Can I publish the exact same course on both Udemy and Skillshare?

Yes, provided you do not violate exclusive distribution agreements. Many instructors publish non-exclusive versions on multiple marketplaces to maximize their reach.

How do instructors get paid on Udemy versus Skillshare?

Udemy pays instructors a percentage of each individual course sale (ranging from 37% to 50%+ depending on referral coupons). Skillshare pays instructors a monthly royalty based on the share of total member minutes watched on their classes.

Which platform is better for coding and business courses?

Udemy is generally considered superior for technical, software development, data science, and business certification courses due to its search intent and learner demographic.

Udemy vs. Skillshare: Choosing the Best Platform for Online Educators

Question: Should an online educator build an asynchronous video course using 'Udemy' or 'Skillshare', considering marketplace student acquisition reach versus instructor revenue share percentages?

Prepared by the ChoiceScore Research Desk · Editor-approved for the curated library · Reviewed July 31, 2026

It depends Choice Score: 75/100

Direct answer

The choice depends on your target audience and promotional strategy: choose Udemy if you want massive global student reach and transactional course sales, or Skillshare if you target creative niches and prefer a subscription royalty pool model.

Summary

Deciding between Udemy and Skillshare requires balancing student acquisition reach against revenue-sharing mechanics. Udemy operates an a la carte marketplace where instructors keep up to 37% to 50% (or more with instructor coupons), backed by massive global scale in tech, business, and practical skills. Skillshare operates via a membership model where instructors earn passive royalties from a monthly creator pool based on minutes watched by paying subscribers. Both platforms offer built-in traffic, reducing the marketing burden on the educator compared to self-hosted solutions.

Choice Score breakdown

Student Acquisition Reach 85/100 — Udemy provides enormous global search and catalog visibility.
Revenue Share & Payout Model 70/100 — Both models involve platform cuts, but structured differently (transactional vs. pool subscription).
Content Niche Fit 78/100 — Skillshare excels for creative arts, whereas Udemy dominates tech, business, and professional certifications.

Best for / Not best for

Best for

Educators teaching tech, programming, business, or data science (Udemy)
Creatives teaching illustration, design, photography, or crafts (Skillshare)
Instructors seeking immediate organic marketplace traffic without heavy upfront ad spending

Not best for

Instructors looking for 90%+ digital product margins like self-hosted platforms
Educators who want strict control over student data and direct email marketing access

Scenarios

The High-Volume Udemy Instructor (60% likely)
You publish a comprehensive tech or business course on Udemy, leveraging their search engine optimization and platform discounts to attract thousands of students.
The Creative Skillshare Creator (50% likely)
You publish an engaging class on digital illustration or creative writing on Skillshare, where members stream your lessons as part of their flat-rate subscription.
The Multi-Platform Hybrid Strategy (40% likely)
You adapt non-exclusive content modules to exist on both marketplaces, testing where your specific target demographic converts more effectively.

Calculations

Metric	Result	Formula
Udemy Standard Instructor Payout	25 USD/sale	course_price × instructor_revenue_share_percentage
Skillshare Estimated Monthly Royalty Pool Return	250 USD/month	total_class_minutes_watched × estimated_pool_rate_per_minute
Annualized Marketplace TCO Comparison	1700 USD/year	platform_fees_or_commission_loss + production_cost

Pros & cons

Pros

Built-in student acquisition networks eliminate the need to build an audience from scratch.
Asynchronous format allows for truly passive, recurring income streams after initial production.
Clear separation of categories allows matching content directly with interested student demographics.

Cons

Platform commissions and revenue splits reduce individual unit margins compared to self-hosting.
High competition within popular categories makes organic visibility difficult without reviews.
Strict platform terms of service govern student communication and marketing boundaries.

Assumptions

Course Price Point: 50 USD — Illustrative baseline course price for a standard a la carte digital video course.
Platform Audience Reach: Millions of global users — Based on platform scale descriptors across search directory listings and learning communities.
Skillshare Royalty Model: Subscription pool share — Skillshare compensates teachers based on the percentage of total monthly member minutes watched.

Practical next steps

Identify your core teaching topic and evaluate whether it fits Udemy's professional/technical catalog or Skillshare's creative catalog.
Outline and script your asynchronous video lessons, keeping production quality aligned with platform standards.
Record, edit, and package your video modules into structured chapters with clear learning objectives.
Upload your course content to the chosen platform dashboard, optimize your title and description with relevant keywords.
Monitor student engagement metrics, review feedback, and iterate on your course materials to improve ratings and reach.

Methodology

This analysis evaluates asynchronous online course marketplaces by synthesizing platform business models, instructor monetization mechanics, audience demographics, and operational trade-offs. The evaluation framework weighs student acquisition reach against revenue-sharing structures to provide an actionable, evidence-grounded recommendation for digital educators.

Sources

Sources support specific claims; they do not replace our analysis. Read the research and source standards.

FAQ

Can I publish the exact same course on both Udemy and Skillshare?: Yes, provided you do not violate exclusive distribution agreements. Many instructors publish non-exclusive versions on multiple marketplaces to maximize their reach.
How do instructors get paid on Udemy versus Skillshare?: Udemy pays instructors a percentage of each individual course sale (ranging from 37% to 50%+ depending on referral coupons). Skillshare pays instructors a monthly royalty based on the share of total member minutes watched on their classes.
Which platform is better for coding and business courses?: Udemy is generally considered superior for technical, software development, data science, and business certification courses due to its search intent and learner demographic.

Related decisions

Disclaimers

Platform revenue splits, creator pool formulas, and marketplace terms are subject to change by Udemy and Skillshare at any time.

Financial returns from online course creation vary widely based on course quality, niche demand, and marketing effort.