As a means of getting more knowledge, learning new skills, and upgrading qualifications, eLearning has become a popular alternative for students and professionals of all types from all over the world. Coursera is one of the most popular eLearning platforms, with thousands of free and paid courses from leading universities and other institutions. If you’ve tried Coursera before and decided it’s not for you, you should definitely look into these ten Coursera alternatives and competitors, which offer just as many amazing courses.
Top 10 Coursera Alternatives (Competitors) and Free Online Learning Platforms in 2021:
1. Udemy
Udemy, like Coursera, is one of the most prominent eLearning platforms, claiming to have the largest number of courses available, with over 100,000 alternatives to pick from. There are numerous themes to pick from, including music, business, and personal development, as well as numerous new talents to acquire. Best of all, Udemy, like Coursera, offers both free and paid courses (though the latter option is more common).
The platform does, however, have significant disadvantages. Because there is so much diversity, you can end up spending too much time looking through the courses to discover exactly what you require. You can aid your search by using the filtering and classification options. Another disadvantage is that Udemy allows virtually anyone to become an instructor, so you’ll have to examine the credentials of the instructor before enrolling in a course.
Courses vary in length and cost, so even if you’re on a tight budget, you’ll be able to discover something worthwhile. You will receive a certificate certifying that you have completed the course. You will receive a tailored list of recommended courses based on your personal details once you have registered. Another thing to keep in mind is that Udemy frequently offers reduced courses, so keep a look out for those as well.
2. edX
edX, like Coursera and Udemy, is unquestionably among the top three most popular eLearning sites accessible today. You can choose from a variety of free courses offered by the world’s leading universities. Harvard, MIT, UC Berkeley, The University of Texas, Boston University, The University of Queensland, and others are among the universities and institutes that offer courses on the platform.
Though all of the classes on edX are free, you can pay a modest price to receive a certificate of completion. There is something for everyone in terms of course topics, which vary from computer science to literature to business. Furthermore, there are other language courses to select from, including those that prepare you for examinations like as the TOEFL or IELTS.
3. Skillshare
Skillshare, an eLearning site similar to Coursera, has grown in popularity in recent years due to its welcoming community and classes on a wide range of topics. There is so much to pick from, from filmmaking to programming to DIY techniques to business.
Skillshare allows experts from various fields to design their own classes rather than relying primarily on institutions, as some other platforms do.
Skillshare is free to join, and once you do, you’ll have quick access to thousands of free classes. However, for a nominal (monthly or yearly) charge, you may acquire a premium subscription that grants you access to all of the remaining premium classes, eliminating the need to pay for each expensive class separately.
The platform also takes a unique approach to “learning by doing,” which means you’ll often be required to complete projects as part of a course. Skillshare, on the other hand, does not provide certificates, so the projects you complete and the information you gain will be the only evidence that you took certain classes on the site.
4. FutureLearn
FutureLearn is a Coursera competitor that provides a variety of classes from prestigious colleges and organisations such as the University of Michigan, King’s College London, Johns Hopkins University, The Open University, British Council, and others. FutureLearn also features a large selection of language courses in addition to history and business courses.
The majority of courses on the site are free; however, if you want access to tests or certifications, you will have to pay a price. In fact, because certificate and degree programmes are pay-as-you-go, you won’t have to worry about paying for them right immediately. Another great feature of FutureLearn is that it offers healthcare and medicine courses, which are not as prevalent on other platforms.
5. Udacity
Udacity, like the Coursera alternatives described above, is a well-known eLearning site that offers courses in programming, data science, artificial intelligence, and digital marketing. As a result, you’ll be studying technology-related skills. Despite having a much lower course selection (just a few hundred), these courses are carefully selected and of the greatest quality.
Udacity, like the Coursera alternatives described above, is a well-known eLearning site that offers courses in programming, data science, artificial intelligence, and digital marketing. As a result, you’ll be studying technology-related skills. Despite having a much lower course selection (just a few hundred), these courses are carefully selected and of the greatest quality.
In fact, Udacity is known for providing so-called “nanodegrees,” or courses that provide information on tighter areas and can help professionals increase their credentials. However, this does not imply that these courses are short; in fact, you will most likely need to devote several months to learning because Udacity’s courses can be quite lengthy, but they are well worth it.
6. MasterClass
MasterClass, a popular Coursera alternative, is a special instance. The platform is known for providing exclusive classes taught by industry specialists, with over 100 programmes currently available across 11 different fields. Of course, the annual cost ($180) isn’t the cheapest, but it’s well worth it if you want to learn from the finest of the best.
Martin Scorsese could teach you filmmaking, Neil Gaiman could teach you storytelling, Gordon Ramsay could teach you cooking, Tony Hawk could teach you skateboarding, Alicia Keys could teach you songwriting, Marc Jacobs could teach you fashion design, Bob Iger could teach you business strategy, and so on.
7. PluralSight Skills
PluralSight Skills is a Coursera competitor that, like Udacity, concentrates on tech-related topics rather than offering a diverse range of courses from many businesses. PluralSight Skills is especially beneficial to developers and IT professionals because it allows them to upgrade their present qualifications while also allowing newcomers to master new skills from the ground up.
PluralSight Skills’ best feature is that it offers courses on the most current technologies, including AI and machine learning, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and many more. A monthly or yearly subscription, a standard or premium subscription, an individual or team subscription are all options.
8. Khan Academy
Khan Academy is a website that provides free eLearning resources in a variety of areas, including history, economics, physics, and many others. Although the Coursera alternative platform is largely geared on teaching children and teenagers, anyone may sign up and begin studying. It also includes preparation materials for tests like the SAT.
“Khan Academy is a non-profit institution, and that is what makes it so great,” adds Kirsten Cobbles of onlinewritersrating.com. It is funded by donations and was created to provide free education to individuals all around the world – which is why so many people are already using it.”
9. Treehouse
Treehouse is a more tech-focused alternative to Coursera that provides online programming, coding, web design, and other courses. The portal offers a free trial after which you can pay for a membership to continue using their courses, which number in the hundreds. Students can join a specialised Slack channel, enhance their portfolio, develop job-ready abilities, and get a certificate as part of the so-called “Techdegree.”
The best aspect of Treehouse is that it makes learning fun by including features like quizzes, projects, guided curriculum, and a discussion forum where students and teachers may interact. To put it another way, you’ll be learning Python, UI/UX, or web programming in a friendly setting.
10. Skillsoft
Finally, Skillsoft is one of the greatest Coursera alternatives, with over 180 thousand resources on themes like IT, business, leadership, compliance training, and many more. Skillsoft, like Treehouse, offers a free trial after which you may choose from a variety of membership plans.
Though Skillsoft’s major focus is on courses, you also gain access to videos and books on the topics you wish to learn about. The site is also available in 160 countries and 29 languages, making it a fantastic find for professionals in non-English-speaking countries.
