The Best Free Online Courses to Level Up Your Business Skills
The internet is full of free training if you know where to look.
Whether you want to improve your marketing, sharpen your financial skills, learn new systems, or become a stronger leader, you do not always need to spend money on expensive programmes. There are incredible high quality resources available for free that can help you grow both your business and your confidence.
Here are some of the best free online courses you can start today.
HubSpot Academy – Excel Crash Course
Excel is one of the most powerful tools for managing data, budgeting, forecasting, and analysing financial trends.
HubSpot’s free Excel crash course is perfect for business owners who want to build confidence with formulas, spreadsheets, and basic data organisation.
Santander Open Academy – Small Business Courses
Santander offer a large library of free courses covering topics such as business planning, leadership, digital skills, and innovation.
It is a brilliant all round platform for anyone running or growing a business.
Canva – Social Media and Design Essentials
Canva’s tutorials help you create better graphics, social media posts, presentations, and branded materials.
If you want your content to look more professional without hiring a designer, this is a great place to start.
MailerLite – Email Marketing Fundamentals
Email is one of the most reliable and cost effective marketing channels.
MailerLite offer simple, practical training to help you:
Write better emails
Build your list
Set up automations
Understand analytics
Perfect for beginners.
OpenLearn (Open University) – Bookkeeping and Accounting Basics
If you want to understand your numbers better, OpenLearn offers free introductory courses on bookkeeping, business finance, and accounting principles.
These courses help you understand financial terminology, how transactions work, and how to read basic financial statements.
Alison – Sales, Negotiation and Cashflow Management
Alison provide free courses across a wide range of business skills. Their sales, negotiation, and cashflow modules are particularly helpful for small business owners who want to strengthen their financial decision making.
HSE Working Minds – HR and Employer Responsibilities
If you employ staff, this resource is essential.
It covers mental health, wellbeing, safety, and legal responsibilities in the workplace.
Understanding these areas can help you become a stronger employer and protect both your team and your business.
Meta Blueprint – Facebook and Instagram Ads
Meta’s free training explains how to set up ads, choose the right audiences, and measure performance on Facebook and Instagram.
It is a great starting point if you want to explore paid advertising but do not feel ready to hire an agency.
Buffer – Intro to Social Media Strategy
Buffer’s free social media strategy training helps you understand:
What content actually works
How to post consistently
How to measure growth
How to build a simple strategy that fits your brand
Excellent for small business owners managing their own marketing.
Why These Courses Matter
Every one of these resources is completely free.
And the more you invest in your own education, the stronger your business becomes. Learning new skills helps you:
Strengthen your business foundations
Improve your marketing
Sharpen your financial knowledge
Train your team
Make better decisions
Save money by understanding more of your systems
You do not need to master everything at once. Just pick one course and start learning.
Over time, these small improvements add up to real growth.
Meet Lewis
Lewis is a professional accountant and founder of Rhombus Accounting. He regularly shares his knowledge and best advice here on his blog and on other channels such as LinkedIn.
Book a call today to learn more about what Lewis and Rhombus Accounting can do for you.
