# TED Talks vs Skillshare

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: TED Talks at none against Skillshare's 11. Skillshare's advantage is review sentiment (62% vs 44%) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Skillshare sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $18.99 per month. TED Talks asks for nothing beyond the download.

Skillshare holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 10K and 25K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 44% of TED Talks's written reviews are positive against 62% of Skillshare's.

TED Talks ships an update fortnightly, Skillshare every 10 days. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | TED Talks | Skillshare |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (10K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ted-talks-watch-and-learn/id376183339/reviews) | **[4.8 (25K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skillshare-creativity-classes/id916819843/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 10K | **25K** |
| Positive reviews | 43.7% of reviews | **61.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 165 MB | 64 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [TED Conferences LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/376183342) | [Skillshare, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/916819842) |

## What reviewers say

### TED Talks

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ted-talks-watch-and-learn/id376183339)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great content
- 👍 Inspiring and thought-provoking
- 📚 Variety of topics
- 🎧 Convenient for listening on the go

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unstable
- 🔍 Poor search functionality
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🔇 Audio/video playback issues
- 📥 Download feature not working as expected

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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


### Skillshare

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skillshare-creativity-classes/id916819843)

Access thousands of online courses taught by industry professionals to develop your creative skills. Learn drawing, animation, design, photography, and more at your own pace. Offers free classes and a premium subscription for unlimited access.

**Highlights:** Thousands of online creative courses, Professionally led lessons, Offline viewing, Progress syncing across devices, Mini viewer for multitasking, Free classes available

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Membership | $18.99 | per month |
| Skillshare Monthly Membership | $19.99 | per month |
| Monthly Premium Membership | $31.99 | per month |
| Monthly Premium Membership | $31.99 | per month |
| Skillshare Monthly Membership | $49.99 | per month |
| Skillshare Annual Membership | $167.99 | per year |
| Annual Premium Membership | $169.99 | per year |
| Annual Premium Membership | $169.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Excellent variety of creative classes
- 🤓 High-quality instruction from industry professionals
- 🕰 Flexible learning at your own pace
- 💡 Inspiring and motivating content
- 📚 Broad range of topics covered

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Lacking search and organization features in the app
- 🖥 Limited functionality compared to the website
- 🔌 Offline viewing issues and inconsistencies
- 🤖 Buggy and unstable app performance
- 🔒 Questionable billing and cancellation practices

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes and freezes frequently
- Video playback issues and syncing problems
- Inconsistent user interface and navigation
- Inability to access class resources and materials
- Account management and cancellation difficulties

**Requested features**

- Ability to sort and organize saved classes
- Offline class downloads and viewing
- Seamless integration between app and website
- More advanced search and filtering options
- Picture-in-picture mode for multitasking


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TED Talks free?

TED Talks is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Skillshare free?

Skillshare is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, TED Talks or Skillshare?

Skillshare is rated higher. TED Talks averages 4.6 out of 5 from 10K ratings, while Skillshare averages 4.8 from 25K ratings.

### Do TED Talks or Skillshare have ads?

Neither TED Talks nor Skillshare shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, TED Talks or Skillshare?

TED Talks ships an update fortnightly, and Skillshare every 10 days. Most recently, TED Talks was updated on September 24, 2026 and Skillshare on September 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*