What Is Skillshare?

Online learning has become very popular over the past decade with more and more people and institutions turning to online learning courses and an online mode of teaching.

Skillshare is one of those online learning platforms that has managed to make its way to the top of the list and be preferred by millions of people around the world.

But what is Skillshare and how does it work?

In this article, we will take a look into the offer of Skillshare to learners and see whether or not it is a platform that is living up to its name.

What Is Skillshare?

As we have already mentioned, Skillshare is an online learning platform that does, however, differ from other similar platforms that are available online.

To be more precise, Skillshare is something like a fusion of YouTube videos and MasterClass.

The instructors of every Skillshare class available on the platform aren’t usually the world-famous superstars who host the digital classrooms of MasterClass. (Check out ‘How Do Skillshare Teachers Get Paid?‘)

But they are way more skilled, highly qualified, and structured than the average YouTuber hosting their own video classes.

Moreover, in contrast to platforms like MasterClass, Skillshare has a plethora of widely available and useful classes varying from artistic, leisure, commercial, and production efficiency.

Another thing that makes Skillshare classes great is that they are very clear and concise, which means that they last as much as they need to.

Without taking up more time than necessary just to fill in some extra hours and have you paying more for no reason.

What Are The Course Categories On Skillshare?

Skillshare has three main categories, ‘Create,’ ‘Build,’ and ‘Thrive,’ each of which has its own subcategories that define the type of classes you are looking for.

So, for example, in the ‘Create’ category, you will find artistic categories like animation, creative writing, music, film and video, UI/UX design, and more, where you can learn creative skills.

In the ‘Build’ category, there are classes around business analytics, marketing, leadership, and management, as well as freelance and entrepreneurship.

Finally, ‘Thrive’ is all about lifestyle and productivity classes that can help you change your day-to-day life or obtain new habits, but also to become more productive and time-efficient.

How Much Does Skillshare Cost?

While most of the classes are paid and charged on the basis of Skillshare membership, there are thousands of free courses you can start with.

This means that when you first open your Skillshare account, you do not have to pay for it, at least not for the first month.

The platform offers a 7-day Skillshare free trial to anyone who signs up for a monthly or yearly Skillshare subscription.

So you can always cancel your subscription before the 7 days if you want to avoid being charged or even earlier if you don’t like the way it works or the online courses it offers.

However, if you wish to continue being a Skillshare member, then you need to choose either the monthly or the annual charge.

The first one will cost you 32 dollars every month, whereas the annual Skillshare premium membership will be 168 dollars per month for unlimited access.

Opting for the annual subscription would save you a lot of money as you would essentially be paying 14 dollars per month instead of what is almost twice the amount if you pay for it monthly, so choose wisely.

Who Are The Teachers In The Skillshare Classes?

Well, we can’t give you names for that as there are several thousands of instructors working with Skillshare, and that’s why the Skillshare platform is so great and different from some other learning platforms.

Rather than finding some ‘star’ names like Martin Scorsese and Ron Howard to teach you directing.

What you get is the opportunity to choose from a wide range of Skillshare teachers who specialize in different subjects and teach different classes.

While you might find some names that you can recognize on Skillshare too, the reason why you will know them is because of their expertise in their niche, without this meaning that they are internationally famous.

So, instead of being a ‘who you learn from’ kind of online learning platform, Skillshare focuses on ‘what you learn more, and it has the best professionals to help you do that.

How Do The Skillshare Classes Work?

Every single one of the Skillshare classes is presented in video form and follows a specific sequence just like the lessons of a class do.

Each video focuses on a specific aspect of the subject learned, while Skillshare members also get extra content to learn from in the form of links attached that can direct you to relevant online resources.

Skillshare classes also provide users with extra support such as teacher notes, online forums, and an audio transcript.

As well as an online notepad on the platform for you to keep notes of anything you find important during each video.

In these video lessons, the classes’ instructors go on with introducing themselves and offer an overview of what will be taught.

This way, anyone who joined the class can have a first look at what it will be like and then move on to the second video or try another class that’s a better fit for them.

Are All Classes On Skillshare Pre-Recorded?

There are many live stream classes and workshops you can attend on Skillshare, but, as you can understand, those will need you to be more attentive and commit to them.

However, that does not mean you will sign up for a class and then have to go through it if it’s not something you enjoy.

Can I Complete A Class On Skillshare Without Watching The Videos?

Just like in most online learning platforms, the system will show a lesson as ‘completed’ even if you watched only half of it and then clicked to watch the next one.

While that might sound like a smart and easy way to add Skillshare courses to your LinkedIn profile in no time, the things you will learn from actually attending all the classes are much more valuable.

The Bottom Line

Skillshare is a fantastic online learning platform to acquire new skills or even just change some of your lifestyle habits by watching videos.

So, join the online learning community and find some free time in the week and invest it in online learning through Skillshare!