Workshopy vs Instruqt
An Instruqt alternative for hands-on training
Instruqt is a hands-on lab platform for software companies: each learner gets an isolated sandbox — virtual machines, containers, Kubernetes or a cloud account — with a terminal and code editor in the browser, and labs whose tasks run check scripts against what the learner did. It is used for product demos and lead generation as much as for training, and it also runs live workshops. Workshopy gives no sandbox: learners work in their own tools while each one works through the lesson's steps, and the instructor sees who is working, done or asking for help on every step. Choose Instruqt when every learner needs an environment you provision. Choose Workshopy when learners can use their own machines and you want to run a live class without building labs.
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Two different products
Instruqt
Interactive labs and demo environments for software companies: a sandbox per learner, labs of pages with tasks checked by scripts, used by marketing, sales and education teams, and set up through Instruqt's sales team.
Workshopy
A live lesson with no sandbox: one Markdown document becomes a class where learners work through the steps in their own tools, and the instructor sees each one's step and status, answers help requests and gets a report.
Side by side
| Workshopy | Instruqt | |
|---|---|---|
| What learners get | The lesson's steps in their browser; the practical work happens in their own terminal, editor or tool | An isolated sandbox: Linux or Windows virtual machines, containers, Kubernetes, temporary AWS, Azure or GCP accounts, with terminal and editor tabs in the browser |
| Built for | Instructor-led lessons: bootcamps, corporate training, classrooms, technical workshops | Software companies: product demos, lead generation, customer and partner training, workshops |
| Content | Steps in one Markdown document — prose, code with a copy button, images, videos, diagrams, quizzes | Labs made of pages with instructions, tasks and quizzes; the sandbox is configured in its editor or as code |
| Checking the work | Learners paste what a command printed and the server checks it against your answer, with hints; graded quizzes and practice exercises | Tasks whose check scripts test the learner's sandbox, with a message when a check fails |
| Live classes | The core of the product: a live room of every learner's step and status, a help queue, chat and private messages | Live events with a dashboard of each attendee's progress, raised hands and failed checks, messages, and taking control of a learner's lab — on its classic tracks; not yet generally available on its new Labs |
| Self-paced learning | Live classes; afterwards learners keep a page with the lesson to reread | Strong: self-paced labs shared by a link, embedded in a website or launched from an LMS |
| Writing with AI | An AI app such as ChatGPT or Claude, connected to your account, writes lessons into it | An AI Lab Builder that drafts a lab, its tasks and its sandbox from a description |
| Joining | 6-character code or link, no account, any device | An invite link, an embed or an LMS launch, no account; open to anyone, behind a form, or limited to set emails |
| Integrations | Runs in the browser beside your video call and LMS | Salesforce and HubSpot for lead data, LTI for LMSs, embeds, webhooks and an API |
| Getting started | Sign up with Google and run a class the same day; Up to 30 participants on the free plan | Through sales — book a demo or request a quote; there is no self-serve sign-up |
| After the class | A report per class — who finished each step, where they got stuck, how long they waited, check results, polls and quizzes | Activity reports (plays, completion, time per play) and a live event report with tasks and failed attempts |
Compiled from each product’s public documentation. Deliberately no price comparison — published prices change without notice and a stale number here would be worse than none. Check both pricing pages.
Which one to use
Choose Workshopy when
- Your learners can work on their own machines, and building a sandbox for every lesson is more than the class needs.
- You teach live and need to see who is stuck on which step, with a help queue and private messages.
- You want to run a class this week: sign up, write the lesson or have an AI app write it, and share a code.
- You want one tool for every lesson you teach — reading, code, quizzes and practice — with a report from each run.
Choose Instruqt when
- Every learner needs an isolated environment you provision: virtual machines, containers, Kubernetes or cloud accounts.
- Checks must test what the learner actually did in their environment, not what they paste.
- Your labs are also product demos and lead generation, with the data going to Salesforce or HubSpot.
- Most learners go through the labs on their own, embedded in your website or LMS.
Frequently asked questions
Is Workshopy an Instruqt alternative?
For live training where learners can work on their own machines, yes. If each learner needs a sandbox you provision, or your labs are product demos that feed your CRM, Instruqt does what Workshopy doesn't.
Does Workshopy give learners a sandbox or a terminal?
No. Workshopy runs the lesson, not the environment: there are no virtual machines, containers or cloud accounts. Learners work in their own terminal or editor — or in an environment you already give them — and Workshopy tracks where each one is and who needs help.
Can I run a live workshop in Workshopy with a lab I already have?
Yes. Put the lab's address and any sign-in steps in the first step and teach the rest from Workshopy: learners mark each step done or ask for help, a step can ask them to paste a command's output and check it, and you get a report of where the class got stuck.
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