How Much Is MasterClass? Know The ‘True’ Cost!

As of 2024, there are 180+ MasterClass courses. MasterClass claims you can start learning on its platform for $15 per month. But did you know that this pricing goes higher for a different membership?

So, if you are wondering how much MasterClass is and how much it costs, read on to know everything!

I have been using MasterClass for years and can tell you their pricing, taxes, discounts, offers, and everything you want to know about cost.

You will also know which MasterClass plan is best for you and if it is worth the money they ask for.

So, let’s get started.

What Is MasterClass?

MasterClass is an online learning platform like Coursera, Udemy, and edX. You can access MasterClass from its official website, masterclass.com.

However, unlike the platforms mentioned above, at MasterClass, you learn from the “world’s best” or “respected and renowned” experts in various fields.

There are 180+ courses on MasterClass in different niches, and the best expert in that field teaches each course.

For example, Serena Williams Teaches Tennis on MasterClass.

Founded in 2015 (Originally Yanka Industries, Inc.) by Stanford student David Rogier, MasterClass had only three courses initially after the launch of its website.

However, the platform has consistently added various courses from multiple niches, and right now, there are 180+ high-quality courses from the world’s best.

In 2024, you can choose courses according to your choice in:

• Food
• Design & Style
• Arts & Entertainment
• Music
• Business
• Sports & Gaming
• Creative Writing Courses
• Science & Tech
• Home & Lifestyle
• Community & Government
• Wellness

(I’ll share some of the most popular and best courses on MasterClass further in a bit.)

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How Does MasterClass Work?

Once you visit masterclass.com and are ready to sign up, you are asked a questionnaire about your interests on the website

Based on your interests, MasterClass shows you various courses you may find interesting and great for starting on the platform.

However, you can skip this step and directly access the whole category of courses and choose whichever niche and course you want.

Once you are ready to take a course or enroll in one, MasterClass has three things that make it work as one of the best online learning sites and platforms for you:

1. High-quality video lessons from experts
2. Supplemental workbook
3. Sessions

MasterClass Video Lessons

MasterClass courses include video lessons that last two to four hours (depending on the course).

Each video lesson ranges from ten to twelve minutes in length.

This is one of the best parts about MasterClass: having the video lessons around ten to fifteen minutes in length.

It made me stay consistent with the course by taking fifteen minutes out of my busy day and managing my work.

Another best part about MasterClass video lessons is their high-quality videos (they are not just multiple presentation slides).

The MasterClass videos are made by an expert production team that is knowledgeable about filmmaking, directing, and editing high-quality videos.

This enhances your learning experience overall at MasterClass.

MasterClass Workbook

You get a supplemental workbook downloadable as the course material and video lectures.

And these workbooks are not just PDFs with tons of paragraphs.

Instead, the workbook consists of easy and detailed information that you may need to know in addition to the video lessons.

The workbook is high-quality and has a graphical representation for a better learning experience.

MasterClass Sessions

Formerly known as ‘The Hub,’ Sessions is the new feature in MasterClass.

It is the new ‘hands-on’ format to make students learn in a structured curriculum within 30 days.

Each session in the course comes with dedicated and trained teaching assistants who provide help, answer questions and doubts, and give feedback to students.

Apart from this, MasterClass also provides live streams of instructors, which is not that much frequent but a plus point.

How Much Does MasterClass Cost?

As you know now about how MasterClass works and have a sneak peek into the quality of courses at MasterClass (read the full review of MasterClass here), it’s the perfect time to know about cost.

Right now, MasterClass is offering a three-tier annual membership pricing model for yearly subscriptions:

These are:

• Individual Plan
• Duo Plan
• Family Plan

Individual Plan – Costing $180 Per Year (Average $15 Per Month)

Formerly known as the “Standard Plan,” MasterClass individual plan is the perfect subscription for single avid learners.

(This is the plan I’ve opted for, and it worked best for me.)

The individual plan costs you $15 monthly, billed annually for $180.

However, as the name suggests, the individual plan can allow you to access MasterClass with your account on one device at a time.

So, an individual plan does not allow you to access MasterClass on multiple devices.

You can choose higher plans such as Duo or Family to access MasterClass on multiple devices under one account (just like Netflix).

Another drawback of the individual plan is that you cannot download MasterClass videos for offline viewing.

Who is the MasterClass Individual Plan Best Suited For?

In short, for an individual learner.

If you are an avid learner or a professional worker eager to learn new skills or explore different fields of interest, then the MasterClass individual plan is for you.

The cost for an individual plan is budget-friendly, costing you $180 a year.

However, under an individual plan, you can connect to one device at a time, which is unsuitable for couples or families looking to share subscriptions.

Duo Plan – Costing $240 Per Year (Average $20 Per Month)

Best for couples – Duo MasterClass plan costs $240 per year with an average of $20 monthly.

Formerly this subscription was known as the ‘Plus’ plan at MasterClass.

If you are a couple who wants to learn cooking classes together or have two friends who want to upskill for your field of interest, then the Duo plan is best for you.

In the duo plan, you can watch MasterClass video courses on two devices simultaneously as well as you can download video lessons, too.

Therefore, it is slightly upgraded than the individual plan costing more.

The duo plan comprises video lessons, bonus content, a workbook, and session content.

Who Is The MasterClass Duo Plan Best Suited For?

The MasterClass duo plan is perfect for but not limited to a group of two friends, couples, or anyone who wants access to the MasterClass app together on two devices.

Streaming on two devices simultaneously and downloading lectures offline to view them anywhere and anytime is a slightly better option.

Family Plan – Costing $276 Per Year (Average $23 Per Month)

Formerly called the Premium plan, the MasterClass family subscription is the value-for-money plan only if you want to access courses on six devices simultaneously.

If you have a small organization where you want to give your workers or even your family access to MasterClass memberships, then the Family plan is for you.

The key features that you get with the family plan are:

• Watch course content on six different devices at the same time
• Download content for offline viewing
• Access to all courses

Note: You get unlimited access to all the content, courses, and even new courses under all three plans, i.e., individual, duo, and family.

The Family plan of MasterClass is the costliest among their three pricing models but comes with only one unique feature of accessing courses on six devices.

Who Is The MasterClass Family Plan Best Suited For?

The MasterClass Family plan is best for families, small groups of friends, workers, and small organizations, where you can access the Masterclass course library together on six different devices simultaneously.

You can download the content on each device individually to view content offline anywhere, anytime.

So, with these three plans, you can buy a subscription to MasterClass and access their whole content catalogue.

Another essential point to mention here is that at MasterClass, you can view the monthly cost (e.g., $15 per month), but you are billed annually beforehand.

That means you must pay the total subscription cost for an entire year beforehand.

CHECK OUT MASTERCLASS BEST PLAN FOR YOU!

Does MasterClass Offer A Discount?

There is no direct discount code on MasterClass.

However, you can find discounts at other times of the year, such as:

• Mother’s Day
• Father’s Day
• Other special occasions

On these special days, you don’t have to apply any promo code to avail of the offer. Instead, the discount is available on the whole catalogue across the platform.

However, you must watch the website regularly (especially on special days) to get the offer.

Under these offer days, you can get up to 35% off.

Furthermore, MasterClass runs a 2-for-1 special deal only a few times yearly.

In 2021, MasterClass offered a “Buy One, Share One” deal under which you can buy one plan and share or gift a second membership to your friend or even yourself (at a different email address).

In short, you get two subscriptions for the price of one.

Also, MasterClass sometimes offers 30% off for its members in the year-end deal.

With that offer, you have to pay only 70% of the cost to renew the membership, which saves $72 for the duo membership plan.

Quick List Of The Best MasterClass Courses

Now, MasterClass has 180+ courses to choose from.

I’ve completed multiple of them, and here are my five best picks to get you started with MasterClass:

1.     Gordon Ramsay Teaches Cooking II: Restaurant Recipes at Homes

2.     Chris Voss Teaches The Art Of Negotiation

3.     Brandon McMillan Teaches Dog Training

4.     Neil Gaiman Teaches The Art of Storytelling

5.     Emily Morse Teaches Sex and Communication

Most Popular MasterClasses

There are always trending and most popular courses on MasterClass that you can find in their catalogue.

As of right now, some of the most popular ones are:

1.     Bill Clinton Teaches Inclusive Leadership

2.     Chris Voss Teaches The Art Of Negotiation

3.     Jon Kabat-Zinn Teaches Mindfulness and Meditation

4.     Hillary Rodham Clinton Teaches The Power Of Resilience

5.     Gordon Ramsay Teaches Cooking

Quick Tip: You can always filter the course category based on your choice. There are multiple filters available to narrow down your search.

CHECK OUT ALL COURSES AT MASTERCLASS NOW!

How Do I Get MasterClass For Free?

There is no direct way to get MasterClass for free.

However, the closest way to get MasterClass for free is by utilizing their 30-day money-back guarantee.

It will get you access to the entire MasterClass library, and you can cancel your subscription for a full refund within the first 30 days.

Does Masterclass Offer Different Membership Options?

MasterClass offers three plan options:

• Individual
• Duo
• Family

As explained, the individual plan costs you $180, and the duo plans $240.

The benefit you get in an individual plan is accessing the MasterClass video lessons catalogue.

However, you do not get to download videos for offline viewing in this subscription plan.

However, the duo plan also allows you to download videos for offline viewing and access MasterClass on two devices simultaneously.

And that is why it costs you more.

The upper plan is the Family plan on MasterClass.

It costs you $276 per year, and it is the most cost-effective plan for the benefits you get under this plan.

You can get the following:

• Access to MasterClass on six different devices simultaneously
• Download video lessons on all six devices for offline viewing

However, you get access to the whole MasterClass library in each plan of your MasterClass account.

Is Masterclass Worth The Money?

Yes, for a $180 annual subscription, MasterClass is worth the money.

There are three reasons I believe it is worth it:

1. Learn from the world’s best in their respective field
2. High-quality video lessons
3. Extra course material

I’ve taken individual membership in MasterClass and found it extremely useful.

Even during the start, I was also speculating if this platform would meet my expectations.

However, after taking the first course (Chris Voss Teaches The Art Of Negotiation), MasterClass cleared all my doubts.

You get additional material for better understanding in the workbook, assignments, and even some other online courses, which I found impressive.

How Is The Class Structured?

MasterClass classes are structured in this way:

• The course is of around three to four hours in total length
• Each video is about 10 to 15 minutes
• Get additional material with the course

However, the course length also depends on its niche and the content the instructor wants you to provide.

The ten to fifteen minutes of video lengths make you go quickly to finish the course.

In addition, you get access to Sessions, one of the new features at MasterClass, which allows you to engage with other students.

Also, the Sessions feature has expert teaching assistants who provide feedback and answer the students’ doubts.

The workbook is another component that you get along with the course. You can easily download it.

The workbook contains additional text and graphical representation that the instructor wants you to understand.

Apart from this, in some courses, there may be additional assignments that you may need to complete.

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MasterClass FAQs

Is MasterClass For You?

MasterClass is undoubtedly an excellent platform for avid learners and people who want to strengthen their skills in various fields.

However, unlike other platforms, this platform is not about technical skills. Instead, it is more about the experience of the people in the best positions in their fields.

For example, if you want to learn about Tennis, then the MasterClass of Serena Williams Teaches Tennis will be perfect for you.

Similarly, there are other courses which may be of your interest.

Therefore, if you have a curious mind or want to learn about something new from the best in that field, MasterClass is for you.

On the contrary, if you want to build your technical skills or a technical certificate to showcase in your LinkedIn profile, MasterClass may not be the perfect platform.

Still, I recommend that you judge the MasterClass on an as-needed basis. For example, get a 30-day money-back guarantee and try it yourself if MasterClass is for you.

Till then, keep learning, and keep exploring!

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