Kevin Hayler: Professional Wildlife artist, author, and traveler.
Domestika is an online learning platform that offers a staggering array of creative courses at prices that often seem too good to be true. As a professional wildlife artist, I’m always on the lookout for ways to sharpen my skills or recommend worthwhile courses to my readers.
Since I first reviewed this platform, things have changed.
The instructors are clearly experts, and the production quality is so superb it’s a joy to watch. However, the business model has shifted significantly toward a subscription-heavy approach and the courses do not offer great value for money in the way they once did.
While you can still buy individual courses, Domestika Plus is now the standard model with inconsistent pricing, depending on your location, and subscription tricks designed to renew at the full price after joining via a bargain promotion.
Many subscribers are caught off-guard.
I’ll introduce you to the platform, describe how it works, list the pros and cons and compare it to some major alternatives.
Let’s get started.
Disclaimer: When you buy something via my affiliate links I earn from qualifying purchases and sometimes earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. I am an Amazon Associate among others. I only recommend trusted sites.
What is Domestika?
Domestika is an online learning platform that offers courses in a wide range of creative disciplines, from photography and graphic design to web development and illustration.
Domestika was founded in 2002 in Spain and started life as a social media network for creatives. The online teaching platform we see today began in 2010
Domestika has grown to be one of the largest online creative communities, with millions of members from all over the world.
Their courses are taught by industry professionals and are designed to help students develop their skills and grow their careers.
If you’re interested in learning from some of the best creatives in the world and expanding your skillset, then Domestika is definitely worth checking out.
Domestika courses are created by a team of in-house instructional designers, course producers, and editors. They work closely with a network of experts from around the world to create high-quality, engaging learning experiences.
The production quality is superb and it is a joy to watch their classes.
The Domestika community is lively and active, a legacy, no doubt, of their social media origins. Members of the community share their skills and experience and are passionate about learning and sharing their knowledge with others.
Members follow each other, share their projects, and offer support and feedback.
You can access the Forum from the community tab, where you can communicate with the teachers (sometimes) and other students.
How Does Domestika Work?
In order to buy a course on Domestika, you must first create a free account and log in. Once you are logged in, you can browse the courses available, enroll in the ones that interest you, and add the one you wish to purchase to your cart.
After you have added the course to your cart, you can then proceed to checkout and pay for the course using a credit or debit card.
You can pay for each course separately, but here things have changed.
The platform used to be entirely focused on individual “pay-as-you-go” sales, but that is no longer the case. Domestika Plus members now have access to a massive catalog of thousands of free-to-watch courses, with over 100 new titles added every week.
The courses are self-paced and can be accessed at any time. Log in and click your profile at the top right and in the dropdown click on ‘my courses’.
To download a course on Domestika, you must use their app. It is not possible to download a lesson onto your computer.
Inside the app click on the arrow located next to each lesson title. Your video will download to the app and not to your device. Free courses are not downloadable unless you choose to purchase them.
Domestika Plus is their premium subscription service that gives members access to a catalog of thousands of free-to-watch courses, certificates of completion, the right to buy extra credits for purcheased courses and discount offers. Courses purchased with credits are yours to keep. Free courses are available to subscribers only.
Domestika Basics are curated courses that introduce you to the best teachers on your chosen topic. They are suitable for all levels, from beginners needing to learn the fundamentals to advanced, those needing to progress in their field.
In the current system, redeeming a Basics course costs 2 Plus Credits. Note that these courses do not include a final project, so your certificate will not have a QR code.
Domestika Bundles allow you to purchase multiple courses at a discounted price. Bundles are promoted as time-limited deals offering a selection of popular courses among students.
Additionally, Plus members can now purchase extra credits in bundles of 3, 5, or 10 to save even more on multiple courses. You can also create your own customized bundle for a substantial discount
The Price of Domestika’s Courses
This should be easier to answer than it is. As far as I can ascertain, the courses are permanently discounted. Individual courses typically cost less when purchased with Plus credits, which are part of the subscription or can be bought in bundles.
The price for a rolling monthly subscription includes one credit per month, while the annual plan provides 12 credits upfront.
It must be said that Domestika uses highly aggressive regional pricing and frequent “flash sales,” making the standard price hard to pin down.
As I write, and even with a VPN, Domestika over-rides my request to view the US prices. I must rely on the UK offer or 3rd parties to access the prices.
I cross-checked with Gemini, Chatgpt, and NotebookLM to get the information.
In the USA, the price is $33.90 per month.
The yearly subscription (intro offer) is shown as $14.59 per month billed yearly, making the total amount charged as $174.50 for the first year.
The renewal price is stated in greyed out small print at the bottom. After the first year the auto-renewal changes to the full yearly price of $349.
Below is my British screenshot
You can see how people get fooled. The discount is advertised as £11.29, down from £27.90. Annual cost – £134.50.
Then read the small grey text. It will renew at £269 per year. They are hoping you didn’t read the small print, or you will forget. It’s on auto-renewal unless you cancel it.
Not the integrity you expect is it?
By the way, if you decide to pay on a monthy plan, it costs £27.90 per month.
Please check your prices here: https://www.domestika.org/en/plus
The Advantages (Pros) of Domestika
- A wide variety of creative courses to choose from.
- Courses are taught by experts in their field.
- The desktop platform is easy to use and navigate.
- You can learn at your own pace.
- There is a community of learners to connect with.
- Courses are affordable.
- Plus credits make courses even cheaper.
- There are thousands of free-to-watch courses for Plus members.
- Courses are available in 9 languages.
- You keep your courses even when the plus plan ends if you bought them or redeemed them with credits.
- The production quality is superb.
- There’s a 14-day refund policy for course purchases.
The Disadvantages (Cons) of Domestika
- Certificates are now locked behind a Plus subscription.
- Plus subscriptions and renewals are non-refundable.
- Many user complain of autorenewals being applied at full price
- The App is not as versatile as the desktop.
- The subtitles are auto-generated.
- The pricing system is deliberately opaque.
- Each country seems to have it’s own price points.
Is There an English Version of Domestika?
While the courses are mostly in Spanish, there are English speakers in many fields and the list is growing.
All courses have translations in the form of auto-generated subtitles, however, some user reviews mention that the quality of the translation can be patchy.
Domestika translates:
- Spanish,
- English,
- Portuguese,
- German,
- Italian,
- Polish,
- Dutch
- French.
- Turkish
If you’re interested in taking a Domestika course, it’s worth checking to see if an English version is available before enrolling. Some courses are dubbed and that makes life much easier. They should do that throughout in my opinion.
Some of the intro videos are in Spanish without a translation and that’s a bad user experience. It discourages English speakers who are unaware that the courses are subtitled.
Read the full review here: Is Udemy Worth it? Pros and Cons For Artists and Designers
Is Domestika Trustworthy?
This is a screenshot from Trustpilot. It’s in stark contrast to the last time i checked. Sadly the platform’s reputation has nose-dived.
As far as I am concerned Domestika has prioritized profit over customer service. Such a shame as formally I recommended this platform.
Is Domestika Still Worth it? Final Thoughts
Domestika is worth the money if you purchase the courses individually or have the foresight to cancel non-refundable auto-renewals. The quality of the courses is very high, and the instructors are experienced professionals in their respective fields.
Personally, I’m less inclined to buy their courses now. I loathe the auto-renewal tactic and will not endorse companies who apply it with a no-refund policy.
If you need more help with drawing, then I urge you to check out
Dorian Iten on Proko. His course is reasonably priced and inspiring
If you want to use your skills to earn a living my guide will show you the simple method I’ve used to earn a living with my art for over 20 years!
If you enjoyed this article you will be interested in the these too:
- 19 Ways to Make Money as an Artist Online and Off: No Fluff!
- Is The Procreate App Worth it For Beginners? Get the Facts
- Is Selling on Etsy Worth it? Pros and Cons for Artists and Crafters
- Is Art School Worth it? Is it a Waste of Money?
- Is Patreon Worth it? What You Should Know
- Is Print on Demand Worth it? The Pros and Cons for Creatives
- Are Online Drawing Courses Worth it? I Chose 5 of The Best For You!
- How to Sell Your Art in Galleries: Is it Worth it? The Truth Told
- 25 Platforms for Artists to Sell Their Art Online and Make Money
Pin This
Hi, I’m Kevin Hayler
I’ve been selling my wildlife art and traveling the world for over 20 years, and if that sounds too good to be true, I’ve done it all without social media, art school, or galleries!
I can show you how to do it. You’ll find a wealth of info on my site, about selling art, drawing tips, lifestyle, reviews, travel, my portfolio, and more. Enjoy