If you got hooked on Coursera with its brilliant courses and wanted to know more about the learning pathways they have to offer on their platform. But, you find it confusing, difficult and a tedious procedure to navigate through it all keeping your considerations in check.
If you’ve been considering purchasing it but are unsure about making a decision and have a few questions in mind. It could be about it’s pricing, refund policies, or financial aid. Then you’ve landed on the right page.
In this article, you’ll learn everything there is to know about Coursera’s various learning programs, as well as their costs.
Well, to get detailed insights, check our detailed Coursera Review here.
Is Coursera free?
It is not a free platform, but it does have a lot of free learning resources, provides over 5,000 free courses. It ranges across different domains and industries including finance, management, marketing, data science, business, trading, etc.
You can access the course content on the platform for free whether it be a technical skill or a soft skill. It has a wealth of information available for free, but the only drawback is that you will not receive a certificate. To gain certification by an industry credible platform. It has free courses with an option to buy the certificate which starts at $49.
It also provides another way for learners to access Specialization programs. In this, learners can access the learning material of the course in the specialization program for free in the audit mode without certification.
As courses available under the branch of specialization program are usually expensive and have a longer duration than individual courses.
Specialization program courses are designed in a way that allows the learners to master a specific skill. It has more than 1,000 courses available in the specialization program that you can leverage. After taking the course in the audit mode, if you change your mind and want to go for certification. Then, you can buy the certificate which starts at $39.99.
Apart from their prominent methods of learning. Another method to access the free learning content of the Specialization program and professional certification program is to take advantage of their 7-day free trial.
After knowing it all, you might be wondering…
Free Coursera Courses
There are many free courses which you can learn through Coursera for free and upskill yourself. Cloud Computing, Programming, Networking, Machine learning and much more can be done for free with Coursera free courses.
Let me show you the Top 10 Free Coursera Courses
| Sr. No. | Courses | Skills You will Gain | Ratings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Introduction to Psychology | Business Psychology, Writing, Emotional Intelligence | 4.9/5 |
| 2. | The Science of Well Being | Entrepreneurship, Personal Development, Business Psychology | 4.9/5 |
| 3. | Successful Negotiation: Essential Strategies and Skills | Marketing, Sales, Communication, Negotiation | 4.8/5 |
| 4. | Game Theory | Research & Design, Mathematics | 4.6/5 |
| 5. | Private Equity & Venture Capital | Banking, Financial Management | 4.8/5 |
| 6. | Introduction to Generative AI | Advertising, Algebra, Artificial Neural Networks | 4.5/5 |
| 7. | Connected Leadership | Leadership and Management | 4.8/5 |
| 8. | The Science of Well Being for Teens | Computer Programming, Leadership and Management | 4.8/5 |
| 9. | Child Nutrition & Cooking | Culture, Leadership & Management | 4.8/5 |
| 10. | Cybersecurity for Everyone | Cyberattacks, Computer networking, Security Engineering | 4.7/5 |
Why Should I Pay for Coursera When I can Access it for Free?
Well, the decision is yours to make but there are a few perks to consider.
- The course completion rate of a paid course is much greater than of a free course.
- If you’re learning a marketable skill. Then the knowledge combined with a certificate increases the chance of your career progression.
- The assignments and assessments completed in the course allow you to showcase your previous work and skills.
It offers a range of programs and paid courses. Designed for the particular need of a leaner. Which one might suit you the best? Let’s find out.
Coursera Price
Let’s take a Look at the Pricing for Coursera.
| Coursera | Objective | No of Courses | Duration | Price | Billing | Free Trial | Refund Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coursera Courses | To gain knowledge | 1800+ | 4–12 hours | Free or $49+ | Per Course | Yes | 14 days |
| Coursera Guided Projects | To learn a skill | 2300+ | 1-2 hours | $9.99+ | Per Course | No | 14 days |
| Coursera Specialization | Master a marketable skill | 1500+ | 1-3 months | Free or $39.99+ | Per unit or monthly | Yes | 14 days |
| Coursera Professional Certificates | To make the candidate’s job-ready | 100+ | 4-7 months | $39.99+ | Monthly | Yes | No, Cancel the subscription |
| Coursera Plus | Gives access to 90% of the Coursera content | 7000+ | Various | $59 or $399 | Monthly or annually | Yes | 14 days |
| Coursera Master Track | Provides a fragment of A Master’s Degree | 20+ | 4-7 months | Starts from $2000 | Per Course or Monthly | No | Decided by the associated University |
| Coursera Degree | To earn a degree | 33+ | 2-4 years | Starts from $9000 | Pay as you move ahead in the curriculum. | No | Decided by the associated University |
| Coursera Business | For professional development. | 5000+ | various | Starts from $399 per user | Monthly or Annually. | Yes | No, cancel a subscription |
It has a plethora of knowledge and courses to help you master a skill and get certified as a specialist in the field of the course. It does a great job with its prominent categorization of the particular needs and preferences of the learners, different offers curated to fulfill the needs of the learners and provides an excellent alternative to choose from.
- Guided Projects
- Specializations
- Professional Certificates
- Coursera Plus
- MasterTrack
- Degrees
- Coursera for Business
We’ll talk about each one of them in detail.
Coursera Annual Subscription
There are certain courses on Coursera which are available on Subscription basis. The first 7 days are for free after subscribing, later you are charged on a monthly basis. You will have to check the Specialization page to know the costing of the courses. The more quick you are with completing the course the less you are charged. Once you are done with the specialization your subscription will be over automatically. You can also cancel your subscription after getting done with what you wanted to learn.
If you have taken a course of a university or a degree program you wont have the option for Subscription. If you are already subscribed and then you decide to take up a degree program or a university course, then your subscription will be canceled by the end of the payroll. With that, you will have to pay for each course individually.
Specialization Subscriptions
Let’s see what all things you get after subscribing
- You will have full access to all the courses you have paid for in that Specialization.
- Charges will be applied each month until you finish the course.
- You will be able to access the entire course material whichever is in the Specialization until it’s not completed.
- Specialization certification will be done at the end of the course.
- Make sure you cancel your subscription before time, you won’t receive any partial refund.
Coursera Guided Projects – Cost Overview
Guided Projects are designed to equip the learner with relevant skills in a short span of time. The duration of the guided projects is likely to be around 2-3 hours.
It gives you a chance to learn from an industry professional through step-by-step guidance to complete a project with visual guidance on a shared screen and hands-on learning expressions along with interactive activities that you can get to revisit at your own pace. A certification at the end, to showcase your learnings.
Guided Projects are available in more than 10 subjects with 2,000 plus options to choose from as per your interest and inclination towards a particular subject which includes data science, business, marketing, etc. The Guided Projects by Coursera starts at $9.99.
Coursera Specialization
Specialization by Coursera is a program designed to teach a specific skill with complete in-depth knowledge and build an ability to work over it with mastery. As the specialization aims to make the learner an expert in that particular area that’s why it’s a much longer duration. On average, specialization courses may take around 3 months to complete and earn a certification.
In those three months, learners are made to go through a rigorous course of learning which includes a series of units, assignments, and assessments along with a hands-on project and interactive learning experience with the instructor.
It has more than 1,5000 specialization courses available in more than 10 subjects including database, data science, business, marketing, finance, etc. Specialization by Coursera starts at $39 per month.
Coursera Certificates Price : Professional Certificates
Professional Certificates is much of a rigorous program designed with career relevance and an aim to make the learner job-ready in a year.
In the professional certification program, a series of unit learning materials is covered by the instructor. Along with the hands-on project experience, interactive activities, assignments, and assessments.
The professional certification gives all learners a chance to get recognized by a range of leading companies and have a prolific experience in their job search. The professional certificates by Coursera start at $39 per month.
Coursera Plus Price
It is a subscription plan in which you can get unlimited access to all the courses available on the platform along with the certification.
Coursera Plus includes Coursera courses, professional certificates, Guided projects, and specialization available. It provides visibility into course content with unlimited access and certificates. It’s subscriptions start at $399 annually.
Master Track – Cost Overview
Master Track programs is a unique and comprehensive online resource model. Designed to help the learner with relevant skills in a short span. Master Track may take up to 4 – 8 months to complete the curriculum of the course.
The Master Track programs include live teaching modules by the instructor, recorded video content, interactive group-based activities, hands-on projects, and feedback.
It has more than 20 courses available on its platform in several subjects. You can choose from as per your interest and inclination. The Master Track starts at $2,000.
Degree – Cost Overview
The Program provides an excellent opportunity to earn a complete bachelor’s or master’s degree from top universities like Yale, Duke, and Stanford. Irrespective of your geographical, cultural, and economic constraints.
In the Degree, The course content is the same as that taught on the campus as well as the instructor of the course is also a university professor who teaches the exact same course at the University.
Degree has more than 30-degree options to choose from which include finance, management, marketing, business, etc. A degree starts at $9,000.
Business – Cost Overview
Coursera Business is a great option for businesses to allow their employees access to professional and personal development resources.
It includes more than 3,000 courses across different domains and industries, 1,000 plus Guided Projects from the top-ranked universities, professors, and working professionals in the leading roles. It provides access to job-relevant learning programs and authoring metrics.
Coursera Business gives an alternative option through Coursera for Teams and Coursera for Enterprise. Coursera Business starts at $399.
Financial Resources
To help you in your learning journey, It offers multiple financial resources for students who don’t have the money to afford the courses of Coursera. With these financial resources, you can resume your learning journey and learn a skill you can actually use. Coursera financial resources are Employer Tuition Reimbursement, Financial Aid, Grants & Scholarships, Private Loans, Tax Credits & Deductions, and Resources for Non-U.S. Students.
How to Get Coursera Financial Aid
It goes a mile ahead for the learners and provides financial aid to the learners who are unable to afford the fees of the particular course.
To apply for financial aid, you must have a desktop or a laptop. This option is not available on mobile devices.
- Go to the homepage of the course you want to take up. Click on the Financial aid option.
- Complete your application carefully where its ask questions like
- Why are you applying for financial aid?
- How will taking this course help you achieve your career goals?
- It may take up to 15 days to review your application. You’ll be informed through an email.
Purchasing Options
It is an e-learning-based platform that is available all around the globe. It accepts payment methods through following
- American Express
- PayPal
- Credit Cards
- ACH Transfer Card
Coursera Pricing in Different Currencies
| $ | £ | € | A$ | ₹ | Mex$ | |
| Coursera Courses start at | 49 | 37 | 45 | 69 | 3600 | 1000 |
| Coursera Guided Projects starts at | 9.99 | 7 | 9 | 14 | 750 | 205 |
| Coursera Specialization & Professional Certification starts at | 39.99 | 37 | 37 | 57 | 2980 | 820 |
| Coursera Plus (monthly & annually) | 59/$399 | 4430/1 | 52352 | 84556 | /4470/29695 | 1208/82000 |
| Coursera Master Track starts at | 2000 | 1500 | 1765 | 2800 | 148000 | 41000 |
| Coursera Degree Program starts at | 9000 | 12000 | 10600 | 17000 | 890000 | 245000 |
Coursera Refund
With all the Courses Refund and money policies may vary based on the program.
Refund For Coursera Plus
You can apply for a refund on the subscription plan of Coursera Plus within 14 days of purchase. No refund after that time period.
Refund For Coursera Course
For Coursera Course refund you can apply for a refund within 14 days after the purchase.
Refund For Guided Projects
Guided Projects don’t have a refund option available.
How Much Is Coursera For Student
Currently there is no such program for Students. Coursera announced last year on 1st August 2022 that the Students programs will end by November 2022. As for now, there are no Students program available on Coursera.
Is it Worth it? My Verdict
In my opinion, Definitely yes.
It provides access to courses from prestigious universities around the world like Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Duke, etc.
Coursera is a big platform with a huge spectrum of courses to choose from as per your interest and inclination towards a particular subject.
Instructors of Coursera are the Professors of prestigious institutes, and working professionals leading companies.
Related Links
- Best LinkedIn Learning Courses
- Best Coursera Alternatives For Online Learning
- Coursera Certificates: How To Get It & Is It Worth It?
Final Thoughts: How Much Is Coursera
Coursera is a unique and reliable platform that comes with some brilliant courses from prestigious universities around the world, which you can take up from the comfort of your couch while sipping your morning coffee.
You can get certified from an industry credible platform, It also provides lifetime access to their students on their courses.