PHLEARN
PHLEARN is a private Chicago-based online education company offering subscription video tutorials for Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, and photography, serving individual learners across 140+ countries via a $8.50/month PRO plan and a 2M+ YouTube subscriber funnel.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What PHLEARN does
PHLEARN is a private, bootstrapped online education company that produces video-based tutorials for Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, and photography post-processing, serving individual learners in 140+ countries (privacy-policy reference: 148) from its Chicago, Illinois headquarters (PHLEARN, LLC, 700 North Sacramento Blvd). The platform offers a free tutorial tier and a paid PRO subscription (from $8.50/month) that provides unlimited streaming access to a library of 600+ tutorials, structured Learning Paths across Photoshop, Lightroom, retouching, and compositing, plus downloadable resources including Lightroom presets, LUTs, Photoshop actions, custom brushes, and sample PSDs. The product is delivered as a web-based video streaming platform with progress tracking and cross-device access, supplemented by a 2M+ subscriber YouTube channel that functions as the primary top-of-funnel acquisition channel.
The business is essentially a single-revenue-stream subscription content company, monetizing consumer and prosumer demand for Photoshop and Lightroom training. Its go-to-market combines product-led growth (free tutorials → PRO upsell), community-led social proof (testimonials, press in 500px, Adobe, Fstoppers, Huffington Post, Inc Magazine, PetaPixel), an affiliate program, and email marketing. Distribution is exclusively direct-to-consumer via phlearn.com and YouTube, with a 100% money-back guarantee and month-to-month billing. Leadership comprises founder Aaron Nace, the on-camera instructor and creative identity of the brand, and CEO Seth Kravitz, who joined in 2016 to professionalize operations. The company has no disclosed external funding, no subsidiaries, and no API, and its 11–50 employee footprint is consistent with a lean, founder-controlled operation.
PHLEARN firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PHLEARN
- Legal name
- PHLEARN, LLC
- Website
- https://phlearn.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- PHLEARN is a private Chicago-based online education company offering subscription video tutorials for Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, and photography, serving individual learners across 140+ countries via a $8.50/month PRO plan and a 2M+ YouTube subscriber funnel.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
PHLEARN industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Photography and Photo Editing Education
- NAICS
- Computer Training (61142)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Digital Teaching Resources & Lesson Plan Libraries (EDAGAEAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Microlearning Content Libraries (Bite-Sized Lessons) (EDAFACAI)
Keywords
Where PHLEARN is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
PHLEARN business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- PRO Subscription: Monthly and annual subscription plans providing unlimited access to the entire tutorial library, including PRO tutorials, learning paths, and downloadable resources. Subscription auto-renews at the end of each billing cycle unless cancelled.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Starting at $8.50/month for unlimited access to all tutorials and resources |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
PHLEARN product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PHLEARN is an online education platform that sells a PRO subscription (starting at $8.50/month) granting unlimited streaming access to a library of 600+ video tutorials on Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, and photography techniques. The subscription also includes structured Learning Paths and downloadable resources (PSD files, Lightroom presets, LUTs, Photoshop actions, and custom brushes) for hands-on practice, complemented by a free tier of tutorials available on the website and YouTube.
Product overview
PHLEARN is an online education platform offering video-based tutorials for photography and post-processing. The core offering is the PHLEARN PRO subscription providing unlimited access to a library of 600+ tutorials covering Photoshop, Lightroom, and photography techniques. The platform also offers free tutorials, structured Learning Paths for systematic skill development, and downloadable assets including Lightroom Presets, LUTs, Photoshop Actions, and custom brushes. Content spans beginner to advanced levels across compositing, retouching, photo editing, and special effects. The platform is led by founder Aaron Nace and serves photographers in 140+ countries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- PHLEARN PRO Subscription Subscription service (from $8.50/month) granting unlimited streaming access to 600+ Photoshop, Lightroom, and photography tutorials, structured Learning Paths, and downloadable sample images, PSD files, Lightroom presets, Photoshop actions, LUTs, and custom brushes, with a 100% money-back guarantee.
- Free Tutorials Complimentary video tutorials covering Photoshop basics, Lightroom fundamentals, and photography techniques, available without a paid subscription.
- Lightroom Presets Downloadable preset collections for Lightroom Classic and Mobile covering themes such as Maternity, Travel, Vibrant Color, Dark & Moody, and Film Noir for one-click photo styling.
- LUTs for Photo & Video Look-Up Tables (LUTs) for color grading photos and videos, providing cinematic and stylized color corrections.
- Photoshop Actions Downloadable Photoshop actions that automate editing steps and apply preset effects within Adobe Photoshop.
- Photoshop Brushes Custom Photoshop brushes (including compositing and environmental effect brushes such as snow, fog, and blending brushes) created for use alongside PHLEARN tutorials.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 2 million YouTube subscribers
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use PHLEARN
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
PHLEARN technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability4 records
Feature4 records
PHLEARN partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- AdobecorePHLEARN is featured by Adobe and provides tutorials specifically designed for Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom software. The relationship positions PHLEARN as a premier educational resource for Adobe creative tools.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
PHLEARN competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- MasterClass: MasterClass offers premium video courses taught by world-renowned experts in creative fields including photography. It competes for the same aspirational creative-learner audience as PHLEARN with a similar subscription model and high-production video format.
- KelbyOne: KelbyOne (formerly Kelby Training) is a leading Photoshop and photography training subscription service founded by Scott Kelby. It directly competes with PHLEARN in subscription-based Photoshop/Lightroom education, serving the same enthusiast and professional photographer audience.
- Skillshare: Skillshare is a subscription-based online learning platform with strong photography, design, and creative software categories. It directly competes with PHLEARN in the creator-education subscription space, offering thousands of video courses on Photoshop, Lightroom, and visual arts.
- Fstoppers: Fstoppers is a photography education site offering tutorials, articles, and paid courses on Photoshop, Lightroom, and photography business topics. It directly competes with PHLEARN in photography-focused video education and shares similar audience overlap.
- CreativeLive: CreativeLive is a streaming-based creative education platform offering courses in photography, design, and software. It competes with PHLEARN for the same creative professional and hobbyist photographer segment with a similar subscription business model.
- Domestika: Domestika is a global creative learning platform with strong photography, illustration, and design categories using a course-purchase model. It targets the same creative skill-building audience as PHLEARN, particularly in photography editing and post-production.
- Udemy: Udemy is the largest marketplace for online courses, with extensive Photoshop, Lightroom, and photography categories. It competes with PHLEARN's paid model, though Udemy operates a per-course purchase model rather than a subscription.
Emerging players
- PetaPixel: PetaPixel is a photography news and education publication featuring articles, tutorials, and video content on photography and editing. It overlaps with PHLEARN in educational content for photographers, though primarily free written content rather than subscription video tutorials.
Broad incumbents
- Pluralsight: Pluralsight is a technology and creative software training platform serving individual professionals and enterprises. It overlaps with PHLEARN on Photoshop, Lightroom, and broader creative tooling, though its core focus is IT and developer training.
- LinkedIn Learning: LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com) is a broad professional development subscription platform with extensive Photoshop, photography, and creative software catalogs. It is a much larger incumbent competing for the same professional skill-upgrading use cases as PHLEARN.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
PHLEARN social profiles
Digital presencePHLEARN compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
PHLEARN financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PHLEARN leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
PHLEARN funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
PHLEARN M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about PHLEARN
What does PHLEARN do?
PHLEARN is an online education platform that sells a PRO subscription (starting at $8.50/month) granting unlimited streaming access to a library of 600+ video tutorials on Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, and photography techniques. The subscription also includes structured Learning Paths and downloadable resources (PSD files, Lightroom presets, LUTs, Photoshop actions, and custom brushes) for hands-on practice, complemented by a free tier of tutorials available on the website and YouTube.
Is PHLEARN a public or private company?
PHLEARN is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was PHLEARN founded?
PHLEARN was founded in 2010. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is PHLEARN based?
PHLEARN is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does PHLEARN make money?
One revenue line is on record: PRO Subscription.
Who are PHLEARN's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are MasterClass, KelbyOne, Skillshare, Fstoppers, CreativeLive, Domestika and Udemy. PetaPixel is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Pluralsight and LinkedIn Learning.
Does PHLEARN have an API?
No public API is recorded for PHLEARN.
What industry is PHLEARN in?
PHLEARN's product category is Online Photography and Photo Editing Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAGAEAK, Digital Teaching Resources & Lesson Plan Libraries, with a secondary code of EDAFACAI, Microlearning Content Libraries (Bite-Sized Lessons). Its NAICS code is 61142 and its SIC code is 8200.