Skillshop
Worth it
Confidence: Medium
Buy if you want free, self-paced Google Ads/Analytics training with shareable certs . at $0 there is no cost risk.
Comparison
Skillshop vs HubSpot Academy
Skillshop and HubSpot Academy both land on Worth it.
HubSpot Academy
Worth it
Confidence: Medium
Use it if you want free, respected fundamentals in marketing, sales, service, or HubSpot tools . it costs nothing and carries real employer recognition.
| Compare | Skillshop | HubSpot Academy |
|---|---|---|
| Verdict | Worth it | Worth it |
| Best for | Beginner digital marketers | Career switchers into marketing |
| Who it's not for | Experienced PPC pros . content skews basic | Developers wanting deep hands-on technical training |
| Privacy | No known public vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed. | No known public vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed. |
| Support quality | Locked-course access complaints in support forums | No support evidence in sources |
| Public sentiment | Users value the free beginner training but routinely criticize exam quality and question the certifications' career value.³ | Users praise the free, easy-to-use certifications as a solid career starting point, though some find depth limited beyond basics.11 |
| Biggest gotcha | Some Google Analytics courses reported locked or inaccessible⁸ | Certifications removed from MyCAA/DoD funding . not universally accredited |
Pick Skillshop when
- Beginner digital marketers
- Teams onboarding to Google Ads/Analytics
- Agencies needing Google Ads certifications
- Budget learners avoiding paid bootcamps
When Skillshop is not a fit
- Experienced PPC pros . content skews basic
- Anyone wanting hands-on practice, not product walkthroughs
- Career-switchers expecting employers to rate these certs highly
- Teams on non-Google stacks (Meta, TikTok Ads)
Pick HubSpot Academy when
- Career switchers into marketing
- HubSpot platform admins and users
- Small sales/service teams upskilling
- Agency teams wanting shared fundamentals
When HubSpot Academy is not a fit
- Developers wanting deep hands-on technical training
- Anyone needing accredited or DoD-funded credentials
- Experienced pros seeking advanced depth
- Learners outside marketing, sales, and service roles
Sources
- Skillshop . official siteskillshop.withgoogle.comofficial
review
- Google Skillshop Review (2026) . AcademyGemsacademygems.comreview
review
- 450+ Free Google Certifications, Courses & Badges [2026]classcentral.comnews
news
- Unable to access locked Google Analytics Skillshop coursessupport.google.comreview
- Skillshop: New Ads Certifications & Trainingbloomads.comnews
- HubSpot Academy . Courses & Lessonsacademy.hubspot.comofficial
- HubSpot Academy Reviews . TrustRadiustrustradius.comreview
review
- Is A HubSpot Certification Worth It? . LeanLabsleanlabs.comreview
- HubSpot Academy limitations . Latenode communitycommunity.latenode.comreview
- MyCAA funding removed . HubSpot Communitycommunity.hubspot.comnews
- HubSpot Certification Guide . RankRealizerrankrealizer.comreview