Online learning has brought certificates and even degree programs out of the lecture hall and onto a computer, turning a couch, coffee shop, or home office into a modern classroom. Coursera sits among the more well-known e-learning platforms as an outlet for anything from a guided one-hour project to accredited Master’s Degrees. The platform’s wide range of classes, certificates, and degrees creates some confusion and questions about the Coursera price structure, which we’ll dig into below.
For certificates, students can purchase a single class or subscribe to access multiple classes for one monthly fee. The platform also offers subscriptions that unlock all courses in a specific specialty. Meanwhile, the issuing university sets the tuition for online degree programs, not Coursera.
This guide explains the different Coursera price options, what’s included with a free course, and some of the best Coursera courses offered. For a limited time, you can save 50% on the service’s premium subscription — learn more here.
Coursera Plus (Annual Subscription)
The Coursera Plus annual membership grants you access to over 7,000 courses, including university classes and courses from tech giants like Meta, IBM, Microsoft, and Google.
Coursera plan prices
Coursera’s course list ranges from brief one-hour projects to full Master’s Degrees. While that variety means the online learning platform can be used at nearly any stage in career development, it can also create confusion on the Coursera price list. Coursera’s classes can be purchased either through a one-time payment or with a recurring subscription, depending on the type of class. Programs with a university-issued certificate or degree upon completion typically follow the pricing structure of the issuing college or university.
Coursera’s guided projects and single classes can be accessed with a one-time payment. Coursera Plus is a subscription option that includes access to more than 90% of the classes on the platform for $59 a month or $399 a year. Coursera also offers specialization subscriptions to access all of the materials within one specialization, paying the recurring cost until earning the specialization certificate or canceling.
Coursera Plus (Annual Subscription)
The Coursera Plus annual membership grants you access to over 7,000 courses, including university classes and courses from tech giants like Meta, IBM, Microsoft, and Google.
While Coursera Plus is $59 a month or $399 for a full year, the cost of single classes and professional certificates varies by class. To find the cost of a particular class, click on the “enroll for free” button to see the cost after the free trial ends.
Best Coursera courses
Coursera
Coursera is home to thousands of different course options. The best place to start when choosing a course, however, is to look both at the topic and the company or university that created the class. The best Coursera courses are often taught by large companies, such as Google and IBM, or well-known universities, such as Yale.
- Google Data Analytics: This eight-course series teaches students how to find, analyze, and utilize data, leading to a certificate and portfolio-building projects for those considering a career as a data analyst.
- Google Project Management: A six-part series, this course is designed to prepare students for entry-level project management positions, building flexible skills in critical thinking, problem-solving, and organization as well.
- Google IT Support: This beginner-friendly course is a series designed to prepare students for an entry-level position in IT support, including Linux and Binary code.
IBM
- IBM AI Developer: This beginner class is a 13-hour crash course in artificial intelligence, including the technology, practical applications, and ethical debates.
- IBM Data Science: A ten-class series, this course from IBM is designed to launch a career in data science, covering topics from Python to building machine learning models to analyze data.
- IBM Full Stack Software Developer: A 15-course series ending with a professional certificate, this IBM course is designed to teach the basics of developing full-stack software, from learning development languages like HTML to building a portfolio.
Meta
- Meta Social Media Marketing: Hosted by the same company that owns Facebook and Instagram, this course teaches students how to leverage social media for marketing.
- Meta Front-End Developer: This nine-part series is a beginner’s course on learning how to code a website, from development to preparing for a job interview in the field.
- Meta Back-End Developer: While Meta’s Front-End course focuses on the visual side of building a website, this nine-part back-end course teaches beginners how to build the framework of a website.
Microsoft
- Microsoft UX Design: This beginner course teaches the basics of user experience design all the way through mockups and prototypes.
- Microsoft Cybersecurity Analyst: This nine-course series starts with the basics of cybersecurity and risk mitigation but culminates in an industry-recognized Microsoft SC-900 Certification.
Salesforce
Yale
- The Science of Well-Being: A 10-module course, this class focuses on the science of happiness and how to implement strategies for greater overall well-being and productivity.
- Financial Markets: This beginner course from Yale is designed to give students an understanding of financial markets as well as behavioral economics for making personal finance decisions or initiating a foundation for a potential career in finance.
Coursera FAQs
Is Coursera free?
Coursera offers both paid classes and subscriptions, as well as select free courses and seven-day trials. Coursera’s free courses include access to all the course materials at no cost. However, free courses do not include a certificate. Certificates are shareable digital certificates that can be included on your LinkedIn profile but are not included if you take the course for free. If you finish a course and decide you want the certificate, you can pay at the end of the course. While free courses do not include a certificate, they can build know-how that some job seekers will list under the skills section of their resume.
Coursera also offers a seven-day free trial on some courses. This allows new learners to get a taste of the class and see if it is the right fit for them. However, a certificate cannot be earned during a free trial.
How does Coursera work?
Coursera is an online learning platform that partners with universities and companies to develop continuing education courses as well as some full degree programs. Coursera’s list of offerings ranges from a commitment of just a few hours to completing an entire Master’s Degree. Guided Projects are Coursera’s bite-sized learning experiences where you complete a project as you learn alongside the instruction materials. Coursera’s list of full classes can result in a certificate upon completion, while completing all the courses inside a specialization can result in a specialization certificate.
For single classes and certificates, learners can often get started the same day. To get started with Coursera, you’ll need to sign up with a free account. Once you have an account, you can browse the different course options. Each course will include the outcomes and estimated time commitment. To see the price of the course, click on the “enroll for free” button for more information.
Some paid courses include a certificate once the materials are completed. By linking your Coursera account to your LinkedIn, you can list these course completions on your profile. Certificates can also be listed on a resume to indicate a commitment to continued learning.
While single courses can often be started that same day, earning a degree through Coursera follows a process that’s similar to applying to a traditional university. To earn a degree through Coursera, you’ll need to apply to the program much like you would to earn an in-person degree, including waiting until enrollment is open for the next semester.
What are the best courses on Coursera?
The best courses on Coursera come from either accredited universities or large companies known in their field. For example, you can earn a specialization in social media from Meta or an industry-recognized certificate in cybersecurity from Microsoft. Several colleges and universities also work with Coursera, including Yale, which offers classes ranging from the science of well-being to a beginner’s course in financial markets.
A key factor to consider is what you’ll have after completing the course. Coursera’s free courses do not include a certificate. Some courses offer certificates that are known in their fields, while certificates of completion can be helpful but less vital. Other classes and projects are designed to help students build a portfolio, which in some career paths can be more valuable than a certificate.
Does Coursera offer degrees?
Coursera partners with a number of colleges and universities to offer degree programs. These degrees are issued by the university, while the classwork is entirely online using the Coursera platform. Because Coursera’s degree programs are issued by a university, the payment structure and application process are similar to applying through the university itself. Some of the participating universities include Georgetown University, University of Michigan, University of Pittsburgh, Louisiana State University, and University of California Berkeley.
Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees through Coursera start at $9,000. However, while Coursera’s degree programs are not free, because these programs are through accredited colleges and universities, some students may qualify for scholarships and federal student aid programs.
Coursera also offers MasterTrack programs, which are classes that do not result in a degree but are accepted as credits toward a Master’s Degree at participating universities. These certificates start at $2,000.
How do I log in to Coursera?
Coursera login is simple: just go to the Coursera website and click “Log In” in the top right corner if the pop-up doesn’t immediately appear. From there, you can sign in using your email and password or your linked Google, Facebook, or Apple account that you set up previously.
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