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MasterClass is a stand-out online learning platform, due to its roster of celebrity instructors. It features 185+ classes across 11 distinct categories, taught by a line-up of VIP teachers ready to share their expertise, passion, and insights. If the prospect of learning creativity and leadership from Anna Wintour, mastering photography with Annie Leibovitz, or acquiring culinary skills from Gordon Ramsay appeals to you, then MasterClass is a platform worth exploring.
Established in 2014 in San Francisco by David Rogier, MasterClass produces high-quality video lessons that are beautifully shot and will have viewers hooked. Each class typically includes 20 video lessons, each no longer than 10 minutes.
You may be left asking yourself, ‘Is MasterClass more than just big names and high-quality videos?’ and ‘Can I genuinely acquire a practical skill from its courses?’
MasterClass membership plans start at $10 a month and are billed annually. Memberships include access to its full library of classes and sessions.
Well Produced
After watching 10 seconds of the first video, you’ll realize that MasterClass videos have been very nicely put together. They have a very engaging cinematic aura.
Variety
MasterClass offers a diverse range of categories from Food, Music, Business, Wellness and much more. So, users have plenty of choice and defiantly won’t get bored.
After you purchase your MasterClass annual membership, you’ll have a 30-day money-back guarantee, in case you change your mind.
Engaging & Bitesize
MasterClass 185+ classes include 2,500+ bite – size video lessons are for anyone, you don’t need any prior knowledge. They are engaging and easy to watch.
User Friendly App
Its user-friendly app means you can download and watch classes anytime, anywhere at your own pace.
New Classes Added
New classes are added each month, keeping the content fresh, exciting and new.
No Free Trials
Sadly, MasterClass doesn’t offer any free trials, but recently, it started offering some free classes to watch to give you a taste of the platform.
No Certificates
Sadly, you won’t receive a completion certificate when you successfully complete a class with MasterClass.
Lacking Reviews
There are some reviews from past members on the homepage. But nothing detailed or about specific classes. So, you are left without a comprehensive account of a previous learner’s experience.
No Single Class
If you aren’t wanting to subscribe to an annual membership, sadly MasterClass doesn’t offer any other option. If purchasing one class was want you wanted, this isn’t available.
No Feedback
There is limited feedback from instructors, if you are looking for this, it may be worth considering another platform.
MasterClass Review Verdict
MasterClass is a renowned online platform that is best known for its 185+ world-class celebrity and VIP instructors. MasterClass promotes the ethos to ‘learn from the best to become the best’ with its extended library of 185+ classes. Its classes span 11 categories, including Food, Design & Style, Music, Business, Music, Wellness and more, all of which are delivered in bite-sized video lessons. The classes are designed to captivate beginners and experienced learners alike with its engaging, high quality and cinmatic production. Each class typically consists of around 20 lessons, each lasting approximately 10 minutes. Additionally, MasterClass offers a new set of classes named ‘Sessions’ that provide a more structured and hands-on learning experience. New classes are added monthly, offering opportunities to gain practical skills and discover new interests. MasterClass offers three subscription plans, all billed annually, starting at a cost of $120 per year(working out at $10 a month). A 30-day money-back guarantee is in place if you decide to discontinue your MasterClass subscription. In summary, MasterClass is a perfect fit for learners who desire an informal learning approach with engaging, professionally produced video classes, aiming to acquire new skills or draw inspiration from their favorite celebrities.
Who Is MasterClass For?
It is hard to pinpoint: Who exactly MasterClass is right for?
The MasterClass platform appeals to anyone who is an enthusiast in a particular topic like photography or learning to cook restaurant-inspired dishes at home. Its classes are designed for learners with little to no experience as well as learners who have experience in the chosen category. What really gives MasterClass an edge are its famous faces teaching its classes. You can have Anna Wintour teaching creativity and leadership and Brandon McMillan teaching dog training, this makes MasterClass a pretty unique online learning platform.
What’s in every MasterClass membership?
If you are anything like me and learn best from engaging and bite sized video lessons(no longer than 10 minutes each) then its video lessons will have you hooked. Its classes are really well produced and a pleasure to watch. You can read later in detail about My Experience of a MasterClass to give you a better idea of what to expect.
Which classes are right for me?
If you are a little lost on where to start, I would suggest clicking on My Categories and then selecting one or more of the options of What brings you to MasterClass today?You will then have the option to pick the categories you are most interested in and can click submit my picks. Finally, your custom result will show all the recommended classes based on your category selection. This should help to point you in the right direction for getting started with MasterClass.
Remember, though, if you have the intention to fulfil an educational goal or even receive a certificate, then Udacity or Coursera would be a better fit.
MasterClass Filters
The MasterClass filter can be helpful to narrow down your search results. The filter allows you to choose Format, My Content and Duration all of which have subfilters. The Format filter has subfilters: Classes, Original Series, Playlists and Sessions. My Content filter has subfilters: In Progress, Completed and On My List. Finally, Duration subfilters include: Under 5 Minutes, 15 – 45 minutes, 45 minutes – 2 Hours, 2- 4 Hours and Over 4 Hours. All these filters come in really handy to hone in on what it is you want to watch and learn about.
MasterClass Filters
MasterClass At Work
Like most other online learning platforms, MasterClass doesn’t only offer its classes for individual learners, it has plans for teams and businesses or more commonly known as MasterClass At Work. You can invest in your team or business by contacting sales to choose the plan for your business.
You will fill in your company information choosing the number of annual memberships (between 5-1000 seats), name of your company or organization, location and email address(see image below). The group rates discount (5-35%) when you purchase of 5+ annual memberships.
MasterClass Organization Form
MasterClass claims to do the following for your organization and employees, like driving business outcomes (see image below). All I want to add here is it’s important to consider the type of organization you are part of and if you really feel it would benefit from the MasterClass catalogue. It may even be worth asking for a free demo to try it out.
MasterClass membership plans begin at $120 a year ($10 per month), the Duo plan costs $180 a year ($15 per month) and finally the Family plan costs $240 a year ($20 per month). Be mindful that all of MasterClass membership plans are billed annually.
Individual: $120 billed annually (working out at $10/month)
Duo: $180 billed annually (working out at $15/month)
Family: $240 billed annually (working out at $20/month)
MasterClass Sign Up
All 3 subscription plans give you full accessto its 2,500+ video lessonscovering 11 categories. When you arrive at MasterClass you can either click on ‘SIGN UP’ in the top-right corner (see image above), which will then take you to choose your preferred annual MasterClass membership.
Each of these plans are billed annually, the price difference between each one isn’t much. The main difference is the Duo and the Family plans allow you to download for offline viewing and numerous users or devices to use the MasterClass platform at the same time.
Upgrading and downgrading your plan
If you purchase your membership plan directly through MasterClass, then you’ll have the flexibility to upgrade and downgrade your plan at anytime, all by following these easy steps:
Go to account settings ad navigate to the membership section
Click on ‘Change Plan’
Then choose the new plan you’d like to switch to
Once you’ve selected the desired plan, click ‘Continue’ at the bottom of the plan description
Finally, you’ll see your new plan detailed, click on ‘Confirm new plan’
MasterClass Change Membership
MasterClass Free Sneak Peek
When you land on the MasterClass homepage and scroll down you will see ‘Get a free Sneak Peek’ (see image below). Keep your eyes peeled as you may miss it. From there you can watch various video lessons from instructors like Anna Wintour and Chris Voss to give you a teaser of their MasterClass and what to expect.
MasterClass Free Sneak Peek
If you don’t want to continue with MasterClass, you can cancel your membership renewal through your account page. All you need to do is follow the prompts on the Settings page and your membership will not renew for the following year. If you are interested in checking out another platform offering a similar priced subscription plan, check out our comparison article on Skillshare Vs MasterClass.
Guest Pass
When you subscribe to a MasterClass membership, you will be entitled to Guest Passes which you can share with friends or loved ones. In my case, I felt pretty lucky and was given 3 to share. Each Guest Pass comes with a 14-day free trial to the platform. Your friend or loved one will need to add their debit/credit card details to activate the pass and if they decide not to continue they will have to cancel before the 14-day free access ends, so they won’t be charged.
Gift a Membership
MasterClass offers the option of gifting an annual membership to a colleague, friend or loved one. If you have someone in your life that enjoys online learning and would enjoy exploring the classes taught by VIP instructors, then why not gift them something memorable.
MasterClass Give Annual Membership
You can add an optional gift message which will be sent via email either immediately or on a chosen date. Just like a regular membership a 30-day money-back is guaranteed. If the recipient has not yet redeemed the gift membership, then you can reach out to the member support team and your gift will be refunded.
MasterClass offers a Grants Program that is designed to help give back to communities in need. MasterClass provides annual memberships to accredited charitable organizations serving communities in need.
MasterClass Grants Program
Its communities focus on low-income families, BIPOC youth, and current or formerly incarcerated individuals. If you believe your organization supports one or more of these communities, you can submit an application and the team will evaluate it and notify you via email if you have been selected for a grant.
MasterClass scholarships
Lewis Hamilton, has become the first MasterClass Community Ambassador to work with underserved UK communities, focusing on organizations serving black youth and STEAM programming. Through this partnership, MasterClass has distributed 200,000 free annual memberships.
If you have any questions about the MasterClass scholarship and looking to get them answered before applying, you can email grants@masterclass.com.
The simple answer is no. Sadly, MasterClass doesn’t offer any free trials, but there are a couple of ways you can view some of the platform classes for free. When you land on the MasterClass homepage and scroll around halfway down, you’ll see an option to enter your address for ‘Try some of our classes’ (see image below).
MasterClass Try Some Classes For Free
You’ll be sent some sample classes for free, that are around 10 minutes long. This resource is ideal for those uncertain about upgrading to a paid MasterClass subscription. You’ll get a taster from celebrity instructors like Annie Leibovitz, Gordon Ramsay, Aaron Sorkin and more.
MasterClass offers 11 categories with the following: Food, Design & Style, Arts & Entertainment, Music, Business, Sports & Gaming, Writing, Science & Tech, Home & Lifestyle, Community & Government and Wellness. With those 11 categories MasterClass offers 185+ classes from its VIP and celebrity instructors that each you can download and watch offline.
Some categories and video classes are more popular than others. For example, Design & Style with classes from Anna Wintour and Annie Leibovitz are at the top of the list. Then you have some popular Food classes from Gordon Ramsay and Thomas Keller. Home & Lifestyle is another popular category with classes from Brandon McMillian and Ron Finley. But in general, there is something for everyone and the fact that’s its video classes are bite-sized makes it engaging and an easy watch.
MasterClass Categories
MasterClass offers a helpful selector where you can choose a particular category like Food, Writing, Business and more. This helps you view the classes on a particular topic and removing ones that you aren’t interested in.
Masterclass classes are made up of 10 to 20 video lessons, and each lesson is approximately 10 minutes long. Every month new classes are added as well as categories.
Original Series
One of MasterClasses newest additions are its original series which focuses on a particular topic, and each class is released weekly, like your favorite HBO show. In this newest addition, it’s the ‘Mastering the Markets’, a four – part series.
MasterClass Mastering the Markets
In each class you will hear from investors like Ray Dalio, Meredith Whitney, Joel Greenblatt and Seth Klarman.
Trending classes
MasterClass regularly updates its trending classes that include classes and sessions. This may help you as a new user to MasterClass to see what classes or sessions others are enjoying. If anything it’s a good place to start.
MasterClass Trending Classes
New classes
MasterClass does a pretty good job of keeping its content current and fresh, with new classes being added every month. They like to give you a sneak peek of upcoming classes and the instructors teaching them, which is exciting.
MasterClass New classes added every month
G.O.A.T Series
The GOAT: The Greatest of All Time is an original series where you learn from the world’s greatest teachers on a diverse range of topics. It’s a series that includes 8 different episodes on the following topics: Coffee, Pizza, Grilled Cheese, Ice Cream, Sand Sculptures, Knife Skills, Pickleball and Innovation. If you are looking to learn tricks, tips and techniques on any of the episode topics, the G.O.A.T series will have you hooked.
MasterClass Filters
The MasterClass filter allows you to narrow down your search results. The filter allows you to choose Format, My Content and Duration, all of which have subfilters. The Format filter has subfilters: Classes, Original Series, Playlists and Sessions. My Content filter has subfilters: In Progress, Completed and On My List. Finally, Duration subfilters include: Under 5 Minutes, 15 – 45 minutes, 45 minutes – 2 Hours, 2- 4 Hours and Over 4 Hours. All these filters come in really handy to hone in on what it is you want to watch and learn about.
MasterClass Filters
MasterClass Refund
If you decide you don’t want to continue with your MasterClass membership, then you can cancel your membership renewal through your account page, just by following the prompts. If you make that decision within the first 30 days after signing up for a MasterClass membership, then you will be given a full refund. You’ll need to make sure you submit a request for a refund within that 30-day window though.
After submitting your request by adding your email address, subject, description ad reason for contacting MasterClass you can expect to wait a few days for a response and then your refund will take around 5 business days to be processed. In my case, it took less than 5 days to get a full refund.
In case you aren’t sure if MasterClass is the platform for you, then consider the first month as a free trial which has the option of being refunded if it isn’t right for you.
MasterClass makes it very easy to open an account with them. I thought it would still be helpful for you to follow a step by step.
Register with MasterClass
Visit MasterClass.com and enter your email address and click GET STARTED (see image above)
Then you will choose a membership plan
Next you will then be directed to add your card information (see image below)
Finally, Click PLACE SECURE ORDER
That’s it, it’s that easy. You will now be up and running and ready to start browsing the classes at MasterClass and start enjoying this exciting and engaging platform.
How to Cancel a MasterClass Membership?
If you decide that you don’t want to continue your MasterClass membership you can cancel your auto-renewal at any time. If you decide to cancel your subscription before the end of the current subscription period, MasterClass will not refund any subscription fees that have already been paid.
To cancel your membership, follow these 3 easy steps;
Once logged in, click on your Profile Menu in the top-right corner and click on settings.
Scroll down on account settings and click the Cancel Membership button under the membership section of the page.
Step 1 (Cancel MasterClass Membership)
Step 2 (Cancel MasterClass Membership)
Step 3 (Cancel MasterClass Membership)
You will then be guided through the steps to cancel your automatic renewal membership. Once you have successfully completed these steps your account will not renew at the end of your current subscription period.
You will continue to have access until the renewal date, once you reach that date your membership will be automatically cancelled, and you’ll no longer have access.
MasterClass Customer Reviews
In order to give this MasterClass review a well-rounded perspective, I decided to check out two of the biggest customer review sites, Trustpilot and Amazon. That way we can see what a big pool of customers are saying about the platform.
The Trustpilot reviews come from 811 users, you can see in the table below the breakdown of the ratings between 1 and 5 star. With more than 50% giving the platform a 5-star rating. Surprisingly, 27% of those 811 users gave the platform only a 1-star rating. Over at Amazon, its users give MasterClass a 4.3 out of 5 stars taken from 7,849 customer reviews, which is a much bigger pool of customers than Trustpilot. From close to 8,000 customer reviews, MasterClass has 71% of users giving it a 5-star rating and 8% a 1-star rating. You can see the full breakdown in the table below.
Rating
Trustpilot
Amazon
5-star
54%
71%
4-star
8%
10%
3-star
6%
8%
2-star
5%
3%
1-star
27%
8%
Overall
2.4 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5 stars
Data gathered on 10/04/2023
When I delved a bit deeper, I found many of those 1-star ratings complain about being billed annually for the subscription plan, when they believed it was on a monthly basis. “The plans say per month payment and they take a whole year’s payment from your account” a one-star reviewer said. Other’s complained about the difficulty they had in cancelling the membership.
On the upside, many of the 5-star ratings praise the great selection of classes and customer experience. “I have been impressed by the range and quality of the classes and sessions available” a five-star reviewer said.
MasterClass Most Common Positive Customer Reviews
After delving further into customer reviews, I decided to make a study of my own, taking 200+ MasterClass online customer reviews to find out what exactly users were praising about the platform.
MasterClass Most Common Positive Customer Reviews: 10/19/2023
It’s clear to see that ‘Content Quality’ is what most users talk about, with 65% of the positive reviews mentioning it. Many discuss how ‘bingeworthy’ and engaging the video content is, alongside how engaging the instructors are. This is followed by ‘User Experience’ taking 25% of the positive reviews, followed by ‘Value for Money’ with 4% of the feedback. Many users comment of how easy and intuitive it is to navigate the MasterClass platform, whilst others express the variety of classes and categories available.
Other positive feedback includes ‘Course Variety’, ‘Customer Service’, Gift Experience, and ‘Learning Experience’.
MasterClass Most Common Negative Customer Reviews
With that same 200+ MasterClass customer reviews, I was curious to find out what were some of the top issues that users were complaining about.
MasterClass Most Common Negative Customer Reviews: 10/19/2023
It’s clear from the graph above that the most prominent issue is related to ‘Billing and Subscription’, with 45% of the complaints. When I read some of these negative reviews in more detail, I found many expressed frustration around the auto-renewal of the annual subscription plan, whilst others complained about the difficulty of cancelling the subscription.
‘Technical Issues’ are another significant area of complaint, consisting of 23% of the total. Customers have reported various technical issues, particularly when using the app and some platform functions. This was followed by ‘Course Quality’ with 18% of negative reviews, many complained about the educational value and the purpose of taking a class.
Additional complaints include course content, ‘Course Content’,‘Account Security’ and ‘Customer Service Issues’.
Note: To carry out this study, a total of 202 customer online reviews have been collected, which have been processed and classified using AI. The results have been manually adjusted to eliminate any neutral reviews, so the focus is only on positive and negative aspects of the MasterClass platform. You can refer to the study here.
Most Popular MasterClass 2023 (Updated)
I took another look at the Top 10Most Popular MasterClass Classes that MasterClass users are most enjoying. I thought this maybe useful for you, especially if you’re interested in what other MasterClass users are enjoying, it can also act as a good starting point on your MasterClass learning journey.
1. Annie Leibovitz Teaches Photography
To kick things off, we have Annie Leibovitz MasterClass on photography as our most popular MasterClass among users. In this MasterClass Annie brings you into her studio and onto her shoots to teach you everything she knows about portraiture. The MasterClass begins with her reflecting on her career and the power of telling stories through photographs, it then goes on to discuss Portrait photography, creating concepts, studio vs location. One of the more interesting video lessons is when Annie sits down with students to critique their work and give advice. The MasterClass is 3 hours 4 minutes and comprises 15 video lessons.
Next in our line-up is Gordon Ramsay, he teaches you how to take your cooking to the next level. You’ll learn essential methods, ingredients and recipes. The MasterClass begins with an introduction to Gordon Ramsay’s kitchen and what he has planned for this MasterClass. Then each of the video lessons focuses on a different area (20 video lessons in total) from kitchen layout to mastering vegetables & herbs to fish & shellfish. The MasterClass is 3 hours 52 minutes and comprises of 20 video lessons.
Aaron Sorkin, an Academy Award-winning writer, shares his expertise in film and television screenwriting in this MasterClass, guiding you through the nuances of the craft. He teaches the rules of storytelling, dialogue, character development, and what makes a script actually sell. Each video lesson focuses on an area of screenwriting, from story ideas to developing characters and the audience. The MasterClass is made up of 35 video lessons, totaling 8 hours and 1 minute.
In this MasterClass by Neil Gaiman guides you through the Art of Storytelling, sharing how he creates fresh ideas, belivable characters, and immersive fictional worlds. His introductory MasterClass explains his passion for teaching and his desire for you to tell stories that have significance. His following video lessons focus on Truth in Fiction, Sources of Inspiration, Finding Your Voice and much more. He concludes his MasterClass about the responsibility of creating art with an audience. The Masterclass is made up of 19 video lessons that are 4 hours 29 minutes long.
Halfway down our top 10 list is Werner Herzog a celebrated director with 70 films and recipient of 50 awards, teaches various aspects of filmmaking including storytelling, cinematography, location scouting, self-financing and more. Werner’s initial video lessons focus on storytelling and writing a script. The following video lessons focus on financing first films, negotiation skills, locations, leading the platoon and more. The MasterClass is 5 hours 50 minutes and comprises 26 video lessons.
Herbie Hancock began his musical journey in the living room of his family home and has since risen to become one of the world’s most acclaimed jazz musicians. In this MasterClass, you’ll learn Herbie’s approach to improvisation, composition and harmony. Its video lessons focus on a different area of jazz music from improvisation, learning by listening, piano basics and more. The MasterClass is 4 hours 23 minutes and comprises of 25 video lessons.
Next up, we have James Patterson, the author renowned for his 19 consecutive No.1 bestsellers on the New York Times list. In this MasterClass, he’ll teach you how to create characters, write dialogues, and keep readers turning the page. His video lessons focus on different areas of writing from passion and habit to raw ideas, plot, research and more. This is his first online writing class, and he guides you from the start to the finish of writing your book. The MasterClass is 3 hours 31 minutes and consists of 22 video lessons.
Hans Zimmer, a self-taught Academy Award-winning composer, reveals his distinctive methos for creating music. He reveals how he crafts sounds from scratch, develops memorable character themes, and composes music for films before viewing them. His video lessons cover a variety of topics, including themes, story, directors, scoring under dialogue and more. The MasterClass is 5 hours 40 minutes and consisting of 31 video lessons.
deadmau5 also known as Joel Zimmerman is best known for sound innovation, creating a one-of-a-kind and recognizable style, inspiring many. In this MasterClass, Joel guides you through the process of crafting melodies, mixing, and mastering to create distinctive sounds. His video lessons explore a range of topics from theory, building your home studio, developing melodic structures, structuring songs, remixes and more. The MasterClass is 5 hours 24 minutes and consisting of 23 video lessons.
10. Anna Wintour Teaches Creativity and Leadership
Rounding off our top 10 is Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Anna Wintour who gives unprecedented access to her world, teaching you how to lead with vision and creativity and without apology. Anna introduces her MasterClass by opening up about early experiences that shaped her leadership style today and takes you to her offices at Vogue and gives advice to upcoming talent and designers on how to succeed. The MasterClass is 2 hours 36 minutes and comprises 12 video lessons.
Whilst I was researching for Online learning statistics, I came across an interesting study from Grand Canyon University that looked at the most popular MasterClass in 2022. It based its findings on engagement metrics of users from number of video views, number of likes and number of comments. You can read the full study here.
Other MasterClasses To Consider
In case you aren’t convinced by any of Most Popular MasterClasses listed above, you may want to consider exploring one of the classes listed below which may pique your interest.
Food
Yotam Ottolenghi Teaches Modern Middle Eastern Cooking – Yotam Ottolenghi creates dishes that layer color and flavor for maximum impact. He teaches you simple steps for making and mixing Middle Eastern-inspired recipes like generous platters, mezze and brunch spreads to homemade condiments and delicious vegetables. This class is 5 hours 41 minutes in total and made up of 26 video lessons.
Gordon Ramsay Teaches Cooking II – Gordon Ramsay teaches you Restaurant Recipes at Home. You will learn how to cook restaurant-inspired dishes with tips for time-saving prep to show stopping presentation. The MasterClass begins with an introduction and how his newest restaurant inspired recipes that will help you wow your next dinner guest. Then each of the video lessons focuses on a different recipe (13 in total) from Cauliflower steak to Hoisin Chicken and Raspberry Souffle. The MasterClass is 4 hours 13 minutes and comprises 15 video lessons.
Massimo Bottura Teaches Modern Italian Cooking – Massimo Bottura is the chef of the three-Michelin-star Osterua Francescana, treats his world-renowed restaurant as a laboratory of ideas. He shares how he transforms classic, regional Italian recipes into exciting modern dishes. This class is 3 hours 46 minutes in total and made up of 14 video lessons.
Thomas Keller Teaches Cooking Techniques I – Thomas Keller teaches the techniques for cooking vegetables, eggs and making your own pasta from scratch. He is the award-winning chef and proprietor of The French Laundry. He begins his MasterClass with an overview of what he will be cooking and the techniques that will empower you to make great food in your own kitchen. His video lessons include; ‘Kitchen Setup:Cookware’, ‘Sourcing Ingredients’, ‘Pickling’ and much more. The Masterclass is made up of 36 video lessons that are 6 hours 53 minutes long.
Art
Jimmy Chin Teaches Adventure Photography – Jimmy Chin has built his career taking photos at the top of the world, he is taking you on location to teach you techniques for capturing breathtaking shots. This class is 4 hours 10 minutes in total and made up of 20 video lessons.
Bobbi Brown Teaches Makeup and Beauty – Bobbi Brown’s shares her expertise in step-by-step tutorials, using models with a range of skin tones. You’ll learn how to choose the right foundation, do a smoky eye and statement lip, and take your look from day to night. This class is 3 hours 48 minutes in total and made up of 19 video lessons.
David Lynch Teaches Creativity and Film – David Lynch introduced mainstream audiences to art-house films. You will learn how he catches ideas, translates them into a narrative and moves beyond formulaic storytelling. This class is 2 hours 52 minutes in total and made up of 13 video lessons.
Jeff Koons Teaches Art and Creativity – Jeff Koons invites you to a thought-provoking conversation and the history, purpose, and pleasures of art. You will learn how to color, scale, form, and texture can help you express ideas and communicate with others. This class is 2 hours 8 minutes in total and made up of 13 video lessons.
Music
Alicia Keys Teaches Songwriting and Producing – Alicia Keys is one of the world’s most beloved singer-songwriter winning 15 Grammy Awards and more than 40 million albums sold. She invites you to her studio to share her process for creating music built from authentic emotion. This class is 3 hours 22 minutes in total and made up of 19 video lessons.
Timbaland Teaches Producing and Beatmaking – Grammy-winning music producer Timbaland takes you behind the boards to teach you his process for creating iconic tracks. You will learn how to collaborate with vocalists, layer new tracks, and create hooks that stick. This class is 3 hours 2 minutes in total and made up of 15 video lessons.
Business
Bob Iger Teaches Business Strategy and Leadership – Bob Iger is the former Disney CEO and has worked in the media industry for 45 years. He teaches you how to evolve your business and career, learn strategies for expanding a brand and leading with integrity. This class is 2 hours 11 minutes in total and made up of 13 video lessons.
Chris Voss Teaches the Art of Negotiation – Chris Voss is a former FBI hostage negotiator, who was able to persuade terrorists, bank robbers and kidnappers to see things his way. He is now teaching you these strategies in everyday negotiations, whether you want to strengthen your relationships or increase your salary. Chris can help you develop your communication skills and give you the insight into human nature that most of us are unaware of. The MasterClass is 3 hours 4 minutes and comprises 18 video lessons.
Diane von Furstenberg Teaches Building a Fashion Brand – Diane von Furstenberg built one of the world’s most iconic and enduring fashion brands. In her first online fashion design class, she teaches you how to build a brand. This class is 3 hours 7 minutes in total and made up of 17 video lessons.
Sports & Gaming
Stephen Curry Teaches Shooting, Ball-Handling, and Scoring – Stephen Curry teaches the shooting, ball-handling, and scoring techniques that have made him a two-time MVP. He is teaching everything he’s learned, from perfect shooting mechanics to on-court concepts and basketball drills. This class is 3 hours 41 minutes in total and made up of 17 video lessons.
Will Wright Teaches Game Design and Theory – Will Wright the mind behind SimCity and The Sims will teach you the art and science of game design. Will teaches you how to create games that empower players and unleash their imagination. You’ll develop a tool set for understanding player psychology, as well as learn Will’s approach to generating and pitching ideas. This class is 4 hours 16 minutes in total and made up of 21 video lessons.
Writing
Issa Rae Teaches Creating Outside the Lines – Issa Rae the Emmy-nominated star and creator of the award-winning HBO series insecure. Issa shows you here signature do-it-yourself ethos, humor, and voice to offer writers and creators of all types the motivation and tools they will need. This class is 2 hours 17 minutes in total and made up of 14 video lessons.
David Sedaris Teaches Storytelling and Humor – David Sedaris has essays in The New Yorker, bestselling books like Calypso, tours and reading on NPR. David teaches you the art of personal storytelling, you will learn how to craft attention grabbing openings, satisfying endings and meaning from the mundane. This class is 3 hours 23 minutes in total and made up of 14 video lessons.
Science & Tech
Matthew Walker Teaches the Science of Better Sleep – Matthew Walker is a professor of neuroscience and psychology at UC Berkeley and an expert on sleep. In his MasterClass, he will enlighten you on the science behind sleep, and teach you how to increase the quality and quantity of your sleep. Matthew will teach you on how to prevent sleep debt, navigate the effects of alcohol and caffeine and improve your health. His MasterClass is made up of 15 video lessons totaling 3 hours and 12 minutes.
Chris Hadfield Teaches Space Exploration – Chris Hadfield is a former commander of the International Space Station Chris Hadfield who teaches you the science of space exploration. In this MasterClass Chris teaches you about the science of space travel, life as an astronaut, and how flying in space will forever change the way you think about living on Earth. The MasterClass consists of 29 video lessons making up 7 hours and 47 minutes of content.
Neil deGrasse Tyson Teaches Scientific Thinking and Communication – Neil deGrasse Tyson is one of the most popular figures in modern science. His MasterClass opens your mind to scientific literacy, to distill data and navigate bias to discover objective truths. Tyson delivers this MasterClass is an engaging and inspiring way through 13 video lessons that total 2 hours 14 minutes.
Home & Lifestyle
Jon Kabat-Zinnis a pioneer of the Western mindfulness movement, he has spent more than 40 years studying, teaching and advocating the benefits of mindfulness. Jon shares his expert tips and guidance on mindfulness practices, ways to reduce stress and how to soothe your thoughts with meditation and movement. His MasterClas is made up of 20 video lessons totaling 6 hours and 30 minutes of content.
Brandon McMillan Teaches Dog Training – Brandon McMillian is an Emmy-winning host of ‘Lucky Dog’, he is an expert trainer dedicated to building relationships between humans and animals. Brandon shares his simple, effective training system to help you develop trust and control with your dog. From using commands and learning to improve your dog’s behavior along with a lifelong bond. His MasterClass is made up of 15 video lessons totaling 2 hours and 58 minutes.
Kelly Wearstler Teaches Interior Design– Kelly Wearstler is an award-winning designer and in this MasterClass she teaches you interior design techniques to make any space more beautiful, creative and inspiring. Like most MasterClasses, Kelly begins MasterClass with an introduction and talks about how a good design can help us to live and feel better. The following video lessons focus on different aspects of interior design from Sources of Inspiration, Working With Space, Discovering Texture and much more. The MasterClass is 2 hours 13 minutes and comprises 17 video lessons.
Ron Finley Teaches Gardening – Ron Finlet is a self-taught gardener and shows you how to garden in any space, nurture your plants and grow your own food. He begins the MasterClass with why we should all have reverence for nature and reveals growing your own food gives you freedom. His video lessons include; ‘Creating Planters’, ‘Grow Your Own Food’ and ‘How to Not Kill Your Plants’. The Masterclass is made up of 10 video lessons that are 2 hours 7 minutes long.
Community & Government
Doris Kearns Goodwin Teaches U.S. Presidential History and Leadership – Doris Kearns Goodwin has studied American presidents for more than 50 years. Doris will teach you leadership through the lens of U.S presidential history and shares practical wisdom and a template for honing leadership skills. This class is 2 hours 56 minutes in total and made up of 15 video lessons.
Dr Jane Goodall Teaches Conservation – Dr Jane Goodall teaches how you can conserve the environment, by letting nature win if we give her a chance. She also shares her research on the behavioral patterns of chimpanzees and what they taught her about conservation. This class is 5 hours 19 minutes in total and made up of 29 video lessons.
Wellness
RuPaul Teaches U.S. Self-Expression and Authenticity – RuPaul has transformed drag subculture into a mainstream phenomenon. Now the Emmy-winning host and performer is sharing an intimate look at his personal journey to self-realization. This class is 2 hours 1 minute in total and made up of 16 video lessons.
Emily Morse Teaches Sex and Communication – Emily Morse is the host of the long-running podcast Sex With Emily where she has made it her mission to normalize the conversation. Emily helps you learn how to identify what you want, communicate your desires, and discover new sexual adventures. This class is 1 hour 53 minutes in total and made up of 7 video lessons.
My MasterClass Experience
The time has come for me to share with you my experience of taking a MasterClass myself. When it came to deciding on which class to take, I found it super helpful to use the filter system, watch the trailers and introductions of classes to get a feel of what the class would be like, before commiting.
MasterClass Choosing A Class
I instantly gravitated towards the ‘Food’ category, as I am a bit of a novice in the kitchen, and I am always looking for new recipes and inspiration. I thought the MasterClass by Yotam Ottolenghi: Teaches Modern Middle Eastern Cooking would be a great place to start.
I liked instantly the layout of the MasterClass interface and how intuitive it felt to navigate around the class and its features. The experience is very user-friendly, not only on the desktop, but on the app too. After each video lesson, it instantly moves to the next class, with an option to skip a class if preferred. I found it helpful that I could rewatch video lessons as many times as I wanted, so not to miss anything.
Video Lessons
Its video lessons are listed on the right side, making it straightforward to follow and easy to find (see image below). You are free to pick and choose which video classes you watch in whatever order, but obviously the lessons do have a natural flow in the order given. For example, in this case, you have the Mezze Spread: Muhamara as video lesson 2 and Thoughts on Hosting as video lesson 15.
MasterClass Yotam Ottolenghi: Teaches Modern Middle Eastern Cooking Lessons
The video lessons are highly engaging and well produced, that it feels more like a Netflix cooking show. I enjoyed watching every lesson and left feeling very inspired. Something that is important to consider is that most of the celebrities and VIP instructors are very used to being in front of the camera and have had years of experience captivating and motivating their audience. When you leave a MasterClass you feel pretty pumped and ready for more.
My Notes
As you move through the video lessons, you can write notes on points you want to remember or words of wisdom that you don’t want to forget from the VIP instructors (in this case Yotam Ottonlenghi is full of them, but maybe I biased as I love his cooking). The note’s section is broken up into each lesson, so you can make notes about each specific lessons. It’s a nice feature to have and acts like a modern-day notebook. I’m not sure how much you would honestly use it, but having it doesn’t hurt.
MasterClass Yotam Ottolenghi: Teaches Modern Middle Eastern Cooking My Notes
Workbook
The downloadable workbook that comes with every MasterClass is available in a PDF format. In this case, it is a cookbook with all the recipes and ingredients shared throughout the MasterClass. I must add it is stunningly designed and put together and a wonderful takeaway resource to refresh your memory of the MasterClass.
MasterClass Downloadable Workbook
Discuss with members
If you are looking to connect with other members of the MasterClass community, then this is the place to do so. At the bottom of each MasterClass video page is the option to JOIN THE DISCUSSION (see image above). The community is a place to ask questions, share thoughts and get feedback about the video lessons you have watched. A simple filter is in place where you can choose between the category, title of topic and what I consider the most useful filter LATEST and TOP(see image below) to follow all the discussion points. You can freely start your own New Topic.
MasterClass Community
On average, there are around 3-4 discussion topics a month with most classes. A member of the MasterClass Team seems to always be around to help or resolve users’ questions. In terms of members connecting with other members, there is some sense of community and conversation, but nothing extraordinary. There is some conversation about sharing recipes and asking where cooking equipment is from. But if you are expecting a reply from Yotam Ottolenghi himself, then that won’t be happening, instead you have to make do with the MasterClass team or your fellow members 🙂
To summarize
Before concluding all the reasons, you should take a MasterClass. It would only be fair to highlight areas that are lacking and expectations you may have from an online learning class or course. MasterClass won’t be able to offer you a certificate or any sort of formal accreditation, Coursera or edX are better suited for this. Neither are there any quizzes, coursework nor deadlines, Skillshare or Udacity would be your best fit in that case. Finally, if you’re looking for a wider variety of categories and topics, then Udemy and Datacamp are the go-to platforms for quantity.
You will love MasterClass for:
It’s highly engaging video lessons
Well Produced and beautifully shot videography
Option to watch the video lessons when it suits you
Downloadable Workbook
To discuss thoughts and ask questions to the community
The year membership gives you plenty of time to enjoy the full platform of classes
MasterClass has introduced a whole new way of learning, Sessions is a new hands-on format by MasterClass, where you can learn alongside the world’s best by working on projects and activities as part of a structured curriculum in just 30 days. You will actively participate in the sessions, completing real-world projects, sharing them with an engaged community and receive feedback from trained teaching assistants.
Sessions How it works
One of the current sessions is ‘Elevate your singing and stage presence’ with Christina Aguilera. There are 6 sections available, and the hands-on curriculum will leave you with the ability to sing s stage-worth performance.
MasterClass Christina Aguilera Sessions
The session with Joanne Chang to ‘Create 8 award-worthy bakes’ will take your baking to the next level by learning 8 bakery-ready recipes. You will learn the foundations of making cakes, cookies, pies and brioche. Not only that, but you will learn alongside a community of learners and after 30 days you will have learned techniques to take your baking to the next level.
Sessions – Bake Like a Pro – Joanne Chang
Sessions are designed for anyone at any skill level and the structured curriculum will help you to advance from one session to the next. The engaging community will help you to feel supported, where you can ask for feedback and connect with your peers. The best part about Sessions is that they are included within your MasterClass subscription.
What's The Best Way To Watch MasterClass?
MasterClass is a platform, you can watch and enjoy its classes from any of the following devices;
Laptop & Desktop
iPhone & Andriod
Amazon Fire TV & Apple TV
Tablet
There is no best way of watching MasterClass as its streaming and syncing on each device really is seamless. What I would say is that its best you enjoy its classes on the device which you are most enjoying.
Personally, when I took Yotam Ottolenghi’s Middle Eastern Cooking Class I used my laptop as I liked following the cooking classes on a good-sized screen whilst following along in my kitchen. It really does depend on which class you are taking, as some film or acting MasterClasses maybe best on a bigger screen.
And if you are on the go, then the MasterClass app works flawlessly on your phone or tablet, so you enjoy classes whilst on the move or even at home if that’s your preferred device.
So to sum up, there is no perfect way to watch a MasterClass. You have to consider which class you are taking and where you want to be watching it.
The MasterClass App
As I mentioned before, the MasterClass App is an excellent way to enjoy a MasterClass whilst on the go. It’s available for both iOS and Android users who enjoy learning on their commute with the function of audio only and offline viewing mirroring a podcast style experience.
The MasterClass App
When I took the MasterClasses myself I didn’t use the App for learning as I preferred to watch classes via my laptop in a quiet space at home. But if you enjoy learning on the go or for a passive learning experience the App is ideal.
MasterClass makes it easy for you to browse its collection of great courses, its 185+ classes are organized into 11 categories. You can find classes on the following categories Food, Design & Style, Arts & Entertainment, Music, Business, Sports & Gaming, Writing, Science & Tech, Home & Lifestyle, Community & Government and Wellness.
MasterClass Categories
When you land on the homepage, you can pick any of the topics you are interested in, and MasterClass will show you all the classes in that category and will interest you. It’s a really nice filter and a quick way to find what you are looking for (see image below).
Video Preview
You will be able to watch a video preview for each MasterClass, that are around 2 minutes long. It will give you a taste of what to expect from the class and the instructor. I must say, its class preview are more like movie trailers than a course introduction and definitely will have you hooked.
MasterClass video preview
Remember though that the purpose of the video preview is to get you hooked and wanting to by a MasterClass membership. So, really try to make a well-rounded decision if MasterClass is right for you.
MasterClass Live
This is the closet thing that MasterClass offers to free classes and trials, MasterClass Live. It’s a place where you watch MasterClasses instructors sharing their knowledge and giving you a feel of how they would be as an instructor. If you do miss the scheduled live recording, then you can always catch up in your own time on previous live recordings.
MasterClass Articles
MasterClass offers articles to read for free to all users. Its articles are written posts about MasterClasses related categories like Food, Design & Style, Business, Wellness and more. Some of the articles are written by MasterClasses VIP instructors like ‘How to Make Pureed & Mashed Potatoes With Thomas Keller’ and other articles are written by the Masterclasses staff like ‘Basketball 101: 8 Ways to Improve Your Basketball Skills’
MasterClass Articles
All of the articles are related to one of the classes that MasterClass offers, which is a nice way to introduce a topic to a new user and potential interest in joining a class.
Celebrity & VIP Instructors
MasterClass video lessons are taught by celebrities and VIPs. Many of its instructors are celebrities and world-renowned experts like Gordon Ramsey and Serena Williams.
MasterClass instructors
If you want to learn from a well recognized expert, then MasterClass really has a highly attractive pool of instructors teaching its classes. If you are a big fan of one of its instructors, then it is definitely worth checking out a class or two.
New classes
Every month, MasterClass updates its catalogue of classes by adding new classes. This keeps its content fresh and new and means there is always something for its members to be excited about.
MasterClass New Classes added every month
Read Reviews
One of the best ways of getting to know an online learning platform is by hearing from other learners. MasterClass offers some reviews on its homepage. I will add this isn’t the most extensive or class specific variety of reviews, but it does reassure new users to the platform that others have had a positive experience.
MasterClass Reviews
Refund your annual subscription
As it is hard to know before buying an annual MasterClass membership if it’s right for you. As there are no free class or trials or even many reviews from previous students. It’s hard to know whether it will be the online platform for you. So, thankfully there is a 30-day satisfaction guarantee. It means you can be rest assured that if it’s not the best option for you, you’ll always have 30-days to get a refund.
MasterClass 30-day satisfaction guarantee
In my experience it was really easy and hassle-free, all I need to do was submit a request here, and I was contacted pretty instantly by support. Then I received the refund back in my account in 5 days. They do tell you that it can take between 5-10 Business days for the funds to be deposited back in your account.
Criteria
Comment
Ease of use
MasterClass is easy to use, as it’s well-structured and the user experience is smooth.
Opening an account is also straightforward: use your own email or your Facebook or Google account to access MasterClass.
Convenience
You can watch and learn with MasterClass at anytime, so you can make it fit into your schedule and learn at your own pace.
You can get access to the MasterClass platform with your computer, TV, phone or tablet. The MasterClass app is available with iOS and Android, its classes can be downloaded and watched offline. So if you have a trip coming up or want to learn on the go MasterClass makes it really convenient.
Available platforms
You can enjoy MasterClass on your desktop and Apple and Android mobile devices. Android and iOS users have rated the apps with great feedback (4.8 and 4.9 respectably).
It’s also possible to watch the lessons on your smart TV. Since the courses are beautifully produced, you may want to enjoy them on a larger screen.
Official certifications:
MasterClass doesn’t offer completion certificates. If that is important to you and what you need, check out Coursera for a verified certificate and Datacamp for a completion certificate.
Categories
MasterClass is currently offering 185+ classes delivered in bite-sized lessons covering 11 different categories, that include:
Food (16 classes), Design & Style (7 classes), Arts & Entertainment (29 classes), Music (15 classes), Business (8 classes), Sports & Gaming (10 classes), Writing (18 classes), Science & Tech (3 classes), Home & Lifestyle (2 classes), Community & Government (3 classes) and Wellness (8 classes).
Free courses
MasterClass has started offering a bunch of classes for free. There are around 15 video lessons on offer, which give you a sneak-peek of the MasterClass platform. In case you are hesitant to financially commit, it’s a great way to get started. Another way to try out MasterClass is by signing up and if you do change your mind, you can ask for your money back in the first 30 days.
MasterClass creates its own content, and they are produced to the highest quality. Watching a MasterClass feels like a cinematic experience, and no expense has been spared in the production.
With each MasterClass, you will get a downloadable workbook, which will give you recaps and top tips to remember from the class.
Languages
The courses are only available in English and subtitles are available. Although the following classes Aaron Sorkin, Bob Woodward, Reba McEntire, Ron Howard and Serena Williams all have subtitles in Spanish and German.
Instructors
The celebrity and VIP instructors are a major selling point of MasterClass, they are recognizable figures who are known globally. If one of them is an icon or inspiration to you, you will get a lot from their MasterClass.
But one thing missing, is the teacher-student exchange, it’s more like a seminar from a VIP. There is the community to lean on, if you feel like you want to ask questions or get feedback.
Course requirements
There aren’t any formal requirements for the classes, anyone can join and no prior experience is needed.
Course structure
A MasterClass normally consists of no more than 20 video lessons and each video lesson is about 10 minutes long. Each MasterClass has an introduction video that you can watch as a preview, before subscribing to a paid annual membership.
On the MasterClass homepage you can start watching some of the classes for free, as a bit of a sneak peek. This is one of the best ways to give you a real taster before financially committing to the platform.
Quizzes & tests
MasterClass doesn’t have any quizzes or tests to assess your progress. The focus of MasterClass is to get motivated and inspired learning from your celebrity instructor and learn a new skill along the way.
There is a downloadable workbook for you to take away from the MasterClass which summarizes the key points and learnings from the MasterClass.
Payments & refunds
You can pay with debit/credit card (MasterCard, Visa, AmEx or Discovery) or use PayPal or to purchase a MasterClass membership.
A 30-day refund policy is available if you decide within the first month that MasterClass isn’t for you. All you need to do is submit a request hereand a member of the MasterClass support team will get in touch. It may take between 5–10 days for the funds to be deposited back into your account.
Support
MasterClass claims to have an around the clock support team, 7 days a week. You can reach them via email. You may have to wait a couple of days to hear back from them. In my experience, they were pretty responsive and answered my questions.
Overall rating
MasterClass is the ideal online learning platform if you are looking to be taught by inspirational instructors, who so happens to be celebrities and VIPs. Each Masterclass is so beautifully produced that it will keep you engaged, motivated and wanting more. Its 185+ classes across 11 different categories, including photography, cooking, writing, acting, music, sports and much more, gives you plenty to choose from. If you aren’t ready to financially commit, then you can check out some of its free sneak peek classes to give you a taste of the platform. Plus, a 30-day money-back guarantee is available after purchasing your membership, in case you do change your mind.
Will MasterClass Help Me With My Career?
I doubt any employer will give you a raise or a new position because you’ve watched a MasterClass course.
Do you imagine reaching out to Warner Bros asking for the lead role on its next Batman or Superman movie on the grounds that you watch Samuel L. Jackson 5 hours acting course?
That won’t happen, will it?
But you may pick a couple of good tips from Samuel’s course that may give you a confidence boost, or listening to Samuel’s old stories may motivate you to pursue your acting career.
Is MasterClass Legit?
Totally, MasterClass is a legit company and it does what it says. They won’t scam you. However, as I said during this MasterClass review, its approach is a bit different and far from MOOC (Massive open online course) institutions such as edX, Udemy or Coursera.
If you are a big fan of one of the instructors, and you would like to hear her or his stories, and get a couple of tips on how they perform their craft, you’ll be happy with MasterClass. I do want to be honest and real here, if you are expecting to take a MasterClass to be ready for a new career, you’re going to be disappointed.
MasterClass Chris Hadfield Teaches Space Exploration
Let’s take the MasterClass by Chris Hadfield, former commander of the International Space Station, as an example. Once completing his 8 hour MasterClass you won’t be qualified as an astronaut, but what you will have is some knowledge on space travel and an insight into first-hand experience as life as an astronaut.
MasterClass Vs Skillshare
One of the main differences of Skillshare to MasterClass is that its classes are focused on creatives topics like Animation, Photography, Crafts and more. It offers 34K classes which you will have full access to after purchasing a subscription plan. It only offers one subscription for individuals at $167.88 annually, which is a slightly lower price tag than MasterClass. Another major difference is that anyone can teach at Skillshare and create a class themselves, whereas MasterClass has VIP and celebrity instructors teaching its classes, plus they are produced to the highest standard. If you want to read a more detailed review, please check out our MasterClass Vs Skillshare article.
MasterClass Vs Mindvalley
MasterClass and Mindvalley are two popular online learning platforms. In some ways, they are very similar and in other ways, very different, l will explain in more detail. Mindvalley is a personal growth and development platform that offers a wide range of categories from topics like mind, body, soul, entrepreneurship, career and relationships. Like MasterClass its online courses, Quests, as they are known on Mindvalley are taught by bestselling authors and celebrities and its ‘All Access’ membership is subscription-based. Similarly to MasterClass, Mindvalley offers a generous refund policy. Both platforms have their strengths, and it really depends on what you are looking for. If you’re looking to learn from the world’s top experts, then MasterClass may be a good fit. Or if you are looking to develop personally and connect with a community, then Mindvalley would be your best option.
MasterClass Vs Coursera
MasterClass and Coursera are two renowned online learning platforms, they have some similarities and many differences, I will start explaining the differences. Coursera is a platform that partners with top Universities, and Organizations like Duke and Google and offers a wide selection of courses and learning programs, from individual courses, to professional certificates and degree programs. Whereas MasterClass creates its classes themselves and are around 20 video lessons, each one is no more than 10 minutes long. The focus on Courseras courses and programs is to gain a certified qualification which can help you on your career path. Whereas MasterClasses classes focus on the joy of learning a new skill through engaging and well produced video content. The similarities between MasterClass and Coursera are the instructors and well-known teachers teaching its courses and classes, so you can be rest assured that they are experienced and know their craft. Finally, Coursera’s courses and programs are paid for individually with an option of a subscription with Coursera Plus (this doesn’t include degree programs), MasterClass has the same pricing approach with its annual subscription.
Last Thoughts: Is MasterClass Worth It?
My feelings towards MasterClass are mainly positive. Let me explain myself further:
I really appreciate the power of having top instructors (Celebrities & VIPs) to grab someone’s attention, in fact, some of their stories can be very motivational. Also, the course production(the video lessons) is top, it really is one of the best out there for online learning platforms. Some filmmakers may even like their movies to look as good. Plus, the MasterClass annual membership isn’t that expensive considering the number of great courses it offers.
On the other hand, I do think that MasterClass courses won’t teach anyone a skill from zero, they feel more like a seminar with a VIP. On top of that, finding information and feedback from other students is lacking. If you are considering other online platforms, it may be worth having a read of our Best Online Learning Platforms article here.
If you do decide that an online learning platform offering top educational courses with a focus on career is more up your street, then platforms like, Coursera, edX or Udacity may be a better fit.
Please leave a comment below if you have any questions, and I’ll do my best to help you out.
Review Updates:
11/20/23 – Most Popular MasterClass 2023 – Updated
11/17/23 – 2 memberships for the price of 1 MasterClass Black Friday Offer
11/14/23 – MasterClass Black Friday Banner
11/05/23 – MasterClass FAQ – Updated
10/25/23 – MasterClass Grants Updated
10/19/23 – MasterClass Most Positive & Negative Customer Reviews Study 2023
10/17/23 – MasterClass Customer Reviews Study
10/04/23 – MasterClass Customer Reviews – Added
09/23/23 – My MasterClass Experience – Updated
09/04/23 – MasterClass Pricing – Updated
08/29/23 – MasterClass save 50% Promo – Added
08/25/23 – MasterClass G.O.A.T series
08/08/23 – MasterClass Introduction – Updated
08/03/23 – Upgrading and downgrading your plan
07/27/23 – MasterClass Verdict – Updated
07/20/23 – MasterClass Refund – Updated
06/29/23 – MasterClass Verdict – Updated
06/22/23 – MasterClass Pros & Cons – Updated
06/14/23 – MasterClass Verdict – Updated
06/06/23 – MasterClass Original Series – Mastering the Markets
06/01/23 – MasterClass Pricing – Updated
05/26/23 – MasterClass in detail – Updated
05/08/23 – FAQ – Is MasterClass really worth it?
04/11/23 – MasterClass Pros & Cons – Updated
04/04/23 – MasterClass Pros & Cons – Updated
03/23/23 – MasterClass vs Coursera
03/01/23 – MasterClass Pros & Cons – Updated
02/23/23 – MasterClass Sessions – Updated
02/16/23 – MasterClass Vs Mindvalley – Updated
02/14/23 – MasterClass Vs Mindvalley
02/09/23 – MasterClass in detail – Updated
02/06/23 – MasterClass Pros – Variety of Categories
02/02/23 – MasterClass Community Ambassador -Lewis Hamilton
01/27/23 – MasterClass Free Courses – Updated
01/25/23 – MasterClass in detail – Updated
01/23/23 – MasterClass Verdict – Updated
01/19/23 – MasterClass Refund
01/17/23 – MasterClass Social Impact
01/15/23 – MasterClass Introduction
01/09/23 – Updated MasterClass Sessions
01/01/23 – MasterClass vs Skillshare
12/27/22 – Updated MasterClass Verdict
12/23/22 – FAQ – Is MasterClass for me?
12/18/22 – Is MasterClass Free?
12/14/22 – How Much is MasterClass? – Updated
12/12/22 – 8 Tips to Find your Perfect MasterClass – Read Reviews
12/09/22 – MasterClass Trending Classes
12/06/22 – Who is MasterClass for? – Updated
12/02/22 – MasterClass Filters
11/30/22 – Added FAQ (Second Free Membership)
11/27/22 – MasterClass Gift
11/25/22 – How to Cancel a MasterClass membership
11/24/22 – Added FAQ
11/23/22 – MasterClass 2-FOR-1 Cyber Monday Offer
11/21/22 – MasterClass categories
11/18/22 – Gift membership 30-day money-back guarantee
11/16/22 – MasterClass Free Sneak Peek
11/15/22 – MasterClass 2-FOR-1 offer
10/28/22 – MasterClass classes
10/21/22 – Added FAQ
10/19/22 – Who is MasterClass for?
10/17/22 – Added a PRO to review
10/07/22 – Added FAQ
09/26/22 – MasterClass Try out some of our classes
Hey. I am Catherine and I have been working as a freelancer for many years now. In 2005, I graduated from a BA honours in Art & Design from BCU and then went onto complete a Master’s Degree in Teaching from UEL. The skills I gained from learning and teaching have led me to create Upskillwise, a place for learners like myself to find the best possible resources and courses to train and upskill themselves, either personally or professionally. If you have a question, please feel free to ask me anything or leave me a comment.
Udemy: You won’t find celebrities teaching at Udemy, and the video courses may be sloppier produced, but when it comes to content, you can be assured that some of its courses are going to be more practical and effective than MasterClasses’ – they actually will teach you something.
Skillshare: Most instructors are normal people, however, Skillshare has some (almost) celebrities teaching courses, and the course quality is actually very high. For example, you can watch an SEO course from Rand Fishkin – probably the most famous SEO expert out there.
Coursera: If you are after a platform that offers more formal education (e.g. accredited completion certificates) and has better-structured courses and educational goals in place, Coursera (or edX) may be what you are looking for.
FAQ
How much does MasterClass cost?
MasterClasses offers 3 annual memberships starting with the Individual plan for $180 a year ($15/month) then there is the Duo for $240 a year ($20/month) and finally the Family subscription for $276 a year ($23/month). All MasterClass memberships give you unlimited access to its catalog of 150+ classes from 11 categories which you can watch from your computer, TV, phone or tablet.
Can you get MasterClass for free?
Sadly no, MasterClass doesn’t offer a free trial, but it does offer a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you do decide within the first month that MasterClass isn’t for you, you can submit a refund request here.
Which is the highest rated MasterClass?
The most popular and highest rated MasterClass among users is the Anna Wintour Teaching Creativity and Leadership. Anna Wintour teaches you how to lead with vision and creativity and gives unprecedented access to her world. The MasterClass is 2 hours 36 minutes and comprises of 12 video lessons.
Where can I watch MasterClass?
With MasterClass, you can learn anytime and anywhere. You can learn using your smartphone, computer, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Roku streaming media players. You also have the option to download your favorite lessons and can watch on the plan or listen during your commute in audio-only mode.
Is MasterClass easy to cancel?
The short answer is Yes! In your account settings you can click on the ‘Cancel Membership’ button which you’ll find under the membership section of the page. From there you will be guided through the steps to cancel your automatic renewal.
Can I send MasterClass as a gift?
Yes, absolutely you can gift a MasterClass membership to a loved one. There are multiple ways to give your MasterClass electronic gift card membership either immediately or select a special date.
How do I get the second free membership?
When you purchase a membership you will automatically get a free annual membership to share with the one you purchased. Then you can send your gift to your loved one, and they will get unlimited access to MasterClass for 1 year.
Is MasterClass for me?
Yes, I truly believe that a Masterlass membership is a good investment for anyone eager to learn. Its content is engaging and exciting to watch and so well produced. Its $180 price tag may seem a little steep, but when you consider you get access to the full platform of 2,500+ video classes and the fact it has a 30-day money-back guarantee if you change your mind.
Is MasterClass really worth it?
MasterClass is definitely worth it if you take full advantage of the platform and its 180+ classes and sessions. If you are looking for a new way of learning with engaging and bite-sized video lessons, then give it a try.
What is a disadvantage of MasterClass?
Some of the disadvantages of MasterClass are that they don’t offer any free classes or trials and that its subscription plans are billed annually. If you aren’t ready to financially commit to an online learning platform, it may be worth checking out Coursera and Skillshare.
Thanks, Albert. Happy to hear the information is helpful 🙂
Ranjit
8 months ago
Master class got it I though I will watch it, but don’t find anything interesting only looks good in their Ads, Now found out that I got charged $380 by auto renewal. What a rip off don’t waste your money there is nothing there it is all a hype
Hey Ranjit. Sorry to hear you haven’t had a good experience with MasterClass. That’s strange you got charged $380, as it’s most expensive annual plan is $276. If you were able to cancel your plan in the first 30 days, you would have got money-back guarantee. I hope you can still try to make the most of the platform 🙂
Katz
9 months ago
I’ve had no joy since joining this 4 months ago. I can’t log in, I go through robot after robot but real questions I can’t get any assistance and it’s starting to feel like a hoax for me.
Hey Katz, Thanks for your comment. Sorry to hear you’ve had problems getting assistance with MasterClass. In my experience their customer service has been very good. Have you tried submitting a request?
BigMoney
9 months ago
Very interesting post you wrote on this newsletter. I’d like to see much more about this, so maybe you should be writing more articles right now. I shared this with 3 others who may also be interested into this.
Sorry to hear that Natalia. In my experience I had a very positive experience with MasterClass who were very responsive. I hope in the future you have a more positive experience with an online learning platform 🙂
Lisa
1 year ago
For the food classes how are we informed about the food we would need for each lesson?
Hey Lisa. In the downloadable workbook which accompanies the lessons you will get a list of all the ingredients you will need for all the recipes made during the MasterClass. I hope that helps 🙂
Pippa
1 year ago
So not impressed with Masterclass find the fact that if you gift master class the FIRST thing whoever you gift to is asked for are their card details. Im sorry that’s so grim. TO avoid any embarrassment i won’t be buying it again for anyone.
Thanks Pippa for sharing your experience. Sorry to hear you won’t be buying MasterClass as a gift again. It is helpful for future learners to consider this before purchasing.
Rose Thrush
1 year ago
CAUTION! if you go for the 2 for one membership. When mine was auto renewed, I cancelled and that was hassle free. However, the gift membership was also auto renewed and both were billed to my account. I’m still working on getting the gift membership refunded. They said that they could only refund the gift membership if the recipient requested it. (WHAT??). It’s my credit card!!
Thanks Rose for your comment and sharing your experience. Sorry to hear that this wasn’t clear when purchasing the 2-FOR-1 memberships. It is really helpful for future learners of MasterClass to be aware of this before committing 🙂
I’m not gonna lie I haven’t bought it yet but this response is the most common I see on peoples issues wether it’s billing genuine issues or feedback on the product itself… and if I’m being honest it looks a lot like a big middle finger from an outsiders perspective and makes you look as if your best interests were never with the customer an more with there wallet. When your customer gives you feedback shouldn’t be you nearly disregarding there experience and redirecting to other people learning from it due to your lack of willingness to see there’s a… Read more »
Thanks for your comment Christian. It is true MasterClass isn’t for everyone, but this review is based on my honest feedback of the platform and my experience that I had using it. I really enjoyed how engaging the video content was truly felt motivated with the classes I took. Then when I requested a full refund (within 30 days of original purchase) it was hassle-free, and I received the funds back in my account in 5 days. Good luck with your decision 🙂
Linda Kay
1 year ago
I’m looking for a gift for my 15 year old granddaughter who is into drama and acting. I was looking at the Natalie Portman Master Course. Is this something that would be appropriate for a 15 year old???
Hey Linda, Thanks for your comment. If your granddaughter already likes the work of Natalie Portman, then it maybe a good fit as she will be very inspired by her. If you do purchase a MasterClass membership, you always have a 30-day refund guarantee if it isn’t right. I hope that helps 🙂
Barb
1 year ago
Thinking my 88 year old mom would enjoy this – she’s online – but has typing issue – do you have to make /use a password ?
Hey Barb. You would need to reach out to MasterClass support to help you with this one. You can do that by clicking here. 🙂
vered peretz
1 year ago
I’m sorry, after reading everything about MasterClass, I’m still puzzled: Does each course have a cost or is it all under the yearly membership? And if there is a fee to register to each MasterClass after registering for the year…why is it completely hidden from their website and from anyone advertising, reviewing, or criticizing it?
MasterClasses memberships are billed annually, it currently offers three different memberships for individual learners: Standard, Plus and Premium. These memberships give you full access to the platform and all its classes. You cannot pay for a class individually, and there is no extra fee after registration and paying for your annual membership. I hope that clarifies everything for you 🙂
Andrea bechard
2 years ago
I feel like this is a scam, all the classes are free on YouTube. Looked like it was $15 per month but they charge you for a full year so there is no way to cancel if you don’t like it.
I am sorry to hear you feel like that Andrea. On YouTube you can only find the preview to the classes which are around 2 minutes long, which are to give you a taster of the class. You are able to cancel MasterClass in the first 30 days if you are unhappy with the platform, and you will get a full refund. I was really impressed with how quickly I received the refund and how hassle-free it was. You are welcome to check out our overview of online learning platforms as you may find another platform which meets your needs… Read more »
Lisa V.
2 years ago
Hi, I looked at your site to see if anyone else felt the way I did. So far, most of the classes I’ve listened to are really lectures but no instruction or steps to follow. It starts to seem like a sort of: here’s what I did kind of lecture. I have started dozens and quit out of boredom. I loved Billy Collins, though, and I went through the poetry workshop twice. It was varied, not just him talking about his own journey, and it gave the listener assignments to complete. The Dog Trainer, Brandon MacMillan was also full of… Read more »
Hey Lisa, Thanks so much for your comment. I do understand your point about passive listening and less about instruction. I would say a good place to start is trying out the classes in topics you already enjoy like Food (these you can definitely follow along to) or maybe Wellness and see what you think. Let me know how you get on 🙂
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MasterClass Mastering the Markets 
Thanks, I have just been searching for information about this topic for a while and yours is the best I’ve discovered so far.
Thanks, Albert. Happy to hear the information is helpful 🙂
Master class got it I though I will watch it, but don’t find anything interesting only looks good in their Ads, Now found out that I got charged $380 by auto renewal. What a rip off don’t waste your money there is nothing there it is all a hype
Hey Ranjit. Sorry to hear you haven’t had a good experience with MasterClass. That’s strange you got charged $380, as it’s most expensive annual plan is $276. If you were able to cancel your plan in the first 30 days, you would have got money-back guarantee. I hope you can still try to make the most of the platform 🙂
I’ve had no joy since joining this 4 months ago. I can’t log in, I go through robot after robot but real questions I can’t get any assistance and it’s starting to feel like a hoax for me.
Hey Katz, Thanks for your comment. Sorry to hear you’ve had problems getting assistance with MasterClass. In my experience their customer service has been very good. Have you tried submitting a request?
Very interesting post you wrote on this newsletter. I’d like to see much more about this, so maybe you should be writing more articles right now. I shared this with 3 others who may also be interested into this.
Thank you for the comment. Happy you liked the post, we hope to create more content this year 🙂
Thanks, for the nice articles
Really loved it! Thank you so much, keep up the work!
Thanks Michael. Happy to hear you enjoyed the review 🙂
Fantastic! Really pleased with the inquiry service and outcomes; very thorough, educational, and extraordinarily helpful.
Thank you, Kevin, for your comment 🙂
I do not recommend! And terrible support that doesn’t answer emails.
Sorry to hear that Natalia. In my experience I had a very positive experience with MasterClass who were very responsive. I hope in the future you have a more positive experience with an online learning platform 🙂
For the food classes how are we informed about the food we would need for each lesson?
Hey Lisa. In the downloadable workbook which accompanies the lessons you will get a list of all the ingredients you will need for all the recipes made during the MasterClass. I hope that helps 🙂
So not impressed with Masterclass find the fact that if you gift master class the FIRST thing whoever you gift to is asked for are their card details. Im sorry that’s so grim. TO avoid any embarrassment i won’t be buying it again for anyone.
Thanks Pippa for sharing your experience. Sorry to hear you won’t be buying MasterClass as a gift again. It is helpful for future learners to consider this before purchasing.
CAUTION! if you go for the 2 for one membership. When mine was auto renewed, I cancelled and that was hassle free. However, the gift membership was also auto renewed and both were billed to my account. I’m still working on getting the gift membership refunded. They said that they could only refund the gift membership if the recipient requested it. (WHAT??). It’s my credit card!!
Thanks Rose for your comment and sharing your experience. Sorry to hear that this wasn’t clear when purchasing the 2-FOR-1 memberships. It is really helpful for future learners of MasterClass to be aware of this before committing 🙂
I’m not gonna lie I haven’t bought it yet but this response is the most common I see on peoples issues wether it’s billing genuine issues or feedback on the product itself… and if I’m being honest it looks a lot like a big middle finger from an outsiders perspective and makes you look as if your best interests were never with the customer an more with there wallet. When your customer gives you feedback shouldn’t be you nearly disregarding there experience and redirecting to other people learning from it due to your lack of willingness to see there’s a… Read more »
Thanks for your comment Christian. It is true MasterClass isn’t for everyone, but this review is based on my honest feedback of the platform and my experience that I had using it. I really enjoyed how engaging the video content was truly felt motivated with the classes I took. Then when I requested a full refund (within 30 days of original purchase) it was hassle-free, and I received the funds back in my account in 5 days. Good luck with your decision 🙂
I’m looking for a gift for my 15 year old granddaughter who is into drama and acting. I was looking at the Natalie Portman Master Course. Is this something that would be appropriate for a 15 year old???
Hey Linda, Thanks for your comment. If your granddaughter already likes the work of Natalie Portman, then it maybe a good fit as she will be very inspired by her. If you do purchase a MasterClass membership, you always have a 30-day refund guarantee if it isn’t right. I hope that helps 🙂
Thinking my 88 year old mom would enjoy this – she’s online – but has typing issue – do you have to make /use a password ?
Hey Barb. You would need to reach out to MasterClass support to help you with this one. You can do that by clicking here. 🙂
I’m sorry, after reading everything about MasterClass, I’m still puzzled: Does each course have a cost or is it all under the yearly membership? And if there is a fee to register to each MasterClass after registering for the year…why is it completely hidden from their website and from anyone advertising, reviewing, or criticizing it?
Hey Vered,
MasterClasses memberships are billed annually, it currently offers three different memberships for individual learners: Standard, Plus and Premium. These memberships give you full access to the platform and all its classes. You cannot pay for a class individually, and there is no extra fee after registration and paying for your annual membership. I hope that clarifies everything for you 🙂
I feel like this is a scam, all the classes are free on YouTube. Looked like it was $15 per month but they charge you for a full year so there is no way to cancel if you don’t like it.
I am sorry to hear you feel like that Andrea. On YouTube you can only find the preview to the classes which are around 2 minutes long, which are to give you a taster of the class. You are able to cancel MasterClass in the first 30 days if you are unhappy with the platform, and you will get a full refund. I was really impressed with how quickly I received the refund and how hassle-free it was. You are welcome to check out our overview of online learning platforms as you may find another platform which meets your needs… Read more »
Hi, I looked at your site to see if anyone else felt the way I did. So far, most of the classes I’ve listened to are really lectures but no instruction or steps to follow. It starts to seem like a sort of: here’s what I did kind of lecture. I have started dozens and quit out of boredom. I loved Billy Collins, though, and I went through the poetry workshop twice. It was varied, not just him talking about his own journey, and it gave the listener assignments to complete. The Dog Trainer, Brandon MacMillan was also full of… Read more »
Hey Lisa, Thanks so much for your comment. I do understand your point about passive listening and less about instruction. I would say a good place to start is trying out the classes in topics you already enjoy like Food (these you can definitely follow along to) or maybe Wellness and see what you think. Let me know how you get on 🙂