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E-Learning Platforms Last update: Dec 12, 2023

Simplilearn Review: What's the Truth?

Consider An Alternative

Best for

  • Lack of Transparency
  • Bad Customer Support
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Written by

Catherine Cooke

Catherine Cooke

Upskillwise Advisor

I'm Catherine, originally from London, now living in Spain. My professional journey led me from being a certified teacher to a yoga instructor and then a freelancer designer. These changes were made possible by online learning platforms like Skillshare and Coursera. It wasn't always easy, but so worth it and inspired me to start Upskillwise.

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Upskillwise.com is fully supported by its readers. If you register or buy a course using our links, we may receive a commission. This does not affect our ratings, methodology or partners.

It is a platform with very mixed reviews. Even though it offers thousands pf courses, many of its learners have been left disappointed with the quality of its courses, the lack of support and feeling unsatisfied with the platform.

I will do my best to give an honest review based on my experience and the feedback of Simplilearn learners. We start with Simplilearn’s pros and cons, and if you are looking for a more detailed review, please read on.

If you are looking for a wider range of courses, then head over to Coursera or Udemy. Or if you want creative courses then Skillshare is the one and MasterClass is best for VIP instructors.

Simplilearn Summary

Simplilearn is an online certification provider that aids learners to improve their skills and career knowledge. It is partnered with 40+ accredited global bodies like Exin or IASSC and supported by companies like Google and Hubspot. It’s possible to enrol in courses that are certified and recognised globally by future employers. A 7-day money back guarantee is offered if you change your mind after purchasing a course.

 

Pros & Cons

Pros

Blended Learning

Variety of learning approaches combining online classes, instructor-led live virtual classrooms, project work and 24/7 teaching assistance.

Mobile App

You can access its courses and download content anywhere and anytime with its mobile app, making it convenient if you are on the go or taking a trip.

Cons

No free courses

Simplilearn doesn’t offer any free courses, if you are looking to try a course for free it is best to check our Skillshare or edX.

Less Choice

Offering only 400+ courses it doesn’t have such a wide and diverse range of courses as other platforms like Udemy or Coursera.

Persistent Sales Team

It can be helpful, but be aware that they will contact you numerous times like a crazy ex.

Negative Feedback

Simplilearn is the platform which receives the most negative reviews and feedback from previous learners. Many are unhappy with its customer service and lack of transparency.

Who Is Simplilearn For?

Simplilearn, in theory, targets professionals seeking to enhance their skills. It focuses on technology and digital topics. It offers a couple of learning styles, one being blended learning, an approach that mixes video and instructor-led classroom training with online content, real-world projects and a 24/7 teaching assistance and support.

Many are still left asking the question, whether its offerings are of quality and its instructors can create a well-rounded learning experience.

Simplilearn Blended Learning
Simplilearn Blended Learning

Why some maybe inclined to try out its blended learning;

  • Different Learners: You may be familiar with the learning model called VARK (which stands for Visual, Aural, Read or Kinesthetic) which describes how each of us learn in one of these different ways. With this in mind, a mixed learning style benefits different learners. For example, if you are an aural learner (learning best from listening) a live instructor-led class would suit you best.
  • Higher engagement: If you combine different ways of learning (video, live instructor, social forum and practical projects) it keeps you engaged as a learner. This fusion of learning will help to reinforce any gaps of knowledge you may miss from one style of teaching and give a more comprehensive overall outcome.
  • You are in charge: Allowing students to have self-paced learning means they can work at the rhythm that suits them. Instead of having the pace set by the fastest or slowest member of the group. You can then skip ahead or rewatch video content and seek additional resources if necessary.

How Much Are Simplilearn Courses Really?

Let me tell you that Simplilearn is not cheap!  Its course pricing is diverse, starting at $600 and going up to $3,000. It’s crucial to consider what you are getting for your money before you financially commit.

Simplilearn training options
Simplilearn training options

Self-Paced Learning: You will have lifetime access to the course material, video content, hands-on projects, practice exam and 24/7 learner assistance and support. Prices start from $600.

Blended Learning: Includes everything you have in the self-paced learning plus 90 days of unlimited access to live ILT sessions (classes in real time), and 180 days unlimited access to self-paced learning. Live ILT Sessions are a batch of (8-10) live sessions which are offered at different days and times (weekdays, weekends, mornings and nights). Prices start from $800.

Corporate Training: This training is designed for organizations and targets employees working in a company. The package can be customized to online or instructor led, that fits best with your organization’s goals. The price is a custom quote.

Simplilearn claims to offer a 7-day money-back guarantee, but many users have been left out of pocket and not received a full refund.

A Detailed Overview of Simplilearn's Features

Criteria

Comment

Ease of Use ?

2

Opening an account is straightforward, you just need to add your name, email, phone number and create a password. You can also log in via your LinkedIn profile.

The design is pretty outdated and deciding on a course or program may leave you a little confused. On top of that, choosing the right training option for you isn’t very transparent.

Convenience ?

2

Simplilearn offers self-paced and blended learning which means you have different learning styles to choose from, come with lifetime access. Simplilearn promises a 7-day money-back guarantee, but many past learners have found themselves shortchanged.

Simplilearn does have an app where you can download and watch content on the move. Many users have complained about technical issues.

Available Platforms

2.5

Its courses are all online which you can access them from a desktop, laptop or via the Simplilearn app, where in theory you can download and watch content on the move. Many users have complained about technical issues that haven’t been resolved.

Certifications ?

Simplilearn courses are accredited, it’s important to do your researching into the University it accredited with to consider whether it is recognized by potential future employers.

Categories ?

2.5

Simplilearn offers thousands of courses on topics like Digital, Marketing, Project Management, Data Science and more. It’s important to check the quality before committing.

Free Courses

0

I am afraid Simplilearn doesn’t offer any free courses.

Content Quality ?

2

Much of Simplilearn’s content is out of date, it’s best to check before you financially commit.

Languages ?

0.5

Sadly, Simplilearn courses are currently only available in english and without subtitles. It’s courses are available in 176+ countries.

Instructors ?

2.5

Courses and programs claimed to be taught by Simplilearn instructors who have experience.

Course Requirements ?

2.5

Some courses will require that its learners have prior knowledge or qualifications. Simplilearn courses are normally between 4-6 weeks. Courses include video content, graded assignments, hands-on projects, 24/7 learner assistance and support plus quizzes and some final exams.

Course Structure ?

2.5

Every Simplilearn course is designed and updated regularly by 2,000+ renowned industry experts.

Its courses mix video content with instructor led, real projects and 24/7 teaching assistant and support.

Quizzes and Tests ?

2

Most self-paced and blended learning have practice tests and some have final official exams.

Payments and Refunds

2

You can make payments on Simplilearn with the following Credit and Debit Cards (Visa, Mastercard) and Paypal.

Simplilearn offers a 7-day money-back guarantee, but if the participant has accessed more than 25% of the content or downloaded the e-book it won’t be refunded. If a request is made after the 7 days, it will be declined too. Many users have claimed not to receive a refund within the 7-day time frame.

 

Support ?

2

In my experience, the Simplilearn customer support were very pushy, and a time are felt harassed with daily phone calls, this was even before I signed up for a course. Finally, I had to block their number after asking on many occassions for them to email me instead of phoning me, but they did not listen.

 

Overall Rating ?

1.5

Simplilearn offers a range of technology focused courses. It claims to help professionals enhance their career. It is one of the more expensive platforms on the market, and feedback from our readers hasn’t been the most positive. I would highly advise you do your due diligence before you commit to Simplilearn. If you aren’t sure which other platforms are worth considering, please check out of Online Learning Comparison tool here.

How To Open A Simplilearn Account?

The registration process for Simplilearn is really straightforward. I thought it would still be helpful to see the steps on how to register:

Simplilearn sign up
Simplilearn sign up
  1. Open a browser and visit their site
  2. Click Sign up now
  3. Add your Full Name, Email, Phone number and create a Password
  4. You can also log in with your Linkedin

Once you are signed up you can click on All Courses and begin browsing the different courses on offer.

Simplilearn all courses
Simplilearn all courses

After you have selected a main category, you can then pick one of the courses which will take you to the course details.

Most Popular Simplilearn Courses

I thought it would be interesting to look in more detail at Simplilearn’s most popular courses. It may help you in your choice to see what other students are favouring.

Simplilearn Course Topics
Simplilearn Course Topics
  1. PMP (Project Management professional) – A course that covers new trends, emerging practices and core competencies with an emphasis on strategic and business knowledge with a 99.9% pass rate. The course advisor is Tim Jerome and has over 15 years experiences in companies like Intel and Digital Network Services.
  2. Machine Learning- An in-depth course in Machine Learning covering topics including real-time data, developing algorithms and learning how to use Python to draw predictions from data. You will receive 44 hours of instructor-led training with a certification, and you will work with 4 real-life industry projects.
  3. TOGAF 9 Training – A course to help master terminology, structure and concepts. You will learn the process for architecture development. It is an accredited course with 54 hours of blended learning (e.g. different learning methods). The course advisor is John Ghostley, a former CIO with 30 years of experience.
  4. Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) – A course that focuses on providing an improved understanding of Scrum methodologies and their implementation. The course is certified by the Scrum Alliance and it’s conducted by an experienced trainer with 20+ years experience.
  5. CISSP Certification – A course that helps develop your expertise in IT architecture and in designing and building.The course covers industry best practices. The course advisor is Dean Pompilio and has over 20 IT certifications.

7 Tips To Find The Perfect Simplilearn Course

If you haven’t made any final decisions on which course is right for you I have put together 7 tips to help you choose the perfect course.

Simplilearn selector
Simplilearn selector

Use the Selector

A very useful feature is the selector at the top of the page which allows you to choose the information you are most interested in finding out about. You can quickly click and be directed to the Course Curriculum, Course Advisor, Reviews and so on. I think this is particularly helpful if you are researching and comparing different courses.

Preview Content

The course content is broken down into each lesson with the topic and time duration. Many of the lessons provide a preview for you to watch.

Simplilearn preview content
Simplilearn preview content

The Free Previews available for that particular course are all listed on the right hand side along with its time duration. These previews can give you a really great insight into the way the course is delivered and a taste of what is to come. You’ll know what to expect!

Download the Syllabus

When you check out the course content, you will notice a button below it Download Syllabus.

Simplilearn download syllabus
Simplilearn Download Syllabus

The download provides you with a detailed but digestible overview of the course. It includes program features, target audience, key learning outcomes (see image below) and more. I think this download is really handy if you want to go away, read about the course in more detail and come back at another time.

Simplilearn key learning outcomes
Simplilearn key learning outcomes

Course Reviews

Every Simplilearn course has reviews and star ratings from past students, which can be really helpful to read about their experience. I found that many of the reviews shown were only 5-star postive reviews, so it didn’t leave a well-balanced overview. Other elearning platforms like Coursera and Skillshare give a more honest and raw display of reviews.

Course Advisor

Each course includes a course advisor section which includes their title and description along with their social media handles. Their bio is short and descriptive highlighting their expertise. It is definitely worth checking out your instructor to get a feeling for what he or she will be like.

Simplilearn course advisor
Simplilearn course advisor

Course FAQs

Frequently asked questions are always helpful as let’s face it, most of the time we all have the same questions we need answered. This can help clarify any doubts or queries you may have before commiting to a course.

Simplilearn FAQs
Simplilearn FAQs

Customer Support

If you have trouble finding particular information about a course. You have the option to request further information. In my experience, the customer support agents I spoke with were very pushy and persistent, and I was left with no choice as to block their number as they wouldn’t email me.

Simplilearn request more information
Simplilearn request more information

Will Simplilearn Help Me With My Career?

Simplilearn courses are geared towards professionals who are looking to learn a new skill or qualification to help their career. Although it’s courses are accredited its important to know whether that certification will really help you get a job.

Simplilearn accredited certificate

Many learners have been left disappointed as believed by taking a course or program with Simpliliearn will land them their dream job, but unfortunately this hasn’t been the case.

Is Simplilearn Legit?

Something which many of you ask when considering elearning communities is: Is this online learning platform legit?

You are not alone in having these doubts, especially if you are considering one of the more expensive blended learning courses (up to $3,000) that Simplilearn offers.

Simplilearn was founded in 2010 in Bengaluru, India by Krishna Kumar and has offices based in San Francisco, California, and Bangalore India. It has helped well over 1 million professionals and companies across 150+ countries get trained, acquire certifications and (hopefully) upskill their employees.

More than 40 global training organizations have recognized Simplilearn as an official provider of certification training. It has been named as the 8th most influential education brand in the world by LinkedIn.

In short, Simplilearn is legit, however, be aware that it’s one of the platforms we receive the most negative feedback from.

Simplilearn Alternatives

Coursera

Accredited Certificates

4.8

Udacity

Best For Career Services

4.6

edX

Best for Verified Certificates

4.2

Coursera: offers over 5,800+ courses, specializations, degrees and 100’s of free courses. It partners with top universities and organizations to create its courses and programs. Alongside that a variety of payment options are available.

Udacity: offers a little shy of 100 Nanodegree programs. Its courses are focused on gaining skills for careers in the tech and business industry. Although its programs (or as they call them Nanodegrees) aren’t accredited, it is still highly recognized by industry experts.

edX: offers over 4,000+ online elearning courses that are partnered with established universities and companies. It offers both self-paced or instructor-paced learning programs. Probably a better alternative if you are looking for a more formal education.

Simplilearn Conclusion

Ok, so let’s summarize Simplilearn. As I have previously mentioned, it is a platform with very mixed and negative reviews from previous learners who have either been left disappointed by the quality of courses, the lack of career prospects after receiving an accredited certificate and the bad customer support. It is the platform we receive the most complaints about, my own personal experience wasn’t positive with Simplilearn.

I am only here to help advise you on your online learning journey, and you must decide on the platform which makes the most sense to you, your budget, your learning journey. In case you’d still like to compare Simplilearn with other online learning platforms, you can use our online learning comparison tool.