OpenLearn vs Udemy:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Udemy had more branded searches than OpenLearn among MOOC platforms worldwide. Udemy had about 3.4 million branded searches, while OpenLearn had 90,500. Udemy made up 18.1% of all MOOC platform searches we track, and OpenLearn accounted for 0.49%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about MOOC platforms, OpenLearn and Udemy each appeared in two of the five answers. OpenLearn and Udemy were each mentioned first in two of the four answers that named either.
Who do people search for more?
Udemy, about 37 searches for every 1 for OpenLearn
Who does AI mention more?
Both were mentioned in 2 of 5 answers.
Who does AI recommend more?
Each is named first in 2 of 4 answers.
Follow OpenLearn vs Udemy and get free monthly updates on what changed
By continuing you'll get index updates and occasional product news from Brandwave. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy
Top MOOC platforms in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, OpenLearn and Udemy were each mentioned in two out of five: in one of the three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. OpenLearn and Udemy were each listed first in two of the four answers that named either.
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 OpenLearn or Udemy more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for OpenLearn 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 Udemy, OpenLearn. 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 OpenLearn and Udemy comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Udemy was ahead of OpenLearn in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, OpenLearn’s share of searches among MOOC platforms worldwide moved from 0.29% to 0.49%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 60.5K to 90.5K.
- 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%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for OpenLearn worldwide rose 49.6% over 12 measured months, from 60.5K to 90.5K in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using OpenLearn’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
Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.