Best Coursera Alternatives For Self-Paced Online Learning

Coursera was founded in 2012 and has grown into one of the leading online learning platforms for self-paced learning.

Students can sign up to take courses on a variety of subjects, taught by universities and industry leaders.

Coursera is free to join and you can access a large number of courses without paying for a monthly subscription.

However, you must pay to access certifications, guided projects, and college degrees.

Despite being a great resource for online training, there are many Coursera alternatives to choose from that offer similar services.

In this post, we compare Coursera with its main competitors.

For each site, you’ll learn how their pricing structure works, what kind of courses they offer and how they differ from Coursera.

Top Alternatives to Coursera for Online Training

1. Reliablesoft Academy
2. Udemy
3. Fiverr Learn
4. MasterClass
5. A Cloud Guru
6. Udacity
7. edX
8. Future Learn
9. SkillSoft
10. CBT Nuggets

1. Reliablesoft Academy

Reliablesoft Academy is one of the best alternatives to Coursera when it comes to marketing training.

The academy was founded in 2016 and it’s part of the Reliablesoft Digital Marketing Agency. Reliablesoft courses are offered in two bundles.

The SEO Bundle (includes four courses) and the Digital Marketing Course Bundle (includes ten courses).

How does Reliablesoft Academy compare with Coursera?

The big difference between Reliablesoft Academy and Coursera is that Reliablesoft provides dedicated digital marketing training only. It does not offer the range of courses that Coursera has.

Another difference is that Reliablesoft courses are created by the same experts and this generates a better learning experience for students.

Pricing and Certifications

Reliablesoft is not a subscription-based learning platform. You pay a once-off fee and you get lifetime access and free updates for the courses purchased.

In addition to that, you get a 60-day money-back guarantee in case you’re not happy with your purchase.

Reliablesoft offers two certifications, an SEO certification and a Digital Marketing Certification only.

2. Udemy

Udemy is one of the leading Coursera alternatives. Like Coursera, courses are delivered by industry experts and teachers. Udemy offers certifications and free courses as well.

While Coursera has roughly 3,000 courses to offer, Udemy has more than 150,000 courses. It covers a wide range of subjects from technology and computer science to photography and drawing. Lessons are accessible 24/7 and completely self-paced.

How does Udemy compare with Coursera?

Both Udemy and Coursera offer self-paced online courses. Where Udemy stands apart from Coursera is in the payment structure.

It is free to sign-up with Udemy and there are many free courses. Udemy lets you pay for individual courses that can include certifications or other credentials.

Coursera gives you the courses for free and you pay for the additional services, like certifications.

Unlike Coursera, Udemy only offers certifications. You can not finish a college degree through Udemy.

Udemy’s courses are designed to have a narrow focus so that each course covers a specific skill. This makes it easier to target specific skills through Udemy but may mean that you need to take more courses to build a well-rounded skill set.

3. Fiverr Learn

Fiverr Learn takes a different approach to online learning. While most platforms offer monthly service packages, Fiverr Learn only sells individual courses.

You pay for the course upfront and get lifetime access to any course that you pay for. This way, you only pay for what you want to learn.

The prices on Fiverr Learn vary from $0 up to more than $100. Most of the courses are in the $24 to $61 range. The length of courses also varies from 4 hours to around 30 hours.

Fiverr Learn is focused on the entrepreneurial skills needed to start a small business. For example, you can learn about website development, digital marketing, photography, graphic design, and writing.

These are all popular fields among freelancers and small business owner communities.

The courses are taught to bring students from a beginner up to an intermediate level. Some of the courses may reach an advanced level, but all of them are focused on practical real-world skills that you are likely to use often.

This helps streamline your learning and helps you reach proficiency quickly.

How does Fiverr Learn compare with Coursera?

Fiverr Learn is notably different from Coursera in its area of focus.

Coursera focuses on university areas of study, including technology, the arts, and the general humanities.

Fiverr Learn is focused on training entrepreneurs and freelancers how to start and run small businesses. The variety of available courses on Fiverr Learn is smaller than Coursera. However, it is a good option for anyone interested in the areas that it covers.

Fiverr Learn helps people develop skills needed to be independent and self-employed as opposed to being an employee at a company. This is why it does not offer certificates or degrees.

4. MasterClass

MasterClass brings you courses taught by current industry leaders. Top experts and celebrities in their fields provide hours’ worth of knowledge by explaining and guiding you through the details of their work.

What is great about MasterClass is that it gives you the knowledge of some of the top names in each industry. For example, Gordon Ramsey and Wolfgang Puck both teach cooking. Their masterclasses take you from beginner-level content to advanced techniques.

MasterClass chooses top performers in their fields who have decades of experience and the ability to distill that knowledge into something easily learned.

Another feature that makes MasterClass stand out is that a subscription gives you access to the entire catalog of classes.

A subscription is $180 per year, which breaks down to $15 per month. It is also covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee in case you change your mind.

How does MasterClass compare with Coursera?

Compared to Coursera, MasterClass chooses a different type of instructor. MasterClass wants instructors that have a real-world experience rather than just academic experience.

This can be beneficial for learners since each teacher’s skill set is current and exceptional.

However, they are not trained to be teachers and the format of the class may not be as useful for some learners.

MasterClass courses are less structured than other options, showing you how a professional works but not necessarily focusing on developing your skills in a structured way.

5. A Cloud Guru

Cloud technology is a field that needs more professionals and is becoming essential to all industries. A Cloud Guru’s courses teach how to use different cloud technologies, like Azure and AWS.

A Cloud Guru’s students use these courses to advance their careers. If you need to learn how to use a specific cloud-based technology, A Cloud Guru likely has a detailed tutorial for it. In some cases, students learn new skills so that they can change careers.

There are more than 360 courses available. A Cloud Guru also offers projects that mimic real-world conditions. You can learn how to use technology with practical experience but without any risk to you or your company.

A Cloud Guru has both personal and business plans available.

• The basic personal plan is $35 per month or $348 per year.
• The Pro plan is $47 per month or $468 per year.

The upgraded plan lets you have an unlimited number of cloud resources to complete learning projects.

How does A Cloud Guru Learn compare with Coursera?

A Cloud Guru is only focused on cloud technologies. Like Coursera, it can help someone change their career, but only in the cloud services space. The hands-on training programs are an effective way to learn since it provides practical experience.

6. Udacity

Udacity is an online learning platform for people looking to get into the tech sector. Its goal is to train you in all of the skills you need for different IT careers.

Courses on Udacity are bundled into career paths. You can choose from a wide selection of IT careers from Self-Driving Car Engineer to UX Designer.

At the end of every course, you should have the skills needed to do the job that you’ve chosen. Many previous students say that the courses are effective and helped them switch careers.

Finishing courses through Udacity takes considerably longer than other programs. Most of the courses take 5 to 6 months to finish. Despite that, finishing the course means that you are ready for a new career. The courses are comprehensive, which is why students use them to make career changes in less than a year.

Before you sign up for any of the courses, you can check the syllabus online. This is a good idea since Udacity is one of the more expensive online learning platforms.

Monthly access costs $399 per month or you can get five months of access for $1,695.

Most courses take around five months and you can switch to the monthly plan later if you need more time.

How does Udacity compare with Coursera?

Compared to Coursera, Udacity is limited in its scope of learning areas. Udacity focuses only on technology and tech-related engineering. This confines your choices to jobs in the tech sector.

Udacity is also more expensive on average and courses take longer to complete. However, you may only need one course to make a significant change in your career.

Udacity courses are also developed by partnerships with industry-leading companies that want and need more skilled workers in specific jobs.

Picking Udacity over Coursera means that your studies will qualify you to work in a field that is growing and learn the skills that those companies are looking for.

7. edX

edX is dedicated to helping people improve their careers. It covers a wide range of topics, including university areas of study and industry-specific coursework.

edX includes courses from Ivy League universities such as Harvard and MIT. You get access to the course for a limited time. You can also pay to enroll, which gives you access to graded coursework and certificates for completing courses.

The cost of each course varies based on which one you choose, but costs are in the $120 to $140 range. You can enroll in multiple course packages offered by the same course instructor for a discounted fee.

Each of the courses is developed and offered by a university or major educational institution.

edX partners with universities to continue to develop its offerings, as well as to update its existing courses.

How does edX compare with Coursera?

Compared to Coursera, edX is one of the best free Coursera alternatives on this list. It provides the same level of rigorous educational standards as Coursera but lets you take classes for free.

This free option does have time limits though, which makes continuing your education at your own pace a bit more difficult.

8. Future Learn

Future Learn is a site dedicated to teaching you just about anything that you want to learn. It does cover coursework for universities and career advancement. However, it also focuses on soft skills like studying and cooking.

Classes are taken individually or as a part of an expert track. Courses are also divided by the level of difficulty. You can learn the skills needed to switch careers in as little as 15 weeks.

Future Learn also offers certifications and courses for university credits. Not all of the courses are included, but there are many courses specially designed for this. Other courses are certified by industry experts, like Microsoft.

How does Future Learn compare with Coursera?

What makes Future Learn stand out is its wide selection of subject areas. Compared to sites like Coursera, Future Learn has the most well-rounded education options.

It focuses on teaching you what you want to learn, even if that skill is not used for work.

9. SkillSoft

SkillSoft is notably different from other sites similar to Coursera in the way that it manages content. SkillSoft has several major learning tools, including SkillSoft Percipio, that are AI-driven.

SkillSoft Percipio helps you find the right content for your goals and learning style. Percipio can be used individually or for large organizations.

With a large catalog of users and content, having an AI-driven system can eliminate some of the hassles of managing training programs.

SkillSoft has courses for skills development and soft skills. Leadership and business management are important course options that can directly contribute to advancing your career.

You can access SkillSoft for $29 per month and teams pay $39 per month.

How does SkillSoft compare with Coursera?

Compared to Coursera, SkillSoft seems to have a larger library of courses to choose from. It also appears to have more support features than nearly any other platform available.

It has language support for 29 languages and AI-powered tools to help manage your learning path.

10. CBT Nuggets

CBT Nuggets is an IT training academy that launched in 1999. It offers 379 courses as well as 1,292 virtual labs. There is a combination of free and paid training available.

CBT Nuggets is dedicated to IT training and helping IT professionals expand their skill sets. Courses are focused on specific technologies or available platforms, such as Amazon AWS or VMWare.

There are also IT Paths that you can follow to develop a full skill set for a specific job. Supported by virtual labs where you can practice skills, you are competent enough to take a job in the field once a course is finished.

CBT Nuggets is relatively affordable compared to some other options. A subscription costs $59 per month or $599 if billed annually. You get access to every feature and every course.

How does CBT Nuggets compare with Coursera?

Compared to Coursera, CBT Nuggets is hyperfocused on IT technology that developing businesses need. It does give users access to every course and feature available, making it easy to try different learning paths.

IT professionals may find that CBT Nuggets is a better choice due to its focus on IT skills. It also offers learning features like labs where you can practice your new skills.

This is a common and effective way to build your skills and confidence in technology before putting it to use at work.

Conclusion

Coursera is a great online learning option, but there are many others learning platforms available that are equally as good. Many of those options offer money-back guarantees and trial periods. Take advantage of these to ensure that you find the right learning platform for you.

The alternatives to Coursera make it easier to specialize in different types of skills. Some offer soft skills and leadership training, while others focus on a specific industry.

Make your choice based on the skills that you need to advance your career and you will choose the best option for your needs.