The coursework from Coursera vs Udacity looks good on resumes, and both are serious forms of online education. The two platforms are extremely popular among individuals interested in learning new skills or improving their existing abilities.
There are, however, some key differences between them. Today’s post will answer any questions about Coursera and Udacity that you may have.
The first thing I can tell you is that, while Coursera has a broad range of learning topics, Udacity focuses mostly on technology.
Further, at Udacity, you will find individual courses mainly, while at Coursera you’ll find degree programs, specialization courses, and individual courses.
Coursera vs Udacity: The Main Key Differences
Coursera and Udacity differ in the following ways:
- Udacity offers more vocational training programs, while Coursera provides more university-style lectures.
- While Coursera offers more affordable learning programs, Udacity’s more expensive.
- Courses on Udacity are created by programmers, while Coursera’s are created by universities.
- Udacity offers fewer classes, while Coursera has a larger selection of classes.
Coursera vs Udacity: Quick Overview
I’ll start by comparing Udacity and Coursera. Here’s a quick rundown of who they are, what they have to offer, and what distinguishes them from the competition.
What Is Coursera?
In order to provide students with high-quality courses, Coursera collaborates with universities that are known for providing popular and reputable courses.
Both specializations and individual courses are available on this platform. There are two main categories of lectures: those designed to help enrolled students improve specific skills and those intended for general education.
In addition, users will be able to view degree programs that are accredited. If you are looking for free or inexpensive educational resources, Coursera is a great option.
As a bonus, Coursera offers financial aid in some cases if you enroll in an expensive class. Online learning is something Coursera excels at. The courses are available on demand, self-paced, or timed.
A typical individual course is 4-12 weeks long, whereas specializations require a longer commitment, usually several months.
The platform’s courses can be audited for free, but a completion certificate is charged. To access the learning materials such as quizzes and class projects, Coursera requires students to pay a tax.
Peer assessments are one of my favorite things about this e-Learning website, which makes it stand out from its competitors. Your work is evaluated by other students in the same class as you.
What Is Udacity?
It is generally a decent course selection on Udacity, but it is focused on certain areas, such as computer science and programming.
Despite the fact that there are a number of free courses available, students must usually pay a fee if they wish to obtain verified certificates. Courses that are paid for have more benefits. Tutor feedback and coaching are a few of them.
Certain programs were created in partnership with universities and other traditional higher education academic institutions, while others were created by platform programmers.
Nanodegrees are what we call them. Compared to Coursera, Udacity offers paid courses that are more expensive. The free program may offer you a sense of self-paced learning, but it lacks the useful and advantageous sense of a community.
Compared to Coursera, Udacity focuses more on skill-based learning.
Coursera vs Udacity: How Much Does It Cost?
The first thing that pops up in everyone’s mind before choosing something is their prices. So, below let’s have a look at the pricing of both platforms to find that which one is made for you.
Coursera Pricing Plans:
Here you’ll find a lot of free courses as well as paid ones, especially for those who want to earn a verified certificate at the end. Certificates can cost up to $100. But Coursera costs aren’t readily visible. Users must enroll first. This is a huge drawback in my opinion.
There are also specializations on Coursera (groups of classes that are more in-depth). A monthly fee of $40 to $80 is required to join this type of club. Further, these are the types of eLearning programs that last the longest.
The online degree programs offered by Coursera include university-recognized degrees as well, but they are the most expensive. Costs range from around $15,000 to $25,000, depending on the course.
Udacity Pricing Plans:
Nanodegrees (online degrees) are Udacity’s most popular program. There are five or six courses in one of these programs, and you will need between six and twelve months to complete it.
Nanodegrees used to cost $199 per month when they were first launched. In the meantime, however, their price has increased significantly, now reaching $499 per month.
Furthermore, these programs offer a lot of benefits. They provide feedback, work reviews, and certificates. In addition to tuition reimbursement and job guarantees, some of these courses provide additional benefits.
In contrast, Udacity’s Nanodegrees are significantly more expensive than Coursera’s specializations which are offered for only $40. Both e-Learning platforms share a lot of similarities in terms of depth, complexity, and course content, and both are excellent values.
Coursera vs Udacity: What Subjects You’ll Find?
It’s now high time to know about the subjects and topics an individual will find on these platforms.
Coursera
The subjects covered by the courses are broader. Course structures are more similar to those of traditional lectures at universities and colleges.
All Coursera courses are created by professors and specialists from academic institutions, so this is probably the reason for it.
Coursera covers the following topics:
- Business courses;
- Arts and humanities;
- Health;
- Computer science;
- Personal development;
- Math and logic;
- Social sciences;
- Information technology;
- Data science;
- Physical science and engineering.
- Language learning;
Coursera offers a wide variety of topics, as you can see.
Udacity
Coursera focuses mainly on academic subjects, while Udacity focuses more on tech. Popular courses include:
- Programming and development;
- Artificial intelligence;
- Cloud computing;
- Autonomous systems;
- Business;
- Data science.
Coursera vs Udacity: The Tutors
In both MOOC platforms, the tutors are seasoned professionals or experts with impressive credentials.
Rather than choosing tutors based on their work experience, Coursera chooses tutors based on their academic credentials. Some of Coursera’s instructors hold tenured university professor positions.
YouTube, Amazon, Google, and Facebook are just a few of Udacity’s instructors. It is possible, for example, for the tutor of a course to be the CEO of an international company or an IBM computer engineer.
Thus, both MOOCs do an excellent job of showcasing their tutors in an open and honest way. Students are offered high-quality information only by experts who are well-qualified.
Coursera vs Udacity: Comparison of Courses
Some of you may want to dig a little deeper into some of the more specific education programs on Coursera and Udacity since we discussed some general categories of courses previously.
Coursera:
- Neural networks with convolutions;
- Welfare and behavior of animals;
- De-mystifying mindfulness;
- Beginners’ guide to Chinese;
- International criminal law – introduction;
- Bitcoin and cryptocurrency technologies;
- Python data science – introduction, etc.
Udacity:
- Programming foundations with Python;
- Introduction to virtual reality;
- Introduction to cybersecurity;
- Java programming basics;
- Intro to computer science;
- Networking for web developers;
- Machine learning – unsupervised learning, etc.
Coursera vs Udacity: Features Comparison
So, before you join up for a class, compare Coursera vs Udacity to see who comes out on top.
1. Certification
Coursera is a university, and Udacity is a trade school.
The Udacity catalog offers a few hundred highly specialized courses, whereas Coursera covers most of what a university would offer. It simply depends on what your goals are.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Many of these courses are recognized by leading tech companies in Silicon Valley and other parts of the country. If you’re interested in developing your skills in AI programming, C++, or web development, Udacity is a great choice.
Experts in industry and education develop the courses, and videos, projects, and mentoring are used to teach them. A Nanodegree or certification can be earned within a few weeks.
However, if you want something a little more – like a university degree – then check out Coursera.
Stanford, Johns Hopkins, and Duke are among the universities that have created many of the 3,000+ courses. They are similar to the classes offered at the universities.
In addition to videos, quizzes, discussion boards, peer-graded assignments, and weekly exercises, students are also expected to complete a final project or exam. By taking these classes from the comfort of your home, you can earn a bachelor’s or master’s degree.
Winner: This is a non-clear winner, as it depends on what you hope to gain from your education. Courses on Udacity are often targeted at developing or advancing a skill (as long as the subject is covered). But if you want a comprehensive education, choose Coursera.
2. Pace of Learning
Udacity Offers Self-Paced Courses.
The convenience of online courses is undeniable. Lectures can be viewed when it suits you, coursework can be done when you prefer, and tests can be taken whenever you like. There is flexibility with both of these platforms.
If you choose Udacity, you can take subscription courses or choose a term-based Nanodegree program.
Term-based programs, on the other hand, have hard deadlines for each project, while subscription courses are self-paced. Having little time to devote to studies could be a problem.
The majority of Coursera’s assignments have no hard deadlines. There are suggested deadlines on the platform to help you pace your work, but if you miss one there are no grade penalties.
Your deadlines can always be reset if you are running late. As for degree programs, they have hard deadlines just like any university.
Winner: We’re going to go ahead and call this category won by Coursera since most of its thousands of programs allow you to take as long as you need to complete your assignments.
3. Support
Do You Want a Personal Touch? Udacity Offers More Support
Taking an online course has the major drawback of not having a professor that can help you when you run into problems. These problems are handled differently by different MOOC platforms.
On Coursera, help is available from other students, peers, and teachers. The group allows you to get in touch with others who may know more about this topic than you do.
Although this can be helpful, it’s not as useful as being able to connect directly with an educator. Some professors may provide supplementary videos to answer students’ questions. This depends on the course.
Direct one-on-one support is a big plus with Udacity. As a student, you’ll get tailored weekly learning plans, one-on-one chats, progress tracking, and advice from technical mentors.
Additionally, students and graduates can access free career coaching services via the platform. When you study coding, you can even get feedback from developers to make sure everything is done correctly.
Winner: Udacity. Personalized support is very limited at Coursera. Udacity offers mentorships and career coaching from beginning to end.
4. Free Courses
Coursera’s Free Courses Offer More, but Udacity’s Offer More. Both Udacity and Coursera offer a wide range of free courses. If you don’t pay, either option will limit you.
The courses on Coursera are free, and you can take nearly 900 of them. Although sometimes peer-reviewed assignments and quizzes are offered in some courses, you do not receive graded assignments.
Upon completion, you will not receive a certificate. While you may learn something, little will be gained.
The number of free courses offered by Udacity is much lower – around 200. With these courses, however, you’ll have access to more.
In summary, you will not be able to get a certificate for completing these courses, but you will be able to take interactive quizzes, complete assignments, and – depending on the course – maybe even submit a final project.
You will improve your understanding of the material as well as be motivated to achieve the best grade possible.
Winner: Overall, Udacity offers more value through its free courses. There is a wide variety of Coursera courses – some offer much more, others less. In sum, Udacity is the best place to take classes for free.
Coursera vs Udacity: Pros & Cons
Here are some pros and cons of both platforms:
Coursera Pros:
- The course materials on Coursera are of the highest quality. Professors who are also educators in prestigious educational establishments such as Stanford and Princeton serve as tutors;
- There is a variety of languages available on Coursera, making it easy for students from around the world to enroll. Translations can be done directly or via transcription. English, French, Chinese, Spanish, and Russian are some of the languages you can study on Coursera;
- Coursera offers certificates at a lower cost than Udacity. Typically, certifications range from $50 to $60. Audits are free;
- There is a wide range of courses available. Over 1,000 courses cover a wide range of topics, from engineering to computer science to humanities and art.
- Navigation is very simple on the platform. A variety of sections, such as discussion forums, tests, videos, and reading materials, are easily accessible to students.
Coursera Cons:
- The flexibility of Udacity is greater than that of Coursera. University-style courses are available on Udacity. Classes start and end at set times. Usually, popular courses run continuously, but niche topics don’t have a regular schedule.
- A course’s actual price cannot be determined at the beginning. It is unclear how much it will cost. Viewing prices requires first registering on the platform and initiating the enrollment process.
Udacity Pros:
- Nanodegrees are available on this platform. Therefore, you can choose from a variety of learning programs. In addition to project reviews and customized coaching, students will be charged a monthly fee. Many of these Nanodegree programs also include job placement;
- Udacity offers a majority of self-paced courses, which means you can study when it’s convenient for you. This gives you more freedom and flexibility. Since there are no deadlines, students can take their time;
- Courses on Udacity are taught by highly qualified industry experts and professionals. In other words, you will learn valuable knowledge;
- Every student gets honest and accurate feedback on their course projects. Coding assignments are particularly useful in this regard. By doing so, you can monitor your progress and discover what needs to be improved.
Udacity Cons:
- Nanodegrees at Udacity is expensive. The monthly fee for most programs is $499. Moreover, Udacity offers Nanodegrees at a higher price than other online platforms;
- Despite the fact that Udacity specializes in technology topics, its subject offerings are quite limited, especially for students interested in other areas;
- Because Nanodegrees are still new on the market, their credentials are unproven. A Nanodegree doesn’t improve your resume as much as a regular university degree, which makes it harder to compare.
Quick links:
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Conclusion: Coursera vs Udacity 2024
How do you rate Udacity versus Coursera? With either of them, all you need is an active internet connection and a computer or laptop to complete a course and improve your skills.
As most courses offer flexibility and freedom, students can learn at their own pace and easily incorporate them into their daily schedules.
In terms of value, Coursera might be better than Udacity when comparing content quality. The course catalog of Coursera is larger and more affordable than that of Udacity.
However, if you are seeking a professional credential, the Udacity robotics nano degree program will be more appealing.
