Udacity Vs Udemy – A Detailed Comparison

Udacity and Udemy are two online portals full of courses. While one is dedicated to IT and nanodegrees that offer certifications, the other is full of courses of all sorts taught by anyone that can make an account. Choosing between the two takes thinking about what you want to learn, the amount of time you have to spend, and your budget.

You have probably heard great things about both but, which one should you choose? Below, we have put both Udacity and Udemy up to the test, comparing them in terms of some of their most important features. By the end of this article, you’ll have all you need to choose the perfect one for you and start learning something new. While they both offer online content and courses, they do so in a different manner, and those differences can wind up being the make or break.

A Bit About Each Online Academy

Udacity

Udacity is an online academy with more than two decades in the business. Born from the genius minds of two Stanford University professors, Udacity hit the web with a bang, providing learners from all around the world the chance to learn some of IT’s hottest topics. As the popularity increased, top IT companies teamed up with the online academy to create courses and develop projects. Nowadays, you can find free courses, paid courses, and certification programs that cover a wide range of topics dealing with IT.

Udemy

Udemy has more than 130,000 online video courses. You can find anything under the sun, from Information and Technology to Business, to Music, and even Photography. Udemy works by allowing professors or knowledgeable individuals to upload courses on their topic of expertise. Video lectures can range from a few hours all the way through 50 hours or more of content. No matter what the topic of interest is, students can find a course to brush up on their skills or learn something new.

Learning Options

Udacity

Most of Udacity’s content is presented in a video lecture by chosen instructors with both professional and academic experience. Most free courses come with suggestions in them if learners want to continue learning but, are not equipped with projects. Projects that apply skills learned from the course are found in Udacity’s nanodegree courses, all of which come with a certificate of completion. All of them are checked by Udacity’s team of experts and come with feedback so that students have an idea of what they can expect when they break into the field.

Udemy

Udemy courses are all video lectures, taught by professors or individuals. The thing about Udemy is that anyone can upload a course so, the teaching style of each professor varies. That also means that some courses include supplements or self-tests while others include projects for learners to complete on their own. Students don’t have to into courses blindly and can preview both the content and teaching style of the professor before they sign up.

Website and Support

Udacity

Udacity’s website is sharp, clean, and easy to navigate. Potential learners can surf around the website and preview catalogs filled with all Udacity courses. From free content to nanodegrees, students can access it all and get an idea of what they’re in for. Customer care is available around the clock and, if there are technical issues, all students can call on their technical mentor to save the day.

Udemy

Udemy greets potential students with courses categorized into the most desired topics. Clicking into each one, students will get a preview of what each course has to offer as well as a look into the content. The website is organized but, takes some digging to find what you’re looking for. As far as support, there is someone there to help day and night if learners have a question or concern.

Extra Features

Udacity

Udacity is accredited and recognized by many top-tier companies in the industry. In addition, since some nanodegrees and projects are created in collaboration with these IT giants, students are likely to land a job thanks to their experience. Real industry projects are not the only extras of the Udacity features, they also provide nanodegree students with a technical mentor, a community to make connections, career prep services, and even professional feedback on their in-course and final projects.

Udemy

Udemy is a bit different than Udacity and doesn’t come with a long list of extra features. The cost is much lower, supplementing for the lack of extra features. What you will find with Udemy is that, for a monthly fee, learners can access a long list of courses and don’t have to enroll in just one. Still, there are no career prep experts and not really any projects unless the professor or leader of the course designs one and adds it in.

Cost

Udacity

The cost of course with Udacity varies depending on the length. There are several free courses that learners can start and stop whenever they’d like to. On the other hand, Udacity’s certification courses are designed to hone in on a topic and provide learners with both information and experience by the end. These courses can be paid in two different ways, including monthly or in one lump sum. The monthly price of Udacity is $359 per month and allows learners to access the course whenever they like. The second option is calculated based on the estimated time the course takes to complete (calculated at 10 hours/day). Udacity uses the estimated time to calculate a total and adds a 15% discount to make it worth the student’s while.

Udemy

Udemy too has a few options for learners, all of which depend on the course they choose to take. If students are interested in one course, in particular, they can pay for that course. The cost is set by the creator and can range from as low as $19.99. There are also subscription plans for businesses where companies can pay $360 per year for access to a large number of courses. As an individual, the best way to go is if find a topic your passionate about and a course that piques your interest and takes it from there. If you can get the bosses on board, you’ll have a sweet deal.

Student Testimonials

Taking a look at what students have to say is a great way to get a feel for the academy. Both Udacity and Udemy have a strong following and high ratings. To get it from their perspective, here’s a few examples of what previous learners had to say.

Udacity

“I have used Udacity for more than five months right now, and I have never been disappointed. Since I am interested in data science, this platform offers a variety of courses on this subject. They’re one of a kind right here, I’m telling you.” – Eoghan H.

“The Course content is designed in the best way possible. The instructors have presented the complex concepts in an easily understandable way. I have recommended Udacity for AI programming with Python & Machine Learning Engineer to my colleagues.” – Andrew P.

“The design of the curriculum is up-to-date. It might depend on the level of learners, some might find the course easy, others might find the course quite challenging. I would consider the breadth and depth of Udacity curriculum are fair. The way the courses are taught is by dividing each point of learning into small chunks that makes the learning process more digestible and flexible.” – Handoko L.

Udemy

“The premium content as well the free course available on udemy are it at best. I’ve bought full stack MEAN course on udemy and completed it within stipulated time all because of the simplicity and best user interface. As per your interest, it shows up the content and you just need to tap and subscribe for the free course.” – Bhaginath P.

“I like almost everything about Udemy and the interface is amazing, I love it and it is very easy to use. Certainly sometimes the costs are very high, but it’s nothing that can’t be solved with a coupon. The teachers are very well prepared. It really is the best online academy in the whole internet.” – James M.

“I love Udemy’s chat, thanks to it I have been able to meet people from my work area which is a blessing and a good way to meet people from your same work field, thanks to those contacts I have been able to grow a lot in my work area.I like the interface of the platform, it is very friendly, easy to understand, and fast, you can locate everything from the main menu and the course finder is the best.” – Helen P.

The Pros and Cons

Udacity

Udemy

Which One Takes the Cake?

Udacity and Udemy are both online content creators but, are very different. Udacity has a more structured set of content, creating courses alongside top names in the IT industry. While courses only cover IT, students are guaranteed quality and get a long list of perks when they decide to enroll in a course with Udacity. Udemy, on the other hand, comes with a bit of risk. The thing is, anyone can create a profile and upload a course, adding their preferred price to it. While Udemy comes with courses that cover a wide range of topics, none of them are accredited or guaranteed.

When choosing a clear winner, there is not one, as each has a different take on the way they choose to deliver content. Plus, Udacity only addresses topics within IT, something that not all learners are interested in. When choosing the online courses that are right for you, it’s recommended to consider your needs and goals and then, take your pick. Choosing the course that is perfect for you depends on your needs, wants, and goals, and can be a rewarding experience. Now that you have the time, it’s a perfect opportunity to finally learn the things you’ve wanted to.