Checked against Alison's own published pages on 31 July 2026. Alison states different learner figures in different places — 50 million+ on its homepage and Our Story page, 45 million on its accreditation page; the higher figure, which appears in more places and more recently, is the one used here. No certificate price is quoted on this page because Alison does not publish one outside its logged-in shop.
6,000+
Courses
Free
All courses
Luctura verdict
Best for: learners on no budget, CPD hours, short introductory workplace skills, regions where paid platforms are out of reach.
Not for: university-backed academic credentials, deep or specialist technical depth, degree pathways.
Key strengths
- Courses are free to study and complete — Alison states that buying a Certificate or Diploma afterwards is optional, not required to finish.
- Alison's publishing process is accredited by CPD UK, so a completed course can count towards CPD hours (subject to your own organisation's rules).
- A free Learner Record and Learner Verification document what you completed, for learners who do not buy a certificate.
One caveat
Alison does not publish certificate or diploma prices on its public pages — the cost only appears in its shop after a course is finished, which makes it hard to plan the total spend in advance.
Features
✓ Mobile app✓ Offline downloads✓ Business plan✓ Certificates✗ Employer recognised✗ Degrees
Content focus
BusinessITHealthManagementPersonal DevelopmentTeachingEngineeringMarketingLanguage
Certificate partners: IBM, NHCPS
Pricing
| Option | Cost |
|---|---|
| All courses | Free to study and complete |
| Certificate or Diploma | Optional purchase after completing a course. Price is shown in Alison's shop and is not published on its public pages. |
| Free digital certificate | Offered on a short list of named courses that Alison publishes in its FAQ |
| Learner Record / Learner Verification | Free proof of completion |
| Alison Premium (removes ads) | €7.99/month, or €79/year (€6.58/month) |
Frequently asked questions
How much does Alison cost?
Alison courses are free to study and complete. A Certificate or Diploma is an optional purchase afterwards, and Alison does not publish those prices on its public pages — they appear in its shop once a course is finished. Alison Premium, which removes ads and adds a 10% certificate discount each month that accumulates to a maximum of 50%, costs €7.99/month or €79/year.
Are Alison courses really free?
Yes. Alison states that all of its courses are free to study and complete, and that purchasing a Certificate or Diploma afterwards is optional. A free Learner Record and Learner Verification are available as proof of completion. Alison describes itself as a for-profit social enterprise funded by advertising, merchandise and the sale of certificates.
How much does an Alison certificate cost?
Alison does not publish certificate or diploma prices on its public pages — the price appears in its shop after you complete a course. A short list of named courses offers a free digital certificate, which Alison publishes in its FAQ. Alison Premium subscribers accumulate a 10% certificate discount each month, to a maximum of 50%.
Are Alison certificates recognised by employers?
Alison's publishing process is accredited by CPD UK, so a completed course can count towards CPD hours — check your own organisation's rules. Alison is not a university and does not award degrees, and it states that its certificates cannot be attested by embassies. Treat an Alison certificate as evidence of professional development rather than as a formal qualification.
Who should avoid Alison?
Alison is not suited to anyone who needs a university-backed academic credential or deep specialist technical depth. Alison describes its courses as basic skills-based workplace learning, with certificate courses typically taking 2–3 hours and diplomas around 15 hours.
Sources
Every figure on this page comes from Alison's own published pages, listed below.
- Alison — homepage: '6000+ free online courses', 50M+ learners, 15M+ graduates, 193 countries retrieved 2026-07-31
- Alison — Our Story: founded 2007 in Galway, Ireland; 6,000+ CPD-accredited courses; 448+ course creators; revenue from advertising, merchandise and certificate sales retrieved 2026-07-31
- Alison — Accreditation: CPD UK accreditation of the publishing process; NHCPS and IBM course partnerships retrieved 2026-07-31
- Alison — Certification: all courses free to study, 80% required to graduate, certificate purchase optional retrieved 2026-07-31
- Alison — Premium: €7.99/month or €79/year (€6.58/month), ad removal, 10% monthly certificate discount accumulating to 50% retrieved 2026-07-31
- Alison — FAQs: courses free to study and complete, free Learner Record, list of courses with a free digital certificate, certificate courses 2–3 hours and diplomas around 15 hours retrieved 2026-07-31