Skillshare is an online learning platform with thousands of creative classes. See 2026 pricing, features, pros and cons for individuals and teams.
Skillshare was founded by Michael Karnjanaprakorn and Malcolm Ong in New York City in November 2010, with the platform publicly launching to users in 2011. The company remains headquartered in New York.
The platform built its identity around creative and entrepreneurial skills rather than accredited academic or technical certification, positioning itself as a community of practitioners teaching practical, project-based classes.
Skillshare today employs an estimated 500 to 700 people and offers a catalog of more than 30,000 classes, spanning design, illustration, photography, video, writing, marketing, and productivity topics.
Most Skillshare classes are structured around a hands-on class project, encouraging students to apply what they learn immediately and share their work for feedback from other students, rather than passively watching lectures.
Instructors are typically working creative professionals rather than credentialed academics, which gives the catalog a practical, industry-current feel, though it also means class quality can vary more than on accreditation-focused platforms.
The mobile app supports offline downloads for learning without an internet connection, and Skillshare curates learning paths that group related classes together around a broader skill or career goal.
A limited selection of classes is available for free without a subscription, but full catalog access requires a Premium Membership.
Premium Membership costs $167.88 per year, equivalent to $13.99 per month when billed annually, while paying strictly month-to-month costs more, typically between $17.99 and $32 per month depending on the current offer.
Skillshare for Teams extends premium access to organizations at $159 per user per year, billed annually only, aimed at companies offering Skillshare as an employee learning and development benefit.
A limited selection of classes is free, but full catalog access requires a paid Premium Membership.
Premium Membership costs $167.88 per year, equivalent to $13.99 per month when billed annually; month-to-month billing costs more.
Skillshare does not offer accredited certificates or degrees; it focuses on practical, project-based skill-building instead.
Skillshare for Teams is a business plan that gives employees Premium access, priced at $159 per user per year, billed annually.
Yes, Premium Membership can generally be canceled at any time, though refund policies depend on the current terms at signup.
Yes, new members typically receive a free trial period before Premium Membership billing begins.
Skillshare focuses on creative and entrepreneurial skills including illustration, design, photography, video, writing, marketing, and productivity.
No, Skillshare is better suited for practical creative skill-building than for accredited professional certification, unlike platforms such as Coursera.