Coursiv isn’t what its flashy landing page suggests. Instead of the immersive, interactive AI training hub they advertise, what you actually get is essentially a digital textbook broken into slideshows. No videos. No interactive exercises. Just screens of text that you click through.
The most frustrating part? Their “skills assessment” quiz that supposedly determines if you’re “qualified” for their program. I took it multiple times with completely different answers and – surprise! – I qualified every single time. As my friend Jake (a former user) told me: “That quiz is just a marketing funnel disguised as an assessment. I could’ve answered that I was a cat and still gotten in.”
Is It Actually Helpful for AI Beginners?
Here’s where things get nuanced. If you’re completely new to AI concepts and terms like “machine learning” and “natural language processing” make your eyes glaze over, Coursiv does have some redeeming qualities.
Their explanations strip away technical jargon and present concepts in everyday language. I genuinely appreciated how they broke down complex topics into digestible chunks that don’t require a computer science degree to understand.
But here’s the problem – they stop right when the real learning should begin.
What worked for me:
- The pressure-free pace (I could squeeze lessons between meetings)
- The beginner-friendly explanations of AI terminology
- Not feeling overwhelmed by technical details right away
What drove me crazy:
- Zero hands-on practice with actual AI tools
- No practical applications – just theory
- Feeling like I was reading about swimming instead of getting in the pool
My neighbor who tried it put it perfectly: “It’s like reading a dictionary instead of learning a language. I know what the words mean now, but I still can’t speak AI.”
The Price Tag That Made Me Wince
Let’s talk money, because this is where things get dicey. Coursiv hooks you with a trial week at $7, which seems reasonable enough. What they’re less transparent about is the automatic jump to $97 monthly after that.
I set three separate calendar reminders for my trial end date because I’d read so many horror stories about surprise charges. And still, their “reminder email” came just 24 hours before renewal – buried under promotional content about “upcoming lessons.”
When I did cancel (which took two emails and a follow-up call), the customer service rep tried to offer me three different “special rates” to stay. By the third offer, I was offered $67/month – which makes me question why the standard rate is $97 to begin with.
For context, I recently bought a comprehensive AI course on Udemy during a sale for $19.99 that included:
- 22 hours of video instruction
- Downloadable practice files
- Lifetime access
- Instructor feedback
Compared to that, Coursiv’s $97 monthly subscription for text-only content feels like buying a bicycle at Ferrari prices.
The Training That Isn’t Really Training
Here’s what frustrates me most about Coursiv: they teach you ABOUT AI tools without ever letting you USE them.
I spent four weeks learning about ChatGPT’s capabilities, only to realize I wasn’t going to get a single guided exercise in prompt writing. I read countless slides about MidJourney’s amazing image generation features, but never once got to practice creating prompts for it.
It’s like taking a cooking class where the chef describes ingredients but never lets you near the stove. By week six, I was searching YouTube tutorials to actually practice what Coursiv was only teaching in theory.
Missing from the platform:
- Any kind of practice environment
- Feedback on your work
- Real-world applications
- Portfolio-building opportunities
The Red Flags I Couldn’t Ignore
After about a month, certain patterns became impossible to overlook:
- The writing felt… familiar. As someone who works with AI content daily, I started noticing telltale signs that much of the course material was likely AI-generated. Certain phrases repeated across different modules, and explanations sometimes circled without deepening.
- The job opportunities never materialized. Despite heavy emphasis on “freelance success” in their marketing, Coursiv offers no client connections, job board, or portfolio reviews. When I asked support about this, I got a vague response about “preparing you for opportunities” rather than providing them.
- Those Trustpilot reviews seemed fishy. Sure, their 4.4-star rating looks impressive until you actually read the reviews. Most 5-star ratings are vague praise without specific success stories, while the detailed reviews tend to be the critical ones.
My Bottom Line: Not a Scam, But Not Great Either
Is Coursiv.io an outright scam? No. They do provide educational content about AI, and some concepts are explained clearly.
Is it worth the money? Also no – at least not at full price.
Think of Coursiv as AI training with training wheels that never come off. It’s fine for an absolute beginner who just needs terminology explained, but you’ll quickly outgrow it if you want practical skills.
Who might find some value:
- Complete AI newcomers intimidated by technical jargon
- People who prefer reading to video learning
- Anyone who can maximize the trial period and cancel before renewal
Who should definitely look elsewhere:
- Anyone beyond absolute beginner level
- Practical learners who need hands-on experience
- People serious about using AI professionally
- Anyone on a tight budget
If You Still Want to Try It (Smart Precautions)
If you’re still curious despite my warnings, protect yourself:
- Use a privacy-focused virtual card service that lets you set spending limits
- Calendar-block your cancellation date with multiple reminders
- Check out free alternatives first (Google’s AI courses, YouTube tutorials by practitioners)
After three months of exploration, I’ve moved on to more hands-on learning platforms. For the same money, there are options that offer exponentially more value – with actual skills you can use rather than just terminology you can recite.
What has your experience been with online AI courses? Drop me a comment – I’m always looking for genuinely useful learning resources to recommend instead.
