In short: SkillHints gives points for how well a skill or course fits your answers. We show you the points and the reasons. A match score is a helpful guide. It is not a promise.
Two steps: skill first, then courses
- Step 1: the skill match. You answer seven plain questions about what you are good at and how you like to work. In the first question you can pick up to three answers. The other six take one answer each. You see your top three skills, each with a match percentage and a reason.
- Step 2: courses. Pick a skill, and you see real courses for it right away. We don’t ask about your school, level, time or budget. We assume you are just starting, so beginner-friendly courses come first.
Already know what you want to learn? Choose I already know my subject on the first question, and pick your subject directly.
How the skill match works
Each answer adds points to one or more of nine skills: web development, software development, AI and machine learning, data analytics, cybersecurity, cloud computing, UI/UX and graphic design, content writing and digital marketing, and business.
Some examples:
- Love design? Points go mostly to UI/UX and graphic design.
- Love exploring how things work? Points go mostly to software development (coding).
- Great at communicating? Points go mostly to digital marketing.
- Rather avoid math? Points go down for AI and data, because those use more math.
What the match percentage means
Each skill can earn only so many points from these seven questions. The percentage shows how many of those points your answers gave it. If every answer points to one skill, it shows 100%. If your answers point in different directions, the numbers are lower and closer together. That is a hint to try a short free course in each before you choose.
The percentage shows how well your answers fit a skill. It does not show how likely you are to succeed. The skill match is not a personality test.
Where the pay numbers come from
The skill match shows US pay from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook. Each number links to its source. These are median numbers: half of the workers earn more, and half earn less. They include people with many years of experience. Beginners, freelancers and people outside the US often earn much less.
How courses get their score
Every course in our list is tagged. Tags show its subject, level, what you need to know first, what it teaches, the goals it fits, how it teaches, and its cost. Each course can get up to 100 points:
| What we check | Points | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Your subject | 40 | 40 if the course is mainly about your subject. 15 if it is only partly about it. |
| Your goal | 20 | 20 if the course fits the goal. 12 for general goals, like learning a new skill. 5 otherwise. |
| Your level | 15 | 15 if the course fits your level. 8 if it is one level away. 0 if it is further. |
| Skills you already have | 10 | Based on how many of the course’s starting needs you already meet. Courses with no starting needs get 6 points, plus 4 if you are a true beginner. |
| Budget | 10 | Based on your budget and the course’s cost type. |
| How you like to learn | 5 | 5 if the course uses two or more ways you like to learn. 3 for one. |
The points add up to 100. Your subject counts the most. A course on a subject you don’t care about is hard to finish, even if it is great.
Because the finder does not ask about your level, goal, budget or learning style, it fills in friendly defaults. It assumes you are new to the subject, want to learn a new skill, have any budget, and like most ways of learning.
When a course needs skills you don’t have yet
- We take away 20 points if a course expects skills you haven’t mentioned and you are a beginner. We also do this if the course is two or more levels away from yours. These courses move later in your suggested order. We don’t hide them.
- We take away 10 points if you already know everything an easy course teaches.
What the labels mean
- Strong match: 75 points or more.
- Good match: 55 to 74 points.
- Worth exploring: under 55. We show these only when there are not enough closer matches.
A course only counts as a match if it is about your subject and scores at least 50 points. We show up to nine courses, best first. If fewer than three match, we add the closest options and tell you clearly.
How we label cost
- Free: the lessons are free.
- Free, paid certificate optional: you can study everything for free. Only the certificate costs money.
- Free to audit: you can read or watch for free. Graded work and the certificate cost money.
- Paid: the course itself costs money.
We never list a price we haven’t checked. We never call an audit or paid course “free”. To learn more, read free vs. paid online courses.
What the results can’t tell you
A score shows how well a course’s tags match your answers. It is not the chance that you will finish, enjoy it, or get a job. Our list is small and hand-picked. A great course that isn’t on our list will never show up.
SkillHints does not promise jobs, certificates, income or learning results. We checked the course details on each provider’s website in October 2026. Prices and rules change, so always check the official course page before you sign up.
Your privacy
All the scoring happens in your own browser. Your answers are not sent to SkillHints. They are saved only in this browser tab, so you can go back and change them. Closing the tab clears them. Read our Privacy Policy for details.