Claude Skills

What are Claude skills?

Claude skills are folders of instructions, built around a SKILL.md file, that teach Claude how to do one job the way a professional would. The file opens with a short description that tells Claude when to use it, followed by the role, the working method, quality checks and the output format. Claude reads only the description until your request matches, then loads the full skill, so you get specialist output without re-explaining your context in every chat. Anthropic introduced Agent Skills in October 2025, and the same file works in Claude.ai, the Claude desktop app, Claude Code and the API. The long version is in What are Claude skills?

How to install a Claude skill

1. Download the skill. It arrives as a ZIP holding SKILL.md and an example-output folder.
2. Claude.ai or the desktop app: open Customize, then Skills, click + and upload the ZIP. Code execution has to be switched on under Settings, then Capabilities.
3. Claude Code: unzip the folder into ~/.claude/skills/ to use it in every project, or into .claude/skills/ inside a repo to keep it to that project.
4. ChatGPT, Gemini or Copilot: open SKILL.md and paste the text into custom instructions, a project or a Gem. It is plain Markdown.
5. Ask for the task in plain English. The skill asks for whatever it is missing and returns the deliverable in its own format.

Screenshots and fixes for every surface: how to install a Claude skill.

Why these Claude skills

• Written for professional roles. Each skill encodes how a specific job is done: the frameworks, the checks and the format the person receiving the work expects. The catalogue runs from finance and legal to marketing, engineering, healthcare and operations.
• You see the output before you buy. Every skill ships with a finished example, and the product page shows it.
• One file for every AI. The same SKILL.md works in Claude, Claude Code, ChatGPT, Gemini and Copilot. No plugin, browser extension or API key.
• Or skip the install. Add the KissMySkills connector to Claude, ChatGPT, Claude Code or Cursor once, and it loads the right skill from the catalogue when you ask.
• Low risk. One-time price per skill, the output shown on every product page, and a 30-day money-back guarantee on every purchase.

Browse Claude skills by role

• Finance and accounting skills - CFO, FP&A, controller, bookkeeping
• Sales and marketing skills - copy, SEO, campaigns, outbound
• Software and IT skills - architecture, backend, frontend, DevOps
• Legal, HR and people ops skills - contracts, NDAs, hiring, policy
• Business, consulting and operations skills
• Healthcare, science and education skills
• Data and AI skills and cybersecurity skills
• Creative, content and design skills

Developers should start with Claude Code skills. For multi-step work from intake to finished deliverable, see the AI agents.

Best Claude skills to start with

The best sellers are the quickest shortlist. For a curated pick by category, read the best Claude skills in 2026, or go straight to the picks for marketing, finance teams, legal teams and executives. Comparing where to buy? See Claude skills marketplaces compared.

Free vs paid Claude skills

Free Claude skills on GitHub and community lists lean toward developer tasks and ship the instruction file alone, so you find out what a skill produces by running it. Paid skills here cover full professional roles, include a worked example and a tested trigger description, and are maintained. To try the format at no cost, build your own with the free Claude skill builder. The full comparison is in free vs paid Claude skills.

Claude skills FAQ

What are Claude skills?

A Claude skill is a reusable folder of instructions, centred on a SKILL.md file, that makes Claude work like a specialist for one task or role. Claude loads it automatically when a request matches the skill's description, so you do not repeat the same prompt in every chat.

How do I install a Claude skill?

In Claude.ai or the desktop app, go to Customize, then Skills, click + and upload the skill's ZIP; code execution must be on. In Claude Code, unzip the folder into ~/.claude/skills/. Either way it takes about two minutes.

Do Claude skills work in Claude Code?

Yes. Claude Code reads skills from ~/.claude/skills/ for all projects and from .claude/skills/ inside a repository. Developer-focused files are grouped under Claude Code skills.

Can I use Claude skills with ChatGPT or Gemini?

Yes. A skill is plain Markdown, so you can paste SKILL.md into ChatGPT custom instructions or a project, a Gemini Gem, or a Copilot chat. You lose automatic loading, but the role, method and output format carry over.

What is the difference between a Claude skill, a prompt and MCP?

A prompt is a single message you rewrite each time. A skill is a saved method Claude reaches for on its own whenever it fits. MCP connects Claude to outside tools and data; a skill teaches Claude how to do the work. More in Claude skills vs MCP.

Are there free Claude skills?

Yes. Free Claude skills exist on GitHub and community lists, mostly for developer tasks. You can also build your own for free with the Claude skill builder, which writes a ready SKILL.md. The skills in this catalogue are paid and cover full professional roles with a worked example.

What if a skill does not work for me?

Every purchase is covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee. Email us and we refund in full.