It's a near tie: both score 8.0, with Memrise ahead by a hair, so the right pick depends on what you need. Memrise wins on 3 of the 5 scores, Coursera on 2.
Learners who want to understand and speak everyday language
Career changers and professionals who want courses with recognized certificates
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Memrise | Coursera |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Learning | Learning |
| Category rank | #10 of 12 | #11 of 12 |
| Developer | Memrise Limited | Coursera |
| Pricing | Free + paid plans | Free + paid plans |
| Usable for free | Yes | No |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web | ✓ | ✓ |
Common questions
Is Memrise better than Coursera?
It's a near tie: both score 8.0, with Memrise ahead by a hair, so the right pick depends on what you need. Memrise wins on 3 of the 5 scores, Coursera on 2.
Which is cheaper, Memrise or Coursera?
Memrise: Free with ads; Pro listed at $61.99 a year or $329.99 lifetime in the US App Store. Coursera: Free first-module previews; buy a course or Coursera Plus for full access. On value for money, Memrise scores higher.
Do Memrise and Coursera work on the same devices?
Yes, both run on iPhone & iPad, Android, Web.
Which is more private, Memrise or Coursera?
Coursera scores higher on privacy (7.0/10). App Store label says usage data may be used to track you; purchases, contact info, content, searches and IDs are linked to you. No ads, and Google Play says no data is shared with third parties.
Strengths and weaknesses
Memrise
- Real people speaking real, everyday language
- AI chat partner for speaking practice
- An Editors' Choice app on the App Store
- The free plan is limited and shows ads
- No offline mode
- Community courses were moved out of the app
Memrise teaches the language people actually speak. Lessons are built around short videos of native speakers in everyday situations, and then you practice talking with MemBot, its AI chat partner. Official courses cover the popular languages, and newer extras add exam prep and stories. The free plan is limited and shows ads, there's no offline mode, and the old community courses no longer live in the app.
Full Memrise review
Coursera
- Courses from respected universities and employers
- Certificates you can add to a resume or LinkedIn
- Financial aid can cover full access for many courses
- Free access is mostly limited to first-module previews
- Course quality and engagement vary widely
Coursera puts courses from universities and companies like Google and IBM in one app, with certificates and even full degrees on top. For career skills the depth is hard to match, and downloads make offline study easy. The catch is cost: most courses now offer only a free first-module preview, and quality varies between courses. It merged with Udemy in 2026. Get it if you want recognized credentials.
Full Coursera review
