Udemy Review (2026) — Online Courses Marketplace, Tested
The widest course catalogue anywhere, at prices that are low on sale. Quality varies by instructor, so check ratings — but for practical, buy-once skills learning it’s the default.
The Good
- Enormous catalogue across topics
- Buy once, lifetime access
- Frequent heavy discounts
- Ratings/reviews to vet courses
The Bad
- Quality varies a lot by instructor
- Full price is rarely what people pay
- Not accredited / no deep support
Overview
Udemy is the largest online course marketplace, offering buy-once, self-paced courses across virtually every practical topic.
What it's good at
Choice and price. Whatever you want to learn, there's almost certainly a course — and on sale, prices are very low for lifetime access. Ratings and reviews help you separate the good instructors from the rest.
Where it falls short
Quality varies widely by instructor, so the catalogue needs vetting. The "full" price is rarely what people pay (sales are constant), and courses aren't accredited or deeply supported.
Should you use it?
For affordable, practical, self-paced learning, Udemy is the default — buy on sale and check the ratings. For structured, supported or accredited learning, look at dedicated platforms.
Pricing
- Per course — Often ~$10–20 on sale: Lifetime access, Certificate of completion
- Personal Plan — Subscription: Access a curated subset, Monthly billing
Who it’s for
- Learning practical skills
- One-off upskilling
- Affordable self-paced study
- Trying a topic before committing
FAQ
Is Udemy worth it?
For practical, self-paced learning at low (on-sale) prices, yes — just vet each course by its ratings and recent reviews.
Should I ever pay full price?
Rarely — Udemy runs frequent sales, so most courses are far cheaper than the listed price.