Month: May 2022

Introduction

You’ve likely heard of the old adage “there’s no such thing as a free lunch.” Well, this is especially true in the world of internet marketing. There are many scams out there that will try to steal your money for services that they cannot provide.

Lead Academy is not one of those services. This platform is designed to help you develop skills in just about any area, from business to accounting, animal care, and even beauty and wellness!

Whether you are interested in continuing your education to embark on a brand new career path or to help your current business or professional standing improve, you’ll find what you’re looking for with Lead Academy. 

Lead Academy is a company that has come up with the solutions and skills you need to make your business grow and prosper – or to help you develop into a more well-rounded person both professionally and personally. 

Is it right for you? This Lead Academy review will give you all the information you need about this company, so read on to learn more.

What is Lead Academy?

Lead Academy is an online course platform. Like many other massive open online course platforms, this MOOC is leading the charge when it comes to offering courses covering a wide variety of topics to people all around the world.

Whether you are looking to take online classes covering business administration or the creative arts, there’s a good chance that Lead Academy has what you are looking for. Popular course categories include coding, cooking, design, beauty, photography, and business.

You’ll have a comprehensive catalog of courses to choose from, with online classes offered at reasonable rates. There are several membership options you can choose from, too, but the main benefit of studying with Lead Academy is that you won’t have to adhere to a rigid teaching style or formal deadlines – you can learn on your own terms.

Unfortunately, there is a surprising dearth of information out there regarding Lead Academy’s origins. While you can find plenty of information about the courses that are offered, it’s hard to find any information on the MOOCs founder. It seems as though the platform is based out of the United Kingdom, based on the British English used in most of the website’s materials. 

Who is Lead Academy For?

Lead Academy is best for the casual student who wants to take a class here or there – as well as for the student who is on a budget.

The courses are affordable and often offered at discount prices on third-party websites like Groupon and Deals Daddy. It’s a good “thrifty” pick for online learning, though the credentials of the lecturers can be tough to verify (as can the background of this company and its origins). 

That said, it’s perfect for learners who want to be able to learn and focus at any time of the day, particularly for casual learners who are seeking a comprehensive, beginner’s-level knowledge in various topics. You’ll likely find that the courses on Lead Academy are informative and helpful, though perhaps not quite as in-depth as you might find on other websites. 

How Does Lead Academy Work?

At first glance, Lead Academy seems to be like most other MOOC platforms out there – it simply hosts courses made by hundreds of thousands of different content creators, perhaps without a clear mission or organizational structure.

While it’s true that Lead Academy seems to be a dumping ground for thousands of different courses, upon further inspection, it should become clear that this platform actually does offer high-quality courses. Although these aren’t checked by in-house quality control professionals, there are multiple features and benefits of Lead Academy that are worth mentioning. 

In fact, this online learning platform offers both accredited certificate of completion options along with a wide selection of courses. While it does take some digging to find what you’re looking for while researching this platform, you’ll likely find that the extra effort is worth it. 

When you’re ready to sign up, all you need to do is head over to the official website and enter your contact information on the sign-up page. You’ll then be redirected to a dashboard where you can manage all of your account details. It’s a basic page that is easy to navigate.

Once you’ve made an account, you can head on over to check out all of the courses available on the site. If you know exactly what you’re looking for, you can save time by typing in the keyword you want into the search bar. Otherwise, courses are organized by topic category and by certifications (if available). 

Then you can sign up to take the course, which is when you’ll proceed with the billing process. 

Features and Functionality

Here are some of the top features of Lead Academy worth mentioning.

Courses in Many Different Areas

Lead Academy is the best platform for the self-described “jack of all trades.” With this platform, you’ll be able to browse courses in dozens of topics. General categories include:

• Design
• Photography
• Web design and development
• Counseling and psychology
• Animal care
• Leadership and management
• Personal development
• Mathematics
• Health and fitness
• Cooking 
• Health and safety
• First aid
• Digital marketing
• Language
• Microsoft Office
• Beauty and makeup
• Food hygiene and safety
• Business and management
• Customers service
• Writing

…and much, much more. 

Certificate of Completion

When you first start researching Lead Academy, you might assume that this platform is like others that host thousands of courses in a wide variety of subjects. It’s a jack of all trades, you might think, though a master of none!

However, that’s not the case. Although Lead Academy hits the mark when it comes to offering a wide diversity of courses, it also offers quality.

Upon digging deeper, you’ll learn that Lead Academy can be an excellent way for you to advance your career because it offers certified courses. Not all courses are paired with an accredited certificate of completion, but many are.

This means that those courses are checked by third-party credentialing organizations. 

Because of this, when you take a course on Lead Academy that culminates in a formal certificate, you can rest assured that this is something current and future employers will appreciate seeing on your resume. The certificates show that you have studied and mastered useful, beneficial material – and you haven’t just taken a course that amounts to little more than an introductory YouTube video. 

There are more than 500 different courses on Lead Academy that are Quality License Scheme Endorsed. This is an endorsement by a brand of the Skills and Education Group, an organization that is known for offering high-quality vocational qualifications across a vast array of industries. 

In addition to QLS, there are other organizations that verify the legitimacy of Lead Academy’s courses, too. These include Continuing Professional Development (CPD), ROSPA, and the UK Register of Learning Providers. 

As an American student or a student from other parts of the world besides Britain, these names might not mean much to you – but rest assured, they indicate that you’ll be receiving access to only the highest quality content. 

Syllabus Access

When you’re preparing to take an online class, one of the most daunting aspects of doing so is not knowing what to expect. When you take a class on Lead Academy, you don’t have to worry about that because everything is spelled out for you.

All classes offer users the ability to view the syllabi for the courses before they enroll. You’ll be able to get an idea of what your expert teachers plan to cover in their courses so you can easily decide whether it’s a course that might be useful for you. 

Affiliate Program

Lead Academy also has an affiliate program. It is surprisingly difficult to find verifiable information about the affiliate option, since there is limited information on the website regarding this pathway. When you click the affiliate dashboard button, you’ll be brought to a page where you are prompted to create an account. You won’t be able to view any details beyond that. 

Lead Academy Pricing Model

Lead Academy’s pricing model is unique in that you won’t be paying a monthly subscription fee. Instead, you will pay per course.

Because of this, it’s tough to give you an idea of pricing. You might pay as little as $5 for a course or as much as $500. It truly depends on what kind of class you plan to take. 

There are some courses that are placed into “bundles,” however. Lead Academy offers these bundles on a regular basis so that you can take multiple classes and save money on the whole lot. For example, there’s a makeup artist bundle of eight classes that costs £49 (around $70 USD). 

With these bundles, you’ll learn from the same industry experts as you would in the individual courses and receive all the same benefits – you’ll just be paying a much lower cost. You even earn a childcare diploma or take a bundle of courses in pediatric first aid! There are lots of options to choose from and these change regularly – so be sure to keep checking back.

Support

Need to get in touch with someone at Lead Academy, either with a question about your membership or about a specific class? It’s pretty easy to find the support section on the platform’s website and for the most part, the support team is pretty responsive. You can direct inquiries to info@lead-academy.org or submit an email request for help form. 

There doesn’t seem to be a phone number you can use to contact someone, which might be frustrating for users who want to be able to talk to a live person in real time. 

That said, the chat feature is easy to access and the representatives are very responsive. You shouldn’t have any trouble getting the information you need – and fast! Responses tend to be concise, thorough, and easy to understand. When you ask a question, you won’t receive a regurgitated, computer-generated response. You’ll receive a no-fluff answer to any kind of inquiry you might have. 

One unique and incredibly helpful feature of Lead Academy, however, is that all courses come with free tutor support (included in the price of the course). With each and every course, you will receive access to a live tutor so that you can get extra help if you’re having trouble navigating through a course.

The Advantages (Pros) of Lead Academy

Let’s dive a little bit deeper into the benefits of taking courses on Lead Academy.

Variety of Courses

If you’re looking for something a bit outside the box when it comes to online learning, there’s a good chance that Lead Academy has it. 

This platform is one of the most varied in terms of its course selection. The courses are neatly broken down into separate categories so it’s easy to find what you’re looking for. 

It’s one of the few platforms out there that doesn’t cater primarily to learners in the technical and business niches. While there are plenty of MOOC providers that offer courses in coding, programming, digital marketing, and leadership, it’s challenging to find platforms that offer courses in more unique areas like teaching, beauty, and writing.

High-Quality Content

It’s easy to be skeptical when you first stumble upon Lead Academy. As a relatively young platform, it’s tough to find information out there regarding this site’s legitimacy. Plus, there are many other websites that share the same name, making it tough to find information that’s not confusing them all, to say the very least.

However, when it comes to quality, you need not worry. Because most of Lead Academy’s courses are certified (many of which are also fully accredited) you can rest easy knowing that the quality is up to par. 

Individualized Pricing

Another helpful feature of Lead Academy is that all courses are individually priced. For someone who isn’t interested in becoming a lifelong student, this is a major benefit.

Far too many online course platforms base their pricing on a subscription-based pricing model. Although this is great for someone who wants to take classes constantly, if you only want to take a class here or there, a monthly subscription makes little sense. 

With this individualized pricing model, you’ll just pay for the courses you want to take – and nothing else. There’s also zero commitment involved so if you decide that the course isn’t right for you, you aren’t locked into continuing to pay a monthly subscription model.

Plus, you can study at your own pace without having to worry about monthly payment fees adding up because you’ve decided to take your time. 

Instructional Support

For many students, the most frustrating aspect of taking an online course is that you feel as though you are going it alone. In fact, that drawback alone is the leading reason as to why students either don’t enroll in the first place – or drop out of – online courses.

With Lead Academy, you’ll have outstanding instructional support in any class you decide to take. You’ll not only receive support from a tutor but you’ll also get instant feedback in your courses.

This feedback is delivered in a number of ways. You’ll be able to view assessment frameworks that are used for evaluation prior to enrolling in a course and you’ll also get practically instantaneous feedback with every assessment you complete. 

Excellent Student Reviews

Head on over to the Lead Academy website, and you’ll find hundreds of reviews for the many courses posted there.

The only downside to these reviews is that they’re all hosted on Lead Academy so it’s impossible to determine whether they are verified or not – and of course, the platform doesn’t post the negative reviews! However, the reviews can be helpful in giving you more information about what you might be getting yourself into in a course. 

That said, if you want to get down into the nitty-gritty of what Lead Academy has to offer and you don’t necessarily trust the reviews posted on the website, you can always head on over to a third-party feedback site. 

Trustpilot, for example, posts a large selection of Lead Academy reviews. While most of these reviews are positive, there are some that express various criticisms – so it’s easy to get a good idea of whether this platform is right for you. 

Self-Paced Learning

Of course, Lead Academy isn’t the only MOOC that offers self-paced learning – but it is a major benefit of using this platform worth noting. When you take classes on Lead Academy, you won’t be locked into paying a monthly subscription fee. Because of this, you don’t have to worry about speeding through a class just to get out of having to pay for multiple months. 

There are a few other online learning platforms out there that offer this, but many of them try to encourage you to speed things up by putting time limits on certain segments, imposing an expiration date on the course, or using upselling techniques to try to get you to take another course covering the same topic (before you’ve even finished this one!). You won’t find any of that with Lead Academy.

You can truly study at your own pace, with no rushing or worrying at all.

The Disadvantages (Cons) of Lead Academy

Of course, there are a few disadvantages to utilizing Lead Academy for your online education, too. 

Very Dated Site Design

A common misconception people have about Lead Academy is whether it’s legit or not – most of the time, this question stems from the fact that the website looks like it was made many, any years ago – and it almost looks like a fraudulent site.

However,  if you dig a little deeper in your research, you’ll discover that Lead Academy is legit. It just has an old-looking website. It has an outdated, somewhat antiquated website that can be a bit difficult to use – some pages load quite slowly and others have features that never load at all.

And then there are some pages that just look downright strange!

If you don’t care too much about appearances and just want high-quality course content, then this shouldn’t be a major deterrent. It is just something to keep in mind as you are deciding which course platform is right for you. 

Long Wait Times for Customer Service

The customer support on Lead Academy is excellent (unless, again, you’re trying to get in touch by phone, which can be tough to do).

The Only downside is that it can take some time to get a response. Once you’ve locked yourself into a conversation with a customer service agent, it won’t take long to get an answer – but it can take some time to get yourself to the front of the line.

Once you click on the chat bubble for live support, it can take up to three or four hours to receive a response. Of course, you’re getting live support – and not dealing with a  boy – so in some ways, this might be more worth the wait to you.

Pricing

You might be thinking, “wait! Didn’t you say the pricing on Lead Academy was a benefit – not a con?” 

Yes, in most cases. However, depending on the class you want to take, you may find that the pricing is a bit high. Some courses only cost a few dollars, but others can cost several hundred dollars.

If you’re planning on taking multiple courses, then a subscription-based learning platform might be best. Again, though, this is a highly individualized decision.

Lead Academy Alternatives

Has our Lead Academy review convinced you that this is the right online learning platform for your needs? If not, then don’t worry – it’s not the only online course provider to consider. 

If you’re looking for free or affordable classes, Udemy should be the first you consider. As the world’s largest MOOC, this platform has more than 150,000 courses in 65 languages. You can take free courses, though many require a fee. When you purchase a premium membership, you’ll be able to tap into extra resources like Q&A features, direct messaging, and more. 

Khan Academy is another great option if you’re looking for free classes. Nothing on here will cost you a cent – everything is offered completely free of charge. Unfortunately, though, the classes on this MOOC are tailored specifically for K-12 students. While there are some courses for older students (typically college-aged students), there’s not much for the nontraditional learner.

A final option is Udacity. This for-profit MOOC platform focuses on career development in vocational and technical areas. The list of topics covered here is a bit more limited, but Udacity offers some of the best career services, like resume writing assistance and personalized job coaching.

FAQ

Is Lead Academy legit?

Despite its antiquated appearance, Lead Academy is a legit website. It is one of the less popular MOOC providers out there, but don’t let its lack of visibility fool you – it’s one of the best places to take courses online because it offers diversity and quality in its course selection. 

Is Lead Academy worth it?

Yes. Lead Academy is definitely worth it. You’ll find a variety of features and benefits here, from a selection of individually-priced courses to certificates that are fully accredited. Since each course varies in its pricing, you won’t be locked into a monthly subscription, either. 

Is Lead Academy accredited?

Many courses on Lead Academy offer accredited certificates. Accrediting organizations include Quality License Scheme Endorsed, Continuing Professional Development, ROSPA, and the UK Register of Learning Providers. 

What courses are offered at Lead Academy?

You can take courses in just about anything on Lead Academy, including business, technology, education, beauty, health and wellness, the arts, and more.

How much does Lead Academy cost?

Lead Academy courses vary in their individual pricing. You could pay as little as a few dollars for a course or as much as several hundred. 

Does Lead Academy offer a money-back guarantee?

Lead Academy offers a quality guarantee. All courses are designed by industry experts and meet rigorous quality standards in their instructional design and content. 

You can receive a full refund within 14 calendar days following the date of the purchase of your course. However, if you already finished more than 20% of the course or received the certificate, you cannot receive a refund. 

Introduction

Distance learning can be a significant investment of both time and money for students. That’s why it’s crucial to choose your online learning platform wisely. In this detailed review of Study.com, our editors probe this well-known online education provider, discussing its features, pricing, customer support, pro and cons, and more.

Study.com touts itself as the “largest, most extensive website for education seekers.” With all of the online learning platforms available today, that’s a lofty claim. Is Study.com everything it says it is?

In this comprehensive review of Study.com, we’ll answer that question by taking a close look at how this pioneering online education platform works and exactly what it has to offer its users. During our up-close-and-personal investigation of the site, we’ll talk critical components such as:

• Target Audience
• Operability
• Features and Functionality
• Pricing
• Customer Support
• Pros and Cons
• com Alternatives

To provide a balanced review, we’ll also address some of the common complaints users of Study.com have and discuss the platform’s current standing with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). In short, we’ll provide you with all of the information you need to make an informed decision regarding use of this particular distance education provider.

Let’s get started, shall we?

What Is Study.com?

Before we can provide a useful Study.com review, it’s important to establish an understanding of what the site is all about. Essentially, we need to answer the basic question: What is Study.com?. Usually, basic questions warrant simple answers, but with this particular education platform, the answer is a complex one. That’s because Study.com isn’t your average, everyday online learning website. In an effort to be a “one-stop-shop” for online learners, Study.com has a little bit of everything.

Of course, that hasn’t always been the case. The site has evolved tremendously since its inception in 2002. Nearly twenty years of technological advancements in distance education technology have enabled this online education platform to transform into the remote learning powerhouse that it is today.

Currently, Study.com claims to reach over 25 million students monthly with its educational content, which includes articles, guides, videos, and even online college courses.

Who Is Study.com For?

According to the online learning platform itself, more than 10 million of its 25 million monthly users are college hopefuls or graduates researching their academic and career options. That still leaves 15 million people who are accessing the learning website on a regular basis.

So who are these other individuals? Since Study.com literally has something for everyone, users run the gamut from homeschooled students, high schoolers, college kids, nontraditional learners, and even teachers and tutors in search of learning resources.

Study.com garners attention from such a wide and varied audience because it is an extremely versatile online education platform. Anyone enrolled in any type of academic course from a K-12 class to an advanced college course can benefit from Study.com’s learning resources.

For example, a high school student studying for a geometry test will find 145 different lessons to choose from complete with videos, syllabi, and practice test questions. Moreover, current or prospective college students can enroll in one of hundreds of different online college courses offered via Study.com. Once completed, these courses can be transferred for credit at more than two thousand different colleges and universities nationwide.

How Does Study.com Work?

The vast majority of Study.com’s content is delivered via video courses or informational text. This content can be accessed from a PC or any mobile device such as a Smartphone or tablet.

The precise method of operability, of course, will depend on how you decide to use the site. Put simply, you can access Study.com as a K-12 student, college student, or career seeker. Depending on your chosen mode of access, you may encounter different educational features and learning materials on the site.

Career Planning Tools

Despite its reputation as an online education platform, Study.com has a host of tools and features for job seekers as well. Its rolodex of career articles contains information about hundreds of different career paths and occupations in popular fields like medical and health professions, psychology, transportation and logistics, education, engineering, and many more.

To locate an article on the career or job of your choice, simply search the site or browse the article directory by selecting a field or industry. Once you’ve done this, you’ll be presented with an interactive article chock full of useful information on your chosen career path or occupation.

The article will include essential career information, including (but not limited to) the educational requirements/knowledge and skills you’ll need to land the job, the median annual salary, as well as information related to employment opportunities and job growth projections.

In addition to this critical data, Study.com also provides its job searchers with interactive tools to help them locate resources they may need to begin a career in their chosen field. For instance, each career article features a list of popular schools that provide education and training in the respective industry as well as specific programs and degree plans offered by each of these colleges/universities.

A related feature is what Study.com calls its “Perfect School Search.” This simple tool shows users schools that meet their academic and career goals based on their current level of education, subjects of interest, and desired learning format (i.e., online or traditional). It also allows customization based on location; users can elect to view only those schools near their location or in their state, for example.

Online Courses

A standout feature of Study.com as an online learning platform is its broad selection of online courses. These distance learning classes span options for various types of learners, including K-12 students, college students, and working professionals. Collectively, these online learners can choose from over 84,000 different courses featured on the education platform.

Courses for College Credit (AKA College Accelerator)

Study.com’s collection of online courses include those that can be transferred for college credit, potentially saving users loads of time and money on the cost of a degree. In fact, the education platform boasts that their College Accelerator has saved students nearly $132 million in tuition expenses to date. (If true, that would more than compensate for any Study.com cost!)

To use College Accelerator, students select college courses from more than two hundred different titles in popular academic disciplines like Statistics, Criminal Justice, Business, Psychology, Chemistry, and more. The courses are comprised of video content that can be accessed via a personal computer or mobile device, making it super easy to learn anytime, anywhere. Individual videos are just five minutes in length, so students can pace the course material around their busy schedules. This is what Study.com refers to as its “microlearning format.”

We’ve listed some sample course titles below to give you an idea of the breadth and scope of these online classes and video lessons:

• Computer Science 305: Operating Systems
• Business 103: Introductory Business Law
• English 103: Analyzing and Interpreting Literature
• Spanish 105: Spanish for the Workplace
• Philosophy 102: Ethics in America
• Statistics 101: Principles of Statistics
• Math 104: Calculus
• Psychology 104: Social Psychology
• Biology 105: Anatomy & Physiology
• Political Science 102: American Government

It’s been established that there are plenty of for-credit online college courses available via Study.com, but are these classes the real deal? Since the education platform claims that all of their lessons are created by “top instructors and subject matter experts,” the course material is presumably legit. Also, the content is delivered via animated videos, making even the most challenging concepts digestible for the average student.

Study Tools

As if that weren’t enough to sell most students interested in an easy route to college credit, the online learning platform goes a step further to support student success. Each course features a host of tools to support the online learning process. Let’s discuss some of these tools briefly.

Adaptive Learning

One of Study.com’s most popular study tools is called “Adaptive Learning.” With Adaptive Learning, students can take placement tests at the beginning of each Study.com course to test out of any course content that they’ve already mastered. This tool can help busy students save time and skip to the content they need in order to finish their online classes quickly.

Practice Questions and Assessments

As we’ll discuss later in the Study.com review, students must pass assessments in order to complete their courses and earn college credit for transfer. To help them do that, the education platform grants students access to practice questions in the form of mock quizzes and tests. These “warm-ups” help students assess their current knowledge and prepare for the assessments that really matter.

Online Tutoring and Support

With Study.com’s education platform, students aren’t on their own when it comes to completing course material. If at any time they have questions or problems, they have instant access to their instructors as well as subject matter experts who can help them with issues as they arise. This support extends beyond the course content too; students can get help with college enrollment, transfer credit, career questions, and more.

Making the Grade

Since real college credit is at stake for students enrolled in Study.com courses, these students are required to complete assessments for which they will receive grades. Grades for each course are based on a percentage of points earned out of 300 total points.

To pass the course, students must earn at least 210 points, which is an equivalent of 70% of the total possible points. The student’s actual score will not appear on their Study.com transcript, though; this document will only report either “pass” or “fail” for each class.

To receive a passing grade for a Study.com course, students must take all lesson quizzes as well as a final exam. In the case of quizzes, students have three opportunities to pass the assessment, and the highest of these three attempts will be recorded. Final exams are proctored by a third-party virtual proctor. These assessments may also be re-taken if a successful score is not achieved on the first attempt.

Earning College Credit

Once these college courses are completed, the earned credit can be transferred to over 1,500 different colleges and universities across the nation. Transfer of these credits has been approved by the American Council on Education (ACE) and/or the National Credit Recommendation Service (NCCRS), so everything is legitimate.

Study.com provides a list of U.S. colleges that accept transfer credit from the online learning platform. Some of these schools include:

• University of Arizona Global Campus
• University of Maryland Global Campus
• Regent University
• Liberty University
• Indiana Institute of Technology
• Purdue University Global
• Herzing University
• Bellevue University
• California Southern University
• Colorado State University Global
• Western Governor’s University

This is just a sampling of the hundreds of schools partnered with Study.com. The online education platform also provides a search tool for users looking for a specific college or university that will accept transfer credit.

Study.com Pricing Model

Like many online learning platforms, Study.com has different subscription plans available. Each of these plans can be billed monthly, or yearly for a savings of 10%.  

Basic Edition: $29.99 per month/ $325 per year

The basic edition of Study.com grants users access to all video lessons as well as the transcripts of each lesson along with technical support.

• Unlimited Access to Lessons
• Transcripts of Lessons
• Access to Technical Support

Premium Edition: $59.99 per month/ $648 per year

Upgrading to Study.com’s premium edition grants users access to all of the features of the basic edition as well as additional features such as:

• Instructor Support
• Practice Assessments (e.g., quizzes and tests)
• Completion Certificates
• Individualized Coaching
• Progress Tracking
• Custom Course Material

College Accelerator: $199.99 per month/ $2,160 per year

The most expensive of Study.com’s subscription plans is College Accelerator. This subscription is the only plan that grants students access to transferrable college credit. With College Accelerator enabled, students can earn college credit by taking the final exams for up to two college courses each month. 

• Opportunity to Earn College Credit
• Access to 2 Exams Monthly
• Remote Exam Access

Customer Support

Like most other online education platforms, Study.com prides itself on providing good customer support. There are two ways that users can request this support—via email to support@study.com or by filling out a support ticket online. According to the website, users can expect to receive a response within one business day of submitting the initial contact.

Study.com Alternatives

Though it’s one of the most well-known, Study.com isn’t the only online education platform available to prospective students who wish to learn via distance education technology. In fact, there are many alternatives.

Some of these other online learning platforms may be associated with lower costs, and you may even find an alternative more closely aligned with your individual academic or career goals. Here is a sampling of other distance education providers:

Coursera: Unlike Study.com, Coursera enables students to earn a complete degree via the site, not just individual credits for transfer. Coursera doesn’t create its own content like Study.com does, though. Instead, it hosts online classes available from reputable universities and organizations such as Johns Hopkins University, University of Michigan, and Google, for example.

Udacity: Udacity is an online learning platform geared toward working professionals and career-minded students. While Study.com caters to K-12 students and individuals interested in earning college credit, Udacity focuses on professional development and vocational training. Udacity also offers a free-trial period, while Study.com does not.

edX: edX has more in common with Udacity than it does Study.com. That’s because it’s a host site, meaning it features pre-made course material rather than offering up custom content like Study.com does. Unlike Udacity, though, it does offer degree options from some of the most reputable colleges and universities in the country.  

Conclusion

After a comprehensive Study.com review, it’s clear that this online learning platform makes good on most of its claims. It certainly offers a wide range of educational tools and resources for distance learning students and traditional learners of all ages and level of education. Moreover, it offers a learning experience that is convenient, accessible, and even enjoyable. Clearly, there has been a great deal of time and care taken to ensure that the website is easy to navigate and the tools are easy to use.

Still, this education platform is not without its faults. The pricing model restricts the site’s most valuable features (namely, the ability to earn actual college credits) to those users with the thickest wallets. This puts most of the platform’s value out of reach for college students on a budget.

Perhaps most concerning is the many customer complaints regarding billing issues. Refunds, though available, don’t appear to be very easy to obtain, despite the site’s supposed “money back guarantee.” Thus, if you’re unsatisfied with your membership for any reason, you may find yourself without recourse to resolve the issue.

Overall, we would recommend Study.com with a modicum of caution. It’s best to sign up for the monthly membership, at least initially. (Remember, there is no study com free trial). That way, if you are unsatisfied, you can cancel your membership, and you risk losing just a small percent of the annual Study.com cost.

FAQ

Is Study.com legit?

Yes. All college courses offered for credit through Study.com’s online learning platform are authorized by the American Council on Education (ACE) and/or the National College Credit Recommendation Service (NCCRS). Once credit is earned, it is transferrable to over 1,500 different colleges and universities across the United States.

A study.com review by the Better Business Bureau resulted in a BBB rating of “B” on a scale of A+ to F. This rating is an indication of how the agency predicts the business will interact with its customers in the future based on its past performance as well as any customer complaints. Currently, Study.com has 244 complaints filed with the BBB

Is Study.com a reliable source?

For the most part, yes. After reviewing complaints submitted to the Better Business Bureau from Study.com subscribers, it appears the vast majority of issues reported were those concerning billing matters as opposed to complaints about the actual classes or course material. According to Study.com, the online courses featured on the site are written by college professors and “subject matter experts.”

Is Study.com easy to use?

Yes. The online learning platform features an intuitive interface. The website’s layout is easy to navigate, and there are multiple avenues to find the desired features and information. Moreover, the online classes themselves are instinctive and easy to follow. Members receive access to a 24/7 informational dashboard that helps them keep track of classes they’re enrolled in, lessons completed, and grades on quizzes and tests.

How much does Study.com cost?

It depends. The education platform features some free content, including lessons and career articles. Premium features are available to members who are required to pay a fee, ranging from $29.99 to $199.99 per month. Annual subscriptions are also available and come with a ten percent discount.

How to cancel a subscription to Study.com?

Subscriptions to this online education platform can be cancelled at any time, according to the website. To cancel, users should simply navigate to their Profile page and follow the instructions. Study.com subscriptions can also be paused, meaning the user’s account will not be charged and features will be restricted, but the membership itself will remain active.

Does Study.com refund money?

Yes, but users may need to be persistent in order to receive a refund. According to some unsatisfied customers, refunds were only granted after they reported their issue to the Better Business Bureau. Still, the company claims to honor its refund policy in a timely manner.