Skillshare hare is a subscription-based, community-driven online learning platform launched in 2010 and headquartered in New York City . It specialises in short-form, project-based courses across creative, business, technology, and lifestyle domains. Skillshare is commonly used for:
- Creative upskilling: Illustration, graphic design, animation, photography, creative writing
- Professional development: Marketing, freelancing, productivity, entrepreneurship
- Technology learning: Web development, basic data, digital tools
- Hobby & personal enrichment: Cooking, mindfulness, music, home décor
Learners complete hands-on projects, gaining practical skills and building portfolios rather than pursuing formal qualifications.
Key Features & Benefits
| Feature | Benefit |
| Extensive course library (~35?000) | Diverse skills across 4 main categories, updated regularly |
| Project-based learning | Reinforces practical skill development via class projects |
| Community interaction | Peer feedback, forums, teacher engagement enhance learning |
| Mobile app & offline viewing | Learn anywhere, anytime; download lessons offline |
| Playlists & recommendations | Personalisation with curated learning paths and suggested courses |
| Clean UI & accessible layout | Easy course discovery and progress tracking |
| Subscription model | Affordable unlimited access (monthly/yearly), though no free tier |
Benefits:
- Ideal for quick, creative skill boosts
- Encourages practical application and portfolio creation
- Enables cross-disciplinary learning and community collaboration
- Provides mobile flexibility for busy lifestyles
Sectors & Example Use
Though primarily consumer-focused, Skillshare sees adoption among small creative teams, hobbyists, and freelancers. Notable use cases include:
- Design & visual arts professionals: Learning tools like Procreate or Adobe Premiere
- Freelancers & entrepreneurs: Marketing strategy, productivity methodologies, and portfolio-building skills
- Technology hobbyists: Beginners studying web development or digital productivity tools like Notion
- Personal enrichment enthusiasts: Courses such as animation, writing, cooking and mindfulness
No major corporate clients are publicly listed, reflecting its individual and SMB focus.
Company History & Headquarters
- Founded: November 2010 by Michael Karnjanaprakorn and Malcolm Ong; launched publicly April 2011
- Headquarters: New York City, with a global app presence
- Business evolution: Transitioned from a marketplace for offline classes to a subscription model in 2014, introduced free-tier limited access mid-2010s, and later refocused on paid memberships only by 2021 .
- Scale: Over 12 million learners and 28?000 instructors globally Raised approximately US?$108?million by 2020 .
Industry Awards & Recognition
- Recognised by Business Insider (July?2025) as a top platform for creative skills
- Frequently cited in lists of top online learning apps for creative and business skills.
- Lauded for mobile accessibility, community engagement, and course variety by multiple aggregator reviews
Customer Review Sentiment
Positive feedback:
- Ease of use: UI praised as clean and navigable
- Course diversity & quality: Broad, up-to-date content, especially in creative arts
- Community & engagement: Strong peer interaction and feedback across projects
- Mobile/offline access: Highly appreciated for flexibility
Common criticisms:
- Variable quality: Course standards are uneven due to open-instructor model
- Subscription management issues: Reports of unexpected renewals and cancellation difficulties
- Shallow content: Some learners find courses insufficiently in-depth
- Poor customer support: Feedback points to slow responses and account issues