Coursera vs Udacity
Choosing an e-learning company can be a harder and more responsible task than choosing a course itself. And when looking for such a platform you probably encounter either Coursera or Udacity. So, let’s review Coursera and Udacity to check how they are different and which one is better in your specific case.
Coursera vs Udacity comparison: Our verdict
Both companies are worth investing your time and money in. The main benefit of Udacity is technical mentorship with projects review, while Coursera’s main selling point is a partnership with leading universities and companies. So, if you need support from an expert in your field and are willing to pay more, go for Udacity. If you’re okay studying more on your own but getting quality content at a lower price, choose Coursera.
- Udacity offers a technical mentor for each nanodegree student and projects review which makes it a stronger option for in-depth learning of a subject and getting a job afterward. Meanwhile, the majority of Coursera’s programs are much cheaper while its content is also of good quality.
- The duration and learning path is something both Udacity and Coursera have in common. Furthermore, those two providers give you a certificate after the completion.
- As for the price, Coursera’s main learning formats are much cheaper (not considering online degrees). Udacity’s price is high, especially if you pay on a monthly basis.
Low price of the majority of courses
Peer review
No career services
Real-world projects and projects review
Career services (Github review, Linkedin profile optimization)
A lower number of courses
Some courses are outdated
What is Coursera
Coursera is a widely known online learning platform that provides access to a wide range of courses and programs from top universities and institutions around the world. Being a market leader, it offers courses in various fields, such as computer science, business, engineering, social sciences, etc. Students can learn at their own pace and earn a certificate upon completion. Coursera offers a huge number of short courses, longer programs (specializations), and even a few online degrees and that provide learners with in-depth knowledge and practical skills in specific areas of study.
What is Udacity
Udacity is an online learning platform that offers courses and programs, mainly focused on subjects like computer science, data science, artificial intelligence, machine learning, etc. Udacity is known for nanodegrees–specialized programs which are designed to provide students with practical skills and knowledge that can be applied in real-world jobs. These programs typically include project-based learning, mentorship, and career coaching.
Coursera vs Udacity Courses
Both companies have a huge list of courses but Coursera has a much bigger list to choose from. Coursera has a partnership with over 200 universities and institutions like Princeton University or Stanford University as well as with companies like Google or IBM. Most of Udacity’s courses are created by independent people from the industry or in partnership with different companies like Google or Amazon.
The way each course is constructed is similar: there are videos to cover the theory and quizzes as well as assignments afterward to practice the concept. Both companies have a self-paced approach where you can build your own schedule for the study process. Meanwhile, Udacity’s programs are much more intense and usually require more commitment.
And Coursera has a partnership with more than 200 universities and institutions across 29 countries. Some of them are Princeton University, Stanford University, Duke University, the University of London, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Michigan, etc.
Udacity
Udacity has over 300 courses mainly on tech subjects, which can be broken into two basic groups: paid nanodegree programs and free courses. They are available in 8 main categories: Data Science, Programming, Cloud Computing, Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, Autonomous Systems, Business, and Product Management.
Among the most popular nanodegree programs are such courses as Data Scientist, Introduction to Programming, Data Analysis with Python and SQL, Deep Learning, Android Basics by Google.
The average duration of nanodegrees is 3 to 4 months with the price of $399 per month. Each program includes technical mentor support and hands-on projects.
Also, Udacity offers over 180 free courses on the same tech subjects. Their duration varies from 2 weeks to a couple of months.
Coursera
Courser’s list of courses is really huge–it offers over 4000 courses on different subjects, of different duration and available in different languages. Coursera doesn’t focus on tech skills only, it includes courses on subjects starting from psychology or language learning to business or programming.
Coursera has a more complicated classification of its courses. It has 6 main content types: guided projects (1-2 hours), courses (4-60 hours), Specializations (1-3 months), Professional Certificates (1-6 months), MasterTrack™ Certificate (4-7 months), and Degrees (2-4 years). Coursera’s regular courses are free or start from $49 if you need additional features like peer assessment or certificate, the cost of Specialization is $39/month, and the price for Coursera’s degree starts at $9,000. So, as you see the prices really vary.
The most similar Coursera’s format to Udacity is Specializations (a shorter type) and Professional Certificates (a bit longer format). It has a similar structure, and duration and also includes a project(s). The majority of Professional Certificates are issued by such giants as Google, Meta, or IBM.
The most popular Coursera specializations are Introduction to Cyber Security, Python for Everybody, Analytics for Decision Making, and some more. Among the most popular professional certificates are Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate, Google IT Automation with Python, IBM Cybersecurity Analyst, etc.
Udacity Nanodegree vs Coursera Specialization
Coursera’s specialization is a series of related courses for learning a specific skill. The main subjects are Computer Science and Data Science. There are 1500 specializations on Coursera and 1400 of them are in English. You can take one course or some of them from a series or all of the subject-focused courses. The majority of specializations take 3 to 6 months to finish it. The cost is $39 per month, so for a 3-month specialization, the cost will be $117.
Udacity’s nanodegree consists of a number of lessons which, however, cannot be taken separately. Udacity has about 70 nanodegrees with all of them being in English. The majority of nanodegrees take 3 to 4 months to complete. The price is $399, so you’ll pay $1197 for a 3-month nanodegree.
Languages
Udacity’s content is available in English only, while some video content has subtitles in other languages like Chinese. Meanwhile, you can find a lot of courses in other languages on Coursera.
Udacity vs Coursera Pricing
The companies have a similar approach when it comes to pricing. Both companies have free and paid courses. Their paid courses are mostly based on the monthly payment model. However, Coursera has more types of courses with costs that vary.
All in all, Udacity is a more expensive e-learning provider but it also has some additional perks for this money. Let’s find out more details on the Udacity and Coursera pricing approaches.
Udacity
Udacity’s fixed monthly price is $399 and the average duration of its programs is 3-4 months. This means you’ll need to pay $1596 for such a three-month program ($399*3). However, Udacity has an option to pay upfront for 3 months with a 15% discount. In this case, you’ll pay $1356 in total.
Coursera
Coursera has a huge list of free courses with an average commitment time of 4-12 hours. Meanwhile, the majority of paid programs cost $39 per month. Such programs take 1 to 6 months to complete. So, for a three-month course, you’ll pay $117 (39*3).
Coursera has also a few longer programs like MasterTrack® Certificates (4-7 months) or Online Degrees (2-4 years) with the cost starting from $2,000 for the first type and $9,000 for the second one.
Instructors, mentors, and assessments
As for the differences, instructors on Udacity are highlighted as professionals from the business world, whereas Coursera offers a kind of university courses where instructors represent educational institutions.
Moreover, one of Udacity’s unique feature is technical mentors. Each nanodegree student gets a mentor who helps with the course project, provides feedback, and answers related questions.
Meanwhile, Coursera has its own unique feature–peer review. There are a number of assignments that will be graded by other students from Coursera. To get such a review, you also need to check assignments by other students.
Platform and interface
Both companies have an easy-to-navigate clear interface and can be accessed on a desktop. However, Udacity doesn’t have an app–you can only access it via a browser on mobile. Meanwhile, Coursera has an app and its videos can be downloaded and watched offline.
Udacity and Coursera Alternatives
What about the alternatives to Udacity and Coursera? There are many out there but among the main competitors are Udemy, DataCamp, and Pluralsight. Like Coursera, Udemy offers a huge list of courses on different subjects. Moreover, its courses are really cheap (about $20 for the whole course). Meanwhile, DataCamp and Pluralsight offer technical courses on programming and Data science at an affordable price (DataCamp’s monthly subscription is $12).
Here are some reviews of customers who offer some alternatives:
“NEVER again. USE Coursera or Udemy. Their tutorials suck and you are not even given a project to follow along. The tutorials do not prepare you for the project they give. I want a refund for my money. I regret paying for the program. Their mentors offer no useful support.
“If you are starting out use another platform. Plural sight is much better. Udacity sucks! I took their nanodegree program for java programming!”
“Masterschool Data Analysis Pre-Course Well. This pre-course was very overwhelming for a complete beginner like me. I had some classes on Coursera about Data Science which covered a bit of Python Fundamentals but nothing as intense like this was.”
FAQ
Which is better Udacity or Coursera? Both providers have useful ad well-built programs, especially when it comes to Data Science, Analytics, and Business subjects. Coursera has more courses to choose from and it’s cheaper. Meanwhile, Udacity offers mentorship and additional career services.
Which is cheaper, Coursera or Udacity? Coursera with its price of $39/mo is definitely cheaper than Udacity with the cost of $399/mo.
