Udemy
by Udemy, Inc. · Education & Learning · Online Courses
Marketplace for online courses on virtually any topic, from programming to music to cooking.
Quick Answer: Udemy has a verified Real Score of 3.6/5 based on 85,000 verified reviews, compared to its App Store rating of 4.5/5. Mixed reviews from verified users.
Real Score vs App Store Rating
App Store Rating
Includes unverified reviews
Verified Real Score
Based on 85,000 verified reviews
Gap Alert: Udemy's App Store rating is 0.9 points higher than its verified Real Score. This suggests that some store reviews may be inflated by fake or incentivized ratings.
Pros & Cons
What Users Love
- Huge course selection
- Frequent sales (90% off)
- Lifetime course access
- Diverse topics
Common Complaints
- Quality varies wildly
- Full price is overpriced
- No accredited certificates
- No refund after 30 days
Verified Reviews (20)
Never pay full price
Udemy courses are "priced" at $100+ but constantly on sale for $10-15. NEVER pay full price. Wait for a sale (they happen almost weekly). At $12, most courses offer incredible value.
Quality is all over the map
Some Udemy instructors are brilliant teachers with production quality matching YouTube's best. Others are recording from a bad microphone reading bullet points. Check reviews carefully before buying.
Best for practical tech skills
Web development, Python, data science, cloud computing - Udemy's tech courses are practical and job-focused. Several of my skills were built entirely from $12 Udemy courses.
Certificates mean nothing
Udemy completion certificates carry zero weight with employers. They just prove you watched videos. Don't take courses expecting the certificate to impress anyone.
Lifetime access is the real value
Once purchased, you own the course forever. I regularly revisit my React and AWS courses when I need to refresh specific topics. The permanent reference library aspect is undervalued.
Q&A sections are helpful
The Q&A section under each lecture where students ask questions and instructors respond creates a knowledge base. Often my exact question has already been answered by someone else.
Outdated courses are a problem
Tech courses from 2020 teaching tools that have significantly changed are misleading. Udemy should flag courses that haven't been updated in 2+ years or at least show the last update date prominently.
30-day refund policy is fair
Not happy with a course? Refund within 30 days, no questions asked. This removes the risk from purchasing. I've used it twice for poorly made courses.
Mobile app for commute learning
Downloading courses for offline viewing transforms dead commute time into learning time. The app handles video playback, speed control, and bookmarking well.
Too many courses to choose from
Searching for "Python" returns 10,000+ courses. Analysis paralysis is real. Sorting by rating and reviews helps but the sheer volume makes finding the best course overwhelming.
Career changed through Udemy
Went from accounting to web development using $60 worth of Udemy courses. Built a portfolio, got freelance clients, then a full-time job. Total investment under $100 for a career change.
No community or networking
Unlike Coursera or traditional education, Udemy is solitary. No study groups, no networking, no sense of community. You watch, you learn, you move on. For some that's fine, for others it's isolating.
Practice tests for certifications
Udemy practice tests for AWS, PMP, CompTIA certifications are excellent preparation. Multiple full-length practice exams with detailed explanations. Passed AWS Solutions Architect on first try.
Non-tech courses are good too
Photography, cooking, music production, writing - Udemy has quality non-tech courses too. My photography course with practical assignments improved my skills noticeably.
Instructor revenue model creates quantity over quality
Instructors earn based on enrollment, incentivizing flashy titles and marketing over course quality. The system rewards salesmanship more than teaching ability.
Speed controls and captions are essential
Watching at 1.5x speed with captions enabled is how I consume Udemy courses. Some instructors talk slowly and speed controls save significant time. Auto-generated captions are decent.
Project-based courses are best
Courses that build a real project (website, app, game) are far more effective than lecture-only courses. The hands-on application of concepts makes learning stick.
Wishlist and wait for sales
Add courses to your wishlist and wait for the next sale. Sales happen monthly (at least). You'll save 85-90% by being patient. The pricing psychology is manipulative but the deals are real.
Udemy Business for teams
Udemy Business subscription gives organizations access to curated courses. Our company uses it for employee development and the course quality is higher than the general marketplace.
Supplement, not replacement
Udemy is best as a supplement to formal education or work experience. It teaches skills efficiently but lacks the depth, networking, and credentials of traditional education. Know its role.
Showing 1-20 of 12,847 reviews
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Last updated: April 2026