Udemy
Udemy is a marketplace of video courses on practical skills. You buy a course, watch the lectures, and the content is yours to revisit. The marketplace browse experience is the main engagement surface.
Why this score
Courses themselves are structured with clear endpoints.
The marketplace home screen surfaces algorithmic recommendations and flash sales, which can turn a quick visit into extended browsing.
The breakdown
- Attention Capture2.0
Mechanics designed to keep you in the app right now — infinite scroll, autoplay, variable rewards, and reactive swipe-tap loops.
- Habit Formation3.0
Mechanics designed to bring you back — streak coercion, default push notifications, and re-engagement of dormant users.
- Social Pressure1.0
How much the experience exploits social psychology — public metrics, profile curation, and status comparison against others.
- Time Theft2.0
Mechanics that steal more time than you intended to give — no stopping cues, short units, and 'just one more' loops.
- Cognitive Erosion1.0
Mechanics that replace your independent thinking, memory, or judgment — creating dependency on the tool to function.
- Cognitive Nourishment5.0
Whether the app actively strengthens your ability to think for yourself. Shown on the label, but it does not affect the score.
Recommended usage
Buy the course you need and go directly to it. The sale banners are designed to extend your browsing session.