Coursera is probably the first company that comes in mind when thinking about online learning. The company has over 4000 courses and it’s known for collaboration with over 200 top universities and organizations such as Stanford, Duke, Google, and IBM. At the same time, the company is associated with a complicated pricing model with some of the content being free and some being very expensive.
While many of its courses can be accessed for free, it can be confusing to understand when or why you should pay for a course. In this guide, I will take a closer look at Coursera’s pricing policy and explore the most affordable ways to pay for its courses.
So, in this article, I will go into the details about Coursera’s pricing policy and will make it crystal clear to you how much Coursera costs and what you can get for free on this e-learning platform.
Coursera’s pricing model
Coursera offers a wide variety of learning programs, with prices starting at $29 for individual courses and increasing for more in-depth programs such as guided projects, specializations, professional certificates, MasterTrack certificates, and online degrees. Guided projects, which take no more than 2 hours to complete, start at $9.99. Specializations and professional certificates start at $39 a month and can take up to 6 months to complete. MasterTrack certificates start around $2,000 and take less than a year to complete. Online degrees, which can take up to 4 years to complete, start at $9K and can cost up to $50K or more. Additionally, Coursera offers a subscription plan called Coursera Plus, which allows access to a variety of courses for a monthly fee of $59 or an annual fee of $399.
Is Coursera Free?
While Coursera offers thousands of its courses for free, they do come with some limitations. These limitations include no certificate, no access to assignments, and no instructor feedback. However, there is the option to purchase the course starting at $29, which comes with a completion certificate, access to assignments, and instructor feedback.
Free Courses
Coursera offers over 2,500 of its courses for free, but they do come with limitations such as no certificate, no access to assignments, and no instructor feedback. However, if you want an official recognition or want to submit assignments and get grades and feedback, you can purchase the course starting at $29.
Cost for Guided Projects
Guided projects were launched in 2020 as a way for learners to work on hands-on projects and demonstrate their abilities to employers. Guided projects take no more than 2 hours to complete and focus on topics such as data science, business, or computer science. Coursera currently offers close to 700 guided projects, with 94 of them being offered for free. These are one of the cheapest ways to learn on Coursera with prices starting at $9.99.
Specializations and Professional Certificates
Specializations and professional certificates are more in-depth programs that provide a deeper understanding of a specific subject or skill. Specializations and professional certificates start at $39 a month and can take up to 6 months to complete. These programs come with a 7-day free trial for you to try before committing to the full program.
MasterTrack Certificates
MasterTrack certificates are designed for individuals who want to take their education to the next level and gain a deeper understanding of a specific subject or skill. These programs start around $2,000 and take less than a year to complete.
Online Degrees
Online degree programs offered by Coursera, such as Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, can take anywhere from 2-7 years to complete. These programs are offered in partnership with renowned universities from around the world, including the University of London, Arizona State University, University of Michigan, and HEC Paris, among others.
It’s important to note that these degree programs come with a significant financial commitment. The cost of a full program can range from $15,000 to $40,000 or more. While this may seem costly, it is a fraction of the cost of traditional on-campus degree programs. Additionally, the degree programs offered by Coursera are fully verified by the partnering universities, ensuring that they are of high quality and hold the same value as an on-campus degree.
Coursera Plus Cost
Coursera Plus is a subscription service offered by Coursera that grants access to 7,000+ courses. It includes unlimited access to hands-on Guided Projects, Specializations, and Professional Certificates. The cost of Coursera Plus is $59 per month or $399 per year. This subscription can be a good choice for those who plan to enroll in five or more courses in one year. The verified certificates for each course that you successfully complete are included with the subscription. However, degrees and MasterTrack Certificates are not included. The subscription can be cancelled at any time, and the annual plan comes with a 14-day money-back guarantee.
Coursera for teams
Coursera also offers plans for teams and businesses. The Team plan, priced at $399 per user per year, is designed for teams and smaller organizations with 5-125 users. It includes access to a catalog of 4,800+ courses, verified certificates, the catalog of 2,500+ hands-on Guided Projects, and more. Payment can be made using PayPal or a credit card. The Enterprise plan, designed for larger organizations with 125+ users, includes everything in the Team plan plus additional features such as solutions consulting services, customer success features, and integration features. Prices for the Enterprise plan are not published on Coursera’s website and must be obtained by contacting sales.
Payment methods accepted by Coursera include credit card and PayPal. Credit cards accepted are Visa, MasterCard, Discover, JCB and AMEX (only for courses priced in USD). The Enterprise plan can be paid for via ACH or invoice, but not PayPal or credit card. Some regions may have limitations on the payment methods available. Most of Coursera’s courses are displayed in USD, but some course prices may be shown in the local currency.
It should be noted that Coursera does not currently offer gift cards, and payments through mobile devices are not currently supported.
Prices for individual courses on Coursera start at $29.
A Coursera Plus subscription costs $59/month or $399/year.
Online degree programs on Coursera can cost anywhere from $9,000 to $50,000 or more.
Yes, Coursera offers over 2,500 of its courses for free, but they do come with limitations such as no certificate, no access to assignments, and no instructor feedback.
Guided Projects on Coursera start at $9.99 and take no more than 2 hours to complete.
