Mindvalley vs MasterClass:
Comparing the Differences
Last updated on: November 24, 2023, Written by:
Bill Tremlon
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Are you dedicated to online education, always looking for new opportunities and skill development? Among the many available learning platforms, two that often stand out are Mindvalley and MasterClass. Both share a common commitment to providing top-tier instructors for their online classes and covering topics that you wouldn’t typically find in traditional e-learning platforms.
Given their similarities, what are the exact differences between these two learning platforms, and which one is better for your needs?
In this Mindvalley vs MasterClass review, we’ll scrutinize what each of these learning platforms has to offer, allowing us to pinpoint the key differences between them, making it easier for you to make your choice.
Contents
Mindvalley vs MasterClass: Side By Side Comparison
Features | MasterClass | Mindvalley |
💸Price: | 10 – 20 $ (billed annually) | 53.40 $ (1 course) – 72 $ (Annual access) |
🎁Free Trial: | ❌ | ❌ |
📚No. of Lessons: | 180+ lessons | 30+ lessons |
📖Content Coverage: | Arts & Entertainment to Community & Government | Food & Drink to Business |
⏳Avg. Lesson Duration: | 15 minutes | 20 minutes |
✒️Instructors: | Celebrities and other well-known figures in their fields | Lee Child, Alan Moore, Mark Ronson, Brian Cox, and more |
📈Suits Best For: | Open-minded, intellectually curious, and fans of teachers on MasterClass | Anyone interested in learning from the UK’s top creators |
📜Certificates: | ❌ | ❌ |
💼Complementary material | Class Guides with assignments and detailed tips | Course Notes with further insights and exercises |
🔬Features: | Sessions, Original Series, Accessible App | Video Lessons, Course Reviews, Accessible App |
💬Available Languages | English audio with subtitles | English audio with subtitles |
🛒Payment options: | Annual membership only | Annual membership with option to buy single courses |
🔄Refund police: | 30-day money back guarantee | 30-day money back guarantee |
✅Pros: | Celebrity instructors, wide catalog, affordable multi-user options available, community learning, high production values | Accomplished instructors, high course-completion rates, certification, bite-sized lessons |
❌Cons: | No certification available | Fairly small catalog |
Mindvalley vs MasterClass: Main Differences
Skipping Ahead in Lessons
Mindvalley does not permit skipping ahead once you’ve completed the day’s assignments. When you finish the scheduled program for the day, that’s the end of it. You must wait until the next day to unlock the subsequent assignments. This approach is designed to promote course completion by dedicating only a few minutes each day to the coursework. In contrast, Masterclass doesn’t impose such barriers; you can freely skip ahead at your convenience.
Time to Finish Lessons
Since Mindvalley doesn’t allow you to skip ahead in lessons, you’ll find that their courses often take months to complete. While I understand the good intentions behind this structure, it severely limits individuals who prefer consuming the course at their own pace. That’s why MasterClass is a better fit for individuals seeking a more flexible learning approach. The absence of restrictions on skipping ahead allows you to progress through the lessons at a pace that suits you. This freedom enables a quicker completion of courses for those who have the time and inclination to delve into the material more intensively.
Course Categories
Mindvalley’s program focuses on holistic wellness with all its courses revolving around personal development topics such as spirituality, relationships, fitness, and entrepreneurship. MasterClass online classes, on the other hand, focus more on creative skills with categories such as cooking, writing, acting, sports, photography, music, and more.
Instructors
Mindvalley’s instructors are industry experts in the respective categories, while Masterclass instructors are celebrities who have gained immense success and popularity due to their outstanding skills in their respective fields.
In This MasterClass and Mindvalley
Comparison, You’ll Learn
About MasterClass
MasterClass is a leading e-learning platform that separates itself from others with courses from world-renowned experts. However, one of the most unique aspects of MasterClass is it caters to learners of all levels. Whether you’re a complete beginner or an advanced learner, you’ll leave each course with something valuable to take.
MasterClass offers quality over quantity and does it excellently well, with over 180 individual courses. Some courses feature multiple installments that teach different or more advanced techniques. The amount of content available on MasterClass makes it an attractive learning platform, even if you’re after learning something specific.
About Mindvalley
Mindvalley differs from other learning platforms in that its content focuses primarily on personal development. Mindvalley was founded by Vishen Lakhiani, a New York Times best-selling author, in 2003 to help people lead happier, healthier, and more fulfilling lives by providing them with the tools and resources they need to achieve their goals.
Mindvalley offers a wide range of online courses that cover personal growth topics such as meditation, fitness, relationships, and more. Mindvalley’s instructors are also leading experts in their respective categories, including Robin Sharma, Marisa Peer, and Jim Kwik.
Mindvalley vs MasterClass: Courses and Instructors
Mindvalley and MasterClass are alike in that they offer unique, practical courses for everyday life, which differ from the usual courses you find on traditional learning platforms. Additionally, both platforms have world-class instructors teaching their online classes.
However, their similarities end there as Mindvalley and MasterClass bring different products to the online education table. Mindvalley focuses on helping you achieve wellness within yourself, while MasterClass specializes in teaching creative skills.
Let us look at how the Mindvalley MasterClass programs compare against one another:
Course Categories
MasterClass Categories
You will find that the majority of the content on MasterClass is creative skill-focused. From cooking and wine tasting to music and film production, MasterClass caters to creative individuals looking to enhance their skills or explore their passions.
MasterClass offers a comprehensive and diverse course catalog, encompassing more than 150 online classes across 11 broad categories. These categories cover a wide spectrum of subjects, including:
- Arts and entertainment;
- Business:
- Community and government;
- Design and style;
- Food, home and lifestyle;
- Music;
- Science and tech;
- Sports and gaming;
- Wellness, and writing.
This diversity ensures MasterClass can cater to all types of tastes and interests out there. Perhaps what complements these is the structure and the depth of each course. Every course is easy to follow, with ten to fifteen-minute lessons that touch on different aspects of the skills you’re learning. You can find the best examples of this on my Negotiator Chris Voss MasterClass review – such a well-organized and structured course that simplifies the art of negotiation.
While MasterClass maintains high-quality standards for all its classes, you’ll notice that the platform places a particular emphasis on creative fields such as writing, music, and filmmaking, offering multiple classes within these categories. For instance, the writing category alone has an extensive selection of courses taught by accomplished authors such as Margaret Atwood, Neil Gaiman, Dan Brown, James Patterson, and even the legendary R.L. Stine.
The average course on MasterClass consists of 2-5 hours of video content spread out across 20 lessons on average, at an average of 10 minutes per lesson. The length of MasterClass courses can vary significantly depending on the topics and the instructors.
That said, MasterClass classes are self-paced, allowing you to complete them at your own speed. Moreover, unlike Mindvalley, MasterClass allows you to skip lessons at your own discretion. You’ll also love the fact that all MasterClass courses come with downloadable workbooks, assignments, and reading lists to help you understand the topics better.
The depth of MasterClass classes tends to vary between courses and instructors. However, the typical MasterClass course is designed to provide in-depth insight, knowledge, and tips about a particular subject. The classes usually cover a wide range of aspects related to the subject, including techniques, strategies, and personal experiences shared by the instructors.
That said, while MasterClass courses are designed to provide a deep understanding of the subject matter, they are not intended to replace professional training. They are simply a great way to supplement your existing knowledge and gain insights from experts in their respective fields.
Mindvalley Categories
Unlike MasterClass that places a heavy emphasis on creative skills, the content on Mindvalley focuses on you as an individual and what you need to be the best version of yourself. Consequently, most Mindvalley classes revolve around spirituality, self-improvement, meditation, and holistic health.
Mindvalley has a respectable catalog of 50+ courses. These classes are divided into 8 main categories, including:
- Body;
- Mind;
- Soul;
- Relationships;
- Entrepreneurship;
- Partner Programs;
- Career Growth;
- Parenting.
Whether you’re looking to improve your health, relationships, career, or inner well-being, Mindvalley likely has a course that can help you on your path to personal transformation.
Even though Mindvalley tries to give equal weight to all aspects of holistic health, this e-learning platform places a greater focus on three key categories: Mind, Body, and Soul. The core concept is that by enhancing your cognitive abilities, nurturing your physical well-being, and re-establishing a profound connection with your inner essence (soul), you can unlock a heightened quality of life, granting you access to boundless peace and clarity.
Mindvalley classes typically take between a few weeks to a couple of months to complete. However, unlike MasterClass, you don’t have the freedom to skip lessons in Mindvalley. Instead, the creators at Mindvalley have designed an ingenious system to ensure you complete all your lessons without much hassle.
Mindvalley lessons consist of daily 10-20 minute videos with accompanying tasks. Collectively, these lessons are known as quests, and it shouldn’t take you more than 30 minutes to complete a daily quest.
Since Mindvalley’s courses are designed to help bring the best out of you, they typically go deep into the subject matter to allow you to enjoy the transformative benefits of incorporating those lessons into your daily life.
Top Rated Lessons
MasterClass Top Lessons
- Gordon Ramsay Teaches Cooking: Let Gordon Ramsey teach you how to cook like a pro. The Michelin-starred legend Gordon’s MasterClass covers everything from ingredients to presentation.
- Neil deGrasee Tyson’s Scientific thinking: Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson teaches you how to think like a scientist to find objective truths. You can check our Neil’s MasterClass review for a more in-depth analysis of this exciting class.
- Christina Aguilera – Elevate Your Singing And Stage Presence: In this MasterClass, you’ll learn how to perform like a pop star with six-time Grammy Award winner Christina Aguilera. Our Christina Aguilera’s MasterClass review explains why you definitely want to check out this MasterClass.
- Chris Voss – Win Workplace Negotiations: This negotiation MasterClass with Chris Voss teaches you how to gain trust, increase your influence, and find your voice at work. Learn 12 proven tactics to use every day at work from former FBI negotiator Chris Voss.
- Kelly Wearstler Teaches Interior Design: Award-winning designer, Kelly Wearstler, reveals her secrets to designing unique and stylish interiors in this MasterClass. The course covers everything from color theory to furniture selection.
- John Douglas Teaches How to Think Like an FBI Profiler: Fancy learning how to profile people like a professional? This MasterClass by John Douglas, the legendary criminal profiler, teaches you everything you need to know from crime scene analysis to criminal psychology.
- Effective Communication by Robin Roberts Masterclass: Let renowned award-winning journalist and co-anchor of ABC’s “Good Morning America,” Robin Roberts, teach you how to communicate effectively. Her MasterClass also covers public speaking, interview techniques, and more.
Mindvalley Top Lessons
- Duality with Jeffrey Allen: This course by renowned author Jeffrey Allen is designed to help you master your own energy and tap into your intuition to get answers, heal yourself, attract synchronicities, and raise your vibration.
- Superbrain by Jim Kwik: In this course, Jim Kwik teaches you how to get the most out of your powerful brain to the point where learning fast and remembering more becomes the norm. Jim Kwik is a leading expert in brain performance who has helped countless people in the most demanding industries and positions (including billionaires, CEOs, celebrities, and athletes) get more out of their overall brain performance.
- 10 X Fitness (Gain your Dream body) by Lorenzo Delano: This program is designed to help you get in great shape in just six months. Lorenzo Delano teaches the specific exercises that activate your body’s natural ability to adapt and get stronger. You only need to work out for 15 minutes, twice a week.
- Be Extraordinary (Level Up Your Life) by Vishen Lakhiani: This course by Mindvalley’s founder, Vishen Lakhiani, aims to equip you with the tools you need to be the master of your own life.
- Energy Medicine by Donna Eden: Donna Eden is one of the pioneers in the field of energy medicine and has over 40 years of experience teaching people how to control their body’s energy systems. In her Mindvalley course, Donna teaches how to use your natural energy to heal yourself and others.
- Speak and Inspire (Become a World-class Speaker) by Lisa Nichols: In this course, veteran motivational speaker, Lisa Nichols, shares her secrets on what it takes to become a world-class speaker.
Instructors Overview
MasterClass Instructors
MasterClass excels in this department, and that’s no surprise because they are renowned for featuring celebrity instructors. The instructors are notable artists, industry leaders, and celebrities who have achieved great success in their careers, bringing an exceptional level of expertise and insight to their courses.
However, it is important to note that teaching is a skill in itself, and not all experts are good teachers. MasterClass instructors are not only experts in their fields but also skilled communicators who can effectively convey their knowledge to learners. That’s because proven teaching skills are among the key considerations when choosing instructors for the platform.
Consequently, MasterClass instructors are engaging, relatable, and authoritative. They connect with students through their passion, experience, and storytelling. They share their personal experiences, challenges, and successes, which makes the learning experience more insightful and inspiring.
Mindvalley Instructors
Since Mindvalley’s goal is to help you harness the power within, the choice of instructors is a crucial aspect of their mission. That’s why the platform goes above and beyond when selecting instructors for their courses.
Mindvalley instructors are not just educators; they are thought leaders, visionaries, and masters in their respective fields. Instructors often have impressive credentials and practical experience with many of them having written books or given TED talks.
Consequently, Mindvalley’s instructors are well-equipped to guide you on your personal growth journey. Moreover, Mindvalley fosters a sense of community within the platform by allowing students to interact with instructors and one another through discussions, forums, and live events.
Mindvalley vs MasterClass: User Experience and Interface
Both Mindvalley and MasterClass come with user-friendly interfaces to make your experience on the learning platforms as smooth as possible.
Mindvalley sports a modern and vibrant look that is remarkably visually appealing. It adds to that appeal with its easy-to-navigate homepage that makes it a breeze to find courses or quests. You can use the search bar or the “Discover” tab to browse through the various categories to find a course.
Masterclass also has an attractive user interface and design albeit more minimalistic than Mindvalley’s. It also comes with a search bar and a “Browse” tab to help you filter courses based on categories and instructors. Moreover, MasterClass also uses artificial intelligence (AI) to recommend classes that you might find interesting based on your shown preferences
When it comes to the production quality of the lessons, MasterClass takes the cake. The video quality on MasterClass is crisp and clear, with high production values that make you feel like you’re watching a Netflix documentary or movie. This level of production quality not only enhances the learning experience but also adds a touch of entertainment to the educational content.
Mindvalley’s production quality is not too shabby either. It features high-quality video production and a visually appealing presentation, though it does not reach the same cinematic heights as MasterClass.
Both platforms allow for access on multiple devices. You can access the web versions of the MasterClass, Mindvalley platforms using your PC or you can download their apps, which are available on both iOS and Android devices.
Finally, while MasterClass does allow you to download classes for offline viewing, Mindvalley doesn’t, which takes away from its overall user experience.
Main Features of Online Learning Platforms
MasterClass Features
Sessions
MasterClass Sessions are hands-on lessons led by MasterClass’s celebrity instructors where you work on projects and activities as part of a structured curriculum. This means you’re not just watching videos passively; you’re actively participating in learning by doing.
Each Session comes with a planned set of lessons, real-world projects to work on, and the opportunity to receive feedback from your peers. The goal is to guide you through the learning process step by step, so that by the end of the Session, you not only gain knowledge but also have practical skills and accomplishments that can help you reach your full potential.
Class Guides
Each class you take on MasterClass has its own Class Guide. You can find it in the Class Outline section of the course page. Inside the guide, you’ll find a summary of the course, a list of suggested books or reading materials related to the topic, and assignments to help you practice what you’ve learned in the video lessons. It’s a handy PDF document that enriches your learning experience tremendously.
Original Series
MasterClass has a collection of short and engaging shows that offer an inside look into the lives of highly successful individuals. These shows focus on various topics, such as navigating high-stakes situations, breaking down the work of legendary figures, and exploring the expertise of the best in different fields.
For example, “Crisis Day” takes you into the minds of experts like former FBI crisis negotiator Chris Voss, astronaut Chris Hadfield, and former national security advisor Condoleezza Rice as they handle challenging and sometimes dangerous situations.
Mindvalley Features
Community Engagement
Mindvalley is big on community engagement, as it believes that people tend to learn better when they learn together with like-minded individuals who share a common passion. Mindvalley fosters this sense of community through discussion forums, social media groups, live events, and online meetups.
Quests
Mindvalley subdivides its courses into short, interactive classes known as quests. The idea is to make it easy to fit daily learning into your schedule by learning in bite-sized, manageable portions.
Personal Growth Focus
Unlike most other learning platforms, Mindvalley primarily offers courses and content related to personal development, mindfulness, and well-being.
MasterClass vs Mindvalley: Pricing
Pricing Plans
Mindvalley and MasterClass differ considerably when it comes to pricing. Let’s take a deeper look at the MasterClass vs Mindvalley pricing plans.
Mindvalley has a flat-fee pricing model, which means you pay a fixed amount to access all of their courses. The price starts from $59 per month. On the other hand, MasterClass uses a tiered pricing model, with the cheapest MasterClass fee starting at $15 per month.
When it comes to payment options, Mindvalley offers both annual and monthly subscription costs. An annual Mindvalley membership will set you back $299 while a monthly subscription costs $59.
MasterClass only has annual subscriptions for its different tiers. The annual subscription plan costs $180 for the Single plan (one device), $240 for the Duo plan (two devices), and $360 for the Family plan (six devices). The difference between these plans is the number of devices that can access the MasterClass platform at the same time using the same account.
Unfortunately, both Mindvalley and MasterClass don’t offer the option to purchase a single class. You will need to get a membership first.
The good news is that Mindvalley offers discounts regularly on their annual membership plans. While MasterClass isn’t offering any discounts or promotions at the moment, they do have a business plan meant for larger companies that can result in up to 35% off per membership.
Refund Policy
A Mindvalley membership typically comes with a 15-day money-back guarantee, while MasterClass offers a more favorable refund policy, providing a 30-day money-back guarantee. That means that if you’re not satisfied with their products, both platforms require you to contact their customer support teams within the guarantee period for a refund.
Free Trial
Both Mindvalley and MasterClass do not offer traditional free trials for their membership plans. Mindvalley’s version of a free trial is the 60 to 90-minute classes they offer for free every week on their website.
MasterClass offers free trials in the form of guest passes. Every MasterClass membership comes with up to three guest passes, which are invitation links you can send to your friends to try out the platform for up to two weeks. Once that period is over, they can choose to get their own subscription, and if they do not, their access to the platform expires.
Pricing Compared With Other E-Learning Platforms
So, how do the Mindvalley and MasterClass pricing plans compare to those of similar platforms, such as Skillshare, BBC Maestro, and Udemy?
Right from the start, you’ll notice that Mindvalley has one of the priciest plans. This is because its cheapest offering starts at $24 per month, whereas Skillshare and Udemy start at $15 and $20 per month, respectively.
What about MasterClass? When you compare Skillshare vs MasterClass, you’ll find that they’re almost identical in pricing. Both offer creative courses starting at $15 per month. However, when comparing BBC Maestro and MasterClass, it’s like comparing apples and oranges, as BBC Maestro also offers courses in the same categories as MasterClass but starts at only $10 per month.
Considering all of the above, it becomes clear that MasterClass’s pricing plan arguably provides the best value for your money. It offers a wide variety of courses without compromising on quality.
Customer Reviews: Mindvalley or MasterClass?
When choosing between MasterClass or Mindvalley, one of the most foolproof ways of obtaining the unadulterated truth about these digital programs is by checking reviews from people who have actually purchased a membership and used it. You can find such reviews on social media platforms, as well as trusted review sites like Trustpilot and G2.
Both Mindvalley and MasterClass have received overwhelmingly positive reviews, with students praising the impactful value of their courses and the high quality of the instructors. One user who was enthralled by MasterClass stated, “I took Professor Matthew Walker’s class on the ‘Science of Better Sleep,’ changed my habits, and I know that class alone was worth the total investment in MasterClass, given the positive impacts I’ll see in my life.
Similarly, I took Ron Finley’s class on gardening, bought some plants, kept them alive, and feel happier being surrounded by so many plants at home. If you take inspiration from the classes that lead to tangible action, it’s well worth it.
According to this Mindvalley review by a student, “Since starting the Ultramind series, my meditation skills have significantly improved. I’ve been working on this for some time, but only after going through the centering exercise multiple times have I been able to achieve deeper states consistently, instead of falling asleep or not really feeling like I was making progress. This is after a few 6-month+ stints of daily meditation with Headspace or other guided programs and much time on my own in silence. Say what you will about Mindvalley, but the Silva stuff is powerful.”
The only negative reviews we found were related to pricing, with some people wishing that MasterClass could offer the option of monthly payments, while others cited how expensive Mindvalley was.
Alternatives to MasterClass and Mindvalley
Udemy
Udemy is one of the most popular online learning providers, with a massive choice of various classes. The learning platform covers a range of basketball courses for beginner and advanced learners.
Coursera
Coursera is another big name in the online courses market, with a lot to offer in sports-related fields. It’s a great way to expand your knowledge of the field without spending much money on online learning.
Skillshare
Skillshare focuses on practical courses, with educational videos substituting expensive college courses. The aim is to provide users with marketable skills for finding a job. There are some courses related to basketball as well.
Mindvalley And MasterClass: Final Verdict
So, based on what we’ve covered in this Mindvalley vs MasterClass review, which platform do you think is better?
The choice between Mindvalley or MasterClass all comes down to your needs. MasterClass is a better fit for those who are interested in learning from world-renowned experts in various fields, with a focus on creativity and lifestyle. On the other hand, Mindvalley is ideal for individuals seeking personal development and growth, with a range of courses focusing on well-being, spirituality, and self-improvement.
That being said, the wider variety of courses on MasterClass, combined with the platform’s high-production values and budget-friendly pricing plans, make it a better fit for most people out there.
Blogger | Life-long learner
Bill Tremlon
I’ve spent the last ten years passionately studying various online learning platforms. Udemy, MasterClass, Coursera, and Skillshare are the main ones, but I review lesser-known study tools as well. I test and analyze each course and lesson thoroughly before sharing my research.
Blogger | Life-long learner
Bill Tremlon