Course Hero vs Chegg [All Fees and Features Compared]

A detailed Course Hero vs Chegg comparison to determine which platform reigns supreme in the realm of online educational support.

Course Hero vs Chegg – Quick Comparison

Course HeroChegg
Study support20+ million user-contributed study resources 55+ million expert Q&As and textbook solutions
FeaturesEssaysExam SheetsHomework HelpLab ReportsClass NotesTest PreparationTextbook ResourcesChegg BooksChegg StudyMath SolverTutors
Ease of useHighHigh
Free trialUnlock free contentNo
AffordabilityCheaper optionMore expensive option

Course Hero vs Chegg – In-Depth Comparison

Course Hero is a student-driven community, empowering users to collaborate and share resources, while Chegg is more service-oriented, offering comprehensive solutions that cater to students’ diverse needs. So, which one is better?

In truth, both Chegg and Course Hero have unique strengths and weaknesses, and before deciding which platform is best suited to meet the needs of today’s ambitious learners, it’s essential to go through the resources each offers. 

Study Materials

Course Hero offers extensive study resources, including textbook solutions, study guides, practice problems, and lecture notes. It gives access to over 20 million course-specific study resources, all user-contributed. 

For example, if you’re having difficulties understanding a concept, you can search the document library by a variety of criteria, such as school, textbook, literature, subject, or study guides.

The document library contains past exams, essays, and other academic materials shared by students. The materials available on Course Hero are not only there to help users understand all relevant concepts but also to provide them with additional insights and perspectives on various subjects.

In contrast, Chegg offers answers to questions from over 6 million textbook solutions. It has a more personalized approach because it allows students to access tailored study plans and expert assistance in various subjects. If you’re a student having trouble with a specific subject, you can use Chegg’s textbook solutions or expert Q&A to grasp the concept better.

If you go with textbook solutions, you’ll receive step-by-step guidelines and video tutorials. By choosing the Q&A option, you’ll be getting in touch with an expert in the field who will answer your question in under 30 minutes. 

Winner

Chegg provides more instant support and overall more accurate textbook solutions. Users can instantly ask questions and get answers from teachers and experts on any subject. Moreover, all the solutions are based on expert tutors, verified by the Chegg Team.

Course Hero does provide a set of questions, but if this doesn’t satisfy your criteria, you’ll need to search and find the answers yourself. The fact that Course’ Hero’s content is user-generated does provide a broader range of perspectives and resources, but it also opens the possibility for plagiarism. 

Tutoring Resources

Chegg provides on-demand tutoring where students can connect with a tutor for a specific subject or question at any time. Depending on the type of assistance needed, students can pick a tutor using the platform’s search and match engine.

If you’re struggling in a particular study area, all you need to do is type in the discipline in the search box, and you’ll be presented with a list of active instructors. You can also insert additional details related to your question and upload files. Once you’ve filled everything out, you’ll have to wait for a tutor for about 30 minutes. 

Chegg stands out in student-tutor communication, as it offers multiple channels, from virtual whiteboards and video to audio and text-based chat. 

Course Hero’s tutoring system is slightly different. Similar to Chegg, it offers 24/7 on-demand tutoring, but in our experience, the overall experience is less detailed. With Course Hero, a user can submit an inquiry using a straightforward text form but cannot select a tutor and has to wait for a verified tutor to answer it.

So, for instance, if you have an algebra question, you will ask it and wait for someone who is available to help you. Typically you will get a short reply or, depending on the question, a breakdown of the steps you need to take to solve the problem. This makes Course Hero more of an assistance-oriented tutoring tool rather than a comprehensive tutoring platform.

Course Hero vs Chegg for Tutors

Both platforms make it possible for anyone with the appropriate skills and knowledge in a particular study area to become a tutor. And according to some reports, Chegg tutors can earn up to $20 per hour. However, Chegg’s tutor requirements are also a bit stricter and more specific than the ones of Course Hero. 

For instance, to become a tutor at Chegg, you need teaching experience and enrollment or graduation from a four-year university. In contrast, Course Hero doesn’t require any teaching experience but only to study the rules and follow them carefully.

Winner

Chegg offers a more comprehensive and user-oriented tutoring service. And if you’re looking for assistance beyond textbook solutions and books, it’s a more complete solution. Ultimately, choosing between Chegg and Course Hero tutoring services depends on individual preferences. 

Course Hero vs Chegg Price

When deciding which of the online learning platforms to use, one of the most important factors is the price. Here is a breakdown of Course Hero and Chegg’s pricing models.

Course Hero Pricing & Plans

MembershipCostFeatures
Free– No membership fee to Course Hero
– Individual tutor-set rates paid on-demand
– Limited access to online learning resources
– 24/7 tutoring help for a fee
Premier– $24.99/month
– $59.85/quarter
– $119.40/year
– 30 documents and/or user questions per month
– Access to all textbook solutions and explanations
– Up to 40 tutor questions per year

Course Hero members can also earn Unlocks and Questions by submitting their own study documents to the platform. For every 10 study documents you contribute, you can get 5 Unlocks or 3 Questions (up to 9).

Chegg Pricing & Plans


Subscription
CostFeatures
Chegg Study$15.95/month– Homework help
Chegg Study Pack$19.95/month– All in the Study plan
– Quiz and exam help
– Math help
– Writing help
– Unlimited course specific docs

Winner

Even though it’s lacking a free plan, Chegg pricing models provide an overall better value for money, especially its Study Pack which comes with no limits.

Besides being very limited, Course Hero’s free plan isn’t really free, considering questions to tutors are charged at individual fees. Also, to unlock free content, you’d need to contribute at least double what you’d get in free credits.

Key Differences Between Chegg vs Course Hero

Course Hero places a strong emphasis on creating a collaborative learning environment. It encourages students and educators to share study materials and engage in knowledge-sharing. While it also offers tutoring services, its primary focus is on exchanging study resources within its community.

While Chegg takes a service-oriented approach, it provides students with various tools and services to enhance their learning experience, making it a one-stop platform for academic assistance. 

Here are some unique features of Chegg that aren’t offered by Course Hero:

  • Exam prepping with problem sets, flashcards, practice exams, and more.
  • Users can comment and correct any answer that is not entirely accurate using the voting and commenting option. 
  • Homework help with textbook explanations, expert Q&As, lecture notes, and more.
  • Textbook renting and buying with fast delivery and easy returns. Chegg is also among the best platforms to sell textbooks
  • Chegg’s career service, through which you can learn job-ready practical skills to add to your resume. While it comes at a per-course fee, it does have a free trial. 

Refer to a dedicated review of Chegg describing these features in more detail.

Which is better, Chegg or Course Hero?

Chegg offers a more comprehensive range of academic services beyond what study materials can offer. It’s also better for personalized one-on-one tutoring and for students who may need additional assistance with writing skills, including grammar checks, citation guides, and essay reviews. 

Ultimately, the choice depends on your specific requirements and preferences. If you only need a few questions answered per month and would like to pay ad-hoc tutoring fees, then Course Hero might be a good enough fit for you.