Is Udemy worth it? Pros, cons and who it suits

By FastBuySale Newsroom · 9 Nov 2026 · 14m ago

What Udemy offers

Udemy is one of the biggest online course marketplaces, with courses on programming, data, design, business, marketing, photography, music, personal development and more. Anyone can publish a course, which creates enormous choice but also uneven quality. Whether Udemy is worth it depends on what you want: learning a practical skill cheaply, getting a recognised qualification, or earning money as an instructor. This guide weighs the pros and cons for each.

Side-by-side summary

| Aspect | For learners | For instructors |

|---|---|---|

| Main benefit | Affordable, practical courses | Access to a large audience |

| Main drawback | Variable quality, no formal accreditation | Low marketplace revenue share, heavy competition |

| Cost | Frequent discounts on individual courses | Free to publish |

| Access | Lifetime access to purchased courses | Control over course content |

| Best for | Practical skills and self-paced learners | Instructors with their own audience |

Pros for learners

Prices are often low because the platform runs frequent sales, so many courses cost the same as a takeaway meal. You keep lifetime access to purchased courses, including future updates in many cases, and you can learn at your own pace on any device. Many courses are highly practical, showing exactly how to use software, write code or complete tasks. Reviews, ratings and previews help you choose.

Cons for learners

Because anyone can publish, quality ranges from excellent to poor. Some courses are outdated, especially in fast-moving fields like software. Certificates of completion are not accredited, so they will not replace a degree or professional certification. Video courses also lack the structure, feedback and accountability of a classroom, and many learners never finish what they buy.

Choosing a good course

Read recent reviews, not just the overall rating. Watch preview lectures to check teaching style and audio quality. Check when the course was last updated and whether the instructor answers questions. Look at the curriculum to make sure it covers what you need.

Worked example: value for a learner

Tom buys a course on spreadsheet skills for 14 dollars during a sale. It contains 18 hours of video. If he completes it, that is about 0.78 dollars per hour of instruction. If the skills help him automate reports at work and save two hours a week, the course pays back quickly. If he never starts it, it was wasted money, so buying only what you will use matters.

Subscriptions

Udemy offers subscription access to a collection of courses in some markets, and businesses buy team plans. Subscriptions suit people taking several courses, while single purchases suit those learning one skill.

Pros for instructors

Publishing is free, and the platform brings learners, handles payments, hosting and support. Instructors can reach students worldwide and earn from courses long after recording them.

Cons for instructors

The instructor's share of marketplace sales is relatively low, and frequent discounts mean each sale can be small. Competition is heavy in popular topics. Instructors do not control pricing during platform promotions and do not own the student relationship in the same way as on their own site.

Worked example: instructor earnings

An instructor's course sells for 12 dollars during a sale. On a marketplace sale with a 37 percent share, she earns 4.44 dollars. If a student buys through her own coupon at the same price with a 97 percent share, she earns 11.64 dollars. Sales through her own marketing are worth much more per student. Check the current revenue share in the instructor terms. The percentage calculator on this site helps check shares.

How to finish what you buy

The biggest risk for learners is not a bad course but an unfinished one. Before buying, decide why you want the skill and when you will use it. Schedule short, regular study sessions, such as 30 minutes three times a week, rather than waiting for a free weekend. Take notes, pause to practise each technique and complete any exercises or projects included. Many learners find it helpful to apply the skill to a real task at work or a personal project as they go, which makes the knowledge stick and gives them something to show employers.

Comparing with other ways to learn

Udemy is one of several options. Free resources, such as official documentation, public library learning services, open university courses and video tutorials, can cover the basics of many subjects at no cost. Platforms that partner with universities offer structured courses, some with graded assignments and recognised certificates, usually at higher prices. Bootcamps provide intensive, mentored programmes for career changes but cost far more. Udemy sits in the middle: cheap, broad and practical, but without much structure or recognition. Many people combine free resources with a few well-chosen paid courses.

Using Udemy for career development

Employers often care about what you can do rather than where you learned it. If you complete a course, build a small portfolio project that demonstrates the skill, such as a dashboard, website, design or analysis, and describe it on your CV. Listing a long string of certificates without evidence of applied skills tends to impress less. Some employers provide team subscriptions, so check whether yours does before paying yourself.

Tips for new instructors

If you are thinking of teaching on Udemy, research demand in your topic by looking at existing courses, their reviews and the gaps students complain about. Plan a clear curriculum focused on outcomes, record with good audio, keep lectures short and include exercises. Promote the course through your own channels using your coupon links, because those sales earn more. Respond to student questions and update content regularly to keep reviews strong.

Instructor costs and time

Creating a quality course takes many hours of planning, recording, editing and updating. Equipment such as a microphone, screen recording software and lighting add costs. Treat early courses as an investment in learning how to teach online rather than expecting quick returns.

Rights and ownership

Instructors keep ownership of their course content but grant the platform a licence to distribute it. Read the instructor terms carefully, especially around pricing promotions, exclusivity and how subscription revenue is shared.

Accessibility and learning features

Most courses include captions, adjustable playback speed and downloadable resources, and the mobile app allows offline viewing of purchased lectures. These features help learners with busy schedules, slow connections or different learning needs. Check whether a course includes captions in your language and whether resources such as code files, templates or workbooks are provided, because these add a lot of value beyond the videos themselves.

When to skip Udemy

If you need an accredited qualification for a regulated profession, such as nursing, accounting or law, Udemy courses will not meet the requirement. If you learn best with live feedback, deadlines and classmates, a structured programme or local class may suit you better. If a free official tutorial already covers what you need, there is no reason to pay. And if a course's reviews mention outdated content or unresponsive instructors, keep looking even if the price is low.

Refund tips

If a course is not what you expected, request a refund within the allowed window through your account. Refund policies include limits to prevent abuse, so avoid buying courses only to download materials and return them.

A quick decision guide

Want a practical skill cheaply and can study alone: Udemy is often worth it. Need a recognised credential: look elsewhere. Planning to teach: use Udemy as one channel among several.

Scams to avoid

Beware of sites selling pirated courses, courses promising guaranteed income and unofficial discount codes that require personal details.

Who Udemy suits

Learners who want practical, affordable, self-paced skills. Instructors who already have an audience or want extra exposure alongside their own platforms. It suits less well those needing formal qualifications or instructors relying on it as their only income.

Reader questions

Questions about learning or teaching online? Send them through the Ask page on this site.

Disclaimer

This article is for general information only. Prices, policies and revenue shares change; check the official support pages. No income is guaranteed.

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