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Course Report

[2024] 250 Top FREE Coursera Courses of All Time

A list of Coursera’s 250 most popular free online courses. Combined, they’ve gathered 110M enrollments.

Top Free Courses of All Time

Coursera, founded in the heyday of the MOOC hype, is one of the world’s largest online course providers and boasts an active catalog of over 8,000 courses.

Boosted by the momentum provided by the pandemic to online education companies, Coursera went public in March, 2021. Class Central’s analysis of Coursera’s IPO filing showed that the company made $293.5M revenue in 2020. In 2021, the company made $415.3M. To learn more about Coursera, read our analysis of their business: A Deep Dive Into Coursera’s Financials.

In 2022, Coursera’s stock dropped by 20% due to a degree enrollments slowdown in the US as well as headwinds for their consumer and business segments in Europe.

At one time, Coursera’s courses were completely free. But as time went on and Coursera focused on monetization, graded assignments and certificates were put behind a paywall. Eventually the courses went from free to “free to audit”.

But an investigation by Class Central found that there are still 1,700 completely free courses on Coursera (minus the certificate). If you have trouble signing up for the audit mode, please read our guide on How to Sign up for Coursera Courses for Free.

250 Most Popular FREE Coursera Courses

Here’s a quick summary of Coursera’s 250 most popular free online courses of all time, based on the number of enrollments:

  • Enrollments range from 174K to 4.5M. There are 18 courses with over 1M enrollments.
  • Together, they account for over 110M enrollments, with an average of 443K enrollments.
  • 227 courses are in English and most others are in French.
  • They’ve received 107K reviews on Class Central, with an average rating of 4.2/5.
  • 146 courses are beginner level and 31 are intermediate.

Without further ado, here are the courses:

  1. The Science of Well-Being from Yale University ★★★★★(29)
  2. Learning How to Learn: Powerful mental tools to help you master tough subjects from Deep Teaching Solutions ★★★★★(24317)
  3. Programming for Everybody (Getting Started with Python) from University of Michigan ★★★★★(41631)
  4. English for Career Development from University of Pennsylvania ★★★★★(22)
  5. Foundations: Data, Data, Everywhere from Google ★★★★★(4)
  6. Financial Markets from Yale University ★★★★☆(34)
  7. Technical Support Fundamentals from Google
  8. Foundations of Project Management from Google
  9. Successful Negotiation: Essential Strategies and Skills from University of Michigan ★★★★★(219)
  10. First Step Korean from Yonsei University ★★★★★(122)
  11. COVID-19 Contact Tracing from Johns Hopkins University ★★★★★(16)
  12. Chinese for Beginners from Peking University ★★★★☆(59)
  13. Neural Networks and Deep Learning from DeepLearning.AI ★★★★★(15)
  14. Introduction to Psychology from Yale University ★★★★★(17)
  15. Algorithms, Part I from Princeton University ★★★★★(61)
  16. AI For Everyone from DeepLearning.AI ★★★★★(6)
  17. Foundations of User Experience (UX) Design from Google
  18. HTML, CSS, and Javascript for Web Developers from Johns Hopkins University ★★★★★(20)
  19. Python Data Structures from University of Michigan ★★★★★(15738)
  20. Crash Course on Python from Google ★★★★★(2)
  21. Write Professional Emails in English from Georgia Institute of Technology ★★★★☆(5)
  22. Speak English Professionally: In Person, Online & On the Phone from Georgia Institute of Technology ★★★★★(5)
  23. Stanford Introduction to Food and Health from Stanford University ★★★★☆(45)
  24. What is Data Science? from IBM ★★★★☆(4)
  25. Excel Skills for Business: Essentials from Macquarie University ★★★★☆(7)
  26. Ask Questions to Make Data-Driven Decisions from Google
  27. Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies from Princeton University ★★★★★(18)
  28. The Data Scientist’s Toolbox from Johns Hopkins University
  29. Fundamentals of Graphic Design from California Institute of the Arts ★★★★☆(22)
  30. Grammar and Punctuation from University of California, Irvine ★★★★☆(33)
  31. R Programming from Johns Hopkins University
  32. Google Cloud Fundamentals: Core Infrastructure from Google ★★★★☆(8)
  33. The Bits and Bytes of Computer Networking from Google ★★★★★(4)
  34. Python for Data Science, AI & Development from IBM
  35. Introduction to Philosophy from University of Edinburgh ★★★★☆(73)
  36. Prepare Data for Exploration from Google
  37. Using Python to Access Web Data from University of Michigan ★★★★★(5397)
  38. Social Psychology from Wesleyan University ★★★★★(87)
  39. Foundations of Digital Marketing and E-commerce from Google
  40. Indigenous Canada from University of Alberta ★★★★☆(9)
  41. Marketing in a Digital World from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ★★★★★(548)
  42. SQL for Data Science from University of California, Davis ★★★★☆(5)
  43. Programming Foundations with JavaScript, HTML and CSS from Duke University ★★★★☆(14)
  44. Introduction to HTML5 from University of Michigan ★★★★☆(51)
  45. Introduction to Negotiation: A Strategic Playbook for Becoming a Principled and Persuasive Negotiator from Yale University ★★★★★(11)
  46. Project Initiation: Starting a Successful Project from Google
  47. Finanzas personales from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
  48. Process Data from Dirty to Clean from Google
  49. Improving Deep Neural Networks: Hyperparameter Tuning, Regularization and Optimization from DeepLearning.AI ★★★★★(3)
  50. Étudier en France: French Intermediate course B1-B2 from École Polytechnique ★★★★★(4)
  51. Contabilidad para no contadores from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
  52. Primeros Auxilios Psicológicos (PAP) from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Autonomous University of Barcelona) ★★★★★(1)
  53. Psychological First Aid from Johns Hopkins University ★★★★☆(49)
  54. Algorithmic Toolbox from University of California, San Diego ★★★★☆(23)
  55. Child Nutrition and Cooking from Stanford University ★★★★☆(31)
  56. Game Theory from Stanford University ★★★★☆(35)
  57. The Strategy of Content Marketing from University of California, Davis ★★★★☆(8)
  58. Convolutional Neural Networks from DeepLearning.AI ★★★★★(8)
  59. Using Databases with Python from University of Michigan ★★★★★(4384)
  60. A Life of Happiness and Fulfillment from Indian School of Business ★★★★★(502)
  61. Introductory Human Physiology from Duke University ★★★★★(28)
  62. Introduction to Psychology from University of Toronto ★★★★★(27)
  63. Writing in the Sciences from Stanford University ★★★★★(14)
  64. Learn to Speak Korean 1 from Yonsei University ★★★★★(12)
  65. English for Business and Entrepreneurship from University of Pennsylvania ★★★★★(7)
  66. Introduction to Mathematical Thinking from Stanford University ★★★★☆(51)
  67. Analyze Data to Answer Questions from Google
  68. Mindshift: Break Through Obstacles to Learning and Discover Your Hidden Potential from McMaster University ★★★★★(7615)
  69. Supervised Machine Learning: Regression and Classification from DeepLearning.AI
  70. Operating Systems and You: Becoming a Power User from Google
  71. Modern Art & Ideas from The Museum of Modern Art ★★★★★(5)
  72. Cryptography I from Stanford University ★★★★★(53)
  73. Structuring Machine Learning Projects from DeepLearning.AI ★★★★☆(6)
  74. Data Analysis with R Programming from Google ★★★★☆(1)
  75. Initiating and Planning Projects from University of California, Irvine ★★★★☆(19)
  76. Introduction to User Experience Design from Georgia Institute of Technology
  77. English Composition I from Duke University ★★★☆☆(19)
  78. Learn to Program: The Fundamentals from University of Toronto ★★★★★(110)
  79. Design Thinking for Innovation from University of Virginia ★★★★★(5)
  80. Share Data Through the Art of Visualization from Google
  81. Start the UX Design Process: Empathize, Define, and Ideate from Google
  82. Tools for Data Science from IBM
  83. Brand Management: Aligning Business, Brand and Behaviour from University of London International Programmes ★★★★★(2)
  84. Project Management: The Basics for Success from University of California, Irvine ★★★★★(26)
  85. Seeing Through Photographs from The Museum of Modern Art ★★★★☆(5)
  86. Python Basics from University of Michigan ★★★★★(2)
  87. Data Science Math Skills from Duke University ★★★★☆(12)
  88. Introduction to Data Analytics from IBM
  89. Sequence Models from DeepLearning.AI ★★★★★(4)
  90. Machine Learning Foundations: A Case Study Approach from University of Washington ★★★★☆(40)
  91. System Administration and IT Infrastructure Services from Google ★★★★☆(2)
  92. Databases and SQL for Data Science with Python from IBM
  93. Machine Learning with Python from IBM ★★★★★(3)
  94. Google Data Analytics Capstone: Complete a Case Study from Google
  95. Introduction to Marketing from University of Pennsylvania ★★★★☆(71)
  96. Data Analysis with Python from IBM ★★★★☆(1)
  97. Aprendiendo a aprender: Poderosas herramientas mentales con las que podrás dominar temas difíciles (Learning How to Learn) from Deep Teaching Solutions ★★★★★(9)
  98. Competitive Strategy from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München ★★★★★(22)
  99. Introduction to Social Media Marketing from Facebook ★★★★★(1)
  100. Java Programming: Solving Problems with Software from Duke University
  101. Introduction to TensorFlow for Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Deep Learning from DeepLearning.AI ★★★★★(1)
  102. Mathematics for Machine Learning: Linear Algebra from Imperial College London
  103. IT Security: Defense against the digital dark arts from Google ★★★★☆(3)
  104. Vital Signs: Understanding What the Body Is Telling Us from University of Pennsylvania ★★★★★(51)
  105. Agile Project Management from Google ★★★★★(1)
  106. Mastering Data Analysis in Excel from Duke University
  107. Build Your First Android App (Project-Centered Course) from École Centrale Paris ★★★★☆(4)
  108. Fundamentals of Music Theory from University of Edinburgh ★★★★☆(25)
  109. Project Planning: Putting It All Together from Google
  110. Science of Exercise from University of Colorado Boulder ★★★★★(7)
  111. Medical Neuroscience from Duke University ★★★★★(51)
  112. Marketing Analytics from University of Virginia ★★★★☆(12)
  113. Excel Skills for Business: Intermediate I from Macquarie University
  114. Computer Science: Programming with a Purpose from Princeton University ★★★★★(1)
  115. Understanding the Brain: The Neurobiology of Everyday Life from The University of Chicago ★★★★★(27)
  116. Foundations of Cybersecurity from Google
  117. Fundamentals of Project Planning and Management from University of Virginia ★★★★☆(30)
  118. Introduction to the Internet of Things and Embedded Systems from University of California, Irvine ★★★★☆(12)
  119. Understanding Research Methods from University of London International Programmes ★★★★☆(14)
  120. Introduction to Public Speaking from University of Washington ★★★★☆(14)
  121. Creative Thinking: Techniques and Tools for Success from Imperial College London ★★★★★(14)
  122. Think Again I: How to Understand Arguments from Duke University ★★★★☆(11)
  123. Fundamentos de Excel para Negocios from Universidad Austral ★★★★★(1)
  124. Google Cloud Big Data and Machine Learning Fundamentals from Google Cloud ★★★☆☆(5)
  125. Guitar for Beginners from Berklee College of Music ★★★★★(22)
  126. Lesson | Small Talk & Conversational Vocabulary from Georgia Institute of Technology ★★★★★(1)
  127. Algorithms, Part II from Princeton University ★★★★★(21)
  128. Camino a la Excelencia en Gestión de Proyectos from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
  129. Positive Psychology from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ★★★★☆(27)
  130. Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content from University of Pennsylvania ★★★★☆(28)
  131. Applied Machine Learning in Python from University of Michigan ★★★★☆(6)
  132. Introduction to Personal Branding from University of Virginia ★★★★☆(15)
  133. Introducción a la programación en Python I: Aprendiendo a programar con Python from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile ★★★★★(1)
  134. Creative Writing: The Craft of Plot from Wesleyan University ★★★★☆(15)
  135. Introduction to Google SEO from University of California, Davis ★★★★☆(5)
  136. Business Metrics for Data-Driven Companies from Duke University ★★★★☆(10)
  137. Agile with Atlassian Jira from Atlassian
  138. Basic Statistics from University of Amsterdam ★★★★☆(12)
  139. Customer Analytics from University of Pennsylvania
  140. Introduction to Probability and Data with R from Duke University ★★★★☆(6)
  141. Capstone: Retrieving, Processing, and Visualizing Data with Python from University of Michigan
  142. C for Everyone: Programming Fundamentals from University of California, Santa Cruz ★★★★☆(5)
  143. Aprender from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México ★★★★★(107)
  144. Álgebra básica from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
  145. Fashion as Design from The Museum of Modern Art ★★★★☆(5)
  146. Project Execution: Running the Project from Google ★★★★★(1)
  147. Cameras, Exposure, and Photography from Michigan State University ★★★★☆(6)
  148. Positive Psychiatry and Mental Health from The University of Sydney ★★★★★(20)
  149. Data Structures from University of California, San Diego ★★★★☆(16)
  150. Introduction to Data Analysis Using Excel from Rice University
  151. How Things Work: An Introduction to Physics from University of Virginia ★★★★★(28)
  152. Robótica from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
  153. Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI) from IBM ★★★★★(1)
  154. Tricky American English Pronunciation from University of California, Irvine ★★★★☆(14)
  155. Introduction to Engineering Mechanics from Georgia Institute of Technology ★★★★★(175)
  156. Creative Problem Solving from University of Minnesota
  157. Build Wireframes and Low-Fidelity Prototypes from Google
  158. Cómo hacer una tesis from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México ★★★★☆(1)
  159. Supply Chain Logistics from Rutgers University ★★★★★(7)
  160. Introduction to Git and GitHub from Google
  161. Introduction to Classical Music from Yale University ★★★★★(25)
  162. Greek and Roman Mythology from University of Pennsylvania ★★★★★(20)
  163. Effective Problem-Solving and Decision-Making from University of California, Irvine ★★★★☆(11)
  164. Private Equity and Venture Capital from Università Bocconi ★★★★☆(6)
  165. Everyday Excel, Part 1 from University of Colorado Boulder
  166. Gestión Empresarial Exitosa para Pymes from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
  167. Preparing to Manage Human Resources from University of Minnesota ★★★★★(151)
  168. Nutrición y obesidad: control de sobrepeso from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México ★★★★★(1)
  169. Computer Architecture from Princeton University ★★★★☆(6)
  170. Competencias digitales. Herramientas de ofimática (Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point) from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Autonomous University of Barcelona) ★★★★☆(4)
  171. Introduction to Front-End Development from Meta ★★★★☆(5)
  172. Introduction to Cloud Computing from IBM ★★★★☆(1)
  173. Introduction to Web Development from University of California, Davis ★★★★★(2)
  174. Blockchain Basics from University at Buffalo
  175. English for Journalism from University of Pennsylvania ★★★★☆(15)
  176. Writing in English at University from Lund University
  177. Divide and Conquer, Sorting and Searching, and Randomized Algorithms from Stanford University ★★★★★(68)
  178. Marketing Digital from Universidade de São Paulo
  179. Visual Elements of User Interface Design from California Institute of the Arts ★★★★★(1)
  180. Astronomy: Exploring Time and Space from University of Arizona ★★★★★(23)
  181. Fundamentals of Visualization with Tableau from University of California, Davis ★★★★☆(2)
  182. Getting Started with Essay Writing from University of California, Irvine ★★★★☆(18)
  183. Spanish Vocabulary: Meeting People from University of California, Davis ★★★★☆(2)
  184. Introducción a Data Science: Programación Estadística con R from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México ★★★★☆(2)
  185. De-Mystifying Mindfulness from Leiden University ★★★★★(96)
  186. How to Write a Resume (Project-Centered Course) from State University of New York ★★★★☆(14)
  187. Managing Emotions in Times of Uncertainty & Stress from Yale University ★★★★★(1)
  188. Using Python to Interact with the Operating System from Google
  189. Introduction to Electronics from Georgia Institute of Technology ★★★★☆(6)
  190. Functional Programming Principles in Scala from École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne ★★★★★(65)
  191. Finding Purpose and Meaning In Life: Living for What Matters Most from University of Michigan ★★★★★(4)
  192. Advanced Writing from University of California, Irvine ★★★★☆(7)
  193. Java for Android from Vanderbilt University
  194. An Introduction to Interactive Programming in Python (Part 1) from Rice University ★★★★★(3363)
  195. Introduction to Calculus from The University of Sydney ★★★★★(6)
  196. AWS Cloud Technical Essentials from Amazon Web Services
  197. Moral Foundations of Politics from Yale University ★★★★☆(15)
  198. Dog Emotion and Cognition from Duke University ★★★★☆(18)
  199. Business English: Networking from University of Washington ★★★★☆(4)
  200. Introduction to Corporate Finance from Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania ★★★★☆(20)
  201. Teach English Now! Foundational Principles from Arizona State University ★★★★★(8)
  202. Getting and Cleaning Data from Johns Hopkins University
  203. Cómo hablar bien en público from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Autonomous University of Barcelona)
  204. Python and Statistics for Financial Analysis from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology ★★★★☆(505)
  205. Aprendendo a aprender: ferramentas mentais poderosas para ajudá-lo a dominar assuntos difíceis (em Português) [Learning How to Learn] from Deep Teaching Solutions ★★★★☆(5)
  206. The Arts and Science of Relationships: Understanding Human Needs from University of Toronto ★★★★☆(5)
  207. Introduction to CSS3 from University of Michigan ★★★★★(14)
  208. Everyday Parenting: The ABCs of Child Rearing from Yale University ★★★★☆(5)
  209. Introduction to Logic from Stanford University
  210. Programming Fundamentals from Duke University
  211. Influencing People from University of Michigan ★★★★☆(6)
  212. Introduction to Structured Query Language (SQL) from University of Michigan ★★★★☆(2)
  213. A Crash Course in Data Science from Johns Hopkins University ★★★★☆(24)
  214. Teamwork Skills: Communicating Effectively in Groups from University of Colorado Boulder ★★★★★(8)
  215. Model Thinking from University of Michigan ★★★★★(65)
  216. Perfect Tenses and Modals from University of California, Irvine ★★★★★(6)
  217. Introduction to the Biology of Cancer from Johns Hopkins University ★★★★☆(9)
  218. Excel Skills for Business: Advanced from Macquarie University ★★★★☆(3)
  219. The Modern World, Part One: Global History from 1760 to 1910 from University of Virginia ★★★★★(25)
  220. Interactivity with JavaScript from University of Michigan ★★★★☆(11)
  221. Ser más creativos from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México ★★★★☆(3)
  222. How To Create a Website in a Weekend! (Project-Centered Course) from State University of New York ★★★★☆(7)
  223. English for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics from University of Pennsylvania ★★★★★(11)
  224. Miracles of Human Language: An Introduction to Linguistics from Leiden University ★★★★★(97)
  225. Epidemiology: The Basic Science of Public Health from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ★★★★☆(26)
  226. Conduct UX Research and Test Early Concepts from Google
  227. Introduction to Machine Learning from Duke University ★★★★☆(2)
  228. High-Impact Business Writing from University of California, Irvine
  229. Database Management Essentials from University of Colorado System ★★★★☆(5)
  230. Responsive Website Basics: Code with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript from University of London International Programmes ★★★★☆(27)
  231. Mind Control: Managing Your Mental Health During COVID-19 from University of Toronto ★★★★★(12)
  232. Fundamentos de Finanzas Empresariales from Universidad de los Andes ★★★★★(1)
  233. Fundamentos de la escritura from Tecnológico de Monterrey
  234. Communication Strategies for a Virtual Age from University of Toronto ★★★★★(6)
  235. The Arduino Platform and C Programming from University of California, Irvine
  236. Applied Plotting, Charting & Data Representation in Python from University of Michigan
  237. Build a Modern Computer from First Principles: From Nand to Tetris (Project-Centered Course) from Hebrew University of Jerusalem ★★★★★(28)
  238. Leading Teams: Developing as a Leader from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  239. Business Analytics with Excel: Elementary to Advanced from Johns Hopkins University ★★★★★(1)
  240. An Introduction to American Law from University of Pennsylvania ★★★★★(19)
  241. Digital Product Management: Modern Fundamentals from University of Virginia ★★★★★(1)
  242. Data-driven Decision Making from PwC
  243. Cybersecurity and Its Ten Domains from University System of Georgia
  244. Attract and Engage Customers with Digital Marketing from Google
  245. Finance for Non-Financial Professionals from University of California, Irvine ★★★★☆(13)
  246. Negociación exitosa: Estrategias y habilidades esenciales (en español) from University of Michigan
  247. Create High-Fidelity Designs and Prototypes in Figma from Google ★★★★★(1)
  248. The Addicted Brain from Emory University ★★★★☆(23)
  249. Statistical Inference from Johns Hopkins University
  250. Learning to Teach Online from University of New South Wales ★★★★☆(9)
Suparn Patra Profile Image

Suparn Patra

Suparn developed an interest in MOOCs through a project he worked on during his MSc in Artificial Intelligence. He joined Class Central as a Full Stack Engineer.

Comments 2

  1. Cleydyr Albuquerque

    Hey guys! Thank you for compiling this amazing list of free courses. It’s very helpful.

    I just want to point out that not all of them are free. Some of them (like Introduction to TensorFlow for Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Deep Learning) have only a free trial.

    Cheers

    Reply

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