Quick answer: The Lift College Study plan is £509.99 paid once for the year, set beside one-off course fees of CloudLearn (£399), ICS Learn (£440) and Open Study College (£449), the lowest list prices on the subjects Lift College teaches, checked 19 October 2026. All of these prices are before exam fees, which you pay separately with every provider, and those three cost less than a Study year. The cheapest way to start an Ofqual regulated A Level online with a named tutor is the Study plan at £49.99 a month, with nothing to pay today and nothing charged until day 8 of the free 7-day trial. Lift College teaches AQA specifications for ten subjects and WJEC Eduqas for Film Studies, and you can see all eleven on the online A Level courses page.
Prices below were read from each provider's own course or listing page on 19 October 2026, and all of them are before exam fees. They change, so check the provider before you enrol.
What "cheapest" has to include
An A Level price only means something once you know four things:
- Is the specification Ofqual regulated? Every provider in this table teaches AQA, Pearson Edexcel or WJEC Eduqas specifications, so the certificate is identical to a school candidate's.
- Are exam entry and centre fees included? Most fixed-fee courses exclude them, and you pay the exam fees on top.
- Is there a named tutor who marks your work? Video-only courses are cheaper but are not tutor supported.
- Can you stop paying? Monthly plans let you leave.
Price table: online A Levels compared, 19 October 2026
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| Provider | Course price | Exam entry and centre fees | Boards taught | Tutor support | Free trial or refund |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lift College | £509.99 a year (or £49.99 a month) | Not included on Study, so paid separately as with every provider here | AQA (10 subjects), WJEC Eduqas (Film Studies) | Named UK tutor, marked practice, marking in 5 to 7 working days | Free 7-day trial, nothing charged until day 8; 14-day money back on every payment |
| CloudLearn | £399 per subject (page also shows £499), or from £14.12 a month on finance | Not included: "Exam fees are additional"; CloudLearn books the centre for you but charges exam fees on top | AQA and Pearson Edexcel, 13 subjects; no English Language or Film Studies | Unlimited 1:1 support from a dedicated tutor for 24 months | Free trial; pass guarantee |
| Oxbridge Home Learning | From £495 on the subjects Lift College teaches (19 October 2026) | Not included; Oxbridge sells exam places at partner centres as an extra | AQA or Edexcel | Unlimited support for 24 months | Not stated on the course page |
| ICS Learn | £440 to £550 per subject depending on subject; interest-free instalments | Not included: "Your exam fees aren't included" | AQA, 9 subjects; no Biology, Chemistry or Physics | Tutor support until summer 2028 results; tutor-marked practice tests | Not stated on the page |
| Open Study College | Course only £449 (shown against £499), or from £15.88 a month | Not included in the course fee; check provider | AQA and Pearson Edexcel | Tutor support, 24 months to complete | 14-day money-back guarantee |
| NEC (National Extension College) | £730 single payment, or £73 deposit then £54.75 a month for 12 months | Not included: "Any fees in relation to exam entries or assessments are not covered by your course fee"; NEC offers a guaranteed exam place, with entry fees charged on top | AQA and Pearson Edexcel | 24 months of 1-2-1 tutor guidance | No free trial on the page |
The cheapest route for three different learners
You want to try the course before you commit. Lift College offers a free 7-day trial of the full course, and the monthly Study plan has no course fee or credit check. If the course is not for you, you stop before day 8 and pay nothing.
You want one price that covers the exam. Every course fee in the table is before exam fees. Lift College can also book your exam on its +Exams plan. CloudLearn books the centre for you but charges exam fees on top; Oxbridge Home Learning sells exam places at partner centres as an extra; NEC offers a guaranteed exam place, with entry fees charged on top; ICS Learn leaves you to book and pay a centre yourself.
You want the lowest total if you can arrange your own exam. A Lift College Study year is £509.99 paid once, before exam fees, set beside CloudLearn (£399), ICS Learn (£440) and Open Study College (£449), the lowest fixed prices before exam fees on the subjects Lift College teaches, checked 19 October 2026, so those three cost less than a Study year. The Study year keeps the named tutor and marked practice, or you can pay £49.99 a month instead. Check that a centre near you accepts the board that provider teaches.
Why monthly pricing is cheaper for many adults
A fixed fee assumes you will study for the full term. A Lift College Study year is £509.99 paid once, before exam fees; paying monthly instead, a six-month run costs £299.94, below every fixed course fee in the table, and a nine-month run costs £449.91; over the full 24 months some providers allow, the fixed fee wins. Pick the pricing model that matches how long you will actually study.
Which subjects are available at each price
Lift College offers A Level Biology, Business Studies, Chemistry, English Language, English Literature, Film Studies, History, Mathematics, Physics, Psychology and Sociology, each with the plans above. Subject-by-subject comparisons are on the best online A Level Biology courses, A Level Business Studies, A Level Chemistry and A Level English Language pages, and the all-subject view is the best online A Level courses UK guide.
How the exam works whichever provider you choose
Every A Level is sat in person in the May and June series, and the certificate comes from the awarding body, not the provider. On the Lift College Study plan, as on a fixed-fee course, you sit as a private candidate and pay the exam fees on top. Can you do A Levels online? explains the process.
Sources checked on 19 October 2026
Each provider's own course or A Level listing page, Ofqual's register of regulated qualifications for the specification codes, and the Lift College A Level funding and costs page.
Your next step
Start the A Level Mathematics course free for 7 days
AQA, Ofqual regulated · From £49.99/month · £0 today. Nothing is charged until day 8.