The 5 Best PMP Udemy Courses of all-time

Publish Date - February 24th, 2022

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Last Modified - September 4th, 2023

The Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification is one of the most coveted project management certifications in the world, boasting over a million certified members across the globe. The PMP is the perfect blend of theoretical and practical knowledge, combined with skills drawn from a number of guides. These include the PMBOK7, an agile practice guide and a number of other books and guides that I will refer to in this article. To see more, please refer to the PMP’s reference list! This is what drew me to write this post, as the reading list for the PMP is so comprehensive, it’s hard to find a resource that can give you 90% of the knowledge you need to pass the exam.

I hope my PMP Udemy Review helps you on your journey to get the PMP certification (just like Udemy helped me get my Project Management Institute (PMI) Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP®)) certification. 

Update: Due to some of the links on this list, and the amazing practice exams at PM prepcast, I was able to pass the PMP exam in mid-2023 April!

With above target for all categories (People, Processes and Business environment). PM prepcast exam prep was by far the best tool I used to learn and understand the rigors of the PMP test. While it’s a lot more expensive, no course and exam prepared me like the courses offer by Prep cast. The only comparable courses are the ones offer by the PMI, but their exams and practice questions are a lot complicated than the ones I saw on the exam. There will be a full PMP review + an ACP vs. PMP article coming soon!

Who are Udemy PMP prep courses for? 

Anyone can take a Udemy PMP prep course since they give you the required Personal Development Units (PDUs) to maintain your PMI certifications. There are no prerequisites for these courses (except a modest fee). However, they will help some people in their project careers more than others. 

For example, the more experience you have as a project manager (PM) (including if you’ve led teams, delivered and shipped products, or worked on projects on-schedule and on budget), the less compelling the content will be for you. Modeling after my Novice expert scale article and the Dreyfus model of skill acquisition, I believe that there are 5 stages of project professionals. 

For those who don’t know the Dreyfus model, it’s the concept that there are 5 stages of adult learning in every single skill acquired. 

These 5 “performers” are:

1. Novice
2. Advanced beginner
3. Competent
4. Proficient
5. Expert

Here is my own model of project professionals, based on the theory above:

1. A novice project manager: Someone who’s just started out in project management at an entry level (e.g.,a project coordinator or assistant project manager) and is learning the general rules and duties of a PM. 
2. An advanced beginner project manager: A person who understands the rules and duties of a PM and lives within them. I believe that PMI’s Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)certification is a perfect representation of this, since this is when someone can clearly define what a PM is supposed to do, but may not have enough experience to lead a large project. 
3. A competent project manager: A project manager who has three to four years of experience leading teams and projects. Quite regularly, a competent project manager will have their PMP or a number of other certifications (e.g, SAFe5 for Lean Enterprises, PMI’s Agile Certified Practitioner (ACP), Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)). These are the PMs you look for to ship products and get things done autonomously.
4. A proficient project manager: A project manager who has over five to 10 years of experience and shapes the rules around any project, feature, and task given to them. They’ve worked with many teams in many frameworks, and are multi-disciplined and skilled in their trade. You might see these PMs shaping the rules of the Project Management Office (PMO). 
5. An expert project manager: A project lead or someone who leads PMO. They are the standard that your organizational project managers will rally around. They will be a leader, guide, and one of the best on your team. They always have a fantastic solution to every problem. 

If you’re interested in seeing and learning what requirements will take to acquire the PMP, visit the PMP prerequisites and requirements for more information.

Now that’s done, let’s dive into each individual course I’ve recommended in this post. 

Special mention of my PMP practice exam course

Due to the issues with many “quality Udemy PMP practice exam courses”, I decided to write my own practice exam course on Udemy. While it may not be very popular YET, everyone who has audited the course or has taken it has loved it. I also offer live coaching on ADPlist for those aspirants looking to talk to someone on studying for the exam.

Buy my Udemy PMP practice exam course now (discounted price)!

The Best 6 Udemy PMP Courses 

1. Best overall: PMP Exam Prep Seminar – Complete Exam Coverage with 35 PDUs
2. Top-rated: PMP Certification Exam Prep Course 35 PDU Contact Hours/PDU
3. Runner-up: PMP Exam Prep Project Management Professional Certification
4. Best Udemy PMP course for math: PMP Certification:35+ PDU Formal PMP Exam Prep _New PMP ECO
5. Best Udemy practice exam course: Advanced Level PMP Mock Questions – Note: for some reason, they no longer accept enrollment on this course, so it may not be available for you! Or, you can try my course!
6. Best PMP cramming Udemy course – PMP cramming course

Note: This post is meant to help and guide you on which PMP Udemy course to take. It’s not meant to help you pass the exam. I’m currently studying for the exam with the help of Udemy, so some of my tips may be useful for you. There are affiliate links below to Udemy and other parties that I may receive commissions from. However, I highly recommend these products due to the fact that I’ve audited or taken them before.

1. The Best Overall Udemy PMP Course: Joseph Phillips’ 35 PDU PMP Exam prep seminar

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Overview: An in-depth walkthrough and talkthrough of all things PMP and PMBOK 6 and 7. Joe provides roughly 30 hours of video with comprehensive analysis of each major process, such as project risk, project schedule, and project scope that you may be tested on the PMP exam. Joe also provides detailed mediums to practice, understand, and become competent in the vast amount of PMP terminologies and methodologies. 

This course is for you if you:

• Are looking to take and pass the PMP
• Are a PMP candidate who needs their 35 training hours to take the exam
• Are a PMP holder who needs their 35 PDU hours
• Are looking to know and understand how the PMP can shape project managers

This course is not for you if you:

• Are not actively pursuing the PMP
• Are pursuing other PMI exams like CAPM, ACP or PMI’s Program Management Professional (PgMP) certification
• Have already done a course, such as Andrew Ramdayal’s course below.

Pros:

• Extremely in-depth case studies, which include Earned Value Management (EMV), Input, Tools & Techniques and Output (ITTOs), estimating with float diagrams, and cost management)
• Goes over Agile quite extensively due to the changes in PMBOK7 to PMBOK6 
• Compact videos so that you don’t become too bored or overwhelmed by one subject 
• Quizzes and two full exams before and after the start of the course
• Thorough explanation on how the PMI sees procurement 

Cons:

• Quizzes can have random questions that are not covered in the course material, but can be found in the PMBOK. They also don’t provide appropriate feedback if you’re wrong.
• The connection between units seems to be lacking. While Joe provided ITTOs for every major process, some of the units seemed extremely disjointed. 
• Despite having great case studies, some of them tended to be a little over the top. Also, many students called out that some of the exams didn’t have material that covered the questions.

Here’s how some people ranked the exam!

Verdict:

There are hundreds of people who say they passed the PMP because of this course. I’m currently studying for the PMP and have finished this course. An in-depth review and my notes will be available in the future (once I pass the exam 🙂 ). Ultimately, you can’t go wrong for the money that you pay for this course. 

Note: I finished the course in April 2022.

That being said, I doubt that you can exclusively take this course and pass the exam, from my experiences taking the PMI-ACP. If I had only done Joe’s course I wouldn’t have passed the ACP my first time. I also feel that Joe’s course misses out on some of the principles of the PMBOK7 due to the transition of the exam base from PMBOK6 – PMBOK7 (although he compensates for this with over 6 hours of Agile-related content at the end of his course). 

However, if you’re looking to pass the PMP your first time, I believe that this course is a must-have (but should not be used as the only means to study and prepare).

2. The Top Rated Udemy PMP Course: PMP Certification Exam Prep Course 35 PDU Contact Hours/PDU by Andrew Ramdayal

Overview:

Similar to Joseph Phillips’ course, Andrew Ramdayal is a highly skilled PMP professional with many years in the industry. The course is comparable to many other PMP courses, but Andrew also brings a sense of understanding and practical experience. In addition, he dives deep into hybrid models in his PMP course and tries to incorporate as much information as possible from the PMBOK7.

This course is for you if you::

• Are looking to take and pass the PMP
• Are a PMP candidate who needs their 35 training hours to take the exam
• Are a PMP holder who needs their 35 PDU hours
• Are looking to understand how the PMP can shape project managers

This course is not for you if you::

• Are not actively pursuing the PMP
• Are pursuing other PMI exams like CAPM, ACP or PgMP
• Have already done a course like Joseph Phillips’

Pros:

• Good examples and case studies to work on
• Strong instructional information on agile methodologies; especially scrum, tailoring, and hybrid models
• A lot of downloadable comprehensive resources, which will give you practical experience in critical pathing, risk, and Earned Value Management (EVM)
• Andrew regularly replies to his course’s feedback

Cons:

• This course is long: One of the longest Udemy courses I’ve ever seen
• Andrew can be a little monotone in his approach, and because this course is so long, it’s difficult to actually keep your attention
• Some of the chapters are a little overboard and not necessary (I’m thinking more specifically of the ‘Mindset’ chapter) 

Here’s what some users have to say!

Verdict:

Definitely a close second to Joseph Phillips’ course, especially if you’re looking for something different and another perspective on the PMP exam. However, I often found myself skipping through some of the chapters because I either knew the information already, it was verbatim from the PMBOK guide, or it felt like it didn’t have a place in my study notes (was more of Andrew’s own opinions than actual study material).

Bonus: Andrew has a review about the PMBOK7, which many people don’t know about. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrJE0TvErh8 His YouTube channel is packed full with good info! 

3. Runner-up:  PMP Exam Prep Project Management Professional Certification by Umer Waqar, PMP. 

Overview:

Even though this course is on the shorter side of PMP Udemy exam preps, Umer Waqar still provides 20 hours of strong content on all processes for passing your PMP exam. There’s also been an update to the PMBOK6 and 7,with the latter more concerned with agile project management. 

Umer also covers in-depth concepts of scrum (Agile rituals, roles, and artifacts), and – the most important thing – the new exam content as outlined by PMI. 

This course is for you if you::

• Are looking to take and pass the PMP
• Are a PMP candidate who needs their 35 training hours to take the exam
• Are a PMP holder who needs their 35 PDU hours 
• Are looking to know and understand how the PMP can shape project managers

This course is not for you if you:

• Are not actively pursuing the PMP
• Are pursuing other PMI exams like CAPM, ACP or PgMP
• Have already done a course like Joseph Phillips’ Udemy PMP review 

Pros:

• Pretty good quizzes and questions
• Good coverage of Agile (specifically scrum)
• In-depth coverage of all predictive software life cycles of Agile
• Covers updates to the PMI exam (late 2021) (due to the transition of PMBOK6 to PMBOK7 guide)
• Shorter than Joseph’s and Andrew’s courses

Cons:

• As a native English speaker, I sometimes found it hard to understand Umer
• Scrum is the only Agile methodology covered by Umer’s course and while it’s important, it’s not the end-all be-all
• The downloadable material is a little lacking, compared to Joseph’s and Andrew’s content (which I feel is far superior) 
• He rarely replies to his course’s feedback

What do some students say:

Verdict:

Umer’s PMP prep course is a great way to get ready for the PMP. However, I agree with many of his reviewers that while he touches a lot on scrum and what’s in the PMBOK6 and PMBOK7 guides, he fails to mention other disciplines. There’s less downloadable material and case studies versus Andrew’s and Joseph’s courses, which leaves you needing additional  practical training. However, the course is still a good buy and I have no doubt that people have passed the PMP with it.

4. The Best Udemy PMP Math Course – Joseph Phillips’ PMP Math Prep – PMP Math and Formulas

Overview:

Another Joseph Phillips course, but more specifically focused on math that you might see on the exam. Joseph goes over everything that’s needed to ace any math questions on the PMP exam, which includes Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), time value of money, the concept of opportunity cost and payback period, and project profitability. 

You’ll also learn all of the estimation techniques (Analogous, Parametric, Bottom-up, and Three point), finding float, and EVM.

The course nicely rounds out with build or buy decisions, which are important to procurement. 

This course is for you if you:

• Are looking to take and pass the PMP
• Are a PMP candidate who needs more practice on just PMP math problems

This course is not for you if you:

• Are not actively pursuing the PMP
• Have already passed the PMP
• Are a PMP candidate who is comfortable with their PMP math skills 
• Are pursuing other PMI exams like CAPM, ACP or PgMP 
• Are a scrum master (Agile uses different metrics to measure success)

Pros:

• Short and sweet, focusing on anything numbers-related you may see in the PMP exam
• In-depth questions, case studies, and slides on everything from calculating your contingency reserve to figuring out float. 
• Good breakdown of each process and what particular mathematics are needed
• Great for extra practice with PMP math

Cons:

• If you’ve done Joseph’s courses before or his PMP reviews, the questions are almost verbatim, so it may feel like you’ve wasted your money
• Can be expensive if you’ve been on Udemy for a while (from $18.99 USD to $104.99 USD). The course is not worth this much. 
• Only 2.5 hours of content

Here’s what some people say:

Verdict

If you’ve never done Joseph Phillips’ PMP review courses and want to brush up on your PMP math, this course is a must-have. While there are some occasional wrong answers, this is a great course to get you started on the path to understanding any math questions on the PMP. However, if you’ve taken Joseph Phillip’s main PMP review course, or even the crash course – that should suffice. 

5. Cramming for the PMP: Here’s the best Udemy PMP course for cramming

Overview:

A special shoutout to Joseph Phillips’ PMP cram review session. This is a condensed version of his full PMP course and does not support you when it comes to PDUs or the necessary training hours for the PMP exam. Nonetheless, it’s a good starting point for you to learn PMP testable material. Instead of spending hours on each particular process, Joseph blazes through the content at an insane pace.

This course is for you if you:

• Already have your necessary hours to take the exam
• Are a PM who wants to brush up on their overall knowledge of the PMP exam
• Are a moderate level PM, who is looking to learn a few skills and eventually get their PMP
• Are not a project manager, but maybe looking to get a better understanding of what PMs do

This course is not for you if you:

• Are a brand new PM who wants to get started by getting their CAPM or CSM
• Have already passed the PMP (as this doesn’t count towards your PDUs)
• Are trying to actually get your 35 training hours to take the PMP

Verdict:

Although it’s a good way to learn what’s required for the PMP, I would advise taking this exam only if you decide that you really need a crash course in what’s required to pass the PMP. A word of warning: When used as a sole means to prepare and study for the PMP, you will not pass the exam. In fact, many people and reviewers who have taken this exam confirmed this to be true. Instead, Joseph intends this course to be a top-up of your knowledge, and a refresher of everything you’ve learned to pass the PMP. 

Ultimately, consider using this course as a framework to study from, as Joseph does lightly touch on every topic in the PMP. 

Wrapping it all up: What is the best Udemy course to take?

The PMP® is one of the most desired project management certifications in the world. With this, comes a slew of study material, prep guides, and practice exams, which can be overwhelming. To help you narrow down your choices, I believe that the following are the 6 best PMP Udemy courses to take, depending on your needs and skill level:

1. PMP Exam Prep Seminar – Complete Exam Coverage with 35 PDUs: The overall best Udemy course, with hundreds of reviewers crediting it to their passing the PMP exam. However, it should be complemented with additional study material, from my experiences taking the PMI-ACP. 
2. PMP Certification Exam Prep Course 35 PDU Contact Hours: A close second, especially if you’re looking for something different and another perspective on the PMP exam. However, if you already have some basic knowledge of PMP, you may find yourself skipping a few chapters here and there. 
3. PMP Exam Prep Project Management Professional Certification: This is a great, runner-up course to get ready for the PMP. However, you may find yourself looking for additional practical training, as it tends to focus a lot on scrum and the PMBOK6 and PMBOK7 guides. 
4. PMP Certification:35+ PDU Formal PMP Exam Prep _New PMP ECO: If you’ve never done Joseph Phillips’ PMP review courses and want to brush up on your PMP math, this course is a must-have.
5. PMP PMBOK 6 Practice Exams: Set Two for PMP Candidates: For when you really need a PMP crash course, or a framework to study from. 

All of these six courses can help you conquer the PMP, and all of them are from Udemy (and anyone can take them!). While Udemy may not be the best platform to learn PMP content, it’s definitely one of the most cost effective courses that also provide a relevant, good experience. I actually break down Udemy in one of my articles and whether it’s a platform worth pursuing. 

One quick note about PMP Udemy courses! They’re lifetime access and provide insight into 95% of all the process groups that are required knowledge on the PMP exam. 

Also, many of them are verified by the PMI for accuracy and relevancy. You can tell, since the PMI accepts these courses as PDUs. (They’re PMI registered education providers).

You also have a money-back guarantee if the course does not meet your needs. 

Finally, most of the instructors have tons of real-life experience being project managers, providing in-person project management training, or running their own training programs.

If your plan is to take the PMP and pass the exam, Udemy is a great source of information that doesn’t break the bank. While most PMP seminars and courses can cost an upwards of $1,000 USD, Udemy should never be more than $20 USD for a course. As someone who’s completed dozens of Udemy courses and Coursera courses, you can never go wrong with either of their courses. 

I hope my tips will not only help you choose the right PMP Udemy course, but ultimately pass the exam!

Thanks for reading my article, let me know if you have any questions or comments below!