Discover the best leadership training courses on Udemy. Compare top-rated programmes, pricing, and instructors to accelerate your management skills.
Written by Laura Bouttell • Wed 3rd December 2025
Leadership training on Udemy offers accessible, affordable entry into executive development through the world's largest online course marketplace. With over 250,000 courses and 79 million learners globally, Udemy has democratised professional education—including leadership skills once available only through expensive executive programmes or employer-sponsored training.
Yet abundance creates its own challenges. Search "leadership" on Udemy and you'll encounter hundreds of options, ranging from genuinely valuable instruction to hastily assembled content of questionable merit. The platform's open marketplace model means quality varies dramatically, and the most popular courses aren't necessarily the most substantive.
For busy professionals seeking to develop leadership capabilities without the time commitment or expense of traditional programmes, Udemy represents genuine opportunity—provided you know how to identify courses worth your investment. The platform's business credentials are substantial: 80% of Fortune 100 companies use Udemy Business for employee upskilling, suggesting corporate confidence in the platform's educational value.
This guide examines Udemy's leadership training landscape with the discernment you need to make informed decisions.
Understanding Udemy's model helps set appropriate expectations:
Unlike universities or training companies that employ instructors directly, Udemy operates as a marketplace connecting independent course creators with learners. Anyone can publish a course, which creates both opportunity and risk: innovative practitioners share hard-won expertise, but quality control relies primarily on student reviews rather than institutional vetting.
Traditional leadership programmes operate on fixed schedules, requiring participants to align their calendars with institutional timetables. Udemy courses remain permanently available (subject to instructor decisions), allowing learners to progress at their own pace, revisit material as needed, and fit development around work demands.
Executive education programmes routinely cost thousands of pounds. Udemy courses typically range from £15 to £100, with frequent promotional pricing reducing costs further. This accessibility removes financial barriers but raises questions about depth and comprehensiveness.
Completion certificates from Udemy carry less weight than credentials from recognised business schools. The value lies in capability development rather than CV enhancement—an important distinction for those seeking both.
After analysing ratings, reviews, enrolment figures, and curriculum depth, these courses emerge as leading options:
| Course | Instructor | Rating | Students | Key Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leadership: Practical Leadership Skills | Chris Croft | 4.6/5 | 95,000+ | Practical daily techniques |
| Leadership & Management Essentials | Various | Highest-rated | 165,000+ | Three T's Methodology |
| Leadership & Management Skills: 23 Courses In 1 | Global Experts | 4.5+ | 20,000+ | Comprehensive bundle |
| Leadership: How to Influence, Inspire and Impact | Davis Jones/Eazl.ai | 4.5/5 | 10,900+ | Influence and inspiration |
| Developing Your Executive Leadership Skills | Various | 4.5+ | Varies | Executive-level focus |
This course stands out for combining theoretical frameworks with actionable daily practices. Chris Croft, who has trained 87,000 people in person and millions online over two decades, emphasises practical implementation over abstract concepts.
Curriculum highlights:
The course's strength lies in its balance: enough theory to understand why techniques work, enough practice to implement them immediately. Croft's extensive in-person training experience translates into clear, engaging delivery.
Marketed as the highest-rated leadership course on Udemy (as voted by students), this programme has reached over 165,000 learners across 201 countries. Its "Three T's Methodology" provides a structured framework for building high-performing teams.
Curriculum highlights:
The emphasis on exercises distinguishes this course from purely theoretical alternatives—you complete activities rather than simply absorbing information.
For comprehensive coverage, this bundled offering consolidates 23 courses from multiple global experts. The breadth appeals to learners seeking encyclopaedic treatment rather than focused depth on specific topics.
Curriculum highlights:
Trusted by companies using Udemy Business, this course serves both individual learners and corporate training programmes.
Specifically targeting executive-level development, this course draws on strategies from legendary CEOs and successful business leaders. It addresses conscious approaches to building power, credibility, and organisational respect.
Curriculum highlights:
This course suits those moving into executive positions or transitioning between organisations at senior levels.
Udemy's pricing model requires understanding to navigate effectively:
Udemy runs near-constant promotional campaigns, meaning list prices function more as anchors than actual costs. Experienced users rarely pay full price—waiting for sales (which occur multiple times monthly) can reduce costs by 80% or more.
Practical tip: If you're not in a hurry, add courses to your wishlist and purchase during promotional periods. The savings are substantial.
| Training Type | Typical Cost | Duration | Credential Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Udemy course | £15-£100 | 5-30 hours | Completion certificate |
| University certificate | £2,000-£8,000 | Weeks-months | Academic credential |
| Executive programme | £5,000-£25,000 | Days-weeks | Institutional prestige |
| Corporate training | £500-£2,000/day | Days | Employer recognition |
Udemy cannot replicate the networking, faculty access, or institutional credibility of premium programmes. It can deliver substantive content at a fraction of the cost—value depends on your priorities.
Udemy serves certain learner profiles better than others:
Many executives combine approaches: Udemy for accessible skill-building between formal programmes, traditional executive education for credential acquisition and networking. This hybrid model extracts value from each format's strengths.
Quality courses address competencies relevant across industries and seniority levels:
The skill most important to effective leadership is communication—the ability to convey vision and impart instruction effectively. Udemy courses extensively cover:
A key differentiator between good and exceptional leaders, emotional intelligence features prominently in top courses:
Higher-level courses address cognitive capabilities essential for senior leadership:
Practical team management skills form the core of most introductory courses:
Courses cover various leadership frameworks, enabling learners to adapt their approach:
Not all courses deliver equal value. These indicators help distinguish substance from superficiality:
Udemy allows previewing several lectures before purchase. Use this feature to evaluate:
Honest assessment requires acknowledging constraints:
Traditional leadership programmes derive significant value from cohort interaction—diverse perspectives, relationship building, and peer accountability. Udemy's self-paced model eliminates this dimension.
Without fixed schedules, deadlines, or cohort pressure, completion relies entirely on self-motivation. Udemy's completion rates (while not publicly disclosed) are likely lower than traditional programmes.
Udemy certificates carry minimal weight with employers or professional bodies. The learning matters; the certificate largely doesn't.
The open marketplace model means quality varies dramatically. Excellent courses exist alongside mediocre or poor alternatives, requiring careful evaluation.
Even comprehensive courses cannot match the depth of multi-week programmes with expert faculty, case discussions, and experiential exercises. Udemy works best for foundational or supplementary learning.
Instructors cannot provide individualised coaching or feedback on your specific leadership challenges—a significant limitation compared to premium programmes with personal development components.
Strategy transforms passive consumption into genuine development:
Research insight: Studies consistently show that application within 30 days dramatically increases learning retention. Passive viewing without implementation wastes both time and money.
Understanding alternatives helps contextualise Udemy's position:
| Platform | Model | Price Range | Credential Value | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Udemy | Marketplace | £15-£100/course | Low | Budget-conscious, self-directed learners |
| LinkedIn Learning | Subscription | £25-£30/month | Moderate | Integration with professional profile |
| Coursera | Partnership | £30-£80/course or subscription | Higher (university partners) | Academic credentials |
| edX | Partnership | Free-£200/course | Higher (university partners) | Academic rigour |
| Harvard Online | University | £500-£2,000+ | High | Prestigious credentials |
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Corporate perspective matters if you're seeking employer-supported development:
The statistic that 80% of Fortune 100 companies use Udemy Business indicates significant corporate confidence. These organisations provide employees access to curated course libraries, suggesting the platform's content meets corporate standards when properly selected.
Human resource professionals increasingly recognise online learning as a legitimate development channel, particularly for:
Udemy certificates alone rarely satisfy formal development requirements or professional designation maintenance. They supplement rather than replace recognised credentials.
Several trends are reshaping digital leadership education:
Artificial intelligence increasingly personalises learning paths, provides automated feedback, and adapts content to individual progress. Udemy and competitors are investing in these capabilities.
Shorter, focused modules—sometimes just minutes long—allow learning integration into busy schedules. The comprehensive course format may increasingly complement bite-sized alternatives.
Platforms are adding cohort and community features that address the peer learning gap inherent in self-paced formats. Udemy Business already incorporates team learning capabilities.
As online learning matures, credential recognition may increase. Some employers already value demonstrated completion of relevant courses, particularly when combined with applied results.
Udemy offers genuine value for leadership development—with appropriate expectations. The platform excels at delivering accessible, affordable content from experienced practitioners. It falls short on credentials, networking, and the transformative intensity of premium programmes.
For new managers, aspiring leaders, and professionals seeking specific skill development, Udemy provides an excellent starting point or supplement to other development. Course selection matters enormously: invest time in evaluation before committing, prioritise highly-rated courses from credentialled instructors, and approach learning with deliberate implementation intent.
The most effective approach often combines Udemy's accessibility with other development formats: read widely, seek mentorship, pursue formal education for credentials when needed, and treat online courses as one component of continuous leadership growth.
Leadership development is ultimately measured not by courses completed but by capabilities demonstrated. Udemy can contribute meaningfully to that development—but only if you bring the discipline, application, and reflection that transform content consumption into genuine leadership improvement.
"Leadership: Practical Leadership Skills" by Chris Croft consistently ranks among the best, with 95,000+ students and a 4.6 rating. It combines theoretical frameworks like Adair's leadership matrix with 20 practical daily techniques. "Leadership & Management Essentials" claims the highest student-voted rating with 165,000+ enrolments across 201 countries.
List prices typically range from £50-£150, but frequent sales reduce costs to £10-£20. Udemy runs promotional pricing multiple times monthly, so waiting for sales yields significant savings. Udemy Business subscription starts around $20/month for enterprise access to curated courses.
Udemy certificates carry limited formal recognition compared to university or professional body credentials. However, 80% of Fortune 100 companies use Udemy Business for employee development, indicating corporate confidence in the platform's educational value. Certificates demonstrate initiative but rarely satisfy formal credential requirements.
Udemy effectively delivers content and foundational skills but cannot replicate the networking, peer learning, faculty interaction, and institutional prestige of traditional programmes. For senior executives or those seeking career-defining credentials, traditional options remain superior. Udemy works best as a supplement or entry point.
Course lengths vary from 3-4 hours for focused topics to 30+ hours for comprehensive programmes. Most substantive leadership courses run 8-15 hours. Self-paced delivery means completion time depends on your schedule—some finish in days, others spread learning over weeks or months.
Comprehensive courses cover communication, emotional intelligence, strategic thinking, team leadership, motivation, delegation, conflict resolution, decision-making, and various leadership styles (transformational, servant, situational, authentic, adaptive). The platform offers both foundational courses and specialised topics.
Evaluate courses based on enrolment numbers, rating scores, instructor credentials, curriculum specificity, review content (not just star ratings), and recent update dates. Use the preview feature to assess instructor style and production quality. Prioritise courses adopted by Udemy Business for additional quality assurance.