Udacity VS Coursera: Which platform is the one for you?

If you’ve ever pondered picking up a new skill, refreshing your know-how, or being just naturally curious but strapped for time, online learning is your jam.

You need to know that online learning is the ultimate way to dive deep into the sea of knowledge at a pace and schedule you are comfortable with without breaking the bank. Learning new digital and technical skills can make you a shining star at work or give you that long-awaited promotion. And this is undoubtedly not just about professional growth; taking a ride on the learning train can also help you on a personal level.

What if the time and money (no matter how little) that you have invested in learning could be more helpful? How do you know for sure which online platform is worth it?

If you have been on the internet for a while, looking for an e-learning platform that will answer all your problems, then you have heard of the names Udacity and Coursera. 

Which platform would be the best for you? If you struggle to choose, don’t stress out because I have got it covered. In this comprehensive (read-long) review, I will compare both platforms on various criteria until one emerges victorious.

Quick Overview 

Udacity 

Udacity is a unique digital learning platform focusing on helping learners with technical skills advance their careers. Adopting a hands-on approach, it offers various case studies and projects to boost the learning experience. Boasting a massive community of over 15 million subscribers and a faculty of 600+ seasoned instructors, Udacity pioneered the “nanodegree” concept to elevate students’ professional trajectories. With an extensive catalog spanning programming, coding, software development, and beyond, Udacity caters to free and paid courses, with pricing contingent on course type and duration. It also provides flexible subscription options, including a monthly plan at $249 and an annual subscription at $2390.

Coursera 

Coursera is a world-renowned online learning platform and the most recognized as well. It stands apart from its competition with millions of users and partnerships with over 100 prestigious universities and organizations to provide college-level education to people online. You also get a customized course catalog based on your interests and aptitude. There are also a variety of subjects to choose from, ranging from data analysis to public health. You can take a single course, professional certificate courses, or degree courses on Coursera (the options are endless). Its subscription plan lets you take individual and professional courses with verified certificates. You can also take classes for free, but you won’t receive a certificate.

Udacity VS Coursera In 2024: Which one should you get?

Here’s a comparison table for you to go through:

	Udacity	Coursera
No. of courses	80+ nanodegrees	5000+ courses
Categories	8 schools	12+ categories
Unique features	Courses designed by Silicon Valley companies to teach practical and marketable digital skills	More than 1000 free courses and paid courses with accredited certificates with special degree programs
Pricing	$249 per month$846 for four months (15% savings)	Individual courses start from $49Specializations start from $49 monthlyMasterTrack certificates start from $2000Degree courses start from $9000Coursera Plus monthly is $59Coursera Plus annually  is $399
Refunds	7-day refund policy after enrolling for a course	14-day refund policy on courses and subscriptions
Certificates	Yes (not accredited)	Yes (accredited)
Pros	No app lack of accredited certificates	Interactive and simple user-interface high-quality content Nanodegrees program
Cons	No appLack of accredited certificates	Complicated pricing No creative courses available
Languages	Most courses are in English language	A wide range of language options are available and video lessons come with transcripts
Overall G2 rating	4.4/5	4.7/5

Udacity

Udacity introduced the world to the concept of online learning and has successfully amassed over 15 million users. Founded by Sebastian Thrun with David Stavens and Mike Sokolsky in 2011, it has since become one of the most sought-after learning platforms in the world. Udacity has developed a concept of “nanodegrees,” which is refreshing and new. It provides the learners with in-depth knowledge of one specific topic and then prepares them to master the skills required to get hired.

These nanodegrees take several months to complete and include case studies, practical exercises, and assessments to evaluate your level of understanding. Udacity also offers more than 150 free courses. These courses are well thought-out and are for anyone who wants to learn. Since September 2023, Udacity offers only subscription-based services. The subscription costs $249 per month per user and $2390 per year per user. It has partnered with companies like Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and more to create courses that teach students in-demand digital and technical skills.

Coursera

The thought behind Coursera was to make education more accessible for less privileged people. It soon became one of the best online learning platforms. Coursera lets the students choose the course and subject they want to study to let them move forward professionally.

Founded in 2012 by two Stanford University computer science lecturers, Daphne Koller and Andrew Ng, it soon became one of the best online learning platforms in the world. It has made university-level content accessible to people all over the world. The cost of these courses is on the affordable side, making it possible for everyone to get a quality education.

Coursera has been designed thoughtfully for students who want to study online without compromising on the quality of their education. It has partnered with prestigious institutions and organizations like Stanford, Berkeley, IBM, and more to provide informative and well-researched courses. Coursera courses also come with accredited certificates, making them much more valuable for people who want to learn new skills to get hired.

Now that we know more about these platforms let’s compare them and see which one comes out on top!

Udacity VS Coursera: Course quantity and quality

The most important thing about any online learning platform is the variety of quality courses it has to offer. Only some people who are looking to learn online have the same goal in their minds. Some have specific topics that they want to explore more, while others browse in the hope that inspiration will hit them.

Udacity

Udacity courses are crafted for people who want to learn career-driven digital and technical skills to give them an edge when they apply for jobs. This means it has a limited number of courses compared to other learning platforms. Udacity also offers more than 150 free courses available on complex topics like data science and coding. Some of these courses are introductory and basic, while others are detailed and advanced. The highlight of Udacity’s subscription program is courses called “nanodegrees .”These nanodegrees are comprehensive and take an average of 3-4 months to finish. Udacity instructors are experts and renowned in various digital fields and are required to have 5+ years of proven experience in the said field. Udacity boasts partnerships with companies like Amazon, GitHub, BMW, and more to create these courses, and the quality is exceptional.

Coursera

Coursera is one of the most distinguished online learning platforms, with courses (more than 7000+) on engineering, business, health, science, and more. It has partnered with top universities from around the world to provide accredited certificates for the courses, making the courses much more valuable both academically and professionally. The instructors of its partnered universities design the courses on Coursera, so the quality is unparalleled, and it is as close to learning on campus as you can get. It offers a variety of learning tracks like guided projects (700+ courses) to learn a skill in 2-3 hours, specializations that help you learn a set of skills for one specific job, professional certificates that help you learn career-driven skills for better proficiency and degree programs from prestigious universities like Stanford and Berkeley. Coursera also has a feature where you can rate the professors, and the rating is shown alongside their names and other important information. This transparency helps students make informed decisions.

Summary

Coursera has a broader range of courses and also provides different tracks depending on your existing skills and requirements. It also has courses with accredited certificates from Ivy League institutions and leading organizations,

Udacity VS Coursera: User Interface and Layout

Not all users are good with technology, and a complex layout may seem intimidating. Therefore, an online learning platform needs a simple user interface and a clean (yet interactive) design.

Udacity

Udacity has a standard (and completely free) sign-up process that requires your essential information, such as name, email address, and password. You can also use your Gmail or Facebook account to sign up directly. Udacity has a simple and easily navigable design. The homepage has information on everything that you need to know about this platform. The list of courses and nanodegrees is very well organized, and it is easy to find a course that suits your learning needs. The course interface is intuitive and has a sidebar allowing the user to review their lesson plan. The video player that Udacity uses is of excellent quality and lets you change the playback speed, picture quality, and modes very quickly. Udacity is only accessible through computers and laptops and has no app for mobile devices.

Coursera

Coursera also has a similar sign-up process that needs a name, email address, and password. Alternatively, you can sign in directly with Gmail, Facebook, or Apple accounts. The design and interface are clean and simple (a little old), but the platform is easy to navigate. It offers customized filtering options that will allow you to search for courses from top universities that match your requirements. The classes are organized really well and are easy to find after you purchase them. After you select a course, you get additional information on the instructor, a summary, a lesson plan, and an estimated time required to complete that course. Coursera has impressive and unique design features and can be accessed through various modes like websites and mobile apps (iOS and Android).

Summary
Coursera has an intuitive design, and distinctive features help users navigate the platform easily. It also has a good app that lets you learn through your mobile, making learning much more accessible.

Udacity VS Coursera: Payment options and refunds

Different online learning platforms sometimes offer the same courses, but their prices are starkly different. It is essential to compare the overall cost of one platform and understand whether it is value for money and whether the courses are worth the investment.

	Udacity	Coursera
Free courses	More than 150 courses	More than 500 free courses and most of the courses can be audited for free
Individual course prices	N/A	Start from $10 up to $100 per course
Subscription	Monthly subscription costs $249Quarterly subscription costs $846	Coursera Plus monthly costs $59Coursera Plus annually costs $399
Free trial	7-day free trial	7-day free trial on subscriptions (and other limited services)
Refund and Cancellation	7-day refund policy for nanodegrees Subscriptions can be canceled at any time	14-day refund on individual courses and annual subscriptions(Monthly subscriptions can be canceled anytime)

Udacity

Udacity is a subscription-based service and currently offers monthly, quarterly, and annual plans. The monthly plan is $249, the quarterly plan is $846 (15% discount), and the yearly plan is $2390 (20% discount). This is a sound system as the nanodegrees take a minimum of 3-4 months to complete, and it does not make sense to give an individual course buying option when there are no individual courses to be bought. When you work out the total cost against the skills you have learned, you will see that it is priced daily. It is on the expensive side, but Udacity also has free courses (more than 150) that are informative and of good quality. It also offers a free trial if you need clarification on buying the subscription. Lastly, if you think purchasing the subscription was a mistake and are unhappy about it, you can always request a refund (within 7 days of buying) to get your money back.

Coursera

Coursera provides more than 500 free courses and over 3000 individual courses on multiple different subjects. The cost of these courses depends on the topic and the duration of the course.

Individual courses start from $10 and can go up to $100.

Guided projects start from $10 and are designed to teach a small skill that sometimes takes less than 2 hours.

Specialization and professional certificate courses start from $49 per month and are combined to give all-around information on one specific subject.

MasterTrack certificate courses start from $1000 and are accredited university-level courses that help you with your overall degree course.

Degree programs (bachelor’s and master’s) start from $9000 and can sometimes go up to $40,000, depending on the course’s duration, the subject’s complexity, and the university you choose. These are full degrees from esteemed universities recognized by all leading organizations and companies.

Summary

Coursera provides top-quality learning programs with expert instructors, accredited certificates, and multiple payment options for each program.

Udacity VS Coursera: Customer and language support

English is widely spoken and understood, but only some people speak or understand it. Having various language options makes it a better learning experience for international students. So, if you need more than English, this comparison is crucial.

Udacity

Udacity has a contact page where you can locate articles on everything that Udacity has to offer. The FAQ section is also detailed and well-organized and provides answers to all your questions regarding the services Udacity offers. It also has a live chat option, where you can talk to an actual person (not a chatbot). Udacity customer support is effortless to locate and use. Most courses on Udacity are in English and come with only English subtitles. Some of them might have subtitles in other languages like Spanish, French, and basic Chinese.

Coursera

Coursera also has a great support center with articles on almost all the topics you can think of, a detailed FAQ section, and the option of “live chat” as long as you are actively logged into your account. The response time will be slower if you have a free account. Coursera courses come with a variety of language options (more than 70) to choose from. The languages provided include English, Chinese, French, Spanish, Korean, and many more. The video lessons also have a transcript that can be translated and is very well organized and easy to find.

Summary

Coursera not only provides more than 70 language options but also has superior customer service.

Udacity VS Coursera: Certification value

Before choosing a learning platform, checking whether they offer accredited certificates is essential. The value of the course certificate is an important factor when it comes to advancing your career. If you invest your time and money in learning new skills and topics, you want that effort rewarded.

Udacity

Udacity offers a certificate of completion after you complete a nanodegree program (entirely). You won’t receive a certificate for free courses. The certificates provided by Udacity are not accredited by any universities. But Udacity has partnered with Fortune 1000 companies like BMW, GitHub, Amazon, and more. These organizations recognize the value of the certificates provided by Udacity. The instructors at Udacity also guide you through creating an appealing resume that will stand out in the sea of candidates and get you hired. They also help with career counseling.

Coursera

Coursera is one of the few online learning platforms that offers fully accredited courses and degrees to its users. Esteemed universities and institutions like Stanford, Microsoft, IBM, and more verify and issue these certificates. Acquiring degrees from Coursera marginally improves your chances of getting hired.

Summary

Even though Udacity certificates are not accredited, they are still recognized by various organizations, making them valuable, and the guidance the instructors provide for interviews and building resumes is a stand-out service.

Udacity VS Coursera: Better for business development

Many companies and organizations use learning platforms to level up their employees and make it part of their work plan. A top learning platform should be able to customize its services to fit the organization’s needs.

Udacity

Udacity has three options for businesses depending on their team size and requirements. A digital competency platform for small teams is targeted to keep upgrading existing skills, and the Talent Transformation Suite is meant for large teams. It is tailored to the organization’s needs, and Udacity for Naitons is a leadership program that provides specialization in GDP. The prices for any of these programs should be mentioned, and you need to ask Udacity’s sales team to give you an estimate.

Coursera

Coursera has two plans geared toward businesses. The team is for 5-125 employees and costs $399 annually per user. It gives access to more than 5000 industry-relevant courses and more than 1000 guided projects. The Enterprise plan is designed for larger teams and comes with customizable services. You can request a demo by contacting the Coursera sales team. The price will depend on your requirements.

Summary

Coursera is more transparent with its prices and plans for businesses and has a variety of courses to choose from when it comes to learning skills for professional development and increasing productivity.

Conclusion

Udacity and Coursera are both leading online learning platforms with millions of users. They offer a variety of courses in various categories, provide a free trial, and have a firm refund policy.

Udacity caters to people wanting to learn marketable digital and technical skills to increase their hiring prospects. The courses are taught by expert instructors, and the certificates are recognized by famous companies like Mercedes and Nvidia. They also provide good free courses for students who want to learn but need the means to do so.

Coursera has a universal appeal with its wide range of courses in more than 10 different categories. All its courses are accredited by prestigious universities and institutions, making the certificate much more valuable. Coursera also offers an opportunity to get university degrees online.

Coursera has more merits overall and is a top-notch learning platform with something for everyone. Still, if you need to focus on learning digital and technical skills, Udacity is your better choice.