Comparison

TED Talks vs MasterClass

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

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.

About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

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

Screenshots

TED Talks4 screens
MasterClass4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TED Talks ships an update fortnightly, MasterClass every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
TED Talks versus MasterClass: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTED TalksMasterClass
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (10K ratings)4.9 (123K ratings) — better
Positive reviews43.7% of reviews — better28.9% of reviews
Number of ratings10K123K — better
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterSubscription
Best chart rank—#30 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — betteriPhone, iPad, Apple TV
Requires iOS15.6 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size165 MB129 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperTED Conferences LLCMasterClass

Customer experience

TED Talks

All ratings10,316 ratings
Positive90.3%
Neutral3.1%
Negative6.6%
Written reviews1,746 reviews
Positive43.7%
Neutral17.4%
Negative38.9%

MasterClass

All ratings122,861 ratings
Positive97.9%
Neutral0.8%
Negative1.3%
Written reviews767 reviews
Positive28.9%
Neutral16.3%
Negative54.8%

User reviews

TED Talks

From 10K App Store ratings

What 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 ratings

What 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

None

TED Talks

No in-app purchases

6 purchases

MasterClass

Subscriptions6
  • MasterClass Individual$119.991 Year
  • Duo (Free Upgrade)$179.991 Year
  • All-Access Pass upgrade1 Year trial$179.991 Year
Show 3 more
  • MasterClass Duo$179.991 Year
  • Family (Free Upgrade)$239.991 Year
  • MasterClass Family$239.991 Year

Questions

Is TED Talks free?
TED Talks is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is MasterClass free?
MasterClass is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, TED Talks or MasterClass?
MasterClass is rated higher. TED Talks averages 4.6 out of 5 from 10K ratings, while MasterClass averages 4.9 from 123K ratings.
Do TED Talks or MasterClass have ads?
Neither TED Talks nor MasterClass shows ads.
Which is updated more often, TED Talks or MasterClass?
TED Talks ships an update fortnightly, and MasterClass every 3 weeks. Most recently, TED Talks was updated on September 24, 2026 and MasterClass on September 24, 2026.

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