Lynda vs Skillshare: Comparing Top Online Learning Platforms

When it comes to online learning platforms, two names often stand out: Lynda and Skillshare. Both services offer a wide range of courses, catering to different learning styles and needs. But which one is right for you? Let's dive into a comprehensive comparison to help you make an informed decision.

To start, Lynda and Skillshare both offer vast libraries of video courses, taught by industry experts. However, they differ in their target audience, course structure, and platform features. Let's break down these aspects to get a clearer picture.

Courses and Target Audience

Lynda, now part of LinkedIn Learning, has a strong focus on business, creative, and technology skills, making it popular among professionals looking to advance their careers. Its courses are typically more in-depth and structured, often including assessments and certificates of completion.

On the other hand, Skillshare caters to a broader audience, including those interested in creative arts, design, and entrepreneurship. It offers both short, project-based courses and in-depth learning tracks. Skillshare's community and peer-to-peer learning aspects make it attractive to hobbyists, students, and newcomers to specific fields.

Course Structure: Lynda vs. Skillshare

Lynda's courses are well-organized and paced, with a clear progression and learning objectives. They often include captions, transcripts, and interactive elements like quizzes and exercises. This structured approach helps learners stay on track and validates their understanding.

Skillshare, meanwhile, offers a more flexible learning experience. Its courses can be short (as little as 15 minutes) and focused on one specific skill or project. This format works well for those seeking quick answers to specific questions or looking to complete bite-sized learning modules.

Assessments and Certificates

Lynda provides assessments and certificates for most of its courses. These can be useful for advancing your career, adding to your professional portfolio, or proving your proficiency to potential employers. However, Lynda's focus on assessments can sometimes make learning feel less organic and more like exam preparation.

Skillshare doesn't offer formal assessments or certificates. Instead, it encourages community engagement and peer feedback. Every course has a project-based component where students can share their work and receive feedback from instructors and fellow learners. This interactive approach can enhance engagement and retention.

Platform and Accessibility

Both platforms offer mobile apps, allowing users to learn on-the-go. However, Lynda's interface and design may feel more polished and user-friendly, making navigation and learning more accessible. Lynda also provides offline viewing, so you can download videos to watch without an internet connection.

Skillshare's platform is also intuitive, with a clean and modern design. It recently introduced offline viewing for premium members. However, at the time of writing, this feature is not as extensive as Lynda's and may not be available for all courses.

Subscriptions and Pricing

Lynda operates on a subscription-based model with a single plan that grants unlimited access to its entire library. Plans can be monthly or annual, with the latter offering a better value. Lynda's pricing is transparent, with no additional hidden costs.

Skillshare also offers a subscription model, but it has three different tiers: Free, Monthly, and Yearly. While the free tier provides access to limited content, the other subscriptions are more expensive than Lynda. However, Skillshare also offers individual class purchases, which Lynda does not.

Community and Support

Lynda has a robust search function and provides detailed course descriptions and previews to help learners find relevant content. However, its community features are less extensive compared to Skillshare. Lynda's customer support is also mostly via email, which can sometimes lead to slower response times.

Skillshare wins in terms of community engagement. With its project-based learning and integrated peer feedback, students can connect with fellow learners and instructors. Skillshare also offers 24/7 live chat support for premium members.

In conclusion, both Lynda and Skillshare have their strengths, and your choice ultimately depends on your personal learning style, career goals, and budget. Lynda is ideal for career-focused professionals looking for structured learning paths and certificates. Meanwhile, Skillshare excels in offering flexible, community-oriented learning, perfect for those seeking creative inspiration and peer interaction. Both platforms offer free trials, so there's no harm in exploring them both to see which works best for you.