Best Google Certification Courses of 2024 (2024)

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Earning one or more Google certifications can help you develop new job skills that can boost your career or salary potential. With courses targeting all experience levels, learning styles, and budgets, it's not hard to find a Google course that's right for you.

The best Google certification courses are engaging and taught by experienced instructors. They match your preferred learning style and fit your budget, and they can be completed in a reasonable amount of time.

Best Google Certification Courses

Best Google Certification Courses

  • Our Top Picks
  • Coursera's Google Project Management Professional Certificate
  • Digital Garage's Fundamentals of Digital Marketing
  • Coursera's Google IT Support Professional Certificate
  • Udemy's Google AdWords Certification
  • Google Analytics Academy
  • Coursera's Google UX Design Professional Certificate
  • Digital Garage's Google AI
  • See More (4)
  • Final Verdict

  • Compare Providers

  • How to Choose

  • Frequently Asked Questions

  • Methodology

Best Overall : Coursera's Google Project Management Professional Certificate

Best Google Certification Courses of 2024 (1)

  • Cost: $49 per month
  • Experience Level: Beginner
  • Format: Online

Why We Chose It

The Google Project Management Professional Certification class by Coursera takes our top spot because learners with no prior experience can acquire the skills necessary to succeed in an entry-level project management role in six months or less.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • No experience necessary

  • Offers certificate of completion

Cons

  • Only offered in English

  • Longer than other courses

Overview

This course is perfect for those who are looking to pursue a new career. We like that within a few months of part-time effort, learners can be on their way to an entry-level career as a project manager.

This course is offered entirely online and it's self-paced, so those who are working another job or taking care of a family can fit it into their spare time. With only 10 hours of effort per week, you can finish the course in approximately six months.

The program includes over 140 hours of instruction in addition to hundreds of practice-based assessments. Through a combination of videos, assessments, and hands-on activities, learners will graduate with the skills they need to take on real-world project management scenarios.

Students will be exposed to the following topics broken up over six courses:

  • Foundations of project management
  • Project initiation: Starting a successful project
  • Project planning: Putting it all together
  • Project execution: Running the project
  • Agile project management
  • Capstone: Applying project management in the real world

The cost of this program is $49 per month after Coursera’s initial seven-day free trial period.

Best Free : Digital Garage's Fundamentals of Digital Marketing

Why We Chose It

Fundamentals of Digital Marketing is our choice for the best free Google certification course because it offers a comprehensive, self-paced program at no cost. For anyone interested in pursuing a career in digital marketing, it's a must.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Self-paced

  • Unlimited access

Cons

  • Only covers the basics

  • Only available in English

Overview

As a free, self-paced program with no course requirements and only 40 hours of content, this course is easier to accommodate in your schedule. Fundamentals of Digital Marketing is also accredited by the Interactive Advertising Bureau in Europe and The Open University.

This course was created by Google trainers and is taught using video tutorials. There are a total of 26 modules that cover a variety of topics, including:

  • How to build your web presence
  • How to plan your online business strategy
  • Intro to search engine optimization (SEO)
  • Intro to search engine marketing (SEM)
  • Social media basics
  • Intro to content marketing
  • Email marketing basics
  • Intro to web analytics
  • Intro to international marketing and exporting

In order to earn the course certification you'll have to complete all 26 modules, which include a video tutorial and quiz. You will then need to take the final 40-question exam. If you aren’t concerned with the certification, you can pick and choose the modules you’re interested in.

Best for Google IT Support : Coursera's Google IT Support Professional Certificate

Best Google Certification Courses of 2024 (3)

  • Cost: $49 per month
  • Experience Level: Beginner
  • Format: Online

Why We Chose It

If you're looking to make a career switch to IT or simply advance your IT skills, the Google IT Support Professional Certificate by Coursera is worth checking out. It's our choice for the best Google IT support certificate because it teaches in-demand skills that can be used to advance your IT career in under six months.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • 100% online

  • No degree or prior experience needed

Cons

  • Longer than other courses

  • More expensive than other courses

Overview

This course is offered exclusively online. No degree or experience is required to get started. Those who are willing and able to dedicate approximately 10 hours of work per week can expect to finish the certification course in six months or less.

There are five courses in this professional certificate, which include the following topics:

  • Technical support fundamentals
  • The bits and bytes of computer networking
  • Operating systems and you: becoming a power user
  • System administration and IT infrastructure services
  • IT security

The cost of the Google IT Support Professional Certificate course is $49 per month. Coursera also gives you access to a seven-day free trial period.

Best for Google Ads : Udemy's Google AdWords Certification

Best Google Certification Courses of 2024 (4)

  • Cost: $99.99
  • Experience Level: Beginner
  • Format: Online

Why We Chose It

If you're looking for an entry-level course on the topic of Google Ads, Google AdWords Certification—Become Certified and Earn More!, offered by Udemy, might be the class for you. We chose this certification course because it's efficient and well-delivered, and in a matter of one day you can finish and be ready to pass the Google Ads Certification test.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Helpful sample tests

  • Highly-qualified instructor

Cons

  • Regular price is expensive

  • Teaches just the basics

Overview

You don't need any prior experience to take this course, and it only takes about 90 minutes to complete. It's presented using on-demand videos, three articles, and one practice test. You can view the course on mobile and TV; the price includes lifetime access, so you can go back and review the content at any time.

It contains 10 lectures, covering topics such as:

  • How to pass the Google Ads exam in one day
  • Google Ads fundamentals
  • How to promote your Google certification

The course is led by Daragh Walsh, an experienced Udemy instructor who has taught over one million students. The cost is usually $99.99, though you can also gain access by subscribing to Udemy for $16.58 a month. The subscription gives you access to over eight thousand different courses and includes a free seven-day trial.

Best for Google Analytics : Google Analytics Academy

Best Google Certification Courses of 2024 (5)

  • Cost: Free
  • Experience Level: Beginner to Intermediate
  • Format: Online

Why We Chose It

Who better to teach you about Google Analytics than Google and its team of experienced instructors? The Google Analytics Academy takes our top spot as the best for Google Analytics because it offers a range of courses to meet the demand and skill level of a breadth of users. Not to mention, all of the courses are free of charge.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Access to Google Analytics help community

  • Experienced instructors

Cons

  • Not interactive

  • Not very comprehensive

Overview

The Google Analytics Academy offers courses for those who are brand new to Google Analytics as well as power-user courses for those more familiar with all that the platform has to offer. Courses are all taught online and take approximately four to seven hours to complete each.

While no experience is needed to take the Google Analytics for Beginners course, some familiarity with Google Analytics is necessary for the more advanced courses such as Google Analytics for Power Users. Of course, if you take the courses in sequence, you will develop the skills needed for the more advanced classes as you go.

To access and participate, you will need an internet-enabled device as well as access to a Google account. To watch the video content, you will need to use Google Chrome, Firefox, or Safari as your web browser. For those interested in earning a certificate of completion, a score of 80% or higher is required on each assessment.

Best for UX Design : Coursera's Google UX Design Professional Certificate

Best Google Certification Courses of 2024 (6)

  • Cost: $49 per month
  • Experience Level: Beginner
  • Format: Online

Why We Chose It

If a career in UX design is intriguing to you, then the Google UX Design Professional Certificate offered by Coursera is worth checking out. It’s our choice for the best Google UX Design certification course because it doesn’t require a degree or experience but will teach you everything you need to get an entry-level job in UX design in less than six months.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Earn a professional certificate

  • Create a UX design portfolio

Cons

  • Longer than other courses

  • Only offered in English

Overview

The Google UX Design Professional Certificate is offered completely online. While the certificate will take approximately six months to complete if you can commit 10 hours per week, it is self-paced. This means you can invest as much or as little time into the certificate course as you want.

The certificate program is broken down into seven courses that cover the following topics:

  • Foundations of user experience (UX) design
  • Start the UX design process: Empathize, define, and ideate
  • Build wireframes and low-fidelity prototypes
  • Conduct UX research and test early concepts
  • Create high-fidelity designs and prototypes in Figma
  • Responsive web design in Adobe XD
  • Design a user experience for social good and prepare for jobs

This course includes over 200 hours of instruction as well as hundreds of practice-based activities and assessments. The goal is to simulate real-world UX design scenarios to prepare you for success in the workplace. The content is presented through a mixture of videos, readings, assessments, and hands-on activities.

Within this course, you will also learn to use different design tools including Figma and Adobe XD. In learning these programs you will put together a portfolio that will include three course projects which are good enough to show to potential UX employers. The course costs $49 per month and comes with a seven-day free trial.

Best for Google AI : Digital Garage's Google AI

Best Google Certification Courses of 2024 (7)

  • Cost: Free
  • Experience Level: Beginner to Advanced
  • Format: Online

Why We Chose It

Elements of AI offered through Google Digital Garage is our pick as the best Google AI certification course because it’s free and accessible to anyone, with no complicated math or programming experience required.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • No math or programming experience required

  • Self-paced

Cons

  • No video content

  • Issues with some mobile devices

Overview

The Elements of AI course was created in 2018 by MinnaLearn and the University of Helsinki to empower people to learn about AI. Over 1 million students have signed up for Elements of AI in over 170 countries. The course effectively demystifies the topic of AI by defining what it is and how it can affect your job, life, and future.

Elements of AI is self-paced, made up of six modules, and takes approximately 30 hours to complete. This is a beginner-level course so there are no complicated math or programming requirements to start.

If you want to succeed in this course and earn your certificate, you will need to put in some work to understand the content. It is recommended that you study with a group of friends or an online community and that you participate in the online discussions.

To achieve your certificate, you will need to complete at least 90% of the exercises and get 50% of the exercises right. The exercises include multiple choice quizzes, numerical exercises, and short answer questions.

TheBeginner exercises can be completed with a mobile device, but the programming exercises in the Intermediate and Advanced levels require the use of a computer.

Final Verdict

Our winner for the best overall Google certification course is the Google Project Management: Professional Certificate offered by Coursera. It wins our top spot because within six months a learner with no degree and no experience can obtain the skills necessary to get an entry-level job in the project management field.

Compare the Best Google Certification Courses

CourseLocationProgram FormatCostDurationLevel
Google Project Management: Professional Certificate Best OverallOnlineVideos, readings, quizzes, assignments$49 per month6 months (10 hours per week)Beginner
Fundamentals of Digital Marketing Best FreeOnlineSelf-paced video tutorialsFree40 hoursBeginner
Google IT Support Professional Certificate Best for IT SupportOnlineVideos, assessments, hands-on-labs$49 per month6 months (10 hours per week)Beginner
Google AdWords Certification Best for Google AdsOnlineVideo, articles$99.99 or $16.58 per month1 dayBeginner
Google Analytics Academy Best for Google AnalyticsOnlineSelf-paced video tutorialsFree4 to 7 hours per courseBeginner to Intermediate
Google UX Design Professional Certificate Best for UX DesignOnlineSelf-paced, video, readings, assessments, hands-on activities$49 per month6 months (10 hours per week)Beginner
Google AI Best for Google AIOnlineSelf-paced readings, exercises, resourcesFreeAbout 30 hoursBeginner to Advanced

How to Choose the Best Google Certification Courses

When choosing the best Google certification course, consider your interests and skills as well as the amount of time and money you are willing to invest. Here are some things to take into account.

  • Experience: What level of experience is required to take the Google certification course? Many on this list are for beginners and don’t require a degree or any previous experience.
  • Learning style: How do you learn best? Do you prefer a self-paced course that you can fit in during your spare time? Or, do you thrive in a more interactive classroom environment?
  • Career choice: Do you want to boost your skills so you can advance your career in your current field, or are you looking to obtain new skills so you can make a career shift?
  • Time investment: Consider the amount of time you are willing to invest in the certificate program. Are you looking for something you can achieve in a few hours or are you able to commit to a period of six months or more?
  • Budget: How much can you afford to invest in a Google certification program? While some courses will cost you hundreds of dollars, there are also many free options.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Is It Worth Getting a Google Certification?

    A Google certification can help you acquire the skills needed to find a job, increase your salary potential, or make a career change. Since many Google certification courses are free, the only investment required from you is time and effort. The value you get from a Google certification course will correlate with the amount of time and effort you put into it, but many course graduates have reported a positive career outcome like a new job, promotion, or a raise within just six months.

  • What Types of Jobs Can You Get With a Google Certification?

    There are many Google certifications available to help you prepare for a variety of different jobs, including those in the following fields:

    • IT support
    • Data analytics
    • Project management
    • UX design
    • Android development

    The type of job you will be qualified for after achieving a Google certificate can depend on many factors, including:

    • The type of certificate program (e.g., professional certificate)
    • The format of the certificate program (e.g., online vs. in-person)
    • The time investment in the certificate program
    • If you have previous job experience in the field
  • What Is the Typical Format of a Google Certification Course?

    The format of a Google certification course can vary based on the course provider and the type of content being taught. While all of the Google certification courses on this list are taught online and are self-paced, there are other methods to meet your learning preferences.

    Many courses combine video tutorials with readings or hands-on activities. Other courses, such as the Elements of AI certification course, do not include video tutorials and instead use a combination of readings and exercises.

  • Which Google Certificate Is Most Valuable?

    The most valuable Google certificate you can obtain will depend on the field you're working in or are looking to enter. Currently, the Google IT Support Professional Certificate is the most popular on Coursera. With this certificate, you'll be able to apply to entry-level IT support specialist positions, which tend to have a starting salary of about $50,000.

  • Can I Get a Job With Just a Google Certificate?

    Yes, a Google certificate can help you obtain an entry-level job in project management, IT support, marketing, data analytics, or UX design. While the certification courses do not guarantee job placement, receiving a certificate can help you pave the way toward one of these highly-demanded positions.

Methodology

When reviewing Google certification courses, we considered many variables including the course content, course delivery, and whether it is likely that the skills acquired could land you an actual job upon graduation.

We also assessed the course ratings and reviews, and factored in the time commitment and cost associated with each Google certification course.

Best Google Certification Courses of 2024 (8)

Best Google Certification Courses of 2024 (2024)
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