When it comes to online education, Coursera and Udacity are top names. Both are well-known and respected educational platforms that are great for your resume. They are famous for helping people learn or improve new skills. Whether you want to get better at something you already know or learn something new, these providers are market leaders in eLearning. But what makes them different? In this review, we’ll compare Udacity vs Coursera to see which is better. Our comparison will help you thoroughly understand which one fits your needs.
Two names come to mind when you think of upskilling: Udacity and Coursera. Udacity is about helping individuals, businesses, and governments learn in-demand skills in digital technology. They have specialized courses for digi-tech careers. Their Nanodegrees are a trademark of high quality and take just a few months to complete.
On the other hand, Coursera is a platform partnered with globally renowned universities and institutions. They stand out for their high caliber and variety of courses. From bite-sized lessons to complete degrees, Coursera covers a range of topics. Both Udacity and Coursera offer more than just learning; they open new doors and are designed to help you focus on your future.
About Udacity and Coursera
Let’s discuss about these platforms in more detail.
About Udacity
Udacity started in 2011 and now has over 16 million users. It’s known for working with big names like Google and Amazon, making it the best provider in digi-tech learning. By September 2023, Udacity switched to a subscription-only platform. They also have free courses, more than 200+. Being a market leader in talent transformation, Udacity has teamed up with Amazon, Microsoft, BMW, and GitHub. These partnerships help create job-ready talent for the changing career market in digi-tech.
- Udacity Pros: The instructors know a lot because they have real-world teaching experience. It’s easy to learn here. Nanodegrees are great for learning one particular skill to help you get a job. You can take classes at your speed and finish them when it’s best for you. You also get excellent feedback on how you’re doing in your projects.
- Udacity Cons: Their Nanodegree programs are expensive.
Udacity's Features
- 200+ courses to pick from.
- Ten different scholarship programs.
- You can pay every month or go with an annual subscription.
- Unique plans for businesses and companies.
- 200+ courses you can take for free.
- You can watch videos anytime
- You can download stuff to learn.
About Coursera
Coursera started in 2012 and offers certified courses by professionals like Stanford, Yale, and Google. It has a wide range, from in-demand professional topics to languages, arts, and creativity. Now, Coursera has 92 million registered users and works with over 250 universities and industry educators. They have more than 7,000 courses and degree programs in 11 categories. You can learn in different ways on Coursera: buy individual courses, get certifications, or subscribe on a monthly or annual basis. Many big companies, businesses, campuses, and governments use Coursera for learning.
- Coursera Pros: Coursera’s instructors are like real-world teachers from big, essential schools. They give you certificates for finishing courses. You can check out lots of stuff for free before buying Coursera Plus. You can try many courses without paying, but you need to pay if you want a certificates. Coursera also has a forum to talk to other students and ask questions.
- Coursera Cons: Figuring out how much the course costs can be tricky unless you go for Coursera Plus.
Coursera Feature
- It’s a massive choice with over 7,000 courses and degree program.
- Partner with Yale, Harvard, and Google.
- Teachers are brilliant people, including people who’ve won significant awards.
- Monthly and annual subscription option.
- Get official certificates when you finish courses.
- More than 2,000 courses that don’t cost anything.
- Got community forum to chat with other students, ask questions, and share what you’ve done.
Also Read: Do Coursera Certificates Expire?
Udacity vs Coursera: The Main Differences
When looking at Coursera and Udacity, their main differences stand out. Udacity is big on vocational training programs, while Coursera offers more university-style lectures. If you’re watching your budget, Coursera is more affordable, whereas Udacity can be more expensive. The best thing about Coursera is that Universities develop their programs and have a wider range of classes. On the other hand, Udacity’s courses are made mainly by programmers and might have fewer options in some areas of expertise.
Also Read: Do Online Course Certificates Matter?
Coursera vs Udacity: Different Subjects Offered
Coursera has many different subjects. It’s like a big institute with many classes similar to what you’d find in universities or colleges. You can learn about many things here – from Business courses, Arts, Health, and humanities to Personal development, Social sciences, Computer science, Math, Language learning, Data Science, Information technology, and Physical science and engineering. This means you get a lot of choices on what to study.
Udacity, on the other hand, is more about tech-related subjects. Even though they have different topics, they are famous for classes like Autonomous systems, Programming, Artificial intelligence, Cloud computing, and Data science. So, if you’re really into tech stuff, Udacity is where you’d want to go.
Udacity vs Coursera: Pricing
Talking about Udacity cost, getting a subscription or membership costs $249 a month or $2,390 a year, saving you 20%. This gives you access to everything in Udacity’s catalog. They also have a Support Forum. And yes, they have a 7-day free trial and a refund policy.
Now, Coursera’s cost is different. They have Coursera Plus, a subscription that gives unlimited access to most of their catalog. It’s $59 monthly or $399 for a year. Courses can be free, but if you want a certificate, you need to purchase it, the minimum cost would be $49. For learning a specific skill, Guided Projects start at $9.99. Specializations and Professional Certificates start at $39 monthly for more in-depth learning. MasterTrack modules, parts of a Master’s program, start at $2,000, and full Degrees like bachelor’s or master’s programs from top universities begin at $9,000. Coursera also has seven-day free trials and 14-day money-back guarantees.
Also Read: Skillshare Review
Final Thoughts
When thinking about Udacity and Coursera, it’s all about what you want to learn and improve your skills. Both need just a good internet connection and a laptop or computer. They allow students to get knowledge and information at their own pace, which is great for fitting into your daily schedule.
Both providers have high-quality course content, but Coursera might be ahead in value as it’s more affordable and has more courses. However, if you’re looking for professional certification, Udacity’s programs might stand out more for you. So, it depends on what you need – lots of courses at a reasonable price or specialized programs for professional growth.
