Updated September 30, 2026 · AcademyCue Editorial Team
Alpha Academy vs Reed Courses
Alpha Academy
Reed Courses
Higher score in this comparison
Alpha Academy vs Reed Courses: the differences
| Compare | Alpha AcademyReviewVisitVisit | Reed CoursesReviewVisitVisit |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | £19.99 | £15Lower |
| Free tier | No | YesHas it |
| Platform type | Subscription | Marketplace |
| Number of courses | 2,500 | 30,759Higher |
| Price per year | £49 | Not confirmed |
| Certificate fee | £11.99 to £24 | Not confirmed |
| Access period | 12 months | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Money-back period (14 days), Graded assessments (Yes), Team plan (Yes).
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Key differences
- Reed Courses scores higher overall: 9.3 vs 9.1.
- Price from is lower at Reed Courses: £15 vs £19.99.
- Free tier: only Reed Courses.
- Number of courses is higher at Reed Courses: 30,759 vs 2,500.
- Support channels: only Alpha Academy offers Email, Phone.
- Subjects: only Reed Courses offers Humanities, Science.
Our verdict on each
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.
Reed Courses
Reed Courses rewards buyers who know their subject and want options: a marketplace of 30,759 courses from £15, backed by a 14 day refund window. It suits self-directed learners who want coding, data and business side by side, and a completion certificate recognised for cpd credit.
Score breakdown
| Area | Alpha Academy | Reed Courses |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.2Yearly plan £49 sits against an entry price of £19.99, with certificate costs at £11.99 to £24 on top. | 9.5HigherEntry at £15, a free tier and a 14 day refund window keep the outlay small and reversible. |
| Offer | 9.1Catalogue of 2,500 courses across coding, data and it, access for 12 months, assessments yes, and a team plan. | 9.1A catalogue of 30,759 courses across many subjects, with completion certificates, assessments and a team plan included. |
| Trust | 8.8Money back for 14 days, run by Adams Academy Inc. Ltd. in GB, with email, phone and help centre support. | 9.2HigherReed Online Ltd in GB, founded 1995, issues completion certificates carrying cpd credit. |
Also worth a look
Education.com has number of courses at 40,000, against 2,500 for Alpha Academy and 30,759 for Reed Courses.
Education.com reviewHow they place
| Ranking | Alpha Academy | Reed Courses |
|---|---|---|
| Online course platforms | 35 of 349 | 28 of 349 |
| Coding and data courses | 13 of 117 | 10 of 117 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Alpha Academy | Reed Courses |
|---|---|---|
| Subjects | Coding, Data, It, Business, Design, Creative, Languages | Coding, Data, It, Business, Design, Creative, Languages, Humanities, ScienceCovers more |
| Certificate types | Completion | Completion |
| Credit recognition | Cpd | Cpd |
| Legal entity | Adams Academy Inc. Ltd. | Reed Online Ltd |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 1995 |
| Support channels | Email, Phone, Help centreCovers more | Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Alpha Academy | Reed Courses | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from | £19.99below the median | £15lowest quarter | £32 |
| Price per year | £49lowest quarter | Not confirmed | £59.99 |
| Certificate fee | £11.99 to £24highest quarter | Not confirmed | £0 |
| Money-back period | 14 daysat the median | 14 daysat the median | 14 days |
| Number of courses | 2,500highest quarter | 30,759highest quarter | 250 |
| Access period | 12 monthsat the median | Not confirmed | 12 months |
Median across 172 listed providers.
Pros and cons
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.
Reed Courses
Pros
- Entry at £15 sits below DRCertifications at $19.99 and Academy for Health and Fitness at £25, so a single course is cheap to test.
- A catalogue of 30,759 courses covers coding, data, IT, business, design, creative, languages, humanities and science, so one purchase rarely forces a compromise on subject.
- Every certificate is a completion certificate and carries cpd credit, which is the credential training budgets and employers usually ask to see.
Cons
- Support runs on help centre only, so a course question is answered in writing rather than by a person on the phone.
- The certificate is a completion certificate (completion), a weaker credential than a professional accreditation or a regulated licence.
- As a marketplace (marketplace), the platform sets no single standard across 30,759 courses, so quality depends on the provider behind each listing.
Who each suits
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
Reed Courses
Who it suits
- Learners buying a single course in coding, data or IT rather than committing to a subscription.
- Employers and training managers who need several seats covered under a team plan.
- Anyone who wants a completion certificate carrying cpd credit alongside a short course.
Who should look elsewhere
- Learners chasing a professional or regulated certificate: DRCertifications starts at $19.99 in a specialist catalogue rather than a general one.
- Buyers who want a free entry point: Hotmart lists its entry price at $0, which undercuts Reed Courses on price alone.
- People who want one provider's standard across a catalogue: Academy for Health and Fitness starts at £25 and stays inside health and fitness.
Questions about each
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.
Reed Courses
What does a course cost on Reed Courses?+
Reed Courses is a marketplace, so the price sits with each course provider rather than a single platform rate. Courses start at £15, and the catalogue holds 30,759 of them, so the same subject can carry a wide spread. Read the listing for the specific course before paying.
Is there a free tier on Reed Courses?+
There is, which lets you browse the catalogue and try free material before committing to a paid course. Paid purchases are then covered by a 14 day refund window, so a first paid course is not a blind bet.
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