Coursera Vs Edureka: Which is Better?

Coursera and Edureka focus on delivering quality learning experiences and strive to impart relevant knowledge required for professional development. However, the former has a much broader scope, as it has a variety of courses on numerous subjects and topics. The latter has a narrower scope but that helps it fine-tune its courses to suit the learners’ needs.

Does Coursera’s broader scope prevent it from using a holistic approach?

Does Edureka’s intense focus on technical skills make it a better choice for those seeking specializations?

What unique benefits do both platforms offer, and what does that mean for you?

All these questions must be flitting by in your mind at the speed of light. Let me help you find those answers. Read on whenever you are ready.  

Quick Overview: Coursera Vs Edureka

Criteria	Coursera	Edureka
Course Quality	4.7/5	4.4/5
Instructors	4.8/5	4.2/5
Support	3.5/5	4/5
Value for Money	4.3/5	4/5
Ease of Use	4.2/5	4/5
Overall Rating	4.3/5	4.1/5
	Try Coursera ↗️	Try Edureka ↗️

Comparing Coursera Vs Edureka

Using Coursera is much like learning in universities but at your own pace. The classes are engaging, the instructors are knowledgeable, and you leave the class with the required skills that help you land a job. Coursera is like a fun bestie that knows when to call you out on your faults and make you focus. 

Edureka is more persistent about making you complete the courses with constant reminders. Its approach borders on tough love. The drive to help you advance in your professional life is almost palpable.

So, how do these online learning platforms fare when compared to each other? Which will meet your needs? That’s what we will analyze in this section.

Variety of Courses

At first glance, it seems like Edureka can compete with Coursera’s course variety. But a closer look reveals that while the course categories are numerous, the courses available are comparatively limited.

Edureka has 15 course categories including popular ones such as cloud computing, DevOps, cyber security, programming & frameworks, BI and Visualization, data, and AI. However, the platform only has a grand total of 130+.

Pretty paltry compared to Coursera’s 7000+ courses, a significant portion of which is dedicated to technical skills.

Edureka offers Master courses and Certification courses (included in the count above) in addition to the regular ones.

The master courses have more in-depth content, whereas certification courses are for training for AWS, PMP, and Power BI certification exams.

A whole lot of other courses for various other certifications are available, too.

The five broad categories relating to technical skills on Coursera are data science, information technology, computer science, physical science & engineering, and math & logic.

These categories have several sub-categories which are further classified based on popular skills or topics. Phew! And, all of them have an impressive number of courses. 

Coursera provides specializations, guided projects, professional certificate programs, and MasterTracks if you don’t want to limit yourself to a course. Moreover, you can enroll in degree programs, too. 

Free Resources

You can access the Edureka free courses (only limited videos are available) on its YouTube Channel or the website (though, they are a little difficult to find). Moreover, the site has an impressive blog collection to peruse for free.

Edureka offers no free trial for getting a feel of what the learning experience will be like. However, the free webinars are excellent for gauging the site’s suitability and whether it meets your requirements.

Coursera, as you know by now (if you have been reading my articles), is my second favorite online learning platform. Why? Because it allows you to audit most of the courses for free. You can always purchase the course or subscribe later to get the certification if you think it’s worth it. Moreover, the 7-day free trial for Coursera Plus is more than enough to understand how the learning platform works and determine what the courses are like.

Most specializations and professional certificate programs can be audited as well.  Moreover, Coursera offers free courses, too (however, you need to pay to get a certificate.). What’s there to not love about this platform?

Content Quality

While others may say both platforms have great content, I feel Coursera has high-quality content, whereas Edureka has good-quality content.

Moreover, Coursera is known for its perfect blend of theory and practice, whereas Edureka focuses more on practical skills. 

Too much focus on practice with limited theoretical explanation never ends well for me. I have to understand everything before I start a project. How to do it? What could go wrong and what to do in those situations? Diving head-first blindly may work for some, but not me. So, I prefer Coursera.

Course Instructors

The mistake most people make is to brush off Coursera as a platform with instructors who are mostly professors or people with academic backgrounds.

While professors from reputed universities do instruct several courses, professionals from industry giants like Google, Microsoft, and the like design and teach them, too. Never underestimate the quality and efficiency of an instructor on Coursera. 

Edureka has courses designed and taught by professionals with industry experience. They are competent and knowledgeable. However, they are nowhere near being in the same league as Coursera’s instructors.

Learning Methods

Coursera courses predominantly use pre-recorded video lectures to help you learn. The readings, quizzes, and assignments are fantastic. The projects are even more awesome. Some Professional Certificate programs on Coursera have live sessions, too. It’s a great way to interact with your instructors.

Edureka offers live classes and self-paced courses with pre-recorded videos. You get the best of both worlds! The quizzes, assignments, and projects augment the course content. In short, both sites use pretty similar learning methodologies.

Practical Focus

Coursera has excellent capstone projects for its courses. The professional certificate programs have even more intense projects to help you build the necessary job skills. And, if you don’t want to spend too much time on theory, you can opt for guided projects. 

They are a blessing to anyone looking to quickly build their skills effectively and efficiently. The instructors offer step-by-step instructions for completing the projects and using the relevant tools and software. 

Edureka projects are industry-specific and great for honing your practical skills. However, what may potentially give Edureka an edge over Coursera in this section is the support you get until you complete the courses including the projects. You can contact course counselors anytime you feel stuck on a concept or project.

Certification Value

Coursera’s strongest pleasure point is the accredited certifications. Not only does it provide courses designed by top universities and industry giants, but also globally recognized certifications.

Several users have gushed about how their careers improved for the better or how they snagged the job they set their eyes on. 

Edureka’s certificates are valuable in the sense that they prove you completed an online course. But that’s all. They are not accredited, and therefore, do not hold the same value as Coursera’s, no matter which prestigious institution they collaborate with to provide courses.

Pricing and Value for Money

Edureka has no subscription plans. You can buy individual courses on this platform and get lifetime access. What I like about this site is that if you don’t feel like the whole cost upfront, it provides an option to pay in installments (at no extra cost). This payment option is highly helpful for budget-conscious or wary first-time users like me.

The price varies according to the course. Some courses cost $235, whereas others cost more $1,000.

So, check the price for the specific course you are interested in to see if it’s affordable. Sometimes, Edureka provides discounts on its courses and coupon codes to ease the pain of parting with your money.

Coursera allows you to purchase courses or subscribe to access 90% of the courses, specializations, and professional certificates.

Individual courses cost between $49 and $99, whereas Coursera Plus costs $59/month and $399/year. Guided projects start at $9.99, and MasterTrack programs cost between $2000 and $5000.

Don’t balk at the price of MasterTrack programs; your MasterTrack coursework counts toward a master’s degree (in most cases). The cost of a Bachelor’s degree ranges between $9000 and $30,000, and a Master’s between $9,000 and $50,000.

I would say Coursera is worth every penny you spend on it. The skills you gain, the valuable certificates, and the practice you get help achieve your dream job.

What about Edureka? Are the prices worth it? It depends on your goals and budget. Some users feel the courses are more expensive than justifiable, while others think the real-world projects and lifetime access make them worth it. However, it loses points for not providing accredited certificates.

Refund Criteria

Coursera offers a 14-day period for requesting refunds on course purchases.

However, you aren’t eligible for a refund if you earn a certificate within those 14 days. MaterTack programs, too, have a refund window of two weeks.

Coursera doesn’t provide refunds on subscriptions and guided projects. 

Edureka has a lousy refund policy compared to other online learning platforms. You can request a refund within 3 days of purchase.

Getting a refund is possible if you haven’t accessed more than 2 classes or 10% of the content, or downloaded any course material. No refunds are available for programs offered by universities and colleges.

Customer Support

Coursera has well-compiled help center articles for resolving most issues you may face. If those don’t prove helpful, you can use this mail address (learner-support@coursera.org) to contact customer support.

Alternatively, you can use the website’s chatbot. Coursera support agents help resolve your problems; however, the speed at which they do that varies. That is, the resolution may be prompt or it may take forever.

Edureka provides 24×7 customer support. You can reach out to them via phone (+1 888 732 7043) or email (support@edureka.co). They are known for their prompt responses. Users are mostly satisfied with the support provided. However, a few have complained about slow responses.

Community

The Edureka community is supportive. You can browse through the database of questions or ask one yourself.

Coursera, too, has a fantastic community. You can use the community forum to interact, learn, and discuss with other learners or use the discussion forums (available in each course). 

Accessibility & Device Compatibility

Coursera is awesome because it has gone to great lengths to ensure even learners with disabilities can benefit from their content. The screen reader compatibility and keyboard navigation make this possible. You can access the course content on computers, smartphones, and tablets. Use Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari for the best experience.

Edureka, too, has screen reader compatibility and keyboard navigation; however, they are not as robust as Coursera’s. Course content can be accessed via phones, laptops/desktops, and tablets. You can use Chrome, Edge, Safari, Opera, or Firefox.

Learner Reviews: What Other Users Say

Coursera users appreciate their newfound skills, the numerous job opportunities unlocked, and the increased pay as a result of professional development. They are incredibly happy with Coursera’s flexible learning schedules, knowledgeable instructors, and helpful hands-on practice.

Edureka users love the live classes and the rapport the instructors establish. They like the well-structured curriculum (though some users think some parts feel rushed or watered-down). However, the overall learning experience appears to be positive.

Who Should Use Edureka?

Edureka is an excellent choice if you want to gain industry-specific career skills in a short time. Also, the high course completion rates of this site are heartening to see. If you need some encouragement or a not-so-subtle nudge to finish a course, Edureka will suit you just fine. The pros of using this platform are:

• You can choose live classes or self-paced learning. 
• Intense focus on projects.
• Experienced instructors.
• Pay-per-course.
• Lifetime access.

Who Should Use Coursera?

Coursera is a fantastic choice for personal and professional development. Its courses are exceptionally fabulous and help Coursera make good on its promises. That is, users get increased pay, advance in their careers, or successfully transition from their current field to the one they aspire to excel at. The pros of using Coursera are:

• Comprehensive curriculum.
• High-quality content.
• Veteran instructors.
• Flexible learning schedule.
• Most courses are available for audit.
• Valuable certificates.
• Excellent projects to work on.

Alternatives

Not satisfied with Coursera or Edureka? No worries. You can try out these alternatives.

Udemy

Udemy is an excellent alternative for almost any platform you can think of, as it’s rightly said that it has several courses for every skill. It is affordable, accessible, and rich in content. Do I need to say more?

edX

edX is one of the top players among online learning platforms with a strong focus on technical and business skills. It’s similar to Coursera in many aspects such as quality content, variety of courses, active community, and expert instructors. Since prestigious institutions teach the courses, you will have no problem finding a job with the certificates you earn.

Udacity

While Udacity has excellent course content, its projects are the standout feature. They are awesome and the continued instructor support and feedback ensures you build a stellar portfolio. As you are mentored by subject matter experts and industry professionals, you gain insights into the industry while simultaneously improving your skills.

Final Verdict: Coursera Vs Edureka

For a balanced learning approach with strong theoretical foundations and practical applications, choose Coursera.

Pick Edureka to dive straight into projects (and hopefully figure out the theory on the go) and gain industry insights. If you are still unsure, I think Coursera won the Edureka Vs Coursera battle as it may prove more advantageous for your career with global and industry-recognized certificates.

FAQs

1. Which is more affordable: Coursera or Edureka?

In the long run, Coursera is more affordable. However, if you want to complete specific or limited courses, Edureka might be a better option.

2. Between Edureka And Coursera, which is more suitable for learning in-demand technologies like AI, ML, and Data Science?

Both are great. However, Coursera also offers more rigorous courses and can satisfy your curiosity and thirst for knowledge. Edureka is suitable for industry-relevant skills quickly.

3. Which platform, Edureka or Coursera, offers a better hands-on learning experience and more practical projects?

Edureka projects are more niche and industry-specific. Coursera projects are versatile enough to be applied in various industries. Both offer excellent projects; so, choose one based on your goals and expectations.