Updated September 30, 2026 · AcademyCue Editorial Team
Coursera vs The TEFL Institute
Coursera
The TEFL Institute
Higher score in this comparison
What sets them apart
| Compare | CourseraReviewVisitVisit | The TEFL InstituteReviewVisitVisit |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | €42 | $40 |
| Free tier | YesHas it | No |
| Free trial length | 7 daysHigher | 3 days |
| Platform type | University | Curated |
| Price per month | €51 | Not confirmed |
| Price per year | €346 | Not confirmed |
| Certificate fee | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Number of courses | 10,000 | Not confirmed |
| University partners | 375 | Not confirmed |
| Access period | Not confirmed | 6 months |
| Offline downloads | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Markets | Not confirmed | GB, US, CA, ZA, IN, AU, NZ, CN, RU, DE, FR, ES, NL, VN, AE, IT, PL, TH, TR |
Same on both: Money-back period (14 days), Graded assessments (Yes), Team plan (Yes).
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Key differences
- The TEFL Institute scores higher overall: 9.0 vs 8.9.
- Free tier: only Coursera.
- Free trial length is higher at Coursera: 7 days vs 3 days.
- Support channels: only The TEFL Institute offers Email, Phone.
- Founded is lower at Coursera: 2012 vs 2017.
- Subjects: only Coursera offers Coding, Data, It.
- Certificate types: only Coursera offers 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.
The TEFL Institute
The TEFL Institute fits readers who want a single online route to a TEFL certificate: the exam fee is included, tutor support and job support come with it, and 120 hours of study ends in a certificate bundled with the course. The catch is no free tier and no practicum attached.
Score breakdown
| Area | Coursera | The TEFL Institute |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.6Entry at €42, renewal of €51 a month or €346 a year, and a money-back period of 14 days. | 9.2HigherEntry at $40 with a $0 certificate fee, so the certificate adds no charge of its own. |
| Offer | 9.1HigherA catalogue of 10,000 courses and 375 university partners, with assessments and a team plan included. | 8.9Assessments, offline download and a team plan, with 6 months of access after enrolment. |
| Trust | 8.9Certificates in completion, professional and degree forms, an operator founded in 2012, and help through help centre and community. | 9.1HigherAccredited by deac with credit recognition for cpd and ofqual, from a provider founded in 2017. |
Positions in our rankings
| Ranking | Coursera | The TEFL Institute |
|---|---|---|
| Online course platforms | 41 of 349 | 1 of 349 |
| Online professional certificates | 13 of 95 | 1 of 95 |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | Coursera | The TEFL Institute |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | United States | Ireland |
Also worth a look
Educative has free trial length at 21 days, against 7 days for Coursera and 3 days for The TEFL Institute.
Educative reviewEvery fact side by side
| Fact | Coursera | The TEFL Institute |
|---|---|---|
| Subjects | Coding, Data, It, Business, Languages, Humanities, ScienceCovers more | Languages |
| Certificate types | Completion, Professional, DegreeCovers more | Completion, Professional |
| Credit recognition | Not confirmed | Cpd, Ofqual |
| Legal entity | Coursera Inc. | The TEFL Institute Limited |
| Headquarters | United States | Ireland |
| Founded | 2012Lower | 2017 |
| Support channels | Help centre, Community | Email, Phone, Help centre, CommunityCovers more |
Certifications
| Fact | Coursera | The TEFL Institute |
|---|---|---|
| Certification type | Not confirmed | Tefl |
| Course hours | Not confirmed | 120 hours |
| Teaching practicum | Not confirmed | No |
| Accreditation | Not confirmed | Deac |
| Exam fee included | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Tutor support | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Job support | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Typical completion time (weeks) | Not confirmed | 2 to 4 |
| Delivery | Not confirmed | Online |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Coursera | The TEFL Institute | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price per month | €51above the median | Not confirmed | €29.45 |
| Price per year | €346highest quarter | Not confirmed | €180 |
| Certificate fee | Not confirmed | $0at the median | $0 |
| Free trial length | 7 daysbelow the median | 3 dayslowest quarter | 14 days |
| Money-back period | 14 daysat the median | 14 daysat the median | 14 days |
| Number of courses | 10,000highest quarter | Not confirmed | 250 |
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.
The TEFL Institute
Pros
- The exam fee is included in the course price, so there is no separate exam payment to budget for on top of tuition.
- The advanced TEFL course runs 120 hours of study, with a completion pace of 2 to 4 weeks for anyone planning a study schedule.
- Support runs on email, phone and help centre, so a phone line and a help centre sit alongside email during the course.
Cons
- There is no free tier, so the only no-cost option is the test TEFL course that runs 3 days.
- The certification carries no practicum, so supervised classroom practice has to be arranged outside the programme.
- A free trial length of 3 days places The TEFL Institute low on that measure among the brands compared here.
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.
The TEFL Institute
Who it suits
- Learners who want a TEFL certificate with the exam fee already included and no separate certificate charge.
- Anyone who wants tutor support and job support built into the same course rather than sold as an add-on.
- Schools and employers buying training for several teachers, since a team plan is offered and lessons can be downloaded for offline study.
Who should look elsewhere
- Readers set on the lowest entry price should start with DRCertifications, listed at $19.99.
- Anyone after a free catalogue to browse rather than a paid certificate should compare Hotmart, listed at $0.
- Shoppers after a fitness qualification rather than a TEFL certificate should compare Academy for Health and Fitness, listed at £25.
Current offers
The TEFL Institute
Current offer
Free trial
Free 3-Day Level 5 Diploma Trial: 3 days
Sample 3 real Level 5 Diploma modules with unlimited access over 3 days
Source, checked September 30, 2026
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.
The TEFL Institute
How much does a TEFL certificate from The TEFL Institute cost?+
The listed entry price is $40 and the certificate fee is $0, so the certificate is not a separate charge added on afterwards. Read those lines together rather than the headline figure alone. A cheaper starting price elsewhere does not always mean a cheaper finished certificate, since certificate charges often sit outside the entry number.
Can I try The TEFL Institute for free before paying?+
There is no free tier, so nothing on the paid catalogue opens at no cost. What is free is a test TEFL course that runs 3 days, long enough to see how the material is organised and how the assessments are framed. It samples the course rather than granting permanent free access, so the paid course still has to be budgeted for.
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