What each subscription includes
Compiled from the sources listed for this guide on 30 October 2026. Udemy's Personal Plan page showed Starting at 13 dollars a month when checked; the exact price for your region and plan appears at checkout and on your Subscriptions page.
| Question | Coursera Plus | Udemy Personal Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Catalog size stated | 10,000+ courses, Guided Projects, Specializations and Professional Certificates; over 90 per cent of the catalog | Over 26,000 top courses, with skill assessments and hands-on practice |
| Type of content | University and company programs, many with graded assignments | Instructor-led courses across AI, development, IT certification, data, marketing, languages and leadership; 12,000+ certification prep courses and practice tests stated |
| What is excluded | Degree programs and some for-credit content | Not every Udemy course; Udemy links to a list of included courses |
| Price | 59 dollars a month or 399 dollars a year (Coursera Plus page) | Starting at 13 dollars a month on the Personal Plan page; billed monthly or annually; exact price shown at checkout |
| Billing options | Monthly or annual; India monthly only | Monthly or annual, per Udemy's billing FAQ |
| Free trial | 7 days on monthly; certificates cannot be earned during the trial | Offered through promotions; length and post-trial price shown on your Subscriptions page; prior subscribers may not qualify |
| Refunds | Annual: full refund if cancelled within 14 days of original payment; monthly: none after trial ends | No 30-day guarantee and no full or partial refunds unless required by law |
| After cancelling | Access until the end of the billing period, then preview mode; progress and grades saved | Access until the final date of your billing period |
Catalog fit: structured programs vs a broad practical library
Coursera's subscription is built around programs that partners have agreed to include. Specializations and Professional Certificates bundle several courses toward one credential, which suits someone following a defined path for months.
Udemy describes Personal Plan as monthly access to a curated collection of over 26,000 courses where you can move freely between courses and instructors. It contrasts this with buying a single Udemy course, which gives lifetime access to that course only. That breadth suits learners who want several instructors' takes on a tool, or certification exam prep across vendors.
Before choosing either, look up the two or three specific courses you would take first. On Coursera, check for the Included with Coursera Plus badge. On Udemy, use its list of courses available on Personal Plan.
Cost over 3, 6 and 12 months
Coursera figures use the published US prices and exclude tax and promotions. For Coursera alone, monthly is cheaper for six months or fewer; from the seventh month (413 dollars) annual is cheaper. Udemy figures use the 13 dollar starting monthly price shown on its Personal Plan page; replace it with the price your checkout shows, and compare the annual option there. A free trial delays the first charge on either service but does not change the monthly cost after that.
| Study period | Coursera Plus monthly | Coursera Plus annual | Udemy Personal Plan at the 13 dollar starting monthly price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 months | 177 dollars (3 x 59) | 399 dollars | 39 dollars (3 x 13) |
| 6 months | 354 dollars (6 x 59) | 399 dollars | 78 dollars (6 x 13) |
| 12 months | 708 dollars (12 x 59) | 399 dollars | 156 dollars (12 x 13), or the annual price shown at checkout |
Trial, refund and cancellation risk
Coursera Plus monthly starts with a 7-day free trial; if you cancel within it you are not charged, and after it ends you are charged for the first month. Coursera's terms say certificates cannot be earned during the free trial. The annual plan has a 14-day money-back guarantee, but Coursera warns that if you complete a course in that window and then request a refund, you lose access to that course certificate unless you pay the course fee.
Udemy says free trials are offered as part of promotions, the trial converts automatically to the subscription fee plus tax, and previous subscribers may not be eligible. Its billing FAQ says subscription plans purchased on Udemy.com do not offer a 30-day satisfaction guarantee and no full or partial refunds are available unless law requires. App store purchases are handled by Apple or Google Play.
Practical effect: with Udemy, an annual purchase is the riskier commitment because there is no general refund window; with Coursera, the 14-day annual window gives a short chance to reverse a mistake.
Worked example: a six-month plan (invented)
Lee wants to prepare for a cloud certification exam and learn basic data analysis over six months, at about five hours a week. On Coursera Plus monthly, six months costs 354 dollars, less than the 399 dollar annual plan, and covers a structured data analytics program. On Udemy, six months at the 13 dollar starting price shown on the Personal Plan page would be 78 dollars before tax, if that is the price Lee's checkout shows; the plan's certification prep and practice tests are the main draw.
Lee picks based on the first course needed: the cloud exam prep course is on Udemy's included list, while the data program is a Coursera Professional Certificate. Lee runs them one after another rather than together, so only one subscription is paid in any month.
Who should skip each
This comparison relies on official documentation, not use of either service. Sources accessed 30 October 2026.
- Skip Coursera Plus if the program you want is a degree or for-credit course, which Coursera says may be excluded.
- Skip Coursera Plus annual if you cannot commit to at least seven months of study, since monthly is cheaper up to six months.
- Skip Udemy Personal Plan if you want one specific course for the long term; Udemy says a single-course purchase gives lifetime access to that course.
- Skip either if you only need one short course; free materials or a single purchase may cost less.
Questions before you decide
Can I get a refund on Udemy Personal Plan?
Udemy's billing FAQ says subscriptions bought on Udemy.com have no 30-day guarantee and no full or partial refunds unless required by law. You can cancel a promotional free trial without being charged.
What happens to my Coursera progress if I cancel Plus?
Coursera says your progress and grades are saved, access switches to preview mode after the billing period ends, and certificates you earned stay in your Certificates tab.
How much is Udemy Personal Plan?
Udemy's Personal Plan page showed Starting at 13 dollars a month, billed monthly or annually, on 30 October 2026. Its billing FAQ says your trial length and subscription fee are posted on your Subscriptions page, so confirm the exact price there before starting.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- Coursera: Coursera Plus page (prices and trial) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Coursera Help Center: Coursera Plus Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Coursera Help Center: Refund policies Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Coursera: Terms of Use (refund and cancellation policy) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Udemy: Personal Plan Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Udemy Support: Billing for subscriptions, frequently asked questions Accessed 30 Oct 2026
Sources link directly to providers. Product buttons may use separately labeled affiliate links. Read our disclosure.