Hotmart vs Udemy
One charges you 9.9% per sale. The other keeps up to 63% and owns your student.
The verdict
These aren't in the same category. Udemy is a marketplace that brings you traffic but keeps up to 63% of the sales it generates and owns the student relationship. Hotmart charges 9.9% + $1 and leaves you the buyer's data. If you want to build your own business, Hotmart wins clearly; Udemy only makes sense as an extra discovery channel.
Hotmart
Free
Commission: 9.9% + R$1
Udemy
Free
Commission: 3% - 63%
LearnBase
$97/mo
Commission: 0%
What each one wins on
Hotmart wins on
- You keep about 90% of every sale versus 37% on an organic Udemy sale
- You get the buyer's data and can sell to them again
- You control your price: Udemy pushes you into permanent $9.99 discounts
Udemy wins on
- Real organic traffic: millions of users searching for courses inside the platform
- Zero marketing effort for your first sales
- A good way to validate a topic before investing in your own audience
Hotmart vs Udemy vs LearnBase
| Feature | Hotmart | Udemy | LearnBase |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0% transaction commission | Not included | Not included | Included |
| Unlimited students | Included | Included | Included |
| Unlimited courses | Included | Included | Included |
| AI course generation from video | Not included | Not included | Included |
| AI-generated quizzes | Not included | Not included | Included |
| AI video transcription | Not included | Limited | Included |
| White-label branding | Not included | Not included | Included |
| Custom domain | Limited | Not included | Included |
| Certificates | Included | Included | Included |
| Live sessions | Included | Not included | Included |
| Multi-language support | Limited | Included | Included |
| Analytics dashboard | Included | Limited | Included |
| All features in one plan | Not included | Not included | Included |
What each one costs you per year
Total 12-month cost at your monthly sales volume, including flat fees and commissions. The cheapest option in each row is green.
| Monthly sales | Hotmart | Udemy | LearnBase |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1,000/mo | $1,188 | $7,560 | $1,164 |
| $5,000/mo | $5,940 | $37,800 | $1,164 |
| $10,000/mo | $11,880 | $75,600 | $1,164 |
Based on public list pricing. Excludes payment processing fees, which vary by method and country.
What if neither Hotmart nor Udemy fits?
Both leave you renting the house. On Udemy your course competes with 250,000 others and the student belongs to Udemy; on Hotmart your product lives under its checkout and brand. With LearnBase the school is yours: your domain, your brand, your students, and a flat $97/month with no commission.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does Udemy actually pay instructors?
- It depends on who brings the sale. If the student arrives through your coupon, you earn 97%. If Udemy generates the sale (internal search, ads, promotions), you earn 37%: Udemy keeps 63%.
- Can I sell the same course on Udemy and on my own platform?
- Yes, and it's usually the best strategy. Use Udemy as a discovery showcase with an intro version, then sell the full, higher-priced program on your own school, where you keep everything.
- Why is my Udemy course selling for $9.99 when I listed it at $199?
- Because Udemy's discount program applies aggressive promotions globally. You control the list price, not the final price a student pays during one of the platform's campaigns.
Agustin Garcia
Founder & CEO, LearnBase
Sources
- Hotmart pricing page — verified July 2026
- Udemy pricing page — verified July 2026
- LearnBase pricing page
Comparison data is based on publicly available pricing and feature information as of July 2026. Features and pricing may change. LearnBase is the creator of this comparison.
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