Online learning is growing faster than ever as more people are turning to digital education for career growth and skill development. A study highlighted by Statista that the online education market is set to grow to $238.4 billion by 2027, showing just how much demand there is for flexible learning options. However, with so many platforms out there, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming.
Identifying the right platform to help users achieve their learning goals is important because some platforms focus on personal skill-building, while others are designed for businesses and corporate training. Among the many options, Skillsoft and Coursera stand out as two of the most popular choices, each offering unique features designed for different learning needs.
Which one is right for you? We will find out in this Skillsoft vs. Coursera comparison, where we will compare both these platforms in detail, which will help you select the right choice to achieve your goals.
Available on iOS & Android, goal tracking, and streaks
Available on iOS & Android, full learning experience on mobile
User Interface
Considered outdated and complex by some users
Modern, intuitive, and easy to navigate
Pricing
Custom pricing for enterprises
Starts at $59/user/month
What Is SkillSoft?
Skillsoft is a comprehensive cloud-based e-learning platform that offers online courses, training programs, and certification resources for businesses and individuals. It specializes in areas such as leadership development, IT skills, cybersecurity, cloud computing, project management, and compliance.
The platform stands out for its Percipio, an intelligent learning platform that delivers personalized learning experiences. It boasts an extensive course library, empowering teams with essential tools to enhance their skills.
Unique Features Of Skillsoft
Corporate And Enterprise Training Focus: Skillsoft provides solutions for corporate and enterprises that help them in upskilling employees, boosting productivity, and helping greatly in organization growth
Skillsoft Leadership Development Program (SLDP): This leadership program helps organizations in developing a strong pipeline for talent development that will contribute to organizational performance and innovation
Audiobook: The platform offers audiobook and audiobook summaries enabling professionals to explore renowned books and gain key insights through concise summaries. This feature allows for flexible, on-the-go learning, making it easy to stay informed and upskill efficiently
Pros And Cons Of Skillsoft
Pros
Select from a wide range of courses according to your field. The audio-visual quality is excellent, making the content engaging, clear, and easy to follow
Access asynchronous training from anywhere, whether at your desk or on the go via mobile devices.
Allows customization where organizations can create their own workplace assessments for better employee assessment
Cons
Provides only raw scores and pass/fail status, lacking question-level insights for in-depth learner assessment
Encounter various performance issues, including loading failures, inconsistent compatibility, and technical glitches that hinder smooth operation
What Is Coursera?
Coursera is a well-known global e-learning platform that offers courses, certifications, and degree programs in collaboration with some big names in the industry, such as Yale, Stanford, Google, and IBM. It provides learning material spanning different sectors like IT, cybersecurity, cloud computing, project management, and many more, which helps learners up-skilling and excel in their relevant field.
One of Coursera’s standout features is its university-accredited courses, allowing learners to earn certificates and even full degrees from prestigious institutions. With a mix of self-paced learning, guided projects, and instructor-led courses, which cater to both the individual learner and the organizations that want to upskill their employees.
Unique Features Of Coursera
Financial Aid And Scholarship Options: The platform offers financial aid for learners who cannot afford to pay for courses or certificates to facilitate their learning journey
Global Community And Networking: It connects global learners through their platform and helps them connect and build a network that helps them find global opportunities
Capstone Projects And Peer-Reviewed Assignments: Many Coursera courses offer a capstone project and peer-reviewed assignments which help learners apply their knowledge, gain hands-on experience, and receive feedback from peers
Pros And Cons Of Coursera
Pros
The discussion forum is helpful for learners, which allows them to exchange ideas
The guided projects provide structured, step-by-step learning, allowing learners to apply concepts in real-world scenarios and gain practical experience on a specific topic
Helps learner gain certification from well-known organizations that can be added to their resume
Cons
The reporting features are insufficient for tracking progress and measuring training effectiveness
Customer support is often unreliable, with delayed responses and unhelpful resolutions. Users have reported unexpected overcharges and misleading refund policies, leading to frustration and financial disputes.
Skillsoft Vs Coursera – Key Features Comparison
Certification Partnerships
Skillsoft offers partnered certifications with 70+ well-known organizations, including Adobe, Microsoft, AWS, and Codecademy. With a core focus on corporate training, it helps businesses train employees for professional certifications in IT, cybersecurity, project management, cloud computing, and more. Some courses also include practice exams, hands-on labs, and instructor-led training to enhance learners' understanding of a particular concept.
Coursera has strategic partnerships with 350+ organizations and universities, including Google, IBM, Meta, and Stanford. It offers a strong pool of courses covering diverse fields such as data science, AI, programming, business, and healthcare. The platform also provides skill paths to its learners that further help the learner gain expertise in a particular field by simply following the designed path.
Winner: Coursera is the better choice because it offers a wide range of recognized certifications. With 350+ partnerships, it helps learners earn both technical and academic qualifications, giving them more opportunities than Skillsoft.
AI Powered Platform
Skillsoft offers an advanced learning platform called 'Percipio,' which integrates artificial intelligence across twelve key areas to enhance the user experience. One of its core capabilities is personalized learning, where the system recommends courses based on user profiles, skill levels, and career goals. Another key feature is intelligent search and content discovery, utilizing powerful models like Google BERT and Meta's DistilRoBERTa to improve search results.
Another important feature that AI powers is role-based learning paths, where AI maps job roles to relevant skills and learning programs. Additionally, the platform dynamically curates learning materials that offer videos, books, and audiobooks. Skill mapping helps in identifying learners' skill gaps and aligns learning content with industry skills. Moreover, learning behavior analytics tracks engagement, progress, and effectiveness for learners and managers, providing valuable insights through detailed reports.
Coursera also powered its platform with decent AI features like Coursera Coach, an AI-powered chatbot that provides features like real-time support, answers questions, and guides learners. The second feature is AI-Powered Course Recommendations that recommend courses based on learning history, career goals, and trending industry skills. The platform also utilizes AI for language translations, which is used for generating subtitles and translations to improve course accessibility. Additionally, Coursera utilized AI tools to help instructors create courses more efficiently and included AI-driven assessment tools that provide instant feedback to learners.
Winner: While Coursera provides decent AI features on their platform, Skillsoft offers a broader and more diverse list of features, which makes it the better choice for learners seeking more AI-rich platform
Mobile App
Skillsoft offers an application called `Skillsoft Percipio’ which is available for free on both the Android and iPhone. Users can sign in with their credentials to access the application where users can set weekly goals and achieve streaks which helps them stay focused in achieving their learning goals.
Coursera provides a mobile app for both iPhone and Android that serves as a complete business hub, allowing users to sign up, take courses, engage with communities and get certificates on it. That helps them in developing job-ready skills across a wide range of industries with their tailored courses.
Winner: It’s a Tie. Both platforms offer mobile apps for both android and IOS allowing users to learn anytime, anywhere. While Skillsoft Percipio focuses on goal setting and engagement, Coursera provides a broader in-app learning experience with certification options.
User Interface
Skillsoft is considered complex by some users. They noted that the interface feels outdated and can be challenging to navigate. They have reported that while the platform offers valuable learning resources, its design can sometimes make it difficult to find and access content efficiently.
Coursera, on the other hand, has been praised for its well-organized user interface and being easy to navigate for its users that helps users to quickly find and access the material they want. While some have mentioned minor navigation challenges, Coursera modern and intuitive design provides a more seamless and engaging learning experience overall.
Winner: Coursera takes the lead! With a sleek, intuitive, and easy-to-navigate design, it offers a more seamless learning experience compared to Skillsoft Percipio’s more complex and outdated interface.
Pricing
Skillsoft’s Percipio follows a custom pricing model primarily designed for enterprises and large organizations. Pricing varies based on factors like user count, learning paths, and additional features, requiring businesses to contact sales for a quote. This model allows customized solutions, making it a suitable choice for organizations that need a tailored approach.
Coursera, in contrast, offers multiple pricing options for individuals, businesses, and universities. Coursera Plus provides unlimited access to thousands of courses for $59 per month or $399 per year, while Coursera for Business offers scalable enterprise solutions with AI-driven insights. Additionally, Coursera includes free courses, allowing self-paced learners to access valuable content without a subscription. However, enterprise clients still need to request a quote for customized pricing, similar to Skillsoft.
Winner: The round call of a Tie. Skillsoft offers customized enterprise solutions, while Coursera provides transparent pricing for individuals and flexible options for businesses. The best choice depends on whether an organization prefers tailored enterprise learning or scalable, structured pricing.
Final Verdict - Which LMS Prevails?
Both Skillsoft and Coursera offer valuable learning experiences but are designed to cater to different user needs. Skillsoft is well-suited for corporate training, with a strong focus on compliance training, and AI-driven personalization. However, some users find its interface less intuitive compared to modern platforms.
Coursera, on the other hand, is known for its structured academic courses, professional certifications, and user-friendly interface. It provides access to university-backed programs and industry-recognized credentials, making it ideal for individual learners and professionals looking to upskill.
Ultimately, the choice depends on your business preferences and requirements. However, if you are unsure on how to choose the right LMS for your needs, contact us to get more personalized advice before making a final decision.
