Thinking about a career change or just want to boost your skills on your own schedule? Udemy is one of the most talked-about online learning platforms and for good reason. Whether you’re after free courses to explore new interests or deep dives into top career skills, there’s something here for every kind of learner.
But with so many options (and platforms) out there, is Udemy the best fit for your goals? In this review, I’ll break down everything: from pricing and course quality to productivity tips, Udemy for Business, and even a few worthy alternatives. Let’s see if this platform deserves a spot in your learning toolkit.
To provide an insightful and useful review of Udemy, I have spent considerable time researching Udemy’s courses and learning programs, instructors, pricing model, refund policy, and analyzing feedback from Udemy users. My educational background, including a Master’s degree in Teaching and Education, together with my extensive experience in using online learning platforms, has equipped me to craft this comprehensive review.
Catherine CookeUpskillwise Advisor
Udemy Video Review
Udemy Summary
Udemy is the biggest online learning platform, offering over 290,000 affordable online courses where users can learn new skills or improve existing ones. It covers a wide variety of categories, from Business and Design to Personal Development and much more, leaving you with plenty of choice. Courses are created and published by independent instructors, and you can pay for each individual course with a one-off payment or subscribe to a personal plan.
All courses are self-paced, so you can fit learning around your schedule. Udemy’s personal subscription plan starts at $14 a month, giving you access to 32,000+ courses. When you successfully complete a course, you’ll receive a certificate — be mindful that this certification isn’t officially verified by any external partner.
Any individually purchased course comes with lifetime access and a 30-day refund policy. And if you aren’t ready to financially commit just yet, there are also free courses available to get you started.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Affordable
Udemy courses are affordable, ranging from around $10 to a couple of hundreds depending on the topic and instructor.
Free Courses
Udemy is offering close to 600 free courses on a selection of topics from wordpress to fitness.
30-day Refund Policy
If the course wasn’t what you expected, Udemy offers a 30-day refund policy on nearly every paid course — though be mindful that certain restrictions may apply.
Lifetime Access
Udemy will grant you access to every course you’ve purchased for life.
Wide selection of courses
Offering more than 210K+ in 13 of categories and dozens of sub-categories. You really will be spoiled for choice.
Self-Paced
All of Udemy’s courses are self-paced, so learners can start and complete courses at their own pace.
Certificate at Completion
Although the courses aren’t officially accredited, you’ll be given a certificate of completion – for paid courses only.
Cons
Non-Accredited Certificates
If you are looking for an official certification Udemy isn’t for you. Alternatively, check out Coursera or edX.
Doesn't create course content
With Udemy the course instructors are responsible for creating its content which can impact the quality of the course.
Quality Control of Courses
Udemy runs a quality control of the courses, but with so many how thorough can this really be.
Limited Interaction
Although some courses do offer discussion forums, the reality is there isn’t much interaction with instructors for feedback or Q&As.
Udemy Pricing
Udemy’s individual course prices range from $11.99 to $199.99. The price varies due to the course length, instructors reputation and what exactly you’re getting out of the course.
The great news? Every individual course is a one-time payment, and you get lifetime access—meaning you can revisit it anytime, even years later. No hidden fees, no expiry dates.
If you are looking for a more detailed overview of Udemy’s pricing, you can check read our detailed review here.
Udemy Personal Plan
Prefer the all-you-can-learn approach? Udemy’s Personal Plan subscription costs $20/month and gives you unlimited access to over 32,000 curated courses. It comes with a 7-day free trial, so you can test the waters and cancel at any time if it’s not the right fit.
It includes courses rated between 4.4 and 5 stars, featuring content from over 10,000 expert instructors, plus access to more than 8,000 practice exercises. It’s a great option for general upskilling or for anyone who likes to jump between topics without buying individual courses.
Career Accelerators
If you’re serious about changing careers, Udemy’s Career Accelerators are designed to help you go from beginner to job-ready. These are structured learning paths that include 20 to 120 hours of content, and often feature tools like project work, job insights, and salary expectations.
Pricing sits at around $50, making them a much cheaper alternative to bootcamps or certificate programs.
Refund Policy
Not loving the course you picked? Udemy offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on individual course purchases. You can request a refund directly from your account, and it’s usually returned to your original payment method within 5–10 business days.
It’s a simple, hassle-free way to make sure you’re investing in the right learning experience.
Udemy Business (For Teams)
For teams of 2 to 50 people, Udemy Business is a subscription-based model that provides access to thousands of professional courses. Pricing varies depending on team size and needs, and is typically billed annually.
It’s a solid investment for businesses looking to train employees in skills like tech, leadership, and design — without the hefty corporate training budget.
Udemy Courses
Udemy is all about flexibility and practical learning. Whether you’re just getting started or aiming for a complete career switch, there’s a course format that fits your goals and schedule.
Introductory courses are short and sweet, these are usually under 3 hours. Perfect if you’re brand new to a topic or just testing the waters.
Skill-based courses tend to run 3 to 20 hours. These are great if you already have a bit of knowledge and want to build on specific skills without committing to a full program.
Then there are Professional Bootcamps, which go much deeper – typically between 20 and 60+ hours. Think of these like guided marathons, packed with hands-on practice. These are a popular choice for learners looking to level up in a serious way.
If you’re planning a full career pivot, Career Accelerators are designed to take you from beginner to job-ready. These courses range from 20 to 120 hours and cover everything from foundational skills to job market insights like salary expectations and hiring trends.
And if you’re working toward a certification, Certification Prep courses focus on exams from providers like AWS and Microsoft. They’re more targeted, but still cover the essentials to help you succeed.
The best part? Once you enroll, you get lifetime access — so you can learn at your own pace and revisit lessons anytime. Whether you’ve got a few hours or a few months, Udemy makes it easy to tailor learning to your life.
Udemy in Detail
How To Open A Udemy Account?
The registration process for Udemy is really intuitive. The design and layout of their platform is user-friendly and easy to follow. But let me show you how the registration process looks like:
- Open a browser and visit www.udemy.com
- Click Sign Up in the top right corner
- Add your Full Name, Email and Create a Password
- You’ll be sent a confirmation email
Once you are signed up you can click on Categories and begin browsing the different courses on offer.
After selecting a category you can pick one of the subcategories which will take you to all the relevant courses. You can then begin to look at each course individually and read a little more in-depth.
Udemy Customer Reviews
To give you a well-rounded Udemy review, I took a look at two major customer review sites: Trustpilot and ConsumerAffairs. This way, we get to hear from a large pool of customers and see what they have to say about the platform.
The Trustpilot reviews are contributed by 1,855 users, and the table below illustrates how they’ve rated the platform on a scale from 1 to 5 stars. The split is quite striking — 28% have given it a 5-star rating, while a significant 52% have rated it just 1 star.
Digging further into the reviews, I discovered a significant amount of the 1-star ratings revolves around issues with customer service, refund delays, and technical glitches. “…they froze my account and told me they can’t issue any refunds either! The customer service was extremely rude” a one-star reviewer said.
On a positive note, those who gave a 5-star rating were delighted with how user-friendly the platform is, praising the great selection of topics and the value for money. “I bought a course and I really love it. The video interface is awesome. The platform is user-friendly and easy to navigate” a happy five-star customer said.
As a whole, the ConsumerAffairs picture tells a similar story. Be mindful that this pool of reviewers is smaller, so the percentages carry less weight. The complete breakdown is in the table above for you to check out.
The Most Popular Udemy Course
I checked out the most popular courses on Udemy from its 13 categories. Its popularity is based on student popularity and feedback.
Development
2021 Complete Python Bootcamp: Go from Zero to Hero in Python – This course is one of the most popular Python courses on the platform, with over 2 million students enrolled. It includes 23 hours of on-demand video, 170 lectures, 19 coding exercises, and 27 articles to keep your learning hands-on throughout. It’s a bestseller, rated 4.6 out of 5 from over 550,000 student reviews.
Business
An Entire MBA in 1 Course: Award Winning Business School Prof – This course covers everything you need to know about business, and it’s one of the most popular on the platform. With over 500,000 students enrolled, it’s clearly struck a chord with learners worldwide. You get 8 hours of on-demand video, 35+ articles, and 31 downloadable resources, all in one place. It’s a bestseller with a strong 4.6 out of 5 rating from students.
Finance & Accounting
The Complete Financial Analyst Course: This course teaches the practical skills behind financial analysis and building a successful career in finance. It includes 22 hours of on-demand video, 17 articles, and dozens of downloadable resources. It’s a bestseller with a 4.6 out of 5 rating from over 100,000 students.
IT & Software
AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate 2020 – In this course you will learn AWS (Amazon Web Services). The course is designed for absolute beginners, and it includes 18 hours of on-demand video, 17 downloadable resources and 2 practice tests. It’s a bestseller with a 4.5 (out of 5) rating by students.
Office Productivity
Microsoft Excel – Excel from Beginner to Advanced – In this course you will learn a combination of introduction, intermediate and advanced Microsoft Excel courses. It includes 18 hours of on-demand video and 37 downloadable resources. It’s a bestseller with a 4.6 (out of 5) rating by students.
Personal Development
Become a SuperLearner 2: Learn Speed Reading & Boost Memory – In this course you will learn the skills of worlds fastest readers and memory record holders. It includes 5 hours of on-demand video and 5 articles. It’s a bestseller with a 4.5 (out of 5) rating by students.
Design
The Ultimate Drawing Course – Beginner to Advanced – In this course you will learn how to create advanced art, the course will enhance your skills in the world of drawing. It includes 11 hours of on-demand video, 4 downloadable resources and 5 articles. It’s a bestseller with a 4.6 (out of 5) rating by students.
Marketing
The Complete Digital Marketing Course – This course is ideal for pre-launch business owners and website owners wanting to increase their traffic. It includes 75.5 hours of on-demand video, 10 downloadable resources and 33 articles. It’s a bestseller with a 4.6 (out of 5) rating by students.
Lifestyle
Reiki Level I, II and Master/Teacher Program – In this course you will about Reiki and to take the practice to the next level. It includes 5 hours of on-demand video, 39 downloadable resources and 7 articles. It’s a bestseller with a 4.7 (out of 5) rating by students.
Udemy Instructors
Udemy is the world’s largest online teaching and learning platform. Udemy makes it possible that anyone can become an Instructor. So if you are passionate about a topic and want to empower tens of millions of students to achieve their goals, then Udemy is for you. I wanted to share with you the teachers and the courses that Udemy learners have been enjoying so far.
Top Udemy Instructors
Alan Murray has been training businesses around the world for over 20 years. Alan is a Microsoft MVP and Excel trainer and is the founder of the Computergaga blog and author of “Advanced Excel Success”. His classes are fun and relaxed, using real-world practical examples drawn from his experience training and developing software for businesses.
All of Alan’s courses carry a 4.5 out of 5 rating, and he has had close to 40,000 students enrol on his courses and counting, a clear sign that his teaching style resonates with learners worldwide.
7 Tips To Find Your Udemy Course
If you are now umming and arrrhhing about which course is right for you. I have thought about some tips which may help you to choose the perfect course.
Udemy Filters
A very useful and helpful feature to use is the filter system. Once you have an idea on the Category that you want to learn about for example Development you are then able to start browsing the courses and that’s where the filter comes in pretty handy. You can select multiple filters like the Ratings, Video Duration, Topic, Subcategory, Level, Language, Price, Features or Subtitles (see image below).
All of these filters will help to narrow down your search and find exactly what you are looking for. I found the features is pretty helpful as you can pick the options of having Quizzes or Practice Tests.
Look at the Course Content & Profile
You are able to check out the course content, see what lectures are included and how long each of the on-demand videos are. This gives you a comprehensive overview of the course and shows you how the various course modules are organized.
Read Reviews at Udemy
Every Udemy course has reviews and ratings from past students in the student feedback section that you can check out to see what others think about it. Their review system will allow you to also search for certain keywords within the Search reviews box (e.g. ‘responsive instructor’). As well as a rating option where you can select between Five and One stars.
Check Out the Instructor
An instructor bio is included in each of the courses. You can read a small blurb about him or her, their prior experience, feedback and evaluations from other students and the courses they teach.
This is an ideal way to find more about who will be teaching the course, and some are even open to letting you contact them personally to ask particular questions.
Instructors may also add teaching assistants to their courses, who can help them with their course materials and respond to students’ questions. Even though a teaching assistant profile may not appear on the course, they are also experts in the course subject.
When Was the Course Launched
Udemy courses are (should be) regularly updated and you can find when it was last updated in the header of the course (see image below). This is especially important if you are learning a new software application such as a program in the Adobe Suite as you will want to be learning the latest version of the software.
Quality of the Course Preview
Another great feature is that you can preview the course before purchasing. I think this really is one of the best ways for you to get a feel of what to expect from the course, it’s very useful being able to check the quality of the course preview to give you a taste of what is to come.
Your Budget
Due to Udemy’s pricing strategy with most of its courses heavily discounted its courses really are affordable for most. So if you are looking at it from a financial standpoint it really shouldn’t leave you out of pocket.
A good tip, if you are on a tight budget, would be for you to list the courses by price from lowest to highest price (see image above). Remember there are also a bunch of free courses.
Udemy Conclusion
Udemy is worth it, let me break down why.
If you want to learn a hobby, Udemy is a natural fit. From a value-for-money perspective, it’s hard to beat. It’s also a solid choice for personal and professional development, whether that’s picking up Excel skills or exploring something entirely new.
Saying that, it’s not the right platform for everyone. If you’re after a professional qualification or degree program, Coursera is worth considering. Or if you want highly engaging video classes from world-famous instructors, MasterClass is a great alternative. Our Best Online Learning Platforms overview is a good place to compare your options side by side.
Here’s a quick summary of what makes Udemy stand out:
- Affordable pricing — frequent discounts make courses very accessible
- Diverse course library — covering an enormous range of topics and skill levels
- 78 available languages — so you can learn in your preferred language
- No deadlines — learn entirely at your own pace
- Lifetime access — revisit your courses whenever you need a refresher
Please leave a comment below if you have any questions, and I’ll do my best to help you out.
Try UdemyUdemy Alternatives
If you are looking for a more detailed overview of Udemy Alternatives, then head over to our blog and check out this article.
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Udemy FAQs
A question I keep being asked is: Is Udemy legit?
That’s normal especially when a course can cost under $20, it’s easy to wonder if something is off.
To put your mind at rest, Udemy was launched in 2010 and is headquartered in San Francisco with offices around the world. It’s a well-established platform with 84 million users, 1.2 billion course enrollments, and more than 90,000 instructors.
Udemy is part of the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) movement, which empowers everyday experts to create courses on topics they’re passionate about. Its marketplace model means new courses are added and updated constantly, across 78 languages.
In terms of course quality, it’s worth thinking about why you’re taking the course. For personal development, Udemy is a fantastic option, but if you need an officially recognised certification for professional purposes, be mindful that Udemy’s certificates carry less weight than accredited qualifications.
Either way, Udemy is completely legit and safe to use. You won’t be scammed.
Udemy courses are ideal for someone wanting to learn or improve their personal development or possibly looking for a career change. It can help you with qualifying for a job if you are lacking skills or even help you to be promoted.
With all paid Udemy courses, you will receive a Certificate of Completion, which you can share with co-workers and potential employers. The certificate demonstrates your accomplishments and the skills you have learnt.
Remember though that Udemy is not an accredited institution, so if it is an employer asking for an official certificate you won’t be able to provide them with one.
Udemy believes that its learners should be satisfied with the course they purchase. In case you aren’t, the platform offers a generous 30-day refund policy. To request an Udemy refund, you just need to follow these easy steps:
- Navigate to your purchase history
- Locate the course to be refunded
- Below the course title, click Request Refund and you will be directed to the course refund page
- Select your refund method either the card you paid with or Udemy credits
As well as taking a course on the Udemy platform, it also offers anyone the opportunity to become an instructor.
Many of the Udemy instructors are professionals and experts in their field, but anyone who has an interest in a particular topic (within reason) is able to publish a course. Some of the reasons that attracts someone to teach at Udemy are that they can: Teach in their own way, Inspire learners and Get rewarded.
How to get Started
The best way to get started is by following these simple steps:
- Plan your curriculum: Start with your passion and knowledge, choose a promising topic, and use the Marketplace Insight tool to help guide your decision. There are also plenty of resources to help you build your first course.
- Record your video: Use basic tools like a smartphone or a DSLR camera paired with a good microphone. A paid course is recommended to be 2 hours or more, and there is a support team to help you through the process.
- Launch your course: Once your course goes through the quality review process, the Udemy team will evaluate it and provide feedback. After that, your course is live on the marketplace and you can start earning revenue.
Instructor Revenue
The amount of money an instructor makes depends on how their course is sold – either through instructor promotion or non-instructor promotion.
Instructor Promotion: Instructors receive 97% of the revenue when a student purchases their content using an instructor’s coupon or referral link.
Non-Instructor Promotion: Instructors receive 37% of the revenue for any Udemy sale where no instructor coupon or referral link was used. This typically happens when a user clicks on a Udemy ad or browses the catalog directly.
Some of the pros are:
- No setup costs: publishing your course is completely free
- No maintenance costs: keeping your course on the platform costs nothing
- Massive audience: Udemy has more than 84 million learners, so your course gets exposure to an enormous community
On the other hand, the cons are:
- No learner contact details: you cannot build your own database of students
- Frequent discounting: Udemy regularly discounts courses, so yours is likely to be affected
- Limited direct support: if you need to reach a Udemy representative, the online forum is your main option
Like Udemy, Coursera offers a wide variety of courses, but one of the main differences is the type of learning programs it offers. As well as individual courses, it offers specializations, professional certificates and degree programs which can range from $9.99 and go all the way up to $50,000. Be mindful that your budget matters a lot if you’re considering one of its Degree or Master programs.
Udemy’s courses can be created and taught by anyone, regardless of their qualifications. Coursera’s courses and learning programs, on the other hand, are designed in partnership with leading universities and companies like Stanford and Google.
Udemy offers a generous 30-day refund policy if you change your mind. Coursera’s refund window varies depending on the product – 14 days for Coursera Plus annual subscriptions and one-time course purchases, and 7 days for other subscription types.
If you’re still undecided and want to read in more detail about these two leading online learning platforms, be sure to check out our detailed Udemy Vs Coursera article.
Ben
22 June 2025, 10:28
I took a Udemy Rust course. The content and pacing were reasonable and educational at the beginning. But by the end, the pacing had changed drastically; the instructor was simply reading their own buggy code and explained nothing. I vowed to never take another Udemy course.
Aiden
24 January 2025, 12:45
Udemy is affordable, but the course I took felt outdated in parts. It’s okay if you’re looking for an introduction to the topic.
Isabella
24 January 2025, 12:45
I enjoyed the cooking class, but there were a lot of errors in the subtitles, which made it hard to follow at times. The recipes were great, though!
Ethan
24 January 2025, 12:44
The programming course covered the basics well, but there wasn’t enough depth for more advanced learners. It’s fine for beginners.
Mia
24 January 2025, 12:44
I really liked the writing course I took, but some of the videos felt rushed. Overall, it was helpful and well-structured.
Noah
24 January 2025, 12:43
The course content was good, and I learned a lot, but I wish the instructor had been more engaging. Still, it was worth the price.
Olivia
24 January 2025, 12:42
I’ve completed a few courses on Udemy, and they’ve all been helpful. The instructors are knowledgeable, and the platform is easy to use.
Liam
24 January 2025, 12:41
Udemy’s marketing course helped me improve my small business. It’s great to learn at my own pace and even better that it's so affordable.
Emma
24 January 2025, 12:40
I wasn’t sure about online courses, but the photography class I took was really practical and fun.
James
24 January 2025, 12:40
The Python course I took was well-organized and easy to follow. It gave me the skills I needed to start building my own projects.
Sophia
24 January 2025, 12:39
I’ve always wanted to learn graphic design, and Udemy made it simple and affordable. I’ve already created a few designs I’m proud of!
Katie
15 May 2024, 09:39
Udemy has lots of courses, which is a plus, but the quality varies. I’ve taken some that were excellent and others that felt like a waste of time. More consistent quality would make it much better.
Spencer
15 May 2024, 09:38
Some Udemy courses are great, really detailed and helpful. Others, not so much—outdated or poorly structured. It's really a gamble each time, which is frustrating when you're trying to learn something new.
Joseph
15 May 2024, 09:37
Udemy has been fantastic for picking up new skills. Every course I've tried, from web development to creative writing, has been thorough and easy to follow. Great value for the money!
Rani
30 March 2024, 03:15
The worst website I have ever used. You won't fin any personal support although it's so important when you study a course. The course I wanted to study are done by excellent teachers BUT on such huge platform downloading even one lesson takes ages, it discourages you to study!