From the payphone to the iPhone, and from DVD Players to the era of digital streaming, it’s quite apparent that technology is evolving very quickly. It wasn’t so long ago when the iPod was the craze of the day, but mention that to a bunch of kids today, and they’re going to stare at you like you’re a dinosaur trapped in time. With new devices and software being churned out daily, the traditional ways of doing a lot of things are quickly being phased out. The result? A fast-paced society with a generation that has more access to information than ever throughout the history of mankind.

Years ago, it made absolute sense to spend a couple of years trying to get a bachelor’s, master’s degree or PhD in order to advance in your field. While that may still hold for some careers, it definitely does not apply in a lot of fields today. In today’s skill-based economy, most people would prefer to participate in a lecture from the comfort of their home rather than a traditional classroom. This is clearly demonstrated by the fact the online learning industry has grown by a whopping 900% since its inception in 2000.

This rise in demand for online education has given rise to multiple platforms that are competing to provide the best service to the marketplace. Most popular among these e-learning platforms are the two giants, Pluralsight and CBT Nuggets.

If you’re just getting started with online based learning, we put together this piece to help you see what both parties bring to the table and which one would be better suited to your circumstances.

Pluralsight features:

Founded in 2004 by Aaron Skonnard, Pluralsight provides a quality learning experience to its users using the monthly subscription model. What this means is, as long as your subscription is paid, you get to take as many courses as possible within the month. You can also cancel your subscription after a few months if you believe you are done learning. This is way better than the annual subscription model which forces you to commit to a year’s worth of payments when the courses you’re going to be studying can literally be completed in under 30 days. By employing this model, Pluralsight seeks to create a unique value proposition that actually looks out for the interests of the customer. If you’re interested in getting your feet wet with a free trial, click here to Take a look at what Pluralsight has to offer.

Pros:

1. You have unlimited access to all courses at an affordable monthly rate, giving you a bang for your buck

2. PluralSight’s courses are high quality and extremely relevant in today’s economy. These courses teach you skills that make you extremely valuable in the marketplace.

3. On their website, there are assessments that exist to measure your level of understanding on the various topics. Upon passing these graded assignments, you are given a certificate of completion which you can include in your portfolio.

4. PluralSight’s courses aren’t taught by just anyone. They are taught by top industrialists who have longstanding record of excellence in their selected niche. In a summary, they practice what they preach. And they are absolutely good at it!

5. You can repeat a course as often as you want until you have fully grasped the concepts unlike your traditional classroom where you are stuck if you miss something.

6. PluralSight seems to maintain quite active customer support team. If you are faced with a problem, you can email or even call them.

7. With mobile phones accounting for over half of all internet traffic, it would be quite tone-deaf of any platform to not offer a mobile version of their system. Fortunately, Pluralsight provides the option to learn through the comfort of your mobile screen via a mobile application that is very interactive and gives the same experience as the web-based platform. This makes it easy to study when you’re on the move.

Cons:

As with anything, there are a few disadvantages associated with this platform. Some of them are discussed below.

1. The platform only provides courses that are quite technical. Other topics are not covered. If you want to learn skills in a technical domain, this might be the best website you can come across. But if you are looking to improve your soft skills, this is definitely not the one for you.

2. The topics covered are in depth and very advanced. This makes it difficult for beginners to grasp the basics. Therefore, if you are a beginner who is learning a new skill, you should consider a website that is a little easier. But if you are looking to refresh your knowledge or build upon previous knowledge, you should definitely sign up at  Pluralsight.

CBT Nuggets Features:

CBT Nuggets is definitely a force to be reckoned with in the world of e-learning. Having been established over two decades ago, CBT Nuggets has a longstanding record of delivering quality education to individuals all over the globe. Here are a few pros and cons about the platform

Pros:

1. On CBT Nuggets, you can expect engaging video demonstrations and tutorials on any course you want to study.

2. Just like Pluralsight, the professionals that teach the courses on this website are some of the top professionals in their field of work and have accurate knowledge regarding the problems faced by the industry today.

3. There are quizzes and exams that ensure that you have grasped the core concepts of the topic you are studying.

4. CBT Nuggets provides you with virtual labs where you can put your knowledge to test.

5. The CBT Nuggets platform offers some of the most advanced courses present at your disposal like Cisco and Microsoft courses. *

Cons:

1. The CBT Nuggets platform is quite hit and miss. One moment, you could be devouring extremely valuable course content from a tutor you like. Next moment, you could be bored to death as you are bombarded by boring lectures that do not give any form of knowledge relevant to what you are looking for

 Final Verdict:

Pluralsight and CBT nuggets are both commonly compared with one another and have Both Pluralsight and CBT nuggets have undoubtedly been the subject of much comparison in the world of online education and while each has its own areas of strength, Pluralsight seems to be the more popular option, maintaining an active subscriber base of over one million individual users and an annual revenue of around 400 million dollars. This is hardly surprising as Pluralsight provides way more courses and certifications to its users. Pluralsight also offers users the flexibility of choosing whatever they want to learn at a low price of $19 per month. If you’re still unsure about which of the two platforms will be worth your while, here’s our verdict: If you’re looking for value for money, go for Pluralsight. It is one of the most advanced learning platforms of our day and will definitely help you set yourself up for success. If you would like to check out what all the fuss about Pluralsight is, click on the link below and get started with a free trial. If you don’t enjoy the learning experience, I’ll buy you a cup of coffee ?