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Coursera vs MIT OpenCourseWare

Head-to-head comparison: courses, certificates, cost, and who each platform is best for.

Side-by-Side Comparison

FeatureCourseraMIT OpenCourseWare
Free to start
Issues certificates
Course count68
Focus areas
All Topics
Data Science
Machine Learning
Computer Science
Algorithms
Software Engineering

Coursera

Coursera partners with top universities and companies worldwide to offer online courses, specializations, and degrees. Many courses are free to audit. Certificates are available for purchase. Features courses from Google, IBM, Stanford, University of Michigan, and hundreds more.

Full Coursera review →

MIT OpenCourseWare

MIT OpenCourseWare publishes virtually all MIT course content for free online. This includes complete materials from MIT's legendary computer science curriculum — lecture notes, problem sets, exams, and videos. Rigorous university-level content at no cost.

Full MIT OpenCourseWare review →

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Coursera or MIT OpenCourseWare?

Both Coursera and MIT OpenCourseWare offer strong free learning content. The best choice depends on your learning style and goals.

Is Coursera free to use?

Coursera offers free course access. Some features such as certificates may require payment. Check Coursera's website directly for current pricing.

Is MIT OpenCourseWare free to use?

MIT OpenCourseWare offers free course access. Some features such as certificates may require payment. Check MIT OpenCourseWare's website directly for current pricing.