Harvard Online
CS50's Introduction to Programming with Python
Harvard's dedicated Python course: functions to unit tests, regex and object-oriented programming.
Free certificateProgramming
60 hrsBeginner
173 courses, every link checked November 2026
Free online courseswith certificates
173 courses from Harvard, MIT, Google, Microsoft, NPTEL and 31 other providers. Free to learn, with the certificate terms stated honestly: 83 free, 48 paid, 42 none.
- Free courses
- 173
- Free certificates
- 83
- Providers
- 36
- Learning paths
- 12
Browse by subject
Sixteen subjects, from coding and AI to finance, science and languages.
- Web Development14 courses
- Programming17 courses
- Data Science16 courses
- AI & Machine Learning20 courses
- Cloud & DevOps11 courses
- Cyber Security10 courses
- Design & UX9 courses
- Business & Marketing10 courses
- Career Skills8 courses
- Finance & Accounting9 courses
- Mathematics9 courses
- Science9 courses
- Languages6 courses
- Personal Development6 courses
- Health & Psychology8 courses
- Writing & Humanities11 courses
Start with these
Our editors' picks: well-known, well-taught and genuinely free to learn.
Harvard Online
CS50x: Introduction to Computer Science
Harvard's famous intro to computer science, from Scratch and C to Python, SQL and the web.
Free certificateProgramming120 hrsBeginnerUniversity of Helsinki
Elements of AI: Introduction to AI
The University of Helsinki and MinnaLearn's free AI literacy course for non-programmers.
Free certificateAI & Machine Learning30 hrsBeginnerGoogle's free Skillshop certification for Google Analytics, backed by four free courses from beginner to advanced.
Free certificateBusiness & MarketingSelf-pacedBeginnerKaggle Learn
Intro to Machine Learning
Kaggle's quick start to machine learning: build, validate and improve your first models.
Free certificateAI & Machine Learning3 hrsBeginnerCisco Networking Academy
Introduction to Cybersecurity
Cisco's short free starter course on cyber threats, protecting your data and what a cybersecurity career looks like.
Free certificateCyber Security6 hrsBeginnerPython for Everybody (PY4E)
Python for Everybody (PY4E)
Dr. Chuck's free Python course and textbook, the same material as his Coursera course.
Free certificateProgramming60 hrsBeginnerfreeCodeCamp
Responsive Web Design Certification
freeCodeCamp's rebuilt HTML and CSS certification with lessons, workshops, labs and a free exam.
Free certificateWeb Development300 hrsBeginnerUniversity of Helsinki
Full Stack Open: Deep Dive Into Modern Web Development
University of Helsinki's in-depth course on React, Node.js, testing, GraphQL and TypeScript.
Free certificateWeb Development300 hrsIntermediate
Free courses with a free certificate
Finish these and the certificate or badge costs nothing.
HubSpot Academy
AEO Fundamentals
HubSpot's free certification on answer engine optimisation: staying visible in search and AI-generated answers.
Free certificateBusiness & Marketing2.3 hrsBeginnerAnthropic Academy
AI Fluency: Framework & Foundations
Anthropic's free course on working with AI effectively, efficiently, ethically and safely.
Free certificateAI & Machine Learning2 hrsBeginnerIBM SkillsBuild
Artificial Intelligence Fundamentals
IBM SkillsBuild's free AI learning plan with a shareable IBM digital badge.
Free certificateAI & Machine Learning10 hrsBeginnerOpenLearn
Beginners' French: food and drink
Short Open University course on talking about food, eating out and ordering in French.
Free certificateLanguages5 hrsBeginnerOpenLearn
Beginners' German: Places and people
Short Open University course on places, personal information and café conversations in German.
Free certificateLanguages5 hrsBeginnerOpenLearn
Beginners' Spanish: Getting around
Open University beginner Spanish on places, directions and getting around Spanish-speaking cities.
Free certificateLanguages20 hrsBeginner
How this directory works
Free means free to learn
Every course here can be studied without paying. If the certificate costs money, the card says so before you click.
Checked and dated
Each listing links to the provider's own course page and shows when we last checked it. No made-up ratings or learner counts.
Save and track, no sign-up
Bookmark courses and tick off modules as you go. It all stays in your browser.
Learning paths: free courses in the right order
Pick a goal and follow the steps. Each path only uses courses from this list.
- 5 courses · 6–9 months part-timeFrontend DeveloperHTML and CSS to a deployed React portfolio.4 free certificates on the way
- 5 courses · 7–10 months part-timeBackend DeveloperComputer science basics to APIs and databases.4 free certificates on the way
- 5 courses · 3–5 months part-timePython DeveloperFrom your first line of Python to data structures.3 free certificates on the way
- 7 courses · 4–7 months part-timeData AnalystPython, SQL, cleaning and charts, the core analyst toolkit.6 free certificates on the way
- 6 courses · 5–8 months part-timeAI & Machine Learning EngineerPython and statistics to deep learning and LLMs.4 free certificates on the way
- 6 courses · 4–8 weeks part-timeGenerative AI for EveryoneUnderstand and use AI tools well, no coding needed to start.4 free certificates on the way
Done in an afternoon
Short free courses you can finish in under six hours.
Kaggle Learn
Intro to Machine Learning
Kaggle's quick start to machine learning: build, validate and improve your first models.
Free certificateAI & Machine Learning3 hrsBeginnerCisco Networking Academy
Introduction to Cybersecurity
Cisco's short free starter course on cyber threats, protecting your data and what a cybersecurity career looks like.
Free certificateCyber Security6 hrsBeginnerSemrush Academy
Semrush SEO Crash Course with Brian Dean
A free, under-an-hour SEO crash course from Semrush Academy with Brian Dean, covering keywords, content and backlinks.
Free certificateBusiness & Marketing1 hrBeginnerLinux Foundation Training & Certification
Cybersecurity Essentials (LFC108)
A one-hour free Linux Foundation primer on everyday cybersecurity: malware, breaches, mobile and social network safety.
Free certificateCyber Security1 hrBeginnerAnthropic Academy
AI Fluency: Framework & Foundations
Anthropic's free course on working with AI effectively, efficiently, ethically and safely.
Free certificateAI & Machine Learning2 hrsBeginnerHubSpot Academy
AEO Fundamentals
HubSpot's free certification on answer engine optimisation: staying visible in search and AI-generated answers.
Free certificateBusiness & Marketing2.3 hrsBeginner
Who teaches these courses
Universities, non-profits and companies that publish courses for free.
- Coursera18 courses
- Harvard Online16 courses
- OpenLearn15 courses
- MIT OpenCourseWare14 courses
- NPTEL11 courses
- Kaggle Learn9 courses
- Linux Foundation Training & Certification8 courses
- Saylor Academy8 courses
- freeCodeCamp7 courses
- Google7 courses
- Cisco Networking Academy6 courses
- Yale University (Open Yale Courses)6 courses
Popular free course lists
Hand-made lists for the things people search for most.
- Free Online Courses with Certificate83
- Free Python Courses25
- Free Machine Learning Courses13
- Free Generative AI Courses8
- Free SQL Courses9
- Free JavaScript Courses12
- Free Digital Marketing Courses7
- Free Online Courses for Beginners130
- Free Google Courses7
- Free Harvard Courses16
- Free MIT Courses14
- NPTEL and SWAYAM Free Courses11
- Free Microsoft Courses4
- Free Online Courses for Students in India31
Recently added
University of Helsinki
Full Stack Open: Deep Dive Into Modern Web Development
University of Helsinki's in-depth course on React, Node.js, testing, GraphQL and TypeScript.
Free certificateWeb Development300 hrsIntermediateHarvard Online
CS50's Introduction to Programming with Python
Harvard's dedicated Python course: functions to unit tests, regex and object-oriented programming.
Free certificateProgramming60 hrsBeginnerUniversity of Helsinki
Elements of AI: Introduction to AI
The University of Helsinki and MinnaLearn's free AI literacy course for non-programmers.
Free certificateAI & Machine Learning30 hrsBeginnerCoursera
The Science of Well-Being
Laurie Santos's Yale course on what psychology says really makes us happy, with practical exercises.
Paid certificateHealth & Psychology13 hrsBeginnerfreeCodeCamp
Front-End Development Libraries Certification
freeCodeCamp's updated certification on front-end libraries such as React, with a free exam.
Free certificateWeb Development300 hrsIntermediatefreeCodeCamp's Node.js, Express and MongoDB certification built around five API projects.
Free certificateWeb Development300 hrsIntermediate
Guides for free learners
- Guides · 7 min readFree, audit, or free trial: what 'free course' actually meansFour platforms use the word 'free' for four different things. Here is how to tell which one you are looking at before you invest forty hours.
- Roadmaps · 11 min readThe honest free roadmap to your first developer jobTwelve months, zero cost, and the three places almost everyone quits. A realistic sequence built only from courses in this directory.
- Careers · 8 min readWhich free certificates do employers actually recognise?Some free credentials appear by name in job adverts. Most do not. Here is the short list that carries weight, and why.
New free courses, once a week
A short email with newly added free courses and any certificate that stopped being free. Unsubscribe in one click.
Questions about free online courses
Is every course on this site actually free?
Every course listed is free to enrol in and free to complete the learning material. What varies is the certificate: some providers issue one free, some charge for it, and some issue none at all. Each course card and detail page states which of the three applies, so you know before you start.
Do you host the courses yourself?
No. This is a directory, not a learning platform. Every enrol button opens the provider's own page — Harvard, freeCodeCamp, Google, edX and the rest — and you complete the course there under their terms. We never take payment, never gate content and never resell a course.
What does 'free to audit' mean on edX and Coursera?
Auditing gives you the video lectures and readings at no cost, usually for a limited window. Graded assignments, instructor feedback and the certificate sit behind the paid track. Coursera also runs a financial-aid programme that can cover the certificate fee if you apply and qualify.
Are the certificates worth anything to employers?
It depends on the issuer. Certificates from Google, HubSpot, Cisco, IBM and freeCodeCamp are commonly named in job adverts and carry real weight for entry-level roles. University audit certificates matter less than what you can demonstrate. For developer roles, a portfolio of shipped projects consistently beats any certificate.
How do you decide which courses to list?
A course qualifies if the full learning material is available without payment, the provider is an established institution or platform, and the course has been published or substantially updated recently enough to still be accurate. We list the certificate terms honestly rather than implying everything ends in a free credential.
How often is the directory updated?
Every listing carries the date it was last checked against the provider's page. Providers change their free tiers without notice, so always confirm the current terms on the provider's page before committing serious time, and use the contact page to tell us if something has changed.
Where should a complete beginner start?
Pick a learning path rather than a single course. Each path puts four to six free courses in a sensible order and says why each step is there. If you want one course to test the water, Harvard's CS50x or CS50P suits programming, and Google's or HubSpot's free marketing courses suit a non-technical start.
Do I need to create an account here?
No. Searching, filtering, saving courses and tracking module progress all work without an account; your saved list and progress stay in your own browser. You will usually need a free account with the provider itself to take the course and claim any certificate.
Keep going on AltFTool
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- TalknLearnPractise spoken English for interviews and class.
- AltFLangLearn to code with a tiny playground language.
- Job searchPut a new certificate to work: find openings.
- Exam photo resizerResize photos and signatures for exam forms.
- Backlink sites1,800+ places to list a course, blog or portfolio.
- Community sitesForums and communities where learners share work.
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Courses are taught and certified by the providers named. AltFTool is an independent directory and is not affiliated with them. Last checked .