MasterClass Vs LinkedIn Learning: Which One Is the Best

When it comes to online learning platforms, the likes of MasterClass and LinkedIn Learning should rank close to the top.

Both offer a vast range of courses to cater to a wide variety of students on many different subjects.

Whether it is graphic design, or acting, coding, or cooking, it should not prove too difficult to find the right course. Which platform you decide to stick with can be another decision altogether.

For those looking to advance in their professions, online learning can provide a means to do so in someone’s spare time.

However, each platform comes with its own pros and cons, payment plans and levels of expertise.

Finding the right course can be one thing, yet finding the right online platform to carry on learning can take a lot of research.

In this guide, we will compare MasterClass Vs LinkedIn Learning to find out which could be the preferred online learning platform for you out of the two.

Price

There is a substantial difference in price between LinkedIn Learning and MasterClass which perhaps leads into the content offerings on each platform.

For instance, an annual subscription for LinkedIn Learning should effectively cost $26.99 per month or $323.88 in total.

However, if you decide to pay on a monthly basis then that cost goes up to $39.99 per month.

It should be noted that these prices are set to rise as LinkedIn Learning even though more competitive prices can be found with its competitors, which you can certainly count MasterClass as one.

There are two types of membership on offer at MasterClass (see also ‘Can A Family Share A MasterClass Membership?‘) which is a similar offering to LinkedIn Learning.

That’s where the similarities on price end as complete access to every course on the learning platform comes with an ‘All-Access Pass’.

This annual subscription costs $180 per year which is excellent value.

That’s especially considering that if you want to complete just two courses in 12 months you essentially cover the costs of that annual subscription as each course is individually priced at $90.

Content

It is worth bearing in mind that both MasterClass and LinkedIn Learning do have vast libraries of content. The difference is what specialisms each can offer which may be the deciding factor.

Though you will find content for classes on sport, art, business, general entertainment and politics, there is a bigger focus at hand on MasterClass.

When you consider the likes of Martin Scorsese, Aaron Sorkin, Samuel L. Jackson, and Natalie Portman are involved then you can see why MasterClass can draw in such a caliber of recognized talent.

For classes on the arts such as acting, TV, music, film, and creative writing, you should head to MasterClass.

It helps when the instructor is a recognized face that you either know from onscreen, featured high in the credits, or in the director’s chair.

These are well-known celebrities and if you want a course that errs more on the creative side then opt for MasterClass.  

LinkedIn Learning tends to focus its content more on academia, business, and the technological.

Once you have a membership, you should enjoy content that centers on programming and software, two burgeoning industries in their own right.

That means courses on something broad like finance, education and career development, but also software and graphic design.

Rather than entering the creative industry like you would expect from a few classes on MasterClass, LinkedIn Learning is more about careers.

If you want to shift industry or add some skills to your resume then there is probably a course for you.

This is more of a traditional learning environment where courses are centered around teaching rather than having the wow factor of being taught by a known celebrity.

Down to the sheer amount of content, even though they are not taught by celebrities at the very top of their known fields, LinkedIn Learning wins this round.

Ease Of Use

While the amount of courses is one thing, how easy it is to use them can be a deciding factor too.

Frankly, MasterClass is ludicrously simple to use that it puts most online learning platforms to shame.

Simply register with your email address, decide on your password, and the membership plan that you want then you are all set.

With an All-Access Pass you can watch whichever course takes your fancy and benefit from the resource materials that come with it.

You do not even need to use an internet connection the entire time. With a download option, you can store various courses after they have been downloaded to view them offline.

Even finding a course that you should want to try is almost effortless. Each course is divided into categories so as long as you know your subject, the course should be easy to find. 

How you view the course is also very important and with MasterClass you have a wide choice of viewing options.

There are specific apps for the MasterClass platform on both iOS and Android services so you can catch up with your course on a mobile device.

Once you get home, you can access the content for your course from your TV. That’s right, MasterClass works on a Roku device as well as with Chromecast, Smart TV, and Amazon Fire TV. 

While probably not as accessible, LinkedIn Learning looks to opt for a more personalized touch when it comes to watching your courses.

Once you sign up and subscribe, you will be asked for your preferences and the site will look to garner the courses that should be of interest to you.

The course content changes so you will have access to a page that contains the courses that are ‘trending’ and those that are popular at the moment or ‘top liked’.

There is an app for LinkedIn Learning so you should be able to take your courses on either an Android or iOS device though it is not currently supported by Smart TV devices.

The Pros And Cons Of MasterClass

MasterClass is well-known for having a large selection of celebrities to call upon as instructors. However, the site is competitively priced for those who want to enter the creative industry.

There are also some downsides to the online learning platform that should be mentioned too.

The Pros

Even if you only want to complete two to three courses a year, you can effectively enjoy the entire catalog from MasterClass.

That’s excellent value for a single course at $90, or the All-Access Pass at $180. For anyone wanting to enter the creative and entertainment industry, there is a huge range of courses to take that are taught from well-known celebrities.

Even how you watch it is easily done as the courses are available on any device that can stream the internet, from the ones in your pocket to the TVs in your living room. 

The Cons

While the value of MasterClass’ online offerings should not be underestimated, there is no offer of a free trial.

Many try before they buy and without that option it can be difficult to work out whether to spend $90 on a specific course.

Even after completing the course, you will not receive a completion certificate in the mail.

The online learning platform is not entirely recommended for those who want to learn from more technical content too, which you would expect for one catering for creatives.

The Pros And Cons Of LinkedIn Learning

For those that want to take a step up in their career, then LinkedIn Learning is the right online learning platform to do so.

With a personalized range of courses, which you can try before you buy, it should be a rewarding experience. Then again, there are some limitations to the service that are worth mentioning. &nb