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Short answer: Udemy’s post-Black Friday promotion was a real, time-limited sale reported on November 25, 2024. It advertised discounts of up to 79% on selected courses, including examples priced at $19 and $13. Those figures are historical—not a current September 2026 promotion. Engadget’s original deal report also disclosed that it received compensation and that pricing and availability could change.
What the 2024 Udemy sale included
The promotion did not mean that every course on Udemy was 79% off. “Up to 79% off” applied to selected courses, using their listed or regular prices as the comparison. The final price, course quality and availability mattered more than the headline percentage.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Visa Physical Gift Card $200 (plus $6.95 Purchase Fee) | $206.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Visa Physical Gift Card $100 (plus $5.95 Purchase Fee) | $105.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Southwest Airlines eGift Card | $50.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Visa Physical Gift Card $50 (plus $4.95 Purchase Fee) | $54.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
MasterCard Physical Gift Card – $200 (plus $6.95 Purchase Fee) | $206.95 | Buy on Amazon |
Engadget also reported that some earlier Black Friday discounts had reached 85%, so the post-Black Friday promotion was not necessarily the deepest seasonal offer.
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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →| Course example | Reported sale price | Reference price | Reported discount | Details reported in November 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Generative AI, ChatGPT, prompting, Midjourney and DALL-E | $19 | $90 | 79% | 26.5 hours, 415 lectures, 43 sections, more than 200,000 students and a 4.6-star rating |
| Ultimate IT Administrator Course | $13 | $45 | 71% | 54.5 hours, more than 700 lessons and 145 articles |
These prices, ratings, enrollment figures and lesson counts were reported at the time and may have changed. They should not be treated as current listings or permanent Udemy prices.
#1 Best Overall
- Gift Cards are shipped active and ready for use.
- This card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Funds do not expire. If available funds remain on your card after the valid thru date has passed, please call customer service for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout. No fees after purchase.
- To access your card information safely, type the complete website address shown on your Gift Card (MyGift.GiftCardMall.com) directly into your browser's address bar. Don't use search engines or shortened versions of the website address, as these may lead you to fake or fraudulent sites. Do not provide any Gift Card details (example: Card Number) to someone you do not know or trust. If you believe you've reached an illegitimate website, contact cardholder service at 1-888-524-1283. Be cautious of phishing sites, there are a variety of scams in which fraudsters try to trick others into paying with gift cards.
- To report your Lost or Stolen Physical Visa Card, call Customer Service 24/7 at 1 (888) 524-1283 to cancel your Gift Card as soon as you can. You will be asked to provide the Gift Card number and other identifying information.
- Use your Visa Gift Card in the U.S. everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted, including online.
Subjects covered by the promotion
The reported selection focused heavily on technology and IT learning, including generative AI, ChatGPT, Python, web development, IT administration, networking, data science, cybersecurity and business intelligence. The coverage also mentioned design, photography, leadership, communication and broader business topics.
However, category coverage does not establish that every course in a subject area carried the maximum discount. A course’s current price, syllabus and update history must be checked on its listing.
Rank #2
- Gift Cards are shipped active and ready for use.
- This card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Funds do not expire. If available funds remain on your card after the valid thru date has passed, please call customer service for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout. No fees after purchase.
- To access your card information safely, type the complete website address shown on your Gift Card (MyGift.GiftCardMall.com) directly into your browser's address bar. Don't use search engines or shortened versions of the website address, as these may lead you to fake or fraudulent sites. Do not provide any Gift Card details (example: Card Number) to someone you do not know or trust. If you believe you've reached an illegitimate website, contact cardholder service at 1-888-524-1283. Be cautious of phishing sites, there are a variety of scams in which fraudsters try to trick others into paying with gift cards.
- To report your Lost or Stolen Physical Visa Card, call Customer Service 24/7 at 1 (888) 524-1283 to cancel your Gift Card as soon as you can. You will be asked to provide the Gift Card number and other identifying information.
- Use your Visa Gift Card in the U.S. everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted, including online.
Individual Udemy course or Personal Plan?
The most important buying decision is whether to purchase one course or subscribe to Udemy’s Personal Plan.
| Individual course | Personal Plan | |
|---|---|---|
| Payment | One-time purchase | Recurring subscription |
| Access | Lifetime access is generally provided, subject to account and licensing conditions | Access continues only while the subscription is active |
| Catalog | The specific marketplace course you buy | A curated collection of approximately 26,000 courses, not the entire marketplace |
| Best for | One targeted course or long-term, occasional study | Several included courses studied intensively during the subscription |
| Refunds | Eligible purchases may qualify under Udemy’s 30-day refund policy | Different subscription rules apply, with exceptions that can depend on local law or the app store |
Udemy’s broader marketplace contains more than 250,000 courses, while Personal Plan covers only its included collection. Check the course page before subscribing to confirm that your target course is included. See the Personal Plan FAQ for details about access, cancellation and course availability.
Rank #3
- The gift that lets them fly to 85+ destinations.
- No fees. No expiration. Ever.
- Gift a getaway because special days deserve special destinations.
- Redeem Online, At Ticket Counter Or Call 1-800-I-FLY-SWA
- Valid Only For Southwest Airlines Flights
For a single deeply discounted course, buying individually is usually the simpler choice. Personal Plan may offer better value if you expect to complete multiple included courses within a short period and do not need permanent access afterward.
What “lifetime access” really means
An individual course purchase normally provides lifetime access to the course and its materials. Udemy explains that this access depends on your account remaining in good standing and Udemy retaining the necessary license to the course. It is not the same as owning or permanently downloading all course content.
Rank #4
- Gift Cards are shipped active and ready for use.
- This card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Funds do not expire. If available funds remain on your card after the valid thru date has passed, please call customer service for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout. No fees after purchase.
- To access your card information safely, type the complete website address shown on your Gift Card (MyGift.GiftCardMall.com) directly into your browser's address bar. Don't use search engines or shortened versions of the website address, as these may lead you to fake or fraudulent sites. Do not provide any Gift Card details (example: Card Number) to someone you do not know or trust. If you believe you've reached an illegitimate website, contact cardholder service at 1-888-524-1283. Be cautious of phishing sites, there are a variety of scams in which fraudsters try to trick others into paying with gift cards.
- To report your Lost or Stolen Physical Visa Card, call Customer Service 24/7 at 1 (888) 524-1283 to cancel your Gift Card as soon as you can. You will be asked to provide the Gift Card number and other identifying information.
- Use your Visa Gift Card in the U.S. everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted, including online.
A course may be unpublished while enrolled learners generally retain access, but material can be removed for legal or policy reasons, or if Udemy no longer has the relevant rights. The Udemy lifetime-access policy sets out these conditions.
Personal Plan works differently: canceling generally ends access when the current billing period finishes. Udemy’s FAQ also warns that subscription progress and certificate access can be lost when access expires. Certificates of completion are not equivalent to an accredited degree, professional license or industry certification.
Best Value
- Cards are shipped active and ready for use.
- This card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Funds do not expire. If available funds remain on your card after the valid thru date has passed, please call customer service for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout. No fees after purchase.
- Double check if the URL/website is genuine before entering card details online. Do not provide any gift card details (example: claim code) to someone you do not know or trust. There are a variety of scams in which fraudsters try to trick others into paying with gift cards.
- If you believe that your Card has been lost or stolen, notify Mastercard immediately by calling 1-833-791-7288. You will be asked to provide the Gift Card number and other identifying information.
- Use your Mastercard Gift Card in the U.S. everywhere Mastercard debit cards are accepted, including online. Your Amazon.com Balance cannot be used to purchase Mastercard gift cards.
How to check whether a Udemy deal is worthwhile
- Check the final checkout price. Do not rely only on the percentage-off label or crossed-out reference price.
- Review the last-update date. This is especially important for AI, cloud, cybersecurity and software courses, where tools and interfaces change quickly.
- Read recent reviews. Overall ratings and enrollment counts can hide recent complaints about outdated material.
- Inspect the curriculum. Confirm that the lessons match your goal, available time and experience level.
- Check prerequisites and instructor history. A long course is not automatically a good course.
- Confirm Personal Plan eligibility. The subscription does not include every marketplace course.
- Compare web and app prices. Udemy says prices can differ on mobile apps, and coupon codes cannot be entered in the same way as on Udemy.com. See its course-pricing FAQ.
- Review taxes and refund terms. Regional pricing, taxes, payment method and purchase platform can affect the amount charged.
Pricing, refunds and regional differences
Udemy uses country-specific price tiers and may adjust them according to market conditions. Taxes may also be added depending on your location and billing information. The price shown in a U.S. deal report is therefore not a reliable prediction of what a reader elsewhere will pay.
Udemy’s refund policy describes a 30-day refund window for eligible individual-course purchases, subject to exclusions and payment-method rules. Subscription refunds follow separate terms, so read the applicable policy before starting Personal Plan. The official refund policy is the authority for the transaction.
Should you buy based on the 79% discount?
Only if the course itself fits your needs. A low price can make an experiment inexpensive, but the discount does not prove that the course is current, comprehensive or better than alternatives.
Buy an individual course when you have a specific target, want long-term access and find the course at a price you consider acceptable. Consider Personal Plan when you have several included courses to complete during the subscription period. In either case, treat the November 2024 figures—$19 for the AI example and $13 for the IT administrator example—as historical benchmarks, not offers that remain available.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
