Coursera vs Udemy:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Coursera and Udemy were level in searches among online course marketplaces worldwide, with an estimated 3.4M branded searches each, at 41% of the total each. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about online course marketplaces, Coursera appeared in all five answers and Udemy in three. Coursera was mentioned before Udemy in four out of five answers.
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 4 of 5 answers
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Top online course marketplaces 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 three out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. Coursera was listed before Udemy in four out of five answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
- Coursera1st
edX2nd
Udemy3rd
Skillshare4th
LinkedIn Learning5th
Domestika–
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
- Udemy3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- LinkedIn Learning3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Skillshare3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Domestika0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about online course marketplaces
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which online course marketplace should I use?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best online course marketplaces?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best online course marketplace for a career change?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“online courses for career change”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“affordable online courses”
Not named in any answer:
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 six online course marketplaces 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 | Coursera | Udemy | LinkedIn Learning | edX | Domestika | Skillshare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 36.7% | 44.9% | 7.4% | 4.9% | 3.3% | 2.7% |
| Nov 2025 | 32.7% | 48.8% | 6.6% | 5.4% | 3.6% | 2.9% |
| Dec 2025 | 36.5% | 44.6% | 7.3% | 4.9% | 4% | 2.7% |
| Jan 2026 | 37% | 45.2% | 6.1% | 5% | 4.1% | 2.7% |
| Feb 2026 | 35.6% | 43.5% | 7.2% | 5.9% | 3.9% | 3.9% |
| Mar 2026 | 35.1% | 42.8% | 8.6% | 5.8% | 3.9% | 3.9% |
| Apr 2026 | 37.4% | 45.7% | 7.5% | 4.1% | 3.4% | 1.8% |
| May 2026 | 37.6% | 45.9% | 7.5% | 4.1% | 3.4% | 1.5% |
| Jun 2026 | 37.8% | 46.2% | 7.6% | 4.2% | 2.8% | 1.5% |
| Jul 2026 | 38.4% | 46.9% | 6.3% | 4.2% | 2.8% | 1.3% |
| Aug 2026 | 37.9% | 46.3% | 7.6% | 4.2% | 2.8% | 1.2% |
| Sep 2026 | 41% | 41% | 10.1% | 3.7% | 3% | 1.3% |
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 online course marketplaces worldwide moved from 36.7% to 41%, 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 online course marketplaces worldwide moved from 44.9% to 41%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 5M to 3.4M.
How did search popularity change for online course marketplaces worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Coursera overtook Udemy to become the leader among online course marketplaces worldwide, with 41% of the searches.
In September 2026, Udemy lost share of searches among online course marketplaces worldwide, from 46.3% to 41%.
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 online course marketplaces
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