Udemy vs Coursera: Where Should You Enrol?
Once considered a passing trend, online learning has emerged as a viable education alternative to standard brick and mortar institutions. The benefit of working around your career schedule gives you the flexibility to take online courses anytime. The question is not whether to enrol in an online learning program, but instead, the question is which online learning program matches your educational goals
If you are considering an online learning program, we recommend comparing two outstanding educational classrooms in Udemy and Coursera. Both companies have a lot of great courses about online business-building, if that is something that you are interested in and you need web hosting make sure you take a look at these coupons for web hosting.
A Quick Overview of Udemy
Officially launched in 2010 after intensive Beta testing by software designer Eren Bali, Udemy has experienced tremendous growth in both student enrollment and the number of courses offered by the online learning program. Oktay Caglar and Gagan Bali oversee an online learning program that enrolls more than nine million students located throughout the world. More than 35,000 courses provide students with a wide variety of curriculum options. Every course offered by Udemy is downloaded from an on-demand video platform. Courses include business, software development, languages, and web design.
Now, a Quick Overview of Coursera:
Coursera promote the mission of “We provide universal access to the 
world’s best education.” As one of the leading online education websites, Coursera offers courses from American and international colleges and universities. Most of the courses represent academic subjects, with a few courses focused on hobbies. Tenured professors who work at the best colleges and universities in the world teach more than 1,500 courses to about 16 million registered students. Coursera collaborates with more than 140 educational partners.
Udemy and Coursera share many features:
- Students download video lectures
- Instructors considered experts in field
- Affordable education, with some free classes offered
Differences between Udemy and Coursera
Although both online learning platforms are considered affordable by most online education analysts, there are some cost differences between Udemy and Coursera. Udemy course typically range between $29 and $99, with a couple of classes charging nearly $1,000. With a sprinkling of free courses, Udemy covers a wide range of class costs. Coursera offers many more free classes, with the classes offered for a fee running from $50 to $100. Courses that charge a fee provide a certificate of completion for students to post on LinkedIn profiles. Udemy and Coursera operate under the guideline “You pay for the courses, not the privilege of using either website.”
Udemy offers more discounts and coupon options to help defray the cost of an online education. Moreover, some Udemy instructors offer discounts on the course they teach. Coursera classes include textbook fees, which add to the cost of the online learning program. Students can search for textbooks at local libraries, but the first come first serve principle will force most students to pay for textbooks on Coursera.com
Here are the most popular courses offered on Udemy.com:
- Development
- Business
- Marketing
- Office Productivity
- Information Technology
- Personal Development
- Photography
- Health & Fitness
- Teacher Training
- Music
- Web Design
- Lifestyle
- Languages
Here are the most popular courses offered on Coursera:
- Arts and Humanities
- Business
- Computer Science
- Data Science
- Life Sciences,
- Math
- Logic
- Personal Development
- Physical Science
- Engineering
- Social Sciences
Coursera offers many more technical classes in the academic discipline of science. The engineering program also separates Coursera from the academic lineup featured on Udemy. Some Coursera classes begin on a specified date, while other courses download on-demand in the same model used by Udemy.
Udemy represents the better online learning option for students that want to develop specific skills, while Coursera appeals to students that want the challenge of taking college level classes that teach highly technical skills.
Navigating Udemy and Coursera
Udemy offers students the convenience of a well-organized website that includes sections to help you decide which classes to take. Most of the sections open up to a number of sub-sections that streamline the course offerings for easy navigation. You can also use the search box to type short phrases that contain one or more class keywords. Each course sub-section presents a short class description. Click on the course to read a more detailed course description. Enrolling in an Udemy class involves signing up for the class and then clicking the button at the top of the screen that reads “Lecture 1.” Udemy also offers a feedback page that allows students to rate instructors and leave recommendations for creating future curriculum.
We would like to see longer instructor bios, especially when it comes to academic and professional work experience.
Coursera follows the classic college course catalog model for listing classes on its website. The class college model is used because Coursera collaborates with numerous college and universities located throughout the world. However, we suggest students use the search box to reduce the number of course options. You have to nail the right keywords to input, but the results should match your academic needs. Coursera does not offer sub-sections. Therefore, the search box plays a more important role in course searches than it plays on Udemy.com.
The college catalog like course description design found on Coursera presents the course name and college or university offering the course. After you click on the course you want, you should learn whether Coursera offers the course via on-demand video or on specified dates. If the course does not mention any dates, then you will enroll in an on-demand video taught course. You can expect to see the instructor’s name and a photograph. Sign up for a Coursera class by clicking “Enroll.” Coursera offers financial aid for some classes; all you have to do to get the ball rolling is to request financial aid information
Drum Roll…Udemy or Coursera?
Udemy and Coursera rank near the top of online learning program lists, but for different reasons. Udemy specializes in helping students master specific skills in the hobby and personal interest areas, most of which are considered non-technical. On the other hand, Coursera collaborates with the best colleges and universities in the world to offer high-caliber curriculum that focuses on developing student technical skills in math and science.