Learning Management · head to head
Pear Deck vs Coursera
Pear Deck
Learning Management
Interactive presentations that engage every student
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Coursera
Learning Management
Learn from top universities and companies worldwide
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Pear Deck the Teacher Dashboard, draggable and drawing responses and Reflect and Review require Teacher Premium at $149 per year; Coursera free audit does not include certificate upon completion
- They diverge on capability: Pear Deck covers Interactive slides, Coursera covers Video lectures.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Pear Deck and Coursera actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Learning Management).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Pear Deck
- Interactive slides
- Real-time responses
- Formative assessment
- Student-paced mode
- Dashboard
- Audio responses
- Drawing
- Vocabulary
Only in Coursera
- Video lectures
- Quizzes
- Peer assessments
- Certificates
- Mobile learning
- Offline access
- Specializations
- Degrees
Both cover
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Pear Deck
- Turning slide decks into interactive lessons with student responsesnot Coursera
- Running formative checks for understanding during classnot Coursera
- Student paced review activities and assessmentsnot Coursera
Coursera
- Skill developmentnot Pear Deck
- Career advancementnot Pear Deck
- Professional certificatesnot Pear Deck
- Degree programsnot Pear Deck
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Pear Deck
- The Teacher Dashboard, draggable and drawing responses and Reflect and Review require Teacher Premium at $149 per year
- Pear Assessment Premium is a separate $125 per year purchase from Pear Deck Premium
- Standards aligned content, district library and efficacy reports are only in the Schools and Districts plan
- SIS and LMS integration is only in the Schools and Districts plan
- School and district pricing is by quote with no published rate
Coursera
- Free audit does not include certificate upon completion
- Limited offline access to course materials
- Paid specializations require monthly subscription rather than one-time purchase
Pricing, plan by plan
Pear Deck
Free- FreeFree
- 5 question types
- Real-time responses
- Student-paced mode
- Premium$149.99/month
- All question types
- Audio responses
- Flashcard factory
- School/District$undefined/month
- All Premium
- Admin dashboard
- Rostering
Coursera
Free- Free AuditFree
- Coursera Plus$59/month
- Professional Certificates$39/month
Which should you pick?
Choose Pear Deck if
- You need interactive slides.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Chrome Extension.
- You also want real-time responses.
Choose Coursera if
- You need video lectures.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want quizzes.
Questions people ask
- Is Pear Deck or Coursera better?
- Neither clearly leads. Pear Deck starts at Free and Coursera at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Pear Deck or Coursera?
- Pear Deck starts at Free and Coursera at Free.
- Does Pear Deck or Coursera run on more platforms?
- Pear Deck runs on Web, Chrome Extension. Coursera runs on Web, iOS, Android.
- Can I use Pear Deck for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Pear Deck best used for?
- Pear Deck is most often used for turning slide decks into interactive lessons with student responses, running formative checks for understanding during class, student paced review activities and assessments. Of those, turning slide decks into interactive lessons with student responses and running formative checks for understanding during class are not what Coursera is typically brought in for.
- What can Pear Deck do that Coursera cannot?
- Pear Deck covers Interactive slides, Real-time responses, Formative assessment, Student-paced mode. Coursera covers Video lectures, Quizzes, Peer assessments, Certificates. Both handle Web support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Coursera: Can I audit courses for free?
Yes. Most Coursera courses can be audited for free, allowing access to videos and assignments without a certificate.
SourceCoursera: What is Coursera Plus?
Coursera Plus is a subscription for $59/month or $399/year providing unlimited access to over 7,000 courses and specializations with certificates.
SourceCoursera: Do enterprises get custom integrations?
Yes. Enterprise plans include SSO, APIs, AI-assisted Course Builder, and 30+ LMS integrations with dedicated customer success managers.
SourceCoursera: What is the cost of a degree program?
Coursera offers accredited degree programs starting at $50,000 and above, with costs varying by program and institution.
Source