How Often Does Udemy Have Sales, Deals, and Coupons?

Udemy offers huge discounts for most of their courses, so big that paying full price doesn’t make sense. So how often does Udemy have sales? In this blog post, we’ll delve into the frequency of Udemy’s sales so you can get the best deals on their courses.

Udemy has sales throughout the year, often multiple times a month, offering 75% – 90% discounts. Sales occur on public holidays, seasonal sales, flash sales, and via discount codes and coupons. Discounts are offered via email and retargeting ads. There is rarely a need to wait more than a week or two for a discount price.

Let’s dive deeper into the world of Udemy sales and understand how the platform works to our advantage. Let’s crack on.

(I get commissions for purchases made through affiliate links in this post. However, I only promote products I like and recommend)

Introduction to Udemy Sales

Udemy is one of the most prominent players in the online learning space. It offers an extensive range of online courses in a wide variety of subjects, making it suitable for students looking to expand their knowledge and learn new skills without spending a fortune.

Udemy’s business model heavily relies on offering promotional offers and special discounts to attract more users to its platform. They have pushed their promotional model so far that few buyers expect to pay the full asking price. With a few exceptions, buyers can obtain Udemy’s courses for a fraction of the initial asking price. 

These discounts can take various forms such as site-wide sales, specific course sales, limited-time deals (the ticking clock), or end-of-the-year clearance events. 

If you’re looking to enroll in your favorite courses from Udemy but don’t want to pay full price, it’s only a matter of time until you find the best deal for your chosen course!

These guys are very successful. This is a huge bundle of Digital Marketing courses by Robin and Jasper on Udemy.

How to Get The Best Course Prices on Udemy

To get the best price on Udemy, it’s essential to understand how their promotional offers work. 

Here are some strategies for you to follow:

• Udemy Coupon Codes and Promo Codes: Udemy often provides coupon codes and promo codes that can be used to get courses at a discounted price. These codes can be found on various coupon websites or through social media.
• Instructor Coupons: Udemy instructors often publish coupons on their own websites or on social media. The instructor page will probably have links, if not, Google the instructor’s name. They can be a better deal than Udemy offers.
• First-Time User Discounts: Udemy offers special discounts for new students. If you’re a first-time buyer, you’ll get a ‘special offer’ at very low prices. Guaranteed.
• Wishlist and Email Alerts: If you have a specific course in mind, add it to your wishlist. Udemy sends promotional offers to users who have courses in their wishlists.
• Incognito Mode: Some users get lower prices when browsing Udemy in incognito mode. This is because browser cookies track your activity, and prices may be adjusted based on your browsing history.
• Wait for Sales Events: As mentioned earlier, Udemy runs sales quite frequently. If you’re not in a hurry, waiting for the next Udemy sale to get your favorite courses at a lower price might be worth waiting for.

Ali and Sumner Hobart have a very popular course with great reviews

When Are Udemy Sales Promoted?

While I couldn’t find a specific list of all the holidays and events when Udemy promotes sales, based on the info available and common sense, Udemy promotes sales during the following major holidays and events:

• New Year’s Day
• Valentine’s Day
• St. Patrick’s Day
• Easter
• Mother’s Day
• Memorial Day
• Father’s Day
• Independence Day (4th of July)
• Labor Day
• Halloween
• Thanksgiving 
• Black Friday
• Cyber Monday
• Christmas

In addition to these, Udemy also has a habit of running sales during the start of each new season (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter)…

• January – 3-Day Flash Sale
• April – ‘Own Your Education’ Sale
• March – ‘Buy More, Save More’ sale
• June – Mid-Summer Sale
• July – ‘Mid-year Madness’ Sale
• August – ‘Back to School’ Sale
• October – ‘End The Year Strong’ Sale

…and often has random flash sales throughout the year. 

It’s also worth noting that the frequency and timing of sales can vary by region.

This is a general list and may not include all sales events. It’s always a good idea to check the Udemy website or sign up for their newsletter to stay updated on their latest sales and promotional offers.

Understanding Udemy’s Marketing and Sales Strategies

Udemy’s marketing strategy and sales tactics are designed to attract new users, encourage purchases, and increase the average order value. They are a blend of traditional and digital marketing methods, with a strong emphasis on urgency marketing. 

Here’s a closer look at how they operate:

Frequent Sales Events

One of the most prominent strategies Udemy employs is the frequent hosting of sales events. These events often coincide with major holidays and seasons, creating a sense of urgency for potential students to purchase courses at significantly discounted prices. The discounts can be quite substantial, often reducing the full price of courses by up to 90%.

Urgency Marketing

Udemy employs urgency marketing tactics to encourage potential students to make a purchase. This is often done by creating artificial deadlines for their sales events. For example, a sale might be advertised as ending soon, creating a sense of urgency for the potential student to make a purchase before the sale ends. This is a common tactic used in e-commerce and has been shown to be effective in increasing sales.

Personalized Email Marketing

Udemy uses personalized email marketing to reach out to potential students. They send out emails with course recommendations based on the user’s browsing history and past courses. These emails often include discount codes or information about upcoming sales events.

Retargeting Ads

Udemy uses retargeting ads to reach people who have visited their website but did not make a purchase. These ads are designed to remind the potential student about the courses they were interested in and encourage them to complete their purchase.

Course Bundling

Udemy often bundles courses together and offers them at a discounted price. This provides value to the student and increases Udemy’s average order value.

Free Courses

Udemy offers a selection of free courses to attract new users to the platform. Once these users have completed a free course, they may be more likely to purchase a paid course.

Social Proof

Udemy uses social proof in the form of user reviews and ratings to build trust with potential students. Seeing positive reviews from other students can help to reassure potential students about the quality of the courses.

This very popular drawing course by Brent Eviston is on Udemy.
He has over 73,000 students!

Why Are Udemy Courses So Cheap?

With so many sales throughout the year, it doesn’t take long to figure out that you’d be foolish to pay the full price.  Special offers and sales occur every few weeks. It’s not long to wait for a massive discount to come along.

The low cost of Udemy courses can be attributed to several factors:

1. Frequent Sales: Udemy runs sales frequently, sometimes reducing the full price of courses by up to 90%. These sales events have become a core part of Udemy’s business model, making courses accessible at a significantly lower price.
2. High Competition: Udemy is a marketplace with over 130,000 different courses. This high level of competition among course creators often leads to lower prices as they try to attract students to their courses.
3. Perceived Value: Udemy uses a pricing strategy where courses are listed at high prices but are frequently discounted. This creates a perception of high value for the course, even though most students end up paying the discounted price.
4. Volume Over Price: Udemy’s strategy is to sell a high volume of courses at lower prices rather than fewer courses at higher prices. This strategy is possible because once a course is created, it can be sold an unlimited number of times with no additional cost to the instructor.
5. Instructor Incentives: Instructors are incentivized to offer discounts because they earn more per sale when a student uses their coupon than if the student simply finds the course while browsing Udemy.

It’s important to note that while Udemy courses are often cheaper than courses on other platforms, the quality can vary. 

Some courses are extremely high-quality and offer great value for money, while others do not meet the same standards. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to read reviews and do some research before purchasing a course.

Are Udemy Sales Genuine? 

Yes, but the way they are offered is questionable. Udemy’s sales strategy is based on almost constant sales and promotions. These events create an artificial illusion of value.

This makes customers feel like they’re getting a great deal, even if the product has never actually sold for more than the discounted price.

This strategy can be seen as disingenuous and potentially unethical. It’s a form of artificial discounting, which is misleading to customers. They might believe they’re getting a course worth hundreds of dollars for just a few dollars when in reality, the course is almost always discounted.

That might be seen as beneficial to the buyer, but the constant sales have an impact on instructor earnings, and that has consequences.

During sales, the revenue split between Udemy and the instructors means that instructors make less money from each sale during these events. Because most buyers are aware of the frequency of sales, they hold back and wait for a discount. 

What happens? The instructors make next to nothing unless they are running a sale. 

This constant discounting and the resulting lower earnings can discourage high-quality instructors from using the platform. Creating a truly exceptional course takes hundreds of hours of work, and if the return on that investment is continually diminished by never-ending sales, quality instructors might choose to offer their courses elsewhere.

The only way to make a high return, with the time investment involved, is to sell courses at high volume. Some instructors succeed, but not many. 

With no bar to entry as a course creator, it’s little wonder that Udemy has a reputation for hosting low-quality courses, and that’s not good for the consumer.

How Much Do Udemy Courses Normally Cost?

There are two ways you can be guaranteed to access Udemy courses and one way that seems to be experimental.

Individual Purchases: Pay As You Go

You can pay for individual classes as you want them. The prices are all over the map, often with a high list price that may or may not be steeply discounted as a promotional offer.

You can pay as little as $12.99 and as much as $200. Most courses are offered somewhere in the middle range. Now bear in mind the 75% – 90% discounts, you’ll have some idea of what you can expect to pay.

Business Account

Business plans are designed for teams and organizations who need professional and technical skills. Business plans come in two tiers, Team and Enterprise. The team plan costs $360 per person per year for 5 -20 people and offers access to 22,000 courses. The Enterprise plan is quote only.

The Personal Plan

Udemy offers a ‘Personal Plan’ which is a subscription-based model. This plan is still in development and is not open to everyone. The pricing for this plan varies according to location.

When I first researched the price plans, the membership cost $29,99 per month, or £29.99/m in the UK. The last time I looked the UK price was £15/m! It looks like they are experimenting.

The Personal Plan is designed to curate the best courses that exist on Udemy. However, the courses are only accessible while you subscribe, meaning you don’t get to keep them once your subscription ends. 

This is different from purchasing individual courses on Udemy, where you get lifetime access to the courses you’ve bought.

The Personal Plan doesn’t allow you to choose your own courses; they are curated for you. This might not be ideal for some learners who prefer to have control over their learning path.

I’m not convinced that the Personal Plan, in its current iteration, is great value for money. 

Are Udemy Courses Worth Buying?

Yes, Udemy courses are generally worth buying if you’re selective. The platform offers a vast range of courses across various fields, many taught by experts in their respective fields. 

The ability to learn at your own pace and lifetime access are significant benefits. However, the quality of courses varies so much that it’s essential to thoroughly research the instructor before you buy. Read the reviews and check the credentials. 

Regular sales make courses very affordable, 

Read this post to get the whole picture: Is Udemy Worth it? Pros and Cons For Creatives 2023

What Are The Alternatives To Udemy?

There are a number of alternative learning platforms to rival Udemy.

Here are some alternatives to Udemy:

Linkedin Learning

Formerly known as Lynda.com, Linkedin Learning offers a wide range of video courses taught by industry experts in software, creative, and business skills. It’s a subscription-based service that provides unlimited access to its course library with a monthly or annual fee. 

The monthly plan costs $39.99/m and the yearly plan works out at $19.99/m or $219.89 if you include the 30-day free trial. Brits are charged £29.99/m or £16.99/m on a yearly plan but get stung with an extra 20% VAT.

LinkedIn Learning also offers certificates of completion that can be added to your LinkedIn profile, which can be beneficial for job seekers.

Skillshare

Skillshare is an online learning community with thousands of classes in art and design, business, technology, and more. It operates on a subscription model, giving you access to all classes for an annual fee. No lifetime access. 

The main Skillshare Premium membership for individuals is currently $168 per year after a free trial.

Skillshare’s classes are similar to Udemy, indeed many of the instructors are the same. Just like Udemy, the instructors vary in expertise.

Read my comparison: Udemy vs Skillshare: Which One is Better in 2023?

Domestika

Domestika is a community for creatives that offers courses primarily in creative and artistic disciplines, including illustration, photography, and design. Courses are purchased individually, and once you buy a course, you have lifetime access to it. 

Courses range between $10 – $40 each, with bundle deals that lower the prices even further. Domestika Plus offers 100s of free courses available for 30 days, and 1 credit per month to have any course for lifetime access.

The overall standard is very high and at bargain prices. The production quality is superb. Domestika’s courses were originally in Spanish, but there are many courses in English, and all courses have subtitles.

This is my review: Domestika Worth It? The Pros and Cons (2023)

Coursera

Coursera partners with universities and organizations to offer online courses, specializations, and degrees in a variety of subjects and you can earn a professional certificate upon completion of a course. 

Coursera offers thousands of free courses without any certification. Coursera Plus monthly plans cost $59/month and start with a 7-day free trial. Annual plans are $399/year and come with a 14-day money-back guarantee.

Coursera’s courses are more academic in nature, making it a good choice for learners seeking a more traditional educational experience. If you have deep pockets you can even study for a degree.

MasterClass

MasterClass offers online classes created for students of all skill levels. Their courses are taught by renowned professionals in their respective fields. With a subscription, you get access to all classes.

Currently, MasterClasses cost $10/m billed annually at $120/y. Not lifetime access. Typically Brits are charged more at £120 per annum ($149)

The unique selling point of MasterClass is the caliber of its instructors, which include names like Martin Scorsese, Gordon Ramsay, and Margaret Atwood, however, bear in mind that ‘celebrity’ doesn’t always equate to the best.

It’s always a good idea to check the latest pricing on the respective websites.

How Often Does Udemy Have Sales? Final Thoughts

For a visitor discovering Udemy for the first time, the platform will seem like a wealth of learning opportunities. 

That’s true to some extent, as long as the visitor is discerning and very selective in their choice of courses. With so many categories available there’ll be something of value for everyone. 

Discounts occur throughout the year with very few breaks, and it’s easy to find a top course at an affordable price. 

It costs nothing to join, so sign up and see what you can find.

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This is how I made a living for over 20 years. You can too, simply copy what I did – No hidden secrets

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If you lack confidence maybe consider learning a few social skills that relate to business. This is a very popular course on Udemy