Online courses: cost, certificates that count, and refunds
An online course sells two things that are easy to confuse: the teaching, which is often free somewhere, and the certificate, which is often what the fee buys. Decide which one you need before you compare platforms. No platform is best for everyone; the right one depends on whether you want to learn, show that you learned, or earn college credit.
The short answer. If you only want to learn, a great deal is free: MIT OpenCourseWare, Khan Academy, freeCodeCamp and OpenLearn cost nothing, and a library card may bring LinkedIn Learning. Pay only when the certificate itself matters. Then check two things first: whether the college or employer you care about accepts it, and how long the refund window is.
Learning for free
- MIT OpenCourseWare is a free and open collection of material from thousands of MIT courses, with no enrollment and no account needed. MIT offers no credit or certificate for it.
- Khan Academy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that relies on donors, with over 840 free courses for school and early college subjects.
- freeCodeCamp says every part is free, including its certifications, each of which takes around 300 hours.
- OpenLearn, from the Open University, has nearly 1,000 free courses. Finishing one earns a Statement of Participation, which carries no formal credit.
- Alison offers free courses and earns its money from advertising and optional paid certificates.
- Your library. The Los Angeles Public Library says LinkedIn Learning is free with a library card and PIN, with more than 3,000 courses.
- edX's audit track. edX's terms say that, unless edX decides otherwise, the unpaid audit track awards no certificate.
What a certificate is worth outside the platform
A certificate of completion shows you finished. LinkedIn's help page says you can add one to your profile after a course or learning path, though not for single videos or collections.
College credit is a different thing. The American Council on Education (ACE) reviews courses and recommends credit. Coursera is an ACE Authorized Instructional Platform, with partner certificates carrying credit recommendations. Sophia Learning has launched over 75 ACE-recommended courses. StraighterLine has had over 30 ACE reviews and routes credit through partner colleges and ACE's transcript system.
A recommendation is not a promise. ACE's page for learners says each college makes its own decision about granting credit, and advises you to contact the colleges you are considering directly.
Refunds: short windows and many exceptions
| Platform | What its own terms say |
|---|---|
| Coursera | Single purchases: full refund within 7 days of payment or before earning a certificate, whichever comes first. Annual plans: 14 days, with no refund on renewals |
| Coursera Plus | $59 a month after a 7-day free trial, or $399 a year with a 14-day money-back guarantee |
| edX | 14 days after payment or after the course starts, whichever is later; no refunds on subscriptions |
| Sophia | Refund within 30 days if you have not completed a course; $99 a month, renewing automatically |
| StraighterLine | Memberships and course fees are non-refundable; all sales are final |
Discounts deserve a second look too. A class action, Williams v. Udemy, alleged that Udemy showed struck-through original prices for courses never sold at those prices. It settled with $4 per course for eligible buyers, up to $40, and Udemy admitted no wrongdoing. Judge the price you pay, not the size of the discount.
Who does the teaching
Free courses still cost someone. Khan Academy and freeCodeCamp are donor-supported charities. freeCodeCamp says volunteers help build its curriculum and codebase, and it thanks its top contributors each year with recognition such as events and backpacks. If a free course helps you, a donation is one way to keep it running.
If you care most about...
There is no single best platform. Match the choice to what you weigh most.
| If you care most about | Look at | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Learning at no cost | OpenCourseWare, Khan Academy, freeCodeCamp, OpenLearn, your library | Free to use |
| College credit | ACE-recommended courses, after checking with your college | Each college decides what it accepts |
| Something to show on a profile | A LinkedIn Learning certificate, possibly free through your library | It can be added to your LinkedIn profile when you finish |
| Getting money back | A platform with a stated refund window, used early | Windows close after days, or once you finish |
| Supporting the people behind free courses | A donation to the nonprofit you use | Donors fund these charities |
Before you pay
- Search the same topic on OpenCourseWare, OpenLearn or Khan Academy.
- If you want credit, find the course in ACE's National Guide and ask your college's registrar before enrolling.
- Note the day the refund window closes.
- If there is a free trial, set a reminder before it converts.
What we are not telling you
We do not rate the teaching in individual courses, and we do not measure career results. Several platforms have no score for some measures because their own pages could not be read directly. Prices are US prices checked in September 2026.
How we made this
Nobody paid to appear here. The facts come from this site's online course data and the pages below, each opened for this guide in September 2026. Found something wrong? Corrections are welcome and get applied with their source.
Sources
- MIT OpenCourseWare, about (checked 2026-09)
- Khan Academy, about (checked 2026-09)
- freeCodeCamp, about (checked 2026-09)
- freeCodeCamp, top contributors (checked 2026-09)
- OpenLearn FAQ (checked 2026-09)
- Alison, why certificates cost money (checked 2026-09)
- Los Angeles Public Library, LinkedIn Learning (checked 2026-09)
- edX terms of service (checked 2026-09)
- LinkedIn, adding certificates to your profile (checked 2026-09)
- ACE National Guide, Coursera (checked 2026-09)
- ACE National Guide, Sophia Learning (checked 2026-09)
- ACE National Guide, StraighterLine (checked 2026-09)
- ACE, seeking credit with the National Guide (checked 2026-09)
- Coursera terms of use (checked 2026-09)
- Coursera Plus (checked 2026-09)
- Sophia, account and billing (checked 2026-09)
- Sophia subscription plans (checked 2026-09)
- StraighterLine terms of use (checked 2026-09)
- Williams v. Udemy, federal docket (checked 2026-09)
- Udemy price promotion settlement (checked 2026-09)