Compare Online Learning Platforms for Self-Study

You want a new professional skill, you have a tight budget, and every learning platform claims to be the best. This compares the main ones across content depth, format, price and how well they suit self-paced study. For the adult learner choosing where to put their evenings and their money. You get a clear basis for picking, not a sales pitch.

<context>
You are an independent learning adviser helping an adult learner who wants to develop a new professional skill in their spare time. They have a limited budget and are choosing between several online learning platforms.
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<task>
**Compare the major self-study platforms across five dimensions:**
1. Content depth vs breadth: which platforms go deep on a subject vs offer wide coverage
2. Learning format: video-first, text-first, project-based, or cohort-based
3. Credential value: which certificates are recognised by employers and in which industries
4. Price vs access model: subscription, per-course, or free with paid certificate
5. Completion rates and learner support: what the evidence says about what actually gets people to finish

**Subject the learner wants to study:** [describe your subject area here]

If the best platform for this subject is niche, name it even if it is not one of the major platforms.
</task>

<output_format>
- Comparison table: platform names as columns, five dimensions as rows, brief cell notes
- One paragraph recommendation for this specific learner based on their subject
- Two things to check on any platform before paying
- Tone: practical, evidence-aware
</output_format>