- What does Pluralsight do?
- Who is Pluralsight for?
- What does Pluralsight cost?
- Ratings and reviews of Pluralsight
- Alternatives to Pluralsight
- How does Pluralsight compare to Pathrise?
What does Pluralsight do?
Pluralsight is an online learning platform with courses in software engineering, design, digital marketing, product management, and sales, as well as in-depth tracks in web development, data science, operations, and cyber security. Many companies use Pluralsight to evaluate their employees’ technical skills. That means their courses are frequently updated with the latest trends in tech.
With 5000+ courses, Pluralsight has offerings for people at all levels, from complete beginner to advanced.
Software development
For software development, users can take courses on JavaScript, Angular.JS, Java, and more, as well as on topics such as web development and mobile development. Under the digital marketing umbrella, users can further their knowledge in analytics, social media, email marketing, and more. Those interested in data science can choose from courses on SQL, Tableau, Oracle, and more, as well as more in-depth topics such as using the Scrum framework and bringing data science into business. Users looking to advance their skills in UX design can study UX research, front-end UX design, and more. Pluralsight also offers courses in topics such as cloud computing, machine learning, AI, and much more.
The self-guided courses feature recorded lectures and skill assessments. Those who complete an in-depth track earn a certificate, which they can add to their LinkedIn profile. Paths take 9-50 hours to complete. They are composed of shorter courses. Those who subscribe have access to the entire course library, additional exercise files, email & phone support, the mobile application, and the platform’s discussion board, where users can ask questions and connect with their peers. Otherwise, Pluralsight offers quite a few free courses, but their free offerings change each week.
In addition, Pluralsight offers 1-on-1 mentoring, which allows students to meet with a field expert via video chat once a week for 90 minutes in order to discuss course content and career goals. To speak with a mentor, registered users must pay an additional fee, which is calculated by the minute.
Who is Pluralsight for?
Pluralsight can benefit those interested in learning a new field from scratch, brushing up on the basics or advancing skills. Their courses are especially useful for software engineers, content creators, digital marketers, data scientists, UX designers, and IT/operations professionals.
What does Pluralsight cost? How much work is involved?
Pluralsight uses a subscription-based model. People pay monthly or annually and choose from 2 plans: individual and business. Their personal plan costs $29 per month or $299 for annual billing. Businesses can pay $499 per month to provide access to their employees. To speak with a mentor, registered users pay an additional $1 per minute of support.
To sign up, students create an account with their email address and select their payment plan. While there are no prerequisites, users can take an assessment to determine which courses best match their current abilities.
Ratings and reviews
Online reviews of Pluralsight are generally positive. G2 reviewers from all backgrounds benefited from using the online learning platform. One reviewer emphasized how helpful the program is for keeping up with the latest trends in tech, whether you are looking for a “fresher on fundamentals” or “more advanced courses.”
For example, he said, “I like the ‘What’s new in Java X’ for a quick primer on changes in the Java language”. Another G2 reviewer echoed this. They noted that Pluralsight is an “invaluable resource in a quickly changing industry.” Similarly, one Quora user, who recommended the program for those who are new to the industry, said that “the company keeps 99% of their content relevant with the latest standards and archives older courses.”
However, some users disagree and feel that not all courses reflect the latest technology. According to one G2 reviewer, “I dislike that many courses are outdated and that some courses provide tutorials only for one operating system. The technology is evolving very fast and perhaps some younger developers could share insight on some bleeding-edge topics.”
While they generally benefited from the courses, reviewers on Trustpilot were disappointed with the customer service, lack of support, and the poorly organized discussion board. One user reported that they “refuse to cancel [your subscription] even though you’ve sent an email cancellation request.” Another wished that the discussion boards were organized by topics, not “all grouped together.”
On CourseReport, a reviewer that took courses in the development and IT tracks said that although “some courses are outdated,” Pluralsight has “one of the best mobile applications in comparison to other platforms.” One Reddit user, who regularly uses the mobile application feature, said, “I’ll queue sessions up on their mobile app and listen to it while driving to and from work.”
Alternatives to Pluralsight
There are a number of alternative online tech educational tools and bootcamps if you decide not to use Pluralsight.
- You can check out Udacity and Springboard, which are online learning tools that students can use to brush up on the basics or advance their current tech skills. Read more about Udacity and Springboard in our reviews.
- edX is one of the largest online learning platforms. They have courses from top universities like Harvard and MIT as well as big tech companies like Microsoft. Learn more about edX in our review.
- Those interested in online learning platforms can also check out Udemy, Coursera, Simplilearn, Learn UX, Treehouse, QuickSprout, egghead, and Learn@Forbes.
- Codecademy is one of the most popular coding programs online. They provide free courses on many different programming languages. They also offer membership options ranging from $20 to $40. Learn more about Codecademy in our review.
- You can also consider Helio Training, Ironhack, or V School. These are online bootcamps with courses in web dev and UX design.
- Aspiring software engineers and web developers can also consider CodeX Academy, a self-paced coding bootcamp with mentorship opportunities. Learn more about CodeX Academy in our review.
- One of the most well known bootcamps is General Assembly, which offers full-time, part-time, and 1-day courses on a variety of topics like software engineering, data science, UX design, digital marketing, product management, and more. Read more about General Assembly in our review.
- Similarly, Flatiron School, Byte Academy, Zip Code Wilmington, and Lambda School have tracks in software engineering and data science, as well as other subjects.
- Students interested in taking online self-guided or instructor-led product design courses can check out DesignerUp. Learn more about DesignerUp in our review.
- UX Pro Academy has courses for beginners as well as more experienced people.
More alternatives
- Aspiring designers can also consider Designlab, an online bootcamp that teaches the necessary skills to land a job as a UX designer. Read more about Designlab in our review.
- Hack Reactor, Actualize, Fullstack Academy, Nucamp, Turing, Launch Academy, and The Software Guild are software engineering bootcamps with online and in-person options.
- Those looking to advance their product management skills and network with a community of peers can check out membership and classes at Product Gym.
- Similarly, product managers with some experience can check out the community and courses on Mind the Product.
- Students can also check out Thinkful and Knowledge Officer, which have courses in product management, marketing, and more.
- Similarly, Product Hall is a product management bootcamp with live courses and 1-on-1 mentoring opportunities.
- If you are looking to learn software engineering and design or front-end development, you can check out Kenzie Academy, a full-time tech bootcamp that offers in-person and online courses. Learn more about Kenzie Academy in our review.
- For people with an interest in data science, Metis has part-time introduction courses as well as onsite and online bootcamp options. Learn more about Metis in our review.
- Free online resources, SoloLearn and the Mode tutorials have tracks in SQL, as well as other programming languages.
- DataCamp, Dataquest, Promotable, Divergence Academy, and Data Science Dojo are also options for current and aspiring data scientists. They offer individual courses, as well as in-depth tracks.
- GrowthX Academy is an online bootcamp with courses in growth marketing, UX design, and sales and business development.
- Similarly, Pluralsight, Bootcamp Digital, Digital Creative Institute, Somerville Academy, allWomen Academy, GW Bootcamps, and InternStreet offer tracks in digital marketing.
How does Pluralsight compare to Pathrise?
Pluralsight is an online learning platform with courses in a variety of fields, including software engineering, data science, and digital marketing. With classes for complete beginners and advanced users, Pluralsight can benefit people at all levels. While they do not offer career coaching, users can pay an additional fee and receive 1-on-1 mentorship to help them advance their technical skills. However, this guidance is not related to their job search or career advancement.
Pathrise is a full service organization that helps fellows with every component of the job search. Our mentors have years of experience on both sides of the hiring table. Fellows receive 1-on-1 support every step of the way and participate in workshops and personalized sessions that focus on technical and behavioral interviewing, as well as resume and LinkedIn optimization, portfolio building, negotiation, and more.
Our program is flexible. There are only 2-4 hours of sessions per week. Fellows can schedule 1-on-1s when they need help. The Pathrise income share agreement means that fellows don’t pay anything until they start working at a new job they love and we never require upfront payments or deposits.
Pathrise is a career accelerator that helps people land their dream job in tech through 1-on-1 mentorship. If you are interested in optimizing your job search, join Pathrise.
Apply today.
