Pluralsight is one of the most widely recognized platforms for online education, particularly popular among those pursuing careers in technology. This platform has proven itself invaluable for learning and updating skills efficiently, catering to a wide range of users from absolute beginners to seasoned professionals.
In this review, the various aspects of Pluralsight will be explored. These include its cost, the quality and variety of its courses, the value of the certificates it offers, and its unique features. The goal is to provide a thorough understanding of whether Pluralsight is worth your time and investment.
What is Pluralsight and What Makes It So Great
Pluralsight is an American company that specializes in e-learning, primarily in the fields of software development, IT operations, and creative arts. Established in 2004 by Aaron Skonnard, Keith Brown, Fritz Onion, and Bill Williams, the company has grown significantly over the years. As of today, it offers around 7,000 courses, covering a wide range of subjects to meet the needs of professionals at all levels.
Diverse Course Library
Pluralsight’s course catalog is extensive, offering content in various areas:
- Software Development
- IT Operations
- Cloud Computing
- Machine Learning
- Information and Cyber Security
- Data Engineering
- Architecture and Construction
- Manufacturing and Design
- Creative Fields
- Business
With a constantly expanding library, users can always find new and updated courses to keep their skills sharp.
Expert Instructors
Pluralsight employs over 1,400 subject-matter experts who create and update course content. These experts ensure the information is current and relevant, which is crucial in fast-evolving fields like technology and design. Each course is designed to be practical and hands-on, allowing learners to apply their new skills immediately.
Role-Based Learning Paths
One standout feature is Role IQ. This tool helps users assess their skills for specific roles. For example, if someone wants to become an Angular Developer, Role IQ can evaluate their readiness and identify any gaps in their knowledge. This personalized approach makes career progression clearer and more attainable.
Corporate Subscription Benefits
Many companies value Pluralsight for its ability to keep their employees’ skills up-to-date. The platform’s widespread adoption can be seen through various job listings that include Pluralsight subscriptions as part of their benefits packages. For instance, a search on Indeed in the United States reveals over 200 companies offering Pluralsight subscriptions. The United Kingdom shows similar trends on platforms like CV-Library and Monster.
Community and Support
Pluralsight also offers a vibrant community forum where learners can connect, share insights, and seek advice. This community aspect enhances the learning experience by providing support and additional resources from peers and experts alike.
Practical, Hands-on Content
Each Pluralsight course is designed to be as practical as possible. Courses often include hands-on projects, allowing learners to apply what they’ve learned in real-world scenarios. This method of learning helps reinforce skills and makes the education process more engaging.
Subscription Options and Discounts
Pluralsight offers various subscription models, including annual and premium memberships. Occasionally, they provide discounts, such as a 33% off promotion, making it more accessible for a broader audience.
User Ratings and Feedback
Pluralsight has garnered positive feedback from users, evident in platform reviews and ratings. As of late, Pluralsight scores a 7.5 based on 301 user reviews. Such ratings reflect both the platform’s popularity and its effectiveness as a learning tool.
Flexible and Accessible
With content accessible anytime and anywhere, Pluralsight offers flexibility that suits today’s busy professionals. Whether learning from home or on the go, users can easily fit courses into their schedules.
Future-Ready Skills
The rapid pace of technological advancement requires professionals to continually update their knowledge. Pluralsight’s focus on up-to-date and in-demand skills helps learners stay competitive in their careers.
List of Benefits
- Expert-Led Courses: Courses created by industry experts.
- Diverse Topics: Extensive range of subjects.
- Flexible Learning: Access courses anytime, anywhere.
- Role IQ: Personalized skill assessments.
- Community Forum: Connect with other learners.
- Regular Updates: New courses added frequently.
- Corporate Use: Widely adopted in professional settings.
- Hands-On Projects: Practical learning experiences.
- Subscription Discounts: Occasional promotions.
Pluralsight proves to be an invaluable resource for anyone looking to enhance their skills in various professional fields. Its combination of expert instructors, diverse courses, and modern learning tools makes it one of the leading online learning platforms available today.
Pricing – How Much Does Pluralsight Cost and Is There a Free Trial?
Pluralsight offers various subscription plans tailored to individual learners and businesses. Here’s a breakdown of their pricing options:
Individual Plans:
- Monthly Standard Plan: Priced at $35 per month, this plan gives users unlimited access to thousands of high-quality courses.
- Annual Standard Plan: Costs $299 per year, saving subscribers some money compared to the monthly rate.
- Monthly Premium Plan: Available for $45 per month, it includes additional features like interactive courses, projects, and certification practice exams.
- Annual Premium Plan: Billed at $499 per year, the premium plan offers comprehensive access to all features at a reduced annual rate.
Business Plans:
- Professional Plan: Includes all features of the individual premium plan, plus analytics tools for administrators.
- Enterprise Plan: Offers advanced features such as API access, which is beneficial for large organizations.
Free Trial:
Pluralsight provides a 10-day free trial for new users. During this period, you gain access to the platform with no financial risk. You can utilize up to 200 minutes of content and explore various features. If the trial does not meet your needs, you can cancel before the 10 days are up to avoid charges.
Features:
Subscribers, whether on monthly or annual plans, gain access to a range of features:
- Learning Paths: Curated courses focused on specific skills or roles.
- Channels: Customizable playlists for targeted learning.
- Skill IQ and Role IQ: Tools to assess your knowledge and track progress.
- Course Learning Checks: Interactive quizzes within courses.
- Course Discussions: Forums to engage with other learners.
- Exercise Files: Downloadable resources to aid learning.
- Mobile and TV Apps: Learn on various devices.
- Offline Viewing: Download courses to watch without an internet connection.
Benefits of Premium Plans:
Premium plans add significant value by offering:
- Projects: Hands-on exercises that build real-world skills and portfolios.
- Interactive Courses: Engage users more deeply with content.
- Certification Practice Exams: Help learners prepare for industry certifications.
Discounts and Special Offers:
Pluralsight occasionally offers discounts and promotions. These can help reduce the cost of subscriptions further. It’s worth checking their website or signing up for their newsletter for the latest deals.
Comparison with Other Platforms:
While platforms like Udemy offer individual courses at a lower price point, Pluralsight’s subscription model provides broader access to a vast library of content. For those looking to invest in continuous learning and skill development, Pluralsight’s pricing, especially with an annual subscription, offers considerable value.
Course Quality – Are Pluralsight Courses Good?
When examining the standard of Pluralsight courses, the quality is often commendable. A good way to evaluate this is by exploring a specific technology or programming language. For example, searching for “JavaScript” reveals extensive resources without needing to sign up or pay.
For “JavaScript,” there are 9 learning paths and 490 courses available. This selection provides a robust foundation, with courses ranging from beginner to advanced levels.
To delve deeper, examining the breakdown of a particular course can offer insight into its comprehensiveness. Let’s consider the Advanced JavaScript course by Kyle Simpson. This course has a duration of 6 hours and 55 minutes and includes the following modules:
- Introduction – 40m 8s
- Scope – 2h 44m 43s
- Closure – 46m 41s
- Object Orienting – 1h 46m 16s
- Async Patterns – 57m 17s
These modules provide an exhaustive examination of advanced JavaScript concepts, assuring learners of in-depth knowledge and skill acquisition.
For those new to JavaScript, Pluralsight offers several beginner courses:
- Basics of Programming with JavaScript
- Building a JavaScript Development Environment
- JavaScript Module Fundamentals
- Quick Start to JavaScript: Volume 1
- Quick Start to JavaScript: Volume 2
- Quick Start to JavaScript: Volume 3
These beginner courses cover the essential building blocks of JavaScript, ensuring newcomers can grasp fundamental concepts and practical skills. Once these basics are mastered, learners can move on to more complex topics.
It is important to note that all Pluralsight courses are delivered in English. While many authors are native English speakers, those who aren’t still speak fluently, ensuring clear and effective instruction. The engaging and well-structured content adds to the overall quality of the learning experience.
Pluralsight offers a wide range of courses, taught by industry experts with significant experience and knowledge. The platform’s ability to provide both beginner and advanced courses means that learners at different stages of their education can find valuable content to enhance their skills.
Course Variety – What Can I Learn on Pluralsight and How Fast
Pluralsight offers a wide range of courses primarily focused on technology fields.
The platform provides comprehensive learning paths for beginners, intermediates, and advanced learners across several domains.
Areas of Focus
- Software Development: Courses cover various programming languages like Java, Python, and JavaScript. Learning paths are designed to take you from a starter to an advanced developer.
- Cloud Computing: Learn about AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud. These courses are beneficial for developers and IT professionals aiming to upskill or reskill.
- Data Science and Analytics: Gain skills in data analysis, machine learning, and visualization tools. Courses in R, Python, and MATLAB are available.
- IT Operations: Explore systems administration, network management, and IT infrastructure with CompTIA certification paths.
- Security: Courses on ethical hacking, cybersecurity, and network security help prepare for roles in securing digital environments.
- Web Development: Master front-end and back-end development with courses on HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and various frameworks.
- Creative Professional: Learn skills in UI/UX design, animation, sound production, and more using tools like Blender, Maya, and Adobe Suite.
Learning Commitment
The time required to learn a new skill varies greatly.
Beginners may need several months to become proficient, whereas intermediates looking to upskill might only need a few weeks.
Quick courses, like learning Docker, could enable you to start using the tool almost immediately.
Structured Learning Paths
Pluralsight’s structured learning paths help you choose courses sequentially, ensuring comprehensive skill development.
The platform also offers Skill IQ and Role IQ assessments to gauge your current level and recommend courses accordingly.
Course Format
Courses feature video lectures, practical exercises, and quizzes.
This mixed format caters to different learning styles, helping you grasp complex concepts more effectively.
Does Pluralsight Give Certificates and Are They Worth Anything?
Pluralsight offers certificates of completion for their courses. While these certificates show that someone has completed a course, they are not globally recognized like certifications from technology companies such as Microsoft or Adobe.
Pluralsight certificates are useful for personal growth and resume building, but they don’t carry the same weight as vendor-specific certifications.
What are the Best Courses on Pluralsight
Pluralsight offers a wide range of high-quality courses created by expert instructors. The selection includes courses on software development, IT operations, data science, and more. Each course is designed to suit various skill levels, from beginner to advanced.
Here are some popular categories and recommended courses:
- Software Development
- C#: Getting Started with C# Fundamentals by Mark Flaming
- Python: Introduction to Python by Austin Bingham
- IT Operations
- Microsoft Azure: Implementing Azure Solutions by Thomas Mitchell
- Linux: Linux Command Line Basics by David Clinton
- Data Science
- Machine Learning: Introduction to Machine Learning by David Mertz
- Big Data: Handling Big Data with Hadoop by Janani Ravi
- Cybersecurity
- Network Security: Essential Network Security Concepts by Dale Meredith
- Ethical Hacking: Ethical Hacking Fundamentals by Troy Hunt
Pluralsight also enables users to follow their favorite authors and get notifications about new courses.
The platform ensures that the courses are easy to understand, even if the instructor is a non-native English speaker. This ensures that learning experiences are positive and effective for all users.
Pluralsight Features That Stand Out
Pluralsight offers several standout features that make it a popular choice for online learning. One of the key highlights is Skill Assessments, which help users identify their proficiency level in various topics.
For those who prefer hands-on learning, Interactive Courses and Projects provide practical experience.
The platform also supports Offline Viewing, allowing users to download video courses and learn on the go without an internet connection.
Video Courses cover a wide range of subjects, from software development to creative skills.
Additionally, Role IQ and Skill IQ are tools designed to measure and track individual progress.
Pluralsight also offers Certifications and Exam Preparation to help users gain recognized qualifications.
Finally, features like Notes and Bookmarks make it easier to organize and keep track of important information.
What is the User Experience like on Pluralsight
Navigating Pluralsight’s platform is straightforward and user-friendly. The main navigation menu includes several key buttons that help users easily find their way around. These buttons include:
- Home: Takes users to the home page, where they can resume courses, view recommendations, channels, and the latest courses.
- Browse: Lets users explore all available course categories, popular learning paths, and the most recent courses.
- Paths: Directs users to the Learning Paths page.
- Bookmarks: Accesses bookmarked courses.
- Search: Offers an advanced and intuitive search bar to find specific courses quickly.
The website works well on both desktop and mobile devices. Its intuitive design ensures that users can easily find and watch courses.
Each course includes a detailed table of contents, course descriptions, transcripts, exercise files, and a discussion tab for interacting with other learners and instructors.
Additionally, there is a ‘Recommended’ tab that suggests related courses.
Pluralsight places significant emphasis on the learning experience. Courses are led by knowledgeable instructors who are experts in their fields.
The search system is robust, making it easy for users to locate relevant content using the search bar. This mix of features helps users have a seamless and productive learning experience on the platform.
Can I become a Pluralsight author
Yes, you can! Becoming a Pluralsight author involves several steps, and like getting a daily job, it’s a controlled process. Pluralsight emphasizes high-quality courses, so they have requirements you must meet to be approved as an author.
Steps to Become a Pluralsight Author
- Fill out a Form: Start by filling in a form on Pluralsight’s website. This form will ask for details about the course topic you plan to create.
- Topic Review: Pluralsight’s team will review your proposed topic. If they’re interested and the topic isn’t already saturated, they may reach out to you via email or phone.
- Audition: The next step is an audition. You’ll need to submit a sample course video of a couple of minutes in length. This video will be used to evaluate the quality of your presentation and its content.
Additional Information
Becoming an author on Pluralsight is more stringent compared to some other online platforms like Udemy. This rigorous approval process helps maintain the quality of courses on the platform.
Pluralsight aims to foster a professional learning environment for individuals, business professionals, and teams alike.
Helpful Links
For more insights into the process, consider reading articles on how to create Pluralsight courses and what it takes to become an author on the platform.
Pluralsight Disadvantages
Pluralsight, while offering a strong platform for learning, does have some areas that might be seen as drawbacks for some users.
- Course Updates: Not all courses stay current. Sometimes, the materials may lag behind the latest trends and practices. Course authors are typically responsible for keeping content fresh.
- Refund Policy: Pluralsight does not offer refunds once a subscription is charged. This no-refund policy can be an issue for those who decide the platform isn’t suitable for them after a purchase.
- SSO Support: For businesses, the lack of Single Sign-On (SSO) integration can be inconvenient. Many companies, especially larger ones accustomed to seamless login experiences provided by platforms like LinkedIn Learning, may find this lacking.
- Content Variety: While comprehensive in IT and technology-related fields, the platform’s content does not cover as broad a spectrum as some competitors like Udemy. For instance, those in construction or seeking soft skill development might find fewer options available.
- Reporting Tools: The reporting features for businesses could be more robust. Companies that require in-depth reporting to track employee progress and skill development may find these functions somewhat limited compared to other e-learning solutions like Google Classroom or business-focused offerings from LinkedIn Learning.
Final Thoughts
When subscribing to Pluralsight, users might notice that some technologies are more extensively covered than others.
It’s common for certain less popular or niche technologies to be underrepresented. This happens due to their rarity or lack of demand.
Choosing more than one online education platform can be beneficial. Combining resources from different platforms can help learners access a wider range of topics.
Investing in learning is very valuable, even if it means spending some money.
One standout feature of Pluralsight is Iris, their intelligent skill development tool. Iris uses advanced algorithms to assess and guide users through their learning journey.
It personalizes the experience by adapting to the user’s progress and feedback, making skill development smarter and more effective.
By recommending specific courses and learning paths, Iris continuously evolves with the user. This personalized approach ensures that learners acquire the skills they need the most, in the most efficient way possible.