Technology and IT training is booming as professionals must keep sharpening their skills and knowledge to stay competitive.
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However, technology is not the only field that people pursue additional knowledge and training.
Many individuals want to expand their education and knowledge in a broad range of fields such as marketing, software development, information security, business, personal development, photography etc.
In this article we’ll compare two of the most popular training and online learning marketplaces. These are Udemy and Skillshare.
Let’s first start with a brief introduction of each one below:
What is Udemy?
Udemy is an E-learning platform where you can access more than 100,000 of online video courses.
Udemy houses a variety of E-learning courses, including design, marketing, photography, and many technology related training such as computer networking, software development, information security, web design and much more.
Udemy’s instructors are qualified and skilled in their profession, as well as being friendly to all members.
This e-learning platform will partner you with the best instructor for your requirements since they offer a rating system with actual students’ reviews for each course and for the instructors as well.
Udemy has a selection of some of the top instructors from around the world, all of which are experts in their area of expertise.
Once you have started and completed a course, you will have lifetime access to it. You can refer to parts, or refresh your memory of information whenever you need to.
Udemy has the largest selection of online video courses available. New additions are added to the site every month; there is always something new for you to access and learn.
What is SkillShare?
Skillshare is an E-learning platform and marketplace; you can explore new skills, become knowledgeable in your passions and hobbies, as well as find new interests or learn new skills.
Just like Udemy and many other e-learning marketplaces, there are independent and expert instructors on Skillshare that offer their courses on the platform.
Skillshare provides you with the ability to delve into new projects and creativity. You can learn new skills and accomplish growth in many creative areas of online courses.
This platform offers courses that fit in with your life; you won’t need to move your routine or put other projects on hold when you take part in a course. With Skillshare, you can fit the course into your schedule, so it works for you.
Teachers are experts in their field of work; they have excellent knowledge to guide you through the course. They are skilled within their subject and they want to share their wisdom with you so that you can grow and become knowledgeable in that subject too.
You can take part in the Skillshare courses from anywhere using your browser or a mobile app (Android or iOS) and then you will be able to access your courses from the train, sofa, office etc.
Udemy vs. Skillshare for Students
Price
- Udemy Price Range: Per course (from $12 to more than $100)
- Skillshare Price Range: Subscription based ($15/month or $99/year)
When it comes to online courses, one of the main things people take into consideration to help them choose which site to use, is the price.
Udemy and Skillshare price their courses in different ways, Udemy is priced per course, and Skillshare is a monthly/yearly membership fee.
When using Udemy, the course prices vary, but they also do sales on courses so you can take the course for a lower price.
With Skillshare, you need to pay a membership fee (monthly or yearly) with unlimited access to the courses, so even if you aren’t going to take part in a course that month, or maybe you are only going to do 1 or 2 courses, you will still have to pay the set amount membership fee.
Skillshare also lets you pay a yearly fee. The Premium memberships cost $15 a month, or you can purchase the annual fee for $99.
Udemy courses range in price, from around $12 to more than $100. However, keep in mind that Udemy has regular offers and discounts on where the courses are significantly reduced in price.
Number of Courses
- Udemy Range of Courses: more than 100,000
- SkillShare Range of Courses: more than 25,000
Both Udemy and Skillshare offer a wide range of courses. All of the courses are taken online, with a tutor assisting you along the way via email or the app.
Udemy has the most extensive variety of online courses among any other E-learning platform, covering subjects such as finance, IT, health and fitness, lifestyle, music, and plenty more.
All of Udemy’s courses offer a range of training within each subject. So you can focus on specific areas of a topic, and make the most out of the subject.
Udemy has a great range of teachers, assisting you through your course, offering and helping with the skills and knowledge needed, aiming to help you achieve the best results.
Skillshare offers a range of online courses, such as animation, writing, music, marketing, web development, and many more.
Each course is taught by a teacher with excellent knowledge and insight to the subject, offering you support and help throughout the whole course. However, keep in mind that Skillshare is mostly focused on creative type of courses, although they have some tech related lessons as well.
Types of Courses Offered
- Udemy course types: Anything you can imagine, from Professional courses to Hobby courses.
- Skillshare course types: Mostly artistic and creative types of lessons.
Both Udemy and Skillshare offer a range of excellent courses. When it comes to variety, Udemy provides a broader range of courses, whereas Skillshare offers more creative-based courses.
Udemy has endless amounts of courses on anything you could wish for, with more courses within each subject. You can be sure that you will find the perfect course for you, as well as many others that spark your interest.
Skillshare offers many creative courses, so if you are more of the artsy type or want to develop your skills within the creative world, then Skillshare is great.
All of the courses offer a lot of knowledge and skills, but if you are looking for more business-focused or professional courses (technology, software development, marketing etc), then Udemy may be better for you and offer you a wider variety.
The teachers on both Udemy and Skillshare are well educated and immensely skilled in their subjects. The teachers are there to assist and guide you every step of the way through the courses.
Certificate upon completion
- Udemy: Offers a certification of completion for paid courses
- Linkshare: Does not offer certificate of completion
Once you have completed a course with Udemy, you will receive a certificate of completion; you can then use the certificate to show your friends and family and any future employers to confirm your qualification and knowledge of the chosen subject.
Both Udemy and Skillshare are not accredited educational institutions. Having said that, even if Udemy offers a certificate, this can’t be used to show a formal accreditation like University Degrees for example.
On the other hand, Skillshare does not provide you with a certificate of completion. When you take a course with Skillshare, you gain knowledge, and you educate yourself with the subject, which can help with future jobs or hobbies; but you do not receive a certificate that proves you have the provided knowledge to work within that subject.
Duration and Depth of courses
Udemy requires teachers to offer a minimum of five lectures, and at least 30 minutes of video content. There are no deadlines of when you need to start the course once you have purchased it. There is also no deadline of when you must complete the course; you can take your time and fit it into your lifestyle and not have to worry about deadlines.
Each course is different in terms of length and time; some courses require up to 100 hours of study time needed, while others have a substantially less amount.
On average, a Skillshare course includes 20-60 minutes of video footage; this pre-recording is usually broken down into 2-5 minute sections so you can watch and take in the information easily.
The course then has a project for students to complete and upload to Skillshare. Once you have uploaded your work, you will be given feedback on where you have done well and what needs improving.
Final Verdict
So, when it comes to choosing between both of these online e-learning platforms, Udemy has the most to offer in terms of variety of courses, price, value etc, in order to sharpen your professional skills to help with your career or real life.
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Though both platforms are excellent and offer many courses, Udemy offers more in terms of variety than Skillshare’s creativity focus.
Udemy offers a pay-per course so no unnecessary spending, a wide range of different subjects, and a certificate once you have finished the course, therefore you can prove your knowledge to future employers.
We don’t claim that Skillshare is not good though. On the contrary, if you want more creative or artistic courses (such as photography, animation, drawing, writing etc), you will find some great lessons on the Skillshare platform compared to Udemy, so have a look at this option as well.