Coursera vs Udemy: price and which to choose
Quick verdict
Coursera Plus is thousands of courses from 350+ universities and companies with unlimited certificates, including Professional Certificates; monthly has a 7-day trial and annual a 14-day refund. Udemy sells single courses for lifetime access — refundable within 30 days — or the Personal Plan subscription of 28,000+ courses, which isn’t refunded in the US.
Option A
$59.00/moCoursera Plus Monthly
Official price before tax: $59.00
Price checked
Coursera price and plans
Option B
We compare plans with a similar purpose, whose features may differ; prices before sales tax; prices for other plans and periods are in the reviews.
Feature comparison
| Criterion | Coursera | Udemy |
|---|---|---|
| Course makers | 350+ universities and companies | Marketplace instructors |
| Subscription | Coursera Plus | Personal Plan (28,000+) |
| Trial | 7 days (monthly) | Promotions only |
| Subscription refund | 14 days (annual) | Not in the US |
| Single course | Pay once | Lifetime access, 30-day refund |
Coursera is built on university and company partners; Udemy on a marketplace of instructor-made courses, with a curated subscription on top.
If you don’t want to read further
University-backed certificates and a refund window — Coursera Plus. Practical professional courses, or buying one course to keep — Udemy.
What really sets them apart
In each row, the last sentence matters most — what the difference means for you.
Who makes the courses?
Coursera
350+ universities and companies.
Udemy
Instructors on Udemy’s marketplace; the plan curates 28,000+ top courses.
For a university name on the certificate, Coursera.
Buy or subscribe?
Coursera
Coursera Plus, or pay once for one course or subscribe to one Specialization.
Udemy
Buy single courses for lifetime access, or subscribe to the Personal Plan.
To keep a course for good, Udemy single purchase.
Trial?
Coursera
7 days on the monthly plan.
Udemy
Only in promotions, not always for previous subscribers.
Easier to try — Coursera.
Refunds?
Coursera
14-day money-back on the annual plan.
Udemy
Eligible single courses within 30 days; Personal Plan not refunded in the US.
Subscription refunds — only Coursera.
Credentials?
Coursera
Unlimited certificates, including Professional Certificates, after the trial.
Udemy
Certification prep courses and practice tests.
Coursera issues the certificates; Udemy prepares you for outside exams.
Where they don’t differ, even though it seems they should
This part is often more useful than the list of differences — it saves money for anyone who was about to pay for an imaginary advantage.
Monthly or annual
Both subscriptions come in both.
Team plans
Coursera for Teams (up to 125) and Udemy Team Plan (2–50).
Apps
Both have mobile apps; app purchases go through Apple or Google.
Which one fits whom
| Your situation | What to choose | On what condition |
|---|---|---|
| You want a university certificate | Coursera Plus | Professional Certificates included. |
| You want one specific course | Udemy | Lifetime access, 30-day refund. |
| You’re prepping for a certification exam | Udemy Personal Plan | Prep courses and practice tests. |
| You want to try first | Coursera Plus monthly | 7-day trial. |
- Udemy’s Personal Plan isn’t refunded in the US unless the law requires.
- Coursera’s trial is monthly-only; annual has a 14-day refund instead.
- Coursera certificates are unlimited only after the trial ends.
- Udemy app prices can differ slightly from udemy.com.
Where the facts come from
Sources: coursera.org, and udemy.com with the Udemy Help Center. Prices are in the price blocks on each service’s page.
Facts in the text checked: .
FAQ: Coursera or Udemy
Other comparisons
The same products against other competitors, and other comparisons in the “Online courses” category.
Where their scores differ
Only criteria we’ve checked for both services and where the scores differ. Equal criteria and criteria without data aren’t shown here, because they add nothing to the decision.
If what matters most is — free way to try it: Coursera Plus Monthly
Coursera Plus Monthly: limited free version available (5,0/5) · Udemy: no free trial (1,0/5)
If what matters most is — price compared with others: Udemy
Coursera Plus Monthly: 59,00 USD/mo (2,0/5) · Udemy: 13,00 USD/mo · when paying for 12 months (5,0/5)
If what matters most is — value of the certificate: Coursera Plus Monthly
Coursera Plus Monthly: recognized outside the platform (5,0/5) · Udemy: no external recognition (2,0/5)
If what matters most is — app rating: Coursera Plus Monthly
Coursera Plus Monthly: 4,8 out of 5 (4,8/5) · Udemy: 4,7 out of 5 (4,7/5)
The scores and their weights are the same as in the reviews of both services. How we calculate
Comparison text updated: