An honest MasterClass review: are the celebrity-led courses worth the subscription fee?

Learn business from Mark Cuban, cooking from Gordon Ramsay, tennis from Serena Williams… who wouldn’t want that?

MasterClass is an online learning platform that offers students access to classes taught by high-profile and celebrity teachers.

From business skills to hobbies, classes are available across a wide range of fields, intending to share knowledge and provide inspiration.

Of course, it all comes at a price in the form of a subscription.

So, is MasterClass worth it?

In this in-depth MasterClass review, we delve into all aspects of the platform, from the signing-up process to the classes available.

By the end, you’ll know if you should hand over your hard-earned cash for the opportunity to learn from the A-list.

We also let you know about all the amazing resources we have right here on Whop. As well as our blog, we’re home to lots of expert creators – so you can learn directly from those who have found success and want to help you to achieve your ambitions.

What is MasterClass?

Launched in 2014 and based in San Francisco, MasterClass is a different kind of online education platform. How is it different? Well, it’s because the classes are taught not just by experts but by celebrity experts.

Some of the MasterClass instructors enjoy worldwide fame and recognition, while others are “rock stars” in their field (and, yes, there are actual rock stars on the platform).

Each A-lister gets their own masterclass covering a specific topic within their specialty. These masterclasses comprise a collection of on-demand, video-based lessons, plus supporting material, such as worksheets. Feedback is mostly peer-based – more on that later.

There is no real one-on-one component to the learning. 

So – unfortunately – you won’t get millionaire YouTuber MKBHD personally reviewing your video content or Sir Richard Branson reading over your business plan. However, the classes offer a unique perspective from people like this who have achieved great things in their field.

But, as you’ll see later in this MasterClass review, the main selling point of the platform is also its biggest weakness.

While the main MasterClass courses are paywalled, the site does offer some free content designed to promote the paid lessons. This includes taster videos, articles, and short standalone lessons across the categories it offers.

What can you learn on MasterClass?

MasterClass now boasts over 200 lessons, with additional experts joining each month. The masterclasses are spread over the following categories:

• Acting & performing arts
• Business & entrepreneurship
• Community & government
• Food & drink
• Art & design
• Games & digital media
• Film & TV
• Health & wellness
• Music
• Outdoor adventures & events
• Science & technology
• Sports & athletics
• Writing

As you can see, it’s a mix of professional and hobby/craft topics. There is wide variety under each of these categories, with some instructors having multiple masterclasses (particularly in the cooking section). You can also find original series, multi-expert classes, and documentaries on the site.

Explore the categories and you’ll soon see that there is some crossover, with several classes listed under more than one category. This is because some of the skills taught are transferable, such as leadership, problem-solving, and creativity.

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More on the masterclasses

Before we move on to the most popular classes, let’s look at some examples from each of the categories to give you a flavor of what’s available.

Acting & performing arts: There are currently 23 masterclasses under this wide-ranging category, which covers everything from filmmaking to dance. Example classes here include:

• Penn & Teller teaching magic
• Samuel L. Jackson teaching acting
• Nancy Cartwright (a.k.a Bart Simpson) teaching voice acting

Business & entrepreneurship: This category has 65 masterclasses covering everything from leadership to cryptocurrency. Here, you can find:

• Sir Richard Branson teaching disruptive entrepreneurship
• Mark Cuban talking about “winning big” in business
• Reddit’s Alexis Ohanian teaching how to build a start-up

Community & government: If you’re interested in politics or social activism, there are 47 instructors to discover in this category. Example classes include:

• Former President Bill Clinton teaching leadership
• Activist Malala Yousafzai talking about social change
• Hillary Rodham Clinton teaching resilience

Food & drink: There are 30 instructors teaching different aspects of cooking, baking, and other culinary topics. Learn about breadmaking and how to make cuisines from around the world from the likes of:

• TV chef Gordon Ramsay
• Michelin-starred Thomas Keller
• Pastry chef Dominique Ansel (who invented the cronut)

Art & design: This category covers things like home design, art, and architecture, as well as personal style, with masterclasses from 30 instructors. Find out about:

• Fashion design from Marc Jacobs
• Art and creativity from artist Jeff Koons
• Modelling from Naomi Campbell

Games & digital media: The 19 instructors in this category cover things like poker, chess, and creating compelling digital content. Among the masterclasses you can explore are:

• Gamer and YouTuber Ninja teaching how to become a streaming icon
• Professional poker player Phil Ivey teaching winning strategies
• Grandmaster Garry Kasparov sharing chess strategy

Film & TV: MasterClass gives students the chance to learn from 25 instructors across film and TV. Learn:

• Documentary filmmaking from award-winner Ken Burns
• Directing from Martin Scorsese and James Cameron
• Writing for TV with Shonda Rhimes (creator of Grey’s Anatomy, among other hits)

Health & wellness: This category includes 23 instructors, covering nutrition, mindfulness, and other related topics. You can learn about:

• Healthy eating from author and researcher Michael Pollan
• Meditation from guru Jon Kabat-Zinn
• Positive mental health strategies from TV personality RuPaul

Music: The 30 instructors here cover lots of genres and various aspects of making and recording music. For example, you can learn about:

• Music production from Timbaland
• Performing from John Legend
• Songwriting from the likes of Alicia Keys and St. Vincent

Outdoor adventures & events: There are 13 instructors in this category, who teach different outdoor-related topics. Learn about:

• Conservation from Dr Jane Goodall
• Wilderness survival skills from Jessie Krebbs
• Gardening from urban gardener Ron Finley

Science & technology: This category offers classes from 24 instructors, mostly drawn from the sciences. Learn about:

• Becoming a scientist with astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson
• Space exploration with astronaut Chris Hadfield
• Problem solving in science with TV’s Bill Nye

Sports & athletics: This is another big-name category, with 18 instructors sharing their sporting knowledge. Here, you can learn:

• Tennis from Serena Williams
• Developing a successful mindset with ice hockey legend Wayne Gretsky
• Skills and strategies from skateboarder Tony Hawk

Writing: Finally, the writing category features 35 renowned fiction and non-fiction writers from across genres and writing styles. Learn how to:

• Craft stories with Margaet Atwood and David Baldacci
• Write for the stage and screen with David Mamet and Aaron Sorkin
• Develop non-fiction with Malcom Gladwell and Michael Lewis

Most popular masterclasses

The homepage lists the current trending classes. At the time of writing the most popular masterclasses included:

• Entrepreneur Whitney Wolfe-Heard teaching “rewriting the rules of business and life”
• Climber and filmmaker Jimmy Chin teaching adventure photography
• Bestselling fiction author James Patterson teaching writing
• Director Spike Lee teaching independent filmmaking
• Singer Mariah Carey teaching the “voice as an instrument”

The site also lists its trending instructors. As well as the ones in the image above, the list includes the likes of music star Usher, Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, and evergreen rockers Metallica (we did say there are rock stars on the platform).

Hopefully, that’s given you a general idea of what you can expect to find on MasterClass.

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A step-by-step guide to learning with MasterClass

So, now you know what kind of classes are available, our MasterClass review moves on to look at how you sign up and learn on the platform.

1. Sign up for a plan

As we said earlier, the majority of the content on MasterClass is paywalled. However, you can watch trailers and highlights of the classes and read the collection of articles to get a feel for the platform before committing to a subscription.

If you decide to go ahead and subscribe, click “sign-up” on the homepage. You’ll have the option to tell MasterClass what you want to learn, so it can tailor your homepage.

You can skip this if you want and just click through to the current plans. We’ll cover the costs of a subscription in the next section.

You then complete the process. Sign in with an email address and password or use your existing Google, Facebook or Apple account.

Once you’ve paid with a credit card or PayPal, you are free to explore the entire library of MasterClass content.

• The best online course platforms to sell your course
• Profitable online course ideas, from an experienced course creator
• 200+ online course ideas across all niches
• What are masterminds? Everything you need to know about mastermind groups

2. Familiarize yourself with the dashboard

Log in to your account and you’ll be taken to your personalized homepage. This is where you can browse and access all the classes.

The categories we talked about above are listed on the left side of the screen, while the main page highlights new and trending courses. Once you’ve taken a masterclass or two or browsed certain categories, there’ll be a list of recommended courses.

At the top of the screen, click on “my progress” to pick up where you left off on any of the classes. From the homepage, you can also access your account details.

At the top of the screen, you’ll see “Class TA”. Currently in beta mode, this is an AI-driven teaching assistant which basically works like ChatGPT for MasterClass, providing lesson summaries and the ability to ask questions about the courses.

3. Choose a masterclass

There’s so much content on MasterClass unless you know who you want to learn from, it’s a good idea to spend some time browsing the site.

You can find courses in several ways:

• Click on each category to find instructors
• Search by name, class, or topic by typing it into the box
• Under the library tab, you can search for playlists of videos

On each course page, you’ll find all the class info, including a lesson plan, with the topics covered, and any supporting material. You can also watch the trailer and see a list of related courses.

The good news is that once you’ve found an interesting class, signing up is as simple as clicking a button and launching the first lesson. You don’t need to enroll or fill out any details. You just dive in. Don’t like it? Stop and find another masterclass.

4. Start learning!

The lessons on Masterclass are all on demand. So, you can start and stop any time you want during your subscription period. The higher-paid plans also offer the option to download the video content.

Because of the diversity on the platform, the lessons are all different, in terms of length and focus. The main types of courses are:

Masterclasses which simply involve the instructor talking to the camera.

👉 For example: Mark Cuban’s course on succeeding in business involves one 90-minute session of the entrepreneur discussing his method for making billions.

Other “talking-based” masterclasses which are broken down into short, self-contained sections.

👉 For example: Margaret Atwood’s writing class has 23 lessons of between 5 and 15 minutes, in which she talks about different aspects of the craft.

Masterclasses have a more practical component, where you watch the teacher doing their thing.

👉 For example: Serena Williams’ tennis course includes two hours’ worth of her demonstrating groundstrokes, net play, and serving, as well as talking strategy.

Masterclasses with a project element, where the instructor gives you the tools to create something or to practice what they’re teaching.

👉 For example: Marques Brownlee’s (a.k.a MKBHD) class on making viral videos involves six sessions, where he talks you through planning, pre-production, shooting, and editing your own video.

All of the courses have related content, such as workbooks, course guides, and other supporting content which you can download, whichever subscription plan you choose.

5. Give and receive feedback

As we mentioned earlier, MasterClass doesn’t have an instructor feedback component. Instead, it relies on peer review and feedback. This is similar to other mass learning platforms, such as Coursera.

👉 For example: Students in MKBHD’s class are encouraged to post the videos they create for other learners to watch and offer feedback.

Other courses have chatrooms where students can ask each other questions and talk about things related to the masterclass. Posting work and providing/asking for feedback is entirely optional.

There is no exam or quiz at the end and you don’t get a certificate of completion. MasterClass is simply about acquiring knowledge. How much (or little) you engage with the classes or with other learners is totally up to you.

Learning on different devices

MasterClass offers flexibility in how you learn. If you want to access MasterClass content on the go via a mobile device, you can download the app.

As well as computers and laptops, all the content can be viewed on:

• iPhone
• iPad
• Android
• Apple TV
• Amazon Fire TV
• Roku
• Android TV

Once you’ve opened your account and downloaded the app, you’ll see a similar homepage to the one you see in your browser.

You can scroll through new and trending classes, as well as continue watching any courses you have in progress. The categories are displayed at the top of the screen. You can also check out the library and “in progress” sections.

Overall, the app version of MasterClass works pretty well. The videos are optimized for mobile and the viewing quality is good. Each video rolls into the next, so you can learn continuously or stop at any time and come back to the course later.

However, while we had no problems using the app on an Android phone for this MasterClass review, some third-party user reviews flag issues with bugs and isolated problems accessing the app on Apple TV.

Okay, we’ve been through the features of MasterClass. But how much will it all set you back?

Let’s move on to the plans and what you get for your money.

How much does MasterClass cost?

MasterClass used to offer the option for users to pay for a single class (priced at around $80). However, along the way, this option was scrapped and is no longer available.

To access any of the classes, you now need to sign up for an annual MasterClass subscription, which gives you full access to all the content.

Here are the latest tiers with what they include:

The full-price plans are the Standard at $10 a month, Plus at $15, and Premium at $20.

Throughout the year, MasterClass offers limited-time discounts. These offers might be a 50% discount on each subscription tier or a 2-for-1 membership.

Sign up for one of the plans and you also get several free 14-day Guest Passes which you can share with anyone and which offer full access to the MasterClass content.

What’s the difference between the plans?

All 3 plans give users full access to current and future content for the duration of the subscription.

The main difference with the lowest-priced tier is that it doesn’t have offline mode or allow for any of the video-based content (i.e. the lessons) to be downloaded. You can still download the written content (workbooks and course guides).

The cheapest plan also only lets you access the masterclasses via one device at once. The higher tier plans offer multiple device access – so more than one person (in your household) can access MasterClass content simultaneously.

What’s the catch?

Well, if you think this all sounds like a reasonable cost to unlock all that A-list learning, here’s the thing to keep in mind: there’s no month-to-month option – you have to pay in full upfront annually.

So, multiply each of those monthly figures above by 12 to get the amount your credit card or PayPal account will be charged at checkout. On the full-price plans, this works out at:

• $84 for the Standard plan
• $180 for the Plus plan
• $240 for the Premium plan

A 30-day money-back guarantee is available on all plans. This involves emailing the support team. However, third-party MasterClass reviews flag issues with poor customer support, so getting your money back might not be a straightforward process.

You can cancel your subscription at any time during the 12-month subscription period – but there are no refunds on the unused portion. Cancelling just means your MasterClass subscription won’t be renewed.

So, for example, if you pay your $180 in January and then cancel in June, you won’t get $90 back. You just won’t get automatically charged another $180 the following January. Of course, you keep access to the classes for the whole 12 months your subscription is active.

The lesson – if you sign up for a MasterClass subscription, be aware that it’s a full-year commitment. Check out the classes beforehand and make sure there are 12 months’ worth of content on the platform that you’ll want to access.

If you live with people who also want to use MasterClass, choosing one of the higher tiers means you can split the cost, which might be the best way to go.

So, now we’ve been through the details, we can answer the question: is MasterClass worth it or is the “learn from a celeb” angle just a gimmick?

Need more flexibility? On Whop, our creators have developed products to suit all budgets and payment preferences, like these guys at Media Metas:

Is MasterClass worth it? Our verdict

We said at the start that the main strength of MasterClass is also its biggest weakness – namely its reliance on A-list teachers.

The big marketing hook for MasterClass is that it opens up access to celeb instructors, who share the secrets of their success and their unique skill sets. Whatever you want to learn, hearing a master of their craft talk about it (with great enthusiasm) can be worthwhile and inspiring.

However, it also makes the site somewhat impersonal and unrealistic.

Impersonal because there’s no direct access to the teacher, with a reliance on peer-to-peer feedback. Unrealistic because the expert’s journey is not your journey. Also, some of the content has been on the site for a while, so may not be completely up-to-date.

If you want to learn, say, how to be a better fiction writer or home cook, that might be fine. However, if you want practical advice about growing your online business in today’s world, you might be better served learning from someone who has walked a similar path and can help you to avoid their pitfalls.

It’s also worth pointing out that many of the MasterClass experts are accessible on their own channels. So, if there’s one teacher you really want to learn from, you can probably soak up their wisdom via their podcast or ebooks, without forking out for a whole MasterClass subscription.

Beyond this core issue, the verdict on MasterClass is mixed.

On the plus side, once you’ve signed up, the platform is easy to navigate on a computer or via the app. There’s lots of new content being added monthly. It’s clear no expense has been spared on the production values. The videos are slick and professional, as are the teachers.

On the downside, we have to circle back to that inflexible pricing – one subscription paid annually. That alone is probably enough to turn off many potential students.

With the explosion in subscription-based services – Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc. – we’re all used to having month-to-month flexibility, which MasterClass doesn’t offer.

Paying annually means you can access existing and new content in your own time. But you really have to decide if there’s 12 months’ worth of learning on the site.

Some people will use their subscription to dabble in lots of different areas, which is great. However, if you aim to learn one skill, you might get what you need from the site in one or two months.

Third-party reviews of MasterClass are largely negative:

However, the complaints are not about the quality of the content. They are about two things: payments and poor customer service.

Basically, the 1-star reviews are from people who wanted to cancel but couldn’t get through to customer support and from those who left the auto-renew on and found they’d been charged for another full year’s subscription.

To sum up…

Overall, Masterclass is a worthy addition to the online learning space, offering something special. But it all comes at a cost. Whether you think it’s worth the money really depends on what you want to learn and how you like to learn.

If you simply want arm’s length instruction and inspiration from an A-lister, you’ll probably find what you need on Masterclass.

However, if you want a more personal experience, where you learn actionable steps from an accessible expert in a supportive community, you might find that MasterClass just doesn’t live up to the hype.

Pros & cons

MasterClass alternatives

If learning on MasterClass isn’t right for you, here are some alternative online learning platforms.

🏆 Whop

Unlike MasterClass, on Whop, you get personal learning experiences, with direct access to experts who have “walked the walk” and are excited to share their strategies for success with you.

You can learn from the experts with courses, masterminds, webinars, and even in private communities. Your learning on Whop is an immersive experiences, with courses combined with communities, group challenges, and a supportive group of people all striving to meet their goals.

TED Talks

Available on a variety of platforms, TED Talks features 3k+ free video-based talks on a variety of topics. Unlike MasterClass, TED Talks are not lessons. They are just experts in their fields giving a lecture or being interviewed about a specific topic. You can also find playlists, series, and podcasts.

Skillshare

Skillshare is an online platform where anyone can sign up to learn (and apply to teach) creative, business, lifestyle, or technology subjects. There is a variety of ways to learn on the platform, making it more flexible and personal than MasterClass. It boasts 25k classes and 8k teachers.

Now you know your options, it’s time to level up with Whop…

Master the skills you need to succeed on Whop

If you’re looking for practical skills you can use to make money on your terms, on Whop, you get all the learning without the gimmicks.

Sure, you could learn from a celebrity who is an icon in their field - but how much will their knowledge help to grow your skills? With Whop you're not receiving advice from some distant figure. You're learning from people who have already found success, are continuing to grow their businesses, and are sharing their journey in private groups - aka whops.

Whop is home to 10s of thousands of creators who have poured all their experience and knowledge into crafting digital products that get real results.

Whether you want to learn how to improve your photography business -

make money as a remote closer -

Or even improve your fitness routine -

You can do it all with Whop.

Even better, once you’ve mastered the skills you need to succeed, Whop is the perfect place to create and monetize your very own digital content.

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