[2024] The 250 Most Popular Online Courses of All Time
The best way to pick an online course is to choose one that many people have taken and enjoyed.
The best way to choose an online course is to choose one that other many people have taken and enjoyed.
Class Central has been maintaining a catalog of online courses since the advent of the modern online education movement in 2012. More than a decade later, our catalog has now grown to over 200,000 online courses.
To help learners decide which course to take, Class Central publishes different course rankings, including the Best Online Courses of All Time, which is based on the tens of thousands of reviews written by Class Central users.
In this article, however, let’s take a different approach. Instead of ranking courses by reviews, let’s rank them by enrollment — that is, by their sheer popularity.
In some cases, the highest-rated online courses are also the courses with largest enrollments. In other cases, courses with big enrollments may have few or average reviews. This suggests that there are popular courses that Class Central’s reviews alone may miss.
So in this article, we’ve compiled the 250 most popular online courses of all time.
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Most Popular Online Courses of All Time
Here are some stats about the course list:
- Combined, these courses have received 117K reviews on Class Central.
- Together, they account for over 152M enrollments (608K on average).
- Enrollments range from 247K to 5.6M. 26 courses have over 1M enrollments.
- All courses courses are free or free-to-audit.
- 93% of the courses are in English, and most others are in Spanish.
- This ranking focuses on Coursera, edX, FutureLearn, and Swayam.
Without further ado, here are the 250 most popular online courses of all time.
- CS50’s Introduction to Computer Science from Harvard University ★★★★★(169)
- The Science of Well-Being from Yale University ★★★★★(29)
- Learning How to Learn: Powerful mental tools to help you master tough subjects from Deep Teaching Solutions ★★★★★(25092)
- Programming for Everybody (Getting Started with Python) from University of Michigan ★★★★★(43083)
- Foundations: Data, Data, Everywhere from Google ★★★★★(4)
- English for Career Development from University of Pennsylvania ★★★★★(22)
- Financial Markets from Yale University ★★★★☆(34)
- Technical Support Fundamentals from Google
- Foundations of Project Management from Google
- Introduction to Computer Science and Programming Using Python from Massachusetts Institute of Technology ★★★★★(129)
- IELTS Academic Test Preparation from University of Queensland ★★★★★(6)
- TOEFL® Test Preparation: The Insider’s Guide from ETS ★★★★★(6)
- Successful Negotiation: Essential Strategies and Skills from University of Michigan ★★★★★(219)
- First Step Korean from Yonsei University ★★★★★(122)
- CS50’s Web Programming with Python and JavaScript from Harvard University ★★★★★(24)
- COVID-19 Contact Tracing from Johns Hopkins University ★★★★★(16)
- Neural Networks and Deep Learning from DeepLearning.AI ★★★★★(15)
- Chinese for Beginners from Peking University ★★★★☆(60)
- Introduction to Psychology from Yale University ★★★★★(17)
- Algorithms, Part I from Princeton University ★★★★☆(62)
- AI For Everyone from DeepLearning.AI ★★★★★(6)
- Foundations of User Experience (UX) Design from Google
- HTML, CSS, and Javascript for Web Developers from Johns Hopkins University ★★★★★(20)
- Crash Course on Python from Google ★★★★★(2)
- Python Data Structures from University of Michigan ★★★★★(16296)
- CS50’s Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with Python from Harvard University ★★★★★(17)
- Ask Questions to Make Data-Driven Decisions from Google
- Write Professional Emails in English from Georgia Institute of Technology ★★★★☆(5)
- What is Data Science? from IBM ★★★★☆(4)
- Basic English 1: Elementary from King’s College London ★★★★☆(8)
- Speak English Professionally: In Person, Online & On the Phone from Georgia Institute of Technology ★★★★★(5)
- CS50’s Introduction to Programming with Python from Harvard University ★★★★★(9)
- Stanford Introduction to Food and Health from Stanford University ★★★★☆(46)
- Excel Skills for Business: Essentials from Macquarie University ★★★★☆(7)
- Introduction to Linux from Linux Foundation ★★★★☆(37)
- Data Science: R Basics from Harvard University ★★★★★(12)
- Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies from Harvard University ★★★★★(12)
- English Grammar and Style from University of Queensland ★★★★☆(32)
- Exploring English: Language and Culture from British Council ★★★★★(846)
- Introduction to Data Science in Python from University of Michigan
- Foundations of Digital Marketing and E-commerce from Google
- Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies from Princeton University ★★★★★(19)
- Python for Data Science, AI & Development from IBM
- Fundamentals of Graphic Design from California Institute of the Arts ★★★★☆(22)
- Python Basics for Data Science from IBM
- The Bits and Bytes of Computer Networking from Google ★★★★★(4)
- The Data Scientist’s Toolbox from Johns Hopkins University
- Rhetoric: The Art of Persuasive Writing and Public Speaking from Harvard University ★★★★★(5)
- Google Cloud Fundamentals: Core Infrastructure from Google ★★★★☆(8)
- Grammar and Punctuation from University of California, Irvine ★★★★☆(33)
- CS50’s Introduction to Game Development from Harvard University ★★★★★(6)
- Prepare Data for Exploration from Google
- R Programming from Johns Hopkins University
- Introduction to Philosophy from University of Edinburgh ★★★★☆(73)
- Using Python to Access Web Data from University of Michigan ★★★★★(5583)
- Social Psychology from Wesleyan University ★★★★★(87)
- English for the Workplace from British Council ★★★★★(1509)
- Project Initiation: Starting a Successful Project from Google
- Process Data from Dirty to Clean from Google
- Foundations of Cybersecurity from Google
- Basic Spanish 1: Getting Started from Universitat Politècnica de València ★★★★★(417)
- Fundamentals of Neuroscience, Part 1: The Electrical Properties of the Neuron from Harvard University ★★★★★(22)
- SQL for Data Science from University of California, Davis ★★★★☆(5)
- Indigenous Canada from University of Alberta ★★★★☆(9)
- The Science of Happiness from University of California, Berkeley ★★★★★(35)
- Contract Law: From Trust to Promise to Contract from Harvard University ★★★★☆(15)
- Programming for Everybody (Getting Started with Python) from University of Michigan ★★★★★(8)
- Étudier en France: French Intermediate course B1-B2 from École Polytechnique ★★★★★(4)
- Justice from Harvard University ★★★★★(55)
- Introduction to Negotiation: A Strategic Playbook for Becoming a Principled and Persuasive Negotiator from Yale University ★★★★★(11)
- Programming Foundations with JavaScript, HTML and CSS from Duke University ★★★★☆(14)
- Marketing in a Digital World from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ★★★★★(581)
- Buddhism and Modern Psychology from Princeton University ★★★★★(30)
- Supervised Machine Learning: Regression and Classification from DeepLearning.AI
- The Architectural Imagination from Harvard University ★★★★☆(14)
- Exercising Leadership: Foundational Principles from Harvard University ★★★★★(14)
- Introduction to HTML5 from University of Michigan ★★★★☆(52)
- Data Science: Machine Learning from Harvard University ★★★★☆(3)
- Contabilidad para no contadores from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
- Finanzas personales from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
- Improving Deep Neural Networks: Hyperparameter Tuning, Regularization and Optimization from DeepLearning.AI ★★★★★(3)
- Primeros Auxilios Psicológicos (PAP) from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Autonomous University of Barcelona) ★★★★★(1)
- The Strategy of Content Marketing from University of California, Davis ★★★★☆(8)
- Psychological First Aid from Johns Hopkins University ★★★★☆(50)
- Analyze Data to Answer Questions from Google
- Data Analysis with R Programming from Google ★★★★☆(1)
- Algorithmic Toolbox from University of California, San Diego ★★★★☆(23)
- Introduction to Project Management from University of Adelaide ★★★★☆(6)
- Game Theory from Stanford University ★★★★☆(35)
- Child Nutrition and Cooking from Stanford University ★★★★☆(31)
- Convolutional Neural Networks from DeepLearning.AI ★★★★★(8)
- Introductory Human Physiology from Duke University ★★★★★(28)
- Writing in the Sciences from Stanford University ★★★★★(14)
- Using Databases with Python from University of Michigan ★★★★★(4540)
- Work Smarter, Not Harder: Time Management for Personal & Professional Productivity from University of California, Irvine ★★★★☆(43)
- Introduction to Programming with MATLAB from Vanderbilt University ★★★★★(204)
- Learn to Speak Korean 1 from Yonsei University ★★★★★(12)
- Operating Systems and You: Becoming a Power User from Google
- Share Data Through the Art of Visualization from Google
- Introduction to Mathematical Thinking from Stanford University ★★★★☆(51)
- Introduction to Psychology from University of Toronto ★★★★★(28)
- A Life of Happiness and Fulfillment from Indian School of Business ★★★★★(502)
- English for Business and Entrepreneurship from University of Pennsylvania ★★★★★(7)
- Introduction to Data Analytics from IBM
- Start the UX Design Process: Empathize, Define, and Ideate from Google
- Statistics and R from Harvard University ★★★★☆(20)
- Mindshift: Break Through Obstacles to Learning and Discover Your Hidden Potential from McMaster University ★★★★★(7734)
- Structuring Machine Learning Projects from DeepLearning.AI ★★★★☆(6)
- Cryptography I from Stanford University ★★★★★(53)
- Basic English 2: Pre-Intermediate from King’s College London ★★★★☆(8)
- Learn to Program: The Fundamentals from University of Toronto ★★★★★(110)
- Modern Art & Ideas from The Museum of Modern Art ★★★★★(5)
- Tools for Data Science from IBM
- Initiating and Planning Projects from University of California, Irvine ★★★★☆(19)
- Data Science Math Skills from Duke University ★★★★☆(12)
- Introduction to User Experience Design from Georgia Institute of Technology
- Introduction to Microsoft Excel from Coursera Project Network
- Excel: Fundamentos y herramientas from Universitat Politècnica de València ★★★★★(602)
- Google Data Analytics Capstone: Complete a Case Study from Google
- English Composition I from Duke University
- Brand Management: Aligning Business, Brand and Behaviour from University of London International Programmes ★★★★★(2)
- Design Thinking for Innovation from University of Virginia ★★★★★(5)
- Agile Project Management from Google ★★★★★(1)
- System Administration and IT Infrastructure Services from Google ★★★★☆(2)
- Python Basics from University of Michigan ★★★★★(2)
- Databases and SQL for Data Science with Python from IBM
- Introduction to Cybersecurity Tools & Cyber Attacks from IBM
- Introduction to Social Media Marketing from Facebook ★★★★★(1)
- Data Analysis with Python from IBM ★★★★☆(2)
- Introduction to Statistics from Stanford University ★★★★★(2)
- Machine Learning with Python from IBM ★★★★★(3)
- Project Management: The Basics for Success from University of California, Irvine ★★★★★(26)
- HTML5 and CSS Fundamentals from World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) ★★★★☆(6)
- Academic and Business Writing from University of California, Berkeley ★★★★☆(18)
- Seeing Through Photographs from The Museum of Modern Art ★★★★☆(5)
- Sequence Models from DeepLearning.AI ★★★★★(4)
- Start Writing Fiction from The Open University ★★★★☆(21)
- Code Yourself! An Introduction to Programming from University of Edinburgh ★★★★☆(11)
- Project Planning: Putting It All Together from Google
- How to Write an Essay from University of California, Berkeley ★★★★☆(28)
- Machine Learning Foundations: A Case Study Approach from University of Washington ★★★★☆(40)
- Financial Engineering and Risk Management Part I from Columbia University ★★★★☆(12)
- Introduction to Marketing from University of Pennsylvania ★★★★☆(71)
- Principles of Biochemistry from Harvard University ★★★★★(12)
- IT Security: Defense against the digital dark arts from Google ★★★★☆(3)
- Teaching English Online from Cambridge English Language Assessment ★★★★★(3)
- Aprendiendo a aprender: Poderosas herramientas mentales con las que podrás dominar temas difíciles (Learning How to Learn) from Deep Teaching Solutions ★★★★★(9)
- A Beginner’s Guide to Writing in English for University Study from University of Reading ★★★★☆(23)
- Java Programming: Solving Problems with Software from Duke University
- Mathematics for Machine Learning: Linear Algebra from Imperial College London
- Competitive Strategy from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München ★★★★★(22)
- Introduction to TensorFlow for Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Deep Learning from DeepLearning.AI ★★★★★(1)
- Introduction to Java Programming: Starting to code in Java from Universidad Carlos iii de Madrid ★★★★☆(9)
- Vital Signs: Understanding What the Body Is Telling Us from University of Pennsylvania ★★★★★(51)
- Conversational English Skills | 生活英语听说 from Tsinghua University ★★★★☆(12)
- Gestión de proyectos de desarrollo from Inter-American Development Bank ★★★★☆(2)
- CS50’s Mobile App Development with React Native from Harvard University ★★★★☆(1)
- Mechanical Ventilation for COVID-19 from Harvard University ★★★★★(26)
- Leaders of Learning from Harvard University ★★★★☆(21)
- Italian Language and Culture: Beginner (2023-2024) from Wellesley College ★★★★☆(3)
- Computer Science: Programming with a Purpose from Princeton University ★★★★★(1)
- Introduction to Cyber Security from The Open University ★★★★☆(22)
- Introduction to Kubernetes from Linux Foundation
- Fundamentals of Music Theory from University of Edinburgh ★★★★☆(26)
- Mastering Data Analysis in Excel from Duke University
- Medical Neuroscience from Duke University ★★★★★(52)
- Creative Thinking: Techniques and Tools for Success from Imperial College London ★★★★★(14)
- Science of Exercise from University of Colorado Boulder ★★★★★(7)
- Build Your First Android App (Project-Centered Course) from École Centrale Paris ★★★★☆(4)
- Using Python for Research from Harvard University ★★★★☆(12)
- Tableau Public for Project Management and Beyond from Coursera Project Network
- Lesson | Small Talk & Conversational Vocabulary from Georgia Institute of Technology ★★★★★(1)
- Excel Skills for Business: Intermediate I from Macquarie University
- Marketing Analytics from University of Virginia ★★★★☆(12)
- Understanding the Brain: The Neurobiology of Everyday Life from The University of Chicago ★★★★★(27)
- Fundamentals of Project Planning and Management from University of Virginia ★★★★☆(30)
- Python for Data Science from University of California, San Diego ★★★★☆(48)
- Understanding Research Methods from University of London International Programmes ★★★★☆(15)
- Introduction to Public Speaking from University of Washington ★★★★☆(14)
- Introduction to the Internet of Things and Embedded Systems from University of California, Irvine ★★★★☆(12)
- Introduction to Big Data from University of California, San Diego
- Project Execution: Running the Project from Google ★★★★★(1)
- Introduction to Financial Accounting from University of Pennsylvania ★★★★☆(63)
- Google Cloud Big Data and Machine Learning Fundamentals from Google Cloud
- Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI) from IBM ★★★★★(1)
- Think Again I: How to Understand Arguments from Duke University ★★★★☆(11)
- Algorithms, Part II from Princeton University ★★★★★(21)
- Fundamentos de Excel para Negocios from Universidad Austral ★★★★★(1)
- Understanding IELTS: Writing from British Council ★★★★★(481)
- Understanding IELTS: Speaking from British Council ★★★★★(589)
- Digital Skills: Digital Marketing from Accenture ★★★★★(10)
- Agile with Atlassian Jira from Atlassian
- Introduction to Java Programming – Part 1 from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology ★★★☆☆(6)
- Guitar for Beginners from Berklee College of Music ★★★★★(22)
- How to Succeed at: Interviews from The University of Sheffield ★★★★★(474)
- Introduction to Front-End Development from Meta ★★★★★(7)
- Camino a la Excelencia en Gestión de Proyectos from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
- Positive Psychology from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ★★★★☆(27)
- Understanding IELTS: Reading from British Council ★★★★★(752)
- Introducción a la programación en Python I: Aprendiendo a programar con Python from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile ★★★★★(1)
- Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content from University of Pennsylvania ★★★★☆(28)
- Supply Chain Analytics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Introduction to Google SEO from University of California, Davis ★★★★★(6)
- Supply Chain Fundamentals from Massachusetts Institute of Technology ★★★★★(14)
- Applied Machine Learning in Python from University of Michigan ★★★★☆(6)
- Introduction to Dutch from University of Groningen ★★★★★(298)
- Inglés básico: conversacional y networking from Universidad Anáhuac ★★★★★(94)
- Creative Writing: The Craft of Plot from Wesleyan University ★★★★☆(15)
- Business Analytics with Excel: Elementary to Advanced from Johns Hopkins University ★★★★★(1)
- Front-End Web UI Frameworks and Tools: Bootstrap 4 from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
- Object Oriented Programming in Java from University of California, San Diego ★★★★★(15)
- Introduction to Personal Branding from University of Virginia ★★★★☆(15)
- A Hands-on Introduction to Engineering Simulations from Cornell University ★★★★★(2)
- Excel Basics for Data Analysis from IBM
- Basic Statistics from University of Amsterdam ★★★★☆(12)
- Data Science Methodology from IBM
- Business Metrics for Data-Driven Companies from Duke University ★★★★☆(10)
- Small Business Marketing Using YouTube from Coursera Project Network
- Customer Analytics from University of Pennsylvania
- C for Everyone: Programming Fundamentals from University of California, Santa Cruz ★★★★☆(5)
- Introduction to Cloud Computing from IBM ★★★★☆(1)
- Introduction to Probability and Data with R from Duke University ★★★★☆(6)
- Capstone: Retrieving, Processing, and Visualizing Data with Python from University of Michigan
- Data Science: Visualization from Harvard University ★★★★★(5)
- How to Succeed at: Writing Applications from The University of Sheffield ★★★★★(441)
- Understanding IELTS: Listening from British Council ★★★★★(961)
- Child Protection: Children’s Rights in Theory and Practice from Harvard University ★★★★★(5)
- Build Wireframes and Low-Fidelity Prototypes from Google
- Exploring English: Shakespeare from British Council ★★★★★(505)
- Álgebra básica from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
- An Introduction to Screenwriting from University of East Anglia ★★★★★(6)
- Positive Psychiatry and Mental Health from The University of Sydney ★★★★★(21)
- Data Structures from University of California, San Diego ★★★★☆(16)
- Cameras, Exposure, and Photography from Michigan State University ★★★★☆(6)
- How to Learn Online
- Aprender from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México ★★★★★(107)
- Management of Fashion and Luxury Companies from Università Bocconi ★★★★★(5)
- Programming Basics from Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
- Fashion as Design from The Museum of Modern Art ★★★★☆(5)
- Understanding Language: Learning and Teaching from University of Southampton ★★★★☆(7)
- Introduction to Data Analysis Using Excel from Rice University
- Capstone: Applying Project Management in the Real World from Google
- Robótica from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
- Data Visualization with Python from IBM
- Introduction to Git and GitHub from Google
- HTML5 Coding Essentials and Best Practices from World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) ★★★★☆(11)
- How Things Work: An Introduction to Physics from University of Virginia ★★★★★(28)
- Machine Learning with Python: from Linear Models to Deep Learning from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Supply Chain Logistics from Rutgers University ★★★★★(7)
- Lessons and Teaching from British Council ★★★★★(421)
- Introduction to Engineering Mechanics from Georgia Institute of Technology ★★★★★(175)
- Human Anatomy: Musculoskeletal Cases from Harvard University ★★★★★(9)
- AWS Cloud Technical Essentials from Amazon Web Services
- Private Equity and Venture Capital from Università Bocconi ★★★★☆(6)
- Cómo hacer una tesis from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México ★★★★☆(1)
- Tricky American English Pronunciation from University of California, Irvine ★★★★☆(14)
- Computing in Python I: Fundamentals and Procedural Programming from Georgia Institute of Technology ★★★★★(247)
- Creative Problem Solving from University of Minnesota
- Cybersecurity for Everyone from University of Maryland, College Park ★★★★★(1)
In addition, every year, Class Central publishes the 100 most popular courses of the year. In these rankings, we only look at courses launched in a specific year. Here are the latest editions:
Dhawal Shah
Dhawal is the CEO of Class Central, the most popular search engine and review site for online courses and MOOCs. He has completed over a dozen MOOCs and has written over 200 articles about the MOOC space, including contributions to TechCrunch, EdSurge, Quartz, and VentureBeat.
Bani
Thank you so much for sharing all the resources, really helpful and much appreciated.
Suhas
Thank you for sharing information. It is worth for teachers and students both. Even any person who is interested apart from his acedemic specialization can do it.
Dr.Suvarna Sukhadeo Gund
Thanks for new information . मराठी माषेसाठी असे कोसऀ आहेत का? नसतील तर आपण यासाठी काय करू शकता? यासाठी मराठी भाषिक म्हणुन मी या कोसऀसाठी प्रयत्न करु शकते.?
Thanks .
Muvaffak GÖZAYDIN
What is the meaning of numbers next to name within paranthesis .
Suparn Patra
It is the number of reviews that course has received at Class Central.
Lesa Taylor
Good morning,
I see that you are specializing in ed-tech. I am a ed-tech 11 in Maine. I am looking for free courses while i am home this summer. My job at a Boy Scout camp was closed due to COVID 19. Is there any courses for ed-tech to be able to get CEU’S?
Thank you
Lesa
Suparn Patra
Hi Lesa,
You may use the search feature of Class Central ( https://www.classcentral.com ) to look for your required courses.
You may also explore various collections at https://www.classcentral.com/collections
Thanks
David Pérez Diego
Hello, is there an approximate number of enrollments (historically) for each course? Or some sort of average per year/starting period?
Thanks for the hard work, amazing data.
Sally Mac
Wow-this is great! T/you-Sally
Sandipan Debnath
I really appreciate the efforts put in by the class central team.
Just a request if it is possible to get the same list separated by subjects so that it becomes easy for us to find specific stream related most popular course.
Alexandros
I’m finding this article and list a bit disappinting. I’ll share here what I didn’t like in the hope someone will find it helpful and/or I’ll see improvements in the future.
– The article starts saying that “The *best* way to choose a free Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) is to choose one that other people have taken and enjoyed”, and I think it’s wrong/misleading. 1) even the best courses start with 1 enrollment; 2) the interest of a person in a course and the impact such education will have on her life is not necessarily linked with how many other people have taken and even enjoyed the course; 3) maybe I’m missing something here but, is it enough to consider only how many people have enrolled? Shouldn’t we consider also how many have finished it?
– The list is too long, incomplete, and disorganised: it’s not possible to filter the list by language, nor by topic; it’s not possible to see how many have enrolled. It’s also strange that some courses that made it to the most-popular courses list have only a handful of reviews… I’d even dare to say that reviews / stars maybe doing more harm than good to the industry: they are not reliable, and they may create positive/negative prejudice in other students. I’d say, NO REVIEWS, present what the course offers and how it compares to other similar ones! Feedback should be gathered with in-depth interviews to satisfied and disappointed students.