In this Coursera vs. Skillshare comparison, I will summarize ten must-know facts and which platform is worth subscribing to in 2024.
I have tried Coursera, Skillshare, LinkedIn Learning, MasterClass, and almost every online learning platform.
With years of experience in this niche, I have found one commonality between these platforms: each has a different learning goal.
That means even Coursera is better than other platforms if you have a specific learning goal.
On the other hand, Skillshare is also better if you want creative skills.
Therefore, it creates a lot of confusion about which to choose when.
That’s why, today, with a clear comparison between Coursera and Skillshare, you will know everything regarding these platforms.
And by the end of this comparison, you will be clear about which one to select for yourself in 2023.
So, for all of that and more, let’s begin.
Coursera currently has 4,000+ courses on its platform offered by 275+ Universities.
You can learn from a variety of niches on Coursera and earn:
- Certificates
- Professional Project Certificates
- Degrees
Coursera offers a pay-per-course pricing model and starts at $49 USD.
Apart from single courses, you can also opt for specializations and professional certificates that cost the same ($49 USD).
However, Coursera even offers guided projects related to specific skills, which are provided with a $9.99 USD starting price.
Many more plans, such as MasterTrack Certificates, start from $2,000 USD.
However, if you want to opt for a subscription to learn throughout the year, Coursera even offers a Plus offer.
Coursera Plus is a subscription plan with an annual fee of $399, which you can even pay in monthly installments of $59 USD.
Moreover, you can earn degrees through Coursera, starting at $9K USD and going up to $50K+ USD.
The degree price is quite affordable compared to that of a traditional university campus.
On the other hand, Skillshare is a platform that mainly provides courses related to creative skills.
However, compared to Coursera, Skillshare offers a wide range of courses. Currently, Skillshare offers 40,000+ courses from a wide range of niches.
In contrast to Coursera, Skillshare offers annual membership, unlike the pay-per-course pricing model.
The annual membership of Skillshare is $168 per year, which means, on average, it costs just $14 per month for thousands of courses.
However, I’ve talked in detail about Skillshare’s cost, but in short, Skillshare does not have any per course fee; instead, you pay an annual fee and learn from a thousand courses.
Skillshare and Coursera have unique platform features, which we will discuss in the next section.
| Parameter | Coursera | Skillshare |
| No. of courses | 5,800+ courses to choose from | 40,000+ courses in various languages |
| Certificates | Professional certificates upon completion of courses | No certificates |
| Projects | Guided projects are separately available | Projects included as per course basis |
| Cost | The per course price model starts from $49 per course, Coursera Plus membership from $399, and degrees cost starts from $9K | Annual membership costs $168 per year |
| Free courses | Available | Not available, you must start with free-trial for free courses |
| Refund policy | Available (14-day policy) | Available (14-day policy) |
| Support | Through the support page and email | Through the support page and email |
| Check Out More | Visit Now | Visit Now |
As you already know about some basic differences between Coursera and Skillshare, it is time to dive deep into this comparison.
Now, let’s unfold each section and understand what makes Skillshare and Coursera a different learning platform and which is best for you.
The first battle is for popularity.
And here, I have taken the data from Google Trends.
You can see that Coursera is more popular than Skillshare.
Therefore, Coursera has been searching for and looking for online courses worldwide.
For that, there could be three possible reasons:
- Degree courses on Coursera, which you can earn on a very low budget
- Coursera mainly focuses on professional skills
- Provides professional certificates
Moreover, Coursera has a broad audience of students who want to learn from popular Universities, which are easily available on their platform.
On the other hand, Skillshare is a platform where you can learn from any creative individual with expertise in your desired field.
Also, there are no certifications upon completion of a course on Skillshare.
Whatever the reasons, the clear winner is Coursera when it comes to popularity, according to Google Trends.
However, although the popularity factor might be favouring Coursera, people still use Skillshare to learn a new skill in a few hours, as it is easy there.
In the following sections, we will see how Skillshare and Coursera help you achieve your learning goals.
Now, this is the main comparison between Coursera and Skillshare.
However, I’ve divided the comparison into three parts to make you learn the difference.
These are:
- Course Information
- Quality Of Courses
- Course Instructors
Now, let’s break down each section and know what it feels like in Coursera and Skillshare.
Course Information
Both Coursera and Skillshare have detailed course information on the course page section.
In Coursera, when you visit the course page, you can find the relevant course details like
- Instructor details
- Course duration
- Skills you will gain
- Details for the course
- Modules in the course
- Rating
Therefore, it becomes much easier to understand what the course holds before enrolling.
You can get through the details and determine how many hours you may have to dedicate to learning the skill.
Similarly, the course rating is another crucial factor that can describe the course experience from the previous students at a glance.
Therefore, Coursera has done an excellent job of giving course information on its platform.
It can easily help you decide whether or not the course is for you.
On the other hand, Skillshare is slightly more appealing as it has an excellent graphical representation.
For example, you can see the image below.
Here, Skillshare has mentioned three things:
- Level of course
- How many students have enrolled
- Projects
And that, too, is graphical, appealing to the eyes, and easy to find on the course information page.
Apart from that, you can also find the lessons in class, the About section, the Meet your Teacher section, class ratings, and more details related to the course.
The best part?
The best part I found in the Skillshare course information section is that the class ratings have been divided into different levels, which is an excellent way to represent whether or not this course is worth taking.
Overall, I found Skillshare’s course information page more attractive due to its visual appeal and detailed information about the course.
However, Coursera has all the required information related to the course, but Skillshare has slightly more appeal.
In short, the quality of courses is better on Coursera.
But hear me out:
Skillshare and Coursera have their policies for hosting a course on their platform.
Even Skillshare has some guidelines for instructors to make courses and post them on the platform for learners.
That means the Skillshare team is doing a quality check as well.
However, in the case of Coursera, the quality is automatically the best possible as Coursera has courses from reputed Universities worldwide.
Unlike Skillshare, where you learn from creative and expert individuals, Coursera provides learning from the top and reputed universities.
Therefore, Coursera has a clear point if you consider the quality of courses.
However, regarding the quantity of courses, Skillshare wins the race!
Coursera has 5000+ courses, whereas Skillshare has 40,000+ courses.
Therefore, if you are looking to learn a particular skill, you are more likely to find that skill being taught on Skillshare.
That is why I align the quality of Coursera vs. Skillshare courses with my learning goals to clarify the quality.
Let me explain:
Coursera and Skillshare have good-quality courses on their platform.
You can also define your learning goals to get the most out of either of the platforms.
For example, if you want to learn just a few skills irrelevant to your professional work, then Skillshare has a better chance to have those skills.
Like learning knife skills from Skillshare, there are some professional courses that individual experts teach.
But Coursera is a much better option if you want to develop skills for the professional world or try to get a job.
The professionally designed course has everything that you need.
From learning through top professors of universities to getting certificates that you can share on LinkedIn to showcase your skills for getting the job, it is all possible through Coursera.
Therefore, make your learning goal clear and get started.
The instructors on Coursera are from one of the top Universities and colleges. They have years of experience in teaching and in a niche compared to the other online learning platforms.
Therefore, learning from experienced professors and teachers makes learning concepts easier.
However, Skillshare courses have expert, high-quality instructors who have experience and expertise in a particular field.
For me, Coursera instructors have years of experience, as only qualified professionals teach a specific course, so I gave them slightly more edge than Skillshare.
Even if you have a clear learning goal, the next most important concern is the price.
Probably, You might be having these questions:
- What is more affordable, Coursera or Skillshare?
- What is the price of Coursera Vs. Skillshare?
- Which is more worth having?
Don’t worry! I’ll answer them all as I have tried both platforms.
Coursera and Skillshare both have different pricing models. Therefore, I have divided the cost section into two further breakdowns for better understanding.
Have a look:
Coursera Pricing Model
Coursera also offers some free courses on its platform, which is why it is one of the best online learning platforms.
Therefore, to have an experience of learning on Coursera, you can take those courses for free.
For example, Stanford University offers a free course on Food and Health. Similarly, there are many more courses available that you can opt for free.
However, you must pay a course fee when you want to learn some professional skills.
The fee per course starts at $49 USD and can go up to a few hundred dollars.
To simplify, the Coursera pricing model can be divided into five sections:
- Coursera courses and specializations – start from $49 USD
- Coursera-guided projects – start from $9.99 USD
- Coursera MasterTrack Certificates – start from $2,000 USD
- Coursera Degrees – start from $9,000
- Coursera Plus (a subscription plan) – $399
Therefore, you can choose the learning plan according to your goal.
The best part about Coursera is that you can earn a degree from Coursera’s top university at a very low cost compared to traditional universities.
On top of that, Coursera even offers financial aid by which you can learn the courses you cannot afford.
In a nutshell, Coursera has a plan for everybody.
From providing a single course for individuals to a professional degree and specialization, Coursera has your back to make you an expert in your desired field!
Skillshare has a pricing model that is comparatively different from Coursera’s as an online course platform.
It offers an annual membership fee for accessing its thousands of courses.
That means you must pay the yearly fee upfront and get unlimited access to the 40,000+ courses on its platform.
However, the annual fee for accessing Skillshare courses is $168 annually, down to $14 per month on average.
Apart from the yearly subscription price, there is no other plan for Skillshare to access its courses.
However, for businesses, Skillshare has business plans on their website where businesses can buy plans according to their team size.
Therefore, businesses can have Skillshare access in bulk and make their team members and employees upskill themselves.
It doesn’t matter what the price is. If you have enrolled in the platform, the user interface is the first thing you get through.
Therefore, I kept this factor in my comparison so that new users can know how easy it will be to find the courses they seek.
Also, I’ve included the features section, which will get you through the main features available on both platforms.
Coursera has a decent design.
The user interface is simple; you can find the courses you are looking for by typing in the search bar at the top.
As I mentioned in the course information section, you will easily find the relevant information related to the course.
However, when it comes to design, I found Skillshare more appealing.
The bright interface gives a vibrant experience while engaging through the website.
Searching courses is also easy; you can type in the top search bar on Skillshare.
Besides all the common features available on most online learning platforms, Skillshare stands out for its graphical and visual appeal.
Not to mention, the user interface is also smooth and provides a better overall experience.
If the information is concerned, there is a tie between Coursera and Skillshare, as both platforms provide easy and detailed info about courses.
However, if the visual appeal is concerned, then I’ll favor Skillshare.
Both Skillshare and Coursera have unique features on their platforms.
One common feature is downloading video classes through Coursera and the Skillshare mobile app for offline viewing.
While other features like Skillshare Learning Paths are exclusive to the platform.
Moreover, Skillshare provides an online learning community of students where you can engage, ask questions, and seek feedback.
A similar feature Coursera also provides. A community of learners for each course you enroll in.
There, you can help each other and engage.
The best part about Skillshare is that it regularly brings new features to its platform.
Free courses allow users to get through the platform and have a learning experience before they can invest.
However, with Skillshare, there are no free classes at all.
Instead, Skillshare recommends ‘Start For Free’ in which you must sign up for the free trial with your card details.
And after a free trial, you will be charged accordingly.
In short, there are no free classes on Skillshare until you sign up for a free trial.
On the other hand, Coursera has free classes available on its platform. You can directly access the free courses available on it.
The best part?
One of the top Universities offers those free courses on Coursera.
Learning in a language that you are comfortable with is one of the essential features every online learning platform should have.
Considering that, Skillshare is one of the best platforms.
It provides courses in various languages.
Skillshare accepts classes taught in French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish apart from English.
Therefore, you are more likely to find your favorite course in the required language.
On the other hand, Coursera mainly focuses on teaching through English as it has a broad audience of learners.
However, you can find subtitles in every course, making it easy to understand the Coursera classes.
With every course, you get a community of peer learners in Skillshare and Coursera.
However, due to the course structure of Coursera (where it puts assignments and engaging works in each project), you will find the community of Coursera courses more active.
Even there are some assignments in the courses where you might have to review the work of other students, and other students can review your work.
That is why the Coursera community is more active.
Similarly, the Skillshare community is also there, which you can find with each course.
However, the activeness depends on the course type. Compared to Coursera, the Skillshare community remains less active.
This section is slightly tough because both platforms’ support is excellent.
It doesn’t matter what your query is, whether regarding payment, classes, refund, or even selecting courses, Skillshare provides excellent support.
You can reach out to the support team through email.
Another good part I found on Skillshare is that you will easily find answers to the most common questions on the help center page.
Therefore, you will already have articles demonstrating and answering your doubts for common questions.
However, if you still need help, the Skillshare support team is there to help you quickly.
On the other hand, Coursera also has a similar approach where you can find answers to the most common questions category-wise.
Whether regarding account, payment, email, course settings, and more, you will find answers regarding that on the support page.
If you need more support, you can contact Coursera’s backend team.
You can expect a reply within 24 working hours from the Coursera and Skillshare backend team.
Bonus Point: When you apply for Coursera financial aid, the support team usually replies after 15 working days. So, when using, take account of the replying days as well.
Coursera and Skillshare both have business plans.
First, the Coursera “Team” business plan starts at just $399 per user for annual learning and upskilling.
It is perfect for organizations or companies with 5 to 125 users and resembles more traditional learning with complete structured curriculum.
With this plan, you can access to:
- 5,400+ courses from the top universities and companies
- Verified certificates
- 3,300+ hands-on guided projects
And more.
The best part?
Coursera even offers a 14-day refund guarantee, which you can claim if you don’t find it suitable.
That means your investment is insured.
You can contact Coursera’s sales team for plan discussions for companies and organizations with more than 125+ team members.
A similar plan exists on Skillshare, also known as “Skillshare For Teams.”
The Skillshare for Teams starts at $159 USD per user per year, which is comparatively cheaper than the Coursera.
Under this plan, you get:
- Unlimited access to 35,000+ courses
- Casting, offline, and mobile capabilities
- Easy-to-use admin capabilities
However, if your company and team members are larger, you get more plans and support from the sales team at Skillshare.
Overall, both platforms (Skillshare and Coursera) provide business plans that make it easy for companies to upskill their employees.
Finally, even after these many comparisons, the ultimate question is which platform is more worth subscribing to.
In my opinion, Skillshare and Coursera are 100% worth it to learn at your own pace.
Hear me out:
Coursera and Skillshare both provide video lessons to enhance your skills.
But if you are interested in building your professional skills for the corporate world, then Coursera is more worth having.
Coursera is the best learning platform for students because it helps them gain the relevant skills they need to build their careers.
For example, specialization in programming languages on Coursera can help you achieve your desired position in the company or get a job as a fresher.
That’s why if you have a learning goal to achieve something in the professional world, then Coursera is for you.
From having a detailed structured curriculum for courses to engaging and practical assignments and more, Coursera is the best learning platform for a student; therefore, I 100% recommend it.
On the other hand, if you are a creative individual who wants to learn from high-quality instructors worldwide, Skillshare has some fantastic courses.
Skillshare is perfect for gaining new skills from those with expertise in that.
Within a few hours, Skillshare makes you get a new skill. And therefore, it is not like Coursera, where you study for weeks to get a specialization.
Overall, if you are a student or working professional looking to build a career in some niche and are serious about your learning, Coursera is one of the best platforms to do that.
However, Skillshare is a better option if you are looking to learn a new skill or two through a hobby or side hustle.
Bonus Tip: The new Skillshare (Skillshare Learning Paths) feature allows you to master a skill with relevant courses.
Check Coursera Now! Check Skillshare Now!
Pros And Cons Of Coursera
To help you make a decision and summarize the whole guide, here are the pros and cons of Coursera.
Pros:
- Learn from one of the top universities across the world
- 5000+ courses to choose from
- Reputable verified certificates that impact your resume/CV in a good way
- Better course structure and curriculum
- Engaging assignments throughout the courses
- Financial aid support for those who cannot afford the courses but are passionate about learning
- EMI option for courses
- Free courses available
Cons:
- You get a Financial aid support reply after 15 working days
Pros:
- 40,000+ courses to choose from with high-quality online courses
- A broad category of niches to learn from
- Learn from the instructors across the world
- Multiple features (Skillshare Learning Paths)
- Engaging and appealing interface (subjective, though)
Cons:
- No certificates
- No free courses
- You have to pay an annual bill upfront to get access to the courses (though you get a refund policy just in case)
Frequently Asked Questions: Coursera Vs. Skillshare
It depends upon what role you are applying to. If you are applying for a position and have done a relevant certification course, then it is surely to add a few points to your resume.
Skillshare has an annual plan begins at $168 per year, whereas the Coursera Plus plan starts at $399. You can also pay per course on Coursera to learn a specific skill.
Although there can be a separate guide for it, finding the right course involves finding your learning goals, selecting a course with a good rating and review, getting through the end goal of the course, etc., and then selecting the right one for yourself.
A course is something that consists of skills. And if you complete a course, you will have a skill in your hand, which will surely help you in your career and life as well.
My Verdict: Which Platform Do I Recommend?
Coursera and Skillshare are some of the best online learning platforms.
And I have used both of these.
However, I recommend Coursera if you are looking for technical and professional courses and want to earn certificates to showcase.
On the other hand, Skillshare is the best option if you want to learn some creative skills or a few skills online.
You can read my detailed Skillshare Cost guide, in which I discuss the complete cost of Skillshare and whether paying for it is worth it in 2024.
Also, check Skillshare Vs. Udemy!
Contents
- 1 Coursera Vs. Skillshare Comparison Summary
- 2 Coursera Vs. Skillshare Comparison Table
- 3 Coursera Vs. Skillshare Detailed Breakdown: 10 Must-Know Facts
- 3.1 1. Popularity: Coursera Vs. Skillshare
- 3.2 2. Coursera Vs. Skillshare: Course Review
- 3.3 3. Pricing: Coursera Vs. Skillshare
- 3.4 4. Ease-Of-Use: Coursera Vs. Skillshare
- 3.5 5. Free Courses On Coursera Vs. Skillshare
- 3.6 6. Language Availability: Coursera Vs. Skillshare
- 3.7 7. Community: Coursera Vs. Skillshare
- 3.8 8. Best Support: Coursera Vs. Skillshare
- 3.9 9. Better For Businesses: Coursera Vs. Skillshare
- 3.10 10. Which Is Worth It? Coursera Vs. Skillshare
- 3.11 Pros And Cons Of Coursera
- 3.12 Pros And Cons Of Skillshare