Udemy review
Free planMassive course marketplace with a huge built-in audience but large revenue cuts.
The verdict
Udemy scores 4.3/5 in our review. It's best for beginners wanting reach without building an audience and broad, search-driven course topics. Enormous built-in audience that can drive sales with no marketing. The main trade-offs: udemy keeps up to 63% of organic marketplace sales; you don't own pricing or the customer — frequent deep $10–15 discounts; no real branding; students belong to udemy, not you. There's a genuinely usable free plan, so you can try it at zero cost.
Pros & cons
- Enormous built-in audience that can drive sales with no marketing
- Zero cost and zero setup to start publishing
- 97% revenue on sales you bring via your own coupon links
- Udemy keeps up to 63% of organic marketplace sales
- You don't own pricing or the customer — frequent deep $10–15 discounts
- No real branding; students belong to Udemy, not you
Key features
- Marketplace exposure to a large global learner base
- Built-in video hosting, quizzes, assignments and Q&A
- Course and curriculum tools with practice tests
- Mobile apps and offline viewing for students
- Udemy Business B2B channel for extra reach
- Coupon/referral links earning 97% instructor share
- Reviews, ratings and basic analytics
Pricing
Free to publish; Udemy keeps up to 63% of organic/marketplace sales, only 3% on your own coupon-link sales.
| Plan | Monthly | Annual (per mo) | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instructor (free to publish) | Free | Free | No fee to host; revenue split applies per sale |
Transaction fees: Up to 63% rev share on Udemy-driven sales; 3% on your own coupon sales. Prices verified against Udemy's pricing page; verify current pricing ↗.
Who should use Udemy?
Good fit: Beginners wanting reach without building an audience; Broad, search-driven course topics.
Look elsewhere if: Premium-priced programs; Creators who want to own pricing, branding and their list — see Udemy alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Udemy cost?
Udemy is free to start. Free to publish; Udemy keeps up to 63% of organic/marketplace sales, only 3% on your own coupon-link sales.
Does Udemy charge transaction fees?
Transaction fees: Up to 63% rev share on Udemy-driven sales; 3% on your own coupon sales. Factor this in — it often costs more than the monthly fee at volume.
Who is Udemy best for?
Udemy is best for beginners wanting reach without building an audience and broad, search-driven course topics. It's less ideal for premium-priced programs and creators who want to own pricing, branding and their list.