The premium plan is the best option to start with, as it also offers a 30-day free trial for new users. It provides a great opportunity to unlock advanced courses and explore Skillshare fully.
On the other hand, Skillshare’s free plan offers limited access to content, but it is still worth attending the online creative classes. Overall, from hobbyist, student, or professional, Skillshare opens doors to workshops, community access, and downloadable resources.
In this article, we’ll cover the key differences between Skillshare Free and Premium, which help you decide the suitable plan for your learning journey.
Skillshare: At A Glance
If you wanna get detailed insights into Skillshare, feel free to check our detailed Skillshare review here.
Skillshare is the best way to learn new skills, meet like-minded people, and have fun doing what you love. There’s something for everyone, with over 3 million members and classes in more than 12,000 topics. I am glad to be one of them.
The creativity-focused platform offers high-quality content, self-paced learning, and a community of creative enthusiasts. With over 10 million class hours watched monthly, Skillshare is the place to learn new skills on your terms.
In addition to the wide range of classes, Skillshare has a unique interface that makes it easy to browse the different courses available. You can even sign up for classes with your email address or Facebook account. It is THAT simple!
It provides an opportunity to share skills and knowledge with anyone who wants to learn, which means you can also become an instructor in Skillshare with simple steps.
What’s more? Skillshare offers professional guidance to attendees of its sessions, and expert-level teaching is also available on the platform.
The fact that Skillshare produces courses in various fields is remarkable, as most learning platforms tend to restrict themselves to a specific niche. Still, Skillshare offers subcategories, such as drawing in a specific software called Procreate.
The moment you enter Skillshare, you’ll see many practical courses to take right away!
Skillshare Free vs Premium: Main Differences
Although you will not regret using Skillshare, you might be a little disappointed when you find out that some features are limited to Skillshare Premium only. Here is a table overview that will help you evaluate the differences in features;
| Feature | Skillshare Free | Skillshare Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Course Access | Limited previews | Full access to all courses |
| Community Forums | No | Yes, participate in discussions |
| Workshops | No | Yes, exclusive live workshops |
| Downloadable Materials | Limited or none | Yes, access to downloadable resources |
| Offline Viewing | No | Yes, download classes for offline access |
| Certificates | Not available | Available for some courses |
| Pricing | Free | $13.99/month or $167.88/year |
| Free Trial | Not applicable | 7-day free trial available |
However, it does not mean you cannot do anything on Skillshare if you do not pay the premium. You can still take courses, get insightful advice, and learn new skills.
I am sure you are thinking, “How is Skillshare Free different from Skillshare Premium?”
- Although you get hundreds of fun and engaging courses on different niches and categories in Skillshare for free, Skillshare Premium offers 5x additional sets of courses, which means that even sub-category courses are included.
- If you are a self-learner and do not require a discussion regarding a specific chapter in a lesson, you are good to go with Skillshare Free. If not, the community forum/tab might be the name of your calling in Skillshare Premium.
- Skillshare offers courses for free and nothing more than that. In contrast, if you unlock Skillshare Premium, you will gain exclusive access to workshops led by your desired instructor and receive practical, live teaching.
- Some instructors take the extra step and offer insightful resources, such as downloadable files and PDF-formatted workbooks, but you may not be able to access them without purchasing Skillshare Premium.
- Even the free courses you’d get in Skillshare might not allow you to take up the entire course, which means you can stream only the course preview. This is why Skillshare Premium is essential to get the utmost benefit.
- Getting a hands-on learning experience by taking up live projects is only possible in Skillshare Premium because Skillshare Free only offers free courses.
Take up limited courses or explore your creativity with no limits; the choice is yours! At some point, you might feel like you are caged in limited free courses, and so upgrading your skill set demands an upgrade in your Skillshare plan (Premium).
Should You Buy Skillshare Premium?
By now, you might have already decided to choose Skillshare Premium over Skillshare Free. If not, let me take the honor of recalling the benefits right now!
You do not have to overthink or confuse your mind with unwanted questioning about the quality or the course framework because Skillshare ensures to deliver the best content, and there is no denying that. Skillshare puts quality over quantity.
I would not argue on the quality aspect of both Skillshare Free and Skillshare Premium, yet the benefits you’d get are huge.
The Skillshare Premium lets you participate in insightful conversations regarding the subject you are learning with fellow peers, participate in knowledgeable workshops and learn closely with the instructor, and receive resourceful files to get going.
It is evident that all the premium plans offer additional benefits, but Skillshare steps ahead and delivers more than what you paid; that is why Skillshare is the best!
Do You Get Accredited Certificates In Skillshare?
Getting rewards and receiving validation for something you have tried is a great feeling, and Skillshare ensures that it offers them to its dedicated students.
Yet, the catch is that not all Skillshare offers certificates on completion because of two different reasons –
- A different instructor handles each course, and so the instructors decide to offer certificates or not. Skillshare does not have a say in it.
- Skillshare Originals and the free courses that you see in Skillshare do not guarantee a certificate on completion, so you cannot expect anything.
I’d say that if you are looking for a way to upskill your skill set and do not expect any rewarding benefit like an accredited certificate or a validation card, Skillshare is an excellent platform for you to explore your creativity.
If not, Skillshare might be upsetting.
You can find other solid alternatives like Coursera, edX, and Pluralsight that offer accredited certificates on completion of the courses. Such options might come with a cost, but most students find them beneficial, and I agree with them as well. You can also check more Skillshare alternatives here.
Skillshare Pros & Cons
Here are the advantages & disadvantages of Skillshare.
Pros
- The course library has 34,000+ courses.
- Exclusive 30-day free trial of Skillshare Premium.
- Affordable compared to other online learning platforms.
- Skillshare learning paths help you learn a skill in a systematic way.
- All the classes have real-life projects.
Cons
- The quality of the courses can be different.
- No course completion certificates are available upon course completion.
Skillshare Premium Pricing
The individual subscription to Skillshare Premium costs $167.88/year, around $13.99/month. With Skillshare Premium, you get unlimited access to more than 34,000 courses and access to a student community where you can discuss course details with other students.
Additionally, you can find the option to download the classes for viewing on your mobile and tablet devices, as well as an exclusive discount on other creative platforms.
Skillshare also offers their premium version for teams, and their starting pricing is $199/user/year for teams 2 to 19. If you have more than 30 members, you will need to contact the sales team, and this plan is also referred to as an enterprise plan.
Are There Any Free Trials For Skillshare Premium?
Check our working Skillshare discount codes to save a few extra bucks on Skillshare.
You do not have the budget to buy Skillshare Premium; now what?
Use Skillshare’s free trial and make the most of all the benefits. Skillshare offers a standard 1-month free trial that gives you enough time to complete up to 4 courses in a month, even if you take only 1 course per week. It’s simple maths, but use it efficiently!
You can explore all the features in Skillshare, like shared learning, community forums, and subject-based discussions, take unlimited courses, and get access to everything.
Honestly, even though I was skeptical about purchasing Skillshare Premium, I decided to give Skillshare a free trial, and the rest is history. The course quality, the content delivery, and the instructor engagement made me come back to Skillshare.
I am sure you will feel the same, so why not give Skillshare a free trial a try? Go ahead!
Related Read:
Final Thoughts: Start With Skillshare Premium With Free Trial Option
Overall, at this point, I can say that Skillshare Premium truly unlocks the full potential of the platform, offering access to thousands of courses, exclusive workshops, and a supportive community.
But if you’re exploring the platform or on a budget, the Free plan offers great value for learning. However, the choice completely depends on you and your purpose of taking Skillshare courses.
Give it a try. Start with the Skillshare premium plan, and then test it for a week through a trial. You can decide to upgrade afterward. This way, you can also see how far your creativity can go.
FAQs On Skillshare Free vs Premium
Is Skillshare free?
Skillshare is free, but the course library is limited.
How many days is the free trial in Skillshare?
You can use Skillshare’s free trial for 30 days (1 month).
Is Skillshare useful for tech enthusiasts?
Skillshare offers compelling courses on tech-based subjects as well.
Can anyone become an instructor on Skillshare?
Skillshare allows you to become an instructor if you can deliver a course in a fun and engaging tone with high-quality content.
Are Skillshare courses accredited?
Skillshare courses are not accredited. In most classes, you can complete it within one hour. These classes are not intended to teach you about the topic or any software; they are only focused on helping you learn a particular skill. However, you can still include the completed courses in your resume to impress your employees.
Does Skillshare offer refunds?
Skillshare offers refunds on their annual plans, and you can get them within 14 days of the purchase. But you will have to follow the proper guidelines only, and then your refund request will be granted.
Can I purchase individual classes on Skillshare?
You can not buy individual classes on Skillshare. You can only purchase the monthly subscription, which will give you access to all the courses available in the library.
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