So, I finally bought a Skillshare annual subscription.
Even though I’m normally a bit too frugal when it comes to buying subscriptions, getting the Skillshare subscription was not a difficult decision to make.
I always prioritize investing in myself above all else. And Skillshare is definitely worth it.
I wholeheartedly believe that Skillshare is one of the best investments you can make to not only improve your skills but also improve your life.
Although, I’m not going to convince you to get the subscription (but you should if you want to). Instead, I’m going to tell you why I paid for a full year of Skillshare and what I plan to do with it.
And, before you ask, this is not a sponsored article. Even though I use affiliate links, I did not get paid in any way to write this post. I paid for the subscription with my own money.
Now that’s out of the way, let’s get into the article.
Updated in February 2023: I originally published this post in 2022 after buying the subscription. I have renewed my subscription for 2023 and continue to follow classes to learn new skills. It’s still one of the best investments I’ve made.
My New Year’s Resolution
The main reason I bought Skillshare this year was that it was part of my New Year’s resolutions.
One of my goals this year is to learn a new skill every month. It’s going to be a tough process but I intend to keep this goal every year.
I’m confident that learning something new, even if it’s just cooking or photography, both of which have nothing to do with my freelance writing career, should come in handy someday.
Who knows maybe I’ll get hired to write for a food recipe blog in the future.
Jokes aside, I really enjoy learning new things.
And, as B.B. King once said, “the beautiful thing about learning is that nobody can take it away from you.”
Why I Use Skillshare
To accomplish my goal of learning a new skill every month, I needed access to a good learning platform.
I actually looked into many different online learning platforms before settling with Skillshare.
LinkedIn Learning was great but it was way too expensive.
edX.org has some amazing courses from reputable colleges, but the courses were way too complex and too long.
Udemy has short and affordable courses, but most of the courses had poor quality.
So I finally decided to choose Skillshare as my main learning platform for this year.
It’s Super Cheap
I was surprised to see that Skillshare had introduced a new pricing scheme. Now, Skillshare offers affordable pricing based on the user’s region.
Since I live in Sri Lanka, a developing country, I was able to get a whole year of Skillshare subscription for just $30.
I know, I couldn’t believe it either.
In most regions, the pricing is around $9 per month and sometimes higher. Still, it’s cheaper than a Netflix subscription.
Thousands Of Classes For A Single Price
Normally, you have to pay separately to access different courses on a platform. Udemy, edX, and most other platforms have this pricing model.
But on Skillshare, I’m able to access thousands and thousands of classes for a single price. Much like Netflix.
This was perfect for my yearly goal. And it comes in handy for my work as well.
Occasionally, I have to do deep research on topics when writing on topics I don’t know about.
Using Skillshare, I can search for topics I’m working on and learn them quickly without having to read dozens of articles or eBooks.
High-Quality Classes
Almost all of the classes on Skillshare are taught by professionals, creators, and entrepreneurs.
Each class is made with such high quality that it makes the whole process of watching a class much more enjoyable.
When comparing to Udemy, I noticed a huge difference in Skillshare classes. Especially in terms of quality, Skillshare classes are much better and feature instructors with real authority in their fields.
Is Skillshare Worth It?
I’m very happy with my decision for getting the Skillshare yearly subscription. Especially since I got it at a great price.
And I look forward to learning new skills throughout this year. I already completed a new skill this month. I’ll share more details on that in a later post.
As I always say, the best investment you can make is in yourself. So if you have any spare cash, first invest in developing your skills further. That will bring in more money for you to save later.
If you’re also thinking about getting Skillshare, you can try the services for free. The first month is free when you sign up with this link. You can cancel anytime. But I don’t think you will. Once you get hooked, you’ll keep learning.
If you’re in South Asia or a developing country, I think you’ll get access to cheap pricing plans too. So it’s worth checking out.
FAQs About Skillshare
These frequently asked questions about Skillshare will help you understand this platform a bit better.
How Long Is Skillshare Free Trial?
If you use a partner link to signup for an account, you’ll get a one-month free trial. You will have to enter your credit card information but you can always cancel the membership at any time.
What Is Skillshare All About?
Think of Skillshare as Netflix for learning new skills. It features a huge library of classes by real creators and teachers. When you subscribe, you get unlimited access to the platform. You can watch as many classes as you want. You can even download classes on mobile devices to watch on the go.
What Is Skillshare Good For?
Skillshare is great for learning new skills and polishing up skills that you already have. The classes on the platform are short and straightforward. You can watch an entire class in one sitting. However, you should not expect these classes to be on the same level as a diploma. They are just for self-learning.
Is Skillshare Better Than YouTube?
The short answer is a definite Yes! I asked this same question myself before buying the annual subscription. Yes, some tutorials on YouTube are great. But they are mostly unorganized information. With Skillshare classes, you can learn in a more organized way, just like taking a class at a college.