Udemy vs Skillshare — Which Is The Best For You In 2024?

If you are mindlessly scrolling online trying to find the best learning platforms, you might have come across Udemy and Skillshare, which are two competitive e-learning platforms.

It is true that Udemy and Skillshare are powerful and offer several benefits, but what makes Udemy different from Skillshare? Well, all your questions will be answered in the article.

Given benefits like providing certificates, self-paced learning, engaging workshops, student community forums, and courses in different languages, are Udemy and Skillshare worth it?

In this article, I will be comparing Udemy and Skillshare in-depth, including the course quality of Udemy and Skillshare, the instructor quality of Udemy and Skillshare, and their pricing.

In the end, you can find my honest verdict on “Udemy vs Skillshare – which is the best?”

Udemy vs Skillshare: Quick Comparison

Here is a comparison table contrasting key features of the online learning platforms Udemy and Skillshare:

Feature	Udemy	Skillshare
Course Format	On-demand video courses	Short video lessons & projects
Course Topic Focus	Technical skills, software, professional development	Creative skills like design, photography, etc.
Instructor Model	Courses created by individual instructors	Lessons by both professionals and fellow learners
Course Duration	Hours to days of video content per course	Lessons are typically 5-25 minutes long
Evaluating Instructors	User reviews and ratings on instructors	No instructor ratings or reviews
Certification	Certificates of completion offered	No certifications offered
Mobile Access	Android & iOS apps available	iOS app only
Pricing Model	Free previews. Courses are paid individually or via subscription.	Free trial, then monthly/annual subscription only.
Level of Learning	In-depth courses for active learning	More casual & short lessons for passive learning

Udemy vs Skillshare: Key Differences

Here are the key differences between Udemy and Skillshare.

• You can get access to all the courses of Skillshare with its Skillshare Premium subscription, whereas on Udemy, you can only buy individual courses. However, there is a subscription available on Udemy business that gives you access to many courses at once.
• Udemy has over 190K+ courses across 12 different categories, whereas Skillshare only has 40K+ courses that are divided into three major categories and many subcategories.
• Udemy offers more free courses compared to Skillshare.
• After completing a course on Udemy, you will get a shareable certificate. However, Skillshare does not offer any course completion certificate.
• Skillshare offers a 30-day free trial of their premium version, whereas no free trial is available on Udemy.

Udemy vs Skillshare: In A Nutshell (2024)

You can say goodbye to confusion in choosing between multiple e-learning platforms because this article will help you choose between two of the best online learning platforms, Udemy and Skillshare. Before I go deep into their specifications, why don’t I give an overview for both?

What is Udemy? (An Overview)

Unlike most competitors, Udemy is one of the commonly recommended learning platforms where users can purchase a single course instead of paying for the entire course library.

That is such a great feature because people who would like to take a course on a specific niche for a purpose can opt for Udemy. The interface, layout, and design are maintained minimalistically in Udemy, and you get easy-to-navigate settings where most options are only a click away.

In Udemy, you get customization options in various areas, from choosing a topic to checking the ratings to filtering video duration to many more, making it easy for you to find the right course. 

The categories are boundless in Udemy. There is a course for almost everything from cryptocurrency to the blockchain, from marketing to design, from web development to IT. 

What’s more? Udemy produces more than 150,000 courses in 60 different languages. If English is not your best language to learn from, you get to opt for courses in other languages. 

Although Udemy provides a well-designed mobile application, you can still access Udemy via a web browser if you have not installed the mobile version of Udemy.

Udemy also has useful features like ticking a lesson, adding a note, and increasing playback speed which might seem like minimal features, but it can benefit a lot in taking a course.

What is Skillshare? (An Overview)

Skillshare is the best learning platform known for its plethora of options in creative courses. 

Unlike Udemy, if you are unsatisfied with a course, you can opt for another since Skillshare only follows the subscription module, and you do not have to pay for every course you take.

In Skillshare, apart from taking creative courses, you also get to be part of an engaging student community, which can be a great way to learn with fellow peers on the same subject.

Additionally, you also have offline access to several courses in Skillshare, which can be helpful in case you are traveling or in a place where you do not have a stable internet connection. 

Like Udemy, you also get a mobile application in Skillshare, which can be installed to take courses. The good news is that you also get to use an exclusive free trial in Skillshare.

All the courses in Skillshare are short and crisp to the point. Skillshare also extends its teaching via engaging workshops, collaborative groups, and live classes in Zoom, which is great.

Udemy vs Skillshare: Course Quality

It is evident that both the learning platforms, Udemy and Skillshare, offer excellent courses so I dug a little deeper into their comparison and found out that Udemy and Skillshare are trying their best to stream quality content in all their courses, but how effective are they? Find out!

How is The Course Quality in Udemy and Skillshare?

Although Udemy delivered good content, it was not promising. I mean, even if you find a particular course worth buying, you cannot expect the same in the next course that you take.

Unlike Udemy, Skillshare has a stringent content curation team that ensures acceptance of only courses that are concise, straightforward, and provide quality. That is why you might see fewer courses on Skillshare than on Udemy since Skillshare places quality over everything else. 

Additionally, most courses in Skillshare are a minimum of 10 minutes long only. 

Still, the lessons discussed in the courses are precise to the point, whereas Udemy demands its instructors to have at least 30 minutes long lessons along with excellent quality content, which might seem longer.

In my experience, Skillshare offers better quality since the lessons are engaging and straightforward, whereas Udemy courses might start to get boring after a point. In fact, the bite-sized content in Skillshare was digestible and smoothened the learning process. Well, if you want to explore alternatives to Skillshare, check the complete list of Skillshare alternatives.

Udemy vs Skillshare: Their Instructors

Despite all the advertising and clickbait, only the instructors take learning platforms to the next level, especially Udemy and Skillshare, where anyone can become an instructor easily. 

Are you surprised to hear that? Well, Udemy and Skillshare are two of the very few e-learning platforms that allow users to turn into an instructor at the comfort of their homes. 

Although you might not get to see celebrity names on the instructors’ list on Udemy and Skillshare, all the courses are handled by industrial experts and professionals only.

Naturally, you will have to meet certain requirements and criteria if you turn into an instructor in Udemy and Skillshare. About the instructor quality, it can be a little tricky since all instructors are volunteer individuals, teachers, and educators; we cannot be sure about them.

Let me make it easier for you. If you are looking for a course and want to be assured about the instructor quality on a particular course, watch out for the reviews, testimonials, and feedback.

Personally, I found the instructors in Skillshare to be extensively skilled, whereas Udemy instructors seemed decent but not so great. In conclusion, Skillshare instructors are promising. 

Udemy vs Skillshare: How To Teach

If you have knowledge of any particular subject or any kind of skills that you are planning to share with the rest of the world, then what better way is there than to teach on Udemy or Skillshare?

How To Teach On Udemy

To become an instructor on Udemy, you need to first create an account on Udemy. Creating an account is very simple and straightforward. You just need to fill in your email address, name, and password on the signup form. After creating the account, log in to your account and click on the menu section. You will find a “Teach On Udemy” option; click on it.

Now you need to fill up a questionnaire. For that, you need to enter details of your past teaching experience, knowledge of your audience, and knowledge of video course creation. After you finish this questionnaire, you will be redirected to the instructor’s dashboard, where you can create your first course on Udemy. You can only create free courses on Udemy.

To create a paid course on Udemy, you need to apply to become a premium instructor. After creating your course, click on the pricing section. Then you need to follow a few simple steps to become a premium instructor and charge for your courses. You need to enter your personal information, upload your profile picture, agree to the instructor’s terms, choose Udemy marketing, and select payout methods.

How To Teach On Skillshare

To become a teacher on Skillshare, you need to create a Skillshare account first. For that, click on the “Get Started For Free” button from the homepage of Skillshare. You can create a Skillshare account using your Facebook, Apple, Google account, or email. After creating the account, it will ask you to upgrade your account to Skillshare premium, and you can either upgrade your account or not.

From the dashboard of Skillshare, scroll down and find the “Become A Teacher” option; click on it. You will be redirected to Skillshare’s teaching page, where you can find all the teacher-related information. You will also see a “Start A Class” button; click on it. You will be redirected to the course page, where you will need to select a course category and specify your primary goals for teaching this class.

After filling in these details, you can start creating your first course on Skillshare. There are two ways to get paid on Skillshare. The first way gets you $10 instantly whenever anyone signs up for Skillshare premium using your referral. The second way is to get paid monthly, depending on how much time Skillshare premium users spend on your courses.

Udemy vs Skillshare: Best Suitability

By now, you know about Udemy and Skillshare on a fair scale but might be wondering which learning platform to choose. There are no fixed criteria or requirements. Thank God. 

You simply have to ensure that you comply with the following recommendations on Udemy and Skillshare since I am sharing it from my experience, and you might find it helpful.

Who is Suitable for Udemy?

Anyone who wishes to learn topics like web development, IT, blockchain, etc.
Students who are looking for in-demand courses on the internet.
Visual learners who prefer self-paced learning on a budget.

Who is Suitable for Skillshare?

Anyone who wishes to learn creative skills like designing, photography, illustration, etc.
Students, hobbyists, and creatives who want to level up their skill set.
People who want to be guided by experts on a specific creative niche.
Educators who want to sell a course on a global scale.

To be precise, Udemy is best suited for in-demand courses related to business, technology, and marketing, whereas Skillshare is best suited for courses related to creative niches. 

Basically, I would suggest taking Udemy if you are looking for a serious course that could possibly help boost your resume since they also offer certificates on completion. In contrast, Skillshare courses can be taken if you want to learn a fun skill in a structured format.

Udemy vs Skillshare: Pros & Cons

Taking both Udemy and Skillshare was greatly helpful in acquiring in-demand skills while having a fun learning experience, especially with Udemy; I learned valuable skills on a budget.  

Through my experience, I was able to find rewarding benefits and features in Udemy and Skillshare, but there were also some downsides that made me reconsider taking them.

Let me list the real advantages and disadvantages of using Udemy and Skillshare below:

Udemy Pros:

Lifetime access.
A plethora of course selections.
Provision of certificates on completion.
Udemy offers courses in different languages.
You are allowed to take free courses on Udemy.
The courses on Udemy can be bought individually.

Udemy Cons:

The certificate is not accredited.
The instructor quality is not promising.

Skillshare Pros:

Plenty of creative courses.
The option of a free trial is available.
All the courses are short and digestible.
Instructors host workshops and live classes.
Availability of an engaging student community.
Offline access is also available in Skillshare.
Anyone can become an instructor in Skillshare.

Skillshare Cons:

The courses are limited to English only.
You cannot purchase a single course like Udemy.

Udemy vs Skillshare: Which is the most affordable?

Even if you have found the best learning platform, it must justify its pricing. 

In this case, let’s talk about Udemy and Skillshare. The budget is competitively priced in Udemy and Skillshare, giving the utmost benefit to users.

Despite the pricing, there are free courses on Udemy and Skillshare that users can access without paying a single penny. In fact, some paid courses also stream previews for free of cost.

Udemy Pricing

In Udemy, you can literally buy a single course anywhere from $19-$200 and get lifetime access to it, whereas you have to pay for a subscription module in Skillshare. You can also save a few bucks on your purchase with our exclusive Udemy Coupon.

All the courses on Udemy are self-paced and mobile-friendly, which means you can take the courses whenever you want, wherever you want, and however you want. 

Unfortunately, there is no fixed pricing for Udemy since each course has its own value. Instead of free trial options, Udemy offers free introductory courses for users to brush up on their skills.

Unlike competitors, Udemy does not provide additional resources, but it gives certificates.

NOTE: You can request a refund within 30 days of purchase if you are not satisfied with Udemy.

Skillshare Pricing

Skillshare has made its platform caged with a fixed subscription module wherein users have to pay in order to access courses, even if it is a single course but look at the bright side. If you wanna save a few extra bucks on Skillshare, make sure to check our Skillshare discount codes here.

If you purchase Skillshare premium at $19 per month or $99 per year, you can unlock all the 40,000+ courses in Skillshare with no ads, offline access, and an engaging community forum. 

In case you are not ready to invest right away, try Skillshare’s one-month free trial for yourself! Explore your creativity with 30 days of free access to the entire course library and decide.

With Skillshare premium, if you are not satisfied with a particular course, you can jump to another course in no time, whereas a wasted investment in an Udemy course is still wasted. 

Final Verdict – Udemy vs Skillshare (2024)

In the modernized world today, everything has gone digital, including learning in-demand skills in the comfort of our homes. Thanks to the fast-growing technology! 

With two of the best learning platforms on the internet – Udemy, and Skillshare, I was able to learn creative and tech-based skills wearing my PJs in the comfort of my home.

Through my experience, I found out that Udemy is entirely focused and dedicated to in-demand courses only, whereas Skillshare was versatile with creative courses and workshops. 

To pick among the two, I would say Skillshare is the best learning platform with an adequate learning format, structuring of chapters, and excellent instructor quality. 

In contrast, Udemy was good but lacked the course and instructor quality throughout. 

Unlike Skillshare, the quality was not constant throughout, but as an added advantage, Udemy provides certificates on completion, which is a great way to motivate its members.

The only drawback with Udemy is that if you want to take multiple courses, then you would have to pay for every single course that you opt for. With Skillshare, the subscription module is helpful.

You might have a clear mind about Udemy and Skillshare now. If not, let me recall: choose Udemy for in-demand tech, business, and marketing courses and Skillshare for the fun stuff!

FAQs