You've decided to build the course. Now you need to pick where to put it.
Udemy is the obvious choice if you've heard of either platform, because Udemy is where you've probably bought courses. Teachable is the choice you hear about from people who already have an audience and want more control. Both answers are right, depending on where you are.
This isn't a feature comparison. It's a decision framework based on the one thing that actually determines which platform makes sense: whether you have a way to drive traffic yourself.
The fundamental difference
Udemy
A marketplace. Udemy brings millions of students to the platform. Your course sits in a catalog and gets discovered when students search for a topic. You don't need to send anyone — the traffic is already there.
+ Built-in traffic
+ No upfront cost
– Low revenue per student
– Udemy controls pricing and discounts
– No direct student relationship
Teachable
A platform. You build your course on Teachable and host it there, but the platform doesn't send you students. You own the pricing, the student emails, and the relationship — but you have to drive the traffic yourself.
+ 85–97% revenue share
+ Full pricing control
+ You own student emails
– You must drive all traffic
– Monthly platform fee ($39+/mo)
Which one makes sense for you
Start with Udemy if...
- →This is your first course and you have no existing audience
- →You want to validate demand before investing in platform infrastructure
- →Your topic has clear search demand on Udemy already
- →You want to avoid monthly platform fees while you're building
Consider Teachable if...
- →You already have a blog, YouTube channel, or email list with an engaged audience
- →You want to sell at full price ($100–$500+) rather than Udemy's effective $10–$12
- →You're building a brand and want students to associate the course with you, not Udemy
- →You want to offer payment plans, upsells, or cohort-based access Udemy doesn't support
The hybrid strategy
Many instructors run both. A course on Udemy at $19.99 gets discovered by new students and builds social proof. An expanded version on Teachable or Gumroad sells at $99–$299 to people who found you through Udemy or other channels. The Udemy course functions as the top of funnel; the higher-priced version is where the real revenue is.
The risk is that Udemy's pricing terms require your Udemy price to be competitive with what you charge elsewhere. Read the terms carefully before splitting the same content across platforms at very different prices.
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See how it works →Frequently asked questions
What's the main difference between Udemy and Teachable?
Udemy is a marketplace — it brings traffic to you, but controls pricing, discounting, and student relationships. Teachable is a platform — you host your course there, but you drive your own traffic and keep a higher percentage of revenue. The tradeoff is distribution vs. control.
Which platform pays more per student — Udemy or Teachable?
Teachable pays significantly more per student — you keep 85–97% of revenue after fees depending on your plan. On Udemy, the effective revenue per student through their promotional channels is typically $5–$12, which is 25–50% of the list price after discounts and Udemy's cut. If you can drive your own traffic, Teachable makes more financial sense per enrollment.
Can I sell the same course on both Udemy and Teachable?
Technically yes, but Udemy has pricing terms that restrict you from selling the same content cheaper elsewhere (or they match the lower price). Many instructors use Udemy as a discovery channel and direct repeat buyers or email subscribers to their own Teachable/Gumroad course at a higher price. The platforms aren't mutually exclusive, but the strategy matters.
Do I need an email list to use Teachable?
Not at launch, but you need some traffic source — a blog, YouTube channel, social media following, podcast, or community. Without a way to send people to your Teachable page, sales will be near zero. This is the fundamental difference: Udemy is the source of traffic; on Teachable, you are.
Which is better for a first course?
Udemy, for most people. It provides built-in traffic, costs nothing upfront, and gives you real feedback on whether people want what you built. Once you have reviews, a sense of what works, and potentially an email list of early students, moving to or adding Teachable becomes viable.