Check out our review of Skillshare to learn about their courses, prices, and user reviews.
Updated in 2023
- What does Skillshare do?
- Who is Skillshare for?
- What does Skillshare cost?
- Ratings and reviews of Skillshare
- Alternatives to Skillshare
- How does Skillshare compare to Pathrise?
What does Skillshare do?
Hosting over 19,000 free and paid courses, Skillshare is an online learning platform for those who are interested in learning more about a variety of topics within tech like UX design, web development, and marketing, as well as fields that are adjacent to tech, such as creative writing, graphic design, and photography.
Under the UI/UX design umbrella, Skillshare has courses that cover inclusive design, sketching, mobile UX, prototyping for web, UX research, visual hierarchy, and more. Those interested in web development can take courses that teach CSS, JavaScript, HTML, WordPress, and Python. They also have classes on concepts such as responsive design/dev, databases, and more. For students focused on marketing, they offer courses in branding, email marketing campaigns, digital marketing, social media, SEO, and more.
In addition to watching lectures, students connect with their peers and instructors via the online learning platform. This is where they participate in interactive sessions and hands-on projects. Using the discussion boards, students provide feedback to their peers. Those who enroll in Skillshare should be self-motivated. The instructors generally do not offer feedback or 1-on-1 support.
Who is Skillshare for?
UX designers, web developers, and marketers who are looking to brush up on the basics, advance their skills, or learn new tools can benefit from the courses offered by Skillshare.
What does Skillshare cost? How much work is involved?
People can choose between the free and premium subscription options. For the premium options, students can pay $15 per month or $99 per year (billed biannually). Premium members can view lectures offline via the Skillshare mobile app and have special access to certain classes.
To become a member, students must register with their Facebook, Google, or email account. Those interested in the premium subscription can make payments via credit card or PayPal.
Ratings and reviews
Many students felt that Skillshare’s courses helped them learn new tools and advance their current skills. Mostly reviewers appreciated the high quality instruction and curriculum. A Reddit user who enjoyed the UX design courses noted that they “are taught by professionals in the field”. Most G2 reviewers benefited from the learning platform as well. One student reported that “it is a powerful resource to learn new skills.”
However, some students complained about their billing practices and problems with the video streams. One G2 reviewer said that “the platform seems to have streaming issues. Both the website and the Android app take forever to load and frequently stall”. Another reported that “they canceled my account after charging me for a one-year Premium Subscription and I didn’t get to use their platform.”
Alternatives to Skillshare
If you are looking for alternative courses and resources to learn product design, web development, or marketing, check out the following list.
- One of the most well known bootcamps is General Assembly. They offer 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.
- 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, Pluralsight, Learn UX, Treehouse, and Learn@Forbes. People can use these popular education tools to develop or advance their current tech skills.
- You can also check out Udacity and Springboard. These are online educational platforms 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.
- Similarly, 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 per month for more course options and greater support. Learn more about Codecademy in our review.
- GrowthX Academy is an online bootcamp with courses in growth marketing, UX design, and sales and business development.
- Check out the short courses offered by SEMrush Academy, QuickSprout, Facebook Blueprint, or HubSpot Academy if you are looking for digital marketing support.
- Similarly, Pluralsight, Bootcamp Digital, Digital Creative Institute, Somerville Academy, SDSU Bootcamp, Skillcrush, NJIT Digital Skills Bootcamp, DeltaV Code School, and InternStreet offer tracks in digital marketing.
- Likewise, Loyola University Digital Skills Bootcamp has marketing courses.
More alternatives
- Students interested in taking online self-guided or instructor-led product design courses can check out DesignerUp. Learn more about DesignerUp in our review.
- Aspiring designers can also consider Designlab. This online bootcamp that teaches the necessary skills to land a job as a UX designer. Read more about Designlab in our review.
- HackDesign is a weekly newsletter that sends design lessons to your inbox for free, which can benefit product designers at any level.
- Tech bootcamps, Flatiron School, allWomen Academy, and Lambda School have tracks in UX design, as well as other subjects.
- For more bootcamp options in product design and web development, check out Skillcrush, Interaction Design Foundation, GW Bootcamps, Perpetual Education, or V School.
- Or, they can look at Bloc and Big Nerd Ranch. Both cover web dev and design, but Bloc is online and Big Nerd Ranch is on campus.
- Those who are interested in an online, self-paced bootcamp can consider CareerFoundry or Design Sprint School.
- Students located in the Bay Area or looking to work in Silicon Valley can check out Tradecraft, which has tracks in product design, growth marketing, engineering, and sales.
- You can also check out Bubble no-code bootcamps to learn how to make products without coding. Learn more about Bubble in our review.
- Finally, UX Pro Academy, Memorisely, and Miami Ad School have UX design courses for beginners as well as more experienced people.
How does Skillshare compare to Pathrise?
Skillshare is an online UX design, web development, and marketing resource. Their classes are for people who are interested in learning a completely new tool or furthering their knowledge in a specific topic, such as responsive design and wireframing.
At Pathrise, our goal is to help you land the best job possible. Our mentors work 1-on-1 with fellows on every stage of the search, including resume and portfolio building, behavioral and technical interview prep, salary negotiation, and more. The personalized program provides support for each fellow when they need specific guidance.
Advancing technical skills is a key component of landing a job in tech, so fellows in our program should feel free to use Skillshare, as well as our technical workshops, to deepen their knowledge.
Pathrise is a career accelerator that works with students and professionals 1-on-1 so they can land their dream job in tech. If you are interested in optimizing your job search by working with a mentor, become a Pathrise fellow.
Apply today.
