Last updated: July 2026. Written by Josh Hutcheson, OnlineCourseing editor. See our review methodology.
QUICK VERDICT
Bottom line: Qlik is a business-intelligence platform, and today that means Qlik Sense (its modern product), not the legacy QlikView. The best starting course is Qlik Sense for Data Science and BI, backed by Qlik’s own free training.
- Best overall: Qlik Sense for Data Science and BI (Udemy, 4.2★, 3,300+ ratings, updated 2/2025)
- Best free option: Qlik’s own free training at learning.qlik.com
- For certification: Qlik Sense Certification – The Complete Practical Course
- Learn Qlik Sense, not QlikView — QlikView is legacy; new work is on Qlik Sense
Qlik is one of the established business-intelligence platforms, used to build interactive dashboards and let non-technical users explore data. The single most important thing to get right: there are two Qlik products, and you almost certainly want the modern one. Qlik Sense is the current, self-service analytics platform; QlikView is the older, guided-analytics product now in maintenance for most new projects. Learn Qlik Sense unless a specific job requires maintaining an existing QlikView system.
| Course / resource | Focus | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qlik Sense for Data Science and BI | Qlik Sense | A solid all-round start | 4.2★, updated 2/2025 |
| The Advanced Qlik Sense Masterclass | Qlik Sense | Going deeper | Advanced techniques |
| Qlik Sense Certification (Practical) | Qlik Sense | Exam preparation | Cert-focused |
| Qlik Free Training | Both | Free official learning | Free |
The best Qlik courses in 2026
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1. Qlik Sense for Data Science and BI — Udemy (Best overall)
A solid, current all-rounder and the best place to start. Rated 4.2★ from 3,300+ ratings (updated 2/2025), it covers Qlik Sense from loading and modelling data through building visualisations and dashboards, with a data-science-oriented lens. It gets a newcomer productive in the tool without assuming prior BI experience.
2. The Advanced Qlik Sense Masterclass — Udemy
Once the basics click, this focuses on the harder, higher-value skills — complex data models, set analysis, and performance — that separate a dashboard-builder from a genuine Qlik developer. A good second step for anyone using Qlik seriously at work.
3. Qlik Sense Certification – The Complete Practical Course — Udemy
If you are aiming for a Qlik certification, this course is built around the exam — the data modelling, scripting, and visualisation skills the certification tests, with practical exercises. Pair it with Qlik’s own free training before sitting the official exam.
What you’ll learn with Qlik Sense
A good Qlik Sense course takes you across the whole workflow from raw data to a shareable dashboard:
- Loading & the data model — connecting sources and building a clean, associative data model (the heart of Qlik).
- The load script — Qlik’s scripting layer for transforming and combining data.
- Visualisations — charts, tables, and KPIs, and assembling them into interactive dashboards.
- Set analysis — Qlik’s powerful (and tricky) syntax for advanced, context-aware calculations.
- Sharing & apps — publishing apps so business users can explore the data themselves.
Qlik Sense vs QlikView (and vs Tableau / Power BI)
Two comparisons matter. Within Qlik, Qlik Sense is the modern, self-service platform and where you should invest; QlikView is the older guided-analytics tool, still in use but not the future. Against the wider market, Qlik competes with Tableau and Power BI. Qlik’s differentiator is its associative engine, which lets users freely explore relationships in data; Power BI wins on price and Microsoft integration, and Tableau on polished visual analytics. If you get to choose, Power BI has the most job demand today — but learn whichever your employer uses.
Qlik certifications explained
Qlik offers role-based certifications for Qlik Sense, most relevantly the Qlik Sense Business Analyst and Qlik Sense Data Architect credentials. They are respected within Qlik-using organisations, though like most BI-tool certifications they matter most when your role or employer specifically uses Qlik. Prepare with the practical course above plus Qlik’s free training, then register for the official exam through Qlik.
Qlik courses: frequently asked questions
Is Qlik Sense hard to learn?
The basics of building dashboards are approachable, especially if you have used any BI tool before. The steeper part is Qlik’s data-load scripting and set analysis, which are powerful but take practice. Most people are building useful Qlik Sense apps within a few weeks.
Qlik Sense or QlikView — which should I learn?
Qlik Sense, unless a specific job requires maintaining a legacy QlikView system. Qlik Sense is Qlik’s modern, self-service platform and where new development and hiring are focused; QlikView is effectively in maintenance mode.
Is Qlik free to learn?
You can go a long way for free. Qlik offers a free desktop version of Qlik Sense and free official training at learning.qlik.com. Paid courses add structure and exam focus, and the certification exams themselves have a fee, but nobody needs to pay just to start learning Qlik.
Qlik or Power BI — which is better for jobs?
Power BI currently has more job demand overall, driven by its low price and Microsoft ecosystem integration. Qlik remains strong in organisations that value its associative exploration engine. The best answer is to learn the tool your target employer actually uses.
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