Udemy vs Skillshare: Which One Is Right for You? (2024)

Last update: Jan 02, 2024

Udemy vs Skillshare: Which One Is Right for You? (1) Udemy vs Skillshare

4.3

Best for

  • Affordable Courses

Visit site

vs

4.5

Best for

  • Creative Courses

Visit site

Udemy vs Skillshare: Which One Is Right for You? (4)

Written by

Catherine Cooke

Catherine Cooke

Upskillwise Advisor

I'm Catherine, originally from London, now living in Spain. My professional journey led me from being a certified teacher to a yoga instructor and then a freelancer designer. These changes were made possible by online learning platforms like Skillshare and Coursera. It wasn't always easy, but so worth it and inspired me to start Upskillwise.

Udemy vs Skillshare: Which One Is Right for You? (5)

Read bio

Upskillwise.com is fully supported by its readers. If you register or buy a course using our links, we may receive a commission. This does not affect our ratings,methodologyorpartners.

When I started looking for online resources to help me top up my graphic design game, two names came up frequently: Udemyand Skillshare. But I wasn’t sure which one of the two was the best, in fact, I didn’t know what each exactly offered.

Of course, both providers offer courses on many topics other than graphic design (what I was looking to learn). So, what is it like to use their platforms? And more importantly, which one will be the best choice for you?

To answer these questions, I’ve created an in-depth Udemy vs Skillshare comparison. I’ll tell you all about their prices, course quality, instructors and much more.

Let’s make a Start!

Take Our 3-Minute Quiz: To Find Out Which Is Best?

Compare Udemy vs Skillshare Side By Side

Select a platform to compare:

E-Learning Platforms

Overall Rating ?

Best For

Starting From

Ease of Use ?

Convenience ?

Available Platforms

Certifications ?

Categories ?

Free Courses

Content Quality ?

Languages ?

Instructors ?

Course Requirements ?

Course Structure ?

Quizzes and Tests ?

Payments and Refunds

Support ?

4.3

Variety of Courses

$12.99 USD

5

i

4

i

5

i

4

i

3

i

3

i

5

i

3

i

3

i

4

i

3

i

5

i

4

i

Read review Visit Udemy

4.5

Best For Creative Courses

$29 USD a month

4

i

5

i

5

i

3.5

i

4

i

4

i

4

i

5

i

3.5

i

3

i

3

i

4

i

3

i

Read review Visit Skillshare

Udemy vs Skillshare: Which One Is Right for You? (8)

3

Best For Free Trial

$25 USD a month

3

i

4

i

2

i

3

i

3

i

4

i

1

i

4

i

3

i

3

i

4

i

2

i

3

i

Read review

4

Best For Live Classes

$29 USD a month

5

i

4

i

4

i

4

i

3

i

4

i

1

i

3

i

4

i

4

i

1

i

4

i

3

i

Read review Visit CreativeLive

Udemy vs Skillshare: Which One Is Right for You? (10)

3.5

Best for STEM topics

$24.99 USD a month

4

i

4

i

4

i

2

i

2

i

2

i

1

i

2

i

3

i

3

i

2

i

3.5

i

2

i

Read review

Udemy vs Skillshare: Which One Is Right for You? (11)

3.8

Self Paced Learning

$39.99 USD a month

4.5

i

4

i

5

i

3

i

4

i

4

i

4

i

4

i

3

i

4

i

3

i

4

i

4

i

Read review

4.7

Learn From VIP Instructors

$10 USD a month (billed annually)

4

i

4

i

5

i

3

i

2

i

4

i

2

i

4

i

5

i

3

i

4

i

5

i

4

i

Read review Visit MasterClass

4.6

Best for Personal Growth

$49 USD a month

4

i

3

i

5

i

3

i

3

i

4

i

5

i

5

i

4

i

5

i

4

i

5

i

4.5

i

Read review Visit Mindvalley

4

Best For Coding Courses

$29.99 USD a month

4

i

3

i

5

i

3

i

4

i

4

i

2

i

3

i

3

i

4

i

2

i

1

i

3

i

Read review Visit Codecademy

4.2

Best For Tech Skills

$29 USD a month

4

i

4

i

5

i

3

i

3

i

4

i

2

i

5

i

4

i

3

i

2

i

3

i

4

i

Read review Visit Pluralsight

4.5

Best For Data Skills

$39 USD a month

5

i

4

i

5

i

3

i

3

i

4

i

3

i

4

i

4

i

4

i

2

i

4

i

3

i

Read review Visit DataCamp

4.2

Best for Verified Certificates

$50 USD

4

i

4

i

5

i

4

i

5

i

3

i

3

i

4

i

4

i

4

i

4

i

4

i

4

i

Read review Visit edX

4.8

Accredited Certificates

$9.99 USD

5

i

5

i

4

i

4

i

5

i

5

i

5

i

4

i

4

i

4

i

5

i

4

i

Read review Visit Coursera

Round 1: Which One Is More Popular?

As you can see in the Google Trends screenshot below, when it comes to popularity, there’s one clear winner: Udemy

Udemy vs Skillshare: Which One Is Right for You? (20)

Udemy is the biggest and one of the most popular online learning platforms on the market. Udemy has grown to have 57+ million learners and offers 210,000+ courses in 75 languages available. Its wide variety of categories means there is something for everyone.

Skillshare’s numbers seem very humble when compared to Udemy’s. Skillshare has grown quite a bit since it was first founded in 2010: it has over 25,000+ classes and more than 600K+ members– not bad if you think they target a smaller niche (creatives and entrepreneurs).

Winner: The fact that Udemy is far more popular than Skillshare globally the point has to go to them.

So, we kick things off with the first point going to Udemy 1 – 0

Round 2: Ease-of-Use & Interface

Alright, we all want easy to follow and intuitive interfaces and straightforward workflows, so let’s find out which one provides the easiest to use system. Shall we?

Registration

The registration process at Udemy is very simple To create an account you’ll only need your name, email and set a password. After that, you’ll only need to confirm the emailthat they send you.

Udemy vs Skillshare: Which One Is Right for You? (21)

Skillshare works similarly. You can create your account by simply adding an email account and a password. On top of that, you are also allowed to create an account using your Gmail or Facebook account.

Backend & Design

Once you log in at Udemy you’ll realize that an effort has been made to keep the interface intuitive and well-designed. I like how easy it is to create your own ‘Collection’ of courses organized using the same topics (e.g. programming, design, etc.).

The actual course interface is also very smartly designed. Besides the usual video player options (playback speed, video quality, subtitle management, etc.), you also can add a note to a certain momentof a video (see image below).

Udemy vs Skillshare: Which One Is Right for You? (22)

It’s also very convenient how the course lessons are organized in the right-hand sidebar (above image). It provides easy access to each chapter and lesson of the course. You can also tick or untick each lessonto keep track of your progress.

Access Udemy using your favourite internet browseron laptops and desktops, or download the iOS or Android appto watch courses on the go.

Skillshare also offers a way to create course liststo keep your resources organized and adding notes to your courses. I would say that its design is good, but maybe not as modern-looking as Udemy’s (not a big issue though).

Udemy vs Skillshare: Which One Is Right for You? (23)

The Skillshare’s video player isn’t as advanced as Udemy’s, it lacks some options like being able to set up the video quality or managing captions. The course sidebar with the lessons is also a more simple version of Udemy’s.

As with Udemy, Skillshare is available for desktops and laptops using a browser, and via apps for iOS (iPhone and iPad) and Androiddevices. You won’t be able to watch courses offline with the free version.

Winner: Both are super easy to use, and this is a tough call, but I think Udemy is a bit fancier looking and a tiny bit easier to use.

Udemy is taking the lead with 2 – 0

Round 3: Courses & Programs

A couple of questions that you’ll need to ask yourself before choosing between Udemy or Skillshare are: What platform has more choice?Which one allows you to choose easily?

Course Information

A big issue of these platforms is how to filter the vast offering they have. With thousands of online courses available, you could spend days choosing your next class. So they all make efforts to make your life a bit easier.

Skillshare offers some categories to browse its library, you’ll be able to narrow down your searches by topic (currently it has 16 categories). There are also a couple of filters that will offer a more defined search: free vs paid courses when the course was created and the class duration. There is also a section with ‘Recommended Classes’, a selection of internally picked Skillshare classes.

Udemy vs Skillshare: Which One Is Right for You? (24)

All Skillshare courses come with information about the class structure, access to resources and a presentation video about the course and the instructor. There is also an easy way to assess the course level(e.g. beginner, intermediate or advanced), this is based on students’ feedback. Finally, the review sectionof each course will allow you to read what other students think about a certain course – this is a bit basic as it doesn’t have an aggregated value.

Udemy offers a similar approach. All its courses are classified into topics (13 categories and dozens of subcategories). Udemy’s filtersare much more advancedas you have more flexibility, filter by level, student rating, language, duration, available resources and more.

Udemy vs Skillshare: Which One Is Right for You? (25)

There is also the ability to read reviews from other users, a video presentationof the course and the instructor and a useful summary of the available resources(e.g. assignments and quizzes).

In terms of the number of courses, Udemy offers a 6 times larger class repository (150,000) and 8,000 free courses versus 2,500 complementary courses from Skillshare and over 25,000 premium courses.

The course qualityis difficult to assess, as pretty much everyone can publish on both elearning platforms. Both Udemy and Skillshare have formal requirements instructors must meet (e.g. HD videos, minimum length and educational goals). However, some of the courses at Skillshare are produced internally and by big companies (e.g. Moz, Adobe or Mailchimp), so maybe they offer a tiny bit more.

Winner: Sure, Udemy makes it easier for you to read reviews and find courses, but since I believe the course quality is a bit higher at Skillshare, the point goes for them.

Skillshare is now in the running with the score at 2 – 1

Popular Skillshare & Udemy Courses

Let me mention a couple of popular Udemy and Skillshare courses to get an idea of what types of topics they cover:

Udemy Courses:

Complete Guitar System – Beginner to Advanced – This is a course that has taughtaround 150,000 people how to play the guitar. It is around 35 hours long and over 15,000 reviews gave it a 4.4. out of 5.

Complete Python Bootcamp: Go from zero to hero in Python 3– Jose Portilla’s Python course is a Udemy top seller, more than 900,000 people have enrolled in the course. There are 24 hours of lessons and past students awarded a 4.5 out of 5 to this course.

The Complete Financial Analyst Course 2020– There are also courses about finances, this one was joined by almost 200,000 students and has an average rating of 4.5 out of 5.

Photography Masterclass: A Complete Guide to Photography – This Udemy bestseller is a 22-hour-long course that will teach anyone how to take better pictures. Around 150,000 students have enrolled, and it has a 4.6 out of 5 in the reviews.

Read the Udemy review here

Skillshare Courses:

Intro to UX: Fundamentals of Usability– Marieke McCloskey teaches in this Skillshare Original course the fundamentals of usability and user experience. So far around 15,000 students have seen this on-demand video course.

Learn How Young Guru Engineers for Jay Z: An Introduction to Audio Recording– This course has taught, more or less, 6,000 people sound engineering in 9 lessons (44 minutes in total).

YouTube Success: Build an Authentic Channel That’s Worth the Follow– Another popular Skillshare Original that has shown around 12,000 people how to build a YouTube audience more effectively.

The JavaScript Toolkit: Write Cleaner, Faster & Better Code– This JavaScript Skillshare Original shows students how to write better JavaScript. 6,000 users have enrolled in this course so far.

Read the Skillshare review here

Round 5: Available Languages

Alright, I promise this will be a short round.

Whilst Skillshare encouragesteaching in any language, the reality is that their community is primarily English speaking. It does have several language learning courses (e.g. for Spanish, German or French), but I haven’t been able to find courses about other topics in other languages than English.

Udemy vs Skillshare: Which One Is Right for You? (26)

On the other hand, Udemydoes offer courses in many other languages, even some of the English courses have subtitles in Spanish, German or French. In fact, Udemy incorporates a filter to find courses in several languages (see image above).

Winner: This point has to go to Udemy with the sheer quantity of languages offered.

Udemy takes this one at 4 – 2.

Round 6: Udemy Vs Skillshare Certificates

Certificates are good to make your CV more appealing or to hang them on your office, they can help you get a better job or a juicy promotion. However, they have to be issued by a credible institution.

Once you complete an Udemy course, you’ll be able to print a completion certificate. However, Udemy is not an accredited institution, sothere’s no real formal value for you. Note that free courses don’t include completion certificates.

Udemy vs Skillshare: Which One Is Right for You? (27)

Skillshare doesn’t provide a certificateafter you complete a course, fair enough.

Winner: Since Skillshare doesn’t issue certificates and the ones Udemy issues aren’t accredited, no one gets a point for this round.

Check out Courseraor edX as an alternative if you are looking for an accredited certificate.

Round 7: Teachers & Community

Udemy is open to anyone who is willing to put in a huge effort to create a course, of course, you have to meet some requirements, and you can’t just put together a poor quality 10-minute course about a topic. But yes, if you are willing to put the effort and create a course, you’ll be able to sell it on Udemy. Udemy itself creates its own courses (known as Udemy official courses) that are produced by the Udemy Instructor team.

And with Skillshare it is the same case. This elearning platform is open to anyone who is eager to teach a course. Like Udemy, Skillshare also produces some of its own courses(known as Skillshare Originals), and they team up with very successful professionals and companies to push some amazing classes.

Udemy vs Skillshare: Which One Is Right for You? (28)

For example, you can find a beginner SEO course taught by Rand Fishkin, one of the most important SEO experts in the world – equivalent to having Michael Jordan teaching you basketball fundamentals.

Both Skillshare and Udemy have a way for students to communicate and interact with each other. Having a narrower range of topics and working on a subscription model, I think benefits Skillsharehere and its community is a bit more engaged.

Winner: Having a more engaged community and featuring big industry professionals and companies as instructors, this point goes to Skillshare.

Skillshare is catching up with the score at 4 – 3.

Round 9: Which One Is Better for Businesses

Elearning platforms are a great way to have your team or company improving skills and learning new drills, especially for fast-changing industries such as marketing or development.

Skillshare offers a Team plan that gives employees unlimited access to 25,000+ courses. The plan is designed for teams of any size, and costs $159 per user annually.

Udemy vs Skillshare: Which One Is Right for You? (29)

Udemy offers 3 different business plans. The Team plan is for 5 – 20 users, costing $360 a year per user. Then there is the Enterprise plan for more than 21 users which is custom priced and finally the Leadership Development Program, again custom priced.

Udemy vs Skillshare: Which One Is Right for You? (30)

Winner: It’s another hard one to pick as Udemy offers more courses, but it’s way more expensive than Skillshare. So, another point for both.

The score is left at 6-5 with Udemy still leading.

Round 11: Udemy Vs Skillshare Customer Reviews

To provide a comprehensive view for this Udemy Vs Skillshare review, I took a look at what customers are sharing on Trustpilot, one of the most popular review sites. That way, we get to hear what a wider range of users think of these two online learning platforms.

Online RatingsUdemySkillshare
5-star37%47%
4-star12%12%
3-star6%3%
2-star6%2%
1-star39%36%
Overall2.2 out of 5 stars1.4 out of 5 stars

Data gathered on 10/18/2023

The Udemy review comes from 1,173 users and the Skillshare review has been left by 1,499 customers. Skillshare has nearly 50% of its customers leaving a 5-star rating, many complimenting is affordability, good customer service and free trial. “I’ve had a great experience so far and found plenty of quality courses. The price is relatively cheap…” a happy 5-star customer said.

It left me curious to explore what issues Udemy users were having, with nearly 40% leaving a 1-star review. Many complained about bad customer service, billing issues and bad user experience. “Udemy has no way to contact their instructors and their customer service is horrendous” an unhappy 1-star customer said.

Winner: Although Udemy technically comes out on top, with its overall rating. When you break down each of the stars, you can see that Skillshare tops Udemy on its 5-stars and is lower for its 1-star. So, for that reason, I will give a point to both, leaving the final score at 8–6.

Final Winner: Well done, Udemy!

Final thoughts: Udemy vs Skillshare

Alright, after this long and detailed comparison, I hope it has helped you choose the right platform for you. To conclude, I have highlighted each platform’s strengths and weaknesses.

Udemy Pros

  • Affordable: Udemy courses are highly affordable, with prices ranging from $11.99 to $199.99, making it accessible for many.
  • Free Courses: Learners can take advantage of Udemy’s library of nearly 600 free courses on various subjects, including Investing, Excel, Animation and much more.
  • Refund Policy:Udemy’s 30-day refund policy is extremely generous, meaning learners can get a full refund within the first month of purchase.
  • Wide Selection: Udemy boosts the largest collection of online courses. on the market, with over 213,000 courses spanning across 13 categories and numerous subcategories.

Udemy Cons

  • Non-Accredited Certificates: Udemy does provide a certificate upon completing a course, the certificate isn’t accredited by external partners like a University or Organization.
  • Lack of Quality: Since anyone can become an Udemy instructor, the quality of its courses may not be guaranteed. It’s important to research the instructor and course thoroughly before enrolling.

Visit Udemy

Read Udemy review

Skillshare Pros

  • Free Trial: Skillshare’s free trial, on its premium plan, gives you full access to its platform and its 25,000 classes.
  • Affordable: Its affordable subscription plan is excellent value for money, allowing learners to access a vast library of classes.
  • Interactive: Skillshare’s classes are designed to be interactive and engaging, with hands-on projects that learners must submit to ensure a practical learning experience.
  • Engaged Community: Skillshare boasts an active and engaged community, providing a space for learners to interact, ask questions, and receive feedback from peers.
  • Offline Viewing: Skillshare offers offline viewing with its app, so you can enjoy its classes whilst on the go or when you aren’t connected to the internet.
  • Refund: If you change your mind and contact Skillshare within 14 days of purchasing an annual membership, you will receive a full refund.

Skillshare Cons

  • No Accreditation: Skillshare’s classes are created and designed by individuals, therefore aren’t accredited by an external partner like a University or Organization. If an accreditation is what you are looking for, it may be worth checking out platforms like Coursera.
  • Instructor Quality: As individuals design and create Skillshare’s classes, there may be variation in the quality of the classes. It’s important you do your due diligence before enrolling in a class.

Visit Skillshare

Read Skillshare review

Date Updates

  1. 2nd Jan 2024 Round 11: Udemy Vs Skillshare Customer Reviews Added
  2. 18th Oct 2023 Round 11: Udemy Vs Skillshare Customer Reviews Added
  3. 6th Sep 2023 Coursera Alternative Updated
  4. 7th Aug 2023 Udemy Vs Skillshare Summary Updated
  5. 3rd Jul 2023 Skillshare Pros Updated
  6. 22nd May 2023 Udemy Vs Skillshare: FAQ
  7. 16th Mar 2023 Udemy Vs Skillshare Pros & Cons
  8. 17th Feb 2023 Udemy Vs Skillshare Summary Updated
  9. 15th Jan 2023 Udemy Vs Skillshare Update
  10. 26th Nov 2021 Udemy Vs Skillshare Quiz
  11. 1st Oct 2021 Skillshare Pricing
  12. 19th May 2021 Free Courses at Udemy & Skillshare

Authors

Catherine Cooke

Upskillwise Advisor

I'm Catherine, originally from London, now living in Spain. My professional journey led me from being a certified teacher to a yoga instructor and then a freelancer designer. These changes were made possible by online learning platforms like Skillshare and Coursera. It wasn't always easy, but so worth it and inspired me to start Upskillwise.

Udemy vs Skillshare: Which One Is Right for You? (31)

Read bio

Add a new comment

100 comments

  • Carmine

    12 January 2023, 06:18

    Thank you for the comparison. I just want to point out that there seems to be a discrepancy in the scoring when we got to Round 4.

    Round 1: 1-0 Udemy
    Round 2: 1-1 Skillshare
    Round 3: 2-2 Udemy and Skillshare
    Round 4: Point goes to Udemy so standing should be 3-2 and not 3-3, right? Or am I missing something?

    While I respect your review and the outcome, I think the math should be accurate.

    And yes, as others have requested, please compare Udemy, Skillshare, and the like as platforms for course creators.

    Again, thank you.

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      15 January 2023, 18:22

      Thank you, Carmine, for pointing this out. I’ve actually given the article a bit of an update including the different rounds 🙂

      Reply

  • Matt

    19 December 2022, 14:12

    Very well written for compare and contrast.

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      19 December 2022, 19:05

      Thanks, Matt. So happy you found the comparison helpful 🙂

      Reply

  • Noelle

    17 May 2022, 06:41

    This is an excellent article. I am sold on skillshare now, however when I clicked on your link to it, the offer changed to a 7 day free trial, not 30 days. I was able to find another link on the internet to a 30 day trial but I am wondering if you have had anyone else notice the issue with the link you provided? I would prefer you get the credit for my signup rather than some random link I found.

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      25 May 2022, 18:35

      Hey Noelle. Thanks for getting in touch, that is strange that the link only offers you a 7-day free trial. You can try this link and you should receive your 1-month free trial. Let me know if that works? 🙂

      Reply

  • C Nabi

    26 March 2022, 13:48

    This truly a good article, it explains the pros and cons thoroughly. however, it appears to me that a yearly subscription with skillshare is affordable and it is equal to having dinner out twice. we ‘human beings’ think too much when it comes to learning and not as much when it comes to eating, not long ago, we would pay hefty prices to learn little compared to what is offered today. don’t think too much. knowledge is power.
    There is another thing I want to add, is that you can pick up some quality courses from udemy when you want to strengthen your knowledge in the field that interests you.
    Thanks for this beautiful article, it is cleverly written.

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      26 March 2022, 13:59

      Hey Nabi, Thanks so much for your comment. It is so true what you say. We should all put more value on learning, and it really is a way for us to grow personally and professionally. Good luck with your learning journey 🙂

      Reply

  • Victor Chisom Frank

    18 March 2022, 10:59

    Beautiful article. Thumbs up to you

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      18 March 2022, 11:21

      Thank you Victor. Really happy you enjoyed it 🙂

      Reply

  • Sudeshna

    18 February 2022, 07:42

    Thank you for sharing such a great insight..it’s given me a good perspective to understand both the platform better.

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      20 February 2022, 18:05

      Thank you, Sudeshna. Happy you now have a good perspective of both platforms 🙂

      Reply

  • Earnest

    15 February 2022, 16:52

    Can you please also advice me which one is best among the below learning platform.
    Udemy Edvanza Skillshare Pluralsight

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      17 February 2022, 13:24

      Hhey Earnest, Thanks for your comment. It really does depend on what you are looking for from an online learning platform and what it is you want to study. If you could elaborate a little? I can give you some advice and point you in the right direction? 🙂

      Reply

  • AAKASH RAJ

    11 February 2022, 16:29

    Thanks for putting your effort in explaining this whole stuff. After reading I get an clear idea of what to choose. Happy with this article. Keep up

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      11 February 2022, 16:58

      Thank you Raj. Really happy you have a clearer idea of each of the platforms now. Happy learning 🙂

      Reply

  • Brij Bhushan

    1 February 2022, 13:28

    Thank you for sharing this valuable content, it is very informative and informal. I hope you keep updating us.

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      1 February 2022, 13:34

      Thank you, Brij. Happy the content is valuable and informative. We do our best to keep it updated and relevant 🙂

      Reply

  • Carl Wilson

    16 December 2021, 15:17

    Hi Catherine – thanks for this in-depth article. Like you, I’m more interested in creative courses – drawing, painting, pastels, etc. I believe you mentioned that Skillshare is geared more towards those kinds of courses? The $168 is just a steep price to pay all up front …

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      23 December 2021, 18:34

      Thanks Carl, for your comment. Happy to hear your another creative like me. It is true, the Skillhare premium plan can seem a little costly upfront. It may be worth you trying out the Skillshare one month free trial to get a taste of the platform. Really, hope you find the platform for you 🙂

      Reply

  • Cecil

    22 November 2021, 20:01

    This article made my decision clear. Thanks.

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      23 November 2021, 10:43

      Thanks, Cecil. Really happy the article was helpful to you. Happy learning 🙂

      Reply

  • Radi Ramdani

    27 October 2021, 19:33

    really helpful article, as I already used both this review is on point.

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      28 October 2021, 07:29

      Thanks so much, Radi. So happy you agree with the review and find it helpful 🙂

      Reply

  • Fahad g

    19 October 2021, 08:44

    Super helpful article. I’m looking for a resource for my team to learn. Now it is so much easier to choose. Thank you for your hard work!

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      19 October 2021, 18:00

      Thanks, Fahad. Happy the article was so helpful for and you’re team. Happy learning 🙂

      Reply

  • Hasib

    16 October 2021, 19:51

    It’s informative.
    I want to learn different things and I also want to apply for US universities as an international. So I also need some certificates that reveals my co-curriculars. But coursera and eDX is much expensive.
    Btw, thanks for the info!

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      17 October 2021, 17:15

      Thanks Hasib for your comment. Yes, Coursera and edX come with a higher price tag due to the fact its courses are partnered with Universities and Organizations. Good luck and happy learning 🙂

      Reply

  • Lily

    14 September 2021, 16:01

    Catherine, this comparison is much appreciated! I’ve tried both Udemy and Skillshare, and find there are more classes for painters on Skillshare.
    BUT have you found out how to winkle out a “Top Teacher” on Skillshare? There’s not filter that helps you find them so I’m stumbling about a lot!
    Meanwhile thank you for such a thorough and helpful deep dive into both!

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      14 September 2021, 18:02

      You are welcome, Lily. Happy you have been able to try out both platforms. It’s true, Skillshare doesn’t have a direct filter to find the top teachers. I find by filtering the most popular classes if gives you an indication that these classes may have top teachers, but it isn’t a guarantee. Anyways keep enjoying these platforms as they both have so much to offer 🙂

      Reply

  • Maria

    11 September 2021, 17:00

    Thanks so much for the in depth comparison! This was very helpful!

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      12 September 2021, 08:40

      You are welcome, Maria. So happy it was helpful 🙂

      Reply

  • fadhil

    11 September 2021, 00:09

    Hello Caherine, thanks for the article!

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      12 September 2021, 08:41

      Thank you Fadhil. You are very welcome 🙂

      Reply

  • Sandara

    8 September 2021, 05:46

    Great Article

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      8 September 2021, 12:55

      Thanks Sandara. Happy the article was helpful 🙂

      Reply

  • Tina

    5 September 2021, 19:10

    Great article, but for me Udemy is better. Udemy is very quick to refund money to dissatisfied customers and the variety of course subject surpasses Skillshare. Skill share focuses on one theme and if you are not a creative you quickly find that the subscription is a waste. With Udemy, there is no subscription and the certificates satisfies professional association continue education requirements.

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      6 September 2021, 09:00

      Thanks Tina for your comment. I am happy to hear you have had such a great experience with Udemy. I agree for some learners like yourself Udemy makes more sense 🙂

      Reply

  • Catherine Cooke

    30 September 2021, 08:23

    Hey Thanh Vo. That’s because you have the same teacher creating this course. At both Skillshare and Udemy teachers are the creators of their courses and they are free to advertise in multiple platforms 🙂

    Reply

  • Shaheer Alam

    26 August 2021, 19:38

    If only every article was as clean and informative as this, my knowledge on everything would expand so much more

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      26 August 2021, 19:45

      That’s really kind, Shaheer. So happy the article was so helpful for you 🙂

      Reply

  • Andrei Adam

    12 August 2021, 07:57

    Thank you so much for this info, it’s very useful, and you’ve obviously put a lot of effort into it, so thank you, and congrats once again!

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      12 August 2021, 08:20

      Thanks so much Andrei 🙂 Really happy it was so helpful and useful 🙏

      Reply

  • JAYINI GHOSH

    11 August 2021, 18:44

    Loved your detailed and in depth comparisons. The analysis of both the e-learning platforms is so helpful. Thanks ton for the article. The information about other e-learning platforms are also precise and useful. 🙏👍

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      12 August 2021, 08:23

      Thank you Jayni. So happy you enjoyed the comparison and the reviews on other platforms. Happy learning 🙂

      Reply

  • Gabriel

    30 July 2021, 17:38

    Wow! This is excellent write up/ review thank you

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      31 July 2021, 08:56

      Thank you Gabriel. So happy you enjoyed it and the article has helped you 🙂

      Reply

  • Mashuka cv

    26 July 2021, 12:33

    YOU DID A GREAT JOB. AMAZING WRITE UP .

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      26 July 2021, 14:45

      Thanks, Mashuka. Really happy that you enjoyed the article 🙂

      Reply

  • Henri

    2 July 2021, 23:22

    Hello Catherine, thanks for the great and informative article. Much appreciated! 1- So, do you think it is possible for an instructor to teach both on Udemy as well as Skillshare without objection of one or the other? And 2: and if so, will they then do less to promote your work?
    Your thoughts wellcome. Thank you, Henri

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      6 July 2021, 17:59

      Hey Henri, I am happy to hear you found the article informative and helpful. In reply to your questions

      1. I think it’s possible for you to teach on both platforms, you may need to adapt the course content for each one. In terms of being partial to one, it would need for you to keep a professional head on it, as I am sure there will be aspects of each platform you will prefer.
      2. I am sure less work would be needed if you plan to teach the same course, but with variations to the content.

      I hope that helps you in your decision to teach at Udemy and Skillshare. Let me know how you get on 🙂

      Reply

  • Fanta

    29 June 2021, 08:23

    Hello, thanks for the article!

    I see there are a lot of things to consider to choose between these two. If I want to learn art and design for a considerably long time, I should use Skillshare for its wide selection of high quality courses, is my assumption correct?

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      29 June 2021, 16:28

      Hey Fanta, Thank you for your message. Yes, this is true, there is a lot to consider when deciding between Udemy and Skillshare. If you are looking for a long-term course in art and design for a potential career opportunity or deepening your knowledge, then Skillshare would be a better option. Plus the fact that with the subscription you have access to all its art and design related courses, so you won’t have to commit to just one course 🙂

      Reply

  • Jaggu

    19 June 2021, 21:29

    Udemy, Skillshare, Udacity, edX, Coursera
    Between these which one is the best?

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      22 June 2021, 14:23

      Hey Jaggu. Thanks for your comment. That is a hard one to answer as all these platforms offer something different. Udemy and Skillshare are great for learning a new skill or hobby. Udacity is excellent for learning technology skills of the future. Whilst edX and Coursera both offer verified certifications with its paid courses and learning programs. It is important for you to consider your personal needs like time, budget, purpose of the course. I have reviewed all these platforms and linked them here, so it may be both checking them out to help you make your decision. Good luck and happy learning 🙂

      Reply

  • Marie H. Trope Zanzal

    15 June 2021, 23:21

    Hi Catherine. Thank you for this interesting and very helpful comparison. I read it not as a student (I actually use both platforms) but as a hopeful instructor. And I was wondering if you’d be able to compare Skillshare and Udemy from the instructor’s point of view. Many thanks.

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      19 June 2021, 11:19

      Thanks Marie for your comment. I am happy you enjoyed the comparison. That is a great point and something I will add to the review. I will let you know when I have updated the review 🙂

      Reply

  • Or

    31 May 2021, 14:40

    Hi if I will like to learn about business which platform is the winner? like storytelling communication and so on..

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      31 May 2021, 16:05

      Hey Or. Both Udemy and Skillshare offer fantastic courses on this topic, but I would say Udemy’s course on Storytelling for Business maybe what you are looking for, you can check it out here. It has a 4.7 rating out of 5 and close to 6,000 students have taken the course. I hope that is helpful and let me know what you decide 🙂

      Reply

      • Or

        31 May 2021, 16:48

        Thank you very much. But if I want to learn other things like communication, copywriting and public speaking… which one is the best? and by the way there is a Storytelling course in Skillshare: https://www.skillshare.com/classes/Storytelling-for-Leaders-How-to-Craft-Stories-That-Matter/1980968673/reviews. What do you think?

        Reply

        • Catherine Cooke

          1 June 2021, 08:47

          You are welcome. It is true Skillshare has some fantastic courses on communication, copywriting and public speaking too. If you are planning to take multiple courses then Skillshare is a good option for you as with the premium paid plan, you will have access to 27,000+ classes. Whereas with Udemy, you pay for each course individually. I hope that helps 🙂

          Reply

          • Or

            1 June 2021, 16:41

            Thank you it was very helpful. By the way, which platform do you use the most? waiting for you answer… have a good day 🙂

          • Catherine Cooke

            1 June 2021, 19:37

            I am a fan of both. I have used Udemy and Skillshare for graphic design courses in the past and liked them both for different reasons. Udemy for its easy-to-follow video and content and Skillshare for its engaged community and the mobile app is pretty cool. If you get the chance I would try out both 🙂

          • Or

            2 June 2021, 04:47

            Thank you very much for your fast response I appreciate that! Have a nice day!

          • Catherine Cooke

            2 June 2021, 11:58

            You are welcome. Have a fantastic day too 🙂

  • Ralph

    23 May 2021, 17:53

    Thank you. Your explanation with others options such as coursera or EDX that I didn’t know was really good👌🙏

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      24 May 2021, 08:32

      Thank you, Ralph. Really happy it was helpful and happy learning:)

      Reply

  • Novian

    9 April 2021, 19:55

    yo thank you so much this was so helpful in what I should do. 🙂

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      10 April 2021, 17:07

      Thanks so much Novian. So happy it helped you 🙂

      Reply

  • James

    4 April 2021, 08:34

    Thanks for This Article

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      5 April 2021, 14:55

      You are welcome James 🙂

      Reply

  • joan peconcillo

    28 March 2021, 04:16

    Thx for this info.

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      28 March 2021, 18:46

      Thanks Joan. Happy you found it so helpful 🙂

      Reply

  • Grazina

    17 March 2021, 01:21

    [spoiler title=”Udemy original courses and pricing”] Catherine, it’s a good comparison but I’d like you to add some information. Please check it out and add this information to your post to make it correct – and fair. [/spoiler]

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      19 March 2021, 09:24

      Thanks Grazina for your information, it is really helpful. I have added both points to round 6 and 9, hopefully that gives a fairer comparision 🙂

      Reply

      • Grazina

        24 March 2021, 02:22

        Thanks Catherine, those Udemy discounts make a lot of difference to me. I wouldn’t be able to afford all the courses that I bought from them if I didn’t buy them on sale.
        If I like the course, I invest in another course by the same and the instructor, and I tell everyone about them. It’s a win-win.

        Reply

        • Catherine Cooke

          24 March 2021, 11:02

          It is true Grazina. The discounts at Udemy make its course affordable and accessible. There is nothing better than a word of mouth recommendation 🙂

          Reply

  • Anya

    23 February 2021, 21:25

    Which one did you end up choosing for graphic design? That’s what I want to do as well…

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      24 February 2021, 10:56

      Hey Anya, I have actually done graphic design courses from both. If you are a complete beginner I really recommend a Skillshare class Graphic Design Basics: Core Principles for Visual Design or if you’re looking to learn Photoshop you can try out Adobe Photoshop CC – Essentials Training Course I hope that helps and good luck on your graphic design path 🙂

      Reply

      • Anya

        24 February 2021, 11:22

        Thanks Catherine 🙂

        Reply

  • Constantin

    13 February 2021, 12:43

    Super helpful article. I’m looking for a resource for my team to learn. Now it is so much easier to choose. Thank you for your hard work!

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      13 February 2021, 13:25

      Thanks, Constantin. Pleased this article helped you so much. Happy learning 🙂

      Reply

  • Mustafa

    13 February 2021, 09:13

    Thank you for fantastic article it helped me a lot

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      13 February 2021, 13:22

      Thank you, Mustafa. Happy you found it so helpful 🙂

      Reply

  • Barry

    29 December 2020, 18:20

    Excellent analysis! However, I have a different angle for you to weigh in on.
    For a course creator, which of the two platforms would offer the best return for:

    a.A professional development-oriented course
    and separately,
    b.A life-long learning course (art and design)

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      4 January 2021, 20:08

      Thanks, Barry, for your feedback 🙂 I would say

      a. Udemy would be best for professional development as they offer certificates
      b. Skillshare for life-long learning course (art and design) due to its wide selection of courses and high-quality teaching.

      I hope that answers your question and that you pick the right platform for you.

      Reply

  • Karl

    21 December 2020, 09:50

    It’s so rare that Google suggests a search term to you and the first link you click (being this one in my case) is far more informative than you were expecting. Thanks a lot 🙂

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      21 December 2020, 21:48

      So glad it was informative and helpful Karl 🙂

      Reply

  • Poornima

    30 November 2020, 16:57

    Hi Catherine, I am looking for getting valid certificates to help write my cv. I’m currently studying in last year of school. I’ve taken up Business Math with Accountancy, Economics and Commerce.
    I wish to pursue Chartered Accountancy in the future. Could you please suggest any courses and the platforms they’re offered at which will help me gain knowledge related to my stream…?

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      21 December 2020, 22:10

      Hey Poornima,

      Thanks for your message. edX offers a good variety of accounting courses from Management Accounting, Financial Accounting and Accountant in Business which are all accredited with a valid certificate. The other platform I think is worth looking at is Coursera whose courses are all accrediated aswell, plus they have many degrees and masters courses. I hope that is helpful 🙂

      Reply

      • Poornima

        22 December 2020, 07:59

        Thanks for replying. I’ll definitely check it out.

        Reply

  • Yana

    24 November 2020, 14:37

    Thanks for very detailed comparison of the two. I casually stumbled on yours while googling Skillshare and found this very helpful. I almost never leave a comment on a blog, but I think I should, so you’ll be encouraged

    😉

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      25 November 2020, 17:52

      Thanks so much for your comment Yana. I am happy you found it so helpful 🙂

      Reply

  • Celia

    13 November 2020, 12:35

    WOW!
    This was beyond helpful! Thank you!

    :n)

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      13 November 2020, 13:03

      So happy it was helpful Celia. Thank you for your comment 🙂

      Reply

  • Sandip Sethuram

    6 November 2020, 17:13

    Excellent comparison very detailed, I have been using udemy and thought of exploring skillshare. This is really helpful.

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      6 November 2020, 17:37

      Thanks so much Sandip. I am glad you found it so helpful 🙂

      Reply

  • nancy

    3 November 2020, 14:23

    I’m surprised no one has commented on this GREAT comparison of the two contenders you reviewed. I’ve researched them myself and found that your review hit the mark on most of the things I discovered, as well as some things I had not considered. Although I’ve provided my insights and findings, I will share your review with my friends and coworkers since its much better organized and thorough. Many of them are looking for good choices to invest their time, money, and attention to – especially during COVID ‘home arrest’ when we’re looking for a beneficial alternative to supplement (or replace) watching entertainment streaming.

    What I have found to be true with many of my friends and co-workers is that their training – even without a certificate – is recognized by their workplace as personal and/or professional development. It’s more about the learning than the certificate itself.

    So – thanks again for a great review. I’ve bookmarked and shared.

    Reply

    • Catherine Cooke

      3 November 2020, 14:51

      Thanks so much Nancy for your lovely feedback on this comparison review 🙂

      Reply

Udemy vs Skillshare: Which One Is Right for You? (2024)
Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Margart Wisoky

Last Updated:

Views: 6021

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (78 voted)

Reviews: 93% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Margart Wisoky

Birthday: 1993-05-13

Address: 2113 Abernathy Knoll, New Tamerafurt, CT 66893-2169

Phone: +25815234346805

Job: Central Developer

Hobby: Machining, Pottery, Rafting, Cosplaying, Jogging, Taekwondo, Scouting

Introduction: My name is Margart Wisoky, I am a gorgeous, shiny, successful, beautiful, adventurous, excited, pleasant person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.