It’s been nearly a decade since the online learning platform Skillshare first launched, and it doesn’t seem like it will be slowing down any time soon.
Currently, it’s home to nearly 30,000 easy-to-follow classes covering all kinds of skills and subject matters through engaging video tutorials. While you can enjoy open access to courses on a free trial, Skillshare classes are locked behind a yearly subscription fee.
So what is Skillshare, and is it worth it for you? After using the platform for quite some time, I’ve assembled some thoughts to help you decide. To learn more about one of the most popular learning platforms out there, keep reading; I’ve included everything from pricing to the best courses and more!
Special offer: Grab a full month of Skillshare Premium for free at this promotional link.
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Table of contents
What is Skillshare?
Skillshare is an online learning platform and community for creative people who want to learn illustration, design, photography, writing, technology, entrepreneurship, and more.
What makes it unique when compared to other learning platforms is that each course is focused on learning a specific task, typically in less than an hour.
This makes it a fantastic choice for busy people who want to enhance their skills with a quick course on logo design, taking care of houseplants, or knitting a simple scarf!
Read also: 100+ creative hobbies to try, and how to get started
However, not all courses are short; there are also a lot of longer, more in-depth tutorials on software available as well. The longest I’ve seen is this Adobe Photoshop CC Advanced Training Course, which runs nearly 14 hours long (and is a great course to boot!).
In addition to creative courses, Skillshare also has a social component, although it isn’t exactly at the level of a social media platform. You can share your work with classmates.
Skillshare is a North American company, and although nowadays its users are spread all around the world, nearly all courses are featured in English. The platform boasts more than 5 million users, most of whom are in the United States.
How does Skillshare work?
Skillshare works as an online streaming platform, so you pick the class you want to take and a queue of videos will appear. Think of it like an interactive YouTube playlist where someone teaches you how to do something!
Although classes can be taken on a temporary free trial, you will need to subscribe for a yearly subscription called Skillshare Premium. Thanks to a special promotion, you can currently get a full month of Premium for free here.
As you work your way through a course, you can interact with your teacher and fellow students in the Discussions tab. Most instructors provide answers to questions and project feedback fairly quickly, but be patient as teaching usually isn’t their full-time job.
Once you conclude your final class assignment, you can share it under the Projects & Resources tab. There you can like other students’ work, or even follow their profiles to see more!
Who teaches Skillshare classes?
Virtually anyone can teach a Skillshare class as long as they master a skill and have the resources to create a course. To be honest, the bar of entry for new teachers is relatively low.
This means that the platform features a mix of professional instructors and hobbyists who may not always have previous teaching experience. On the other hand, it also means that there is a constant stream of new classes available and a wide variety of topics covered.
That said, not every course on the platform will be a winner. But since you get full access to the platform’s entire catalog under a single subscription fee, you’re guaranteed to find quality courses in virtually every category.
In my experience, what works best is finding a teacher you like and checking out more of their content on the platform. If they’re professional instructors, they’ll likely have several high-quality courses in the same niche.
A bit further down in the guide I recommend a few of my favorite teachers and some tips on finding the best classes!
How do I teach a Skillshare class?
If you want to create your own class on Skillshare, the process of getting your content on the platform is relatively painless. The platform isn’t too picky when it comes to subject matter or course quality (within reason), as long as it adheres to the platform’s guidelines.
The real work is in planning and building the course in the first place.
To help, Skillshare provides several programs to get new teachers started, including a complete Teacher’s Handbook as well as a few classes packed with great tips for newbie instructors.
Definitely check these two out, even if you plan on creating classes on other platforms. They’re really handy resources — and free!
How much does Skillshare pay?
Skillshare claims that top teachers can make over $100,000 yearly, but casual teachers will make much less than this. How much the platform rewards you will depend on how many hours paying subscribers spend watching your content.
Teachers need to have a minimum of 30 minutes watched by paying members to receive payment. It also helps to have several courses available so people who enjoy your first course can jump to the next one!
However, it’s not all good news for Skillshare teachers. An option was recently added to change the playback speed of courses, which can and will have an effect on your bottom line as a teacher. 30 minutes watched at 2x speed only counts as 15 minutes for payouts.
Also, any time watched by users on a free trial doesn’t count. Plus, although there’s a large pool of users, you’re at the mercy of the search algorithm to get your courses in front of them.
Still, it can be worth it to create a course on Skillshare. There’s a huge community and engaged userbase already built into the platform.
And don’t worry, it’s a completely legitimate platform and will dispense payments on time and in full. Learn more or get started by clicking the button below.
How much is Skillshare?
A year of Skillshare Premium costs $165, which works out to $13.75 per month.
However, Skillshare offers a generous free trial. Typically it’s limited to 7 days, but you can get a full month of Premium for free with this link!
Another thing to consider is that your annual subscription can be refunded, but only for 14 days after purchase.
Becoming a Skillshare Premium subscriber has more benefits than just access to classes, like the ability to download courses for offline viewing. Check out a full list of benefits below.
Benefits of Skillshare Premium:
- Access to all classes: Nearly 30,000 classes are unlocked with a single fee.
- Enhanced community access: Get feedback and advice for your projects from Skillshare’s growing community.
- Offline access: Download classes on your phone or tablet via the app for offline viewing.
- Support your favorite teachers: Membership fees go towards paying your favorite teachers.
- Other perks: Discounts on other services like Squarespace, Canva, Adobe Creative Cloud, Todoist, and others.
Save money with Skillshare discount codes
One way to save a little money on a fairly pricey Premium subscription is with a Skillshare discount code. These change from time to time, and they aren’t always available.
As of writing, you can save 10% with the code LEARN10. This one has been available for a while, so hopefully it won’t expire any time soon.
Is Skillshare worth it?
I can sit here and describe the platform all day, but the million-dollar question is this: Is Skillshare worth it?
Sure, you can access classes with a short-term free trial, so you don’t technically have to spend any money. However, this is a temporary fix.
To help you decide whether or not the platform is right for you, I’ve collected my experience into a simple list of pros and cons below. Below that, I’ve expanded on each point and provided a final verdict.
Pros
- Ongoing growing library
- Simple and easy to use
Cons
- Many low-quality courses
- Requires persistent yearly subscription
Pro: Constantly growing library
One of Skillshare’s biggest advantages is its enormous course library. Since most courses are short and teacher-uploaded, there’s always new content being added.
There are currently around 30,000 courses, so you’re guaranteed to find something that interests you, no matter how niche your creative hobbies may be.
Con: Many low-quality courses
The downside of teacher-uploaded courses is that not all of them are bound to be winners. In fact, many of them are simply not worth your time even if you can access them with a free trial.
Searching for courses often returns thousands of results, and it can be tough to separate the wheat from the chaff.
The best way to do this is to find a teacher you like and check out the rest of their courses. If you’re new to the platform, you can also rely on user reviews and staff picks.
I’ve listed some advice for new users on finding the best classes below, so keep reading or scroll down if you’re interested!
Pro: Simple and easy to use
Although it can be difficult to sort through the massive catalog of courses, the process of searching for and watching courses couldn’t be simpler thanks to how intuitive this platform is.
Videos are essentially laid out in a linear playlist, so you can just sit back and watch. Content is also broken into short segments, so it’s easy to jump back and revisit difficult sections.
The mobile app isn’t quite as good an experience as the browser version, but it’s still a good way to watch courses on the go. Plus, it’s the only way to download videos to watch offline.
Con: Requires persistent subscription
While it’s great that you can unlock the platform’s entire library with a single yearly subscription, this payment scheme also means that you lose access when you stop paying.
Other options, like Domestika and Udemy, allow you to purchase courses individually and keep them forever. The fact that Skillshare doesn’t offer this means you can’t go back and rewatch courses you liked unless you keep paying.
Even some other subscription platforms like Creativebug and Craftsy are more accessible by offering a monthly plan. The fact that you have to pay $165 once your free trial ends can be daunting for hobbyists on a budget.
Verdict: Is Skillshare worth it?
If you like to learn new skills related to a myriad of topics, Skillshare is absolutely worth it. Access to thousands of classes for a single fee represents a great value for frequent learners.
However, if what you’re after is in-depth classes on a specific craft or subject, Skillshare may not be the right choice. Scroll down a bit to see a few Skillshare alternatives that might be a better fit.
If you’re not sure, the good news is that you can try it out for free. You can try out a few free classes right away by starting your free trial of Skillshare Premium below.
Skillshare free trial: Get Skillshare for free!
As mentioned above, the platform normally only offers a 7-day free trial, but there is an ongoing promotion offering a Skillshare free month-long trial.
You can take a lot of classes in a month, so it’s a great way to find out whether or not you like the platform before spending a dime!
How to find the best Skillshare classes
With tens of thousands of classes about hundreds of different topics available, it can be hard to pick out the best Skillshare classes from the list. Plus, many classes truly aren’t worth your time, so it’s easy to make the wrong choice.
I’ve put together a short list of recommendations on how to find the best Skillshare classes, but ultimately the best way is to test out different courses until you find teachers and content that meet your expectations.
Still, here’s a good place to start!
Skillshare Originals and Staff Picks
Many years ago, Skillshare began getting bad press for low course quality. So, to combat this, in 2018, the company started to develop Skillshare Originals.
These classes are produced by Skillshare itself, and today there are nearly 700 different Skillshare Original classes available on the platform. Virtually all of them are worth taking — and great suggestions to jumpstart your learning!
Here is a quick list of some of the best Skillshare Original classes:
- Digital Illustration: Learn to Use Procreate
- Graphic Design Basics: Core Principles for Visual Design
- Productivity Masterclass: Create a Custom System that Works
- Fundamentals of DSLR Photography
- Hand Lettering Essentials for Beginners
Staff Picks are another great way to find courses. These are handpicked classes that meet the high standards set by editors. You can check out the full list here, but keep in mind that there are one or two new courses picked every week.
Best Skillshare teachers
Another helpful way to find the best courses on the platform is to filter by teacher. Since the quality of your content will depend heavily on how good your instructor is, following some of the best teachers on the platform is a safe bet.
There isn’t a list of the top Skillshare teachers anywhere that I could find. Therefore, I’ve gathered my favorites below to help you get started. They all teach multiple courses, so I’ve also listed their areas of expertise to give you an idea of what they offer. Just click the name to see their complete list of classes!
Best Skillshare teachers
- Jake Bartlett: After Effects, motion graphics, lettering
- Aaron Draplin: Logo design, graphic design, illustration
- Christine Nishiyama: Character design, illustration, drawing
- Sean Dalton: Photography, Instagram marketing
- Dale McManus: Smartphone photography, Instagram marketing
- Daniel Scott: Adobe Suite, graphic design
- Cat Coquillette: Illustration, painting, Photoshop
- Thomas Frank: Productivity
- Brent Eviston: Drawing, creativity
- Rich Armstrong: Art, web design, motion graphics
Skillshare alternatives
Skillshare is certainly one of the largest online learning platforms for creatives, but it definitely isn’t the only one.
Read also: The 10 best online course platforms for creatives
Nowadays you have a number of options to try out, and each one has its own unique benefits and drawbacks.
Here’s a short selection of Skillshare competitors and a few reasons why they might be a better choice for you!
Skillshare vs Domestika
If you find yourself wanting more high-quality classes like Skillshare Originals, you should definitely check out Domestika. It’s filled with hundreds of courses hosted by experts and produced by a team of in-house professionals.
Both are focused primarily on skills for creatives, but Domestika courses tend to be significantly longer and more in-depth. You also buy them individually rather than paying for a subscription, costing from $10-40 each. Once purchased, you will never lose access.
Learn more: Skillshare vs Domestika
If you’re interested in a subscription vs. paying for courses individually, the platform also features Domestika Plus. This is a membership plan that can be paid monthly or yearly and offers perks like signed completion certificates, course bundle discounts, and more. It’s perfect if you do lots of online learning!
The only downside I would point out is that most of the courses on the platform are in Spanish with English subtitles. Besides English, classes are subtitled in other languages, such as Portuguese, German, Italian, French, and others.
However, know that while Spanish courses are still the majority, there’s a growing catalog of fantastic English-language Domestika courses that are becoming increasingly popular by the day!
Skillshare vs Udemy
Udemy is another major international competitor, with courses in a number of different languages. In fact, most of its users are located outside of the United States.
Like Skillshare, Udemy courses are produced and uploaded by teachers themselves (professional or amateur), which means there are tons of courses on offer, but they might not always be of the highest quality.
Read also: Udemy vs Skillshare
Udemy courses tend to be more in-depth, and are sold individually as one-off purchases. You won’t lose access once you buy them, but they can be expensive (hundreds of dollars).
However, (very) frequent sales bring these prices down by as much as 95%, which is a much better value for what you get. Check it out at the link below.
Skillshare vs MasterClass
In many ways, Masterclass takes the complete opposite approach to online courses as Skillshare. Each class is taught by well-known and respected professionals, many of whom are celebrities in their own right.
Learn storytelling from Neil Gaiman, music production from Timbaland, cooking from Gordon Ramsay, or acting from Natalie Portman. As you might expect, each class is impeccably produced, although the list of topics covered is fairly limited.
MasterClass also has a single subscription fee that unlocks all content on the platform. However, it’s billed annually and costs $200. This makes it an expensive but interesting way to learn new skills.
Skillshare vs LinkedIn Learning
Formerly known as Lynda, LinkedIn Learning is a very popular platform and has existed for more than two decades now.
Both LinkedIn Learning and Skillshare offer all-you-can-watch subscriptions. However, LinkedIn Learning’s premium subscription is significantly more expensive at $39,99 a month, or $19.99 a month if you sign up to pay annually.
This is due to the significantly higher course quality, with all courses following a similar curriculum and strict requirements for teachers enforced.
As you might imagine, LinkedIn Learning is more focused on job-oriented skills and offers certificates to add directly to your LinkedIn profile upon completion. Check this one out if you’re looking to boost your career and learn some new creative skills!
Other FAQ
Can you download Skillshare videos?
Yes, but only on the Android and iOS apps. Simply navigate to the class you want to download and press the Download class button. Once they’re finished downloading, you can watch the videos offline at your leisure!
Who owns Skillshare?
Skillshare is a private company that was founded by Michael Karnjanaprakorn and Malcolm Ong. It’s funded by 21 different investors, raising over $100 million over 8 rounds of funding.
Where is it located?
The company is headquartered in New York City, right in the heart of Manhattan.
Is Skillshare accredited?
Skillshare classes are not accredited, as most of them can be completed in an hour or less. Classes are intended to teach a single skill rather than a full working knowledge of a topic or software.
Still, it may be worthwhile to include courses on your resume if you don’t have much experience. Another solution is to take courses on a different platform, like LinkedIn Learning or Domestika.
What is Skillshare Premium?
Skillshare Premium is the platform’s subscription service. All classes require an active Premium subscription, but you can get a month-long free trial to check it out before paying.
How much is Skillshare Premium’s yearly cost?
Skillshare Premium costs $165 for a yearly subscription (the equivalent to $13.75 a month).
Can I get a refund on Skillshare Premium?
Skillshare has a fairly restrictive policy on subscription refunds, but you can get a refund in certain circumstances.
Be aware that the time it takes to get your money back will vary depending on several factors. For example, Skillshare will not be able cancel, refund, or manage subscriptions bought through apps like the iOS App Store or Google Play.
Click here to learn more.
Is Skillshare legit?
Skillshare is absolutely legit for both students and teachers. It isn’t cheap, but it offers a lot of great courses to explore, and payments to teachers are always made on time and in full.
Does Skillshare teach languages?
Yes! There are hundreds of language lessons on Skillshare, including Spanish, French, Italian, Korean, Japanese, and many others. There are even courses for American sign language! Check out the full list of language classes here.
Does Skillshare have coding classes?
Yes! There are well over a thousand coding classes, including Python, CSS, HTML, Javascript, and more. They might not be as good as classes on dedicated coding platforms like Codecademy, but they’re perfect for people looking to learn a variety of skills, including passing coding interviews.
Udemy also offers a Udemy Pro subscription specifically designed to help students accomplish IT certification goals.
Check out all coding classes on Skillshare here.
Can I use Skillshare on Roku?
No, it does not currently work on Roku streaming devices.
Can I use Skillshare on Xbox? What about PlayStation consoles?
No, it does not currently work on Xbox or PlayStation consoles.
Can I use Skillshare on Amazon Fire TV?
No, it does not currently work on Amazon Fire TV devices.
That’s it for this comprehensive guide to everything Skillshare! Let me know if you have any more questions or comments below. Happy learning!
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