Coursera sells online courses, Specializations, Professional Certificates and degrees from universities and companies, either one at a time or through the Coursera Plus subscription.
The choice that moves the price most is billing: the annual Coursera Plus plan saves 40% over paying month by month.
Coursera's founders, Daphne Koller and Andrew Ng, launched it in 2012, aiming to make high-quality learning available to anyone. It now works with more than 375 universities and companies, among them Google, IBM, Microsoft, Stanford, the University of Michigan, OpenAI and Anthropic, and it recently combined with Udemy. It is organized as a public benefit corporation in Delaware and holds B Corp status.
The catalog spans business, AI, data science, computer science, IT, healthcare, the arts and humanities, social sciences, language learning, engineering and math, alongside hands-on projects and MasterTrack certificates. Platform features include an AI-powered learning guide, Role Play and Course Builder for instructors, and Skills Tracks for employers. Separate offerings serve businesses, universities and governments, some courses can be audited without a certificate, and financial aid is open to eligible learners.
When shoppers look for Coursera coupons
Coursera coupon searches peak in April, about 1.9× a typical month, and dip lowest in May.
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US Google searches, Sep 2025 to Aug 2026. Search interest, not sales.
Coursera shipping, returns and perks
Coursera Plus
One subscription opens unlimited access to thousands of courses, Specializations and Professional Certificates.
Monthly plan
Monthly Coursera Plus starts with a 7-day free trial and can be cancelled anytime.
Annual plan
Billing yearly saves 40% and comes with a 14-day money-back guarantee if the subscription isn't a fit.
Single purchases
A course can be bought on its own, or several can be bought together as a bundled Specialization.
Free audit
Some courses can be audited free, with videos and readings but no graded work or certificate.
Financial aid
Financial aid is available to eligible learners, so it's worth checking before paying for a course.
Teams
Coursera for Teams covers up to 125 employees and is priced per user for 12 months.
Auditing is the cheapest route at Coursera: some courses let you watch the videos and read the materials free, though graded work and the certificate stay locked.
Financial aid covers eligible learners who need the paid version.
For a group, Coursera for Teams handles up to 125 employees on per-user pricing for 12 months.
Coursera questions, answered
Does Coursera Plus have a free trial?
The monthly Coursera Plus plan comes with a 7-day free trial. It can be cancelled anytime after that.
Is the annual Coursera Plus plan refundable?
The annual plan carries a 14-day money-back guarantee. Monthly billing is the flexible option, since it can be cancelled anytime.
How much does the annual Coursera Plus plan save?
Paying annually saves 40% compared with monthly billing. Both give unlimited access to thousands of courses, Specializations and Professional Certificates.
Can Coursera courses be taken for free?
Some courses can be audited free, which covers the videos and readings. Graded work and the certificate need a paid enrollment.
Does Coursera offer financial aid?
Financial aid is available to eligible learners on Coursera.
Does Coursera have a plan for companies?
Coursera for Teams covers up to 125 employees, priced per user for 12 months.