MASTERCLASS VS. SKILLSHARE: WHICH SERVICE FITS YOUR LEARNING GOALS?

We consider price, course selection, production quality, and more to help you decide which of these top online learning sites is a better place to study.

- JUSTIN POT

Apples are better than oranges. I kid: The entire point of the expression “comparing apples to oranges” is that you can’t directly compare the two. Sure, they’re both fruits, but they serve different purposes. Apples are better for making cider; oranges are better for juicing and mixing with champagne or vodka. I suppose you could also eat either of them.

Similarly, comparing Skillshare with MasterClass directly is difficult, and a more fruitful exercise would be to point out how they’re different and under which conditions you might choose one over the other. Yes, they both nominally offer online classes, but the two companies use the word “class” in different ways. And they’re both very good at what they do. They’re both Editors’ Choice winners among online learning services. But what they’re trying to do is quite different.

I’d compare Skillshare to a local community college. It’s a great place to stop by and learn something new, especially if you’re looking for practical skills.

MasterClass, meanwhile, is more like a prestigious guest lecture series hosted by a university. You’ll learn a little about how to do something, but the focus is almost most on why you might want to do it—the philosophy behind the thing.

MasterClass has a collection of brilliantly presented classes taught by renowned leaders in every field. But that doesn’t mean it’s better than Skillshare in every way. There are specific reasons you might spend money on one or the other. Let’s take a closer look.

PRICING