Prime Cursos

Prime Cursos is a Brazilian distance-learning company whose courses are free to study, with the bill coming only if a learner wants a certificate at the end. The site's own summary reads: "Oferecemos cursos grátis online criados por profissionais altamente capacitados e você ainda tem a opção de adquirir o seu certificado ao final do curso" (we offer free online courses created by highly qualified professionals, and you still have the option of buying your certificate at the end of the course). It calls itself "referência no segmento desde 2008" (a reference in the field since 2008), and the FAQ adds that the company began in 2008 with methods for teaching music and has since had more than 2 million students.

How it works

The FAQ is blunt about cost: "TODOS os cursos disponíveis no portal são 100% gratuitos" (all courses on the site are 100% free), and there is no monthly fee. The final exam is free too. What the company charges for is issuing, printing and posting a certificate. There is no demo course, because there is no need for one: a learner registers, enrolls in a course and gets the material straight away. Sign-up works with an email address and password or through Facebook or Google.

Courses have no deadline. They are "permanentes", a learner can enroll at any time, and the material is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Learners can take as many courses at once as they like, and study on a computer, tablet or phone. There is no minimum schooling or age requirement.

Formats vary by course. Many are taught in "videoaulas" (video lessons): Informática Básica is 40 hours of video, Android Studio Básico 40 hours and PHP e MySQL Básico 35 hours. Others are written handouts ("apostila", text and images), such as the 10-hour Porteiro (doorman) course and the 50-hour Pacote Office course covering Word, Excel and PowerPoint. The Inglês Básico course is taught with audio.

The exam

When the learner has read all the material, they ask for the final assessment. The FAQ says the exam allows a minimum of 10 minutes and a maximum of 80, and the pass mark is 5.00 or higher. A learner who fails can retake it as many times as needed, but once they pass, no further attempt is allowed. The grade is not printed on the certificate unless the learner asks for it in advance.

The catalog

The menu lists 22 course areas: administration, communication and sales, public exam preparation (Concursos Públicos), accounting and finance, law, education, Enem, cooking and confectionery, languages, IT, artificial intelligence, environment, fashion, music, human resources, health and wellbeing, workplace safety, workplace safety refreshers (Reciclagem), SEO and web marketing, tourism and hospitality, programming and other areas.

The most popular list shows what draws people in: Informática Básica, Porteiro, Pacote Office, NR 10 electrical safety, Inglês Básico, NR 35 work at height, Excel from basic to advanced with VBA, administrative assistant, eyelash extensions, elderly care, eyebrow design, daycare assistant, residential electrician, receptionist, basic theology, basic massage therapy, Spanish, barber, first aid, forklift operator, defensive driving, typing and soft skills.

Workplace safety is a strong area. There are basic theoretical courses and separate refresher courses on the NR standards, including NR 6 on protective equipment, NR 10 on electrical installations, NR 11 on pallet trucks, NR 13 on boilers and pressure vessels, NR 14 on furnaces, NR 18 on mobile work platforms (PEMT), NR 21 on outdoor work, NR 32 on health services and NR 33 on confined spaces. Each is described as "Estudo e prova grátis; certificado digital opcional com assinatura técnica" (free study and exam, optional digital certificate with a technical signature). A MOPP course covers road transport of dangerous goods.

Programming covers Python, Java, SQL, PHP and MySQL, HTML 5, CSS, ASP.NET, Flutter, Android Studio, Arduino, DAX and SAP scripting with Excel and VBA, most of them in video lessons. Newer AI courses include Lovable Essencial, a from-zero-to-first-app course that teaches learners to build a working CRM in Lovable, improve the interface, fix security settings and publish the app, plus courses on vibe coding, a real estate portal built with AI, AI in HR and AI for administrative assistants.

Health and wellbeing includes the Massoterapia Básico course, whose syllabus runs from skin structure and biosafety through Tuiná, Do-in, Shiatsu, foot reflexology, hot stone therapy, quick massage, sports massage, Shantala and lymphatic drainage. The course page reports a 4.9-star rating from 471 reviews and a 30-hour certificate. The course credits Editora Prime Cursos do Brasil as the author and gives it an ISBN.

Certificates and what they are worth

Certificates cost R$49.90 for the digital version and R$59.90 plus shipping for the digital plus printed version. The printed price includes special paper, a seal of authenticity and the syllabus on the back. Shipping depends on how many certificates are in the cart. The digital certificate is released in the student area and sent by email once payment is confirmed. A banner currently offers three certificates for the price of two. There is no deadline for requesting a certificate: student records stay on file, so a learner can come back for one later. Each certificate carries an authenticity code that anyone can check on the site, and the learner must give their CPF and RG numbers because a tax invoice is issued.

The site explains why it charges: "A Prime Cursos é uma empresa privada, por isso, precisamos desses recursos para manter o site no ar" (Prime Cursos is a private company, so we need these funds to keep the site running), along with staff and teachers. Learners who cannot pay, or who passed before September 2019, are asked to get in touch.

Payment works by bank slip (boleto), deposit or transfer, credit card, or PIX through MercadoPago. Credit cards can be split into up to 10 interest-free installments or up to 24 with interest. International students pay through PayPal.

The site is careful about recognition. Its courses are "cursos livres", non-formal courses that, it explains, are not recognized by the Ministry of Education (MEC) as degrees, postgraduate or technical qualifications. It says its certificates are valid across Brazil for a CV, complementary hours at university, promotions and public exam title scoring. The FAQ also stresses that practicing a profession requires a technical course and that Prime Cursos courses are "LIVRES e de atualização profissional somente" (free-standing professional update courses only), and it recommends showing the certificate template to the employer or institution before taking the course. The home page says the company is affiliated with ABED, the Associação Brasileira de Educação a Distância.

Support and reputation

Support runs by phone and WhatsApp on (11) 3958-4150 and by email, Monday to Friday from 08:30 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 17:00, with replies within 48 hours. The site says it holds a 4.8 out of 5.0 rating on Reclame Aqui and Google Reviews, and that it is recognized by the education portals Educa Mais Brasil, Quero Bolsa and RockContent. It also states that it complies with Brazil's data protection law, the LGPD, and deletes a learner's data on request within 48 hours.

Who it suits and who it does not

Prime Cursos suits Portuguese-speaking learners who want to try a subject for free, from Excel and office routines to massage, beauty trades or NR safety theory, and who may want a low-cost certificate for a CV, university complementary hours or a public sector progression. Being able to study and pass the exam before deciding to pay is the main draw.

The caveats are the ones the site itself states. These are short, free-standing courses, not technical or MEC-recognized qualifications, and the NR courses cover theory only. Anyone who needs the certificate for a specific employer or exam should check the template is accepted first.