The live, mentored next step after the Google UX Certificate.
The Google UX Design Certificate is a genuinely good way to start. It is affordable, thorough, and self-paced. But it is built for people who learn best alone, at their own speed, from videos. UX Academy is built for people who want live tutors, weekly feedback, a real client project, and a structured path - from an 8-week foundation all the way to real start-up work experience - with the UK job market in mind. Here is an honest side-by-side.
UX Academy vs Google UX Design Certificate.
| UX Academy | Google UX Design Certificate | |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Live online, small groups (max 15), real-time tutors | Fully self-paced, pre-recorded video + readings + quizzes |
| Teaching | Real tutors in every live session with feedback on your work | No live instruction; AI tools and peer discussion only |
| Mentorship | Free weekly 1:1 mentorship sessions included | No human mentor; community forums only |
| Length | 8-wk foundation, stackable to ~20-wk full career programme | About 6 months at ~10 hrs/week (self-paced, 7 courses) |
| Price | GBP 1,500 total, GBP 99 deposit, price-match guarantee | About USD 49/month on Coursera (~USD 300 total over 6 months); also in Coursera Plus |
| Project | Real client project with tutor feedback | Three course projects (practice-based, not real clients) |
| Certificate | UX Academy certificate | Google Career Certificate via Coursera |
| Based | London, UK (online) | Global (Coursera); salary benchmarks quoted are US |
Google UX Design Certificate details from coursera.org, captured June 2026. Pricing in USD at Coursera regional rates; verify current pricing on their site before relying on it. Outcome stat ('75% positive career outcome') from Google/Coursera marketing; independently unverified.
What you get with us.
Live teaching and real feedback
The Google certificate is built on video lectures you watch at your own pace. UX Academy runs live small-group sessions every week with tutors who can see your work, answer your questions in the moment, and give you feedback that actually moves you forward. Videos cannot do that.
Structure, accountability, and a clear next step
The most common reason people do not finish the Google certificate is that self-paced means no one is waiting for you. UX Academy runs structured live evening classes with a cohort of peers and a tutor expecting your work each week. The 8-week Beginner foundation (GBP 1,500) is a complete course on its own - and it stacks into the 12-week UX Career Track (GBP 1,500) for the full programme, including real work experience at a start-up. That is a defined path from learner to job-ready.
A real client project, real work experience, and a UK-focused portfolio
Our curriculum is built around a real client brief, not a made-up scenario. That means your portfolio piece is something you can talk about in a UK job interview. Students who continue to the Career Track go further: a real start-up work placement that self-paced courses cannot offer. Weekly mentorship sessions help you position everything correctly for the UK market, where Google's US salary benchmarks do not apply.
Before you decide.
Is the Google UX Certificate worth it?
Honestly, yes, as a starting point. For around USD 300 over six months you get a solid grounding in UX fundamentals, Figma, and the design thinking process. It is one of the best-value introductions to UX available anywhere. The limitation is what it cannot give you: live teaching, a mentor, peer critique, or a real project brief. If you are self-directed and just want to test whether UX is for you, it is a smart first step.
Should I do UX Academy after completing the Google UX Certificate?
Yes, if you want to move from self-study to active practice. The Google certificate builds knowledge; UX Academy builds the portfolio, the professional habits, and the live feedback loop that employers actually ask about at interview. Many of our students arrive having already done the Google cert and find the live teaching is where things click. From there, the stackable Career Track adds real start-up work experience - the kind of thing that actually moves a CV from the maybe pile to an interview.
Which is cheaper, the Google certificate or UX Academy?
The Google UX Design Certificate is far cheaper: around USD 300 total (roughly GBP 230 to GBP 250 at typical exchange rates) via Coursera. UX Academy is GBP 1,500. We do not compete on price and we would never pretend otherwise. What you are paying for is live small-group instruction, a real tutor who gives you feedback, weekly 1:1 mentorship, and a real client project you can show to UK employers. That is a fundamentally different product.
Will the Google UX Certificate get me a UX job in the UK?
It is a credible starting credential, but most UK hiring managers want to see a portfolio of real work, not just a certificate. The salary figures Google quotes in its marketing are US averages; UK entry-level UX salaries are lower and the market is competitive. The certificate opens a door; you still need the portfolio, the ability to talk through your process, and ideally some experience with a real brief to walk through it.