Best Investing Courses – Learn How to Improve Your Position
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While everyone’s financial goals are different, most people want to be able to retire by 65 years old and live the life they want. Whether that means traveling the world or spending quality time with your family is up to you, but your investment portfolio is likely an important aspect of achieving those goals.
At the same time, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by aspects of various financial markets. From the basics of setting up a brokerage to exchange-traded funds (ETFs), cryptocurrency, and mutual funds, there is a dizzying amount of information out there about different investment strategies and retirement planning. Especially with how many advertisements abound on TV and the internet about each of these concepts, it’s hard to know where to start.
If you want to take an active role in your personal finance, there are plenty of online investing courses to help you get your sea legs. Whether you’re looking for investment classes covering the fundamentals of the stock market or are seeking trading courses to help you rival the day traders on Wall Street, the following investment courses will help you get your bearings. Learn more about each course covered in our overview of investing classes to determine which is the right fit for you.
In this article
Overview of the best investing courses
Investing Course | Best For |
Udemy | Complete beginners wanting a comprehensive overview |
Morningstar | Readers who want free content |
Warrior Trading | Serious investors with money to spare |
Coursera | Broad library with vetted-instructors |
Fidelity | Free deep dives into specific topics |
Bear Bull Traders | Learners seeking a community |
Peak Analytics' Direction First Newsletter | Daily learning |
Stocks, Bonds, and Investing: Oh, My! | Investors interested in college-vetted content |
Harvard Business School Online: Alternative Investments | Finance professionals interested in a certificate |
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Best investing courses
Udemy
Udemy has a variety of courses to explore, but perhaps none comes as highly recommended as their Stock Market From Scratch for Complete Beginners course. As long as you have a computer with an internet connection, you’ll be able to learn how the stock market works and how to get started in the stock market as an investor. The course is geared toward anyone who is interested in learning more about investing regardless of their experience.
Over the course of 57 lectures, you’ll learn a variety of concepts and strategies to help you guide your own investment decisions or have more informed conversations with your financial advisor. While 57 lectures may sound like a lot, the overall course content only takes a little under 7 hours to watch.
Overall, Udemy’s Stock Market From Scratch for Complete Beginners lecture series has a rating of 4.2 out of 5. Users appreciate how it is geared towards novice investors and provides a good amount of detail while establishing a solid foundation for further learning. Since Udemy has a host of Business and Finance courses to explore, if you’ve found that this beginner course is a good fit for you and your learning style, it’s easy to sign up for another course to continue to build upon your knowledge.
A major benefit of watching Udemy video lessons is that you can work at your own pace. The course is run in the Udemy course ecosystem and only costs $49.99; however, it does go on sale from time to time. For example, as of this writing, it’s on sale at 66% off.
Morningstar
Looking for a free way to learn about investing but don’t want to open a brokerage account just to access their content? If you’re fine with a library of text-based content, Morningstar is here to give you in-depth content for free as well.
Called the Investing Classroom, Morningstar’s investing courses are split into six different focuses:
- ETFs
- Bonds
- Stocks
- Portfolio
- Funds
- Featured Content
Each of these course options allows you to really drill down and learn the ins and outs of each concept. This makes Morningstar a great pick for folks who have limited investment knowledge or are just starting out as an investor.
Morningstar’s courses aren’t as flashy as some of the others on this list, but they are free. If you’re the type of person who can learn well from reading, then you don’t have much to lose by checking out the content that Morningstar provides to users interested in learning more about investing.
Warrior Trading
If you already feel confident in your basic knowledge of investing and want to take your trading up a notch, Warrior Trading has two options to consider. With two options (Warrior Starter and Warrior Pro), there’s something for each skillset, although they can be a bit pricy.
Warrior Trading ranges in price between $997 and $6,000, depending on the package and add-ons that you select. It is worth noting that Warrior Trading does offer a free intro course if you’re on the fence about the platform and don’t want to spend money just quite yet.
Especially if you’re looking to dive into advanced strategies in day trading, portfolio management, risk management Warrior Trading’s Warrior Pro option is a masterclass of information. It covers advanced topics like small-cap day trading, large-cap day trading, swing and options trading, and a variety of other concepts.
Warrior Trading also comes with features that many of the other classes on this list don’t have, such as live group mentoring, community chat rooms, and a special add-on that serves as a trading simulator to hone your skills. All of this may be worth the price tag to some, but if you’re a beginner it might be a better idea to explore investing using a free option like Morningstar before dropping any money on Warrior Trading.
Coursera
Coursera is a close cousin to Udemy in that it provides a wide range of courses on a variety of topics, including investing and personal finance advice. One nice thing about Coursera is that its instructors are vetted and all of its courses are developed by universities and corporations. This generally means that the quality is a bit higher than some of the other options on this list.
What does this mean in practice? That you can get access to some of the best minds in finance, economics, and investing from prestigious universities like Yale. Best of all, while some Coursera offerings range in price from $20 to $200, the bulk of investment content attached to universities is free or quite affordable. Now that’s a deal!
Coursera’s wide range of topics is aimed at novices and experts alike, so if you’re just starting out, have intermediate investing experience, or are a pro looking for advanced discussions of different investing concepts, there’s something for everyone with Coursera.
If you’re someone that loves mobile experiences, you’ll be happy to learn that Coursera also comes with a handy mobile app to take your learning on the go. That means you can easily trade in some of your podcasts for Coursera content to transform your commute into an educational opportunity.
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- Over 100 Stock Picks with 100%+ Returns
- Averaged Stock Pick Return over 593% (vs. 165% for the S&P)
- 2 New Stock Picks Every Month
- Investment Community With 700,000+ Loyal Members
- 30-Day Membership-Fee-Back Guarantee
- Joy Wallet Reader Deal: The Motley Fool is offering 50% off its top stock-picking service for new members (Limited Time)
Harvard Business School Online: Alternative Investments
There has been a lot of information paid lately to cryptocurrencies and NFTs as forms of alternative investment; however, most alternative investments typically fall into categories like private equity, hedge funds, and real estate. If you’re curious about learning more about these sorts of investment options, then what better source for your information than Harvard’s online business school.
Harvard Business School Online’s course on alternative investments is specifically geared towards early-career financial services professionals and aspiring finance and investment professionals. Even so, non-financial services workers will find a lot of helpful information in this course as well, so if you want to be able to talk the talk and walk the walk on all things alternative investing, this could be a good fit.
Topics covered over the course of the Alternative Investments course include the language of alternative investments, how to go about evaluating different alternative investments, and skills and strategies to choose an appropriate assets manager. The program is structured across five weeks for a total of 35 hours of instruction on the topics. Sessions range between $1,600 and $1,750, depending on when you register.
One thing to note is that unlike other learning modules on this list, you will need to formally apply to take this course. Harvard Business School Online also shares this information about the program on their website: “Participants should have completed an undergraduate-level introductory finance course or equivalent at some point during their education and possess a basic understanding of capital markets, portfolio theory, and risk and return.”
Stocks, Bonds, and Investing: Oh, My!
This cutely named investing course comes courtesy of the University of Central Florida. Unlike some of the other content on this list, this is a legitimate college-level course providing you with a solid foundation to begin investing and taking charge of your personal finances.
Just because this is a college-level course doesn’t mean that it’s not accessible to non-students. In actuality, it just means that the depth and breadth of the course is a bit better than some of the other options on this list. For example, in addition to learning about common investment vehicles like stocks and bonds, you’ll also get a rundown on retirement accounts and different approaches to investing.
One thing to note is that if you’re interested in day trading tips and strategies, this isn’t the right class for you. That’s because the learning content in Stocks, Bonds, and Investing: Oh My! Is much more geared towards investors looking to make sound, long-term decisions rather than compete with traders on Wall Street.
Although this is college-level content, you won’t be paying an arm and a leg in order to take the class. It’s actually one of the more affordable options on this list, with a price tag of just $149!
Fidelity
Like other brokerages, Fidelity offers its Fidelity Learning Center free of charge to users interested in learning more about investing. With an easy-to-use search feature, Fidelity makes it simple to find and learn more about specific investing topics. Especially if you’ve taken another course on this list and are looking to fill in more details, the Fidelity Learning Center can be a very helpful tool.
One nice thing about Fidelity’s Learning Center is how it is organized. You can either use the search functionality to look up a particular investment topic or select from a variety of categories including things like personal finance, investment products, investment and trading strategies, and advanced trading strategies.
As far as content goes, Fidelity has curated a mixture of webinars as well as articles that are helpful to read. They also label each lesson by what type of person it was designed for. Beginner lessons are designed for folks without much investing experience or knowledge, while Intermediate lessons have more experience and may be looking for ways to level up their learning. Expert lessons go deep into complex investing topics and should only be tackled by truly experienced investors.
If there’s any drawback to using Fidelity’s Learning Center, it’s that lessons aren’t structured in a sequence the way that other courses are. The investment information contained within each lesson is sound, however, and overall organization is a hard thing to knock a free platform for too much.
Bear Bull Traders
If you’re the type of learner who craves a more community-centric approach to your education, then Bear Bull Traders is definitely worth looking into. With a live chat room and a forum to connect with experienced traders and mentors, you will feel connected to other investors and learn in a more communal experience than many of the learn-at-your-own pace options in this blog.
Bear Bull Traders offers webinars and educational materials on a range of topics sequenced for success. Their five pillars of success help you learn technology, develop strategies, master psychology, built a trade book, and build community and mentorship.
Bear Bull Traders offers two main tiers of membership for users. The first, the Basic Membership, is billed as a $99 monthly membership, while the Elite Membership is $199 monthly (or $1,199 annually, a significant discount). If you’re still testing the waters, then you can sign up for a 7-day Intro Membership for just $39 which comes with a money-back guarantee.
If you want to really take advantage of Bear Bull Traders’ community-centric opportunities, then you’ll want to sign up for the Elite Membership. This is because the Basic Membership only offers the essential courses and live chat. As such, this is a more expensive option, even though it connects you to experienced investors who run a variety of webinars on investing topics.
Peak Analytics' Direction First Newsletter
If you’re the type of investor who wants to learn about a new topic each day, then a newsletter is a great format for you. Peak Analytics’ Direction First Newsletter is a highly-recommended investing newsletter offering daily trading suggestions and other useful information to help level up you're investing one day at a time.
Especially if you’re a mobile trader or are often on the go, this will be a great fit for you. One of the strengths of this particular newsletter is that it isn’t targeted at day traders or long-term investors explicitly, but rather splits the difference with relevant information for both types of investors. The real-time analysis can also help you cut through some of the noise of headlines from news outlets, too, which is a great way to stay the course in major dips or corrections.
The cost of signing up for the Peak Analytics newsletter is $39 a month, which may be a bit pricy for some. Especially considering that some of the options on this list include a wealth of interactive content and videos, a newsletter is not the right choice for everyone. On the other hand, if you’re able to capitalize on many of the concepts and tips you get to boost your portfolio’s return, the cost of $1.30 a day is definitely worth it.
If you’re on the fence about signing up for Peak Analytics' Direction First Newsletter, you’ll be happy to know that there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee. That may give you the assurance you need to try out the newsletter and see if it is or isn’t a good fit for you as a learner.
Use Motley Fool's Stock Advisor To Invest
- Over 100 Stock Picks with 100%+ Returns
- Averaged Stock Pick Return over 593% (vs. 165% for the S&P)
- 2 New Stock Picks Every Month
- Investment Community With 700,000+ Loyal Members
- 30-Day Membership-Fee-Back Guarantee
- Joy Wallet Reader Deal: The Motley Fool is offering 50% off its top stock-picking service for new members (Limited Time)
Best investing courses summary
Investing Course | Costr | Investor Level |
Udemy | $49.99 | Beginners |
Morningstar | Free | Beginners, Intermediate |
Warrior Trading | $997 - $6,000 | Advanced |
Coursera | $20-$200 | Beginners, Intermediate, Advanced |
Fidelity | Free | Beginners, Intermediate, Advanced |
Bear Bull Traders | $99/mo, $199/mo, $1,199/year | Beginners, Intermediate, Advanced |
Peak Analytics' Direction First Newsletter | $39 | Intermediate, Advanced |
Stocks, Bonds, and Investing: Oh, My! | $149 | Beginners |
Harvard Business School Online: Alternative Investments | $1,600 - $1,750 | Intermediate, Advanced |
FAQs
Do I have to pay for an investing course?
No, you don’t! Many of the options on this list are free of charge, and even the ones that cost money are often on sale or have the prices significantly reduced. Unless there’s a specific course listed here that appeals to you and costs money, there’s no reason you shouldn’t first start with some of the free options on this list.
Who should take an investing course?
Anyone looking to improve their financial knowledge is a good candidate for any of the above investing courses. It’s also worth noting that if you’re going to invest in the stock market at all (and most Americans with 401k retirement accounts do), then it’s a good idea to have at least a basic understanding of how the stock market works.
What makes these courses different than videos on YouTube or Reddit posts?
Since all of the above are investment courses, they are designed with a specific sequence in mind and are intended to educate users about a variety of topics. While many videos and Reddit posts can be informative in nature, they aren’t likely to be affiliated with and vetted by major financial institutions like Morningstar, Fidelity, TD Ameritrade, and Harvard University.
Why should (or shouldn’t) you use
Most beginners interested in taking a crash course in investing can learn a lot from many of the courses on this list. Especially when you consider how many are free or less than $150, investing that money in yourself so you have the knowledge to understand what you’re investing in and why. Even if you work with a financial advisor, having a strong foundational understanding of the stock market and various investment products can help you make the most of your relationship with your advisor (you are paying them after all!)
Some of the more advanced courses here are definitely not for beginners. In fact, day trading courses should probably only be taken if you are quite serious about day trading and have the money to spend on coursework on a specific topic, strategy, or tool. Keep in mind that treating the stock market as a way to get rich quickly is not the healthiest attitude to go into investing with, and really assess your personal finances before tackling more advanced day trading topics.
Use Motley Fool's Stock Advisor To Invest
- Over 100 Stock Picks with 100%+ Returns
- Averaged Stock Pick Return over 593% (vs. 165% for the S&P)
- 2 New Stock Picks Every Month
- Investment Community With 700,000+ Loyal Members
- 30-Day Membership-Fee-Back Guarantee
- Joy Wallet Reader Deal: The Motley Fool is offering 50% off its top stock-picking service for new members (Limited Time)
The bottom line
While you can learn a lot about investing by listening to podcasts or reading articles on various personal finance websites, at the end of the day, sometimes the best way to learn is through a structured course with clear learning outcomes. Thankfully, there are plenty of websites offering courses to give you the information, skills, and strategies you need to feel confident making investments and managing your portfolio.
Perhaps the best thing about the above list of investing courses is that there’s something for everyone. No matter what you’re looking to learn about or how much money you’re wanting to spend, the investment courses above can give you valuable educational tools and strategies as an investor.
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Writer
Brent Ervin-Eickhoff is a Chicago-based writer, stage director, and filmmaker with a background in digital marketing and content creation. In addition to Joy Wallet, Brent has written for Complex, Volkswagen, HowlRound, Picture this Post, and Third Coast Review, among others. He currently serves as the Associate Director of Marketing for Content Creation at Court Theatre at the University of Chicago. Brent graduated from Ball State University with Academic Honors in Writing.
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