Udemy Alternatives in 2023

Last Updated: January 28, 2023

With 54 million learners and 213,000 courses, Udemy is one of the largest online learning platforms. Whether you want to brush up on an existing skill or learn something new, Udemy offers excellent options for students and professionals. It is a global e-learning marketplace that caters to the needs of lifelong learners from more than 190 countries.

Udemy is an excellent option for learning new or acquiring new habits. But there are several reasons you might ask about Udemy alternatives. For example, beginner learners may find Udemy courses overwhelming. Some might find a Udemy alternative to earn an accredited certificate.

No matter the reason, you can find numerous good Udemy alternatives to learn anything at any time. This article will share some of the best options for Udemy.

Reasons to Find a Udemy Alternative

Udemy is one of the greatest online educational portals, but it is worth your time and money only if:

• You’re looking to develop a skill in a high-demanding discipline without requiring an accredited certificate
• You want to take each course separately instead of purchasing a subscription
• You’re a larger organization or business looking for a wholesale way to educate your teams and employees with up-to-date and relevant knowledge.

Some passionate learners who want to engage with an interactive community of like-minded learners may look for a Udemy alternative. You can also choose another virtual learning space if you need a lengthy free trial before becoming a paying member.

Things to Consider When Looking for a Udemy Alternative

Before heading towards the list of Udemy Alternatives, here are a few key factors you need to look for in Udemy alternatives:

• The duration of the free trial
• Certificates
• Course quality
• User’s interface
• Number of courses
• Number of free courses

All these key factors will help you find an excellent online learning platform that can fit well with your learning goals.

Best Udemy Alternatives

Here is a list of Udemy competitors for accessing high-quality educational resources on your smartphones and computers.

1. Skillshare

Skillshare can be the best alternative to Udemy because its interface is very similar to Udemy. Developed in 2010 by Malcolm Ong and Michael Karnjanaprakorn, Skillshare offers 2,000 classes for free. You can also access 2,700+ online courses with Skillshare’s premium Membership. You can expect to find courses in the following high-demanding fields:

• Animation
• Web Development
• UI/UX Design
• Leadership & Management
• Freelance & Entrepreneurship
• Photography
• Music
• Public Speaking
• Fine Arts
• Film & Video
• Creative Writing

With more than 12 million active users, Skillshare is also one of the fastest-growing virtual learning platforms.

Pros of Skillshare

• One-month free trial
• The sheer vastness of courses
• An interactive community of learners
• Affordable subscription plans
• Project-based learning environment
• Multiple marketing integrations
• A responsive mobile app for the on-the-go learning experience

Cons of Skillshare

• Lack of recognized certificates
• No LMS integrations
• Inconsistent course quality

Cost of Skillshare

Monthly Subscription Plan: $32

Yearly Subscription Plan: $168 ($14 per month)

2. LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning can best suit your goals, whether you’re an individual hoping to learn a new skill or an organization looking for a wholesale way to empower your employees. With more than 600 million users and 16,000+ courses, LinkedIn Learning can be the most fantastic alternative site to Udemy.

Courses of LinkedIn Learning cover a range of trending topics, including but not limited to:

• Business
• Technology
• Digital Transformation
• Project Management
• Programming

The platform also offers courses in 7 different languages, including English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Portuguese, and Simplified Chinese.

Pros of LinkedIn Learning

• 1-month free trial
• An easy-to-use interface with quality control measures
• Self-paced learning environment
• A fantastic LinkedIn Learning app
• Offline learning ability
• A comprehensive collection of courses
• Hands-on practice exercises and quizzes with each course

Cons of LinkedIn Learning

• Lack of LMS, analytics, and marketing integrations
• Complicated course categorization
• Lack of interaction with teachers

Cost of LinkedIn Learning

Monthly Subscription Plan: $39.99

Yearly Subscription Plan: $323.88

3. Coursera

Coursera is another good alternative site to Udemy, which was founded by two Stanford University computer science professors, Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller, in 2012. The platform offers over 7,000 courses ranging from short courses and bachelor’s to master’s degrees. Coursera is a legit virtual learning platform that partners with the world’s prestigious universities and top-rated companies, including Imperial College of London, the University of Michigan, Stanford University, Yale University, IBM, and Google. The collaboration with 200+ accredited institutions helps Coursera become a top choice for those looking for online learning sites like Udemy. It offers some specialization programs in different niches, such as:

• Communication Skills
• Data Science
• Digital Marketing
• Artificial Intelligence
• Healthcare IT Support

Pros of Coursera

• A free trial of 7 days on a Coursera Plus subscription
• Scholarships for low-income learners
• Accredited course completion certificates
• User-friendly interface
• Quizzes and exercises for a hands-on learning experience
• High-quality video courses with offline learning
• An exclusive collection of free courses

Cons of Coursera

• Outdated content for some courses
• No completion certificates for free courses
• Courses are slightly costlier

Coursera features guided projects and courses to help learners learn a new skill in a matter of hours.

Cost of Coursera

Single Learning Program: $49 to $79

Coursera Plus Monthly: $59

Coursera Plus Annual: $339

4. Udacity

Founded by Sebastian Thurn, Mike Sokolsky, and David Stevens in 2011, Udacity is one of the well-reputed portals that offer massive open online courses (MOOCs). The platform is empowering more than 11.5 million users all over the world. Like LinkedIn Learning, Udacity collaborates with some of the world’s best universities and organizations. It gives access to 200+ free courses, enabling low-income learners to receive a high-quality education. Most of the Udacity courses are focused on data science and web development. You may expect to find classes in the following high-in-demand disciplines:

• Business
• Artificial Intelligence
• Data Science
• Cloud Computing
• Programming and Development

Udacity also offers nano degree programs that cover various industry niches, from data science and web development to business management.

Pros of Udacity

• Collaboration with high-rated organizations like Amazon, Microsoft, and Facebook
• A great collection of courses for covering all the trendy topics
• 200+ free courses
• A flexible and self-paced learning environment
• Real-world problems to make learning engaging and relevant

Cons of Udacity

• Courses are not accredited
• Lack of course completion certificate
• Expensive subscription plans

Cost of Udacity

You may expect to pay up to $200 to enroll in one of Udacity’s programs.

5. MasterClass

MasterClass can be worth exploring if you’re looking for reputable sites like Udemy. It was founded in 2014 by a Stanford student, David Rogier. This San-Francisco-based e-learning space features an array of exceptional courses taught by experienced and skilled instructors. You can find 100+ courses on MasterClass that covers a range of industry niches. You can enroll in the following MasterClass courses:

• Yoga Foundation
• Mindful Meditation
• Arts and Creativity
• Graphic Designing
• Producing and Beat Making
• Business Leadership
• Writing for Television
• The Art of Home Decoration

Pros of MasterClass

• Celebrity instructors
• Up-to-date content with high-quality videos and audio
• Comprehensive workbooks
• Affordable prices for an annual subscription plan
• A dedicated MasterClass app for a convenient learning experience

Cons of MasterClass

• A less progressive learning environment
• Lack of interaction with teachers
• No free trial

Cost of MasterClass

Individual Membership: $180 per year

Duo Membership: $240 per year

Family Membership: $276 per year

6. edX

With 3,000 courses and 25 million users, edX is one of the greatest Udemy alternatives. MIT and Harvard founded this e-learning platform. edX also partners with top-excelling institutions such as Harvard, MIT, and Berkeley. The platform aims to provide lifelong learners with high-quality educational resources. It delivers its courses in different languages, including:

• English
• French
• Spanish
• Italian

The edX courses cover a range of industry niches, such as:

• Architecture
• Engineering
• Art
• Environmental Sciences
• Biology
• Physics
• Economics
• Business Administration
• Education
• Data Analysis
• Computer Programming
• Design

Pros of edX

• Self-paced learning
• A 14-day refund policy
• Valuable courses for all levels of learners
• Offline learning options
• Simplest interface
• A variety of free edX courses
• Accredited course completion certificates

Cons of edX

• Some courses are not well-formatted
• Costlier master’s degree programs

Cost of edX

You may have to pay between $50 and $300 to enroll in a Verified Track of edX.

7. DataCamp

DataCamp is a relatively new but excellent alternative to Udemy. A group of data scientists in 2020 founded it. The platform is empowering more than 10 million users with its 350+ courses. The courses of DataCamp primarily focused on tech-related disciplines, such as:

• Spreadsheets
• Spark
• Scala
• Power BI
• Excel
• Shell

Pros of DataCamp

• Excellent UX
• Career and Skill Tracks
• Live events to make learning more engaging
• Easy-to-understand course content
• Labs and spaces for practicing your coding skills

Cons of DataCamp

• No refund policy
• Lack of course completion certificates

Cost of DataCamp

Basic Plan: Free

Premium Plan: $300 per year

The Bottom Line

Udemy is a highly-recommended online learning company. More than 80% of companies rely on Udemy to train their employees with relevant and up-to-date knowledge. Some learners may find Udemy courses expensive, so they look for Udemy alternatives. We hope our list of best Udemy alternatives will help you select an option that best meets your learning goals.