Choosing a learning management system (LMS) is not just about content: it is primarily about matching learning styles to business goals. In this guide, we compare A Cloud Guru (now acquired by Pluralsight) with Udemy, two standout platforms helping organizations train smarter with a focus on different learning styles.

While both offer scalable learning at the enterprise level, their core strengths diverge. A Cloud Guru is designed with a focus on technical skill development. Whereas Udemy offers specified modules including Udemy Business along with features like an extensive course library to support diverse roles across a company.

This comparison will help you determine which platform aligns better with your training priorities and team goals.

A Cloud Guru Vs Udemy : At A Glance

Features

 A Cloud Guru

Udemy

Learning Pathways

‘Paths’ combine courses, labs, and assessments into clear, structured learning roadmaps

Personalized paths with selected courses, cohort learning

AI Tools

AI skills and resources, Iris AI

Generative AI Upskilling, AI powered recommendations

Certificates And Assessments

Skill IQ and role IQ timed assessments, Certification Prep Centre

Quizzes, assignments, and badges, professional certificates

Course Library

Thousands of expert-led courses

Over 30,000 expert courses spanning various industries

Reporting And Analytics

Tracks learner progress, real-time dashboards, and customizable alerts

Advanced analytics with dashboards, skill gap tracking, and training ROI metrics

Pricing

Starting from $15/month, offers numerous pricing plans

Starts from $30/month per user, alongside two other custom pricing plans

What Is A Cloud Guru?

A Cloud Guru, now acquired by Pluralsight, is a cloud-based LMS ideal for technical teams and IT professionals. The platform now provides an amalgam of features from both A Cloud Guru and Pluralsight when users subscribe. The learning management experience becomes more robust due to Pluralsight’s extensive list of assistive features such as advanced analytics, skill assessments, and enterprise-grade integrations. Coupled with A Cloud Guru’s facilitation in hands-on cloud labs and certification-focused learning, users can leverage one of the best LMS environments for cloud training. The platform is recommended for teams that are focused on deep technical upskilling and cloud infrastructure mastery.

Unique Features Of A Cloud Guru

  • Multi-Cloud Learning: Allows you to build the skills needed to support multi-cloud initiatives across AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, which are useful for hybrid infrastructure teams
  • Hands-On Labs: The platform enables you to access interactive 3,000+ labs where learners can practice new skills in live environments without any hassle of prior setup
  • Certification Hub: A centralized space where users can explore certification paths, monitor trending exams with Peer Tracker, and manage all their prep activities in one place

Pros And Cons Of A Cloud Guru

Pros

  • Offers a diverse library of built-in courses tailored to various skill levels and learning goals
  • The video training modules are well-structured, with all content compiled cohesively for an easy and engaging learning experience
  • In-built virtual labs let you practice skills in real-time whenever you need

Cons

  • Some users report that navigating the application can be unintuitive, with occasional issues during the login process
  • Content of the library is not regularly updated

What Is Udemy?

Udemy is a cloud-based LMS and learning platform that helps teams build new skills through expert-led courses. It offers videos, quizzes, and coding exercises across topics like software, business, and personal development. Learners get artificial intelligence (AI) powered course suggestions, offline access, and self-paced options as well. Instructors can easily create courses and track progress with built-in analytics. The platform also offers advanced business modules like Udemy Business, which is ideal for companies training teams across various roles and regions.

Unique Feature Of Udemy

  • Multi-Language Collection: Offers 17,000+ courses across 15 different languages, facilitating ease for global teams by helping them learn in their preferred language
  • Cohort Learning: Collaborative, group-based programs with live sessions and peer discussions, supported by AI and machine learning (ML) insights for leadership and team development
  • Leadership Academy: Provides expert training to help managers build inclusive, high-trust teams and strengthen leadership skills for hybrid and remote workforce

Pros And Cons Of Udemy

Pros

  • Comprises a large number of courses that cover a wide range of topics to meet diverse learning
  • Consists of pre-built learning paths and coding exercises to help users build skills more easily
  • The user interface is intuitive, making it easy to resume learning or search for new content

Cons

  • Some assessments lack depth and diversity, making them feel too basic for advanced learners
  • Does not have offer live training or interactive elements

A Cloud Guru And Udemy: Side-By-Side Feature Comparison

Learning Pathways

A Cloud Guru: Organizes learning through structured ‘Paths’ that combine expert-led courses, hands-on labs, and skill checks into clear roadmaps. These paths outline the learning sequence, show progress checkpoints, and offer practice exams using video-based content. Grouped by technologies or certification goals, the paths help both individuals and teams follow a consistent direction in their learning journey.

Udemy: Uses a flexible, on-demand learning model that supports personalized skill development. Learners can follow tailored learning paths that include bite-sized courses, practical tasks, and quizzes designed to build skills step by step. The platform also features expert-led online events and cohort-based programs to support collaboration and long-term development across different teams.

Winner: Udemy due to its flexible learning model and support for cohort-based programs.

AI Tools

A Cloud Guru: Through Pluralsight, uses Iris AI to recommend relevant content based on a learner's goals and skill level. After a short interaction, Iris suggests courses, labs, or paths that align with the learner’s focus. It updates conversational guidance and a personalized experience as learning progresses. Additionally, A Cloud Guru offers curated AI skills to help individuals and teams navigate its extensive content library and support practical AI learning.

Udemy: Integrates AI to improve content recommendations and includes ‘Generative AI Upskilling’ programs. These offerings feature instructor-led training modules that help learners build skills in generative AI. The platform’s AI use is learner oriented, focusing on skill growth and course relevance rather than backend automation.

Winner: A Cloud Guru wins due to its intelligent AI assistant and targeted AI skills programs.

Certificates And Assessments

A Cloud Guru: Offers tools like ‘Skill IQ’ and ‘Role IQ’, which give timed assessments to measure proficiency in various technologies or job roles. Learners receive a score and can compare their results with their peers. Based on performance, the system recommends specific courses and labs to improve weak areas. Its ‘Certification Prep Center’ centralizes resources for managing certifications, exam tracking, and progress planning.

Udemy: Provides assessments through quizzes, assignments, and practice tests. Upon completing courses, learners receive certificates and digital badges to showcase their achievements. These credentials help keep learners motivated, and reporting tools allow companies to track engagement, completion, and overall effectiveness of their training programs.

Winner: A Cloud Guru (Pluralsight) takes the lead with its skill assessment tools and centralized certification prep feature.

Course Library

A Cloud Guru: Via Pluralsight, offers a large collection of over 1000 courses authored by industry professionals. The library includes hands-on labs, certification prep, and technical content across cloud, security, DevOps, and more. Users can browse content by skill level or role, with new courses added regularly to support up-to-date learning.

Udemy: Has over 30,000 expert-led courses covering a wide range of subjects, including technology, business, personal development, and leadership. The platform supports diverse learning needs across industries, allowing organizations to offer self-paced education that fits individual preferences and job requirements.

Winner: Udemy wins due to its extensive and diverse course library.

Reporting And Analytics

A Cloud Guru: Includes a visual dashboard that tracks both individual and team progress. It displays charts showing course completions, skill improvement, and engagement rates. Reports can be exported as CSV files for deeper analysis, and email alerts can be set up for key performance indicators. These tools help identify learning gaps and adjust programs based on real-time data.

Udemy: Features ‘Advanced Analytics & Reporting’, which gives a detailed view of learning behavior and training effectiveness. It combines usage data, assessment scores, and course completion trends to support data-driven decisions. Instructors can customize views, automate report delivery, and monitor team progress to align learning with organizational goals.

Winner: Tie! Both platforms support strong reporting capabilities and actionable insights.

A Cloud Guru Vs Udemy: Pricing Breakdown

A Cloud Guru (now part of Pluralsight) offers flexible pricing plans tailored to individual users, businesses, and the public sector.

For individuals, Pluralsight provides a free 10-day trial and five distinct subscription options:

  • Core Tech – $15/month
  • AI+, Cloud+, Data+, and Security+ Plans – All start at $18/month
  • Complete Plan – $28/month

For organizations, Pluralsight offers three business and public sector plans, each with a unique set of features. These plans are billed annually and start at $399/user/year.

Udemy, on the other hand, comprises three different plans, Team Plan, Enterprise Plan and Leadership Academy. The standard Team Plan, which is designed for smaller teams (2-20 users), has a starting price of $30 per month per user. Whereas Enterprise and Leadership Academy plans offer custom pricing, which is derived after evaluating the team size and usage of the client. All three plans offer varying lists of features, and Team Plan and Enterprise Plan also come with a free trial.

Disclaimer: The pricing is subject to change. 

Final Verdict: Which LMS Should You Choose?

A Cloud Guru is a strong choice for tech-driven teams and enterprises focused on deep cloud expertise, certification prep, and hands-on skills development. Backed by Pluralsight’s powerful platform, it supports structured learning through paths, real-time assessments, and advanced reporting. It's ideal for organizations building cloud fluency, managing multi-cloud environments, and preparing employees for industry certifications in a practical, goal-oriented way.

Udemy, on the other hand, is best suited for companies looking for broad skill coverage and fast onboarding. With thousands of expert-led courses, personalized learning paths, and flexible learning formats, it supports continuous upskilling across roles and regions. Its user-friendly interface, built-in assessments, and multi-language options make it a practical solution for global teams that value learner autonomy and on-demand learning at scale.

 Are you still unable to decide which LMS aligns best with your strategy? Our team is here to assist, contact us for tailored advice and expert support to make a well-informed decision.