Skillshare
Skillshare is a New York-based online learning platform offering 30,000+ video-based creative classes taught by 9,000+ instructors to 425,000+ members on a ~$167/year annual subscription, with a secondary B2B offering, Skillshare for Teams, for corporate workforce development.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Skillshare does
Skillshare is a New York-based, private online learning platform founded in 2010 that delivers video-based courses across creative disciplines including graphic design, illustration, animation, film and video, photography, UI/UX, freelance business, productivity, marketing, and crafts. The platform hosts 30,000+ classes taught by 9,000+ instructors to a community of 425,000+ members, surfaced through a website and native iOS and Android applications (the latter holding a 4.8 App Store rating) with offline viewing, structured Learning Paths, certificates of completion, and social features such as peer following, project sharing, and teacher interaction. Underlying technology is a standard video-streaming learning management stack; no proprietary AI, public API, or SDK is disclosed.
The business operates a primarily product-led growth model anchored on a 7-day free trial that converts users into an annual subscription priced at approximately $167–$168 per year, providing unlimited access to the full course library. A secondary B2B line, Skillshare for Teams, sells organizational access for workforce development in soft skills, business essentials, and well-being. Distribution is heavily organic—Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and LinkedIn—supplemented by teacher/influencer partnerships and earned media; the company is explicitly compared in industry coverage to MasterClass, Coursera, and Domestika.
Skillshare has raised approximately $149M+ across multiple equity rounds since 2011, with the largest being a $66M round in August 2020 led by OMERS Growth Equity. In October 2025 it added $12.9M of growth debt from Runway Growth Capital, and in March 2024 it acquired Superpeer to extend into creator coaching services. Headcount sits in the 51–100 range, the legal entity is Skillshare, Inc. (Delaware), and the company serves members globally with explicit presence in the US, UK, and Australia.
Skillshare firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Skillshare
- Legal name
- Skillshare, Inc.
- Website
- https://skillshare.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Skillshare is a New York-based online learning platform offering 30,000+ video-based creative classes taught by 9,000+ instructors to 425,000+ members on a ~$167/year annual subscription, with a secondary B2B offering, Skillshare for Teams, for corporate workforce development.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Skillshare industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Learning
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (61171), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Computer Training (611420), Professional and Management Development Training (61143)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Interactive Practice & Skill-Building (Drills, Games, Mastery Practice) (EDAFACAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Training Delivery Services (Onsite/Virtual Instruction, Workshops, Coaching) (BPAEANAN), Technical & Digital Skills Training (BPACANAB), Productivity & Office Software Skills (EDAAAIAC)
Keywords
Where Skillshare is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Skillshare business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Annual Subscription: Skillshare generates revenue primarily through annual subscription membership, offering unlimited access to all courses. Users are billed annually after a free trial period.
- Skillshare for Teams: B2B offering providing organizational teams with access to creative learning content for professional development
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Annual Membership - Individual |
| Subscription | Annual | Annual Membership - Standard |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free Trial |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Skillshare product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Skillshare is an online learning platform that offers thousands of video-based classes taught by working professionals across creative disciplines including illustration, design, photography, video, writing, technology, business, and productivity. Members access classes on a subscription basis, with new classes added weekly and content organized into curated Learning Paths. The platform also offers a separate enterprise product, Skillshare for Teams, designed to support workforce learning in soft skills, business essentials, and well-being.
Product overview
Skillshare operates as a single, unified online learning platform focused on creative skills. The core product is the Skillshare platform offering video-based courses in categories including Graphic Design, Illustration, Animation, Film & Video, Freelance, UI/UX Design, Productivity, Photography, Fine Art, Marketing, Music, Drawing & Painting, Social Media, and Crafts. The platform includes approximately 30,000+ classes taught by 9,000+ teachers to 425,000+ members. Skillshare for Teams serves as the enterprise add-on for corporate training, while the mobile app provides offline viewing capabilities. The platform offers certificates of completion, learning paths, community features, and a 7-day free trial for new users.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Skillshare for Teams: A team learning solution offering inspiring classes on soft skills, business essentials, well-being and more for organizational workforce development.
Products and services
- Skillshare
- Skillshare for Teams
- Skillshare Mobile App
Companies that use Skillshare
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Skillshare technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Skillshare partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Online Manufacturing Training Market EcosystemminorSkillshare is listed among key platforms in the Online Manufacturing Training Market alongside Coursera, Udacity, and LinkedIn Learning, indicating market presence in the broader professional development sector
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Skillshare competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- MasterClass: Premium subscription video learning platform featuring celebrity and industry-expert instructors. Skillshare is explicitly benchmarked against MasterClass and competes directly for the same creative-learner subscription wallet.
- Domestika: Creative-focused online learning community with professionally produced courses in illustration, design, photography, and crafts. Closest direct competitor to Skillshare in target audience, course format, and creative niche positioning.
- Udemy: Broad online course marketplace with a large catalog across creative, technical, and business topics. Competes with Skillshare for self-directed learners seeking video-based courses, particularly on price-flexibility.
- CreativeLive: Online learning platform focused on creative entrepreneurs — photo, video, design, and business. Closely matches Skillshare's creative-and-freelance content mix and SMB/maker audience.
Broad incumbents
- Coursera: Large-scale online learning platform partnering with universities and companies. Overlaps with Skillshare on professional/creative upskilling and is cited alongside Skillshare in professional development ecosystem reports.
- LinkedIn Learning: Enterprise-tilted video learning library owned by LinkedIn/Microsoft. Competes with Skillshare for Teams in corporate L&D budgets, especially for business, creative, and technology skills.
- edX: University-backed MOOC platform offering courses across many disciplines including creative and professional topics. Competes for professional learners seeking credentials and structured learning paths.
- Khan Academy: Large free educational platform covering a wide range of subjects. Adjacent comparison point for self-serve video-based online learning at massive scale, though focused on academic rather than creative skills.
Emerging players
- Pluralsight: Technology skills learning platform primarily serving developers and IT teams. Adjacent to Skillshare for Teams on the tech/digital skills side but oriented more toward technical roles.
Regional players
- FutureLearn: UK-headquartered online course platform with strong European university partnerships. Comparable subscription/short-course model and global ambitions; primarily regional to UK/Europe.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Skillshare social profiles
Digital presenceSkillshare financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Skillshare leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Skillshare funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds12 records
Investors21 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Skillshare M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Skillshare
What does Skillshare do?
Skillshare is an online learning platform that offers thousands of video-based classes taught by working professionals across creative disciplines including illustration, design, photography, video, writing, technology, business, and productivity. Members access classes on a subscription basis, with new classes added weekly and content organized into curated Learning Paths. The platform also offers a separate enterprise product, Skillshare for Teams, designed to support workforce learning in soft skills, business essentials, and well-being.
Is Skillshare a public or private company?
Skillshare is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Skillshare founded?
Skillshare was founded in 2010. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Skillshare based?
Skillshare is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Skillshare make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Annual Subscription is the primary driver. The others are skillshare for Teams.
Who are Skillshare's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are MasterClass, Domestika, Udemy and CreativeLive. Broad incumbents are Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, edX and Khan Academy. Pluralsight is listed as an emerging player. FutureLearn is listed as a regional player.
Does Skillshare have an API?
No public API is recorded for Skillshare.
What industry is Skillshare in?
Skillshare's product category is Online Learning. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAFACAC, Interactive Practice & Skill-Building (Drills, Games, Mastery Practice), with a secondary code of BPAEANAN, Training Delivery Services (Onsite/Virtual Instruction, Workshops, Coaching). Its NAICS code is 61171 and its SIC code is 8200.