Coursera vs Udemy:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Coursera and Udemy were level in searches among MOOC platforms worldwide, with an estimated 3.4M branded searches each, at 18.1% of the total each. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about MOOC platforms, Coursera appeared in all five answers and Udemy in two. Coursera was mentioned before Udemy in every answer.
Who do people search for more?
Coursera and Udemy are searched for about as often as each other.
Who does AI mention more?
Coursera, mentioned in every answer we collected
Who does AI recommend more?
Coursera, named ahead of Udemy in every answer
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Top MOOC platforms in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Coursera appeared in all five answers. Udemy was mentioned in two out of five: in one of the three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Coursera was listed before Udemy in every answer.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
- Coursera1st
edX2nd
Khan Academy3rd
MIT OpenCourseWare4th
FutureLearn5th
Udemy6th
OpenLearn7th
Udacity8th
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Coursera5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- edX5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Khan Academy3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- FutureLearn3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Udemy2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- MIT OpenCourseWare2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- OpenLearn2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Udacity1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about MOOC platforms
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which MOOC platform should I use?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best MOOC platforms?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best MOOC platform for online learning?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“online course platform”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“free online courses”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 19, 2026.
Is Coursera or Udemy more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Coursera and Udemy by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all eight MOOC platforms we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Coursera, Udemy. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Khan Academy | Coursera | Udemy | edX | MIT OpenCourseWare | OpenLearn | FutureLearn | Udacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 52.5% | 19.3% | 23.6% | 2.6% | 0.64% | 0.29% | 0.43% | 0.64% |
| Nov 2025 | 49.7% | 18.2% | 27.2% | 3% | 0.6% | 0.27% | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Dec 2025 | 47.6% | 21.3% | 26% | 2.9% | 0.7% | 0.31% | 0.38% | 0.86% |
| Jan 2026 | 42.7% | 23.4% | 28.6% | 3.1% | 0.77% | 0.35% | 0.42% | 0.63% |
| Feb 2026 | 47.4% | 21.2% | 25.9% | 3.5% | 0.7% | 0.31% | 0.47% | 0.57% |
| Mar 2026 | 47.1% | 21.1% | 25.8% | 3.5% | 1% | 0.31% | 0.47% | 0.69% |
| Apr 2026 | 47.8% | 21.4% | 26.1% | 2.4% | 0.86% | 0.32% | 0.39% | 0.7% |
| May 2026 | 42.9% | 23.5% | 28.7% | 2.6% | 0.95% | 0.35% | 0.42% | 0.63% |
| Jun 2026 | 38% | 25.5% | 31.1% | 2.8% | 1.3% | 0.38% | 0.46% | 0.56% |
| Jul 2026 | 42.8% | 23.4% | 28.6% | 2.6% | 1.2% | 0.52% | 0.42% | 0.42% |
| Aug 2026 | 52.8% | 19.4% | 23.6% | 2.1% | 0.95% | 0.43% | 0.35% | 0.35% |
| Sep 2026 | 60.1% | 18.1% | 18.1% | 1.6% | 0.73% | 0.49% | 0.4% | 0.33% |
How has the Coursera and Udemy comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Coursera was ahead of Udemy in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Coursera’s share of searches among MOOC platforms worldwide moved from 19.3% to 18.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 4.1M to 3.4M.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Udemy’s share of searches among MOOC platforms worldwide moved from 23.6% to 18.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 5M to 3.4M.
How did search popularity change for MOOC platforms worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Udemy lost share of searches among MOOC platforms worldwide, from 23.6% to 18.1%.
In September 2026, Coursera lost share of searches among MOOC platforms worldwide, from 19.4% to 18.1%.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Coursera’s and Udemy’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Other head-to-heads among MOOC platforms
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