Top 5 Best Reinforcement Learning Courses on Udemy for 2026
Master DQN, Policy Gradients, A2C, Evolution Strategies, and real-world RL trading in 2026.
Reinforcement Learning remains one of the hottest and hardest branches of AI in 2026. This data-driven ranking uses real enrollment numbers, ratings, recent updates, and student feedback from the biggest RL communities (r/reinforcementlearning, r/MachineLearning, Discord groups).
All courses below include:
- Lifetime access
- Udemy Certificate of Completion
- Hands-on coding projects
- 90% off sales ($10–$20)
We filtered 30+ RL courses and kept only the ones that are actively updated in 2025–2026 and have proven results.
1. Advanced AI: Deep Reinforcement Learning in PyTorch (v2) by Lazy Programmer
About This Course
The undisputed #1 Deep RL course on Udemy with 50,000+ students and 4.7/5 rating from 8,000+ reviews. Taught by the Lazy Programmer (2M+ students across 50+ ML courses), this is the most comprehensive and up-to-date Deep RL course in 2026. Version 2 (2024–2025) completely rewrote everything with Gymnasium, Stable Baselines 3, and modern PyTorch best practices. Students build agents that master Atari games using DQN, Double DQN, A2C, and Policy Gradients from scratch. Reddit (r/reinforcementlearning) calls it “the gold standard” – many researchers and FAANG engineers started here.
Latest Updates (2025)
- Full migration to Gymnasium (post-OpenAI Gym)
- Added Stable Baselines 3 implementations
- New sections on entropy regularization, performance tuning, and debugging tips
What You’ll Learn
- Core RL: MDPs, Bellman equation, Monte Carlo, TD Learning
- Deep Q-Networks (DQN), Experience Replay, Target Networks
- Policy Gradients, Actor-Critic (A2C/A3C)
- Hands-on Atari games with PyTorch from scratch
- Modern libraries: Gymnasium, Stable Baselines 3
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Most comprehensive & constantly updated (v2 in 2025) | Assumes solid Python & basic neural network knowledge |
| From scratch + library implementations | Not beginner-friendly for total ML newbies |
| Active Q&A – Lazy Programmer answers daily | |
| 50K+ students – huge community |
- Enrollment: 50,000+ students
- Rating: 4.7/5 (8,000+ reviews)
- Duration: 18 hours
- Last Updated: June 2025
- Best for: Intermediate to advanced learners wanting deep understanding
Enroll Now: Advanced AI: Deep Reinforcement Learning in PyTorch (50K+ Students) →
2. Fundamentals of Reinforcement Learning by Tom Walker
About This Course
The best pure theory + intuition course in RL. Tom Walker (ex-DeepMind engineer) delivers a crystal-clear journey from k-armed bandits → MDPs → TD learning → planning. No heavy coding, but deep mathematical and conceptual mastery. Perfect companion to Lazy Programmer courses. Students say it finally made the Bellman equation click.
What You’ll Learn
- Bandits, MDPs, Dynamic Programming
- Monte Carlo, TD(λ), SARSA, Q-Learning
- Function approximation and the deadly triad
- Real-world applications (Google data center cooling, fusion reactors)
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Best theoretical foundation available | Minimal coding (theory-focused) |
| Taught by ex-DeepMind engineer | Not project-heavy |
| Excellent visuals and explanations |
- Enrollment: 15,000+ students
- Rating: 4.7/5
- Duration: 12 hours
- Last Updated: March 2025
- Best for: Students who want to truly understand RL before coding
Enroll Now: Fundamentals of Reinforcement Learning →
3. Evolutionary AI: Deep Reinforcement Learning in Python (v2) by Lazy Programmer
About This Course
The only course teaching Evolution Strategies (ES) and Augmented Random Search (ARS) – gradient-free alternatives that often beat DQN/PPO in continuous control and noisy environments (like trading). Train agents on MuJoCo physics simulations (walking robots) and financial trading. Version 2 updated with Gymnasium and cleaner code.
Continue learning AI Integration Courses? → Top 10 Best AI Integration Courses on Udemy
What You’ll Learn
- Evolution Strategies (ES), ARS from scratch
- MuJoCo continuous control tasks
- RL for algorithmic trading (no gradients needed)
- When evolutionary methods beat policy gradients
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Unique topic – almost no other courses cover ES/ARS | Niche compared to DQN/PPO |
| Simpler & more stable than gradient methods | Fewer real-world success stories than PPO |
- Enrollment: 8,000+ students
- Rating: 4.6/5
- Duration: 10 hours
- Last Updated: May 2025
- Best for: Those interested in gradient-free RL or trading
Enroll Now: Evolutionary AI: Deep Reinforcement Learning →
4. Reinforcement Learning for Algorithmic Trading with Python by Alexander Hagmann
About This Course
The best RL trading course for beginners. Starts with gamified examples (Mountain Car, Lunar Lander), then builds real trading agents. Uses ChatGPT as a coding assistant throughout. Perfect bridge between theory and finance.
What You’ll Learn
- RL basics with simple OpenAI Gym games
- Q-Learning, Deep Q-Networks for trading
- Backtesting RL agents on real market data
- Using ChatGPT to debug and improve agents
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Beginner-friendly with gamification | Less depth than Lazy Programmer courses |
| Real trading application | Focused only on trading |
- Enrollment: 10,000+ students
- Rating: 4.6/5
- Duration: 14 hours
- Last Updated: April 2025
- Best for: Traders wanting to apply RL
Enroll Now: RL for Algorithmic Trading with Python →
5. Artificial Intelligence: Reinforcement Learning in Python by Lazy Programmer
About This Course
The original classic (2017) that launched thousands of RL careers. Still excellent for stock trading and online advertising applications. Covers Q-Learning, SARSA, and approximate methods with real finance examples.
Continue learning AI and Machine Learning Courses? → Top 10 Best AI and Machine Learning Courses on Udemy
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Proven track record (100K+ students total) | Older code (pre-Gymnasium) |
| Great for trading/advertising focus | Less modern than v2 courses |
- Enrollment: 100,000+ lifetime
- Rating: 4.6/5
- Duration: 14 hours
- Last Updated: 2023 (still relevant)
- Best for: Trading-focused learners on a budget
Enroll Now: Artificial Intelligence: Reinforcement Learning in Python →
Quick Comparison Table (2026 Edition)
| Rank | Course | Enrollments | Rating | Hours | Updated | Price (Sale) | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Advanced AI: Deep RL in PyTorch (v2) | 50K+ | 4.7 | 18 | Jun 2025 | $12.99 | Deep understanding + modern code |
| 2 | Fundamentals of RL (Tom Walker) | 15K+ | 4.7 | 12 | Mar 2025 | $11.99 | Theory & intuition |
| 3 | Evolutionary AI (v2) | 8K+ | 4.6 | 10 | May 2025 | $12.99 | Gradient-free RL & trading |
| 4 | RL for Algorithmic Trading | 10K+ | 4.6 | 14 | Apr 2025 | $13.99 | Trading beginners |
| 5 | AI: RL in Python (Classic) | 100K+ | 4.6 | 14 | 2023 | $10.99 | Budget trading focus |
How to Choose Your Perfect RL Course in 2026
| Your Goal | Recommended Course | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Best overall / most up-to-date | #1 Lazy Programmer v2 | Modern code, Atari projects, active support |
| Strongest theory | #2 Tom Walker | Ex-DeepMind clarity |
| Trading focus | #4 Hagmann or #5 Classic | Real finance applications |
| Gradient-free / robotics | #3 Evolutionary AI | Unique ES/ARS approach |
Pro Tip: Start with #2 (theory) → #1 (deep coding) → #3 or #4 (specialization)
FAQs: Reinforcement Learning Courses on Udemy 2026
Q: Which is the best Reinforcement Learning course for beginners on Udemy?
A: Fundamentals of Reinforcement Learning by Tom Walker – clearest theory, no prior deep coding needed.
Q: How much do these Udemy RL courses cost?
A: $10–$20 during sales (90% off regular $199). Prices fluctuate – check Udemy.
Q: Do I get a certificate?
A: Yes – Udemy Certificate of Completion, shareable on LinkedIn.
Q: Can I run these on mobile?
A: Yes – Udemy app supports offline download and quizzes.
Q: Any free alternatives?
A: David Silver’s course (YouTube), Spinning Up (OpenAI) – but no structure, projects, or certificates.
Disclosure: Affiliate links. We earn commission at no extra cost to you. Data accurate as of November 19, 2025.