Websites can be a solo project, or they can be created by a team of designers and developers. A web designer works with front and back-end (or full-stack) developers to create a beautiful website and a wonderful experience for users all around.
Web design can be less challenging than web development, especially if you’re new to the field and have plenty of creativity but little to no technical knowledge. Thus, if you want to dip your toes into the industry but aren’t quite sure about going straight into web development, you may want to try enrolling in online classes for web design first.
Short on time? Here are our top picks:
- [Udacity] Front End Web Developer Nanodegree Program - Best for Designers Who Also Want to Be Developers
- [Coursera] Web Design for Everybody: Basics of Web Development & Coding Specialization- Best Web Design Course for Beginners
- [WebFlow University] Ultimate Web Design Course - Best Free Online Web Design Class
If you’re looking for the perfect web design course for your needs, check out our list of recommendations below!
1. [Udacity] Front End Web Developer Nanodegree Program - Best for Designers Who Also Want to Be Developers
Key Information
- Instructor: Udacity
- Duration: 4 months at 10 hours of learning weekly
- Level: Intermediate
- Free or Paid: Paid
- Certificate: Yes
- Prerequisites:
- Basic HTML and CSS knowledge
- JavaScript knowledge
- An understanding of Git for version control
- For a full list of requirements, see this link
Why We Chose This Course
You might be wondering why we chose to include this Nanodegree program in a list of web design programs. The answer is simple: this Udacity course covers many of the topics you need to learn to become a successful web designer. Additionally, as the line between web design and front-end web development continues to blur, it might benefit you to choose this program if you eventually want to find work as a front-end developer anyway!
Pros
- Covers everything you need to become a front-end web developer
- Courses and certificates on Udacity are extremely high-quality and well-recognized in various industries
- Udacity offers its students additional benefits such as career services, mentoring, and more
- Real-world projects will help cement your learning
Cons
- Requires a lot of time commitment
- Not exclusively a web design course
- Expensive
2. [Coursera] Web Design for Everybody: Basics of Web Development & Coding Specialization - Best Web Design Course for Beginners
Key Information
- Instructor: University of Michigan; Colleen van Lent, Ph.D., Charles Russell Severance
- Duration: 6 months at 3 hours of learning weekly
- Level: Beginner
- Free or Paid: Paid
- Certificate: Yes
- Prerequisites:
- No prior experience is necessary
- Must have access to editing software
- Recommended to have a free or commercial web host or website to publish your designs
Why We Chose This Course
If web designing training is what you’re looking for, this Coursera specialization is worth looking into. This course, offered by the University of Michigan through Coursera, will teach you what you need to create beautiful, functional, responsive, and accessible websites. It’s easily in contention for the best web designing course available in 2024, especially for beginners.
Pros
- 100% online and self-paced course offered by the University of Michigan
- Well-recognized certificate upon completion
- Learn web design and the basics of web development
- Capstone project helps you put your learning into practice
Cons
- Can take longer depending on your pace
3. [edX] Professional Certificate in Front-End Web Developer - Learn Web Design and Front End Development
Key Information
- Instructor: W3C/W3Cx, for more information, see this link
- Duration: 7 months at 5 to 7 hours weekly
- Level: Beginner
- Free or Paid: Paid
- Certificate: Yes
- Prerequisites:
- No prior experience is necessary
Why We Chose This Course
The international organization W3C, or the World Wide Web Consortium, creates standards for our world wide web. This edX course is an offering by the W3C. It will teach you everything you need to build responsive, interactive websites and user experiences. You’ll also learn more about the three primary languages powering the vast majority of the web today: HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript.
Pros
- Get a professional certificate
- Self-paced
- Very involved course that covers everything you need from web design to front-end development
Cons
- Not a pure web design course
- Somewhat expensive
4. [Treehouse] Web Design Track - Learn More of the Creative Side of Web Design
Key Information
- Instructor: Treehouse
- Duration: 40 hours
- Level: Beginner to Intermediate
- Free or Paid: Paid
- Certificate: No
- Prerequisites:
- No prior experience is necessary
Why We Chose This Course
If the creative aspect of web design is what’s attracting you to the field most, this is the best course for web designing for your needs. Treehouse doesn’t offer certificates of completion, but the courses are well-designed, informative, and easy to follow overall.
Pros
- Starts from the basics, but goes into some more advanced topics as well
- Discusses the creative side of web design more than other courses do
- Relatively affordable unless you go for the tech degree enrollment option
Cons
- No certificate
5. [Udemy] Web Design for Beginners: Real World Coding in HTML & CSS - Best for Beginners Learning HTML & CSS
Key Information
- Instructor: Brad Schiff
- Duration: 11 hours of video-on-demand
- Level: Beginner
- Free or Paid: Paid
- Certificate: Yes
- Prerequisites:
- No prior experience or software is necessary
Why We Chose This Course
This Udemy course is one of the best web design courses online, especially for beginners who are just getting their start in the field. You’ll learn HTML5, CSS, and more — and you’ll work on many projects to solidify what you’ve learned.
Pros
- Teaches you everything you need to know to become a web designer, including real-world coding
- Affordable
- Get a certificate of completion
- Plenty of examples
- Classes and instructions are easy to follow
Cons
- Udemy certificates aren’t as employer-respected as others
- Some of the videos could use updating
6. [LinkedIn Learning] Introduction to Web Design and Development - An Excellent Primer on Web Design and Development
Key Information
- Instructor: Jen Kramer
- Duration: About 2 hours
- Level: Beginner
- Free or Paid: Paid
- Certificate: Yes
- Prerequisites:
- No prior experience is necessary
Why We Chose This Course
This two-hour course is worth enrolling in if you are unsure whether you’d like to go into web design or development. It acts as a primer to give you some foundational knowledge on how most things work behind the scenes.
Pros
- Short but sweet
- Helps you understand a few things that go on behind the scenes in web design and development
Cons
- Doesn’t really cover any of the technical stuff - it’s more of a primer
7. [WebFlow University] Ultimate Web Design Course - Best Free Online Web Design Class
Key Information
- Instructor: WebFlow University
- Duration: 5 hours
- Level: Beginner to Intermediate
- Free or Paid: Free
- Certificate: No
- Prerequisites:
- No prior experience is necessary
Why We Chose This Course
One of the best web design classes available for free is this course offered by WebFlow University. You can learn everything at no cost and watch all of the videos repeatedly so you can refer back whenever necessary. It’s a five-hour course that provides plenty of value, especially when you consider that WebFlow University offers many other courses for continued learning.
Pros
- Free!
- WebFlow also offers many other free courses to learn
- Starts from the basics and is great for beginners
Cons
- No certificate
8. [BYOL] Beginner Web Design Using HTML5, CSS3 & Visual Studio Code - Best Short Free Course for Learning HTML & CSS
Key Information
- Instructor: Bring Your Own Laptop
- Duration: 4 hours
- Level: Beginner
- Free or Paid: Free
- Certificate: No
- Prerequisites:
- No prior experience is necessary
Why We Chose This Course
Although there are many free web design courses out there, this BYOL Web Design Essentials course is worth learning. At four hours long, you can glean plenty of valuable information that can help speed up your learning or fill in the blanks that might’ve been missed by other courses.
Pros
- Free
- Short and straight to the point
- A full uninterrupted video
Cons
- Hard to refer back to, so take notes!
- No certificate
Best Web Design Course in 2024: Our Top Picks
|
Course |
Description |
Free or Paid |
Key Information |
|
|
Best for Designers Who Also Want to Be Developers |
Paid |
|
|
[Coursera] Web Design for Everybody: Basics of Web Development & Coding Specialization |
Best Web Design Course for Beginners |
Paid |
|
|
|
Learn Web Design and Front End Development |
Paid |
|
|
|
Learn More of the Creative Side of Web Design |
Paid |
|
|
[Udemy] Web Design for Beginners: Real World Coding in HTML & CSS |
Best for Beginners Learning HTML & CSS |
Paid |
|
|
[LinkedIn Learning] Introduction to Web Design and Development |
An Excellent Primer on Web Design and Development |
Paid |
|
|
|
Best Free Online Web Design Class |
Free |
|
|
[BYOL] Beginner Web Design Using HTML5, CSS3 & Visual Studio Code |
Best Short Free Course for Learning HTML & CSS |
Free |
|
Tips for Succeeding in a Web Design Course
If you’ve decided to enroll in website designing classes, there are a few things you can do to improve your chances of success. Get the most value out of your courses by checking out some of the tips below:
- Consider your budget. Courses come in various price ranges, so look for a course that fits your budget. There is no reason to spend more than you are willing — you can always start with the more affordable courses and go back to enroll in the pricer programs later on.
- Look at how much time commitment the course will require. Some courses are fully self-paced, while others have a recommended weekly time commitment. Don’t enroll in programs that recommend ten hours of learning per week if you don’t have the time to put into it!
- Stay consistent. As with most things in life, consistency is key. If you can remain consistent with your learning, you increase your chances of success over time!
- Choose a suitable difficulty level. Don’t enroll in courses intended for intermediate or advanced learners if you are starting from scratch! Choose something suited to your level to lessen your frustration and make learning more pleasant overall.
- Practice, practice, practice! When it comes to web design, you’ll need a portfolio of past work to find work or freelance clients. Keep practicing so you can put together a great portfolio that’s unique, competitive, and outstanding.
- Follow other designers, join forums, and seek communities. One of the best things you can do to improve your chances of success is to follow other designers on social media, join forums, or seek communities of like-minded learners and professionals. Joining such communities will allow you to keep abreast of the newest trends and technologies and get feedback for your work if necessary. You’ll also be exposed to many others’ designs, which can help influence and inspire your own style and work.
How We Chose the Best Web Design Courses
We considered several factors as we put together this list of the best online courses for web design in 2024. We wanted to provide only the best options to our readers, which is why the courses went through a rigorous vetting process before they made it to this list.
Here are the factors we considered:
- We chose courses that were created by authorities on the subject to ensure quality.
- We considered costs and included courses at various price ranges, so there will be something for any budget.
- We included courses of varying difficulty levels and durations to suit any learner’s situation.
- We chose only high-quality courses and ensured that the majority of the programs on this list provide industry-recognized certificates of completion to help improve your resume.
Finally, we included courses that offered quizzes and hands-on projects to help put your learning into practice and give you some pieces to put in your portfolio!
Conclusion
Finding the perfect web design course for your needs can help set you up for success. Starting with a program that fits your experience level, learning style, and budget is a great way to begin learning for your eventual career switch. Remember to look for courses that offer quizzes and hands-on projects to ensure you can put your learning into practice!
Prefer more general coverage? Check out the best design books online. We regularly evaluate these resources, and we're happy to share our evaluation. Do you also want to get into backend web development? If so, check out the top 10 web development courses you can enroll in today.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Which Course Is Best for Web Designing?
It’s tough to pinpoint just one website design class as the best since learners are unique — everyone has their own skill level, interest, learning style, niche, and more. However, we have curated a list of the best online classes for web designing in the article above, so you may want to give one of them a try!
2. Is Web Design a Difficult Course?
Web design can be challenging, but unlike web development or other similar fields, it’s more of a creative endeavor. Thus, if your strengths lie more on the creative side, web design might be more your style, and you may learn it more easily than if you enrolled in courses on more complex subjects. It can still be challenging, but with enough practice, you’ll continue to get better and better.
3. What Qualifications Are Needed to Be a Web Designer?
Qualifications for becoming a web designer may vary depending on the company you’re applying to. However, you’ll generally see some common requirements, with HTML, CSS, and experience with Adobe Creative Cloud (or similar) being the most popular. If you don’t know HTML yet, you can start with the best HTML courses. You can also learn a few advanced topics to help you be more competitive — for example, you can enroll in UX design courses.
4. How Long Is the Average Web Design Course?
Web design courses can take anywhere from an hour to a couple of weeks or even a few months. It depends on the program and how much time you are willing to dedicate to your studies. Most of the courses are self-paced, meaning you can take as long as you need.
