Best For | Best for learners who want to be inspired by celebrity experts in fields like cooking, writing, business, and the arts. | Best for lifelong learners looking for in-depth, academic-style courses on history, science, philosophy, and personal development. |
Pricing | Starts at $10/month (Billed annually) | Starts at $20/month (Billed annually) |
Features | High-quality, cinematic lessons | In-depth courses from university professors & experts |
Pros | Engaging, storytelling-driven content | More academic and research-based courses |
Cons | More entertainment-focused than educational | Less entertainment value compared to MasterClass |
Trying to decide between Masterclass and Wondrium in 2025? We’re here to help you choose the right one.
Both Masterclass and Wondrium offer great learning experiences, but which one is the best for you?
Choosing between these two platforms can be tricky. They each have their own strengths and weaknesses, so it’s important to figure out which one suits your needs.
In this article, I’ll break down the differences between Masterclass Vs Wondrium to help you make an informed decision about which platform is the best fit for you.
Bottom Line Upfront:
If you’re looking for high-quality, expert-led courses in creative fields like cooking, writing, acting, and music, Masterclass is the better choice. Its focus on learning from top industry professionals makes it perfect for those seeking inspiration and practical skills in these areas.
Overview of Masterclass
Masterclass is an online learning platform that offers courses taught by some of the world’s most renowned experts. You can learn from celebrities and industry leaders in areas like cooking, acting, writing, music, business, and more.
The courses are designed to give you direct access to the wisdom and experiences of top professionals.
Each course focuses on practical advice, creativity, and inspiration, making it perfect for anyone looking to improve their skills in creative fields. Masterclass is known for its high-quality production value, offering a visually engaging learning experience.
Also check out: MasterClass Coupon Codes & Promo Codes: Get Up To $50 Off
Overview of Wondrium (Formerly The Great Courses)
Wondrium, formerly known as The Great Courses Plus, is a platform that caters to learners who are interested in academic subjects.
It offers a vast library of courses on topics like history, science, philosophy, literature, and even personal development. Wondrium’s content is often structured like university-level courses, providing in-depth exploration of subjects.
The platform features courses taught by university professors and subject matter experts, making it an ideal choice for those looking for comprehensive, scholarly learning.
Whether you’re interested in the ancient world or the latest scientific breakthroughs, Wondrium gives you the tools to learn deeply about a wide range of topics.
Detailed Comparison: Masterclass Vs Wondrium
Here are the detailed comparison of masterclass & wondrium:
- Flexibility and Time Commitment:
Masterclass and The Great Courses Plus provide courses that may be viewed at your leisure. On all platforms, there are around 20 video lectures, each lasting between 10 and 30 minutes. Some Great Courses Plus videos may be longer, but this is still acceptable.
You may stop or rewind the video as necessary. Students may access classes through smartphones, tablets, computers, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, or any other streaming device.
Winner – Masterclass is the winner in this case. Masterclass edges over the competition because of its flexibility and time-saving features.
- Course Quality:
Clearly, course quality is a crucial consideration while making a purchase. Masterclass provides courses of fairly good quality. Each course consists of between 10 and 20 lectures that cover a variety of subtopics.
Evidently, celebrity teachers are the primary selling point for Masterclass, so it seems natural that they would double down on making the instructor the focal focus.
The quality of a course on The Great Courses Plus relies on the topic and instructor. Some courses are more organized than others, while others are more thought-provoking. If you choose to enroll in an art class, you may anticipate less structure.
For business-oriented programs, each class has a distinct structure. Regardless, they have established learning objectives for students, and you may learn a great deal with Great Courses Plus courses.
Winner – Again, the competition was fierce, but I would choose Masterclass because of the large number of famous instructors in each subject area.
- Instructor Quality:
Masterclass is one of the most prominent online education platforms where anybody can learn from the most accomplished individuals in their respective fields. This distinctive characteristic of Masterclass is also one of its most apparent benefits. As a student, you may acquire various skills from the industry’s top professionals. For instance, Masterclass offers a singing course taught by Christina Aguilera and an acting course taught by Samuel L. Jackson.
Now, this has both advantages and disadvantages. Taking culinary classes from Gordon Ramsay is an obvious lure, but just because someone is renowned does not guarantee they are qualified to teach. There are a few courses on Masterclass where the teacher is subpar; nevertheless, Gordon Ramsay is an excellent instructor.
While Great Courses does not use celebrities as instructors, it does employ some of the most renowned academics and authorities.
Many of the featured lecturers are professors from Ivy League colleges since Great Courses makes a point to properly examine its prospective instructors. There is also personnel from reputable institutions. You may either study photography from a National Geographic photographer or the American Revolution from a Princeton University professor.
Winner – Instructor quality matters. Masterclass wins again.
- Student Experience:
One issue with the majority of Online Class systems is the absence of student experience. It is difficult to build a feeling of community among international students.
The material of The Great Courses Plus is presented in a fairly scholarly manner. This implies that each topic will have in-depth teaching, and certain practical courses will assign assignments after each class. This is so that students may maximize their learning experience. However, it’s not that interesting.
Masterclass, on the other hand, attempts to include a variety of engagement strategies. There are also question-and-answer films in which students record course-related inquiries. The lecturer then responds to these questions to help other students better comprehend the content. It is quite interesting to witness Steph Curry videotape his response to a student’s shooting questions.
There is also a student forum where students discuss the course and its material. Now, not all forums are active, but those that are are valuable. In addition, each Masterclass course comes with a digital workbook with additional material, exercises, and room for taking notes.
Winner – Masterclass wins here. With fewer classes, they are able to include engagement elements into the student experience.
- Courses on Offer:
The Great Courses Plus provides tens of thousands of individual lectures in hundreds of courses covering a vast array of topics. Additionally, two or three new courses are introduced monthly.
You will never, regardless of how hard you try, run out of possibilities on The Great Courses Plus. Presently, there are around 80 courses available on Masterclass, which has a significantly narrower range of topics (but that list is constantly growing).
Nonetheless, there are few content clusters. So, for instance, if you’re interested in writing, there are four or five possible courses for you. Likewise with cooking.
Winner – Great Courses Plus is the victor here. There is around 10 times as much material as The Great Courses Plus, so this is an easy triumph.
Pricing Comparison: Masterclass Vs Wondrium
Here is the pricing comparison between Masterclass & Wondrium:
Wondrium Pricing Plans –
You need to know the cost of Wondrium to make an informed decision about whether or not the unlimited access subscription is good for you.
The monthly fee for Wondrium is $20. You gain access to all of the courses in the library and may watch material on any compatible device for the price of this subscription. In addition to PCs, tablets, and smartphones, you may also view the videos.
Even more, savings are available by paying 3 months in advance. Each month of Wondrium’s quarterly plan is $15. That’s a 25 percent savings.
You may save much more money if you do this once a year. A year’s subscription to Wondrium costs $150 (equivalent to $12.50 a month). In other words, you’re getting a 35% discount.
A payment plan may be tailored to suit your needs when you join up. If you’re willing to put in the time and effort, the yearly plan will provide you the most value for your money.
At any moment, you may change or cancel your subscription. Until the conclusion of your most recent paying cycle, your subscription will remain even if you cancel.
Masterclass Pricing Plans –
As you can see, there is not much of a price difference between Masterclass and Wondrium. Also, Wondrium offers a 14-day free trial while Masterclass offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. So, I would have to side with Masterclass again.
Why Do I Recommend Masterclass?
Here are the reasons why I recommend the masterclass:
- Thoroughly Created Course Structure:
During testing for our Masterclass review, we discovered that each class is broken into a series of five-to-one-hour-long sessions, depending on the subject. All sessions include between ten and thirty lessons and a PDF workbook. The classes and workbook are conveniently accessible on your own time.
- Wide Range of Topics:
There is a vast selection of subjects to choose from, and each category offers unique lessons taught by distinct experts. There are 11 categories in all, including music & entertainment, literature, and cinema & television. Additionally, new videos are uploaded often.
- A-List Celebrity Instructors:
All classes are filled with teachers’ personal tales that facilitate a deeper relationship with them. It provides a genuine one-on-one atmosphere that makes studying more fun. For instance, Neil Gaiman said how being stung by yellowjackets while defending his children inspired him to write a novel on the topic of bravery.
There are several other amusing anecdotes and events that provide a glimpse behind the scenes of the celebrity’s life, making them more approachable.
- Affordability
Masterclass’ cost is affordable given that it provides quality training from industry professionals. The 30-day money-back guarantee applies to the All-Access pass. It includes The Hub’s assistance, which provides an excellent means of engaging with other students and receiving constructive comments on your work.
It functions as an interactive learning environment that encourages student participation. Masterclass All Access is a worthwhile purchase given that you get access to all classes, even those that are introduced during the year.
- Outstanding Video Quality:
Masterclass is an exceptional learning tool since its video quality is superb. It has exceptional filming that is both enjoyable and educational to see. The video courses are well recorded, systematically structured, and quite appealing.
They reveal the artist’s beliefs and personality. You may see the sample courses to evaluate the video quality for yourself. Each lesson includes a two-minute class preview as well as a class sample to give you an idea of what the session will include.
FAQs On Masterclass Vs Wondrium:
Who is Masterclass for?
Masterclass is beneficial for lifelong learners who like absorbing instructional content from a range of subject matter specialists. It is also beneficial for people in specialised fields, such as business or the creative arts, who want to better their talents and get practical advice on a particular issue.
How long is each class on Masterclass?
Some earlier Masterclass courses range between five and 10 minutes in length. Classes range from one to four hours. A lecture's replay speed may be altered. Newer ones, like as those by Neil Gaiman, are lengthier. One class lasted around thirty minutes.
Can I Watch Masterclass On My TV?
Yes. Utilize a Google Chromecast with the Masterclass application or the Apple TV application. Additionally, Masterclass is accessible on Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, and Roku devices.
How does Masterclass work?
On average, Masterclass sessions last between two and five hours, with each instruction lasting between two and five minutes. Classes consist of instructor-recorded video lectures, a class workbook, interactive tasks, and occasionally community service. Masterclass may provide students with opportunity to submit work for teacher critique, but this is not the standard.
Is Wondrium the same as The Great Courses?
Wondrium is the new, renamed version of The Great Courses Plus, if you were previously acquainted with that site. The majority of the material is derived from the now-defunct The Great Courses Plus; however, there is also fresh content courtesy to relationships with a few nonfiction video production businesses.
How do you get Wondrium for free?
When you join up on their website, Wondrium provides a 14-day free trial. The trial provides access to all audio and video lectures provided by Wondrium. The films are accessible on all platforms, including Roku, Fire TV, and Apple TV.
Quick Links:
- Anna Wintour MasterClass Review: Is this Masterclass Worth It?
- Masterclass Subscription: How Much Does Masterclass Cost?
- Ken Honda Mindvalley Masterclasses Review: Should You Join It?
- MindValley Pricing: Is Mindvalley Worth The Cost?
Final Verdict: Masterclass Vs Wondrium 2025
The Great Courses is the earliest of these instructional platforms. It began more than three decades ago as a catalog from which you could purchase recordings of college-level lectures on a variety of subjects. 30 years later, The Great Courses has introduced The Great Courses Plus, a new subscription-based model that provides access to these college-level, high-level courses for a competitive monthly fee.
All courses are taught by college professors (or similarly qualified persons), classes are far longer than Masterclass sessions (think 20+ hours), and the subject matter is substantially more intellectual. However, the courses are not certified either.
The masterclass is considerably more intimate, as if you’re studying in the living rooms of living legends, while The Great Courses is comparable to viewing incredibly fascinating History Channel documentaries.
The masterclass is a more reputable and well-known company that offers high-quality courses. Wondrium may be a good option if you are looking for cheaper pricing, but the quality of the courses may not be as good.
