Are you considering using Bootcamp or Coursera to pick up a new skill? Both are fantastic options but which one is actually better? It can be hard to deduce what makes one learning platform better than another.
Each massive open online courses platform out there is different and has unique features which make it suited to certain people. On top of that, with so much information on the internet, it can be tough to distinguish opinion from fact. That is why we have written this article.
We have looked at the details of each of these courses in detail so that you can learn everything you need to know about both all in one place.
Are you keen to get started? Well then, let’s dive right in and check out Coursera vs Bootcamp in more detail! There is a lot to cover!
A Bit About Coursera
Coursera is a website that gives you access to hundreds of courses, projects, specializations, professional certificates, and more. Each one of these things will be taught by the very best instructors from all walks of life.
From university lecturers to professionals in the industry, you can rest assured that you will be taught by those that are knowledgeable in the field you are learning about.
You should be able to learn just about anything with Coursera, any topic at any skill level should be available for you to explore at your whim, like computer science, data science, web development, etc. On top of that, it does not take a lot of money to take on these courses.
Isn’t that neat? The courses on this website allow you to learn flexibly. So you can tackle your course at your own pace or even jump between different courses for a change of scenery.
With Coursera, you will be able to pick up unlimited certificates which means that you can complete a course and get a certificate without any additional cost. It is also a great way to help you ace your certification exams and tests. (See ‘Can You Put Your Coursera Certificate On Your Resume?‘)
For the right person, it can be an amazing tool. But as we said, it is a very niche learning platform.
A Bit About Bootcamp
Bootcamp has a very specific and niche student base. It is centered around teaching science to students in certain fields. For example, there are basic training courses for chemistry, optometry, med school, dental, and various other related topics.
Bootcamp is well known for successfully helping more than fifty-thousand students. They have built their courses in such a way that you are bound to help you be successful in your career advancement.
By taking Bootcamp programs you will be able to enhance your resume or even educate yourself to become something entirely different. These programs are affordable, flexible, and of amazing quality.
Coursera – Pros And Cons
There is a lot to love about Coursera. It contains a lot of different courses and degrees which are likely to be beneficial to just about anyone that is looking to learn a new skill or perfect an existing one.
But despite being such a well-known and excellent site, there are going to be some cons to using it. That is what this section is all about. We are going to take a closer look at the pros and cons of using Coursera. (Check out ‘Is Coursera Accredited?‘)
So, without further ado, let us dive right in and get started!
Pros
Below we have listed a few reasons that Coursera might be a good fit for you:
- Partnered Organizations and Universities – Coursera has partnered with more than two hundred universities and other organizations. For example, it is partnered with Imperial College, Stanford University, Google, IBM, and many other great institutions.
- Affordable – Coursera is known for being a very affordable option for those of you that are looking to take on college degree programs. The prices offered by Coursera are notably lower than the prices you will pay for campus-based degrees.
- Free Courses – Coursera offers more than two-thousand-six-hundred courses for free. Because of this, you will not receive a certificate. However, if you pay a fee and upgrade you will be able to get a certificate for completing your courses.
- Offline Learning – Coursera has an app that allows you to download a variety of course material which you will be able to access even when you are not online. This means that you will be able to learn and study no matter where you are.
- Good Quality Courses – The courses that Coursera offers are taught by experts in the field. Many of them teach at Universities and have experience in the field they are teaching. On top of that, there are also beta Testers who make sure that the content of the courses stays up to the high standards Coursera offers its clients.
Cons
Below we have listed a few reasons why Coursera might NOT be a good fit for you:
- Pricing – While the prices that Coursera offers are affordable they can be quite confusing to navigate. This is because there are several subscription tiers. This can make it hard to know exactly what you will be paying for access to the courses.
- Prior Knowledge – The courses that Coursera offers are created in such a way that you may need to have prior knowledge about the course. This can mean that it may not always be a good option for those of you at the beginner level.
Bootcamp – Pros And Cons
As with any learning platform, there are pros and cons to using any one of them. If you are feeling overwhelmed and want to make your coursework easier to understand, then using Bootcamp might be a good option for you.
But what are the actual pros and cons of using this specific learning platform? Well, that is what we have listed a few of the pros and cons that stood out about this learning platform.
So, without further ado, let us dive right in and get started!
Pros
Below we have listed a few reasons that Bootcamp might be a good fit for you:
- Tutors – This learning platform will always have tutors which are there to help you and teach you. They are there 24/7 so you will always have help when you need it most.
- Apps – This learning platform has iOS and Android mobile apps which you can download to access Bootcamp’s lectures.
- High-Quality Courses – The courses on this learning platform are up-to-date and are very high quality. So you will be taking courses that will certainly benefit you and help you grow in your chosen field.
- Progress Tracking – Bootcamp offers a unique tracking system that makes it much easier to learn any topic regardless of how tough the concepts are to learn.
- Affordable – This learning platform is very affordable and you will be able to get access to the best content, lecturers, and material through just one resource.
Cons
Below we have listed a few reasons why Bootcamp might NOT be a good fit for you:
- Limited Topics – From what we have been able to deduce, this learning platform is limited in the types of topics you can take. They are all medical or science related.
Coursera – Course Types
Coursera has many fine features which makes it a fantastic option for the vast majority of people that want to improve their skills. But each online learning course should have something that makes it unique and different to the rest.
If you take
Coursera offers a wide range of amazing features, all of which make it unique. If you want to choose Coursera to help you learn new things, then there are a few choices for you to consider.
We have listed these course features below for you to peruse at your leisure:
- Audit – If you are interested in taking a course and learning that material but you are not eager to spend money to do so, then choosing to do an audit may be perfect for you. If you audit a course you will be able to view the subject materials and study them without paying for them.
However, if you do this then you will not be able to apply for a certificate, submit your work for grading, or participate in activities that are only offered to people paying for the course.
- Certified Courses – Picking a certified course is a great choice for your learning. You will need to pay a fee in order to enroll in this type of course.
You will be able to complete different elements of the course like submitting homework assignments, taking tests, and doing coursework whenever you see fit. On top of working at your own pace, you will be given a certificate of compilation once you have completed the course.
- Specialization – Specialization courses are essentially courses that have been packed into one very specific topic. For example, if you want to learn about creative writing, you will be able to choose between taking a stand-alone course and a specialized one.
This would mean that you would take a bundle of five courses which are all linked to creative writing. They will contain and cover different subject content though.
When you complete a specialization course, you will be given a unique certificate as a mark that you have graduated successfully.
- Degrees – A degree is no small matter, it will be the same as taking any university degree around the world. This kind of Coursera course is essentially like taking an online university degree but online.
There are a variety of different degrees you can choose from, in particular, there are fantastic choices in business and IT.
Bootcamp – Course Types
Bootcamp offers several different courses and study materials, all of which are related to science and medical topics. These courses are not like Coursers and you do not get different types. Each course is unique and may come with different qualifications or benefits.
Coursera – Features And Benefits
There are many benefits and features associated with Coursera. You are bound to be impressed with everything that this course offers. The fact that you have access to such a wide number of courses is just one of the many benefits of using Coursera to learn new skills.
Below we have listed some of the main benefits that come with using Coursera:
- This Course Plus the Full Specialization.
- Shareable Certificates.
- Self-Paced Learning Option.
- Course Videos & Readings.
- Practice Quizzes.
- Graded Assignments with Peer Feedback.
- Graded Quizzes with Feedback.
- Graded Programming Assignments.
There are of course more benefits associated with this fantastic learning provider. These are just a few of the ones that stood out most to us.
Bootcamp – Features And Benefits
The benefits and features you experience on Bootcamp courses will depend on what courses you are taking and where you are accessing them from. Bootcamp can be a great way to give yourself a boost in your existing learning or as a way to improve your resume.
The main benefits of taking a Bootcamp course could be as follows:
- Lecturers or Professionals Teach you
- You can Learn at Your Own Pace
- Focused Learning Topics
Bootcamp may not offer everything you need. Or it may be just what you are looking for. Whether the benefits that this learning institution offers suit you will be entirely dependent on what you are looking for when it comes to your personal learning and growth.
Coursera – Prices
There are three main tiers of payment for Coursera. Each of them comes with different accessible features so you can pick an option that offers you what you need.
Below we have listed these three tiers their current prices and what each one includes:
Coursera Single Learning Program
The single learning program will give you access to learning a single topic or skill while earning a credential. To get access to this tier of Coursera courses you will be paying somewhere between $52 and $83.
Please be aware that these prices are approximations and they may differ depending on a wide range of variables.
The features you will have access to with this tier of payment will be as follows:
- Access All Courses Within the Learning Program.
- Earn a Certificate Upon Completion.
While you do not get access to much more than the free version of Coursera these features are certain to be of use to you especially if you need to get a certification of completion for your course.
Coursera Plus Monthly
This tier of payment is the most popular option of the three. With it, you will have access to multiple courses while earning credentials all in the short term. To get access to this tier of Coursera courses you will be paying approximately $61 per month.
Please be aware that this price is an approximation and it may differ depending on a wide range of variables.
The features you will have access to with this tier of payment will be as follows:
- Access 7,000+ Courses and Specializations From 170+ Leading Companies and Universities.
- Earn Unlimited Certificates.
- Learn Job-Relevant Skills And Tools for the job market with 1,000+ Applied Projects and Hands-On Labs From Industry Experts.
- Choose From More than 15 Professional Certificate Programs from Industry Leaders Like Google, Facebook, and More.
If you want to take more than one of the courses that Coursera offers then the second tier of payment will certainly be best suited to you and your needs. For the price it is a total bargain, so make sure to look into it when you get the chance.
Coursera Plus Annual
This tier may look like a little proxy but if you want to have access to everything that Coursera has to offer at a reasonable price then this option will certainly be one that will work best for you.
To get access to this tier of Coursera courses you will be paying approximately $423 each year. Please be aware that this price is an approximation and it may differ depending on a wide range of variables.
The features you will have access to with this tier of payment will be as follows:
- You will have access to more than 7000 Courses and Specializations. These courses will come from over 170 companies and universities.
- With Coursera, you will have unlimited access to courses and specializations all of which you can earn certifications for.
- You will be learning job-relevant skills and tools with more than 1000 applied projects and hands-on labs taught by industry experts.
- You will get to choose between over fifteen professional certificate programs made by industry leaders such as the following: Google, Facebook, and many more.
- You can save a lot of money and have unlimited access to courses if you go for the tier three upfront yearly plan.
- You can have as much flexibility as you like in order to balance work, learning, and general life. Learning at your own pace is something that is supported by Coursera.
This course means that you will have access to everything that this company has to offer. So you can take many courses and get certification for each of them. It also allows you to have a more flexible learning and life balance which is always good in a society as busy as ours.
Bootcamp – Prices
The price you pay for Bootcamp courses is not something that is readily on display. But from all the research we have done, we found that you can learn for free or you can sign up. There may be a payment option that gives you access to more content and features.
If you want to learn more about the prices you will need to sign up and navigate the system that Bootcamp has put in place. From what we have managed to deduce from our research, Bootcamp is very affordable and one payment will allow you to access all the learning materials.
Coursera vs Bootcamp: Which One Is Better?
Now that you know everything you need to know about both Coursera and Bootcamp, which one comes out on top? In our opinion, Coursera wins by a landslide. The reason Coursera comes out on top is that it simply contains more. You get certificates with each of your completed courses.
On top of that, you will be able to take as many courses as you like without restriction. Coursera is also a very affordable option that offers you the opportunity to learn from experts in the industry or university lecturers.
Bootcamp is a good option for those of you that need help with one specific topic. While the quality of courses is good they are limited and the price of each course is not something that the company displays upfront.
That being said, the quality of the courses is phenomenal even if they are a bit niche.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, it is entirely up to you to decide which learning platform works for you. Which one you go for is entirely dependent on what you want to get out of your learning.
Do you want to add to your arsenal of knowledge? Improve a skill? Add to your resume? What your answer is to questions like this will massively impact which option you go for.
There is no right or wrong answer. Your personal life and circumstances are your own and what suits you will depend on that alone.
With all of that said, we hope that you have enjoyed reading this article and learning about these two learning platforms. Hopefully, the information here has helped you make a decision between these two learning platforms. One of them is bound to suit you.
But, if you are considering a different option, make sure to check out some of our other articles. We have several comparing Coursera and other learning platforms. One of them is bound to be to your liking.
Good luck with your learning, we hope that you find something that suits you. Goodbye for now!
