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Online Learning Platforms

The 7 Best Masterclass Alternatives & Competitors for Taking Online Courses

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By Fatima Mansoor


best masterclass alternatives

Are you looking for Masterclass alternatives and competitors that will let you take online classes and gain valuable new skills?

With recent advancements in online learning technology, improving skills or gaining knowledge has never been easier. With just a few taps, one can easily and quickly access resourceful skills and knowledge that can help them to stand out amongst the masses.

Whether you want to gain a new skill, change your career path, or even learn a few handy tips from your favorite professional, online courses can help you to do this. Not only this, changing work environments and technology has made learning new technical and work-related skills almost a necessity as one has to be up to date with them.

This has led to a boom in demand for online courses, and thankfully, many software developers have brought forward top-notch quality online course software that makes taking courses extremely easy.

While Masterclass is one of the most popular online course platforms out there, it might not be for everyone.

Fortunately, there are many excellent Masterclass alternatives that offer great courses and online learning opportunities across just about every subject imaginable.

Disclosure: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost for you, we might get a commission if you click the link and purchase.

 

What is Masterclass?

MasterClass MasterClass

With MasterClass, you can learn from some of the world's most recognized experts and celebrities. Classes include business, cooking, photography, acting, design, and so much more.

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One of the most popular online course sites nowadays is Masterclass, and it’s easy to see why.

This innovative online course platform unlike others has courses that are given by popular professionals and celebrities that are experts in their fields and at the height of their careers. This gives learners an exclusive insight into their methods of success!

Classes range from photography to business to cooking to acting and more.

These are some of the courses that you can find on the Masterclass online learning platform:

  • Bobbie Brown Teaches Makeup and Beauty – In this Masterclass course, learners can learn from the makeup mogul herself, Bobbie Brown. In this, Bobbie teaches the history of makeup as well as some of her well-sought makeup application techniques.
  • Gordon Ramsay Teaches Cooking II – In this Masterclass, the fiery Cook teaches how to master restaurant-style food at home.
  • Jessie Kribbs Teaches Wilderness Survival – This 14 video Masterclass course teaches people the basic to advanced level methods of surviving in inhospitable regions. The course is taught by a former U.S Air Force SERE.
  • Dan Brown Teaches Writing Thrillers – Anyone who is a fan of Brown’s thrillers, knows that this course is a bar of absolute gold for all those wishing to pursue their careers in writing-especially in the thriller genre!

What’s more is that all of the Masterclass’s video lessons are extremely well shot, directed, and produced, giving viewers a stellar quality learning experience. Not only the visual, but their content is great in quality too.

New content is regularly produced and sometimes the old ones are removed to make way for newer better videos. Their user interface is extremely intuitive and easy to use as well.

 

Drawbacks to Masterclass

Despite the many great benefits to using Masterclass, there are however some disadvantages to this popular online course site.

As we pointed out in our review, the main con right now is that Masterclass doesn’t have a ton of courses yet for an online education platform. The classes it does have are great, but it’s certainly not as comprehensive as some other course sites in the categories it offers.

Many courses only cover their subjects broadly and for those wishing to get in-depth explanations and technical skills, this may not be very helpful.

Considering these shortcomings and otherwise, many people look for alternatives to Masterclass. And to help you all with your search, we have compiled a list of all the best Masterclass alternatives out there!

 

What are the Best Masterclass Alternatives?

Here are our picks for the top alternatives to Masterclass that offer online courses:

 

1. SkillShare

skillshare

The first on our list is SkillShare, which in our opinion, is a great contender for the best alternative to Masterclass.

With over 30,000 courses (available on subscription with a free 30-day trial), this site is great for those looking to gain in-depth skills and knowledge.

This site is an open-source platform, with over 8 million students enrolled in it, as almost everyone can sign on to thanks to its less rigorous screening methods.

Its offers courses in a variety of creative and entrepreneurship subjects like photography, Photoshop,  marketing, business, writing, digital art, time management, music composition, proofreading, film making, voice over, public speaking, video editing, web design, etc. It also offers a lot of unique niches like “wine tasting art journal for beginners” by Daniella Mellen.

With a subscription, Skillshare also allows users to download videos and watch them offline whenever they like.

Skillshare builds up users’ knowledge via their apps’ interaction-based learning methods. Learners will have to complete projects as part of some of their courses which can be a great feature for active learners. Certificates are also issued once courses are completed.

This Masterclass alternative is both Mac, desktop, IOS, and Android compatible and their user interface is highly easy to use too.

Skillshare pricing is also very affordable at around $165 a year, and you can try Skillshare free for one month to see if it’s right for you while you explore all the courses on their online learning platform.

Our Skillshare vs Masterclass comparison has more details of how these two platforms stack up.

 

2. CreativeLive

The next on our list is the Masterclass competitor CreativeLive.

Founded in 2010, this American app offers its users a wide array of creative topics like self-improvement, craft & maker, videography, photography, wedding, posing, money & finance, and more.

What makes it better than Masterclass is that their range of subjects is quite broad, so from creative topics, to business-related content or to Software creation classes, there is a class for everyone and anyone.

In addition to this, their courses are mostly practical and are great for learners looking to develop real-world skills or hobbies rather than theories.

This app like Masterclass has high-caliber videos that are often by well-known industry experts or professionals with exceptional creative skills. However, the biggest difference is that CreativeLive courses are quite instructive and offer more in-depth instruction than Masterclass’s celebrity video courses.

CreativeLive doesn’t have crowd-sourced content. So you can be confident that whatever course you choose will be of exceptional quality!

Having said that, Creativelive can be a bit pricier than Masterclass as their individual courses range from $29- $199 and their yearly subscription retails for $149 (less than $13 per month). They do, however, offer free courses but they are only available at predefined times. They also do not offer certificates which can be a huge downside for some.

Overall, CreativeLive can be a great alternative for those wanting to learn more about their dream careers and hobbies in creative fields.

Click here to learn more.

 

3. Coursera

coursera

If you are an academic student and are looking for study-related courses, then Coursera might be your right choice! Although this Masterclass alternative provides courses for all kinds of skills, hobbies, and careers, it is most popular for its academic content.

Unlike Masterclass, Coursera does not have content made by celebrities rather most of its courses are either made in partnership with prestigious universities and leading institutions like Yale, Harvard, Caltech, Google, and more. They have over 200 plus reputable partners, hence the quality of their content is highly remarkable too.

Their courses are made to give students more detailed information rather than brief generalized content like that of Masterclass courses.

There are thousands of free courses too and with a subscription (Coursera Plus), you can get certificates credited by universities on completion of certain courses!

Coursera pricing includes two paid plans for its users

  • A monthly plan of $59
  • A yearly subscription of $399

Click here to learn more.

 

4. Mindvalley

mindvalley

Mindvalley is quite a distinct Online course platform. Founded by Vishen Lakhiani and Michael Reining, this app aims to educate people on how to live a genuinely amazing, meaningful, and joyful life.

Mindvalley offers courses for more specific niches like personal spiritual growth and self-development and now they have courses in the field of entrepreneurship too. Their courses are separated into four main groups-Mind, body, social, and living. Each of these categories boasts a variety of topics like from manifestation to happiness and positivity to relationships.

Albeit their range is quite small, but for those looking to learn the above-mentioned subjects, this app offers great structured syllabuses. On top of that their courses are taught by real experts that are the world’s finest instructors as well, making them a great alternative to Masterclass.

A few of these experts include Robin Sharma, Emily Fletcher, Jim Kwik, Neale Donald Walsch, and Ken Wilber. And as a result, their content and video quality are extremely consistent, high-caliber, and worth every penny.

Their individual courses cost around $199- $499, which again is quite expensive but their life-changing courses are well worth the money. And if you are not sure about which course to take, you can always test out any course of your choice for $1 for a period of 10 days.

Click here to learn more.

 

5. LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning is a great alternative to Masterclass that helps you to not only learn new skills but also boost your standing in the business sphere.

Formerly known as Lynda, LinkedIn Learning has courses that can aid you with navigating the professional fields of business, technology, and creativity efficiently.

Whether you wish to learn economical terms, software how-tos, or start on with data Analytics, LinkedIn Learning has almost every kind of professional skill course with different difficulty levels.

Their courses are prepared by specialists in their relevant fields. However, like Masterclass and its other alternatives, most of them are not well-known or highly accomplished experts. Nevertheless, their library of 17,000+ courses makes them quite exceptional in terms of variety.

They also have a  “Learning Path” initiative which makes it very easy for unsure learners to select the right course for themselves. Furthermore, LinkedIn Learning gives certificates too which although are not credited but are highly appreciated by employers. Thus making it a great alternative to boost up your resume position.

As far as the LinkedIn Learning pricing is concerned, the site offers a one-month free trial after which users can either buy their monthly subscription for $39.99 or their yearly subscription for $239.88 ($19.99/month) and get unlimited access to all of the courses on the platform.

All in all, LinkedIn Learning is one of the best alternatives to Masterclass for those who want to build professional skills.

 

6. Rouxbe

rouxbe

If you are looking for food-related courses, then Rouxbe is a great site to try. This Masterclass alternative is a fully accredited cooking school that operates exclusively online.

Rouxbe’s culinary courses are taught by their exceptional team of world-class chef instructors and veteran culinary school executives. Their courses target culinary techniques that not only boost your confidence in the kitchen but also give you traditional and next-generation culinary skills.

Their biggest advantage is that the certificates you receive on completion are fully accredited as Rouxbe is recognized by the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation. With the help of these certifications, many cooks have been able to land good jobs in Highly-acclaimed kitchens like Marriott international, Autograph Collection hotels, Accor Hotels, Waldorf Astoria, Bvlgari Resort Bali, and more.

Furthermore, their courses are fully self-paced and perfect for those wishing to learn culinary expertise from the comfort of their kitchens. Not only this, Rouxbe’s high-quality videos, step-by-step instruction recipes, and engagement sections with instructors make it a great interactive and educating online course site too. This app is compatible with Android, IOS, desktops, and Mac, making it extremely accessible as well.

The courses at Rouxbe can cost you $9.99 per month or $79 per year- a great price point for an expert curriculum!

Click here to learn more.

 

7. The Great Courses

the great courses

This Masterclass alternative is just like its name- a great site for online courses. All of their courses are available in video and audio formats and are both produced and distributed by an American company, The Teaching Company.

This company has been in the digital course learning business since the VHS tape era and was formerly called Learning Management Systems- leaving no doubt about the standard of their courses!

Students can access both their new and old college-level courses that are highly compatible with their college needs.

This app too offers learners a range of courses from Economics & Finance to History, Literature & Language to Professional & personal growth, etc. Some of their popular courses are How to Draw by David Brody, Fundamentals of Photography by National Geographic, Norse Mythology by Jackson Crawford, and the rise of modern japan by Mark J. Ravina.

All of these courses like Masterclass are taught by professionals, field experts, and qualified professors from various universities around the world.

Courses can be accessed from anywhere on any device (TV, smartphone, or computers) as The great courses are available on the App Store, Playstore, Kindle Fire, Roku, and My Digital Library.

Learners can either purchase their courses individually or subscribe for $19.99 per month or $30 per quarter. A free trial is available too.

Click here to learn more.

 

What to Look for in a Masterclass Alternative

To wrap up, before you decide on which app to choose from our above-mentioned list, here are a few key features to keep in mind.

1. Good quality content

Courses of high quality are an extremely important feature to look out for. A good quality course is one that is not only created by professionals of the said field but also how well the course is structured, what is taught, whether the content taught matches the course description, and lastly how well the video/audio is produced.

2. Certification

Certificates are a great way of showing one’s procured skills and knowledge. They also boost one’s motivation and self-esteem. While most of the sites provide certifications, some of them are usually not accredited. Credited certifications provide external validation to one’s skills and make your position in the professional world even stronger.

3. Number of languages the courses are given in

Understanding is the key to success and before you choose the “right” course, being able to comprehend the content is even more important. For this, many sites offer courses in a number of languages. Make sure you subscribe for one that has courses in a language that you are most accustomed to.

4. Interface

Learning can be made even easier if comprehending the interface is easier for you. Make sure to choose a site that has a user-friendly and intuitive interface to save you time and energy.

 

A Final Word on Alternatives to Masterclass

If you’re looking for other apps or websites like Masterclass, there are lots of great options out there.

Whether you’re looking to learn something creative, are seeking personal development, or want professional development, there’s no shortage of online learning platforms available to help you meet your goals while getting a world class education from wherever you are.

Remember, there is no single best Masterclass alternative. It all comes down to your individual needs and preferences. So test out a few different learning platforms to find the ones you like best.

What’s your favorite Masterclass alternative? Share your thoughts by commenting below.

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