The 8 Best Online Floral Design Classes of 2023

Best Overall: Penn Foster Career School

Key Specs

• Price: $849 to $1089
• Skill Level: Beginner
• Certification: Yes

Why We Chose It

Penn Foster Career School is regionally and nationally accredited with a user-friendly program in floral design that takes students from the beginner level to certified florist. The course only takes six months to complete.

Pros & Cons

Overview

If you decide to enroll at the Penn Foster Career School, you can become a skilled floral designer in roughly six months.

This well-rounded floral design course is for people who are considering a career in floral design. And, of all the course offerings geared toward career florists, this site had the best balance of features. The learning experience is well-formatted and consists of a mobile-friendly design and progress tracking.

The program includes nine courses, such as Design Tools and Basics and Design Tools and Basics.

The tuition is in the middle of the road, costing $1089 if you pay in monthly installations or $849 if you pay in full. In addition to the program's cost, students will be required to purchase some additional supplies to complete hands-on floral exercises at home. Also, it’s important to mention that the Penn Foster Career School is both regionally and nationally accredited.

Best Budget: Skillshare

Key Specs

• Price: $14 per month (when you enroll in premium annual membership): $32 per month without annual membership
• Skill Level: Beginner to advanced
• Certification: No

Why We Chose It

Skillshare's floral design classes can be hand-picked for florists to choose the specific skills they'd like to learn or to become professionals at certain arrangements. An annual membership only costs $14 per month, and free trials are available to test out classes before committing.

Pros & Cons

Overview

With several useful features, like reviews and course previews, Skillshare is a standout for online learning.

The floral design coursework available on Skillshare is going to be more appropriate for someone who is a hobbyist or for someone who already has the basic knowledge and wants to try out some new techniques.

If you are looking to start a career in floral design, consider one of the programs in this review. However, if you are on the fence and want to see if you’ll like it, try a class on Skillshare first.

There are around 30 classes in the floral design section including Design A Hand-Tied Bouquet, Design a Dried Floral Bouquet, and more. More than 4,000 students have taken the most popular one on Bouquet Making.

This site earned the Best Budget title because you can get the most value for your money. A low-cost annual membership of $14 per month will give you access to all the floral design courses available. If you have a free trial, you can even take one or several floral lessons for free.

Best for Career: Ashworth College

Key Specs

• Price: $849 to $1,049
• Skill Level: Beginner
• Certification: Yes

Why We Chose It

Ashworth College has a dedicated floral design program with start-to-finish classes for beginners to earn a floral design diploma. The program can be completed in four months at this accredited school.

Pros & Cons

Overview

Both Penn Foster Career School and Ashworth College are excellent choices for starting a career in floral design. However, there are some differences between the two options. Ashworth College could be a better fit for students who want to end the program with a diploma in-hand.

The class is broken up into orientation, followed by five group lessons, covering topics like Basic Design Techniques and Establishing your Design Business. This floral design program runs for four months, but you have up to a year to complete your coursework after registering. Tuition is either $849 or $1049 depending on how you pay.

Ashworth College is a highly accredited school and an excellent choice for anyone looking to advance their career. However, we chose Penn Foster for the best overall because it offered more upfront information about courses and the learning process.

Best for Beginners: American School of Flower Design

Key Specs

• Price: $749
• Skill Level: Beginner
• Certification: No

Why We Chose It

Michael Gaffney is a well-renowned floral designer with a variety of classes to offer at the American School of Flower Design. Materials are included and shipped overnight after purchase, and classes are also offered in some cities for students seeking an in-person experience.

Pros & Cons

Overview

Want to learn from a legendary floral designer? At the American School of Flower Design, you can. There, courses are taught by Michael Gaffney and are ideal for beginners looking to dip their toes into the floral design world.

Each session will teach you how to master one popular flower arrangement with supplies included. Once you purchase a class, your flowers will be within one day, and the lesson will be immediately available to view. Before you decide on one, check out a preview of the course video to see how Gaffney approaches floral design.

If you love his teaching style and want to learn more, he also has some botanical design books for purchase. There are several in-person workshops at various locations across the country as well.

Best for Continuing Education: Floral Design Institute

Key Specs

• Price: $950
• Skill Level: Advanced
• Certification: Yes

Why We Chose It

Current florists seeking continuing education can enroll in classes at the Floral Design Institute to further their skills in wedding design, home decorating, and more. The cost is higher than other schools, but hands-on instructors help students get the most out of each class.

Pros & Cons

Overview

Your education doesn’t stop once you earn a diploma in floral design from an accredited university. The most skilled floral designers are those who continually add to their knowledge base and earn more certifications.

One popular floral program, the Advanced Floral Design Certification, is offered through the Floral Design Institute. Recently, this organization began offering an online option, which makes the certification even more appealing to people who are unable to travel.

To register, you must have finished their Basic Floral Design course or have completed 500 hours of on-the-job training. This training is intended to help florists enhance their skills in Wedding Design, Contemporary, European and Asian Design, Tropical Flowers, and Floral Marketing.

The cost is $950, but you’ll also need to purchase fresh flowers and supplies to complete specific assignments. If you already work at a floral shop, consider asking your employer if they would help cover the training cost.

Best for Hobbyists: Udemy

Key Specs

• Price: $19.99 to $200 per class
• Skill Level: Beginner to advanced
• Certification: No

Why We Chose It

Udemy offers significantly more classes than its top competitor for floral design hobbyists who aren't seeking a certification. Students can learn how to create specific stylish flower arrangements they're interested in without committing to monthly payments.

Pros & Cons

Overview

Like Skillshare, Udemy offers a ton of classes on a wide variety of topics. This site also provides users with reviews and course previews, as well as robust instructor profiles.

The main difference between Udemy and Skillshare is how you pay. For Udemy, each course is purchased a la carte, which means it costs more if you decide to take more than one class.

However, there are many more floral design courses and they tend to be more thorough. Offerings include Floral Design—Not Just Flower Arranging, Floral Design 101, The Complete Guide to Flower Box Arrangement, and more. The length of class varies, and the focus is more on trendy floral design techniques.

These stylish arrangements are popular among hobbyists but don’t replace the foundational knowledge available in some of the aforementioned programs. The classes range from around $19.99 to $200, which doesn’t include any flowers or supplies needed.

Most Creative: Team Flower

Key Specs

• Price: $199 to $499
• Skill Level: Beginner to advanced
• Certification: Yes

Why We Chose It

The floral arrangements taught at Team Flower are modern and trendy. Individual classes are more expensive than through some competitors, but certifications are available—and students also learn about building a business in floral design.

Pros & Cons

Overview

Team Flower offers students an inviting online learning platform for all things floral. One of the main draws to the site is the online community the company has created for its students. Their website has over 2,000 members, while their Instagram account has more than 50,000 followers.

Team Flower's online classes are broken down into sections: all business types, weddings, and growing. The site currently offers about 15 classes, but new lessons are added periodically. If you want to learn how to make floral arrangements that look like they could be on an influencer’s Instagram page, these are the instructors you want to teach you.

Each course description details exactly what to expect and pricing. For instance, the Bouquets and Personals class; includes six hours of instruction and costs around $499 if you make a full payment (there's also an eight-month payment plan option where you can pay $74 per month). Beginner classes are available for $199. If you’re unsure about your purchase, each lesson comes with a 14-day money-back guarantee. Get an idea for the company's teaching style and floral aesthetic by checking out Team Flower's YouTube channel for free.