My article on Coursera vs Pluralsight will give you insights into which platform is ideal for you!
For starters, Coursera offers 7K+ courses that tackle various subjects like Data Analysis, Business, Arts, and Coding.
Meanwhile, Pluralsight focuses explicitly on IT and gives 7K+ courses on related topics.
However, both platforms cater to different needs, and after exploring both platforms and going through hundreds of online reviews, here is a detailed comparison between Coursera and Pluralsight!
In this post, I have broken down all the differences between the courses, pricing structure, certifications, and other prominent factors to help you decide which one is worth paying for.
Ultimately, I have also shared user reviews so you can view Pluralsight and Coursera from multiple perspectives and understand which one to choose!
Comparison Overview – Coursera vs Pluralsight
Before reviewing my detailed insights on Coursera and Pluralsight’s breakdown, let’s skimp through their key features.
| Features | Coursera | Pluralsight | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 4/5 | 3.6/5 | Coursera |
| Starting Price | $49 for a Single Course | $29/ Month | Pluralsight |
| Free Trial | 7 Days | 10 Days | Pluralsight |
| Free Courses | 1400+ | Not Available | Coursera |
| Best For | College Students | IT and Business Professionals | Depends on your search intent |
| Content Focus | Business, Data Analysis, Languages, and Information Technology. | Software development, Data Analysis, and Coding. | Both |
| Instructors | College Professors | Experts from various industry | Both |
| Ease of use | It is self-paced learning that jumps between courses without affecting the earned progress so far. | Related courses are well categorized, making navigation easier. | Both |
| Value for money | 5/5 | 4/5 | Coursera |
| Total Courses | 7000+ | 7000+ | Both |
| Content Quality | 4/5 | 4/5 | Both |
| Customer Support | 5/5 | 4/5 | Coursera |
| Available Languages | 17+ languages with AI support | 50+ | Pluralsight |
| Certificates | Accredited | Not accredited | Coursera |
| Users | 142 Million Users | 5.42 Million | Coursera |
| Refund Policy | 14 Days | Not Available | Coursera |
What Is Coursera?
Coursera is a learning platform that offers free and paid courses. Coursera includes many certificate courses to help you earn a MasterTrack, professional, or degree certificate from a prestigious school or organization like Brown, Yale, Harvard, Google, and Meta.
You can also finish a specialization in your field with Coursera’s help. The easy-to-follow pre-made learning paths will help you gain more knowledge in business, computer science and data science, engineering, health, humanities, arts, languages, logic, math, personal development, physical science, and social science.
You can check out my detailed Coursera Review to explore the platform and how it worked for me!
Pros and Cons of Coursera
A few pros and cons of Coursera are-
Pros
- Host to Ivy League schools
- Many courses by tech giants
- Enhances your resume with unlimited certificates
- It helps you learn without prior experience
- Qualified tutors
- Financial Aid and scholarships are available
- Courses available in many languages
Cons
- Some courses can be time-consuming
- Lack of motivation
- The price model can be confusing
- Certificates are not free
What Is Pluralsight?
Pluralsight is a learning platform that offers tech enthusiasts an excellent opportunity to learn subjects related to technology, software development, IT, and data science.
CS and IT professionals curate the courses on this platform, making them updated and relevant to the job skills required here & now. Approximately 2,500 expert authors related to the tech workforce are available on Pluralsight.
Check out my experience with Pluralsight and how the courses helped me.
Pros and Cons of Pluralsight
A few pros and cons of Pluralsight are-
Pros
- Structured learning
- Lab feature to practice what you have learned.
- 7,000+ courses
- Great for upskilling
- Interactive
- Focused on technology, software development, IT, and data science.
- Offers corporate training to big and small companies.
Cons
- Complicated set-up
- Some tutors are great at their job but need to gain teaching skills.
Who is Coursera Best For?
Coursera is best for anyone seeking unlimited certificates and overall development. Coursera certificates are widely recognized and respected by employers. Coursera courses also help you learn the soft skills required to prepare you for a job interview.
Who Is Pluralsight Best For?
Plural sight is best for programmers, data scientists, data analysts, software engineers, computer engineers, IT professionals, and anyone in the tech workforce. Additionally, Pluralsight is great for anyone looking to gain basic knowledge, even if you’re a novice, and it is a great platform for revision for advanced-level professionals.
Coursera vs Pluralsight: Detailed Comparision
Now that you know the basics about these learning platforms, let us look at some details you should consider before you subscribe to one.
Interface Comparison: Pluralsight Regularly Updates Its Website To Ensure Zero Lags
Coursera’s interface is pleasant and light in color. The website is easy to use and intuitive. However, I had one problem, i.e., finding the refund policy. I had to click around a bunch of options to read the policy. You will see the use of blue and white predominantly on Coursera, as shown in the image below.
Pluralsight, on the other hand, has a dark-colored theme and is intuitive and easy to use. The platform is regularly updated (maybe due to its tech background), making the user interface and browsing smooth without any lags.
Verdict: I like Pluralsight’s interface more than Coursera. Coursera can learn to update their platform regularly, like Pluralsight, to ensure no lags.
Instructors: Both Coursera And Pluralsight Offer Expert Instructors
Coursera, a host to Ivy League schools and tech giants, helps learners access lectures and classes made and taught by professors and industry experts. In the image below, you will find Professor Laurie Santos from Yale delivering a lecture on Coursera.
Pluralsight, as mentioned before, has courses curated by more than 2,500 industry experts who have been working and developing relevant job skills in the tech workforce. Below, you see expert Mattias Andersson, a Principal Developer Advocate, delivering a lecture.
Verdict: Both platforms offer great instructors from relevant fields. However, Coursera has teachers who have taught for 20+ years, giving you the feel of learning from a traditional teacher in a classroom.
Course Availability & Quality: Coursera Provides More & Better Courses
Coursera and Pluralsight both offer 7,000+ courses. However, Coursera offers courses in more varied subjects than Pluralsight, which focuses only on tech.
As I mentioned before, Coursera’s professors possess more than 20+ years of experience in teaching. This outweighs the experts’ practical knowledge on Pluralsight.
Verdict: Coursera covers more subjects, whereas Pluralsight only covers technology-related courses. The quality of courses is also better on Coursera due to its professors.
Best Courses From Coursera And Pluralsight (My recommendations)
Let us begin with my top recommendations for courses from Coursera, followed by recommendations for Pluralsight.
Coursera Course Recommendations
My top Coursera course picks are as follows-
- Google Data Analytics
I have taken the Google Data Analytics course on Coursera, and I can assure you that this course is great for beginners to start their journey in data analytics.
I took a lot more time since I was completely new to this field, but if you know how to use Python, R, SQL, and Tableau, you can finish the course in just six months and earn a certificate from Google.
- Science of Well-Being by Yale
This is a free course on Coursera. Yale University brings the course on Coursera and will help you introduce habits into your life that will make you a calmer and happier person.
By the end of this course, you will gain skills that will help you become aware of concepts like gratitude, happiness, meditation, and savoring.
- Intuit Academy Bookkeeping Professional Certificate
If you want to make a career in finance or accountancy, this renowned course by Intuit is where you should start. It takes approximately two months to complete this course.
On finishing this course, you get a shareable certificate testifying that you have taken the course and learned about the basics of bookkeeping and accounting measurements.
Pluralsight Course Recommendations
My top picks of Pluralsight courses are-
- Introduction: Data Structures and Algorithms in C++
This is a short course of 3 hours and 29 minutes taught by expert Giovanni Dicanio. You must possess some basic knowledge of coding. However, no prior knowledge of data structure or algorithm theory is required.
It teaches learners the basics of data structures and algorithms in C++ and Big O notation to evaluate and compare algorithm performance trends.
- JavaScript: Getting Started
This beginner-friendly course taught by industry expert Mark Zamoyta will teach you how to develop skills and knowledge in JavaScript to create simple programs, create simple web applications, and modify web pages.
You can complete this course in just 4 hours only. What I like about this course is how the instructor breaks down complicated topics like coding and JavaSript, making them digestible for newbies like me.
- Data Science with R
Finish this course in 2 hours and 31 minutes, and learn basic concepts like data science, R programming language, and how to transform data into actionable insight.
The course is taught by expert Matthew Renze, a data science consultant, author, and famous public speaker.
Certification & Value Of The Coursera Certificate Is More Compared To Pluralsight
Coursera certificates are recognized by hiring managers and employers globally, making them valuable and accredited.
Coursera has a good reputation due to its partnership with prestigious colleges, universities, and organizations.
Similarly, The course certificates offered by Pluralsight are provided by Pluralsight itself, fetching less value than certificates offered by Coursera, which are provided by the school, university, or the organization hosting the course.
However, it is essential to note that both platforms offer course completion certificates and are not equivalent to passing certificates from a traditional school or university.
Verdict: Coursera Certificates are more widely recognized than Pluralsight.
Available Languages
Pluralsight supports transcripts in over 50 languages. However, the audio is available in only ten languages. The rest of the 40 languages have the option of subtitles.
Some of these language available in the subtitle are mentioned below:
- Spanish
- French
- Dutch
- Danish
- German
- Portuguese
- Polish
- Swedish
- Korean
- Japanese
- Norwegian
- Dutch
- English
- Russian
- Thai
- Turkish
- Mandarin
- Italian
- Vietnamese
- Greek
On the other hand, Coursera supports auto-translated closed captions in nearly 21 language options, such as
- English
- French
- Spanish
- Chinese
- Korean
- Russian
- Hindi
- Italian
- Afrikaans
- Dutch
- Swedish
- Greek
- Portuguese
- Arabic
- Ukrainian
- Japanese
- Indonesian
- Polish
- Turkish
- Kazakh
Pricing: Coursera Offers Value For Money
| Parameters | Coursera | Pluralsight |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $59 | $29 |
| Monthly Premium plan | ❌ | $45 |
| Yearly price | $399 | $299 |
| Yearly Premium | ❌ | $449 |
| Free trial | Only on the Annual Plan | Available for both |
You get access to 90% of Coursera’s content for $59 (monthly) and $399 (yearly). This fee also opens up the chance for learners to earn unlimited certificates on Coursera.
Additionally, Coursera also offers a 7-day free trial on the monthly and annual plans.
On the other hand, You can opt for the standard ($29/ month or the premium ($45/ month) plan of Pluralsight, which includes access to 5k or 7k courses, respectively.
Both these platforms offer discounts regularly around the holiday season. There is no offer on Pluralsight currently, but Coursera offers a Coursera Plus annual subscription for $1 for the first month only.
You can get a Coursera discount and save up to $100 on your purchase!
In addition to being cheaper than Pluralsight, Coursera certificates also hold a higher value as they are recognized globally. The range of courses on Coursera is wider than on Pluralsight. Therefore, Coursera is a clear winner for me.
Verdict- Coursera is cheaper but more valuable than Pluralsight.
Free Courses
Coursera offers almost 3,000 free courses on its platform. Learners can get a certificate for many of these courses by paying a small fee.
Pluralsight, on the other hand, offers no free courses on its platform. You can take the 10-day free trial to check the course you like before you make a financial commitment.
Coursera vs Pluralsight: User Reviews & Testimonials
Before going through each platform’s testimonials, let’s go through its user ratings first:-
| Features | Coursera | Pluralsight |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 9/10 | 7.6/10 |
| Value for money | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| Content Quality | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| Customer Support | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Coursera Testimonials
“I like most that they provide financial aid to needy students like me who can apply to get the scholarship and can upskill. It helps to refine my skills and upgrade myself to get a job.”
Keta A. (Logistics and Supply Chain) —⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Source: G2
“Coursera stands out for its diverse courses spanning many subjects, catering to a broad spectrum of interests and professional needs.”
Prutviraj M. Sanuwar (Small Business – 50 or less employees) –⭐⭐⭐⭐
Source: G2
Pluralsight Testimonials
“The courses are well laid out and cut to the point. I have used Pluralsight for a few months now and feel it has taught me many valuable skills relevant to my job role, and the material is frequently updated.”
Alex M. (ICT Infrastructure Engineer) —⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Source: G2
“The Dashboard is really nice. You can view your team’s progress and keep track of all the courses your team is working on. The Dashboard is very well thought out and quickly gives you all the information you need.”
Larry B. (Information Technology Specialist) –⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Source: G2
Alternatives To Coursera And Pluralsight
Check out the alternative battle for Coursera and Pluralsight. In the table below, I have compared the features of Datacamp, Udemy, and Linkedin Learnings:-
| Features | Coursera | Pluralsight | Datacamp | Udemy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Ratings | 4/5 | 3.6/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 |
| Ease of Use | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| Value for Money | 5/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| Available Courses | 7000+ | 5000+ | 400 | 210K+ |
| Price | $33.25 | $29 | $13/ Month | $20/ Month |
| Free Trial | 7 days | 10 days | Unlimited for certain courses | 7 Days |
| Refund Policy | 14 days | Not Available | Not available | 30 Days |
| Free Courses | 1400+ | Not Available | 32 | 500+ |
| Certificates | Accredited | Not Available | Certificate courses are available, but they are not accredited | Not available |
Other comparisons to check out!
Wrapping Up – I Prefer Coursera Over Pluralsight
I want to conclude by saying that between Coursera and Pluralsight, it took a lot of work to choose which is better. Still, based on the detailed comparison, Coursera is a winner in most parameters.
I prefer Coursera, too, as I want to earn certificates that will strengthen my CV and help me leave a lasting impression on my future employers. Plus, Coursera’s annual membership is more affordable than Pluralsight.
The offer on Coursera was also another plus point for me. That said, I suggest Pluralsight revise concepts used in IT and Computer science jobs, whereas I recommend getting Coursera to learn skills and gain knowledge from scratch.
