Updated September 30, 2026 · AcademyCue Editorial Team
Alison vs Alpha Academy
Alison
Higher score in this comparison
Alpha Academy
What sets them apart
| Compare | AlisonReviewVisitVisit | Alpha AcademyReviewVisitVisit |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | €6.60 | £19.99 |
| Price per year | €79 | £49 |
| Free tier | YesHas it | No |
| Platform type | Curated | Subscription |
| Number of courses | 6,000Higher | 2,500 |
| Price per month | €7.99 | Not confirmed |
| Certificate fee | Not confirmed | £11.99 to £24 |
| Money-back period | Not confirmed | 14 days |
| Course languages | English, Spanish | Not confirmed |
| Access period | Not confirmed | 12 months |
| Offline downloads | Yes | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Graded assessments (Yes), Team plan (Yes).
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Key differences
- Alison scores higher overall: 9.4 vs 9.1.
- Free tier: only Alison.
- Number of courses is higher at Alison: 6,000 vs 2,500.
- Support channels: only Alison offers Chat.
- Support channels: only Alpha Academy offers Phone.
- Subjects: only Alison offers Science, Humanities.
- Subjects: only Alpha Academy offers Coding, Data, Design.
Our verdict on each
Alison
Alison pairs a curated catalogue of 6,000 courses with an entry price of €6.60, and its paid plan holds €7.99 a month or €79 a year. It suits self-directed learners who want breadth plus a completion certificate, and organisations buying for a group.
Alpha Academy
Alpha Academy suits UK learners who want a single subscription across many subjects and can commit to a full year. The yearly plan at £49 is the strong point, while the certificate at £11.99 to £24 and the absent free tier mean the real cost depends on how many courses you finish.
Score breakdown
| Area | Alison | Alpha Academy |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.8HigherEntry at €6.60 sits under the site entry median, €35.08, and the yearly plan is €79. | 9.2Yearly plan £49 sits against an entry price of £19.99, with certificate costs at £11.99 to £24 on top. |
| Offer | 9.3HigherAssessments, offline download and a free tier sit alongside 6,000 courses, so the catalogue does more than listing. | 9.1Catalogue of 2,500 courses across coding, data and it, access for 12 months, assessments yes, and a team plan. |
| Trust | 9.0HigherCompletion certificates with cpd recognition, and a named operator, Capernaum Limited, based in IE. | 8.8Money back for 14 days, run by Adams Academy Inc. Ltd. in GB, with email, phone and help centre support. |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | Alison | Alpha Academy |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Ireland | United Kingdom |
How they place
| Ranking | Alison | Alpha Academy |
|---|---|---|
| Online course platforms | 6 of 349 | 35 of 349 |
| Coding and data courses | 3 of 117 | 13 of 117 |
If neither fits
Reed Courses has number of courses at 30,759, against 6,000 for Alison and 2,500 for Alpha Academy.
Reed Courses reviewSources behind this comparison
Alison
- alison.com: 17 facts, checked September 30, 2026
Alpha Academy
- alphaacademy.org: 16 facts, checked September 30, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Alison | Alpha Academy |
|---|---|---|
| Subjects | It, Business, Languages, Science, Humanities | Coding, Data, It, Business, Design, Creative, Languages |
| Certificate types | Completion | Completion |
| Credit recognition | Cpd | Cpd |
| Legal entity | Capernaum Limited | Adams Academy Inc. Ltd. |
| Headquarters | Ireland | United Kingdom |
| Founded | 2007 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Help centre | Email, Phone, Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Alison | Alpha Academy | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price per month | €7.99lowest quarter | Not confirmed | €29.45 |
| Certificate fee | Not confirmed | £11.99 to £24highest quarter | £0 |
| Money-back period | Not confirmed | 14 daysat the median | 14 days |
| Number of courses | 6,000highest quarter | 2,500highest quarter | 250 |
| Access period | Not confirmed | 12 monthsat the median | 12 months |
Median across 172 listed providers.
Pros and cons
Alison
Pros
- A free tier and an entry price of €6.60 mean the first step of study costs nothing to try.
- The catalogue holds 6,000 courses across it, business and languages, wider than any single-field provider on this comparison.
- The paid plan's €7.99 monthly figure sits well under the site monthly median, €18.59.
Cons
- The certificate listed is a completion certificate, completion, so anyone after a professional award should compare DRCertifications.
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre, with no phone line among the channels.
- Course material is offered in English and Spanish, which narrows the audience for a multilingual team.
Alpha Academy
Pros
- The annual plan at £49 ranks 11 of 78 on yearly price, well ahead of its own entry price.
- A catalogue of 2,500 courses spreads across coding, data and it, so a single payment covers a lot of ground.
- Assessments are included, which is what most platforms in this ranking also offer, at 98.9% of the group.
Cons
- There is no free tier, so every course sits behind a paid plan.
- Certificates cost extra at £11.99 to £24, on top of the subscription.
- The entry price of £19.99 is higher than the annual figure, so short stints cost more per month.
Who each suits
Alison
Who it suits
- Self-directed learners who want many subjects under one paid plan and a free tier to start on.
- Organisations buying for a group of colleagues, where a team plan is available.
- Learners whose workplace accepts continuing professional development evidence, listed as cpd.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone chasing a professional certificate: DRCertifications covers a single certification field with an entry price of $19.99.
- Learners after a focused fitness track, where Academy for Health and Fitness lists an entry price of £25.
- Buyers who want seller-led supply rather than a chosen catalogue: Hotmart lists an entry price of $0 and runs a different model.
Alpha Academy
Who it suits
- UK learners who want coding, data and IT covered under a single payment
- Anyone prepared to pay for a certificate at the end of a course
- Households or small teams buying a single plan together
Who should look elsewhere
- Learners who want to sample a platform before paying, since there is no free tier
- People needing a professional or regulated certificate rather than a completion record
Questions about each
Alison
How much does Alison cost to start, and what do I pay later?+
The entry price is €6.60. From there the paid plan is billed at €7.99 for a month or €79 for a year, so the yearly term is the cheaper way to cover a longer stretch of study. A free tier lets you look at the material before any of that.
Is there a free version of Alison, or do I need to pay straight away?+
A free tier is available, so you can start without paying anything. The catalogue runs to 6,000 courses, and the free tier is the practical first step for anyone deciding whether the material suits them before committing to the paid plan, where the entry price is €6.60.
Alpha Academy
How much does Alpha Academy cost?+
The subscription opens at £19.99, and the annual plan is priced at £49. Because it is a subscription, courses cannot be bought separately. Committing for the full year is what brings the cost down, so the entry figure and the yearly figure are worth comparing side by side before you commit.
What does the certificate cost?+
A certificate is not included in the subscription. You pay £11.99 to £24 for it separately, and the certificate type on offer is completion only, listed under completion. Anyone wanting a professionally accredited certificate rather than a completion record should weigh that gap before starting a course.