Reed Courses
Reed Courses operates the UK job board and online learning marketplace Reed.co.uk, serving job seekers, recruiters, course providers, and learners with ~102,770 active listings, recruiter posting fees, course marketplace commissions, and affiliated career services under Reed Group.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Reed Courses does
Reed Courses operates a dual-sided online platform under the Reed.co.uk brand, combining the UK's largest job board with an online learning marketplace. The platform is operated by Reed Online Ltd (Company Number 6317279), a private limited company headquartered in London and part of the Reed Group conglomerate, which also encompasses Reed Specialist Recruitment, Reed Learning, and Reed in Partnership. The platform serves four primary customer groups: job seekers (free consumer-facing search, CV upload, and alert functionality), recruiters and employers (paid job postings, CV search, and recruitment agency directory services), course providers (paid listings on the marketplace), and course seekers (individuals enrolling in third-party courses ranging from free short-form content to accredited professional qualifications).
The underlying technology is a web and mobile application stack (iOS and Android apps available via deep-link one-link infrastructure) with email and SMS job/course alert systems, search functionality with geographic and sectoral filtering, a course enrollment flow supporting multiple payment processors (Square, Stripe, PayPal, Sagepay), and integration with DivideBuy for interest-free installments. Servers are hosted and managed by Ensono under ISO 27001 accreditation, with security monitoring provided by Westpoint Ltd and reCAPTCHA-based abuse protection. The platform lists approximately 102,770 active jobs across 24 major UK cities and thousands of courses spanning Business, Healthcare, IT, Administration, and Teaching subjects.
The business model combines three revenue streams: (1) transaction fees from recruiters and employers for job postings (from £89 for new customers) and CV search access; (2) marketplace commission and advertising revenue from course providers listing on Reed Courses, with Reed acting as agent to collect payment and facilitate delivery; and (3) ancillary services including salary/tax calculators, career advice content, and corporate training referrals to Reed Learning. GTM motion is hybrid — product-led growth for job seekers and course learners via self-serve web and mobile, complemented by direct sales for enterprise recruiter contracts and channel/reseller relationships with course providers such as Learning Curve Group, NextGen Learning, and Small Business Charter (Help to Grow programme). Geographic scope is overwhelmingly UK-domestic, with only 696 international jobs listed.
Reed Courses firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Reed Courses
- Legal name
- Reed Online Ltd
- Website
- https://reed.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Reed Courses operates the UK job board and online learning marketplace Reed.co.uk, serving job seekers, recruiters, course providers, and learners with ~102,770 active listings, recruiter posting fees, course marketplace commissions, and affiliated career services under Reed Group.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Reed Courses industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Learning and Job Marketplace
- NAICS
- All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cheating Prevention & Test Integrity Monitoring (EDAFALAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Integrated Tutoring + Learning Content Platforms (Curriculum + Tutors) (EDANAGAL), Creator Course Marketplaces (Multi-Instructor Catalogs) (MPACALAA)
Keywords
Where Reed Courses is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Reed Courses business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Recruitment Services: Job posting fees charged to recruiters and employers. New customers pay from £89 for job postings. Additional services include CV search access.
- Course Marketplace Commission: Platform facilitates course sales between course providers and learners, acting as agent. Reed collects payment and facilitates delivery.
- Course Provider Advertising: Course providers advertise courses on the Reed Courses marketplace platform.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Job posting for recruiters starting at £89 |
| Other | Monthly | DivideBuy interest-free installments for courses |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Reed Courses product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Reed Courses operates an online marketplace offering thousands of professional development and vocational courses from third-party providers across subjects including Business, Healthcare, IT, and Administration. The platform also functions as part of Reed.co.uk, the UK's #1 job site with approximately 102,770 job listings, connecting job seekers with recruiters and employers.
Product overview
Reed Courses operates as a dual-platform offering through Reed.co.uk, combining a job board marketplace with an online learning marketplace. The core product includes the UK's #1 job site (Reed.co.uk Job Board) offering approximately 102,770 jobs and recruitment services for employers and jobseekers, alongside Reed Courses, a marketplace hosting thousands of courses from third-party providers across subjects including Business, Healthcare, IT, Administration, Teaching, and more. The platform supports free and paid courses with payment options including interest-free installments via DivideBuy. Additional supporting services include career advice resources, a mobile app, salary and tax tools, and affiliated Reed Learning corporate training services. The platform is operated by Reed Online Limited, part of the Reed Corporate Family.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Reed Courses Marketplace An online marketplace that aggregates professional development and vocational courses from third-party training providers, enabling learners to discover, compare, and enroll in courses across multiple subject areas. Courses range from free options to paid certifications with 0% APR installment plans available between £50-£6000 over 3-12 months.
- Reed.co.uk Job Board The UK's leading job site enabling job seekers to search and apply for vacancies, and recruiters/employers to post jobs (starting from £89 for new customers). Features include job alerts via email/SMS, CV uploading, and sector/location-based browsing.
- CV Search (Recruiter Service) A recruiter-facing service that allows employers and staffing agencies to search and download CVs from Reed.co.uk's database of registered job seekers, integrated with the recruiter job posting platform.
- Reed.co.uk Mobile App A free mobile application for iOS and Android that allows job seekers to search for jobs, receive job alerts, and manage their job search activities on the go.
- Career Advice Resources A free resource hub offering career guidance content including CV templates, job search tips, mental health advice for job seekers, salary checking tools, and other support resources to aid career development.
Companies that use Reed Courses
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Reed Courses technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration15 records
Reed Courses partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Small Business CharterminorProvides the Help to Grow: Management Essentials course - a free, online course designed to equip small business leaders with tools and insights for business growth. Fully funded by HM Government.
- Learning Curve GroupminorMajor course provider on Reed Courses offering vocational and professional qualifications including Access to Higher Education Diplomas and business administration certificates.
- NextGen LearningminorCourse provider offering Microsoft Office Skills and other professional skills courses on Reed Courses. Courses endorsed by The Quality Licence Scheme and CPD accredited.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Reed Courses competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- CV-Library: UK-focused job board and CV database serving recruiters and job seekers. Competes head-to-head with Reed for SME and enterprise recruitment budgets in the UK.
- Totaljobs: One of the UK's largest job boards and the most direct domestic competitor to Reed.co.uk. Operates a similar recruitment-services and job-posting model targeting UK job seekers and recruiters.
- OpenLearn (The Open University): UK-based free online course platform from The Open University. Competes with Reed Courses in free and low-cost professional development, particularly for UK learners seeking accredited content.
- Udemy: Global course marketplace with multi-instructor catalog spanning business, IT, and professional skills. Competes with Reed Courses for learner attention in paid professional development, particularly in IT and business categories.
- FutureLearn: UK-headquartered online course marketplace owned by Global University Systems. Closely comparable to Reed Courses as a multi-provider course catalog with university and credentialed content, serving UK and international learners.
Broad incumbents
- LinkedIn (Microsoft): Professional networking platform with integrated job board and LinkedIn Learning. Overlaps with Reed in both recruitment (job postings, InMail) and online learning (LinkedIn Learning subscriptions), and has significantly broader reach.
- Coursera: Leading MOOC platform partnering with universities and companies for credentialed courses and certifications. Competes with Reed Courses in higher-value professional certifications and degree-adjacent learning pathways.
- Indeed: The world's largest job board and a direct competitor in the UK recruitment market. Reed competes with Indeed for recruiter spend and candidate attention, but Indeed operates at much greater scale globally with a broader advertiser base.
Others
- Reed Learning: Affiliated corporate training and workforce development arm of Reed Group. Sister service to Reed Courses, sharing employer relationships and brand, with overlapping B2B training offerings.
Emerging players
- Glassdoor: Jobs platform integrating employer reviews, salary data, and job listings. Overlaps with Reed's value proposition in salary-checking tools and job search, increasingly competing for UK recruiter spend.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Reed Courses social profiles
Digital presenceReed Courses compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Reed Courses financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Reed Courses leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Reed Courses funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Reed Courses M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Reed Courses
What does Reed Courses do?
Reed Courses operates an online marketplace offering thousands of professional development and vocational courses from third-party providers across subjects including Business, Healthcare, IT, and Administration. The platform also functions as part of Reed.co.uk, the UK's #1 job site with approximately 102,770 job listings, connecting job seekers with recruiters and employers.
Is Reed Courses a public or private company?
Reed Courses is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Reed Courses founded?
Reed Courses was founded in 1995. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Reed Courses based?
Reed Courses is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Reed Courses make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Recruitment Services are the primary driver. The others are course Marketplace Commission and course Provider Advertising.
Who are Reed Courses's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are CV-Library, Totaljobs, OpenLearn (The Open University), Udemy and FutureLearn. Broad incumbents are LinkedIn (Microsoft), Coursera and Indeed. Reed Learning is listed as an others. Glassdoor is listed as an emerging player.
Does Reed Courses have an API?
No public API is recorded for Reed Courses.
What industry is Reed Courses in?
Reed Courses's product category is Online Learning and Job Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAFALAD, Cheating Prevention & Test Integrity Monitoring, with a secondary code of EDANAGAL, Integrated Tutoring + Learning Content Platforms (Curriculum + Tutors). Its NAICS code is 61169 and its SIC code is 7361.