Coursera Reviews

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coursera.org
3.48
130 reviews
Average Rating
Based on 130 user experiences

Rated 3.48 out of 5 by 130 Happy Customers

40%
14.6%
14.6%
15.4%
15.4%
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AI Review Summary Based on 130 reviews

Coursera is widely praised for its extensive course catalog, high-quality content from reputable universities, and flexible learning options, with many users valuing the free audit mode and certificate opportunities. Positive feedback highlights good course structure, helpful resources, and reliable access to materials. However, recurring complaints emphasize issues with customer support responsiveness, opaque subscription billing and cancellation processes, unexpected charges, and restrictive peer-review systems. Some users also report technical problems, platform bugs, and dissatisfaction with paid features or delayed grade processing.

What customers love
  • High quality course content
  • Large course selection
  • Free audit option
  • University partnerships
  • Flexible learning pace
Common concerns
  • Poor customer support
  • Confusing billing system
  • Peer review limitations
  • Unexpected charges
  • Technical issues

Last updated 3 weeks ago

S

With the right expectations it s average

I initially made a free account to audit a course and take it for free because I was interested in the material and about halfway through because I was enjoying it I signed up for the paid version because this course along with 4 others combined for a full certificate once they were all complete And if I m spending the time on this anyway I may as well do a little resume padding while I m at it but I m not exactly expecting this cert to be the thing that sways an employer I m treating it more like a gag than anything I went into this expecting a very baseline introduction to the material that I can use to springboard into more serious programs I think I definitely got that and a little more I could absolutely nitpick some individual videos quality maybe some outdated information here and there but overall I think I had a pretty good experience It IS expensive and I did game the system and finished the courses as fast as possible and saved all the material for later viewing so I only paid for 2 months when the full certificate should have taken 10 And I think if I paid for the full 10 months around 400 I would be a little more upset because I m sure no one actually gives a damn about this certificate from coursera but at the end of the day I was here for fun and to get an introduction to the material So overall I say around 3 to 4 out of 5 Are you getting what you pay for I think that REALLY depends on the course who s teaching it how much effort did THEY put into that course and the material what are your goals by taking that course and so on And those are all things that you have to decide for yourself and do the research on My specific cert was the google IT support specialist certificate I originally signed up just for the networking class to take for free This cert was good quality which you would expect from google But I d give a heads up that it s content is several years old now and my only real complaint is it doesn t say that ANYWHERE so you have no real way of knowing how old a given course is to gauge if it s up to date or not If you re learning something like cooking that doesn t really matter but anyone looking at fast moving fields I would be a little more cautious before you purchase it
F

Peer reviews undermine the learning experience

I want courses with assignments rated by experts not other students
J

The assignments are awful

The courses I took were awesome however one feature of the site is really bad and it keeps me from taking another course because I don t want this pressure anymore The assignments - they are peer-reviewed so you completely depend on other people to finish a course This is especially frustrating when you wanna move on to the next course but it is blocked by the previous one so all you can do is just wait while there is the constant pressure in the back of your mind that if you slip into the next billing cycle you have to pay again just so you can have your certificate The only way to help the situation is to go to the forums of the course and literally beg for others to review your submission which worked me like half the time and this was on a really popular course
J

The courses are good and getting better

The courses are good and getting better BUUUt they have to improve their payment system or they are thieves cuz after stopping my subscription they continued charging me Shame on you
B

They threw a sisyphus down hill

Poor customer support No contact possible to mentors due they disappear behind their own work - low -strife-No-quality courses I enrolled ML course in University Washington 6 in total 2nd and upward is a waste of time I cannot even start 2nd appointment due not supported yet depricated turicreate and GraphLab versions are even Python 2 is down I spent more than 100 hours to solve this with root root extractions venv all worked but in the end it says bootstrapper failed and iframes because we need to use 5-years turicreate subscription which I though due of the Github Documentation still existing and my work which we got during the first course and Coursera really does not care about it They offer you to work with nothing since you subcribed to the course On a ML course D What a joke This whole course needs a remake using Pands Matplotlib Scikit-learn etc it is already few months that the code does not work and we keep paying for the subscription for a product which is not working Mentors don t answer even after repeated email contact Maybe I was too late for this course 5yers but the course should ve been changed in perspect to the future Which was not happening Avoid this platform Maybe I ll try another ML course in Coursera Not absolveable courses with hidden poor or NONE customer support and no re-modeling the teachings Disaster
J

Support contact information almost impossible to find

Update while it was extremely difficult to contact support once I did get in touch with someone the subscription amount was refunded for two months It had been a carry over from a course my daughter accidentally subscribed to and was not visible on my profile The refund was with the caveat that it was a one time event I felt fairly treated financially with the refund However like many subscription services there is a lack of transparency for the charges in my opinion So the bottom line is that if there was a course I really wanted to take from Coursera I would be careful with how it is charged My original review is below Incredibly difficult to contact support My credit card is being charged without any subscriptions or courses being taken My profile is empty I took one small course for 13 and I think the entire thing is a scam
A

Charging me for individual courses even tho I ve the 1-year subscription

I was enrolled on two courses Then on a whim decided to take up on the one-year subscription which was 340 euros Fast forward about three months I can t believe my eyes when I see that they ve still been charging me for those courses even though they most definitely belong to the Plus -category meaning they are included in the yearly subscription So they ve sucked my blood to the tune of 280 euros I m trying to find someone to talk to now Reading these reviews I m not holding my breath UPDATE The effect of reading these reviews was that I was actually surprised when I was contacted by Coursera support Anyways they agreed to refund the individual monthly charges that should ve been already covered by the yearly subscription and were very amiable while at it so I m upgrading my review a bit
C

It s okay

The platform has some weird bugs for instance I could not view any assignment from other users for a peer review I needed to do to complete my coursework I solved this issue by searching for assignments available for peer review in the discussion forum of my course Moreover after verifying my profile information with my ID the name displayed on the certificate was the wrong one One positive aspect is that I contacted Coursera support and they answered immediately They were very nice and fixed the issue promptly The quality of the courses is meh I don t like that some instructors use a pre-recorded voice and plain text I think it s very impersonal and also a bit low-effort on their side
A

GOOD TERRIBLE

GOOD BECAUSE THEY HAVE MANY NICE COURSES AND TERRIBLE BECAUSE THEY DON T VALUE EFFICIENCY AND TIME THE VIDEOS FEATURE IS NOT GOOD WE CAN T EASILY PAUSE WITH A SINGLE CLICK LIKEYOUTUBE EVEN SIMPLE THINGS LIKE LOADING PAGES OF PRACTICE QUIZZES TAKE TIME
J

They will work with you if you are being charged but not using the service

Started free trial was charged because I forgot to cancel Ok my fault but as soon as I noticed it I immediately canceled the subscription The following month was charged again Looked at me account and was still enrolled After talking with Coursera and pleading my case I was able to get a refund They made an exception in my case because I was not using the service Case in point you may be able to get a refund if you are not using the service If you use the service and request a refund you will probably get denied Use the chat feature if you wish to connect with someone live Hope this helps be patient with them and they will work with you

About Coursera

Learn online and earn valuable credentials from top universities like Yale, Michigan, Stanford, and leading companies like Google and IBM. Join Coursera for free and transform your career with degrees, certificates, Specializations, & MOOCs in data science, computer science, business, and dozens of...

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Frequently Asked Questions

Coursera is a leading global online learning platform founded in 2012 by Stanford University professors Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller. Its mission is to provide universal access to world-class education. The platform partners with over 300 top universities and industry leaders to offer a wide range of educational content, serving millions of learners worldwide to develop skills for career advancement and personal growth.

Coursera offers a diverse catalog structured to meet various learner needs. Core offerings include: Single Courses across numerous disciplines; Specializations, which are series of courses to build expertise; Professional Certificates created by industry leaders for job preparation; Guided Projects for skill-building in under two hours; MasterTrack® Certificates, which are credit-eligible modules of master's programs; and fully accredited Online Degrees (bachelor's and master's) from partner universities.

The learning experience on Coursera.org is designed to be intuitive and accessible. It typically includes high-quality video lectures, interactive quizzes, peer-reviewed assignments, hands-on projects using virtual tools, and community discussion forums. Courses are often self-paced or session-based with flexible scheduling. The platform also offers features like financial aid for eligible programs and the ability to audit select courses for free to enhance accessibility.

Upon successful completion of programs, learners earn shareable electronic certificates and credentials recognized by employers globally. The type of credential depends on the program: single courses and specializations award course certificates; Professional Certificates and MasterTrack® Certificates provide career-oriented credentials; and Online Degrees result in fully accredited academic degrees from the granting university.

Yes, Coursera is committed to accessibility. Learners can audit many single courses for free, which allows access to course materials without graded assignments or a certificate. For those seeking certificates or enrolled in paid programs, financial aid is available for many offerings based on application and eligibility. The platform also partners with governments and organizations on initiatives to increase access.

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About Coursera

About Coursera

Coursera is a leading global online learning platform that partners with over 300 top universities and industry leaders to offer courses, professional certificates, guided projects, and full degree programs. Founded in 2012 by Stanford University professors Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller, its mission is to provide universal access to world-class education. The platform serves millions of learners worldwide, empowering individuals, organizations, and governments to develop critical skills for career advancement and personal growth in a rapidly changing digital economy.

Core Offerings and Learning Structure

Coursera's catalog is vast and diverse, structured to meet various learner needs. The primary offerings include:

  • Single Courses:Thousands of individual courses across disciplines like technology, business, data science, arts, and humanities. These are typically self-paced or session-based and include video lectures, peer-reviewed assignments, and community discussion forums.
  • Specializations:Series of related courses designed to build deep expertise in a specific skill area, culminating in a hands-on capstone project.
  • Professional Certificates:Career-oriented programs created by industry giants like Google, IBM, and Meta to prepare learners for entry-level jobs in high-demand fields such as IT support, data analytics, and UX design.
  • Guided Projects:Interactive, instructor-led tutorials that teach job-relevant skills in under two hours using a split-screen workspace.
  • MasterTrack® Certificates:Credit-eligible modules of master's programs that allow learners to earn a university certificate and potentially apply credit toward a full degree.
  • Online Degrees:Fully accredited bachelor's and master's degrees from renowned universities in fields like computer science, business administration, and public health.

Key Features and User Experience

The coursera.org website provides an intuitive and accessible learning environment. Key features include flexible scheduling, financial aid for many programs, and the ability to audit select courses for free. Learning is enhanced through high-quality video content, interactive quizzes, and hands-on projects using virtual tools. Upon completion, learners receive shareable electronic certificates and credentials that are recognized by employers globally. The platform also offers robust solutions for businesses (Coursera for Business) and campuses (Coursera for Campus), helping organizations upskill their workforce and students.

Commitment to Accessibility and Impact

Coursera demonstrates a strong commitment to making education accessible. It offers financial aid, partners with governments for workforce recovery initiatives, and provides a mobile app for learning on the go. The content is often available with subtitles in multiple languages. By bridging the gap between academia and industry, Coursera plays a pivotal role in democratizing education and addressing the global skills gap, enabling anyone with an internet connection to transform their life through learning.