Udemy vs LinkedIn Learning: Who is the Champion?

Deciding on the right elearning platform isn’t always an easy decision. Especially when the platforms you are deciding between have many similarities. Udemy and LinkedIn Learning (formerly known as Lynda) are two of the top platforms on the market.

To make sure this comparison between Udemy and LinkedIn Learning is informative and useful, I’ve invested time in thoroughly researching the courses, instructors, pricing models, refund policies, and analyzing feedback from past users on both platforms. Furthermore, my Master’s degree in Teaching and Education, along with years of experience using online learning platforms, has equipped me to create this comprehensive review.

Catherine CookeUpskillwise Advisor

Udemy Vs LinkedIn Learning Summary

Compare Udemy & LinkedIn Learning

Select a platform to compare:

E-Learning Platforms

Overall Rating ?

Best For

Starting From

Ease of Use ?

Convenience ?

Available Platforms

Certifications ?

Categories ?

Free Courses

Content Quality ?

Languages ?

Instructors ?

Course Requirements ?

Course Structure ?

Quizzes and Tests ?

Payments and Refunds

Support ?

 

Udemy BBC MaestroSkillshareTreehouseCreativeLiveBrilliantUdacityMasterClassMindvalleyCodecademyPluralsightDataCampedXCoursera

4.3

Variety of Courses

$11.99 USD

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LinkedIn Learning BBC MaestroSkillshareTreehouseCreativeLiveBrilliantUdacityMasterClassMindvalleyCodecademyPluralsightDataCampedXCoursera

3.8

Self Paced Learning

$39.99 USD a month

4.5

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BBC Maestro SkillshareTreehouseCreativeLiveBrilliantUdacityMasterClassMindvalleyCodecademyPluralsightDataCampedXCoursera

4.3

Celebrity Instructors

£79 ($89)

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Skillshare BBC MaestroTreehouseCreativeLiveBrilliantUdacityMasterClassMindvalleyCodecademyPluralsightDataCampedXCoursera

4.5

Best For Creative Courses

$167.88 USD annually

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Treehouse BBC MaestroSkillshareCreativeLiveBrilliantUdacityMasterClassMindvalleyCodecademyPluralsightDataCampedXCoursera

3

Best For Free Trial

$25 USD a month

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CreativeLive BBC MaestroSkillshareTreehouseBrilliantUdacityMasterClassMindvalleyCodecademyPluralsightDataCampedXCoursera

4

Best For Live Classes

$29 USD a month

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Brilliant BBC MaestroSkillshareTreehouseCreativeLiveUdacityMasterClassMindvalleyCodecademyPluralsightDataCampedXCoursera

3.5

Best for STEM topics

$24.99 USD a month

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Udacity BBC MaestroSkillshareTreehouseCreativeLiveBrilliantMasterClassMindvalleyCodecademyPluralsightDataCampedXCoursera

4.6

Best For Career Services

$249 USD a month

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Read review Visit Udacity

MasterClass BBC MaestroSkillshareTreehouseCreativeLiveBrilliantUdacityMindvalleyCodecademyPluralsightDataCampedXCoursera

4.7

Learn From VIP Instructors

$10 USD a month (billed annually)

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Mindvalley BBC MaestroSkillshareTreehouseCreativeLiveBrilliantUdacityMasterClassCodecademyPluralsightDataCampedXCoursera

4.6

Best for Personal Growth

$49 USD a month

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Codecademy BBC MaestroSkillshareTreehouseCreativeLiveBrilliantUdacityMasterClassMindvalleyPluralsightDataCampedXCoursera

4

Best For Coding Courses

$29.99 USD a month

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Pluralsight BBC MaestroSkillshareTreehouseCreativeLiveBrilliantUdacityMasterClassMindvalleyCodecademyDataCampedXCoursera

4.2

Best For Tech Skills

$29 USD a month

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DataCamp BBC MaestroSkillshareTreehouseCreativeLiveBrilliantUdacityMasterClassMindvalleyCodecademyPluralsightedXCoursera

4.5

Best For Data Skills

$16 USD a month

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edX BBC MaestroSkillshareTreehouseCreativeLiveBrilliantUdacityMasterClassMindvalleyCodecademyPluralsightDataCampCoursera

4.2

Best for Verified Certificates

$50 USD

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Coursera BBC MaestroSkillshareTreehouseCreativeLiveBrilliantUdacityMasterClassMindvalleyCodecademyPluralsightDataCampedX

4.8

Accredited Certificates

$9.99 USD

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Round 1: Which One Is More Popular?

It’s interesting to compare Udemy and LinkedIn Learning on Google Trends to see which one users search for most and which comes out on top. Udemy is our top online learning platform.

As you can see in the graph above, Udemy takes a clear lead in popularity over LinkedIn Learning.

Udemy is one of the biggest online learning platforms out there. Founded in 2010, it now serves over 75 million learners and offers more than 250,000 courses across a wide range of subjects. Its courses are available in 75 languages, and you can pay for them individually or subscribe to the Personal Plan, which works out to $16.58 per month when billed annually.

LinkedIn Learning has an interesting history. LinkedIn acquired Lynda.com in 2015 and rebranded it as LinkedIn Learning in 2017, bringing together a library of over 20,000 courses across Business, Creative, and Technology subjects. Its courses are self-paced, and you can choose between a monthly or annual subscription.

Round 2: Ease-of-Use & Interface

Who likes a clean interface that is easy to navigate around? I know that I do, and I imagine you would also agree. Let’s check out which platform comes out top in this first round.

I think we can all agree that having a clean and well-organized interface makes it easy to navigate around the platform. Ready to find out which one is the most straightforward.

Registration

Registering at Udemy is effortless, just add your email, password and name, and that’s it. The only thing left to remember is to check and confirm your confirmation email from Udemy which you’ll receive directly or shortly after registering.

The registration process at LinkedIn Learning is easier, especially if you already have a LinkedIn.com account. The sign in is the same email and password. If you don’t already have a LinkedIn.com account, you will click on Join now and be redirected to sign up with an email and password and click Agree & Join (see image below).

Interface & Design

Once you are registered with Udemy, you can start to get familiar with the platform, and you will soon realize it is easy to move around its clean design which makes it easy to find what you are looking for. On its landing page you can view its Categories in the top-left corner and check out its subheadings for Students are viewing and Top categories (see image below).

Like Udemy, LinkedIn Learnings platform has a fresh and attractive design. I particularly like their branding and graphic illustrations (see image below). On its landing page it directs you to find particular courses which are categorized by Trending Courses, Trending Illustration Courses, Trending Spreadsheet Courses and more.

Both Udemy and LinkedIn Learning have clean and attractive designs. Both interfaces are really well laid out, making it straightforward to find what you are looking for, but Udemy just feels a little more intuitive and easy to get around.

Round 3: Udemy vs LinkedIn Learning Courses

It’s a hard one deciding on which platform has the best courses. So, let’s compare in detail and find out whether Udemy or LinkedIn Learning will come out top in this round.

Course Information

With such a variety of categories and courses, it’s not always easy to find what you are looking for. But some elearning platforms make it easier than others to find your desired course.

Both Udemy and LinkedIn Learning have a clear and concise course description along with what’s included in the course, but let’s look in detail below at what else they offer.

Udemy offers 262,000+ courses which are organized across 13 main categories and around 145 subcategories. Udemy has a fantastic detailed filtering system which allows you to filter by Ratings (this one I find particularly helpful), Video Duration, Topic, Subcategory, Level, Language (see image below).

Another feature that is really helpful is to read reviews from previous students who have taken the course. The standard star rating system from 0-5 makes it easy for new users to identify the popularity of the course. In addition, each course has a preview of the course (a free video introduction) which you can watch to get more familiar with the course structure and the instructor.

LinkedIn Learning offers over 20,000+ courses on Business, Technology and Creative topics. Its filter system isn’t quite as detailed as Udemy, but it does let you select Sort By, Level, Type, Time to complete and Software. This is a helpful way to find what you’re looking for.

You can preview the introduction plus the first few minutes of the first chapter. This is an ideal way to get a taste and feel of the course. As Udemy offers a bigger pool of courses and has a slightly smarter filter system this one has to go to them.

Bonus Round: Popular Udemy & LinkedIn Learning Courses

Popular Udemy and LinkedIn Learning Courses

Round 4: Free Courses At Udemy vs LinkedIn Learning

One of the most commonly asked question is: Where can I find the best free courses?

This really does depend on what exactly you want out of a free course. Udemy does have a free course catalog, though be mindful that the filter to browse free courses by price has been removed or disabled at various points, making them harder to find through the standard search interface.

Although you have access to Udemy’s free courses, it is a simplified learning experience compared to its paid courses. Some features are limited, and you won’t receive a certificate of completion or be able to participate in the Q&A.

Here are just some of the topics that Udemy currently offers free courses in:

• WordPress courses
• Excel courses
• HTML / HTML5 courses
• Personal Productivity courses
• Meditation courses
• Goal Setting courses
• JavaScript courses
• Personal Development courses
• Investing courses

Be mindful that the number of free courses in each category changes frequently, so the best approach is to search directly on Udemy for the topic you want and filter from there.

LinkedIn Learning takes a different approach. It does offer some free courses to non-subscribers, including the ability to unlock up to 10 free courses per month with a 24-hour viewing window. Saying that, the real value comes from its 1-month free trial, which gives you full access to its entire library of 21,000+ courses.

What makes the free trial stand out is that you genuinely get the full experience. That includes certificates of completion, practice exercise files, quizzes, and full access to LinkedIn Premium. The 1-month window is also a real motivator to make the most of it.

Round 5: Udemy Vs LinkedIn Learning Languages

This round shouldn’t take long, I promise.

Udemy is localized in Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish and Thai. But as an Udemy instructor, you are welcome to create a language in any course you like.

LinkedIn Learning course videos are available in English, French, German, Japanese, Spanish, Simplified Chinese and Portuguese. It’s important to note here that some courses and features are not available in all the languages.

The easiest way for users to change the language content in their account is from the LinkedIn Learning homepage (see image above).

Round 6: Udemy Vs LinkedIn Learning Certificates

If you are considering Udemy or LinkedIn Learning for its completion certificates, then you are considering the right type of elearning platform.

Both platforms completion certificates are not validated or a formal accreditation, they are used more as a proof of successfully completing a course.

The LinkedIn Learning certificate of completion will be automatically generated as soon as LinkedIn Learning detects that all videos have been completed. The certificate can be shared on your LinkedIn profile.

Round 7: Course Quality & Instructors

Finding the right course isn’t the only thing that is important when deciding on an elearning platform. But having an inspiring teacher or instructor teaching top quality content can make your learning experience not only memorable but what keeps you engaged and motivated.

At Udemy its courses can be taught by anyone who has an interest and knowledge of a subject. When you click on your chosen course, you can read a short article about the Instructor along with ratings and reviews from prior students. Some instructors are even happy for you to reach out and send them a message (see image below).

Once the instructor has created the course and content, it will go through a quality review process with Udemy and feedback will be provided. All Udemy courses need to have at least 5 lectures and a minimum of 30 minutes of video content. Due to the fact that anyone can be an Udemy instructor, it can mean that the quality of instructors and courses are not always consistent throughout the whole platform.

To become a LinkedIn Learning instructor you will need to apply with a sample video and complete an application form. All LinkedIn Learning instructors are subject-matter experts and if you are accepted, you will work closely with LinkedIn Learning team of production, directing and editing to create high-quality course content.

As LinkedIn Learning has a much higher quality assurance at accepting their instructors, and they work closely to produce the course content, this round has to be for them.

Round 8: Is Udemy or LinkedIn Learning’s Support Better

Udemy has a decent support system, where you can ask for help, and it offers a useful FAQ section. If you do have any specific questions you can contact them directly via support@udemy.com.

Udemy’s support chat means you can add your name, email and leave a message and then someone will get in contact with you.

LinkedIn Learning has a similar help center for support including recommended topics like Subscription Billing and Account Center plus its suggested articles can be helpful. It also offers a chat with support where you can speak with an agent and if that agent isn’t available, you will be able to complete a form and someone will get back to you.

Round 9: Which One Is Better For Businesses

It’s now become pretty popular for businesses and organizations to offer their employees the opportunity to learn and develop their professional and personal skills. Both Udemy and LinkedIn Learning offer this service.

Udemy for Business offers the Team and Enterprise plan. The team plan is ideal for small companies or growing teams (5-20 users). This plan gives you access to 5,500+ courses and costs $360 (plus applicable taxes) each user per year (minimum of 5 users required).

The Enterprise plan is perfect for larger organizations and companies (21+ users). You will have access to 5,500+ courses, custom topics, create users groups and more. You will need to contact Udemy sales for pricing and can request a free demo.

Like Udemy, LinkedIn Learning offers content for businesses. If it is something you are interested in for you and your team then you need to contact LinkedIn Learning sales for more information. LinkedIn Learning approach is to personalize the content library, help to drive engagement and deliver a seamless learner experience for its business employees. The pricing is customized and only once you contact sales will they be able to give you a quote.

Udemy offers a couple of different Business plans ideal for both small and big teams, plus it has a really transparent pricing plan.

Round 10: Udemy vs LinkedIn Learning Pricing

These two platforms offer different ways to pay for courses. At Udemy, you can pay for courses individually or subscribe to its monthly Personal Plan. At LinkedIn Learning, you have the option of a subscription plan paid monthly or annually, and in some cases you can pay for an individual course. Both approaches have their pros and cons.

I’ve summarized in the table below what both platforms offer with their pricing:

The Personal Plan from Udemy gives you access to 8,000+ courses in tech, business, and much more. The plan includes a 7-day free trial and is billed monthly with the option to cancel at any time.

Udemy & LinkedIn Learning Alternatives

You may have come to the end of this article and realized that neither Udemy nor LinkedIn Learning is what you are looking for. Well, no worries as I am one step ahead and have thought about some other highly reputable platforms for you to consider.

MasterClass

MasterClass offers a wide variety of classes across 11 categories, like Food, Design & Style, Music and much more. What makes it a stand-out platform are its celebrity instructors teaching its classes, and the fact it’s video lessons are a pleasure to watch as they are highly produced.

Masterclass offers 3 different membership plans; the Individual, Duo and the Family, which are all billed annually. If you aren’t ready to financially commit, you can request some sample classes from Masterclass via email to give you a feel of the platform.

> Read MasterClass Review

Skillshare

Skillshare is similar to LinkedIn Learning with its subscription plan. Skillshare offers a 1-month free trial on its premium paid membership. Its highly engaged community of learners make it stand out from other platforms. Many of its classes involve peer assessments, which keeps its classes interactive and fun.

Skillshare offers creative courses and is aimed at anyone who wants to develop new skills or improve existing ones. It doesn’t only offer courses for individuals, it also offers plans for businesses and teams.

> Read Skillshare Review

Coursera

For students looking to get an accredited certificate, Coursera is worth considering. It partners with leading universities like Stanford, Imperial College London, and Duke University to offer recognised qualifications.

You can audit most Coursera courses for free, though be mindful that free access only covers video lessons and readings. To earn a certificate or access graded assignments, you’ll need to pay. There are different types of elearning programs available: individual courses ($49 to $99), Specializations ($39 to $89 a month), Coursera yearly subscriptions ($399), and complete degrees (starting at $9,000).

> Read Coursera Review

edX

Like Coursera, edX offers courses organized by world-class universities like MIT, Berkeley or Harvard. And since it’s an accredited organization, you’ll be able to achieve official degrees from edX.

You’ll find many free courses on its platform. However, you’ll need to pay for the course (between $50 to $300) to be able to earn an edX completion certificate.

> Read edX Review

Final thoughts: Udemy vs LinkedIn Learning

You should now have a good overview of both the Udemy and LinkedIn Learning platforms and all your questions and doubts have been answered. I thought I would end this comparison by highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each platform, so you can take it away with you and decide which one is the right fit.

Udemy Pros

Udemy Cons

> Read Our Udemy Review

LinkedIn Learning Pros

LinkedIn Learning Cons

> Read Our LinkedIn Learning Review

Please leave a comment below if you have any questions, and I’ll do my best to help you out.