Coursera Plus – a subscription by Coursera includes over 10,000 courses across various subjects, priced at $59 per month or $399 annually (₹34,220 per year in India).
Wondering if it’s worth investing your time and money?
Stick around as I share my insights on Coursera Plus, including any drawbacks I’ve encountered.
But first, let’s talk about one of Coursera Plus’s greatest perks…
Have you ever bought a professional certification program on Coursera from Google, Meta, or any other reputable institutions?
These programs typically cost around $49 per month, and on average, take about 6 months to complete with no lifetime access.
However, with Coursera Plus, you pay roughly $33 per month (i.e. $399 annually) for access to thousands of courses for a whole year.
During this time, you can learn at your own pace and revisit course materials whenever you want. Plus, you can explore other courses relevant to your profession.
It’s a great deal, especially if you’re aiming for multiple professional certification programs. Now let’s dive into this guide…
What Does Coursera Plus Include?
If you love exploring and learning new skills, Coursera Plus offers a great opportunity for you.
Here is what all Coursera Plus includes with their subscription.
1. Non-stop learning in a variety of subjects:
With Coursera Plus, you get access to a wide range of courses on different topics. Whether you’re into professional tech stuff like Data Science or IT, or you fancy personal development, arts, or humanities, Coursera Plus has got you covered!
They boast about offering a whopping 10,000 courses, which basically means you can keep learning endlessly. So, if you’re tired of one course, say, programming, you can easily switch to something like public speaking or language learning.
Not only does this keep learning fun, but it also helps you pick up useful skills.
And here’s the cool part: Coursera organizes these courses by how long they take.
Let’s break it down:
- Guided Projects: These are quick courses, lasting no more than 2 hours. They’re perfect for learning practical skills with hands-on tutorials. Normally, each Guided Project costs around $10, but with Coursera Plus, you can take as many as you want for free!
- General Courses: These can take anywhere from 4 to 12 hours, covering various subjects. They’re free to access, but if you want a certificate, there might be a fee. Luckily, Coursera Plus lets you earn these certificates for free, saving you some bucks.
- Professional Certificates & Specialization Programs: This is where Coursera Plus shines. It offers programs and certificates from top universities and companies, designed to get you job-ready skills. These courses usually last 3 to 6 months. Enrolling in one of these could cost you $49 a month, but with Coursera Plus, it’s just $59 for access to most courses.
Note: Coursera also offers degree programs, and Mastertrack certificates, however, they are not included in Coursera Plus.
In addition to that, some specific universities and companies such as Deep Learning courses are not included in this subscription.
2. Learning from top universities and renowned companies:
Coursera is super popular, and it’s no wonder why. They team up with big-name universities and companies like Columbia University, Google, and more.
All the courses you see on Coursera are created and taught by these institutions. You can even check out the full list of who’s in and who’s out with Coursera Plus.
Getting taught by these big players not only gives you top-notch training but also adds credibility to your learning. Plus, their certificates can give your career a boost.
Ever heard of Google Career Certificates? They’re made by Google pros and aimed at helping folks break into tech fields like Cybersecurity or Digital Marketing.
I’ve personally tried out some of these courses, like Google’s UX Design Professional Certification, Google Digital Marketing, and META Social Media Marketing Professional Certificate, and while they’re not perfect, they’re pretty darn good.
3. Recognized Certificates and Career Support:
This part is gold for job seekers or anyone looking to level up their skills.
Coursera offers valid certificates for all its professional and specialization programs. And with Coursera Plus, you can earn as many certificates as you want without paying extra.
These certificates look great on your LinkedIn or resume and can boost your chances of landing a job. Plus, Coursera throws in some tips on job hunting and interviews to help you out.
Now, having a certificate doesn’t guarantee a job, but it sure helps you stand out.
So, if you’re keen on learning new skills, building something cool, or trying out freelancing, Coursera Plus is your go-to.
Who Is Best Suited For Coursera Plus?
If you’re eager to learn skills in a bunch of different subjects like business, IT, health, data science, arts, and more, Coursera Plus might be just the thing for you.
And if you’re looking to kickstart a career or switch to a new field and need to start from scratch and work your way up, Coursera Plus could be a great fit too.
Let’s say you’re keen on diving into programming and see yourself making a career out of it. Taking just one course might not cover everything you need, and buying multiple courses separately can get expensive.
But with Coursera Plus, you get access to loads of programming courses from top universities and tech companies. And the best part? If you’re not feeling one course, you can easily switch to another. That’s the beauty of Coursera Plus.
In my experience, Coursera Plus works best for:
- Folks who want to learn a bunch of different things with one subscription, whether it’s for personal growth or career advancement.
- Students who want to build up their skills alongside their regular college studies.
- People aiming to dive deep into a specific field and need multiple courses from top-notch sources.
So, whether you’re a stay-at-home parent, a working pro, or anyone else eager to learn, Coursera Plus could be your ticket to skill-building success.
How much does Coursera Plus cost?
Now, if you find Coursera Plus worth it, you may want to know how much it costs and whether it offers value for money. Right?
Well, if you have been reading this article carefully, I have already mentioned the Coursera Plus monthly cost.
Coursera Plus offers two subscription plans: Monthly and Annual. The monthly plan costs you $59 (or ₹5,060), while the annual plan costs $399 (or ₹34,220).
Now, which Coursera Plus subscription is worth buying?
It obviously makes sense that with an annual subscription, you could save a significant amount of money. Additionally, with a monthly subscription, you may only finish a couple of courses.
In my opinion, if your goal is a lifetime of learning or taking several courses to upskill yourself and build your career, you should definitely invest in an annual subscription. Not only will it help you save big, but you’ll also enjoy uninterrupted learning.
Furthermore, with an annual subscription, Coursera Plus also offers you a 14-day money-back guarantee, while with a monthly subscription, you get a 7-day free trial.
If you’re hesitant to invest a large amount of money, then I must say you have the option to request a full refund within 14 days.
Alternatively, you may also take a free trial or a monthly subscription to explore the courses and determine whether you enjoy them or not. If you find Coursera Plus is worth the investment, you may cancel your free trial and opt for an annual subscription.
Is paying $399 per year worth it for Cousera Plus?
You may say that paying $59/month or $399/year for a Coursera Plus subscription is expensive, especially when compared to other online learning platforms such as edX ($347/year), Skillshare ($168/year), and LinkedIn Learning ($299.88/year), which cost significantly less.
Well, I’d argue that the cost of Coursera Plus is worth it, and there are a couple of reasons why I believe this.
To begin with, Coursera is the only platform that offers courses in all subjects, from tech to health, from business to personal development. Its subscription claims to include 10,000 courses, which is significantly more than what other learning platforms offer.
In addition to this, Coursera Plus offers valid and accredited certificates in collaboration with leading companies and universities.
In fact, the Google Career Certificates and Meta Certification courses offered by Coursera Plus have the highest ratings and enrollment numbers, making them hard to find elsewhere.
Lastly, enrolling in just one Coursera professional or specialization program, which is generally in high demand, costs $49 per month.
In contrast, the Coursera Plus subscription costs only $33.25 per month (if you choose the annual subscription option), allowing you to enroll in many professional and specialization programs without additional charges.
Read also: Udemy vs. Coursera vs. Udacity vs. Edx – Which is best?
Best Coursera Plus Courses:
With Coursera Plus, you dive into a pool of 7,000 courses spanning various subjects. But let’s be real: not every course will be a perfect fit, and diving too deep into one subject might not be the best use of your time.
So, based on my research, reviews, and what’s most popular, here are some top-notch courses you should check out with Coursera Plus.
Keep in mind, that it’s tough to pick the absolute best among thousands of options, so I might miss a few gems.
Google Professional Certificates:
Get ready for a career boost with Google Career Certificates. Crafted by Google experts, these courses cover various tech fields and are highly respected in the industry. Here are some top picks:
- Google UX Design Professional Certificate
- Google IT Support
- Google Digital Marketing and E-Commerce
- Google Data Analytics
META Professional Certifications:
Similar to Google, META offers a range of professional certificates that are worth your attention. Here are some of the top META certificates you should consider:
- Meta Social Media Marketing Professional Certification
- Meta Front-End Developer Professional Certificate
- Meta Database Engineer Professional Certificate
These courses are packed with practical skills and insights, perfect for anyone interested in tech.
Data Science: Foundations using R Specialization:
If you’re curious about data science and R programming, this program from Johns Hopkins University might be just what you need.
It’s beginner-friendly and covers all the basics, with no prior experience required.
Applied Data Science with Python Specialization:
For those with a bit of data science knowledge under their belt, this specialization from the University of Michigan is a great choice.
It covers Python programming, machine learning algorithms, data visualization, and more.
The Science of Well-Being:
This course from Yale University dives into the science behind happiness and well-being. It’s eye-opening and can change your perspective on life in just three weeks.
Excel Skills for Business Specialization:
Want to sharpen your Excel skills for work? This program from Macquarie University will teach you everything you need to know, from basic navigation to advanced data analysis.
Python for Everybody:
Looking to dip your toes into programming? This specialization from the University of Michigan is beginner-friendly and covers all the basics of Python.
With Coursera Plus, you can access all these courses and more for free.
But, wait! I have also experienced some cons of this subscription that are also important to address in this Coursera Plus review…
Cons of Coursera Plus:
1. Some of your favorite courses may not be included:
While Coursera Plus offers the most popular courses from universities and companies, some courses from renowned institutions may not be available. For example, you won’t find certain Deep Learning courses included in Coursera Plus.
2. Learning may be disrupted by too many choices:
When you take and pay for one course, you are more likely to complete it as it is the only option available to you. With Coursera Plus when you have multiple choice, you may enroll in many courses and end up completing nothing. So, make sure to consider this point by trying Coursera Plus.
Coursera Plus Review: My Final Verdict
Coursera Plus is like a treasure chest for learners! For $59 a month or $399 a year, you get access to over 7,000 courses on everything from tech to personal development. It’s a steal, especially if you’re into professional certification programs, which usually cost $49 each per month.
You can learn at your own pace, switching between courses whenever you like. Plus, you get certificates from big names like Google and META, boosting your resume.
But, there are a few downsides. Some courses you might love aren’t included, and having so many choices can be overwhelming.
Overall, Coursera Plus is a fantastic deal for anyone hungry to learn new skills and boost their career!
Now It’s Your Turn:
I hope you enjoyed this article and found it helpful.
Now I’d like to hear from you:
Are you going to give it a try to Coursera Plus?
Got any thoughts or questions about this review or Coursera Plus in general, please feel free to share them in the comments.
Happy Learning 🙂
(To support my writing, I may use affiliate links in this post. Rest assured, they don’t affect my reviews.)
