GoSkills Review

Heard about GoSkills and wondering what it offers and whether it's worth it?

Then you’ve come to the right place. I’ll be taking you through a balanced and comprehensive review of the platform. 

I’ve reviewed a number of online courses before, and have a lot of experience with software like Excel and Python through studying a science master’s degree. 

And I've also spent time trawling through unhelpful software tutorials in the early hours of the morning. So I was keen to see if GoSkills courses really were worth the dip.

Having taken some of their classes, I can report that GoSkills has a lot to offer, but there are  a few important factors you’ll need to consider before making a purchase.

If you’re in a rush, here’s the abridged version.

Read on for more granular detail.

What is GoSkills?

GoSkills is an online learning platform teaching a range of subjects, most of which are centred around practical business skills. The site currently has over 200,000 students taking part in its 90+ courses. 

Classes include lessons on how to use Microsoft Office, basic coding in Python, getting started with Illustrator, and many more.

GoSkills also has a wide range of classes on general business subjects such as project management, leadership training, managing finances, and even some science-based courses teaching experimental design and testing hypotheses. 

How does GoSkills work

GoSkills operates on an annual subscription basis which gives you access to all their available courses. 

Courses you take will appear on your dashboard for easy access. And there are even rewards for building up your daily streak. 

GoSkills classes

There are 90+ courses to choose from based on 10+ categories, which currently include:

• Microsoft Office – features #1 in our Best Microsoft Office courses
• Microsoft Excel
• Lean Six Sigma
• Finance
• Project management
• Office productivity
• Soft skills
• Development
• Design
• Data analysis

What are GoSkills lessons like?

The content of a typical GoSkills lesson will depend greatly on the subject. 

Software teaching lessons will usually feature a step-by-step instruction on how to achieve a certain task, interspersed with theory on why things are done the way they are and bad habits to avoid.

Theory-based lessons are conducted in the style of a lecture. They break down the taught concepts using diagrams, case studies, and demonstrations. 

Supplementary printouts will then often include exercise sheets to help you go back over everything you learned during the lesson.

My review of 3 classes

In advance of my review, I took three courses from GoSkills:

• Microsoft Excel – basic to advanced
• Introduction to Python
• Finance for non-financial professionals.

I chose these courses to try and test the full range of what GoSkills had to offer. Excel and Python are some of the most ubiquitous and widely used softwares in the world. Knowing your way around them is often a prerequisite in a host of industries including finance, science, engineering, etc. 

Being able to teach them effectively would be a must for me to recommend GoSkills.

I also wanted to see if GoSkills could not only teach software, but be a good educational tool for learning theory. If GoSkills could teach a finance amateur like me some practical skills, that’d be a big tick in its favour.

Microsoft Excel – basic to advanced

You will learn:

• How to navigate Excel and make the most of its basic features
• Using formulas for simple statistical tests and organising dates and times
• The basics of optimising data, sorting and filtering data in usable data sheets 
• Using PivotTables to quickly search and analyse large data sheets
• Improve your Excel workflow and achieve complex tasks quickly and more efficiently

Pros:

• Teaches practical Excel know-how without getting bogged down in statistical theory
• Class curriculum scales from basic navigation to advanced data analysis
• Well structured lessons with worksheets, quizzes and transcripts make studying easier
• Learn transferable skills that increase efficiency at your work and in your home life

Cons:

• Lesson order is a little confusing at times – some basic lessons not covered until much later on 
• Mainly covers beginner to intermediate content; if you’re already an advanced Excel user, this course may not be as useful to you

Length of course: 57 lessons totalling 5 hours 21 minutes of content

Who is it for: People using Excel for home use such as personal finances, who want to get more out of Excel. Workers using Excel in a professional environment who want to improve their workflow efficiency. Anyone new to using Excel who wants to know what it can do and how to apply it to their own needs.

Overall: GoSkill’s Excel class is a fantastic deep dive into the world’s most popular spreadsheet software. The curriculum will guide you through Excel’s features from beginner to advanced. And the litany of learning tools like downloadable worksheets and quizzes make memory retention even easier. If you need to learn how to use Microsoft Excel, no matter what stage you’re at, this class has something to teach you.  Is in our top 10 of best Online Excel courses.

Introduction to Python

You will learn:

• How to set up Python on your computer and begin coding
• Use Python to perform basic math operations
• Build up to more complicated operations, comparing groups, creating loops and interacting with other files on your computer
• Practical coding skills to help automate any and all computer tasks 

Pros:

• Intuitive step by step lessons with plenty of learning exercises
• Clear and concise teaching approach means you’re never left feeling confused
• Gives a strong overview of basic coding language, enabling you to put your skills into practice once you’ve finished
• Learn one of the most popular coding languages in the world

Cons: 

• Python setup instructions are for windows only, may take a bit of googling if you’re on Mac or Linux

Length of course: 41 lessons totalling 3 hours and 1 minute of content

Who is it for: Any and all coding beginners who aren’t sure where to start. People looking to start using basic coding for data analysis. Anyone studying stem subjects who may benefit from a basic understanding of coding (useful in practically all stem subjects imo). Anyone interested in starting a new, increasingly popular hobby that can practically improve their work life and open up new career doors in the future. 

Overall: A comprehensive and fun introduction to coding in Python. GoSkills’ course does a great job of getting beginners accustomed to the basics of how coding languages work, and how to build efficient code without picking up bad habits. For those particularly interested in using Python for data analysis, this class is a great primer and neatly transitions to GoSkills’ other Python course, Introduction To Data Analysis In Python. 

Finance for non-financial professionals

You will learn:

• Fundamental business theory like profit calculation and the influence of payment timing
• How to read and interpret a financial report
• Carrying out effective budgeting for your company or someone else’s
• How to develop a business case for why a project should be pursued
• Reporting cost variance and forecasting your future finances

Pros:

• Breaks down daunting financial concepts into accessible lessons
• Guides you step by step through important business practices like budgeting
• Includes additional learning exercises to help memory retention
• Teaches you essential skills for running your own business

Cons:

• May be less useful for a more experienced business owner

Length of course: 16 lessons totalling 1 hour 20 minutes of content

Who is it for: This course is for anyone who needs an introduction to basic finance. In particular, GoSkills’ class is great for new small business owners needing to learn how to manage their own finances, undergraduate students planning on studying business/finance who want a quick overview of the basics, and anyone interested in learning more about how running a business really works.

Overall: This class is a good introduction to finance that covers some important concepts. Ideas like profit, budget, return ratios and forecasting all get solid explanations with a good amount of learning material to go with them. If you’re a small business owner, it’s invaluable to have a strong understanding of these terms, and this course really helps students do that. If you’re looking for an online course to introduce you to finance, give it a try. 

What I liked about GoSkills

Great lesson structure

The biggest thing to impress me about GoSkills is the lesson structure. Each class gives a lot of content to assist in the learning process, aside from the video there’s also a printout which often contains additional exercises, an interactive quiz, and even a transcript to help you navigate the lesson. 

The advantage of this is that it makes memory retention of lesson content so much easier, actually getting to interact with the material and start thinking about the concepts you’re being taught, rather than just passively watching.

It’s one of the the respects in which GoSkills really goes above and beyond, delivering something that feels much more like a professional course than just an online video lesson you could find on YouTube. 

Well-balanced curriculum

One of the issues I’ve faced before with online learning platforms is having a large collection of courses that have very little to do with each other. 

This can appeal to some people, but personally I’ve found when an online learning platform tries to cast its net too wide, you end up with a service where the majority of the content isn’t relevant to its users. 

By comparison, GoSkills has done a fantastic job of tailoring its available classes to the needs of its intended audience, classes are all business-focused, teaching skills that integrate with one another really well.

You can learn how to design and carry research pertinent to your work, then learn how to use programs like Excel or Python to perform data analysis, then take another course teaching you how to present your data effectively in a business meeting.

The synergy between the courses is really apparent here, and I can see users of this service being able to get something out of a much larger percentage of the courses compared to other platforms.

Charismatic teachers

A teacher’s delivery can make or break an online class, and I’m happy to report that, at least from the classes I’ve taken, the teachers are on point.

Lessons are well delivered with clear presentation and a good attention to detail, and you can tell how passionate the speakers are about the subjects they teach.

I particularly enjoyed the teacher of Introduction to Python, who’s lessons have a much more conversational, casual tone. It definitely helped with my engagement in the material, and he did a great job of breaking down good coding habits and why they’re important.

Daily rewards and goal setting

This is a fairly unique feature of GoSkills I haven’t seen many other sites use, but one that I think is a great addition. 

Essentially, GoSkills tracks your progress and time spent on classes each day, and then lets you set a goal of how many lessons you do per day. If you meet your goal, you'll earn some virtual coins that go towards upgrading your profile status. 

These sort of progress tracking features can actually be a great way of maintaining consistent usage and building habits. Doing shorter lessons more consistently over a long period of time has always been a superior way to learn than cramming in a short space of time, so it's nice to see GoSkills facilitating that.

What could be improved

Course roster has room to grow

Whilst GoSkills has a lot of great courses, I still think there’s room for more. In terms of coding, the Python classes are fantastic, but only teaching Python is a bit limited when industries use other languages like Javascript and C# as their standard.

That being said new content is being added to GoSkills all the time, and as of time of writing, a C# coding course has been announced as “coming soon”, so I have a lot of hope that the roster will continue to grow.

Who GoSkills is for

GoSkills has a good mixture of available classes, but the content is definitely centred around business. Business owners, stem students and people involved in finance are sure to find courses relevant to their fields. GoSkills’ tight focus is one of its greatest strengths, and puts it above many of its competitors.

GoSkills has a lot to offer for people in a whole range of industries, but in my opinion the people who GoSkills is best suited for are:

• New business owners looking to improve their general business/finance skills
• Anyone who wants to improve their workflow in microsoft office
• People who want to get started with data analysis 
• Anyone who wants to learn how to start coding
• People interested in investing in themselves and learning practical business skills

How much does GoSkills cost?

GoSkills works as a subscription service, costing $30 a month, or $16 if you sign up for a year. 

For the volume of content featured on the site, the monthly cost makes it a lot cheaper than many of its competitors.

Whilst a lot of single pay courses may cost $60+, with GoSkills you’re given access to a whole library’s worth of content for half that price.

How much value you get out of the service is of course dependent on how much you use it, but if you complete on average two courses a month, you’re effectively paying $15 per course, half that if you get the reduced subscription cost, making it fantastic value for money.

GoSkills refund

As of time of writing, GoSkills does not have a refund policy, however it does offer a 7-day free trial if you want to give the course a go.

If you want to try out the service but only plan on using it for a short period of time, the standard monthly cost of $25 is cancellable at any time. Meaning you can get full access to the site for a month for $25. 

Tips to finding great courses on GoSkills 

GoSkills search features are fairly simplistic. The main way of navigating its courses is to use the category selection at the top of the Courses tab.

Once you’ve found a category that’s right for you, consider your current skill level and where you want to start. You might want to delve into how to use Python for data analysis, but if you’ve never used Python before, consider starting with a more foundational course like Introduction to Python.

GoSkills alternatives

If you’re reading this review and thinking that GoSkills may not be exactly what you’re looking for, I’ve included a couple alternatives to give you an idea of what else is out there.

Udemy: Excel from beginner to advanced

If you’re primarily interested in learning Excel, Udemy offers its own competitor course – Excel from beginner to advanced. The class teaches how to use Excel, from basic navigation to using tools like PivotTables. 

It’s well reviewed on Udemy’s site, with a rating of 4.7/5 stars based on 200,000+ reviews. As of time of writing, the course costs $80, although courses on Udemy regularly go on sale, so you may be able to find it cheaper.

The advantage of GoSkills over this course is that GoSkills gives you access to a wide range of courses, meaning if there’s a few classes that catch your eye, you’ll probably end up spending less money on GoSkills subscription cost than on buying them individually. However, if you’re dead set on just finding an Excel course, Udemy’s option is one to consider.

Brilliant.org

Brilliant is an online learning platform that features classes on a range of scientific and mathematical subjects. If you’re interested in learning finance and statistics, Brilliant could be a good option for you. 

Rather than try and summarize the whole site here, I’m going to recommend that you check out our Brilliant review. Trust me, Brilliant has a lot to offer and is well worth a look if you think you might be interested.

GoSkills what others have said

As part of my review of GoSkills, I thought I’d do some research into how other users felt about the service. 

Whilst there’s been very little discussion of GoSkills on sites like Reddit, their YouTube channel provides a few sample lessons from their available classes, including the Excel course I reviewed, and it was there I was able to find some user feedback. 

Feedback was overall very positive:

“Fantastic overview, wish I had a professor like this in college!” YouTube commenter

The GoSkills site also has its own review system, here’s a 5-star review I found on “Introduction to Python”:

“A great introduction to Python, covers all the basics just like it said on the tin. John was a great teacher, easy to listen to and it was clear he knew what he was on about.” GoSkills user review

And here’s a similarly glowing review on “Finance for non-financial professionals”:

“I really enjoyed this course. Some of the modules were easier, and some were really in-depth especially for someone with no finance background. Overall, this gave me a much better insight into finance than I previously had.”  GoSkills user review

These reviews highlight one of the key strengths of GoSkills, well-taught beginner courses that build a strong knowledge foundation in their chosen subject. 

If I was going to give some criticism I might say that these reviews perhaps overstate how complex the classes are: I personally never felt that their finance course went very in-depth. 

There’s nothing wrong with that, as that’s not what the class was billed at, it was advertised as a short introduction to finance and delivered on that front, but I wouldn’t want a user to go in thinking they were receiving an in-depth deep dive into finance. 

Additionally, I noted that on a lot of GoSkills YouTube videos, comments were turned off, with the few that did have available comments only giving positive feedback. On their site, I couldn’t find a single course with reviews less than 4/5 stars. 

Whilst it’s absolutely not a guarantee, this can sometimes be a sign of review censorship. Even if it wasn’t, it's worth remembering as a consumer that a brief positive comment won’t give you a full overview of a product’s strengths and weaknesses, and it’s good to seek out informed reviews on sites like ours to better understand if a product is right for you. 

Is GoSkills worth it?

With everything said and done, I can wholeheartedly recommend GoSkills to anyone interested in their lessons. 

There are plenty of online options for ways to learn coding or Excel, but what makes GoSkills stand out is that it’s a complete package for anyone involved in STEM or business. If you’re looking into learning something like Python, you can learn that as well as a dozen other closely related skills, making it fantastic value for money and guaranteeing you’ll get the most out of it.

Using this site myself, even as a veteran of spreadsheet softwares, I was able to pick up some tips to make my work more efficient, and if you’re completely new to using these softwares, there’s no better place to learn.

As well, with a 7-day free trial, you can dive right in and see if the courses are for you for absolutely free.

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