TED Talks vs MasterClass
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
TED Talks
Access thousands of inspiring and informative videos on a wide range of topics. Get personalized recommendations, watch with subtitles in over 100 languages, and download content for offline viewing. Stay curious and informed with this educational resource.
- Personalized recommendations
- Subtitles in over 100 languages
- Browse by topic or curator picks
- Stream to Apple TV with AirPlay
- Download videos for offline viewing
- Watchlist for later
- Surprise Me! feature
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Get personalized recommendations that match your unique interests, or browse TED’s library of thousands of inspiring, informative, transformational videos for free. Features on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch: ・Sign in to get personalized recommendations and sync videos across all your devices ・Watch videos with subtitles in over 100 languages ・Check out the newest and trending videos, browse by topic, or select from our curators’ picks ・Stream videos to your Apple TV with AirPlay ・Download videos to watch offline ・Add talks your list to watch later ・Toggle between dark mode or light modes ・Get instant inspiration with the “Surprise Me!” feature Get the TED app to stay curious, informed and inspired.
MasterClass
Learn new skills from world-renowned experts across a vast range of subjects. Access thousands of bite-sized lessons on professional development, creative arts, wellness, and more. Watch on any device, with offline options available.
- Learn from world-renowned experts
- Vast range of premium courses
- Thousands of bite-sized lessons
- Accessible on multiple devices
- Offline learning options
- New content added regularly
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LEARN FROM THE BEST. BE YOUR BEST. Build crucial skills so you can thrive at work, at home, and beyond. Whether you want to negotiate a raise, write a book, dial in your health, or perfect your baking techniques, our instructors—world-renowned experts, industry leaders, and cultural icons—are here for you. Check out our online courses, and get ready to learn new skills and thrive. A VAST RANGE OF PREMIUM COURSES Choose from classes on professional development, business, wellness, creative skills, food, writing, home & lifestyle, sports & gaming, music, photography, and more—all featuring MasterClass’s cinematic storytelling. 200+ EXPERT INSTRUCTORS. THOUSANDS OF LESSONS. Each class is broken up into bite-size lessons. Quit doomscrolling and binge a whole class—or learn new skills in just 5 to 10 minutes. EDUCATION THAT’S ACCESSIBLE ANYWHERE Watch on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV. For on-the-go learning, switch to audio mode or download select classes to build skills offline. BOOST YOUR CAREER WITH BUSINESS LEADERS Access business training courses taught by top leaders, including Martha Stewart, Mark Cuban, Bob Iger, Rich Paul, Sir Richard Branson, and Anna Wintour. IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH & WELLNESS Tap into expert-led educational videos on healing and boosting your gut, brain, and skin, plus courses on everything from menopause to meditation. COOK TO IMPRESS WITH WORLD-CLASS CHEFS Enjoy immersive cooking classes with culinary titans like Gordon Ramsay, Roy Choi, Dominique Crenn, Massimo Bottura, Wolfgang Puck, and Thomas Keller. FINISH YOUR BOOK WITH BESTSELLING WRITERS Break through blocks and get your work out in the world with writing courses from Malcolm Gladwell, Margaret Atwood, James Patterson, Amanda Gorman, David Sedaris, R.L. Stine, and more. LEARN TO BE LEGENDARY FROM ICONIC ARTISTS Hone your creative skills with the likes of Amy Poehler, John Legend, Mindy Kaling, Issa Rae, RuPaul, Steve Martin, Shonda Rhimes, and Helen Mirren. Music lessons and photography courses are also available. LEVEL UP YOUR GAME WITH ALL-STAR ATHLETES Find out how champions like Lewis Hamilton, Serena Williams, Steph Curry, Wayne Gretzky, Tony Hawk, and Simone Biles (plus legendary coaches like Geno Auriemma and Mike “Coach K” Krzyzewski) train and win. NEW CONTENT ADDED REGULARLY Extend your online learning journey with new classes, playlists, and even offers to meet with our instructors. ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP TERMS The annual membership is an auto-renewing subscription plan. By signing up, you agree to the Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and applicable notices below. Your Apple account will be charged the noted amount for the first year and will be charged annually thereafter at the then-current rate unless you cancel before the end of the current period. No refunds for partially unused periods. To cancel or update payment information, go to your App Store Subscriptions. See our Privacy Policy at https://www.masterclass.com/privacy See our Terms of Service at https://www.masterclass.com/terms CA Privacy Notice: https://www.masterclass.com/privacy/states#california For CA residents: Do Not Sell My Info: https://www.masterclass.com/privacy/states#do-not-sell
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Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: TED Talks at none against MasterClass's 6. TED Talks also leads on review sentiment (44% vs 29%) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.6). MasterClass's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 4.6) and ratings volume (123K vs 10K). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. MasterClass sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $119.99 per year. TED Talks asks for nothing beyond the download.
MasterClass holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MasterClass has 123K ratings behind it against 10K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 44% of TED Talks's written reviews are positive against 29% of MasterClass's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
TED Talks ships an update fortnightly, MasterClass every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.
| Parameter | TED Talks | MasterClass |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (10K ratings) | 4.9 (123K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 43.7% of reviews — better | 28.9% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 10K | 123K — better |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | — | #30 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — better | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 165 MB | 129 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | TED Conferences LLC | MasterClass |
Customer experience
TED Talks
MasterClass
User reviews
TED Talks
From 10K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Great content
- 👍 Inspiring and thought-provoking
- 📚 Variety of topics
- 🎧 Convenient for listening on the go
Room to improve
- 🐛 Buggy and unstable
- 🔍 Poor search functionality
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🔇 Audio/video playback issues
- 📥 Download feature not working as expected
MasterClass
From 123K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Great content from experts
- 🤩 Inspiring and educational
- 👍 High-quality production
- 💡 Diverse range of topics
Room to improve
- 🐛 Buggy and glitchy app
- 🤔 Confusing navigation and UI
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🔌 Unreliable offline support
Bugs and requests
TED Talks
Reported bugs
5 issues- App crashes frequently
- Videos fail to load or play
- Saved talks disappear from user's list
- Syncing issues with user accounts
- Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions
Requested features
5 requests- Add ability to create and manage playlists
- Implement background audio playback
- Improve Chromecast support
- Add more customization options (e.g., video playback speed, dark mode)
- Enhance discoverability of new and relevant content
MasterClass
Reported bugs
4 issues- App crashes and freezes
- Downloaded content disappears
- Playback issues and random pauses
- Inconsistent behavior across devices
Requested features
4 requests- Ability to download more content offline
- Progress tracking and resume functionality
- Filtering and sorting options
- Transcript search and note-taking
In-app purchases
TED Talks
No in-app purchases
MasterClass
- MasterClass Individual$119.991 Year
- Duo (Free Upgrade)$179.991 Year
- All-Access Pass upgrade1 Year trial$179.991 Year
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- MasterClass Duo$179.991 Year
- Family (Free Upgrade)$239.991 Year
- MasterClass Family$239.991 Year







