How to Get Free Access to Lynda.com Classes

Lynda.com, part of LinkedIn.com, offers a wide variety of on-line training classes. Classes on Lynda are on a subscription basis. A basic subscription is $29.99/month with a one-month free trial. The cost of an annual subscription is $17.99/month with a one-month free trial. Although I find the subscription cost to be reasonable, there is a way to get free access to Lynda.com – no subscription fee, and it’s completely legal and supported. More later.

I find the Lynda.com classes to be of high-quality. Most or all of the instructors are native English speakers and many of the classes have downloadable training materials such as scripts for labs, etc. I do not see a way to post questions or feedback on Lynda.com

I also purchase classes from udemy.com. Udemy charges on a per/class basis. The list price for each class varies, usually from about $100-$200 per class, though there is almost always a “sale”. Generally, the sale prices vary from about $9.99 – $29.99. If a class price is in the $29.99 range and you are not in a hurry, you can probably wait a couple of weeks and get a price from $9.99 – 13.99. Udemy classes have previews, so you can take a free preview to get a flavor for the class and instructor. Many of the Udemy instructors have thick foreign accents so be sure to take the preview. Like Lynda, many Udemy classes have downloadable training materials. One thing Udemy has that Lynda doesn’t is student feedback. Students can post question and comments. Questions are are answered by the instructor or other students.

How to get Free Access to Lynda.com

So how do you get “free” access to Lynda.com? Have a library card? My library offers free access to Lynda.com classes. I’ve taken many. I don’t know if all libraries offer access to Lynda.com but it won’t hurt to check with your local library. I am pretty sure the free classes are restricted to libraries in the U.S.

Happy learning.