Best Skillshare Alternatives (My Top Picks) • HumanWindow (2024)

Skillshare is a great online learning platform featuring thousands of courses across a wide range of topics.

However, like most learning platforms, it does have its drawbacks – some of which I’ve already discussed in our article about Skillshare pros and cons.

For me, the main drawback about Skillshare is the fact that the quality of the courses can vary a bit. There are truly some gems on the Skillshare platform, but there are some courses that are a bit below-par too.

Over the last few months, I’ve tried out a range of different online learning platforms myself, taking classes that I’ve been interested in.

In this article, I’m going to reveal my top three picks if you’re looking for an alternative to Skillshare from my own experience of trying and testing them.

Best Skillshare Alternatives – My Top Three Picks

So, without further ado, here are my top three picks which are great alternatives to Skillshare.

1) MasterClass

Where to join: www.masterclass.com

MasterClass is probably the best-known online learning platform in the world. Featuring high quality courses taught by world-famous experts. With more than courses across a variety of topics, it’s no surprise that MasterClass is one of the most popular options amongst people looking for an online course subscription.

With MasterClass, you pay for an annual subscription, which gives you access to every single course on the platform for the year. You’ll be able to stream the classes on various devices and the app and website are easy to use (it’s kind of like a Netflix for online courses).

I took Timbaland’s class on music production, and also checked out James Clear’s special class ‘Small Habits that Make a Big Impact on Your Life’. The production level of the courses is really high – each of the video lessons are professionally produced and it’s easy to progress through the classes at your own pace.

What’s great about MasterClass is that for one yearly membership fee, you’ll get access to all of the online courses on the platform (plus any new courses that are added while you remain a member). There’s loads of choice when it comes to the topics, and most of the celebrity instructors who teach on the online course platform are household names.

I do recommend taking a look through the courses available on MasterClass and check that there are at least five that you’d be interested in taking. Because you’ll be a member for at least a year, you’ll want to ensure that you’ll have enough courses to get started with.

What are some of the downsides of MasterClass? In my opinion, the first drawback is that you can only pay for a yearly membership – there’s no option for a monthly subscription or to buy individual courses. Secondly, there’s limited-to-no interaction during courses.

MasterClass is more of a ‘hands-off’ learning platform, meaning there is limited interaction with other students and instructors. This may suit some people, but if you’re looking for an immersive class that has projects to complete with other students, MasterClass may not be the best option for you.

Overall though, MasterClass is one of the best online learning platforms and Skillshare alternatives out there in my opinion. By signing up, you’ll be committing to your own personal development and improvement over a 12-month period.

2) BBC Maestro

Where to join: www.bbcmaestro.com

BBC Maestro is another great option if you’re looking for an alternative to Skillshare. Launched just a few years ago, the platform has enjoyed some impressive growth and now boasts courses from a wide range of celebrity instructors and well-known experts.

BBC Maestro has a similar feel to MasterClass in terms of the way the platform works. Their course library contains more than 30 options across a variety of topics, including creative skills, cooking, business and personal development.

The classes on BBC Maestro are taught by industry experts who really know their stuff – many of which you’ll already have heard of. Some of the big names who teach on the platform include Steven Bartlett, Brian Cox, Mark Ronson and James Nestor.

With BBC Maestro, you have the option to buy a yearly membership which gives you full access to all of the classes on the platform for a fixed fee. Unlike with MasterClass and Skillshare, there is also the option to buy individual courses for a one-off fee. This is great if you’re only eyeing up a single course you’re interested in taking.

I produce music as a hobby, and so I was really keen to try out Mark Ronson’s course on music production. The course was really well set up and the learning experience as a whole was great. With each course, you get a downloadable PDF featuring course notes, and the curriculum was designed to be easy to follow at your own pace.

I’d say that much like MasterClass, the main draw of BBC Maestro is the caliber of the instructors on the platform. Their course library has a wide range of options so you can make the most of your opportunity for online education.

The main drawbacks of BBC Maestro are similar to MasterClass – there is no interaction with the instructors and only limited interaction with other community members. You’ll be responsible for ensuring that you’re getting the most out of the online learning platform.

Overall, BBC Maestro is a great option for online learning and online courses. I do recommend looking at their course library to check there are at least a few that you’ll be interested in before making a purchase.

If you’re interested in trying out BBC Maestro, you can get 20% by using the code HUMANWINDOW20 when you sign up through this link.

3) Studio

Where to join: www.studio.com

The final option on this list is Studio. With more of a focus towards music and the creative arts, Studio is a great option if you’re looking to hone your skills online.

Featuring multiple courses from a wide range of teachers, Studio offers in-depth and immersive courses designed specifically to help you level up your skills. Some of the big names who teach on the platform include Kygo, Ryan Tedder, Charlie Puth, Casey Neistat and more.

I took Kygo’s course on electronic music production. Having never produced music on my computer before, it was a really great way for me to learn all the basics about production from one of the industry experts. I’m a big fan of Kygo and his music, so to see how he creates songs from start to finish was genuinely fascinating.

When I took the class in 2022, Studio (which was previously called Monthly) offered immersive interactions with the other students in the class. At the time of writing this article, though, this appears to have been removed, and the courses now have limited features in terms of interaction.

With Studio, you can simply purchase courses on a one-off basis for a fixed fee. This may suit you if you’re looking to take just one class and focus on a key area. However, it’s a bit of a shame that they don’t currently offer a subscription model for their courses.

What About Skillshare?

Despite me covering three excellent Skillshare alternatives above, I still do rate Skillshare as an excellent option. There are so many online courses to choose from on the platform, and many of them are on topics that are not covered by the options I listed above, such as software development, computer science, data science and web development.

I do rate Skillshare as one of the best online learning platforms. Some of the pros include the sheer number of courses on the platform and the fact that you can create courses to sell yourself. However, as I mentioned above, the quality of the classes can vary a bit, perhaps more so than the other learning platforms I’ve featured above.

One other thing to note is that if you yourself teach something, then Skillshare is an excellent option as a platform for you to sell online courses – you’ll find loads of entrepreneurs selling courses on the platform and it can be a really great tool for creating and marketing your own courses.

If you’re looking to sell courses, be sure to check out the dedicated section on the Skillshare website to find out more.

Wrapping Up – My Final Thoughts

That brings me to the end of my look at some of the best Skillshare alternatives.

If you’re a prospective online student looking to improve your skills and learn from industry experts, I’ve selected MasterClass as the best option. With video courses taught by celebrity instructors and access to unlimited courses for a fixed annual fee, it really is the best online learning platform out there in my opinion.

BBC Maestro is also a great option, even if the number of courses on the platform is still a bit low. That said, you’ll get access to any new courses added to the platform while you remain a member, and they are regularly adding new courses.

And finally, Studio is another great option to learn from world-class experts, especially if you have a specific interest in music and the creative arts.