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Instructables Review

Worth it

Should I use Instructables?

Projects - instructables.com

· 15 hours ago

A free DIY how-to community worth using for hobby projects — there is nothing to buy. Not for anyone shopping for software, or needing verified technical accuracy.

Confidence

Medium. Based on 12 public sources; no review-rating data found, so confidence is medium.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support quality
  • Security posture

Pricing

Not disclosed

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes

Best for

  • DIY hobbyists and makers
  • Teachers sourcing class projects
  • Students building portfolios
  • Beginners in electronics or crafts

Not for

  • Buyers shopping for software — this is a content site, not a tool
  • Anyone needing vetted, error-checked electronics instructions
  • Creators expecting contest winnings to pay meaningfully
  • Enterprises needing support, SLAs, or integrations

Gotchas - check before you buy

high

User-submitted guides can contain wiring and component errors; verify critical steps independently.

medium

Contest prizes are gift cards, sometimes non-Amazon; weigh effort against likely payoff.

low

Access terms shifted before — steps were once Premium-only; policies can change.

low

Autodesk-owned since 2011; roadmap follows corporate priorities, not community votes.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Free step-by-step project guides across crafts, electronics, cooking, and more
  • Contests with prizes let creators earn gift cards
  • Teachers use it to earn funds for class supplies
  • Deep archive; guides from 2008 still accessible
  • All steps and images open to everyone since 2011

Cons

  • Users report incorrect component images in guides
  • Staff told creators originality counts for nothing in contests
  • Reported email database exposure dented community trust

Sources & method

- 10 sources - A community-reported email database exposure (2019) and an XSS report exist; no recent confirmed breaches in sources reviewed.

official x1review x5security x2news x2
  • Reported email database exposure, A netsec post describes discovering Instructables' email database had been exposed.
  • Reported cross-site scripting (XSS) issue, Open Bug Bounty report OBB-187691 documents an XSS vulnerability on.

Key stats

  • Value for money: 5/5

    Rating

  • Not disclosed

    Starting price

  • 10

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 5/5. Free; you pay only with time
  • Ease of use: 3/5. Simple step format; uneven guide quality
  • Feature depth: 3/5. Guides, contests, comments — no tooling depth
  • Support quality: 2/5. Staff contest replies reported as dismissive
  • Security posture: 2/5. Past email exposure and XSS report on record
  • Free Price Community site; no cost to browse or publish
  • Autodesk Owner Acquired August 2011
  • 2005 Founded Long-running maker community
  • 2008 Oldest guide found Instructables for Dummies, Aug 2008

Pricing

Free tier: Yes

Security

A community-reported email database exposure (2019) and an XSS report exist; no recent confirmed breaches in sources reviewed.

  • Reported email database exposureA netsec post describes discovering Instructables' email database had been exposed.⁵
  • Reported cross-site scripting (XSS) issueOpen Bug Bounty report OBB-187691 documents an XSS vulnerability on.⁶

What users say

Longtime users value it as a deep DIY archive, but complaints center on contest judging and occasional technical errors.

“Instructable staff confirms originality counts for nothing”
Reddit, r/arduino
“I posted an Instructables 10 years ago, had no idea it was ...”
Reddit, r/DIY
Full analysis

Based on 12 public sources; no review-rating data found, so confidence is medium.

Free DIY how-to community owned by Autodesk. Great for hobby browsing; not software, and accuracy varies.

Methodology

Based on 12 public sources; no review-rating data found, so confidence is medium.

Read how a report is made.

Sources

  1. Instructables homepageinstructables.com
    official
  2. Autodesk Acquires DIY Community Instructables (TechCrunch)techcrunch.com
    news
  3. Warning for creators: Instructable staff confirms originality counts for nothing (Reddit)reddit.com
    review
  4. Instructables website image wrong for NPN Transistor (Reddit)reddit.com
    review
  5. How I discovered Instructables' email database had been exposed (Reddit)reddit.com
    security
  6. instructables.com Cross Site Scripting vulnerability (Open Bug Bounty)openbugbounty.org
    security
  7. Instructables: all steps view available to everyone (Makezine)makezine.com
    news
  8. What's up with the non-Amazon gift cards? (Reddit)reddit.com
    review
  9. Instructables offers teachers funds for class supplies (Facebook)facebook.com
    review
  10. Instructables for Dummies (2008)instructables.com
    review

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