Head to head

MasterClass vs Skillshare.

Two online-learning subscriptions that pull in opposite directions, side by side on what decides it: the catalog, who's teaching, hands-on projects, what users praise and gripe about, price, and how easily you can leave. We may earn a commission if you start either, which never changes a word below.

MasterClass

Money-back

Online cancel works, but you click past a retention offer first.

Price$120
Card to startYes
Time to cancel~2 min
What you getThe full catalog of 200-plus classes across writing, film, cooking, music, business, sports, and more, taught by recognized experts in each field
Start MasterClassTrack the renewal
Skillshare

Free trial

Online cancel works, but you click past a retention offer first.

Price$167.88
Card to startYes
Time to cancel~3 min
What you getThe full class catalog, 30,000-plus classes across design, illustration, photography, animation, video, and creative business, taught project-first rather than lecture-first
Start SkillshareTrack the renewal

Feature by feature

FeatureMasterClassSkillshare
Catalog sizeSmall, curated (180+)✓Huge (35,000+)
Who teachesCelebrities and top expertsWorking pros, anyone can teach
Production quality✓Cinematic, consistentHighly variable
Project-basedLimited✓Strong, with community feedback
CertificatesNoneNone
PriceHigher, tiered annual✓Budget-friendly annual

Both discount often, so we don't quote exact figures. Skillshare is the cheaper of the two; MasterClass sells tiered annual memberships at a higher price.

Who wins each round

  • Price

    Skillshare

    Cheaper.

  • Quality vs depth

    Tie

    MasterClass wins production and star access; Skillshare wins practical depth. Split decision.

  • Ease

    Skillshare

    Jump straight into a specific skill.

  • Features

    Skillshare

    Catalog, projects, and community.

  • Cancelling

    Tie

    Roughly even, both draw auto-renew complaints. MasterClass needs an active cancel with no toggle; Skillshare's refund window is short and app-store billing adds friction. Cancel deliberately, early.

What real users say

Recurring themes from aggregate review sources (Trustpilot, Reddit, independent testing), not cherry-picked individual reviews.

MasterClass

What they praise

  • Outstanding production values
  • Genuinely inspiring
  • Unique access to famous instructors
  • High content polish

Common complaints

  • Light on practical step-by-step skills
  • Price feels high vs more actionable rivals
  • Auto-renewal and unexpected annual charges
  • Refund and cancel described as difficult

Skillshare

What they praise

  • Enormous variety
  • Practical and hands-on
  • Project-and-community learning
  • Strong value for the money

Common complaints

  • Inconsistent quality since anyone can post
  • A short 7-day refund window, first charge only
  • Auto-renews annually and many miss the window
  • Slow email-only support

Which one is for you

  • MasterClass

    Best if you want to be inspired by icons in a polished, Netflix-style format, and you value production over hands-on drills.

  • Skillshare

    Best if you want to actually build a concrete skill on a budget, with projects and community feedback.

The verdict

Go MasterClass to be inspired by the best in a cinematic format; go Skillshare to build a hands-on skill on a budget with projects. Both auto-renew annually and both draw billing complaints, so mark the renewal date and cancel ahead if you're not continuing.

We may earn a commission - it doesn't change our verdict. How we get paid →