Skillshare vs MasterClass:
A Detailed 2023 Comparison

Skillshare vs. MasterClass: Courses and Instructors Compared

As mentioned earlier, choosing a clear winner in the Skillshare vs MasterClass battle can be challenging due to the unique nature of each product. This becomes especially evident when comparing their courses and instructors.

Both MasterClass and Skillshare market themselves as online learning platforms with a focus on creative skills. This assertion holds true as they both offer classes in creative fields such as design, photography, writing, and more.

However, the difference lies in the fact that Skillshare offers over 35,000 courses, whereas MasterClass has only around 180 classes.

When it comes to instructors, MasterClass and Skillshare are on opposite ends of the spectrum. MasterClass exclusively features the cream of the crop in their respective fields, which is why its lineup consists of celebrities, prodigies, and masters. On the other hand, Skillshare welcomes everyone, including amateurs, to share their skills on the platform. Therefore, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that instructor quality varies significantly on Skillshare.

Course Categories

MasterClass Categories

MasterClass offers over 180 classes across the following 11 categories:

• Arts and entertainment;
• Business:
• Community and government;
• Design and style;
• Food, home and lifestyle;
• Music;
• Science and tech;
• Sports and gaming;
• Wellness, and writing. 

MasterClass offers a diverse range of content covering a wide array of life skills. Characterized by high-quality video lessons and high-profile instructors, MasterClass’s content is designed to both inspire and impart practical skills.

With its extensive range of course categories, MasterClass ensures there’s something for everyone. Whether you’re interested in honing a creative skill such as wine tasting, enhancing your professional expertise by learning how to be a better negotiator, or simply looking to gain insights into different fields, you’ll likely find a MasterClass course that appeals to your interests.

While MasterClass covers a broad spectrum of topics and interests, you’ll find that it places a greater focus on more popular creative skills such as cooking, writing, music, and acting. It is for this reason that MasterClass brings out the big guns for these classes by using instructors such as Margaret Atwood, Neil Gaiman, Dan Brown, Massimo Botura, Gordon Ramsay, Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey, Hans Zimmer, and Natalie Portman.

MasterClass classes are typically between 2 and 5 hours long and consist of a series of video lessons. Each class is divided into individual videos, with an average duration of 10 minutes per lesson, making it easy for users with limited time to fit them into their schedules.

In addition to videos, many MasterClass classes include downloadable materials such as workbooks, assignments, and reading lists to ensure maximum retention of acquired knowledge, as well as to encourage you to explore the subject further.

MasterClass classes can vary in depth. However, with the lengthiest course on MasterClass being only 7 hours long, it is safe to say that you shouldn’t expect to delve into the intricacies of the subject matter. 

Nevertheless, that’s not the primary purpose of MasterClass. The platform’s unique strength lies in the personal insights and anecdotes shared by instructors who have spent significant time achieving great success in their fields. 

Therefore, MasterClass aims to showcase the thought process behind great minds rather than providing exhaustive coverage of a subject.

Skillshare Categories

Skillshare offers a wide range of lessons in various fields. The classes are grouped into four main categories: Creative, Business, Technology, and Lifestyle. Each of these categories includes 5-10 set subcategories:

• Creative: Animation, Creative Writing, Fine Art, Graphic Design, Web development, Photography, etc
• Business: Branding, Freelance & Entrepreneurship, Leadership & Management, Marketing, etc.
• Technology: 3D & Animation, Data Science, Game Design, Software Development, etc.
• Lifestyle: Culinary, DIY, Fashion, Health & Wellness, Home Improvement, Languages, etc.

Skillshare offers a wide range of classes that cover various topics related to creativity, the arts, design, freelance, entrepreneurship, lifestyle, and personal development to both beginners and professionals. 

Skillshare has an extensive range of course categories that encompass diverse fields and interests, from hobbyist skills to professional corporate skills. You can learn anything from graphic design, photography, and animation to cooking, productivity, and social media marketing. This variety ensures that everyone can find something that appeals to their interests.

Skillshare seems to place a greater focus and specialization on creative fields such as graphic design, photography, and illustration. In fact, according to a report on Skillshare’s top 250 online classes based on the number of enrollments, the top 10 classes were as follows: 

• Digital Illustration: Learn to Use Procreate
• iPhone Photography: How to Take Pro Photos On Your iPhone
• Graphic Design Basics: Core Principles for Visual Design
• Mastering Productivity: Create a Custom System that Works
• Character Illustration: Drawing Faces, Figures & Clothing
• Fundamentals of DSLR Photography
• Intro to Procreate: Illustrating on the iPad (UPDATED for 2023)
• Video Editing with Adobe Premiere Pro for Beginners
• Logo Design with Draplin: Secrets of Shape, Type, and Color
• Basic Skills / Getting Started with Drawing

Skillshare classes, on average, consist of 20-60 minutes of pre-recorded video content broken down into a series of short, 2- to 8-minute videos. This ensures that the course can be consumed in small chunks, ensuring efficient use of your time.

To enhance that practicality, Skillshare uses a project-learning approach to ensure what you learn sticks. All classes on Skillshare include a project that allows students to practice what they have learned. Moreover, Skillshare also has a community section where students can share their projects for feedback from fellow students and the instructor.

Skillshare also provides additional materials like workbooks or assignments to supplement the lesson videos.

The depth of Skillshare lessons varies depending on the topic and the instructor. Some classes may be more introductory, while others may be more advanced. 

Highest Rated Lessons

MasterClass Top Lessons

1. Brandon McMillan – Teaches Dog Training In these MasterClass lessons, Emmy-winning host of “Lucky Dog” and expert animal trainer, Brandon McMillan, teaches how to develop trust and forge an unbreakable bond with your dog while gaining control and confidence with every command.
   
   
2. Bill Nye – Teaches Science and Problem-Solving 19-time Emmy award-winning science educator, engineer, comedian, television presenter, author, and inventor, Bill Nye, teaches MasterClass critical thinking and how to use the scientific method to solve problems from everyday challenges to global issues in these MasterClass lessons.
   
   
3. Penn&Teller – Teach the Art of Magic Fans of magic and illusions will love these MasterClass lessons by world-renowned magicians Penn & Teller. They teach both basic and advanced tricks as well as magic psychology.
   
   
4. Chris Voss – Win Workplace Negotiations In these MasterClass lessons, former FBI negotiator, Chris Voss, teaches how to increase your influence, gain trust, and find your voice at work. Learn 12 proven tactics to use every day at work.
   
   
5. Kelly Warstler – Teaches Interior Design Learn the nuances of interior design from Kelly Wearstler, a celebrated designer known for her bold and sophisticated style. In these MasterClass lessons, she teaches her creative process and design philosophy.
   

Skillshare’s Highest-Rated Courses

1. Intro to UX: Fundamentals of Usability In these lessons, Marieke McCloskey, Director of UX Research at LinkedIn, teaches the basics of usability testing and how to design digital products for ideal usability.
   
   
2. Creative Personal Writing: Write the Real You This highly-rated course teaches how to bring out the best writer in yourself by learning how to write from memory as well as how to report on yourself. It is designed for writers of all levels.
   
   
3. Video Editing with Adobe Premiere Pro for Beginners Learn how to edit videos with Adobe Premiere Pro, create custom graphics and texts, and apply and adjust video/audio effects with Jordy Vandeput, a Filmmaker, and YouTuber.
   
   
4. Portrait Photography: Shoot and Edit Instagram-Worthy Shots by Jessica Kobeissi In these lessons, you will learn how to shoot and edit Instagram-worthy portraits. Jessica teaches how to create depth in your photography and utilize surrounding light to light your subjects properly.
   
   
5. iPhone Photography: How to Take Pro Photos On Your iPhone Utilize your iPhone camera’s full capabilities by learning how to take stunning photos by utilizing shot composition, optimizing your camera settings, and creating depth.
   

Instructors Overview

MasterClass Teachers

MasterClass instructors are renowned for being the absolute best in their respective fields, making them invaluable resources for students seeking to excel in various disciplines. The platform’s philosophy revolves around the idea that if you’re going to learn a skill, you may as well learn it from the master.

Whether it’s learning filmmaking from Martin Scorsese, tennis from Serena Williams, or cooking from Gordon Ramsay, MasterClass ensures that students are guided only by the best.

MasterClass instructors are not only highly skilled practitioners but also excel at the art of delivering masterclasses. Many of them have spent years in the limelight, whether through their work in entertainment, sports, or other industries. This experience has given them a unique understanding of how to connect with audiences. 

This is particularly significant, as being a master in a subject doesn’t automatically translate to being an effective teacher. MasterClass carefully selects instructors not only based on their achievements but also on their proven track records of being capable educators.

As a result, MasterClass classes go beyond the mere transmission of information; they become immersive experiences where students can gain insights not only into the subject matter but also into the mindset and approach of a true master.

Skillshare Teachers

Skillshare’s open-market framework allows anyone to publish classes on the platform, which means that its instructors come from all types of backgrounds and have varying skill levels. 

Consequently, the quality of teaching on Skillshare varies between instructors, but the platform has a rating system that allows students to rate and review classes. This helps other students find the best classes and instructors.

Moreover, Skillshare has a program known as Skillshare Originals, which features classes produced by Skillshare’s in-house content team. For these classes, Skillshare partners with world-renowned creators, influencers, and industry leaders to ensure high-quality content on the platform.

Although Skillshare doesn’t have a superstar stable of instructors as MasterClass does, it has a few notable names in its roster as well, including Gary Vaynerchuk, Seth Godin, Roxane Gay, and Simon Sinek.

MasterClass vs Skillshare: User Experience and Interface

Skillshare and MasterClass share a common goal: to ensure the user experience on their respective platforms is as seamless as possible, guaranteeing a productive learning experience. This is evident in their high scores on the following user experience parameters:

Ease of Finding Lessons Both Skillshare and MasterClass boast user-friendly and intuitive designs, allowing users to easily discover and enroll in classes. In Skillshare, you can search for classes by keyword, category, or teacher, and filter your results by skill level, duration, and more. MasterClass, too, provides a seamless experience, providing a search bar and a filter option that allows you to sort classes by category, instructor, and skill level.

User Interfaces Skillshare’s platform is designed to be interactive, fostering a sense of community through features like discussion boards and project galleries. On the other hand, MasterClass is more lecture-oriented, emphasizing a clean and modern interface for easy navigation to discover lecture videos. 

Mobile Apps Both platforms offer mobile apps for iOS and Android, enabling users to access courses and projects on the go. Skillshare and MasterClass also provide download options for offline viewing, catering to learners who prefer flexibility in their learning environment.

Video Quality The quality of Skillshare’s lesson videos can be hit or miss due to the sheer number of instructors on the platform. However, Skillshare maintains high production standards in its Skillshare Originals program, collaborating with experienced teachers and professionals to ensure top-notch video lessons. In contrast, MasterClass excels in video production, giving every course a movie-like feel.

Preview Content Both MasterClass and Skillshare recognize the importance of allowing users to preview content before making a commitment. Skillshare lets users preview classes to gauge content and teaching style, and MasterClass follows suit, offering a glimpse into courses taught by world-renowned experts.