How To Develop An App Like Coursera | App Development Guide

Valere
4 min readDec 10, 2021

Internet ubiquity and technical advances are driving the rapid growth of online education. F&F’s analysts project that the global e-learning market will grow at a CAGR of 14.6% from 2019 to 2026, from a current value of $144.4 billion to $374.3 billion.

To connect training service providers, such as tutors, classrooms, and colleges, companies are creating unique e-learning platforms similar to Coursera. Businesses and institutions can use these software solutions to train and monitor students remotely providing a continuous flow of education.

Looking at this there comes a need to follow the best practices for creating a stable eLearning platform like Coursera and similar websites. Also, this leads to a clear understanding of many other aspects like how Coursera earns.

IS COURSERA BASED ON A FOR-PROFIT MODEL?

Over the last seven years, Coursera has increasingly monetized its whole website, starting with a platform where educational institutions can offer their courses. Beginning in 2012, the brand started working with a small number of educational institutions and governments, and corporations. During the platform’s monetization, the original goal of providing free and open access to all students was abandoned. Users are now required to pay fees before accessing any course.

Users can take free Coursera lectures under the Signature Track feature, but they will have to pay for certificates upon completion. Students must pay a monthly subscription fee to gain proficiency in a specific subject area when using this function. Degrees are also a part of Coursera courses for 14 different programs, all of which are affiliated with prestigious universities. Students pay fees to enroll in the degree programs. Thus, Coursera can make money in other ways as well.

FOR AN APP LIKE COURSERA, WHAT ARE THE COURSERA UX DESIGN FEATURES THAT CAN’T BE COMPROMISED?

Even within the eLearning industry, no two systems are the same. Your goal should be to incorporate as many elements as possible that aren’t already present on top-tier eLearning websites similar to Coursera, for example, must have the following features to be successful:

Easy login — Typically, every application begins with the user authentication procedure during login or registration. Mobile numbers, email addresses, and passwords are the most commonly utilized login methods for most programs these days. You may also link social media sites such as Facebook, Google, Linked In, and others for easy login.

Profile management — A separate option for learners and teachers to maintain their profiles should be included in the application. Options including info, enrolments, wishlists, settings, transaction histories, and lists of ongoing and completed courses can be found on the learner’s tab of the course management system. The list of courses, students enrolled, degree information page, and many other things will be available on the instructor’s tab.

Search and suggestions — A search box should serve to make the information a user is looking for readily available. You can also provide various options to users by including a filter and a sorting option in your application.

Easy upload of course — When it comes to course design, simplicity is vital. Instructors should have an easy time creating and uploading a course/program in any format.

Day-to-day assignments — It aids in gauging an educational application’s overall effectiveness. Students become more self-aware before taking an actual test, so they know their weaknesses and talents.

Notifications — It will be possible to sustain a long-term relationship with a user through push notifications. It allows the app to communicate with users regularly by appearing on their phones.

User assistance for support — Customer loyalty should be your top objective as a company or organization. As a result, your eLearning application must have a section for user assistance.

Apart from the above-mentioned features, every business owner should try to add other features like payment integration, advanced player options, and many others as per your requirements.

WHAT SHOULD BE THE BUDGET FOR A WEBSITE SIMILAR TO COURSERA?

The cost of developing an eLearning application is determined by several variables, including the platform, development approach, technology stack, geographical location of the development team, and, most significantly, your requirements. An app with essential features and functionality might be built in the following timeframe, according to our analyst:

For successful integration of all the technology it usually takes 40- 60 hours.

  • UI/UX design takes 400 hours to complete
  • A total of 500 hours were devoted to the project’s front and back ends
  • 90-hour testing period
  • Europe’s East — $54K to $65K
  • About Europe, expect to pay anywhere from $109K to $125K
  • United States: 180–200K dollars

Please keep in mind that the prices we’ve provided are only estimates based on your specific project needs and requirements.

THE LAST LINES!

What we’ve just discussed shows that eLearning marketplaces have enormous potential, and it appears to be a fantastic idea to pursue that potential. Nearly every day, many learners and students connect to these services to take online courses and acquire credentials. Entrepreneurs, startups, and business owners should start working on an eLearning app now so they can start making money. Many companies specialize in app development, but finding the appropriate one to assist you in building an app that meets your needs is critical.

Valere is an award-winning software development agency that has built over 300 top-rated applications for startups and Fortune 500 companies in all verticals like healthcare, finance, sports, fitness, education, and more. Their apps have been featured by the New York Times, and have been consistently recognized as Apple App Store’s top featured apps, TechRadar, and Google Play Store’s top featured apps! Schedule a call with us today to learn how we can help your team create the perfect software or application that can Accelerate Your Business Goals!

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Valere

A top-rated agency that takes a best-of-both-worlds approach to domestic & offshore development across a multitude of technologies & industry verticals.