Overview: two different ways to learn
CraftCourses and Domestika aren't really competitors — they answer different questions. CraftCourses is a UK marketplace of independent makers running in-person workshops (with some online sessions too); you book a class, turn up, and make something with a tutor beside you. Domestika is a library of on-demand video courses you watch at home, at your own pace, forever. The right choice is driven by your craft and how you like to learn.
Hands-on feedback vs self-paced video
The biggest practical difference is feedback. In a CraftCourses workshop a tutor can watch your hands and correct you on the spot — invaluable for crafts where form matters, like pottery, glass blowing or silversmithing. Domestika is pre-recorded, so there's no one to catch a mistake; you can repeat the same error without realising. For technique-led, tactile crafts, in-person wins; for crafts you can self-correct (embroidery, crochet, macramé), video is perfectly good — and you can rewatch the tricky parts.
Cost and what's included
Domestika is the cheaper option per session: courses are £9–£30, often £8–£12 on sale, with lifetime access. CraftCourses prices are set by each maker and, as a live in-person class with materials usually supplied, a workshop typically costs more — but you leave with a finished piece and everything is provided on the day. With Domestika you source your own materials from a list, which is extra effort (and for UK crafters, some instructors reference non-UK suppliers).
Trust and UK relevance
CraftCourses is B Corp certified (score 83.8) with a 4.9★ Trustpilot rating, and every booking supports a small independent UK maker. Domestika is a global platform — its instruction quality is high (we rate it 4.3/5), but content isn't UK-specific, so sizing conventions and supplier references occasionally won't translate.
The verdict
Match the platform to the craft. For hands-on, equipment-heavy disciplines, book an in-person session on CraftCourses. For fibre arts, jewellery design and anything you're happy to learn at your own pace, Domestika is cheaper and endlessly rewatchable. Plenty of people use both — learn the basics online, then book a workshop when you need real-time feedback. If you're weighing two online platforms instead, see Domestika vs Udemy, or compare the in-person marketplaces in CraftCourses vs ClassBento.