What is Coursera Plus? Is it worth your time and money?
Coursera is one of the most popular online learning platforms out there, boasting thousands of online courses across multiple categories from top-notch universities and partners.
With so many courses available, the cost of taking them all can add up over time if you pay for each one individually.
That’s why they launched Coursera Plus, a subscription service that gives you unlimited access to over 7,000 courses (about 90% of their total catalog), Specializations, and Professional Certificates, all with just one subscription that costs $59 a month or $399 for a full year ($309 savings).
So, what all is included with Coursera Plus? And most importantly, is Coursera Plus actually worth it?
Keep reading for our complete in-depth Coursera Plus review that’s been updated for 2023…
What Is Coursera Plus?
Coursera Plus is a subscription service offered by the popular online learning platform Coursera. You can take as many of the 7,000+ included courses and earn as many Certificates as you’d like with this subscription.
A Coursera Plus subscription can save you a bundle compared to paying for individual courses or Specializations on an a la carte basis. It’s a great choice for those who want to take a number of courses over the span of several months or even years.
Some of the things we like about Coursera Plus include:
- Unlimited access to over 7,000 courses from over 275 leading universities and companies.
- Earn unlimited Certificates to add to your LinkedIn and/or resume.
- Take advantage of 1,000+ hands-on projects and labs to improve your professional skills.
- Learn on your own schedule, at your own pace as the lessons will be available for you whenever desired.
- Move between multiple courses as you wish to get a flexible learning experience.
- Enjoy access to over 30 Professional Certificate programs.
- Save big compared to paying for individual courses or Specialization course series.
One thing worth noting is that Coursera Plus doesn’t include access to every single course available on Coursera, but it does include roughly 90% of all Coursera courses. So, there are only a few things you won’t be able to access with your subscription.
Popular Coursera Plus Courses You Can Access
With access to over 7,000 courses on Coursera Plus, you can gain skills in a wide range of categories like Data Science, Programming, Business Management, Web Design, Social Media Marketing, Data Entry, Teaching, Bookkeeping, Personal Development, Animation, and more.
Here are some popular Coursera courses, Specializations, and Professional Certificates you could take:
- Google Data Analytics –In this series of 8 courses, you’ll learn in-demand skills that will prepare you for a job in data analytics in just 6 months (see our review).
- Google Project Management –Gain the knowledge and skills you need to succeed in an entry-level project management role with these 6 courses.
- Google IT Support –These courses will get you ready for a successful career in IT, even if you have no experience.
- Google UX Design –This series of courses will help you master the basics of UX design and build your own portfolio so you can enter this growing industry.
- Google IT Automation With Python –This beginner-level series of courses was developed by Google to teach IT professionals in-demand skills — including Python, Git, and IT automation — for taking their careers to the next level.
- Python For Everybody from the University of Michigan –This Specialization will teach you the fundamentals of Python and have you writing your own programs.
- Machine Learning from the University of Washington –Learn about cutting-edge machine learning techniques and start applying them in real-world situations.
- Indigenous Canada from the University of Alberta –This comprehensive course comprises 12 modules that cover indigenous history in Canada and allow you to dive deeper into themes such as political disputes, indigenous life, political action, laws, rights, land claims, environmental concerns, and the fur trade.
- Excel Skills for Business from Macquarie University –Become a master of Excel in this 4-course Specialization taught by 3 lecturers of Macquarie Business School.
- Meta Social Media Marketing –This Professional Certificate series of courses will teach you how to build ad campaigns, grow your social media presence, write engaging posts, and more so you can be an effective social media pro.
How to Find the Right Course
We have compiled a list of some important tips that will help you to choose which course suits you the most.
- Use the filter feature
Choosing a Category can help you find your domain. The filter option lets you search for specific things like (e.g Skills, job title, language, level), etc. Thus, you can narrow down your search and find related things easily.
- Read about the course
In the above, you can learn the description of the course, the topics which are discussed, and the different areas the course will cover.
This option lets you decide based on your objective and the content offered by a course.
- Check out the syllabus of the course
By checking out the syllabus you can get an idea about how long it might take to complete the course (take it at your own pace) and the benefits it provides you. The syllabus includes video lectures, quizzes, and other learning material.
- Read user reviews
Reading reviews is a great way of understanding what the course actually offers rather than just reading the description. The reviews are given by past students which can be really helpful for you.
- Check out the instructor
You can also check the instructors’ names and past experiences along with the course description.
How Much Does Coursera Plus Cost?
Coursera offers two different payment plans:
- Coursera Plus Monthly — $59/Month
- Coursera Plus Annual — $399/Year
Both plans give you access to everything Coursera Plus has to offer. The main difference here is the cost savings you can get when you pay upfront for the Annual plan — a total savings of $309 per year.
If you plan on taking a lot of online courses in the coming months and you have the extra cash to afford the Annual option, the savings are definitely well worth it in our view.
Does Coursera Plus Offer a Free Trial?
Yes, you can try Coursera Plus free for 7 days before you commit to a Monthly plan, or if you sign up for the Annual option you will enjoy a 14-day money-back guarantee. Either way, this gives you plenty of time to check out the service and see if you think it’s worth it.
We recommend signing up for the free trial during a time when you’re not too busy so you can spend enough time truly digging into it and getting a good feel for everything the platform has to offer.
How to Sign Up for Coursera Plus
Signing up for Coursera Plus is super fast and easy.
Just click here to visit the Coursera Plus page on the company’s website.
Once you’re there, you can either browse around the different courses they offer, or just scroll a little further down to see the different plans they have to offer.
Our advice? Start by signing up for the free trial. This will give you 7 days to check out the service to make sure it’s a good fit for your goals.
When you sign up for the free trial, you can either create a Coursera account from scratch or connect to your Google or Facebook account and sync things up that way.
Is Coursera Plus Worth It?
Coursera Plus is worth it for everyone who enjoys learning and wants to take multiple courses in a year.
By subscribing to Coursera Plus learners can get access to a massive library of courses that can help them gain the knowledge and skills to progress professionally and personally.
Let’s start by talking about Specializations. These course series usually take between 4 and 8 months to complete and are billed on a monthly basis. Without Coursera Plus, a single Specialization could cost up to $400 or even more to complete, depending on how long it takes the student to finish the courses.
Want to take more Coursera courses or Specializations? You’d have to pay more.
The same thing goes for Professional Certificates. On their own, these can get costly, particularly if you want to take several of them.
But with a Coursera Plus subscription, you can pay $399 per year (or $59/month if you don’t want to commit to a full year) and save a lot of money compared to the a la carte cost of buying courses, Specializations, or Professional Certificates individually.
Coursera Plus doesn’t just save you money, it can also make you money over time as you build in-demand job skills that help you earn more.
When you complete courses, you can get Certificates you can share on your LinkedIn and resume, which will make you more attractive to potential employers as you showcase your job-relevant skills.
All in all, we think Coursera Plus is definitely a great value for those committed to learning for professional or personal purposes.
Coursera Plus FAQ
How does Coursera Plus work?
Coursera Plus is a subscription plan that allows you to access a bunch of courses within a single subscription plan.
Whether you choose the annual plan or monthly plan, you will get access to all the amazing online courses by Coursera Plus. In the case of an annual plan, you just need to pay a lump sum annual fee to get unlimited access to the richest knowledge bank! You can take advantage of guided projects for the hands-on learning experience, Specializations, and some certificates that will enhance your skillset and add value to your resume.
Once you have enrolled after subscribing to Coursera Plus, there is absolutely no restriction to the number of courses you can enroll in. Also, you get a verified Course Certificate for every course or Specialization that you complete successfully.
How can I access Coursera Plus for free?
Yes, you can try Coursera Plus free for 7 days before you commit to a Monthly plan, or if you sign up for the Annual option you will enjoy a 14-day money-back guarantee.
Is there financial aid for Coursera Plus?
Currently, there is no financial assistance program on their website. But you can apply for financial aid for individual courses or Specializations.
Are there any discounts or promotional offers available for Coursera Plus?
Your best bet to save money is to sign up for the Annual plan, which can save you over $300 compared to paying month-to-month. Beyond that, it’s possible that the company will run some promos on rare occasions, like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, where you can save a little bit extra.
What is the Coursera Plus refund policy?
Another advantage of Coursera Plus is that it comes with a 14-day money-back guarantee when you sign up for the yearly plan. If you do not want to continue with the subscription, you can ask for a full refund within 14 days of your purchase. All you need is to submit a request to their help center and your fees will be refunded.
How can I cancel my Coursera Plus subscription?
You can cancel your Coursera Plus subscription any time you desire through the manage subscriptions option. Canceling the subscription will stop any future deductions from your account but does not refund any past payments.
A Final Word on Coursera Plus
Coursera Plus is a great value, bringing a Netflix-like experience to the online learning space.
Whether it’s learning something for your new job, building your own business, or just for fun, a Coursera Plus subscription makes it possible as it gives you unlimited access to over 7,000 high-quality online courses from the world’s leading universities and organizations.
Remember, you can try Coursera Plus free for 7 days to see if it’s a good fit before signing up for a Monthly or Annual Plan.
Click here to get started with your 7-day free trial.
Have any questions about Coursera Plus? Drop us a comment below and we’ll help you out.
