Masterclass Review 2021​

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9.6
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Welcome to our Masterclass 2021 review — where we delve deep into the inner workings of one of the world’s most popular online learning products. In this review we’ll answer questions such as ‘is Masterclass worth it?’ and ‘is Masterclass legit?’, while also breaking down everything the service has to offer.

(Last Updated On: November 6, 2023)

Is Masterclass Worth It?​

If you want to learn what drives film makers like David Lynch and Werner Herzog, sports stars like Simone Biles and Stephen Curry, or chefs like Gordon Ramsey and Massimo Bottura then Masterclass is what you need. You can even receive poker lessons from Daniel Negreanu, and learn how to be an astronaut from Chris Hadfield.

Is Masterclass worth it? If you want to discover more about how the best operators in their respective fields have made their way to the top then a Masterclass subscription is just what you need. Read on to discover more about just why Masterclass offers such a superb educational experience

What you will not find much of at Masterclass is courses in practical or scientific subjects. This Masterclass Review would suggest that it is not the website to use if you want to learn about computer coding, for example, or how to fit tyres onto a car. One scientific course available is taught by astronaut Chris Hadfield, who shares his expertise in space exploration.

There is, of course, no need to travel anywhere to study from these experts in their fields. All the course materials can be accessed in your home on the internet. The big selling point of this course provider is that the teachers are world-renowned celebrities. In terms of what is actually taught, the focus is much more about sharing insights into success than it is about learning applicable skills.

That does not mean that there is no value to these courses, though. The cookery options in particular do offer some interesting and useful practical tips, as does the sports courses. Aspiring writers and artists will also find plenty of use in the courses on offer here. The courses are suitable for learners who want to study at their own pace in their own time, and there is plenty of easily accessible and digestible video content on offer. The classes are not, in the main, interactive, however.

Is Masterclass worth it? If you want to discover more about how the best operators in their respective fields have made their way to the top then a Masterclass subscription is just what you need. Read on to discover more about just why Masterclass offers such a superb educational experience.

Masterclass
£/$170.14

Are Free Courses Available With Masterclass?​

Sadly, at the time of writing this Masterclass Review, Masterclass doesn’t offer free courses. We think this is just the nature of their business model — it is, after all, a premium product which requires a substantial investment. If you are looking for a more affordable online course provider (that offers free classes), then we recommend you check out Udemy.

Masterclass Available Courses

After reading this Masterclass Review, you’ll certainly know a little bit more about the type of courses on offer from Masterclass, and how much they are likely to cost you. Here, we’re going to take a closer look at the type of things you can actually learn. The real selling point of Masterclass is, of course, the people teaching the classes, so let’s see what’s actually on offer.

Business

When it comes to business courses, you can learn from figures such as Paul Krugman, Bob Iger and Sarah Blakely. You are not going to be learning about book keeping or how to advertise as a small business owner, though. These are courses in concepts like ‘Business strategy and leadership’ and ‘Self-made entrepreneurship’. This is where you learn the philosophy and ideas that underpin success.

Science & Technology

It is fair to say that Masterclass is not the kind of course provider you should choose if you are wanting to learn how to programme computers or any other practical scientific skill. The only real scientific courses being offered are one from Jane Goodall in conservation and one from former astronaut Chris Hadfield, who shares his insights about space exploration.

Cookery

This is one area where there are plenty of options at Masterclass, and where you can find particularly good value. Gordon Ramsey is among the chefs who provide courses at Masterclass, and this is one area where what is taught can be of demonstrable practical value to learners. Thomas Keller’s courses on particular cooking skills are especially good.

Drama & Film

This an area where Masterclass really excels in terms of what it can offer to learners. There is a plethora of arts courses available, taught by some of the biggest names in their fields. Timbaland will teach you the tricks of beatmaking and production, and you can learn guitar from Carlos Santana, among many other options.

Writing

Just as with music and film, there are plenty of good courses for aspiring writers on offer here. Neil Gaiman, Judy Bloom and Dan Brown all offer courses to fiction writers, while Shonda Rhimes teaches a course in writing for television. You can certainly find plenty of expert insight at Masterclass is writing is something that you aspire to be better at.

Sports & Games

As well as tennis lessons from Serena Williams and basketball classes from Stephen Curry, there are also options to learn more about chess and poker at Masterclass. You can also learn some ballet techniques from Misty Copeland and gymnastics from Simone Biles, so the range on offer is impressive.

Masterclass
£/$170.14

Content Quality at Masterclass​

It is important to stress that Masterclass isn’t offering practical courses in improving your basic skills. These are more like tips from experts who are acknowledged world leaders in their fields. If you are looking for advice the practical aspects of business or professional writing you will probably need to look elsewhere. But there are still plenty of great opportunities to learn on offer too.

Reputation of Tutors On Masterclass

This is one area where Masterclass really excels, of course. Who would not want to be taught film making by the likes of Werner Herzog, or learn tennis tricks from Serena Williams. You do need to bear in mind, though, that these tutors are not offering interactive lessons. All lessons are delivered by one of the experts basically talking straight to the camera, almost in the manner of a YouTube video. How much you pick up from the courses depends on how much attention you pay, basically.

You also need to bear in mind how much you will be paying for these insights before you decide to opt to study a course or not. There is a wide range of expert advice offered, but there are some areas that are not covered in depth. You will not find any computer coding courses, for example. So while there are plenty of great artists, chef and athletes teaching courses at Masterclass, there are no tech wizards teaching programming.

Course Length

There are over 70 courses available at Masterclass, with an average of 24 lessons in each of those courses. Each lesson lasts for an average of 12 minutes, which is probably just about right. It can be hard to concentrate on someone talking to camera for longer than that if you need to absorb everything that they are saying. That length of lesson also means that one topic can be covered in detail, without you having to work hard at remembering too much. Given that there is little interactive material available to help with learning, this length of lesson works well when it comes ro retaining the attention of learners too.

With 24 lessons in each course, course length is also long enough to offer enough detailed insight without overwhelming learners. Of course, given the prices of the courses, it is also gratifying to see plenty of expert insight on offer too.

Many online reviews state that some of the Masterclass content is actually replicated elsewhere on the internet, with some of Gordon Ramsey’s classes, on taking apart a whole chicken for example, also being available on YouTube. There is also a feeling from some reviewers that you do not learn enough of the basic skills of, for example, screenwriting from the likes of Aaron Sorkin. Rather, you are being given the inspiration to become better at a chosen skill.

There is a really positive view among many people on social media about the gift giving options that Masterclass offers. This seems to be an especially popular aspect of Masterclass’s services, and it perhaps offers an insight into the kind of market that Masterclass is aiming for. These are not necessarily courses for people who want to improve their CV, but are rather for people who aspire to be great at their chosen skill, and want to hear insights from experts.

There are generally positive views among many learners that the courses offer good value for money. The quality of the experts teaching the courses is a particularly important factor when it comes to judging this aspect of Masterclass too, with many students delighted to be learning from the likes of Martin Scorsese. Some do express disappointment at the level of interactive involvement, though.

Some reviews have also expressed reservations that there is very little in terms of practical help on offer in the courses. This, though, is a relatively minor quibble for many, with most thinking that the opportunity to learn from such great minds outweighs this consideration.

Overall, learners tend to view Masterclass in a very positive light, though there are some minor reservations about course content and the practical application of what is being taught.

What is a Masterclass Course Like?

So, what is the experience of taking a Masterclass like? It is certainly different to the kind of thing that you will have experienced elsewhere. If you’re expecting the kind of dry lessons that you might have experienced at school or college where a teacher lectures drily from the front of a sterile classroom, then you’re in for a surprise. Masterclass is certainly not a conventional course provider.

Instead, when you sign up for a Masterclass subscription you gain access to a series of lessons and lectures from the world’s top minds. Whether you want to gain greater insight into science from the likes of Neil DeGrasse Tyson, learn what makes a great novelist like Walter Mosley, or pick up tips on voice acting from Nancy Cartwright, you can glean all of this and more from a Masterclass subscription.

Each course is a series of video lessons that usually run for around 25 minutes, though some are longer and some shorter than this. Most courses are around 15 – 20 lessons in length, and all come with additional workbooks and learning materials. These learning materials vary from course to course, but all are very worthwhile and add greater depth and focus to the courses. Video lessons are delivered by the course teacher and are produced to the highest standards. These are not scratchy YouTube homemade videos – they are Hollywood standard presentations.

It is important to remember that Masterclass does not offer courses from which you gain formal qualifications. A Masterclass course teaches you about how the very best operators in their respective fields reached the top. They are a source of tips, practical advice and insight rather than a way to attain skills and qualifications. As long as you are aware of that, though, the experience of taking a Masterclass course is hugely enjoyable and reviewing. Is Masterclass worth it? We think that it definitely is!

Masterclass
£/$170.14

The Masterclass App

Another aspect of Masterclass that is worth looking is the app. The app can be used on Android and Apple devices, as well as Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku and Android TV. That kind of choice gives you a great deal of flexibility when it comes to how you access the great Masterclass courses on offer. The great production values of the course content mean that everything looks great on the app too.

The app has a number of features that make learning simpler and more accessible. It is possible to speed up and slow down the videos so that you can focus on the specific areas of study that you want to use. You also have the option of listening to just the audio of the lessons if that is more convenient for you. Masterclass will indicate to you if a class is more suited to audio or video, as sometimes a tutor may be demonstrating something visually. Subtitles and closed captioning is also supported.

Is Masterclass worth it? When you can access the courses on such a polished, versatile and high-quality app then we would say that it is.

9.6Expert Score
Masterclass Review 2021​ Welcome to our Masterclass 2021 review — where we delve deep into the inner workings of one of the world’s most popular online learning products. In this review we’ll answer questions such as ‘is Masterclass worth it?’ and ‘is Masterclass legit?’, while also breaking down everything the service has to offer.
PROS
  • Huge range of courses available
  • Learn from real experts and celebs
  • A single pass opens up all available courses
  • Buy 1 pass and get 1 free
CONS
  • Some courses aren't very in depth
  • Could be seen as quite expensive

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