Quantum 101: Quantum Computing & Quantum Internet
Delft University of Technology (QuTech)
Best Quantum Computing Courses for 2026
We've reviewed 84 quantum computing courses across every major platform, Coursera, edX, IBM, Brilliant, Udemy, and the free university and vendor materials the big platforms never show you side by side. These are the ones worth your time, ranked by quality, depth, and learner outcomes.
How we rank courses
We weight heavily for hands-on practice, up-to-date curriculum, and whether the instructor is an active researcher or practitioner. Where a platform publishes learner ratings, we favour highly rated courses; many free university materials carry no platform rating, so for those we judge on content quality and reputation. Certification and cost are secondary factors.
- Strong learner ratings -- platform reviews from verified learners, where the platform publishes them
- Active maintenance -- updated for modern quantum hardware and frameworks
- Hands-on labs -- code-along exercises, not just lectures
- Credible instructor -- university faculty or senior industry researcher
Our picks: the best course for each goal
Skip the scrolling. If you know what you want, start here.
- Best overall for beginners Basics of Quantum Information (IBM)
Free, rigorous, and written by the team behind IBM Quantum. The clearest path from zero to running real circuits.
- Best for learning by doing PennyLane Codebook
Interactive, browser-based, and assumes no prior physics. You write code from the first lesson.
- Best for the Qiskit ecosystem Learn Quantum Computing with the Qiskit Textbook
The most widely used free resource for the most widely used framework. Run every example as you read.
- Best for non-coders and intuition Quantum Computing (Brilliant)
Puzzle-driven and visual. Builds genuine intuition without code or heavy math, ideal as a first exposure.
- Best for quantum machine learning Quantum Machine Learning with IBM Quantum (openHPI)
A free, structured QML course for learners who already know the basics and some classical ML.
- Best free university course Quantum Computation (MIT OpenCourseWare)
Graduate-level depth from MIT, free. The serious option once you have the fundamentals and the math.
- Best for a recognized certificate Quantum 101 (DelftX, edX)
A professional certificate from a leading quantum university when you want a credential, not just knowledge.
Top picks across all levels
Our highest-rated courses regardless of starting point
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The Hardware of a Quantum Computer
Lieven Vandersypen and QuTech researchers (TU Delft)
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The Complete Quantum Computing Course for Beginners
Packt
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The Quantum Internet and Quantum Computers: How Will They Change the World?
Delft University of Technology (QuTech)
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Quantum Computing For Everyone - An Introduction
Fractal Analytics (Srinjoy Ganguly, Shalini Devendrababu)
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Quantum Computing 101: From Zero to Your First Circuit
Dr. Donovan
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Quantum Computing 201: Algorithms, Noise and Real Hardware
Dr. Donovan
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Amazon Braket Learning Plan and Digital Badge (AWS Skill Builder)
Amazon Web Services
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Complex Numbers
Brilliant.org
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Computer Science Fundamentals
Brilliant.org
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Group Theory
Brilliant.org
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Vectors and Matrices
Brilliant.org
Best courses by level
Best beginner courses
No physics or math background required. These start from scratch and build genuine intuition.
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Quantum 101: Quantum Computing & Quantum Internet
Delft University of Technology (QuTech)
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The Complete Quantum Computing Course for Beginners
Packt
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The Quantum Internet and Quantum Computers: How Will They Change the World?
Delft University of Technology (QuTech)
Best intermediate courses
For learners who know the basics and want to write real quantum circuits or go deeper into theory.
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The Hardware of a Quantum Computer
Lieven Vandersypen and QuTech researchers (TU Delft)
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Quantum Computing 201: Algorithms, Noise and Real Hardware
Dr. Donovan
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Vectors and Matrices
Brilliant.org
Best advanced courses
Graduate-level content from MIT, Caltech, Cambridge, Perimeter Institute, and top quantum research groups.
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Group Theory
Brilliant.org
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Quantum Computation (Caltech PHYS 219)
Prof. John Preskill, Caltech
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Machine Learning for Semiconductor Quantum Devices
Eliška Greplová (QuTech, TU Delft)
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best quantum computing course for beginners?
- The PennyLane Codebook, which grew out of the earlier Xanadu Quantum Codebook, is the top-rated free option -- it is interactive and requires no prior physics. IBM's Basics of Quantum Information is excellent if you want the IBM ecosystem.
- Is there a free quantum computing course that's actually good?
- Yes -- over half the courses in our database are free. The Qiskit Textbook, Caltech PHYS 219, and MIT's quantum information series are genuinely world-class and free. See our free courses guide.
- How long does it take to learn quantum computing?
- A solid foundation takes 3-6 months at 30 minutes per day. You'll understand qubits, gates, and basic algorithms. Getting to the point of reading research papers takes 12-18 months of consistent study.
- Do I need to know physics to learn quantum computing?
- No -- not for most courses. The beginner-level courses on this list assume high school math (algebra, some trigonometry) and a general interest in computers. The advanced research-oriented courses do require linear algebra and some physics background.
- Are paid quantum computing courses better than free ones?
- Not necessarily. Some of the best courses are free, including IBM's Basics of Quantum Information, the Qiskit Textbook, the PennyLane Codebook, and university materials from MIT and Caltech. What you pay for is usually a recognized certificate, graded assessments, deadlines, or career support, not better teaching. For learning alone, free is often enough; for a CV credential, a paid certificate can be worth it.
- Which quantum computing course is best for a software engineer?
- Software engineers usually do best starting code-first with the Qiskit Textbook or the PennyLane Codebook, since you already have the programming foundation, then adding a structured course like IBM's Basics of Quantum Information for the formalism. Unsure which framework? See Qiskit vs PennyLane.