Both Skillshare and Coursera Plus are valuable online learning platforms, each catering to different needs and preferences. Skillshare is ideal for individuals seeking creative skill development and community engagement, while Coursera Plus is better suited for those pursuing academic or professional certifications and career advancement.
| Attribute | Skillshare | Coursera Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Course Variety | Offers a diverse course library spanning creative skills and practical knowledge, with over 30,000 classes available in categories like music, drawing, marketing, and design. | Over 10,000 courses, Guided Projects, Specializations, and Professional Certificates. Excludes degree programs, MasterTrack Certificates, and some Professional Certificates. Check for the Coursera Plus badge to confirm inclusion. |
| Subscription Cost | Premium Membership: Around $19 per month or $165-$168 per year. Teams Plan: Around $159 USD per user, per year. Free Membership: Available with limited access to select classes and a 1-month free trial. | Monthly: $59 per month, with a 7-day free trial. Annually: $399 per year, with a 14-day money-back guarantee. Promotions and discounts may be available. |
| Skill Level Suitability (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced) | Caters to all skill levels from beginner to advanced. | Content for various skill levels. Career Learning Paths cater to beginner, intermediate, and advanced professionals. |
| Instructor Quality & Credentials | Classes are taught by industry professionals and experts. | Instructors from top universities (like Yale, Duke, Stanford) and industry leaders (like Google, IBM, Meta). |
| Hands-on Projects & Assignments | Emphasizes practical, project-based learning with many courses including projects and assignments. | Includes access to over 1,000 applied projects and hands-on labs. |
| Certificate of Completion | Provides a class certificate upon watching all lessons and submitting a project, but some sources suggest Skillshare does not offer formal certificates. | Course Certificate for each course completed, shareable on job boards and professional networks. |
| Community Features & Interaction | Has an active community where users can interact, ask questions, and receive feedback. | Community with ground rules to ensure a healthy learning environment. |
| Mobile App Availability & Functionality | Offers a mobile app for both iOS and Android devices, allowing users to watch classes, create projects, and interact with the community. | Mobile app available for watching videos and accessing course exercises. |
| Offline Access to Courses | With a premium membership, you can download classes for offline viewing through the mobile app. | Download videos and course content for offline viewing on the mobile app. Can save about a week's worth of content. |
| Learning Paths/Specializations | Offers Learning Paths, which are curated sequences of classes in a particular skill area. | Offers learning paths for career development in high-growth fields. |
| Cancellation and Refund Policies | You can cancel anytime. Refunds are limited and depend on the trial period and when you request the refund. Payments made after 14-day (or longer) free trials are not eligible for refunds. | Cancel anytime. Monthly subscriptions often have a 7-day free trial. Annual subscriptions may have a 14-day money-back guarantee. Refunds may be available within 14 days of payment for eligible courses or subscriptions. |
| Integration with other tools/platforms | Skillshare Premium provides discounts on platforms like SquareSpace and Adobe Creative Cloud. | Integrates with various Learning Management Systems (LMS) and Learning Experience Platforms (LXP). Offers APIs for data exchange and integration with systems like Degreed, Workday, LinkedIn Learning Hub, Skillsoft Percipio, Canvas, and Moodle. |