Skillshare offers a free trial with full access to its classes before your subscription begins. You need to add payment details, and the trial becomes a paid subscription automatically unless you cancel before it ends. Skillshare's refund rules describe the standard trial as 7 days, with longer trials of 14 days or more sometimes offered, and the refund rules differ between the two.
Skillshare is where a lot of creative business owners go to learn design, illustration, video and social content in short, practical classes. The trial is straightforward, but its refund policy is tighter than most, so the most useful thing I can tell you is exactly when you can and can't get a refund.
Skillshare trial at a glance
| Question | What Skillshare says |
|---|---|
| Card needed? | Yes, payment details are required to start |
| What's included | Full access to thousands of classes, plus offline viewing, subtitles and transcripts |
| Devices | Desktop and the mobile app on iOS and Android |
| When you're charged | When the trial ends, unless you've cancelled |
| Price | Varies by region; see the pricing page when you sign up |
The Skillshare refund rules, by trial type
This is the part to read twice. Skillshare's help centre lists three cases:
| Situation | Refund? |
|---|---|
| Charged after a 7-day free trial | A one-time refund if you contact Support within 48 hours of the charge and haven't used Skillshare since |
| Charged after a longer trial of 14 days or more | No refund |
| A subscription renewal | No refund |
Two details make that 48-hour window narrower than it sounds. It's counted from the charge, not from when you notice it. And if you open a class after being charged, even for a few minutes, you've used Skillshare and the refund is off the table. If you've been charged and want out, contact Support before you watch anything.
If you signed up through a promotion with a longer trial, assume there's no refund at all and cancel early.
How to cancel the Skillshare free trial
Skillshare says trials started on skillshare.com are cancelled from Account settings before the trial ends.
On a computer
- Go to Account settings on skillshare.com.
- Select Membership and Payments from the left menu.
- Click Cancel membership.
- Follow the prompts to confirm.
On your phone
- Open skillshare.com in your mobile browser, not the app, and sign in.
- Tap your profile icon, then Account settings.
- Tap Membership and Payments.
- Tap Cancel membership and follow the prompts.
If you started through the iOS App Store or Google Play, the store manages your billing. Skillshare says it can't cancel, refund or manage those memberships, so cancel in your Apple ID or Google Play subscription settings instead.
What you keep, and lose, when you cancel
Cancelling doesn't cut you off straight away. Your subscription stays active until the end of the current billing period, and during that time you can still watch classes, update class projects and join class discussions. Once it ends, you lose access to the classes and to downloadable materials shared by teachers.
That second point catches people. If a class comes with templates, worksheets or project files you want to keep, download them while your access is still live.
If you change your mind later, Skillshare says you can rejoin at any time and carry on learning. So cancelling a trial you're unsure about costs you nothing except a few days of access, and it's far easier than chasing a refund. To check the exact date your trial converts, open Membership and Payments in your account settings on the website, or tap your profile icon in the app and go to the same page.
Monthly through the app, or on the website?
Skillshare's pricing help says month-to-month subscriptions are available through the Skillshare app and are paid through your app store. That matters for the trial: if you start in the app, Apple or Google handles your billing, and Skillshare says it can't cancel or refund those memberships. If you want Skillshare's own 48-hour refund rule to apply, start on the website.
Skillshare also sells Gift Memberships in 3, 6 or 12 month options, currently only in the United States. A gift is prepaid, so it's a simple way to give someone time on the platform without a trial converting on their card.
Annual plans and renewal reminders
If you move to a paid annual plan, Skillshare says you'll get a renewal reminder email before it renews, so you can decide whether to carry on. Keep an eye out for it, because renewals aren't refundable. You can check your next charge date at any time on the Membership and Payments page.
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If your access comes through Skillshare for Teams, your employer's agreement controls cancellation, so speak to your organisation's admin rather than cancelling yourself.
For a wider view, have a look at the best Skillshare alternatives.
How to get the most from the trial
- Pick one skill you'll use in your business this month, such as short video editing or designing social graphics.
- Choose two or three short classes on it and finish them, rather than sampling twenty.
- Do the class projects. That's where Skillshare earns its keep.
- Download any teacher resources you want.
- Decide by the day before the trial ends, and cancel from the website if you're not staying.
If Skillshare feels too creative for what you need, compare it with the learning platforms for business skills I've rounded up, or look at free online courses with certificates.
My verdict
The Skillshare free trial is worth taking if you go in with one project in mind. Just respect the refund rules: on a 7-day trial you've got 48 hours after the charge and you mustn't watch anything, and on longer trials there's no refund at all. Cancel from a browser a day early and you won't need either.
MasterClass handles trials differently, and our MasterClass free trial guide explains what you get instead.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a card for the Skillshare free trial?
Yes. Skillshare says payment details are required, and you can cancel before the trial ends.
Can I get a refund after my Skillshare trial ends?
After a 7-day trial, you can get a one-time refund if you contact Support within 48 hours of the charge and haven't used Skillshare since. Trials of 14 days or more and renewals aren't refundable.
How do I cancel my Skillshare trial?
Go to Account settings on skillshare.com, select Membership and Payments, click Cancel membership and confirm. On a phone, use the browser, not the app.
What if I signed up for Skillshare through the app store?
Cancel through your Apple ID or Google Play subscription settings. Skillshare says it can't cancel, refund or manage those memberships.
Do I lose access straight away when I cancel Skillshare?
No. Your subscription stays active until the end of the current billing period, then you lose access to classes and teacher downloads.
