Plans starting at $16.58 per month after 7-day free trial
Duration: 16 hours of on-demand videos
To be the best in your work field, the first and foremost step is to build a strong base. Consistent practice and sticking to the methodology will accelerate your chances of success.
Just like that, public speaking skills require attention to intricate details. Both verbal and nonverbal elements are important while delivering your ideas.
If you want to become a public speaking aficionado, this Complete Public Speaking Course is the right fit for you. It’s one of the best public speaking classes online that we’ve seen.
These online public speaking classes start from basic modules and take you through advanced topics. Defining the purpose of your speech, identifying the target audience, applying ethos, pathos and logos are all essential components included.
You will also build a strong understanding of nonverbal elements such as eye contact, gesture, hand movements, etc.
Additionally, all participants get access to 300 downloadable resources along with 30 articles to further their public speaking training. That’s right! The workload is quite a lot but it’s definitely worth it.
You will learn:
- How to use the best body language techniques
- How to structure the speeches
- How to create PowerPoint slides for different audiences
- How to identify target market
- How to use emotional appeal while delivering speeches
- How to maintain a persuasive approach
- How to research and filter content for your speech
- How to speak during Q&A sessions
- How to maintain a presentable personality
User Feedback:
Excellent Course, it is completely worth the time. 90% of the things that I learned in this course have never been told. This is just Amazing and Chris is an awesome teacher. Thank you Udemy and Chris for this course.
Really awesome job on content delivery! God Bless you Chris! Keep up the great work and I’m looking to improve my podcasting abilities from what I’m learning in your course.
Best for: Learning personal and business presentations
4. Complete Public Speaking Masterclass For Every Occasion (Udemy)
Price: Plans starting at $16.58 per month after 7-day free trial
Duration: 31 hours on-demand videos
Speakers either make or break their reputation during their presentation. Creativity can be integrated into public speaking but there are still some ground rules that should be followed by beginner and expert speakers.
All proficient speakers define the tone of the message and the psychographics of the presentation. This is an important learning factor when you have to present on different occasions.
This Public Speaking Masterclass is all about prepping aspiring speakers to present themselves in different occasions.
For instance, a corporate presentation on new business development ideas will require a formal approach and statistical information. On the contrary, a parent-teacher meeting will be slightly informal.
The bottom line is to have truly great public speaking skills you must be well versed with talking in different settings.
There will be audiences from all socioeconomic backgrounds. Everyone would have differing opinions. And there are times when the audience converse in a hostile manner. This is where the real challenge comes in for the speaker. The ability to have tolerance while conveying your opinion in a respectable manner is the key!
You will learn:
- How to deal with stage fear
- How to look comfortable and confident while speaking
- How to speak with clarity
- How to speak in a memorable way
- How to frame your speech according to the size of your audience
- How to message and answer questions in an acceptable tone
- How to deal with diverse audiences
- How to use effective rehearsal techniques before making a final appearance
- How to prepare speeches for different occasions
User Feedback:
If you only have time/money for one public speaking class, this needs to be it! Our course instructor, TJ Walker is a famous media and public speaking professional. Also, I like how there’s a comprehensive curriculum, but you can just hop around to the sections that apply to you
Excellent Course; covers everything efficiently and effectively!
Best for: Learning how to deliver a speech for different audiences and refine presentation skills
5. Dynamic Public Speaking Specialization (Coursera)
Price: Included with 7,000+ other courses with Coursera Plus subscription ($59/mo). Try Coursera Plus free for 7 days.
Duration: 5 months (3 hours per week)
Public speaking skills are needed by people from all walks of life. Whether you are aged or in high school, public speaking will be of great benefit in all aspects of life.
Many novice speakers possess great ideas but they find it difficult to organize their speeches in a compelling manner. Also, stage fear, eye contact, improper body language are some of the most common obstacles faced by aspiring speakers.
This Dynamic Public Speaking Specialization course is designed for participants to overcome all major pitfalls of public speaking.
This specialization includes 4 public speaking courses. Each of them has a unique purpose and outline. You will learn all the fundamentals of business communication in one combined course.
Essentially, this course aims to build your aptitude around informal and formal communication. All participants will be required to complete a project along with graded assignments and feedback.
At the end of these online public speaking classes, you will become a well-rounded speaker!
You will learn:
- How to present yourself as a dynamic public speaker
- How to build delivery techniques for voice, movement, gesture
- How to maintain eye contact and deliver compelling presentations
- How to prepare speeches for different settings (formal, informal)
- How to work with speech writing techniques such as storytelling, argument, analysis
- How to prepare and deliver effective presentations
- How to organize your ideas
- How to use rehearsal techniques
- How to use rhetorical devices in speeches
User Feedback:
This course is great. You simply learn a lot in an easy way. The teacher is really good and knows how to teach and engage you in the lessons. I am looking forward to the next courses in the specialization.
Excellent lecture structure. The logical progression of the lessons made it easier to understand and grasp the key concepts of the course. I would recommend this course to everyone.
Best for: Improving presentation skills through better design
6. RIT Public Speaking (edX)
Price: Audit the course for free; paid upgrade available (edX pricing varies by course)
Duration: 3 weeks (4-6 hours per week)
This public speaking course by Rocher Institute of Technology is one of a kind.
The internet is flooded with public speaking courses about the subjective factors of talking and presenting. But this course primarily focuses on the mental aspects of a speaker.
Controlling anxiety, calming down your thoughts, maintaining eye contact are the main obstacles faced by speakers.
Stage fear is pretty common among both amateur and professional speakers. The fear of steering away from the intended purpose of the presentation becomes a hindrance. Hence, this speech class is no less than a rescue for you!
During this in-depth public speaking training, you will learn the strategies to control anxiety and how to uplift your confidence.
Moreover, you learn the strategy, ethics, use of language, and delivery. Another vital part of this course is emotional intelligence.
Whether you are delivering an online presentation or face to face, emotional intelligence plays a huge part. It increases your responsiveness, engagement and deepens your perspective.
You will learn:
- How to apply the basics of speech communication process
- How to effectively use media aids
- How to use the tools for controlling anxiety
- How to create crisp and clear speech
- How to critique other members by using the principles of business communication
- How to differentiate between main and supporting ideas
- How to craft a captivating call to action and introduction
User Feedback:
Without a doubt the best online course you’ll find for Public Speaking. Teaches proper tone, presentation, and speech writing styles. Phenomenal, I’ve recommended it to my coworkers and family.
This was a very informative course that helped me to come out of my shell and be more confident while speaking in front of the camera/audience
Best for: Learning how to overcome stage fright
7. Presentation: Speaking So That Listen (Coursera)
Price: Included with 7,000+ other courses with Coursera Plus subscription ($59/mo). Try Coursera Plus free for 7 days.
Duration: 25 hours
In schools, it is often taught to speak while looking at yourself in the mirror. Rings a bell?
Well, this is one of the most widely used tactics for instilling confidence among young speakers. Examining yourself while speaking helps you to identify your mistakes. It also eradicates the hesitation and enables quick rectification of body language and gestures.
This Speaking So That People Listen course is all about brushing up your speaking skills. In other words, this is an intermediate-level speech course. So, if you already have some understanding of public speaking skills, you’ll be good to go.
The core objective of this course is to build confidence and learn how to organize the speech so you can be a more confident public speaker.
During the course, all participants will be required to prepare a speech and record themselves. This hands-on experiment will bring about a positive change in the speaker’s personality.
You will learn:
- How to create a presentation structure
- How to work with different types of presentations
- How to deliver a memorable presentation
- How to stay confident while speaking
- How to use pauses during the speech
- How to present facts and statistical information
- How to use proper rehearsal techniques before presenting
- How to work with verbal and nonverbal aspects of communication
- How to use tone (persuasive, authoritative)
User Feedback:
In this course, I have a lot of learning like how to overcome stage fright…and more than that.
It is an excellent course which teaches you how to give good presentation or how to make a presentation which are easy to understand by the audience
Best for: Enhancing listening skills to become a better public speaker
8. Successful Presentation (Coursera)
Price:Â Included with 7,000+ other courses with Coursera Plus subscription ($59/mo). Try Coursera Plus free for 7 days.
Duration: 20 hours
Many find public speaking intimidating due to fear of judgment. And this fear is instinctive in all of us.
However, what matters the most is that we identify our point of weakness and improve it to become a more confident public speaker.
This Successful Presentation course is all about breaking all barriers to an effective presentation. If you find yourself stuttering or blank all of a sudden, this course will take you through the solution.
One of the forgotten principles of public speaking is ‘listening’. When we don’t listen properly, our responsiveness decreases. Ultimately, the whole communication process hampers. Listening when others are speaking builds our critical thinking skills. It allows us to understand the purpose of the message and answer questions accordingly.
Therefore, speakers are also often demotivated when the audience does not give the attention deserved. The purpose of the speech gets distorted and the speakers go through extreme stage fright.
That’s why these online public speaking classes cover special topics on listening skills.
Once participants master the art of listening, they are able to curate their own ideas-creative formula. They can identify their strengths and weaknesses.
You do not have to follow a defined structure. Once you know the idea to be presented, it is upon your discretion to tweak the formula. All these non-verbal aspects eventually add up to a successful presentation.
You will learn:
- How to develop a creative formula
- How to express your ideas passionately
- How to attract the audience’s attention
- How to tackle fear while speaking
- How to deliver complex presentations
- How to create a structure and break it down into modular elements
- How to apply creativity to speeches
- How to anticipate the field of play beforehand (location, environment, mood of the audience)
- How to deal with interruptions and hostility
User Feedback:
Really this course is one of my favorite courses ever the way of Professor Cuskin’s presentation is really mind blowing. It’s a highly recommended course for all students or anyone with any background.
Best for: Learning effective communication
9. Storytelling and Influencing: Communicate with Impact (Coursera)
Price:Â Included with 7,000+ other courses with Coursera Plus subscription ($59/mo). Try Coursera Plus free for 7 days.
Duration: 18 hours
Presentations can be either persuasive or informative. Informative presentations are usually for educational purposes for lectures, demonstrations, etc.
But persuasive presentations are the real deal! This Storytelling and Influencing course is designed to cater to marketers and business professionals so they can learn the art of persuasion.
In competitive businesses, it is often the persuasive communication skills of the management that enables them to capture corporate clients.
Moreover, persuasive presentation tactics are mostly popular in marketing strategies. The way you pitch the product, make the audience realize why they need the product are all part of persuasive speaking.
This public speaking class will teach you impression management. It includes how to make your first impression and the importance of meetings at regular intervals. Meetings are often underestimated. They actually help to maintain influential conversations and build rapport with colleagues.
All participants will submit graded assignments and quizzes to track performance throughout this speech class.
You will learn:
- How to evaluate theories of persuasive communication
- How to build rapport and resistance
- How to interpret and motivate the audience
- How to apply the concept of impression management
- How to build models of information processing
- How to use rules of effective human interactions
- How to include models of motivational appeal
- How to create a dramatic narrative
- How to use metaphors
- How to use storytelling principles and find the main idea of the story
- How to develop influential conversations
User Feedback:
It’s a course that sums up the most important skills you need to learn for your professional life. Amazing material and subject conducted in a very fun and appealing way. Thanks for both instructors.
By far this has been the most engaging course I have ever attended, the videos were stimulating and the content offered a wide variety of sources for continual learning. Too bad it was so short!
Best for: Learning digital storytelling
10. An In-depth Approach To Debate and Critical Discussion (Udemy)
Price: $49.99
Duration: 2.5 hours on-demand videos
Informative presentations are different from debating. Delivering information requires a rather straightforward approach. But debating is all about conveying your opinion and applying constructive criticism.
This In-depth Approach to Debating course will equip you with all the tools to become a proficient debater. You will learn how to open up a debate, lead a solid argument and capture the audience’s attention.
One of the most important parts of debating is criticizing the opponent’s position. The sole purpose of debating is to present your argument and bring up a valid critique. However, we see many practical examples in real-life scenarios where individuals resort to unprofessional, derogatory behavior as part of their criticism.
This speech course will teach you to abolish the idea of obstructive criticism. Constructive criticism paves the way for healthy arguments and gives everyone a chance to present their opinions.
You will learn:
- How to command attention during presentations
- How to set the right speech’s organization for your ideas
- How to apply critical thinking
- How to participate in high-level discussions
- How to build solid arguments
- How to become better at persuading
- How to perform in the rebuttal round
- How to maintain decorum while debating
User Feedback:
Thanks for this course! I enjoy it and it touches on points that I need to work on. I cannot stress how important this is, to know how to debate! It can save anyone in different aspects of life such as to do well in education and in relationships.
Well put together. Clear & precise. The only feedback is the sound level being different across the different videos.
Best for: Improving debating and critical thinking skills
What to Look for When Taking Online Classes for Public Speaking
When it comes to taking online classes for public speaking, you’ll see there’s an almost endless amount of choices out there. Every course claims to be the very best, promising to reveal public speaking secrets, eliminate your fear of public speaking, and share tips to take your personal development to the next level.
Of course, not all online classes are created equal, which is why we put together this guide to some of the courses we feel are truly worth your time when trying to learn public speaking.
Having said that, there are some important things you’ll want to keep in mind when choosing an online course.
First, you will want to take into account the cost of the course. Some classes may require an enrollment fee or tuition payments, while others may be completely free. Consider your budget, and try to find a class in our guide that fits it.
Additionally, it is important to consider the course format and structure. Some classes may offer synchronous lessons that require students to be online at a specific time each week, while others may have asynchronous lessons that can be completed on your own schedule.
Other things to consider include the course materials provided and the instructor feedback provided throughout the class.
Taking all of these factors into consideration will help you choose an online class that fits your needs and goals so you can learn public speaking quickly and effectively.
Ready to Start Public Speaking Classes Online?
It is never too late to brush up on your verbal communication skills. Just start from the basics and move towards advanced courses.
Like any other skill, eloquence and good body language come with consistent practice.
But it’s totally worth it. Learning to express your ideas with an upbeat personality is one of the best feelings ever!
Have any questions about finding the best public speaking classes online? Comment below and we’ll help you out.
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