Udemy vs Coursera – Which One Is Best?

Hey everyone! Hope you all are doing well. Taking online courses is often a serious commitment. If you’re going to invest money and time in learning something new, you want to be confident that it’s the best fit for your professional, academic and personal needs. Both Udemy and Coursera are great options for taking an online course. Whether you’re looking to master a new skill for work or try out a new hobby, either platform can provide legitimate educational options. So, In this article, I’ll discuss each platform, its cost, what sorts of courses each offers, their pros and cons, and distinguish between Udemy & Coursera. And by the end, it will be easy for you to decide whether Udemy or Coursera is best for you. So Let’s start Udemy vs Coursera.

1. Course Offerings

Both the Platform offers a vast variety of course topics from photography to law to web development.

Udemy’s course catalog is never-ending as it offers more than 100,000 video courses from 42,000 instructors in over 50 languages. You can find courses on many topics that support academia, professional development or just learning a new hobby. The course you purchase provides users with lifetime access which means you can review and retake them according to you.

Whereas, In the Coursera catalog, you’ll find more than 2,000 courses in over 30 languages, from 150 accredited universities. These courses are on about a dozen topics that correspond to academic topics and specific job skills. You can choose from different learning options from single courses which take four to six weeks then specializations take four to six months to degree programs which can take up to three years. Users have to pay for the same course if they want to retake it.

2. Pricing

Online learning isn’t cheap, but both Udemy and Coursera provide ways to better afford digital classes.

Udemy courses are very affordable and many of the courses are on sale. Most courses are being offered for less than ₹ 500 and there are many everyday sales on udemy which provides you with special coupon codes that allow the users to get their favourite courses for free. Regardless of price, all courses accompany a 30-day money-back guarantee, too.

And purchasing Udemy courses is similar to online shopping. It will also suggest similar courses that you might also be interested in.

Whereas, Coursera operates a little bit differently. Courses vary greatly in price – anywhere from a few rupees to a few thousand as the course prices depend upon the chosen course options which may be a degree program, certification specialization, or single course.

Users can also enroll for a 7-day trial for free that provides full access to related courses, a certificate when you complete the course, and free cancellation if necessary. But outside of the free trial, you won’t get the completion certificate to share or publish on LinkedIn.

3. Courses Instructor

Both the platforms offer courses instructors but there are some differences between the instructors on both of these platforms.

On Udemy, anyone can create or sell their courses. It is easy to teach on Udemy, but there is no quality control in terms of how legitimate the instructor is or materials are, and there is no approval process for courses run by the Udemy management team. But there are many instructors which provide high-quality material, others are blatantly advertising or attempting to upsell you.

So before investing in a Udemy course, I recommend you all to pay attention to reviews and ratings from former students. It also highlights popular instructors and best-selling courses, which can make your shopping experience easier.

Coursera is the opposite of Udemy in this respect course instructor. Only professional educators, instructors and experts teach Coursera courses. In fact, you will feel that you are studying in the classroom and the instructors teach in the same way as they are teaching in front of the classroom. Courses partnered with many accredited universities like Duke University or the University of Michigan. With these accreditations and associations, you can be confident that the very best people are teaching you the courses.

4. Courses Time Commitment

Everyone has different preferences on how they would learn. Some excel under daily structure and guidance, while others prefer to learn autonomously.

When courses purchased by you through Udemy, you get lifetime access to the course study material. The courses available on udemy are self-guided and it’s up to you to complete them according to your preference.

Whereas Coursera is more like an online class that you would take from a university or formal institution. Courses start and finish on specific dates. The course has a timeline that you will need to follow strictly. You need to watch videos, and then there are auto-graded and peer-reviewed assignments to be completed. There are also discussion forums available for you to speak with your course mates and professor.

5. Courses Credibility & Reputation

Because of these online courses, many questions come to your mind before investing time and energy into taking online classes. Course credibility and acceptability may be the determining factor for you to decide between two platforms.

Udemy is a great resource for boosting skills, but it is up to you if you want to put these courses on your resume or LinkedIn profile or not. Few of the courses offer certificates upon completion and those certificates are even accredited. While through many of the courses you learn and/or mastering a new skill on Udemy.

Coursera is quite the opposite. Courses on Coursera are associated with college and university professors, so they all are appropriate to share on a resume. In fact, all courses provide accredited digital certificates to share on your personal website or LinkedIn profile. However, If you are auditing the course, then, you will not receive a certificate.

6. Pros & Cons

Udemy

Coursera

7. Verdict

Udemy is the better online platform option if you’re looking for a budget-friendly way to learn a new skill or a hobby on your own time. While the course certificate might mean nothing to an employer, there are literally thousands of new skills you can start learning today.

Coursera is your best bet if you’re looking to learn a new professional skill in a similar setting as of the traditional way educational institutions follow the course. Courses and degree programs are designed to help you get ahead in work, and come with a credible, shareable certificate.

Both Coursera and Udemy provide us the valuable, worthwhile online learning experiences. In order to choose the best learning platform for you, you need to do research and had time commitment along with a new skill under your belt.

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