Hi readers! Like many during the pandemic-charged shift to remote learning, I too plunged headfirst into the realm of e-learning platforms. From marketing tactics to mastering the piano, my quest to continually expand my skillsets led me to two titans in the online education universe – MasterClass and Skillshare.
Over the past two years as a paying subscriber to both platforms, I‘ve come to recognize their respective strengths and weaknesses when it comes to delivering educational value. If you too find yourself overwhelmed by the plethora of virtual course offerings, let my insights guide you towards deciding: MasterClass or Skillshare?
Sizing Up the Contenders
First, let me paint a quick picture of the history and approach behind each platform vying for your long-term learning loyalty.
Launched in 2015 in San Francisco by David Rogier and Aaron Rasmussen, MasterClass has raised over $300 million in funds from investors enamored by its polished celebrity-instructor model. We‘re talking household names like Serena Williams showing us tennis backhands or Gordon Ramsay dishing out culinary wisdom. This star appeal coupled with slick video production pins its value proposition on inspirational learning.
Skillshare emerged back in 2010 from the minds of Michael Karnjanaprakorn and Malcolm Ong as an open platform allowing professionals and creatives to upload self-paced courses across topics like design, photography, and entrepreneurship. With over $28 million in VC funding, its grassroots community-first approach centers on sharing passion projects and collaborating with peers to exchange skills and feedback.
While both platforms have expanded their instructor rosters and course libraries over the past decade, their divergent DNA remains evident. Now with concrete user stats too – MasterClass touts over 100 million students consuming its structured virtual courses while Skillshare quantifies over 10 million members actively reviewing or uploading classes monthly.
But beyond surface aesthetics, how exactly do MasterClass and Skillshare stack up when evaluated across key facets like content quality, learning experience, pricing models, and real-world applicability? Let‘s break it down.
Instructors: Fame vs. Variety
MasterClass banks its appeal on big-ticket celebrity names like NBA legend Steph Curry teaching sports strategy or novelist Dan Brown revealing fiction writing secrets. 80+ household names spanning fields from cooking to comedy. For passive learners, the appeal of gaining insider access to stars they already idolize offers strong motivation to subscribe.
Conversely, Skillshare opts for instructor variety – industry experts surely make appearances but so do everyday hobbyists and professionals simply sharing hard-won skills. My explorations through its video halls surfaced animation teachers with 500k Instagram followers alongside marketing consultants breaking down their client success formulas.
Breadth conquers depth here – over 60k classes filed under titles like Leadership, Creative Writing, Podcasting, Drawing Fundamentals. Niche skills abound. Contrary to MasterClass‘s regimented course structure, Skillshare offers flexibility for members to handpick classes matching their interests.
Let‘s assess production quality too. As expected from its big-budget backers, MasterClass oozes polish and cinematic flair with directors and multiple camera angles – competition for the Discovery Channel in my book!
Not all Skillshare classes exude such refinement; production values span barebones instructor webcam talks to fully outfitted studios. But Skillshare Originals mark premium offerings like Thomas Frank‘s productivity masterclass or Christine Herrin‘s concrete freelance writing tactics, rivaling MasterClass‘ presets.
Verdict? MasterClass bestows celebrity inspiration sure to dazzle. But Skillshare empowers communal skill sharing suited for picking up tangible capabilities – albeit without Hollywood panache.
Instructional Design: Structured Roadmaps vs. Modular Pick-and-Choose
MasterClass exudes careful choreography both on-screen and in learning trajectories. Meticulously outlined courses guide motivated students through lesson sequences, assignments, and supplemental materials that mirror an collegiate course. I felt fully immersed in Dan Brown’s literary world working through writing exercises or listening to Coldplay’s Chris Martin break down chord progressions.
Conversely Skillshare promotes a "build your own adventure" vibe by empowering members to freely explore its smorgasbord of classes around desired competencies without rigid pathways. I enjoyed tailoring my own learning route – consuming a class on SEO strategy here before diving into social media advertising fundamentals. Tap into one skill niche before trying another.
That’s not to say Skillshare lacks structure. Skillshare Originals like Thomas Frank’s Productivity Masterclass or Christine Herrin’s Become a Freelance Writer finish with concrete deliverables for applying learnings.
Yet the platform embraces flexibility in both class formats and sequencing overall. Microclasses under 20 minutes? Check. Multi-hour deep dives stretching 8+ hours? Covered. Intermixing photography lessons with algebra refreshers? You bet. Customize based on attention span or impulse.
Another key differentiator – only Skillshare fosters a collaborative community dimension. Beyond solo learning, members engage in class comments, share works for peer feedback, and even discuss instructors. My yoga projects received valuable critiques while my UI design drafts built confidence through peer kudos.
So learningboils down to:
MasterClass: Meticulously-designed courses + supplemental materials for structure
Skillshare: Custom combinations of micro-lessons + community interactivity
User Experience and Accessibility
Stepping back, MasterClass unquestionably offers superior production mastery compared to Skillshare‘s mixed bag results. It‘s like flipping through neatly ordered textbook pages versus scouring an overstuffed file cabinet. MasterClass platforms smoothly with downloadable offline viewing and subtitles translating celebrity wisdom into 7 languages.
I do applaud Skillshare UX improvements over the years – its class recommendation algorithms serve me projects catered to my proficiencies while retaining endless content variety. Download capabilities also let me stockpile classes for airline viewing.
However site navigation and layouts still prove hit/miss – I often find myself squinting through disjointed menu flows. Accessibility-wise Skillshare also recently introduced captioning upgrades. Kudos there.
Most crucially for apprehensive newcomers though, Skillshare extends a free month to sample its community before committing through premium plans. MasterClass only provides a 30-day money back window for the dissatisfied without upfront previews.
Pricing and Plans
Let‘s tackle dollars and cents comparisons.
For premium access, Skillshare offers a single annual plan at $168. This unlocks unlimited course consumption including offline downloads. I easily extracted over $168 worth of value through expertise gains in web design, photography, and even cooking niche skills like perfecting croissants!
MasterClass structures its pricing into course “bundles” – $180 per year for two user profiles (typically households) or $276 for up to six accounts. Family members split access to the same content library.
So Skillshare nudges ahead for individuals, whereas MasterClass wins for households through account sharing. Note both platforms stick to annual contracts without flexibility for rolling monthly terms.
Bulk discounts kick in for large enterprise purchases – teams can email MasterClass about volume licenses. Skillshare also provides corporate packages called Skillshare For Teams granting employee login access.
I‘ll call pricing a relative split decision depending on intended consumption volume. But Skillshare certainly offers more latitude for individuals to sample its wares before diving in.
Skill-Building and Real World Value
Instructive videos binge-watching serves hardly useful unless translated into tangible real-world skills. Beyond any superficial certificates, how do these platforms empower genuine capability advancement?
Via MasterClass I gained tangible reference guides around photography composition, fiction plot structuring, and even piano scales to exercise newfound musical interests. Workbooks supplementing Chris Voss’ Negotiation course sharpened my bargaining prowess inbusiness deals. I appreciated its structured curriculum mirroring collegiate-level courses. Gradual competence augmentation felt measurable through assignments.
However actual opportunity for skill application felt lacking – beyond inspirational celebrity peeks, limited ways existed to practice technique. I couldn‘t submit writing samples for constructive feedback like a creative writing Master’s program class. Still through diligent self-study and offline practice, MasterClass courses transmuted into genuine personal progress for me.
Conversely Skillshare illuminated clearer paths for exercising burgeoning capabilities through community participation. My designs and photos received constructive feedback fueling iterations. I also loved knowledgeable instructors answering questions in class comment sections. Through multiple yoga challenges, designing brand logos, even penning short stories, I converted education into experience. Project milestones quantifying exercises completed and skills unlocked fueled motivation.
So in real world relevance, I’d crown Skillshare as a methodology incubator while MasterClass resembles more an inspirational sparks igniter. Both can catalyze skill-building albeit through different mechanisms.
Key Differences at a Glance
Before deciding, here‘s a snapshot view of MasterClass vs. Skillshare differences when it comes to learning capabilities:
| Category | MasterClass | Skillshare |
|---|---|---|
| Instructors | Celebrity veterans | Mixed professionals + hobbyists |
| Content Scope | ~80 structured courses | 60,000+ modular classes |
| Production Value | Cinematic, slick editing | Skillshare Originals: High Quality. User content: Variable. |
| Learning Approach | Sequential progression through video lessons + supplemental materials | Flexible pick-and-choose model with some structured series |
| Community Features | Solo learning | Robust community: discussions, project feedback |
| Platform Experience | Streamlined with downloads, subtitles | Improving but still UI hiccups |
| Free Trial | Only 30-day money back guarantee | 1 month free trial |
| Pricing | Subscription bundles for 1-6 users. Bulk discounts. | $168 annual individual plan. Teams package available. |
Which Platform Suits Your Learning Objectives?
Based on this comprehensive analysis, in what scenarios should you opt for MasterClass or Skillshare?
Choose MasterClass When Seeking:
- Inspiration from recognizable industry titans spurs motivation
- Hollywood production polish enhances immersion
- Structured progression through lessons appeals over modular picking
- Supplemental resources aid retention and skill application
Select Skillshare For:
- Active online community fueling collaboration, feedback
- Variety and customization – niche classes sampled based on impulse
- Hands-on projects to practice building skills
- Trying out hobbies before committing through a free trial
Personally within my first few weeks, Skillshare’s community interactivity hooked me more than MasterClass’ passive learning approach. But rotating between both each month prevents creative stagnation!
I welcome wandering MasterClass’ star-studded halls to discover previously unpondered interests while leveraging Skillshare’s feedback loops to cement fledgling capabilities. Diversity and choice – unlikely to find me complaining.
So which platform sparks your learning fancy? Hopefully this detailed face-off has illuminated potential alignments with your individual goals. Feel free to reach out with any other questions in the comments!
