Codecademy Versus Datacamp

Table of Contents

• Codecademy vs DataCamp: Curriculum Comparison
• Codecademy Cost vs. Datacamp Cost
• Time Commitment
• Learning Style
• Community & Support
• Further Reading

Codecademy and Datacamp both offer on-demand data science classes that run on monthly subscriptions delivered entirely on an online platform. Both schools offer multiple career tracks, which include portfolio projects. And these tracks can take students from total beginners to entry-level, job-ready roles as Data Scientists, Data Analysts, Programmers, Data Engineers, or Machine Learning Scientists. So, which online platform is best for you – Codecademy or Datacamp? Let’s see how they compare to each other in terms of curriculum, cost, focus, time commitment, and learning style.

Codecademy vs Datacamp: What You Need to Know

• Codecademy and Datacamp have similar price points, but Codecademy Pro is slightly less expensive than DataCamp Premium.

• Both teach Data Science and also offer individual courses on data science topics like machine learning and data visualization. Datacamp offers paths tailored towards those just starting out in data science and those looking to advance their data science skill set. Each offers a certificate of completion.  

• Both are delivered entirely online and self-paced. Codecademy and Datacamp use interactive coding challenges and text-based tutorials along with projects and video introductions to deliver their curriculum through different online platforms. They each offer in-platform code analysis and instructor support at various stages of the curriculum. Codecademy offers additional resources like cheatsheets, livestream videos, and blog articles that include interviews with actual data professionals. 

• Codecademy and Datacamp both have their own student communities. Codecademy uses Facebook and forums while Datacamp uses a third-party chat service and an internal forum. 

Codecademy vs DataCamp: Curriculum Comparison

Codecademy Pro and Datacamp both offer paid, career-focused paths as well as separate skills paths. They are designed to prepare students for entry-level positions with no prior experience required. Codecademy offers one Career Path for Data Science while Datacamp has 14 different Data Science Career Tracks. 

Both platforms offer certificates upon completion of their career paths and badges or points for the completion of their skills paths. They both cover R, Python, data cleaning, web scraping, SQL, data visualization, spreadsheets, and more. Datacamp offers shorter, more detailed courses and skills tracks on each language and subject, including data visualization tools for their premium subscribers. Codecademy also has Skills Paths but they’re longer and cover similar concepts across multiple languages or tools instead of one. 

Our Takeaway: The curriculum style is very similar. The major differences are the level of detail for Skills courses. 

Codecademy Cost vs. Datacamp Cost

Codecademy and Datacamp operate on monthly subscriptions and each offer free versions. You can pause or cancel your subscription at any time with Codecademy. Datacamp offers monthly and annual subscriptions. You can pause Datacamps monthly subscription, but not your annual subscription. 

Codecademy Pro: $19.99/mo

• Interactive lessons and daily practice

• Unlimited mobile practice on the mobile app

• Real-world Codecademy projects

• Step-by-step guidance

• Peer support via private Facebook group and Codecademy forums

• Members-only content

Codecademy Free vs. Pro

Codecademy also offers free basic courses and limited practice exercises on their mobile app. 

Datacamp Standard: $25/mo

• Access to all courses

• Access to all career tracks

• Access to all skill tracks

• Unlimited Skill Assessments

• All mobile app courses and practice

• Community chat

• 7 projects

Datacamp Premium: $33.25/mo

• All standard content

• 82 projects

• Tableau, Power BI, and Oracle content

• Live Sessions

• Priority Support

Our Takeaway: Codecademy offers a great value if you’re on a budget or want skills courses with more comprehensive content. Datacamp is more expensive, but offers more detailed, nitty-gritty skills courses as well as a wider variety of skill and career paths. 

Time Commitment

Both Codecademy and Datacamp are self-paced. You can take the courses anytime, anywhere, and on-demand. 

Codecademy expects students will take about 35 weeks to complete their Data Science Career Path. Their Skill Paths take anywhere from 6-10 weeks. 

Datacamp offers 14 different Career Tracks with hourly estimates for each that range from 62-115 hours. Their 51 Skill Tracks range from 4-10 hours each. 

Our Takeaway: Datacamp and Codecademy offer different levels of detail in their curriculum. Datacamp may take you less time per course, but will go over the essential details for that one language by dedicating an entire course to it. Codecademy takes slightly longer and offers a more all-encompassing, high-level curriculum in one path. 

Learning Style

Codecademy and Datacamp deliver their curriculum in a similar way. 

They both offer:

• Roadmaps

• Video introductions to topics

• Split screen coding environment within the browser that has descriptions and step-by-step instructions

• Primarily text-based lessons

• Instant feedback from an automated code-checker

• Mobile app for practice

• Assessments

• Projects

The major difference between Codecademy and Datacamp is the level of detail within their courses and the projects that they offer. Codecademy offers just one Data Science Career Path with a longer time commitment and broader range of languages, skills, tools, and concepts covered. Datacamp offers multiple career paths, which cover one language and a few concepts and tools in a shorter amount of time. 

Datacamp has fewer projects built into each of their courses. With the Datacamp program,  there are step-by-step instructions, the ability to get hints, and the option to submit your code for feedback from an instructor. You’ll earn points for everything you get correct and lost points for anything you’ve gotten wrong. On the other hand, Codecademy has more projects, one for each language, with some guidance but less help. They offer a similar example and text-based instructions for the project. Hints are offered in some of the more complex parts of the courses. 

Our Takeaway: Codecademy and Datacamp are for verbal learners who learn by reading. Codecademy is better for those who learn by doing and Datacamp is better for someone who wants step-by-step instructions for each portion of a project or course. 

Community & Support

Codecademy and Datacamp each offer support through student forums and a community chat. You’ll be able to ask questions and receive help from your peers and instructors. With Datacamp’s premium subscription you’ll also receive live sessions and extra support. Codecademy offers a private Facebook group for convenient access to the community. 

Our Takeaway: If you want more support more quickly, Datacamp will be your best bet. Codecademy is great if community answers work for you! 

Bootcampers who used Codecademy 

• Anna of Hackbright Academy

• Caitlyn of Thinkful

Bootcampers who used Datacamp

• JK of Springboard

Further Reading

• 15 Minute Intro: Data Visualization

• 5 Python Projects Built by Bootcampers

• Python: What Beginners Need to Know