If you intend to learn coding or data science skills from either, it is imperative to compare DataCamp vs Codecademy.
But which one of them is better?
Their comparison is especially vital because both platforms offer similar services but cater to slightly different audiences and focus on various facets of programming education.
In this article, I’ll share my experience after taking Datacamp and Codecademy courses. I’ll help you understand the difference and ensure you pick the right platform for your online learning!
Quick Answer:
Choose DataCamp if you’re specifically interested in data-related programming. Choose Codecademy for a broader introduction to coding and web development.
DataCamp vs Codecademy Comparison – Overview
| Key Features | DataCamp | Codecademy |
|---|---|---|
| Programming Languages | R, Python, and SQL | Python, Go, Ruby, SQL, C++, Swift, HTML, and Java |
| Free Courses | The first chapter, of course, only | Limited |
| Number of courses | 480 | 400+ |
| Skill tracks | 64 | 23 |
| Career tracks | 19 | 12 |
| Certificates | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Best for | Data skills | Coding |
| Premium Membership | $13 per month billed annually | $14.99 per month billed annually |
| Ratings from G2 | 4.6/5 | 4.3/5 |
What Is DataCamp?
Starting with DataCamp, it is an online training platform for students who want self-paced and personalized data training.
The platform was established in 2013 to help next-generation data scientists and professionals gain knowledge and skills.
DataCamp is one of the fastest-growing online learning platforms, with more than 13 million students worldwide.
DataCamp’s popularity can easily be gauged by its online presence in more than 180 countries. To access the classroom, you only need an internet connection and a device. It has more than 2000 partner academic organizations and companies.
Similar to the projects for individuals, DataCamp also has programs for companies that want to train their staff.
For example, companies like Google, Uber, Deloitte, Paypal, eBay, and Microsoft have trained their teams using DataCamp resources.
DataCamp’s training platform offers options for everyone. Its extensive courses are available for beginners, intermediate, and advanced learners.
DataCamp Pros And Cons:
DataCamp provides an excellent opportunity to improve data science skills, but there are certain advantages and disadvantages.
Pros
- Easy to use with a learn-by-doing approach
- Offers high-quality content
- Gamified in-browser coding experience
- The price matches the quality of the content
- Suitability for learners ranging from beginner to advanced
Cons
- No accredited certificates
What Is Codecademy?
Codecademy is an e-learning platform that specializes in teaching a broad range of programming skills through interactive learning. It also offers free educational material for numerous programming languages.
The Codecademy platform was established in 2011. In 2015, it partnered with the White House to host personal gatherings for over 600 students from disadvantaged and minority groups over a 12-month period. Codecademy also partnered with Amazon to provide Alexa skills training.
Moreover, Codecademy’s mission is to create a potential world where students eager to learn can acquire tools and materials to prepare them for the professional life ahead.
This platform has assisted over 50 million people to earn hard skills and make the most of their coding journey.
Codecademy Pros And Cons:
Codecademy has teaching expertise in coding in multiple languages. But, it has some strengths and weaknesses.
Pros
- Easy to use and navigate
- It has a few different plans, including a free plan
- IT-oriented, multiple courses available
- Good course quality
Cons
- No accredited certificates
- Expensive courses
DataCamp vs Codecademy: Side-by-side comparison
Let’s compare DataCamp and Codecademy course offerings, teaching methodologies, pricing structures, and industry recognition to help you make an informed decision about your academic path.
1. Course Offerings
DataCamp and Codecademy are tailored to enhance an individual’s data science, programming, and tech-related skills.
Following is a detailed comparison of DataCamp and Codecademy courses.
DataCamp Courses
DataCamp focuses on topics like data science and analytics. It offers more than 480 courses, along with skill and career tracks designed to prepare you for a particular profession.
DataCamp courses are designed to be interactive and engaging for users, with exercises and assessments to complete.
Here are the examples of the top three most popular courses on DataCamp:
- Introduction to Python
- Introduction to SQL
- Understanding Data Science
DataCamp Skill and Career Tracks
DataCamp has two kinds of enlarged comprehensive learning programs: skill tracks and career tracks.
The skill tracks focus on teaching you how a particular programming language and tool works, whereas the career paths align with preparing you for the data science fields.
This is the list of the three most popular career tracks:
- Associate Data Scientist in Python
- Associate Data Analyst in SQL
- Data Analyst with Python
Potential careers through DataCamp courses include data scientist, business intelligence analyst, data engineer, marketing analytics manager, financial analyst, and data visualization engineer.
Here’s what a DataCamp user says about courses.
“In my opinion, DataCamp has the most comprehensive catalog for preparing future data scientists for a degree.”
Steve Taylor, DataCamp User
Source: DataCamp
Codecademy Courses
Codecademy offers top-grade courses with a structured study program that includes projects, practice tests, and coding quizzes to help you improve your skill level.
Codecademy offers a relatively smaller number of courses across 20+ subjects and in 15 programming languages.
These Codecademy courses are designed to facilitate learning at your speed and help you build a solid foundation for a career in highly sought-after tech fields like Data Science, Web Development, Machine Learning, Web Design, Data Structures, Computer Science, and Code foundations.
Here are the top three most popular Codecademy courses you can take:
- Learn Python 3
- Learn HTML
- Learn JavaScript
Codecademy Skill and Career Paths
Codecademy has an extended learning program called Paths. Using the path, you can steadily work your way up the skill echelons and improve your programming capabilities.
Following are the three most popular Codecademy career paths:
- Business Intelligence Data Analyst
- iOS Developers
- Full-Stack Engineer
Similar to learning paths, Codecademy also offers Career paths. These career paths will prepare you to pursue entry-level tech industry roles.
Potential career areas include data science, front-end and back-end engineering, and web development. After completing a career path, you can earn professional certifications by passing several exams.
A great feature of Codecademy is taking a sorting quiz, which takes you through a string of questions to help you discover which career path, programming.
The sorting quiz will recommend coding languages and courses that complement you best based on your strengths and interests.
Here’s what a Codecademy user says about courses.
“I enjoy Codecademy, they have some nice content and simple learning scenarios. It is one of the better platforms for me, along with LinkedIn Learning and MIT OCW.”
Viktor Mikhaltsevich, Software Engineer, Codecademy user
Source: Quora
2. Teaching Methodology
If you are worried about the way DataCamp and Codecademy teach, fret not!
The quality of teaching on both platforms is worth the price they charge.
DataCamp and Codecademy provide interactive coding quizzes and practical exercises, which enhance learning experiences in data science and programming.
Here’s a detailed comparison of the teaching methodologies of DataCamp and Codecademy.
DataCamp Teaching Methodology
DataCamp’s interactive coding domain provides dazzling and engaging learning experiences. You can directly apply what you’ve learned in the browser while working on coding exercises and assignments.
This practical experience is particularly effective for gaining expertise in data science.
DataCamp Instructors and Planners
Apart from that, DataCamp has an interactive approach that enables professors or teachers to complement teaching and allows students to accelerate their learning with popular real-world data sets.
DataCamp is a system of over 270 data science industry experts. They collaborate closely with instructors and teachers to help them during the course development operation and take responsibility for their work.
There is a glitch here: You can not contact them directly to answer queries or make general comments.
DataCamp Community
DataCamp has a highly active community. It communicates through Slack and has multiple channels and provisions to send direct messages to colleagues who can address concerts. If this doesn’t work, you can submit a support request.
Codecademy Teaching Methodology
Like DataCamp, Codecademy offers engaging and interactive coding challenges. These exercises are very important if you seek proficiency in programming languages and web development.
Codecademy Instructors And Planners
Codecademy employs hundreds of people to plan, create, and publish its course catalog. Its methodology suggests that behind each course is not just one person but a team and a platform.
Codecademy courses include explanations, instructions, and even hints, but for many sprouting developers, those don’t replace the intimate discussions they may need.
Codecademy Community
Codecademy is famous for its community, which includes forums, chapters, debates, and various events. Your first introduction to the community will be the lessons you take. Codecademy has special Discord channels divided into onboarding, discussion, help, and career paths.
3. DataCamp vs Codecademy Pricing And Subscription Models
Here is the comparison of the pricing structures of DataCamp and Codecademy.
Let’s explore how their subscription models and course offerings align with individual budgetary needs and learning objectives.
DataCamp Pricing
DataCamp offers a more flexible, lower-cost alternative to full-time, intensive programs.
| Feature | Basic | Premium | Teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | $0 | $13 per month billed annually | Real-world project |
| Access to full course library | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Community support | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| All courses | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Quizzes | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Personalized practice | Limited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Skill paths | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Real world project | Limited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Certificates | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Career paths | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
- Basic plan: This plan provides every first chapter free of cost and allows you to create a free professional profile and access job boards. It is best for beginners who want to explore areas to find their optimum career.
- Premium plan: This is DataCamp’s most popular plan and includes access to all of its courses, practice challenges, and additional features.
- Team plan: This plan offers all the features of the Premium plan, plus it allows you to manage a group, view learning activities, track your process, and license management tools.
Datacamp Student Discounts And Offers
DataCamp offers multiple discounts throughout the year. Right now, the active discount you can get is 50% off the DataCamp Student discount and up to 75% off yearly subscriptions to Learn Premium, Workspace Premium, and Recruit Pro plans.
However, the best deal is the DataCamp 6-month free subscription for teachers and students, which can be renewed repeatedly.
Datacamp Refund Policy
It is essential to remember that DataCamp offers no refunds. Its auto-renewal feature mechanically renews your membership payment, but you can cancel your subscription at any time.
You can request a refund within 14 days of your purchase if you want a refund.
Codecademy Pricing
As skill and career paths function like boot camps, you’ll need a paid membership to access them.
| Features | Basic | Plus | Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | $0 | $14.99 per month billed annually | $19.99 per month billed annually |
| Access to free course | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Community support | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| All courses | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Quizzes | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Personalized practice | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Skill paths | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Real world project | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Certificates | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Career paths | ❌ | ❌ | ✔️ |
- Basic plan: This plan gives free access to selected courses and content. It is precisely for beginners who want to explore potential career areas.
- Plus plan: This plan offers the features of the Basic plan and provides access to all courses, quizzes, and projects in the Codecademy catalog, including skill paths.
- The Codecademy Plus may be a good option for students interested in learning specific skills like Java.
- Pro plan: This plan builds upon the Plus plan by offering access to career resources, peer-reviewed coding projects, portfolio-building opportunities, and career paths.
This plan is the best option for individuals seeking entry-level jobs in a particular career trajectory.
Codecademy Student Discounts And Offers
Selected US, UK, and Canada groups, including military personnel, first responders, and healthcare workers, can get 50% off annual Pro and Plus memberships.
In addition, through the Student Pro discount, college students can access all Pro features for over 35% off the regular price.
Codecademy Refund Policy
Codecademy does not grant refunds for subscriptions.
However, Codecademy has Pro and Plus subscriptions that you can cancel to avoid renewal and prevent future billing.
This cancellation will deactivate your subscription at the end of your current billing cycle and save you from unforeseen charges on your card.
If you sign up for a free trial, you’ll be billed exactly after seven days unless you cancel your trial before its end date.
4. Industry Recognition And Certification
DataCamp and Codecademy give certificates of completion and acknowledgment.
Let’s highlight how these certifications are valued by employers and professionals in the tech and data science fields for career advancements and skill validation.
DataCamp Certifications
In 2024, DataCamp added Professional Certifications to its catalog of courses. Right now, it offers Data Scientist and Data Analyst Professional Certifications.
These certifications are designed to prepare you to be job-ready for these particular roles.
They are created in collaboration with industry leaders and will demonstrate to employers that you have the necessary skills.
You can earn a statement of accomplishments for the rest of the other courses at DataCamp.
A DataCamp learner shared their experience of an interview on Quora. This is what they stated:
“I would say DataCamp does a great job teaching you a class and showing you what’s out there. Now, you actually need to practice the skills that came from there, or they will be wasted after a month or so. In any Data Science interview in which they ask me to do a coding assignment, I always used the cleaning & pipelining classes I learned in DataCamp.”
Kevin Kurek, DataCamp user.
Source: Quora
Codecademy Certifications
Codecademy offers certificates of completion with a paid membership plan when you complete a course or path. This certificate acts as an acknowledgment.
Codecademy’s certificates are recognized in a way that they hold value for potential employers; it should be kept in mind that universities or education departments do not accredit Codecademy certificates.
A Codecademy learner shared their thoughts on Quora. This is what they said about Codecademy certifications.
“Codecademy may not count for much because it tends to be used to learn the basics of something. But that’s the thing about certification-they’re ultimately learning opportunities.“
Rajesh Sampathkumar, Codecademy learner
Source: Quora
DataCamp vs. Codecademy Comparison Summary
DataCamp and Codecademy both shine in offering thorough e-learning experiences in data science and programming.
| Comparison Summary | DataCamp | Codecademy |
|---|---|---|
| Areas where it excels | Offers a comprehensive range of data science courses and career tracks, with interactive learning experiences. Newly introduced Professional Certifications add value for job readiness in the data science community. | Provides structured learning paths and career tracks in diverse programming languages and tech fields. |
| Areas for Improvement | By offering accredited certificates to enhance their recognition. | Reducing the cost of its courses to make them more accessible to learners. |
Note: Your chosen platform will ultimately depend entirely on your learning goals, preferences, and career aspirations.
Datacamp or Codecademy: User Reviews
Upon my research for writing this review, I also wanted to include other user’s opinions and experiences. Hence, I went to Reddit and found this amazing thread. A user shared their experience after using both the platforms:
Another user shared how Datacamp helped them with their learnings.
In addition, a user also shared how they picked Datacamp over Codecademy.
Related Read:
My Verdict: The “DataCamp” tool is best for Professional Certifications!
DataCamp and Codecademy are two popular virtual academic platforms specializing in coding and data science.
However, Datacamp is the better alternative here as it offers extensive data science courses and professional certifications, while Codecademy provides a structured learning program in different programming languages.
Another factor that makes DataCamp an alluring option is its starting price, which is $13 per month on annual billing. The starting price for Codecademy is $14.99, slightly higher than DataCamp.
In addition, DataCamp offers 50% off Discounts for students, making it more affordable than Codecademy.
You should explore DataCamp to specialize in data science or opt for Codecademy if you prefer a broader range of programming languages.
Start your learning journey today to improve your skills and achieve your goal!
FAQs
If you need a guided course, then DataCamp is the better option. This is because DataCamp has more instructor-led lessons and projects. On the other hand, Codecademy offers fewer guided courses.
Even though DataCamp certificates are not accredited by any university or education department, they prove your data science skills.
Codecademy is one of the best platforms for learning the fundamentals of the Python programming language.
