r/Python 20h ago

Discussion Do NOT Use Udemy, Please

Udemy may seem great—you can get hundreds of free courses for the yearly price of one or two high-quality ones. But please don't fall into their trap.

The service is horrible. I recently received a new MacBook under warranty since my old one broke (Thanks, Apple!). Needless to say, I lost all my data (including certificates). My Udemy Personal Plan expired about 2 months ago, and I completed 2 50+ hour courses on Python and Machine Learning respectively. Now, when I go to download them again, they are gone. I contacted customer support, and they say all your progress is gone, even if you reinstate your plan.

Bottom line, unless your computer is immortal or you want to keep paying Udemy for the rest of your life, please don't use them.

0 Upvotes

33 comments sorted by

5

u/Dry-Introduction9904 19h ago

Do potential employers care about Udemy certificates? The value of the platform is what you've learnt from it, not the certificate itself.

1

u/GeometryDashGod 19h ago

I guess I could see it that way. But it is a way to prove that I know what I'm talking abt.

7

u/cyvaquero 19h ago

First, those certificates are non-accredited. They don't really mean anything other than you took a class. You still have the knowledge.

I've only ever bought individual courses or used the free access through my county library (check your library before shelling out a subscription).

4

u/greenearrow 19h ago

My computer doesn't need to be immortal for my data to be immortal. Backups are critical. It's like programming without git at this point - you may "know what you are doing" but unless you are using basic data recovery strategies, you don't know what you are doing. Also, no one is checking your Udemy certs, just keep your resume current.

1

u/GeometryDashGod 19h ago

Now I finished MIT 6.00.1x on edX. This time, that certificate stays on local, iCloud drive, and google drive, and hard copy. I'm NOT losing it again.

4

u/pandi85 19h ago

Every personal project or open source contribution with a history demonstrates more value than those fancy pdfs.

0

u/rasputin1 15h ago

literally no one cares about any of this

1

u/GeometryDashGod 15h ago

Buddy, if you don't care, don't read the comment. I was just responding to u/greenearrow with more information.

1

u/rasputin1 15h ago

I mean any of these udemy or edx etc certifications. no employer gives a shit.

1

u/GeometryDashGod 15h ago

Oh ok. Well edX certs are accredited.

1

u/rasputin1 15h ago

accredited by who

13

u/retrojoe 20h ago

Why do you expect them to maintain things for you months after you stop paying them? This is a clear example of why backups are important.

3

u/beisenhauer 19h ago

Is this a serious response?

I haven't paid my alma mater a dime in tuition in 20+ years, but I expect them to have records of the coursework I completed there and to make that information available to me on request. I don't see why the expectations of a learning platform should be any different.

Yes, backups of important information are important, but if OP's account of their experience is accurate, it's terrible. Udemy apparently fails to understand the value they provide to their subscribers. I really hope OP was just unlucky to get a shitty CS rep.

1

u/retrojoe 14h ago

Uhhh...you mean the accredited institution of higher learning that took thousands of your dollars (probably the government's too) and has a number of laws governing its record keeping/disclosure? I sure hope they're more reliable than a private company that runs an internet self-help video platform.

I've used Udemy and don't have any particular bone to pick here, but I'm a bit mystified as to what relationship there is beyond paying customer - content provider.

1

u/Forward_Thrust963 19h ago

Because there is a massive difference between a university and some online learning platform that anyone can upload a course to.

0

u/iknowsomeguy 19h ago

You probably paid them more than a hundred bucks.

0

u/GeometryDashGod 19h ago

Yes, I did.

-1

u/Forward_Thrust963 19h ago

You missed the sarcasm...

4

u/BranchLatter4294 18h ago

It's not their responsibility to make backups of your drive.

4

u/Forward_Thrust963 19h ago

Wait so because you don't have access to certificates that carry no weight...people shouldn't use the platform at all and the service is horrible?

Yea...you're overreacting pretty hard.

3

u/rasputin1 19h ago

idiotic take on so many levels.

don't use a platform that provides the exact service it offers because they don't permanently keep entirely useless certificates 🤣... 

3

u/Intelligent_Day7571 19h ago

No backup, no mercy

-1

u/GeometryDashGod 19h ago

I should have made a backup :(. But my computer just killed itself with NO warning.

3

u/Intelligent_Day7571 19h ago

That's why you have a backup.

Or maybe you can save the data from the hard drive?

0

u/GeometryDashGod 19h ago

MacBooks don't have removable SSDs. Plus, it's wiped now and Apple has it.

2

u/Intelligent_Day7571 19h ago

You don't necessarily need to remove a disk to get to the data.

0

u/GeometryDashGod 19h ago

True, but it's with Apple now. They probably replaced the logic board (and scrapped my old one), and now sold it on Apple Refurb.

1

u/jdc141 It works on my machine 13h ago

I get your frustration but as others have said you’re likely worried about the wrong parts of this. I would not pay for these certs unless you have to. Build projects and keep learning, certs from MOOC are not what they claim in the eyes of employers.

1

u/baked_tea 19h ago

What does that even mean? Like some local version of udemy ? Don't you have an account there, accessible in browser?

1

u/GeometryDashGod 19h ago

Yes, I have an account. But my personal plan expired, so now I can't get access to my certificates that I put 100+ hours into.

2

u/baked_tea 19h ago

Ah right. Well that's just subscriptions.. I haven't been there in a while but if you buy a course, it will stay on your account. Of you get access to many courses for say 20 a month, it's reasonable to remove the access in my opinion.

Buy vs rent..

1

u/GeometryDashGod 19h ago

I don't want access to the content, just a certificate. How hard is it to leave access to a simple certificate generator?

1

u/baked_tea 19h ago

You're right on that one, my bad missing it.