What Is Course Hero and Is it Legit?
Learn about Course Hero, an online educational platform created to help students succeed in their learning, and discover what resources you can access.
Course Hero is a digital learning platform that gives students access to millions of study materials, including class notes, textbook solutions, practice tests, and tutoring help. It's used by high school and college students who want to supplement their classroom learning with additional academic resources.
If you're wondering, Is Course Hero legit?, the answer is yes, it's a real company that has been helping students study since 2006. However, it's not a school or accredited institution, and it doesn't offer college degrees or diplomas.
In this article, we'll help you understand everything you need to know about Course Hero and offer helpful comparisons to similar study tools. Keep reading to learn more about whether this is the right platform for you.
What Is Course Hero?
Course Hero is an online learning platform that helps students deepen their understanding of coursework through study resources and tutor support. Founded in 2006, the platform offers practice problems, textbook solutions, class notes, and step-by-step explanations shared by students and educators.
The course library covers more than 100 subjects and thousands of schools, giving learners access to real materials from specific courses. It also offers 24/7 homework help from verified subject experts. The company aims to make learning more accessible and personalized by supporting students before, during, and after class with tools that encourage mastery and confidence.
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What Can You Do With Course Hero?
Course Hero is primarily used to access academic support resources. These include:
- uploaded study guides and notes from students and educators
- step-by-step solutions to textbook questions
- flashcards, diagrams, and subject-specific explanations
- live tutoring for homework questions
You can use Course Hero to get help in subjects like math, science, business, and literature. It's designed to support the learning process, not to replace it, so it's most effective when used alongside your coursework.
Is Course Hero Accredited?
No, Course Hero is not accredited. It does not award degrees or certifications and isn't recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or other accrediting agencies. Because of this, you can't use Course Hero to earn college credits or qualify for financial aid.
If you're interested in earning credentials, consider enrolling in a college or training program instead. There are many easy certifications that pay well that can lead to jobs in fields like healthcare, technology, and skilled trades. If cost is a concern, you can consider exploring affordable degree programs or FAFSA-approved online certificate programs, which may offer more formal academic credit or job training pathways.
Is Course Hero Worth It?
Whether Course Hero is worth the cost depends on your academic needs. The platform uses a subscription model, with monthly and annual plans available. If you're frequently looking for help with assignments or need access to study guides across multiple classes, you might find value in a paid membership.
On the other hand, if you only need occasional support or prefer interactive lessons and structured learning, there are other options that may serve you better, especially if you're on a budget.
Is Course Hero Safe?
Course Hero is generally safe to use in terms of cybersecurity. It doesn't install software on your computer, and it protects your personal and payment information through secure transactions. However, academic integrity is a concern. Uploading or using copyrighted materials improperly can violate your school's honor code.
To stay safe, use the platform responsibly. Stick to studying from shared notes or textbook help, and avoid copying or submitting answers from the site directly into your assignments.
Is Course Hero Better Than Chegg?
Course Hero and Chegg both offer academic help, but they focus on different strengths. Chegg is often more structured, with a strong emphasis on expert Q&A, textbook rentals, and tutoring. Course Hero relies more on user-uploaded materials and class-specific study guides.
Pros of using Course Hero:
- access to millions of documents from real classes
- support across a wide variety of subjects
- flashcards and course-specific study guides
- upload-to-unlock feature allows limited free access
Cons of using Course Hero:
- quality and accuracy of documents can vary
- limited access without a paid subscription
- not always updated with current textbook editions
Pros of using Chegg:
- step-by-step textbook solutions verified by experts
- 24/7 homework help and tutoring
- option to rent or buy textbooks
- better suited for problem-solving in math and science
Cons of using Chegg:
- higher monthly subscription cost
- fewer user-generated resources for niche courses
- some services (like tutoring) cost extra
Your choice may depend on how you learn best. If you prefer structured solutions and expert support, Chegg may work better. If you want peer-generated resources for your specific class or school, Course Hero could be more helpful.
Alternatives to Course Hero
If you're looking for other academic or career-focused learning options, you might consider the following options that can help you build practical knowledge with more formal recognition than what Course Hero offers:
- Community college programs that offer affordable tuition and flexible schedules
- free or low-cost MOOCs such as Coursera, edX, and Khan Academy
- Vocational programs with short-term training for skilled jobs
- Tuition-free online colleges for degree options at no cost
- Earning online certifications without a degree to help you qualify for entry-level jobs
- Easy certifications that pay well, which can lead to careers in growing industries
Start Your Education
Course Hero can be a helpful study aid if you need extra academic support. It offers access to user-generated content and tutor assistance, but it won't provide college credit or accredited certification. For long-term educational or career goals, explore the colleges and universities featured here on Learn.org that offer accredited degrees and real-world value.
