I bought a couple of Udemy courses in 2024, but they keep getting cheaper and cheaper, and I'm wondering if the quality isn't dropping too. Is it still worth it or are there better platforms for programming and design?
I wouldn't say across the board that Udemy has gotten worse - it really depends on the individual course, some instructors are top-notch and some are pretty mediocre. if you're specifically looking for programming, it's worth checking out Coursera or Pluralsight alongside it, they often have better structure, but they cost more too. for design, I think YouTube has become incredibly good in the meantime, there are channels with professional tutors for free. my tip: check out a few reviews before you buy and see if the examples are still current - then you'll quickly tell whether the course is still good or not.
Udemy still has good courses, but you really need to search more strategically. The problem is: with the sheer volume, it gets harder to tell the truly solid ones from the superficial stuff. Don't just look at the ratings - check out the preview videos too and how detailed the course structure is explained. Some instructors are genuinely top-notch and keep their courses up to date, while others upload something and then never touch it again.
One pitfall a lot of people miss: Udemy is great for broad overviews, but if you really want to dive deep into programming or design, you often need something else on top of it. Codecademy or freeCodeCamp are more solidly structured for programming if you prefer learning interactively. For design, I'd rather go for more specialized platforms like Skillshare or, depending on the case, the original tutorials from the tools themselves (Adobe offers its own courses, for example). Coursera has more academic depth too, but it's usually pricier.
My tip: mix it up - use Udemy for quick introductions and specific individual topics, but build your learning around multiple sources. Especially with fast-moving topics like programming, an old Udemy course can quickly become outdated, while other platforms tend to keep things more current.
Udemy's pricing strategy has indeed become questionable - the artificially inflated list prices and constant "deals" make it hard to tell what a course is actually worth. But here's an important point a lot of people miss: the value depends less on the platform than on your specific learning goal. If you need a particular skill (like React or Figma), Udemy definitely has solid courses that work. The real issue is that you end up spending a ton of time filtering instead of actually learning.
For programming, I'd also look into platforms like freeCodeCamp or even just GitHub repos with good documentation - you don't pay anything and you skip the whole quality-rating hassle. For design, more specialized sites might be worth checking out - ones that really focus on just one area. The question is: do you need structured video courses or would other formats work for you? Depending on the answer, Udemy could actually be pointless or still be your best tool.
Another trick: when you're looking at reviews, don't just look at the star rating - read through the negative reviews carefully. Beginners often get the quickest sense from those about whether a course is too shallow or too complex for their level.
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