Many Indian teachers first think of selling a course online when they see someone earning from Udemy. It looks simple: record your lessons, upload them, and let a big marketplace bring the students. Then a second question appears, and that is usually when classplus vs udemy shows up in the search bar. Should you sell on a marketplace, or build your own branded platform where students know you by name?
Both are valid paths for different goals. This guide explains how each works, what you control on each, and how to decide.
How we checked: we reviewed Udemy’s official pages (teach.udemy.com and instructor articles on support.udemy.com about revenue share, pricing, quality review, free courses, practice tests, student lists, announcements, subscriptions and Connect 1-1) in October 2026 and recorded only what those pages stated. Some Udemy pages could not be loaded, and we say so where it matters. Policies change, so confirm everything with Udemy and in a Classplus demo.
Classplus vs Udemy: two different models
The simplest way to see the difference is this. Udemy is a course marketplace. Classplus gives you your own platform.
On Udemy, your course sits in a large catalogue next to courses from other instructors. Learners come to Udemy, search or browse, and may find your course. Udemy’s teaching page says it has “tens of millions of learners” and calls itself a learning marketplace. That reach is a real advantage, especially for a new teacher with no audience yet.
On Classplus, you get your own branded app and website. Students download an app with your institute’s name, join your live classes, buy your recorded courses, take your tests and pay your fees. There is no shared catalogue of other teachers next to you. The trade-off is that you bring the students, though Classplus does offer marketing assistance.
So the real question is whether you want to be one seller in a large marketplace, or the owner of your own teaching brand.
How Udemy works for instructors (as checked in October 2026)
Here is what Udemy’s own pages stated when we checked.
How instructors earn
Udemy’s instructor revenue share article describes two main cases for course sales:
- 97% of the net amount when a student buys using the instructor’s own coupon or course referral link.
- 37% of the net amount for sales where no instructor coupon or referral link was used, such as a learner finding the course while browsing the marketplace, or after clicking a Udemy advertisement.
The article defines the net amount as what the learner paid minus applicable taxes or fees. It also says that these figures do not account for any share an instructor gives to co-instructors.
Udemy’s teaching page says it is free to create and publish a course. A separate support article says subscription earnings (Udemy Business) come from an instructor pool shared by each instructor’s portion of minutes consumed.
Who controls pricing and discounts
- Udemy’s pricing article says instructors select a price tier for each course, within minimum and maximum prices set in Udemy’s global price matrix.
- To charge for a course at all, the same article says you must first apply to become a premium instructor.
- Instructors who opt into the Udemy Deals Program set a backup price, which learners see when the course is not being optimised through that programme. In other words, Udemy can change the price learners see while you are in that programme.
- A paid course cannot be offered free outside Udemy, per the same article.
Udemy’s free courses article adds that free courses published after 17 March 2020 must be under 2 hours of video.
Course standards and quality review
Udemy says every course is reviewed against its Course Quality Checklist and must pass a quality review, which it states takes 2 business days, before being published in the marketplace. We could not load the checklist itself, so we cannot confirm the exact minimum video length or lecture count from Udemy’s pages.
Quizzes and practice tests
Udemy’s practice activities article recommends a quiz, exercise or project in each section. Its practice test article says instructors can add multiple choice, multiple selection and fill-in-the-blank questions, with up to 250 questions per practice test.
Live teaching
Udemy’s main teaching page does not mention live classes. A separate support article describes Connect 1-1 (beta), where instructors offer individual live video sessions through Zoom and set their own price. It says Connect 1-1 is “currently available to select instructors” and focuses on individual sessions, not groups. Udemy’s revenue share article says instructors receive 80% of the net amount from completed Connect 1-1 sessions. Batch-style live classes were not found on the pages we reviewed.
Your relationship with students
- Udemy’s student list article lists the fields you can see: the learner’s Udemy user name, enrolment date, progress, last visit and Q&A activity. Email addresses were not listed among those fields.
- Udemy’s announcement rules say educational announcements must not be used for marketing or promotion, must not link to paid content off Udemy, and are limited to four per course per month.
Mobile app
On Udemy, your course is listed in Udemy’s marketplace, alongside other instructors’ courses. An app under your own brand name was not found on the pages we reviewed.
What Classplus offers
Classplus is an Indian platform built for teachers, educators and coaching institutes who want to run their own branded teaching business. It covers:
- Your own branded app and website, so students find, download and remember your brand.
- Live classes for daily batches, doubt sessions and demo classes.
- Recorded courses, so you can sell courses online at prices you decide.
- Online tests and test series with test performance tracking, which matters for competitive exam and board exam preparation.
- Fee payments and coupons, so students pay inside your app and you can run your own offers.
- Batch management and attendance for institutes running several batches at once.
- Notifications to remind students about classes, tests and new content.
- Content security to help protect your videos and study material.
- Marketing assistance to help you reach and convert more students.
Classplus pricing is not published on its website. It is shared after a demo, based on your needs.
Classplus vs Udemy comparison table
| Factor | Classplus | Udemy (as checked October 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Your own branded platform | Course marketplace with many instructors |
| Discovery | You bring students, with marketing assistance | Udemy says it has tens of millions of learners |
| How you earn | You sell your courses, classes and tests directly | 97% of net with your coupon or referral link; 37% of net for other sales |
| Course pricing | You set prices and coupons | You pick a price tier within Udemy’s range; Deals Program can change the price learners see |
| Branded app | Own branded app and website | Courses are listed in Udemy’s marketplace; an instructor-branded app was not found on the pages we reviewed |
| Live classes | Yes, for batches and doubt sessions | Connect 1-1 (beta) individual sessions for select instructors; batch live classes not found |
| Tests | Online tests and test series with performance tracking | Quizzes and practice tests, up to 250 questions per practice test |
| Student contact | Notifications in your own app | Student list shows user name and progress; announcements limited to four per course per month |
| Batches and attendance | Yes | Not found on the pages we reviewed |
| Cost to start | Shared after a demo | Free to create and publish a course |
Who should choose which
Udemy may suit you if
- You are new to teaching online and do not yet have an audience.
- Your topic has a broad, global audience, such as software, design or business skills.
- You want to test whether people will buy a course before investing in your own platform.
- You are comfortable with Udemy setting the rules on pricing, promotions and student communication.
Classplus may suit you if
- You run a coaching institute or teach regular batches with live classes.
- Tests and test series are central to how you teach, for example for competitive exams.
- You want students to see your brand, not a marketplace, every time they open the app.
- You want to collect fees, run coupons, manage batches and mark attendance in one place.
- You already have students from offline classes, YouTube or WhatsApp and want to bring them onto your own app.
Related reading
- Classplus vs online teaching platforms in India
- Best course selling app for teachers
- Own branded app for a coaching institute
- How to price an online course
- Sell test series online
Conclusion: your own brand or a marketplace
The classplus vs udemy decision comes down to what you want to own. Udemy gives you a large marketplace and a free way to publish, with earnings that depend on where each sale came from, and with Udemy’s rules on pricing, promotions and student messages. Classplus gives you your own branded app and website, with live classes, recorded courses, test series, fee payments and batch management under your name.
If you want students to grow with your brand for years, not just buy one course, a platform of your own is worth a serious look, so book a free demo with Classplus and see how it fits the way you teach.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between Classplus and Udemy?
Udemy is a course marketplace where your course sits alongside courses from many other instructors. Classplus gives you your own branded app and website, where students learn only from you through live classes, recorded courses and tests.
How much do instructors earn on Udemy?
As checked in October 2026, Udemy’s revenue share article said instructors receive 97% of the net amount when a student buys through the instructor’s coupon or referral link, and 37% of the net amount for other sales, such as those from marketplace browsing. Check Udemy’s current terms before deciding.
Can I set my own course price on Udemy?
Udemy’s pricing article says instructors choose a price tier within Udemy’s minimum and maximum range and must become premium instructors to charge for a course. If you join the Udemy Deals Program, the price learners see may change while Udemy optimises your course.
Does Udemy offer live classes for teachers?
Udemy’s main teaching page did not mention live classes. Its Connect 1-1 beta allows select instructors to offer individual live video sessions. Batch-style live classes were not found on the pages we reviewed. Classplus offers live classes for batches.
Is Classplus pricing published?
No. Classplus pricing is not published on its website. It is shared after a demo, based on your needs as a teacher or institute.
Can I use both Udemy and Classplus?
Some teachers use a marketplace for discovery and their own platform for regular students. If you plan this, first read Udemy’s rules on pricing, announcements and student messaging carefully.
