MasterClass Pricing 2026: What Each Plan Costs and When to Buy

MasterClass pricing in 2026 is $120, $360 or $840 a year for its Standard, Plus and Pro plans. Every plan unlocks the same library of classes from 200+ instructors. What changes is how many screens can play at once and how many MasterClass Certificates are included: none on Standard, one on Plus and all of them on Pro. Every plan is billed once a year, upfront, and renews automatically.

That last part catches people out. MasterClass’s help center says plainly that it does not offer monthly subscription options, so the “$10 a month” you see in ads is a yearly $120 charge divided by twelve. As of October 2026 there’s also no free trial for new buyers. What you get instead is a 30-day refund window, and it comes with conditions most pricing pages skip.

Below you’ll find what each plan costs, what it really costs per person and over two years, when MasterClass has cut prices in half, and the add-ons that now cost extra.

Which plan should you pick? It depends on who’s watching.

MasterClass Plans and Prices in 2026

MasterClass sells three annual plans, and all three include the same classes. You’re paying for simultaneous streams, offline downloads and Certificate courses, not for more classes. Here’s the lineup MasterClass showed on its US checkout page on November 1, 2026:

The US App Store listing still showed the older Individual, Duo and Family subscriptions, reported at $119.99, $179.99 and $239.99 a year. Check which plan the app is selling before you pay there. Buying in the app also changes who handles your refund, which matters later.

One thing to know before you check out. Plus and Pro used to be cheaper: until recently MasterClass sold Plus at $180 a year and a six-screen Premium plan at $240. Premium has been replaced by Pro, and both upper tiers now bundle Certificate courses, which is why the price jump is so large. If you only want the classes, Standard at $120 is the same library for much less. The yearly total on the final checkout screen is the number to trust.

What’s the Difference Between Standard, Plus and Pro?

The difference between Standard, Plus and Pro comes down to screens, downloads and Certificates. The classes, instructors and categories are identical on all three.

• Screens at once. According to MasterClass’s help center, Plus streams on up to 2 devices simultaneously and the top tier on up to 6. Standard allows one.
• Offline downloads. Only Plus and Pro members can download lessons, and only in the iOS and Android apps over Wi-Fi. You can’t download through the website, and some lessons aren’t available offline at all.
• Certificates. Plus includes one MasterClass Certificate course and Pro includes all of them. MasterClass puts the full set at more than $2,000 in value. Standard includes none.
• Profiles. Plus and Pro let you add up to five extra profiles, six in total, so each person keeps their own progress and recommendations.

So if you watch alone at home, Standard gives you everything that matters. The upgrade earns its money mainly if you want a Certificate. At $240 more than Standard, Plus is hard to justify just for a second screen or offline downloads.

Changed your mind after buying? Upgrades take effect right away, and you pay only the prorated difference for the time left on your year. Downgrades wait until your renewal date. Both rules apply only to accounts bought on the MasterClass website, since app store subscriptions are managed through Apple or Google.

Can You Pay for MasterClass Monthly?

No, you can’t pay for MasterClass monthly. Every membership is billed as one annual payment, and there’s no partial refund if you stop using it halfway through the year. That changes the real monthly cost if you’re not sure you’ll stick with it.

If you only want one or two specific classes, do the math before you pay. A Standard year that you use for six weeks costs you about $20 a week. For a single topic, a one-off course elsewhere might be cheaper. MasterClass makes the most sense when you expect to keep dipping into different classes all year.

Does MasterClass Have a Free Trial?

MasterClass doesn’t offer a free trial to new buyers. There are two ways to try it without losing money, and both come with fine print.

A Guest Pass from a member. Existing members can send a Guest Pass with a 14-day free trial of the full library. When the 14 days end, it turns into a paid annual membership unless you cancel first. If it does convert, the 30-day guarantee still covers it.

You can’t send one from a free account. We created a free MasterClass account, and its menu had no Guest Pass option.

The 30-day satisfaction guarantee. MasterClass will refund your first purchase in full within 30 days, counted from the date of the original transaction. Here’s what the guarantee doesn’t cover:

• Renewal charges. Once your second year bills, that money is gone.
• Gifts that have already been redeemed.
• MasterClass at Work (business) accounts.
• Purchases made outside the MasterClass website. The guarantee applies to first-time purchases made directly on masterclass.com.

In practice, that means buying on the website gives you a cleaner safety net than buying in the iPhone or Android app.

What Does MasterClass Really Cost Over Two Years?

Over two years, MasterClass costs anywhere from $120 to $1,680, depending on your plan and whether you buy at full price or during a sale. The sticker price on the plans page is the least useful number here, because sales only discount the first year and renewals snap back to full price.

This table uses today’s prices and assumes a 50% first-year sale like the ones MasterClass ran at Black Friday 2025 and in December 2024. Those sales were on the older plans, so whether Plus and Pro get the same discount is an assumption:

The third row is the cheapest route, and it’s allowed. MasterClass’s sale terms exclude current members, but they say former members can log in with their old account and qualify. The catch is timing. Your year has to end before the next sale starts, or you’ll either renew at full price or go a few weeks without access.

My advice: right after you buy, switch off auto-renewal in your account settings. You’ll keep access until the year ends, and MasterClass also emails a renewal reminder 30 days before your renewal date, which gives you time to decide.

A free MasterClass account shows no plan options until you pay. Our free account’s settings had a payment section with no card stored and nothing about membership or renewal, so the auto-renewal switch only appears once you’ve bought a plan.

How Much Does MasterClass Cost per Person?

MasterClass costs as little as $120 per person a year on Standard. Six people sharing Pro pay $140 each, which also covers every Certificate. Each person gets their own profile, and up to six can watch at the same time.

Plus also allows six profiles, but only two streams at once. That works for a household where people watch at different times. If three or more of you watch at the same time, only Pro allows six streams, but at $840 it’s priced for people who also want the Certificates.

When Does MasterClass Go on Sale?

MasterClass goes on sale most reliably in late November and December, when it has cut the first year by 40% to 50%. These are the offers we could confirm from MasterClass’s own terms pages and published deal reports:

Two rules repeat in each set of terms we read. The discount covers the first year only, and the renewal bills at “the then-current full non-promotional price.” Sales also apply only to purchases on the MasterClass website, not through the iOS, Google, Roku or Amazon stores.

If you’re reading this in November, I’d hold off on paying full price. Based on the last two years, a Black Friday offer is likely within weeks, and it has knocked $60 off a Standard year. On today’s Plus and Pro prices, a 50% cut would be $180 and $420.

What Costs Extra on MasterClass?

The membership covers the class library, but MasterClass now sells several things separately. Check these before you assume the yearly price is all you’ll pay.

• MasterClass Certificates. Certificate programs are included on Plus (one) and Pro (all). On Standard they’re a separate purchase. Each one takes roughly 15 to 20 hours and ends with a capstone project. Course prices were reported starting at $250 in October 2026.
• The Learning Toolkit add-on. Class guides, notes, bookmarks and an AI assistant have moved into a paid add-on that is priced at checkout.
• Sales tax. Depending on your state, tax may be added on top of the plan price at checkout.

None of these are required to watch classes. If you want one Certificate, compare a Standard plan plus a separately bought Certificate (reported from $250) with Plus at $360, and pick whichever is cheaper at checkout.

How Do You Cancel MasterClass and Get a Refund?

You cancel MasterClass by turning off auto-renewal in your account settings before your renewal date. Your membership stays active until the end of the year you’ve paid for. Getting money back is a separate step:

1. Bought on the website? Log in and chat with the support team within 30 days of purchase. If you’re approved, the refund typically takes 5 to 10 business days to reach your card.
2. Bought through Apple? MasterClass says it can’t process Apple refunds. Contact Apple Support instead.
3. Bought through Google Play, Amazon or Roku? Request the refund from that store under its own policy.
4. Bought a gift? An unredeemed gift bought in the last 30 days may be refundable. Once the recipient redeems it, the year starts and it renews automatically like any membership.

Is MasterClass Cheaper on the Website or in the App?

MasterClass costs the same on the website and in the app stores at full price, but the website is the better place to buy. Three things only work there:

• Sales. The Black Friday and holiday discounts apply only to purchases made on masterclass.com.
• The 30-day guarantee. It covers first-time purchases made directly on the MasterClass website. Apple, Google, Amazon and Roku purchases follow those stores’ refund rules instead.
• Self-serve plan changes. Upgrades with prorated pricing are handled in your MasterClass account. App store subscribers have to manage their plan through Apple or Google.

Paying through Apple only makes sense if you specifically want the charge on your Apple account. Otherwise, buy in a browser and then sign in to the app with the same account.

How Does MasterClass Pricing Compare to Other Platforms?

MasterClass is one of the cheaper learning subscriptions per year, but it’s also the only one here with no free trial and no monthly option. Here’s how its entry plan stacks up against two popular alternatives:

The comparison says a lot about what you’re buying. Coursera Plus costs more than three times as much because it includes graded courses and certificates from universities and companies. Skillshare sits in between and leans on short, practical projects. MasterClass is the cheapest of the three, and it’s built for watching rather than doing.

What Do Members Say About the Price?

Members who review MasterClass on app stores, Trustpilot and Reddit tend to agree on two things. The production is excellent, with film-quality lessons and big-name instructors. And the classes lean toward inspiration and storytelling more than step-by-step skill building, so people who wanted a practical course sometimes feel the price was high for what they learned.

The most common money complaint isn’t the price itself. It’s the renewal. Many of the angriest reviews come from people charged for a second year they forgot about, and renewal charges aren’t refundable. Turning off auto-renewal on day one avoids almost all of that frustration.

Is MasterClass Worth the Money?

MasterClass is worth the money if you’ll watch across several categories during the year and you treat it like a streaming service for ideas. It isn’t the right buy if you need a credential or a structured path to a job skill.

MasterClass Pricing FAQs

How much is MasterClass per month?

MasterClass works out to $10, $30 or $70 a month, but you pay the full year upfront: $120, $360 or $840.

What is the cheapest MasterClass plan?

Standard is the cheapest at $120 a year. During a 50% sale, the first year has dropped to $60.

Does MasterClass have a student discount?

MasterClass’s help center doesn’t list a standing student discount. Sales and Guest Passes are the usual ways to pay less.

Can you share a MasterClass account?

Yes. Plus and Pro allow up to six profiles, with two or six screens streaming at once.

Can you get a refund after MasterClass renews?

No. Renewal charges aren’t refundable, so turn off auto-renewal before your renewal date if you don’t want another year.

How much is a MasterClass gift?

A gift is a full annual membership at the same plan prices. The year starts when the recipient redeems it, not when you buy it.

Our Verdict on MasterClass Pricing