A MasterClass subscription is one of best virtual gift ideas of 2020 — here’s why

Madison Alcedo

Updated 13 November 2020 at 11:44 am·5-min read

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2020 has been stressful enough, but finding great gifts doesn’t have to be. Check out In The Know’s gift guides to make holiday shopping for every person in your life easier than ever.

It’s true that 2020 is year we’ll never forget. With baby showers, weddings and more traditionally in-person soirées becoming Zoom get-togethers, virtual events have become the most important (and safest) way to connect with loved ones.

With more and more people spending time virtually connecting, online learning classes and experiences have spiked in popularity. But even before the COVID-19 pandemic began, Research and Markets estimated that the online education market would reach $350 billion in revenue by 2025.

The holidays will likely include social distancing, mask-wearing and not being able to see as many family members as usual. But there are still some special gifts you can send virtually to spread holiday cheer.

If you’re stumped on what to get a family member or friend this year — and want to skip giving a gift card for the third year in a row — a MasterClass subscription is one of the most 2020-appropriate gifts.

Shop: MasterClass Gift Subscription, $192.60 per year

With travel and other experiences on hold this year, people are craving to learn, which is why MasterClass has recently seen a surge of users. The service saw a 10-times increase in demand compared to 2019, according to a rep for the company.

People at all levels can choose from more than 90 classes taught by successful entrepreneurs, designers, chefs, actresses and more. The classes span across food, arts, lifestyle, writing, sports and gaming, business, music, science and more. There really is something for everyone.

For aspiring writers, there’s a creative writing class with Margaret Atwood. For those wanting to up their personal style, Tan France tells you how to build a capsule wardrobe. For those who are wanting to embrace more cooking at home, Gordon Ramsey’s cooking class dives into how to take your cooking skills to the next level.

In each class, there’s about 20 lessons, which will take about 10 minutes per lesson. Plus, you’ll also receive an in-depth, downloadable PDF workbook that goes along with the class. And you won’t get bored of the offerings, with new classes added monthly.

Not only that, but you can watch your lessons anytime, anywhere using your smartphone, personal computer or several streaming devices, including Apple TV, Amazon FireTV or Roku.

How do you sign up for MasterClass subscription or give it as a gift?

If you’re wanting to give a MasterClass subscription as a gift, you can sign up through the annual membership option, which is $192.60 for the year. Through this option, you can gift to a friend or family member via their email address — and you can even choose what day it’s delivered.

If you’re wanting to try out the service yourself, you can select the monthly plan, which is $16.05 per month. While you can cancel anytime, with so many great courses to choose from, you or your friends will be hooked.

If you’re already a MasterClass member, you can give the gift of a MasterClass Annual Membership for 30% off the current rate. As a member, you will have no limit to how many times you can gift the 30% offer during the promotion period. The promotion is valid from November 13, 2020 to December 28, 2020 at 11:59 PM PT.

Bonus: Black Friday 2020 Offer entitles you to purchase one MasterClass annual membership, and give one year of an annual membership to another person for free. Offer ends on November 30, 2020 at 11:59 PM PT.

Here are a few of the popular classes recommended by our editors.

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