MasterClass online learning platform is fast becoming one of the most popular online learning spaces. A search for the Masterclass review Reddit keyword would return several hundreds of comments about the platform.
In recent years, learning platforms have gone beyond what they used to be. In the early days, these platforms simply offer video lessons and tutorials for students to watch at their convenience.
The advancement in technology has changed this dramatically. We can now do more over the internet than we could about 10 years ago. MasterClass platform and other similar learning platforms are The results of these advancements.
In this article, you’ll find a detailed look at the masterclass platform, providing a review of the platform, the courses, the cost and what you stand to benefit from.
Also, you’ll find a comparison of the MasterClass platform to similar platforms like Udemy, Skillshare, ZTM etc. With that said, let’s dive right in.
What Is A Masterclass?
The masterClass is a digital education platform that curates high-quality courses for online learners.
But, a more elaborate explanation may tell you that MasterClass is a digital learning management system (LMS) that provides integrated learning, knowledge sharing and evaluation environment for instructors.
The masterClass is a US-based platform owned by the parent company Yanka Industries. David Rogier, the founder, launched the platform in 2015 while still a student at Stanford University.
The aim was to provide a platform where top-ranking global experts can share knowledge and hands-on experience with learners.
Is The Masterclass Best Fit For Me?
Students looking to take a course on the MasterClass platform tend to wonder if it’s the best fit for them. It would be overtly impractical to say that MasterClass is for everyone.
In reality, some age groups and categories of people may have limitations that prevent them from benefiting from the platform. For example, toddlers, babies, and elderly citizens may find it tough to navigate the platform.
Besides this group, anyone who can operate a computer or mobile device is fit to use the MasterClass platform. The courses provided on the platform cover several fields. It features over a hundred classes, and more are being added regularly. Plus, the interface is intuitive and user-friendly.
If you are wondering whether you’ll enjoy the courses. The answer is yes. MasterClass’s instructors are not just academics or some amateurs looking to make money through training programs. The instructors on MasterClass are experts who have years of field experience.
Another interesting fact is that MasterClass takes its credibility seriously. An example is the viral scandal of one of the instructors on the platform that led to his course being pulled down. It shows they hold their instructors accountable: even up to their reputation and integrity.
How Much Does The Masterclass Cost?
Looking at the value of the courses on the MasterClass platform, one can argue that no amount is too large to pay for those courses.
Despite the immense value, you’ll still find that the price of the classes is considerably low when you take a broader view. The cost can come down to below $9 when you factor in the number of users benefiting from the premium plan.
But is MasterClass free? The answer is no. MasterClass offers three annual membership plans: MasterClass Standard, MasterClass Plus, and MasterClass Premium. The benefits and access enjoyed by learners on the platform vary from one subscription to another.
MasterClass Standard Plan.
The MasterClass Standard plan costs $180 per annum. It offers a year-round learning opportunity where You have unlimited access to over one hundred courses delivered on the platform.
However, you’ll have to be on the internet each time you need to take a lesson because you don’t have access to offline download options with this plan.
You may get cut off from your courses anytime you are in areas without internet coverage. Besides, you can only take your classes from one device at a time.
MasterClass Plus Plan
MasterClass Plus plan costs $240 per year. The plus plan offers you everything in the standard subscription, plus the privilege of viewing your courses from more than one device.
In addition, you can also download your courses for offline viewing, meaning you don’t need to be online each time you have a class.
MasterClass Premium Plan
MasterClass Premium Plan cost $276 per annum.
It offers immense benefits that plan is the ultimate plan. It is a combination of the plus and standard subscription, plus more. You can view your courses on up to six devices with the premium sub.
This plan is ideal for executives who move around often and have various devices for their work. You can also download the course for offline viewing. Engineers who work in remote sites can also benefit from this feature.
Masterclass Plus Vs Premium
The pricing of MasterClass plus and premium plan are considerably close. However, the difference in benefits is significant. So, What’s the difference between the MasterClass plus and the Premium plan?
You pay $240 for just 2 devices In the plus subscription, amounting to about $15 per month. But, the price can come down as much as $9 per month–or even lesser–with the premium plan. Yet the price difference is 13%, but the benefit difference is 40%.
The premium plan works best if you want it for your family’s learning experience.
Masterclass Student Discount
In the past, MasterClass offered Student discounts where college students sign up for three months of access for only $1. However, recently, the discount program is no longer in force. However, college students still get a chance to enjoy the 2-in-1 promo where they purchase one subscription and get one free.
How To Get A Course On Masterclass Free
This is not a black-hat hack or cheat. It is a simple trick that can help you take advantage of the 2-in-1 programme offered by MasterClass.
During some periods of the year: Mother’s Day, Black Friday, etc. MasterClass runs a promo program where you buy a subscription and get one gift out for free.
You can take advantage of this program and get your friend, family, or refer someone to subscribe while you get the free subscription from them.
All plans come with a risk reversal of 30-days where learners can have a full refund without any complaints.
MasterClass’s cost per year is considerably lower than most competing platforms: considering the quality of instructors and other benefits.
Spectacular Review of MasterClass platform
Below is a spectacular review of MasterClass, showing you all you need to expect and experience on the platform.
Getting Setup
MasterClass would collect some data during signup. The bulk of the data collected from you is meant to help with customisation and improved user experience. The platform is poised to become the Netflix of the educational world.
The more data they have about you, the more they can create a learning experience targeted to your style and preferences.
The data collected from you include your name, your age, your gender, your learning preferences and some other basic info.
There is nothing to worry about because these data are not meant for advertisement purposes. The data is used on the platform to curate and suggest courses suitable for your interest.
MasterClass Interface and Course Navigation
The platform features a default dark mode that projects a calm feeling, setting the tone for the learning experience. The interface is well-designed and very intuitive.
Navigating through the platform is seamless. Users can access all pages from the home page. Each course on the platform falls under a specific category. You can search courses by trainer or by category.
MasterClass Courses
MasterClass courses are pre-recorded. Each lecture is divided into several video lessons. Each expert on the platform painstakingly put their classes together with the needs of students in mind.
The courses are flexible and easy to watch. Students taking the course can stream each training at their own convenience.
During the course discovery period, you get detailed information about the course instructors and their biographies. You also get information about the lecture and the lessons covered in the class.
Each lesson comes with course material and a transcribed version of the course. Again, you get a workbook for the class to help you glide through the lecture and evaluate your knowledge.
The duration of the lessons depends on the course you are taking. Studies such as acting or music may take longer than courses in the English language. However, the duration of lessons is usually between 8 to 20 minutes.
In addition to the pre-recorded high-quality videos, MasterClass also host a live session with the instructors. Do you know what it means? Being in face time with some of the best experts in your chosen career offers immense motivation.
Plus, the experts field all your questions and provide in-house secrets that would help you quickly move up the path.
Instructors and Trainers
One of the unique benefits of MasterClass is that the instructors taking courses on the platform are some of the best in their field. MasterClass platform is a multibillion-dollar platform. Therefore, they have enough resources to attract and afford these industry experts and superstars.
As soon as you signup, you’ll be asked to select 5 instructors that interest you the most. Remember that this doesn’t mean you are limited to the five. You only picked the five to get you started on the platform.
There is no doubt about the quality and value of the training and courses offered on the platform.
Currently, MasterClass is offering an innovative approach to learning where Teaching assistants provide immediate answers and feedback to students using the sessions by MasterClass.
The Masterclass App
The masterClass is not only available for computer users. You can take your course with you anywhere you go worldwide using MasterClass mobile app.
The app is available on iPhone, Ipad, Android, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Android TV and several other interfaces with internet capability and display units. It makes your learning ubiquitous, and you don’t have to worry about lagging behind or missing your live sessions.
MasterClass vs Skillshare
Like MasterClass, Skillshare is also a learning platform with several thousand courses. It’s been around for over a decade now, providing online classes to millions of students.
There is a clear difference between the two platforms: MasterClass and Skillshare. Firstly, the Skillshare learning model is markedly different from MasterClass. It operates an open learning system, where anyone could sign up as an instructor and host their courses.
But, MasterClass is more tailored to instructors with an excellent track record and verifiable industry credibility.
Learners are likely to come across world-class thought leaders like Malcolm Gladwell, Gordon Ramsay, Judd Apatow and others on MasterClass, which is scarcely possible on Skillshare.
MasterClass vs Udemy
Udemy and Skillshare are similar in their approach to learning management. They focus on hosting courses for any category of instructors and trainers. Udemy’s core strength is targeted toward hosting and distribution of online classes.
MasterClass, unlike Udemy, builds its core strength on delivering premium and high-quality courses that are not readily available online. The focus is to bring performers in their industry in contact with interested learners.
This focus and aim distinguish MasterClass from all other competing platforms.
MasterClass vs ZTM
ZTM is an online learning management system. It hosts courses from several tutors from all over the world. Currently, there are over 8000 courses hosted on the platform taught by thousands of instructors.
ZTM stands for zero to mastery. The goal is to help students master in-demand technical skills within the shortest time possible.
Compared to MasterClass, ZTM has much of its strength in the course hosting functions. While the courses hosted on the platform is generic. Unlike MasterClass, learners visiting ZTM can access similar classes on competing platforms.
Courses hosted on MasterClass, however, are proprietary to the platform. They can not be found on any other LMS outside MasterClass.
Some Courses Available on MasterClass
MasterClass offers over 150 courses grouped into eleven categories. Each category features some of the most excellent thoughts in the field.
Categories range from Entertainment to arts, writing, food, designs, sports, business, music, online community, government, wellness etc.
Below are some of the most sought after courses you’ll find on the MasterClass platform.
Usher Teaches The Art Of Performance on MasterClass
This is a 16 lesson course taken by Usher Raymond, the world-renowned, Grammy award-winning musician.
The class is targeted toward entertainers looking to upgrade their performance. Usher Raymond shares His secret techniques that can help the performer captivate His audience each time he’s on stage.
Bill Clinton Teaches Inclusive Leadership
Who is better positioned to teach leadership than one who has led the world’s most powerful nation? In this course, Former president of the United States, President Bill Clinton, shares his personal principle on how to engage people in your art as a leader.
In this lecture, you’ll find hands-on insight on the art of inspiring diverse teams, managing criticism, motivating your team, and mediating conflict.
Leadership is not about staying in front, it’s about carrying people along, and President Clinton is here to show you how to achieve it.
R.L Stine Teaches Writing
A young aspiring writer would find this course valuable. R.L Stine, a world-class fiction writer, shares tips and ideas on how to take your writing to the next level.
The best part of his writing course is that he made it so engaging that you’ll become glued to your device during his classes.
R.L Stine trashes some of the most demanding aspects of fiction writing, including the thought process.
Judd Apatow Teaches Comedy on MasterClass
One of the most tasking careers to choose is being a comedian. Each time you go on stage, you don’t know what to expect from the audience. Judd Apatow takes the ins and out of the film industry and every aspect of the comedy universe. When taking this course, you are in the hands of both a writer and a director.
Samuel L. Jackson Teaches Acting on MasterClass
If you are passionate about movies, it’s impossible to miss a personality like Samuel L. Jackson. He is a world-renowned actor who has several decades of experience in the industry.
He shares his insights and tells a story that shows students how to succeed in the industry through this class. It’s not out of place to say that Samuel L. Jackson’s course on Acting is one of the best you’ll find online, with a depth of insider information on the movie industry.
James Patterson Teaches Writing
If you are familiar with writing, you must know James Patterson. He’s a one of a kind writer who gives more value to readers than they can find anywhere else.
James Patterson helps learners simplify their writing process by showing them how to become more efficient with the use of outlines and objectivity during the prewriting process.
James Patterson empowers you to pursue your dreams and spread your wings through his course. He shows you how to write books that your readers can’t put down. How to draw them in and keep them turning those pages.
Gordon Ramsay Teaches cooking on MasterClass
Are you looking to scale the ladder of professional cooking? Gordon Ramsay’s (not Gordon Ramsey) cooking classes will make that dream a reality. His online class is one of the best sellers on MasterClass, where he divulges years of trade secrets and what you can do to stand out as a chef.
Even though the course is more optimised for experienced chefs, beginners would still find immense insights from taking the course.
Neil Gaiman Teaches The Art Of Storytelling
Storytelling is no more a skill that’s native to the movie studios. It is now a skill everyone must cultivate: from janitors to multinational executives. Recent studies have shown that people with storytelling skills are likeable and gain more audience than people who don’t have them.
Neil Gaiman’s course on storytelling won’t only provide you with the techniques you need to hone your storytelling skills, he offers you secrets that would help you get up and running within a short time.
Gaiman is a globally renowned storytelling expert with decades of experience and immense industry credibility.
Garry Kasparov Teaches Chess
If you have not heard about Garry Kasparov, you’ve not stayed long enough at the chess board. Some circles often mistake him for the inventor of chess. Kasparov is among the legends of chess, with unbeatable skills that place him among the best chess players ever.
In his seven-hour course on MasterClass, he shares his techniques, how he thinks, what he does differently and how you can play the game at your best.
He brings the methods and practical skills to bear for learners and shows you are to reach for your genius each time you sit at the board. In a nutshell, for anyone ambitious enough to play the game of chess, this course would be a life-changer.
Is MasterClass worth it?
The immense quality of the courses offered on the MasterClass Platform and the credibility of the instructors show how much value learners stand to gain from taking the classes.
Compared to the majority of competing platforms, the cost implication of MasterClass is negligible. On platforms like Udemy or Skillshare, learners are billed per class they take. And learners can expect to pay equivalent to MasterClass’s annual standard plan for a course on some of these platforms.
In a nutshell, MasterClass is worth it.
7 Unique Benefits Offered By MasterClass
If you wish to know whether MasterClass is worth the investment, here are 7 benefits of MasterClass over competing platforms.
1) Classes are taught by highly-skilled, successful and experienced experts.
2) Learners enjoy regular live sessions with the expert teaching the courses
3) The classes are practical and engaging and teach skills that you can apply immediately in your life or career and get results.
4) The platform provides sophisticated course materials for revision and personal assessment
5) MasterClass provides a community where learners interact, discuss and share opinions about the courses they are taking
6) Learners enjoy a relationship with learning assistants that help with their studies and answer questions they may have.
7) MasterClass offers a 30-day money-back guarantee where anyone dissatisfied with the courses can have their money refunded.
In all ramifications, MasterClass is one of the best investments for anyone passionate about improving their knowledge and having an advantage in life.
Downside of MasterClass
The only observable downside of the platform comes from the pricing. If you don’t want to opt for the annual subscription plan, you have an option to buy a single course for just $90 and have lifetime access to that one course.
Buying a single course at $90 sounds expensive when you can get all the classes for a hundred and eighty dollars.
On the other hand, it would be best if MasterClass scheduled a two-year plan. Considering people’s busy schedules, it’s becoming impossible to make time for personal development.
A bulk of the learners adopting the platform may find it hard to get the most for their one-year investment. A two-year plan makes it more affordable to keep learning for a long time and learn all you can.
How to Cancel MasterClass Subscription
MasterClass offers learners the opportunity to cancel their subscription within 30-days. To cancel your subscription, all you need to do is send an email to the support team at support@masterclass.com, stating your desire to cancel your subscription. You get an immediate refund if you have not exceeded 30 days, and your subscription will be discontinued.
Conclusion
Online learning becomes more rewarding and fulfilling when your tutors are the most successful in their chosen field. Plus, you learn better when you are learning from people you admire.
It is rare to find all the tutors on the MasterClass platform sharing their knowledge and secrets with the world. MasterClass simply found a way of making this happen. Taking a course on the platform is a one in a lifetime opportunity.
It is best everyone takes advantage of the opportunity before it becomes unaffordable.
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