Updated September 30, 2026 · AcademyCue Editorial Team
Coursera vs Future Skills Academy
Coursera
Higher score in this comparison
Future Skills Academy
Coursera vs Future Skills Academy: the differences
| Compare | CourseraReviewVisitVisit | Future Skills AcademyReviewVisitVisit |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | €42 | $25 |
| Price per month | €51 | $25 to $75 |
| Money-back period | 14 daysHigher | 7 days |
| Platform type | University | Curated |
| Number of courses | 10,000Higher | 20 |
| Price per year | €346 | Not confirmed |
| Certificate fee | Not confirmed | $299 |
| Free trial length | 7 days | Not confirmed |
| University partners | 375 | Not confirmed |
| Access period | Not confirmed | 12 months |
| Offline downloads | Not confirmed | Yes |
Same on both: Free tier (Yes), Graded assessments (Yes), Team plan (Yes).
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Key differences
- Coursera scores higher overall: 8.9 vs 8.8.
- Money-back period is higher at Coursera: 14 days vs 7 days.
- Number of courses is higher at Coursera: 10,000 vs 20.
- Support channels: only Coursera offers Help centre, Community.
- Support channels: only Future Skills Academy offers Email.
- Subjects: only Coursera offers Languages, Humanities, Science.
- Certificate types: only Coursera offers Completion, Degree.
Our verdict on each
Coursera
Coursera Plus suits learners who want a single subscription across many subjects, with 10,000 courses from 375 university partners. It fits study at whatever pace suits, and it costs more at renewal than single-qualification rivals such as DRCertifications, which lists $19.99 at entry.
Future Skills Academy
Future Skills Academy suits IT learners who want a professional certificate fast and a plan that already carries the exam. Entry costs $25, monthly pricing runs $25 to $75 and the certificate adds $299, the figure to weigh against Hotmart at $0 and a refund window of 7 days.
Score breakdown
| Area | Coursera | Future Skills Academy |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.6Entry at €42, renewal of €51 a month or €346 a year, and a money-back period of 14 days. | 8.9HigherEntry plan at $25, monthly plan at $25 to $75, and a separate certificate at $299 keep the opening outlay low but the award costly. |
| Offer | 9.1HigherA catalogue of 10,000 courses and 375 university partners, with assessments and a team plan included. | 8.8Free tier, offline download, assessments, job support and tutor support sit alongside 20 courses inside 12 months of access. |
| Trust | 8.9HigherCertificates in completion, professional and degree forms, an operator founded in 2012, and help through help centre and community. | 8.8CPD credit recognition, assessments and a professional certificate support the claim, while the refund window of 7 days is the weak point. |
By the numbers
| Fact | Coursera | Future Skills Academy |
|---|---|---|
| Money-back period | 14 days | 7 days |
| Number of courses | 10,000 | 20 |
Pick Coursera if, pick Future Skills Academy if
Pick Coursera if offer, money-back period, and number of courses matter most.
Pick Future Skills Academy if cost matter most.
Also worth a look
Reed Courses has number of courses at 30,759, against 10,000 for Coursera and 20 for Future Skills Academy.
Reed Courses reviewSources behind this comparison
Coursera
- coursera.org: 17 facts, checked September 30, 2026
Future Skills Academy
- futureskillsacademy.com: 15 facts, checked September 30, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | Coursera | Future Skills Academy |
|---|---|---|
| Online course platforms | 41 of 349 | 2 of 349 |
| Online professional certificates | 13 of 95 | 2 of 95 |
| Coding and data courses | 18 of 117 | 1 of 117 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Coursera | Future Skills Academy |
|---|---|---|
| Subjects | Coding, Data, It, Business, Languages, Humanities, ScienceCovers more | Coding, Data, It, Business |
| Certificate types | Completion, Professional, DegreeCovers more | Professional |
| Credit recognition | Not confirmed | Cpd |
| Legal entity | Coursera Inc. | Not confirmed |
| Headquarters | United States | Not confirmed |
| Founded | 2012 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Help centre, Community |
Certifications
| Fact | Coursera | Future Skills Academy |
|---|---|---|
| Certification type | Not confirmed | It |
| Course hours | Not confirmed | 10 hours |
| Teaching practicum | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Exam fee included | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Tutor support | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Job support | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Typical completion time (weeks) | Not confirmed | 4 |
| Delivery | Not confirmed | Online |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Coursera | Future Skills Academy | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price per year | €346highest quarter | Not confirmed | €180 |
| Certificate fee | Not confirmed | $299highest quarter | $0 |
| Free trial length | 7 daysbelow the median | Not confirmed | 14 days |
| Money-back period | 14 daysat the median | 7 dayslowest quarter | 14 days |
| Number of courses | 10,000highest quarter | 20lowest quarter | 250 |
| University partners | 375highest quarter | Not confirmed | 115 |
Median across 172 listed providers.
Pros and cons
Coursera
Pros
- Entry at €42 sits below the €44.59 recorded for online course platforms, and the €346 annual plan for Coursera Plus sits under the €169 for the same group.
- A catalogue of 10,000 courses drawn from 375 university partners, spread across coding, data and it.
- Certificates come in completion, professional and degree forms and assessments are included, so a paid subscription ends in something to show.
Cons
- Support runs on help centre and community only, while 52% of the brands compared list phone support, so anyone wanting a direct line meets a gap.
- Renewal is the figure to watch on Coursera Plus: €346 a year against single-certificate entry prices of $19.99 at DRCertifications and £25 at Academy for Health and Fitness.
- The free trial lasts 7 days, which is shorter than the 10 day median across the site.
Future Skills Academy
Pros
- The entry plan at $25 sits above Hotmart at $0 and level with Academy for Health and Fitness at £25.
- The exam fee is included, so $299 is the full cost of the professional certificate rather than the start of it.
- A free tier, offline download and job support all sit inside the plan, so a learner can sample the material and keep studying away from a connection.
Cons
- The refund window of 7 days ranks 120 of 159, the weakest of the measures tracked here.
- The certificate fee of $299 sits at 47 of 47 among the brands compared.
- Support runs on email alone, so questions to the platform travel in writing.
Who each suits
Coursera
Who it suits
- Learners who want coding, data and business material under a single subscription rather than a single paid certificate.
- People who need a credential, since completion, professional and degree certificates are available on Coursera.
- Teams and study groups, since a team plan is available on top of the free tier.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone buying a single nursing certificate, where DRCertifications lists $19.99 at entry.
- Learners after a health and fitness qualification, where Academy for Health and Fitness lists £25.
- Readers whose budget starts at nothing, since Hotmart lists $0 at entry rather than a subscription.
Future Skills Academy
Who it suits
- Learners in IT who want a professional certificate with the exam fee already inside the price.
- Self-paced learners who want delivery fully online, with a free tier and offline download for study on the move.
- Teams covering several learners, since a team plan is available.
Who should look elsewhere
- Buyers who need a free start, since Hotmart lists $0 as its entry plan price.
- Learners who want a wider catalogue than 20 courses and can accept another subject, where DRCertifications starts at $19.99.
- Anyone who needs a refund window longer than 7 days, since the field reaches 360 days at its most generous.
Questions about each
Coursera
How much does Coursera Plus cost?+
Coursera Plus has an entry price of €42, then renews at €51 a month or €346 a year. The entry figure is what a new subscriber meets, while the monthly and annual figures are the ongoing cost of keeping the plan. Anyone budgeting for a term of study should work from the renewal figure rather than the entry price.
Is there a free trial or a free tier?+
There is a free tier, and the paid plan carries a free trial of 7 days. That is shorter than the 10 day median across the site, so a trial suits a single module or a short course rather than a full programme. The free tier is the better place to browse the catalogue before paying anything.
Future Skills Academy
What does it cost to join Future Skills Academy?+
The entry plan is priced at $25 and the monthly plan runs $25 to $75. A free tier is offered as well, so a learner can look at the material before paying anything. The professional certificate is not folded into either figure and is charged on its own.
How much is the certificate, and is the exam included?+
The professional certificate costs $299. The exam fee is included in the plan, which means $299 is the whole award cost rather than a starting point with an exam charge on top. Course fees and the certificate sit on separate lines in the budget.
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