DataCamp vs Codecademy: One for Data Science, One for Programming
Datacamp or Codecademy, which is better for you? Both companies are good but the choice depends on your needs: DataCamp is better for data-related skills and learning Python, while Codecademy is better for learning general programming. Probably the main difference between the two companies is that DataCamp specializes in data-related subjects like data analysis and data science; thus, the company mainly offers Python and R courses for solving different tasks. Meanwhile, Codecademy is being positioned as a platform for learning programming skills without any specific focus; so, it has a huge number of programming languages that are all beginner-friendly. At the same time, their price point is very similar. Also, they have a similar learning style.
Let’s now find out more in this detailed side-by-side analysis.
Codecademy and DataCamp are very popular options for learning programming skills. If you come here, you probably want to figure out what platform is better for your needs. So, this article is for you to make a choice between the two companies and their courses. Let’s dive into this Codecademy vs DataCamp comparison to understand all the nuances of what you’ll get with these e-learning platforms.
Datacamp vs Codecademy comparison at a glance
| DataCamp | Codecademy | |
| Focus | Data science, data analysis | General programming skills |
| Programming languages | Python, R, SQL | HTML & CSS, JavaScript, Java, Python, R, SQL, Ruby, C, C#, C++, R, PHP, Go, Swift, Kotlin |
| Courses | over 400 courses | over 300 courses |
| Skill paths | over 50 skill paths | over 50 skill paths |
| Career path | 15 career tracks | 12 career paths |
| Projects | yes | yes |
| Community | yes | yes |
| Price | free or $25-39 / mo | free or $17-35 / mo |
Codecademy has a wider focus when it comes to learning programming skills. It offers basic courses on almost all programming languages. At the same time, DataCamp is focused on specific subjects–data science and data analysis. Thus, it offers a number of courses on R and Python for different business purposes. Having such a narrow focus, the company has more courses on its platform, compared to Codecademy.
Meanwhile, both online companies offer two types of learning, career paths (in Codecademy or tracks in Datacamp) which consist of more courses and therefore take more time to complete and skill paths (skill tracks) which are a shorter set of classes.
As for the price, both providers have a free basic subscription plan and a premium option.
So let’s recap the advantages and disadvantages of both e-learning companies.
DataCamp is a better option for learning subjects like data science and data analysis. Also, there are more career options and a convenient coding environment.
Codecademy has more programming languages to learn and more free courses.
To get detailed information about each company, check out this review of DataCamp or this review of Codecademy if you want more information on each company.
About Datacamp and Codecademy
DataCamp is an established online platform that has over 10 million learners across 180+ countries. It provides an extensive selection of over 450 courses and also more in-depth longer programs covering subjects such as Data Science, Data Analysis, Machine Learning, Python and R programming, etc. Moreover, DataCamp offers dozens of projects to get hands-on experience, Professional Certificates as a way to prepare for getting into a technical field, and additional career services. Finally, it offers a number of corporate learning features like an admin dashboard, team performance reports, skill metrics, and more.
Codecademy, having over 50 million learners across 190+ countries is also a well-known e-learning company. It specializes in teaching coding, along with subjects like Computer Science and Web Design. It doesn’t just deliver courses but also offers career-oriented paths and skill development to prepare individuals for specific job roles. Codecademy provides a huge collection of free courses and also a lot of paid in-depth programs with a certificate upon completion. The company also features options for employee training.
Datacamp vs Codecademy courses
To start with, these two companies have a slightly different focuses. Codeacademy is built around learning programming skills for different tasks and DataCamp’s focus is programming for data analysis.
Courses & programming languages
Codeacademy offers courses on a huge range of programming languages. It has at least one course for each popular programming language. So, it’s a good option if you want to learn the basics of the chosen programming language—the majority of such introductory courses are free. However, Codeacademy has a few courses on specific subjects like data analytics, and they are usually paid.
DataCamp is more narrow-focused. The company offers courses on three programming languages (Python, R, and SQL) and specializes in data-related skills. So, this platform is good if you want to learn the fundamentals of Python, R, or SQL as well as dive into a particular topic around data analysis or science. The company has also courses on Excel, Power BI, Tableau, and other tools needed for working with data. There’s a useful filter to find a programming language or topic.
Longer online programs
Meanwhile, both online companies offer two types of longer programs (set of single courses): career programs (career paths in Codecademy or career tracks in DataCamp) and skill programs (skill paths or skil tracks correspondingly); they are.
- Skill tracks (Skill paths). Skill tracks are a set of courses that are aimed at learning a particular skill or a number of related skills. These programs are shorter than career tracks (career paths). Both companies have over 50 skill tracks.
- Career tracks (Career paths). Career tracks are also set of single courses but this type of program is longer and is designed to prepare a person for starting a new career. Codeacademy offers 12 career paths, while DataCamp has 15 career tracks. If you go for Codecademy, you will need to choose the most expensive subscription to access this content, whereas DataCamp has one price for all programs and courses. Some career programs are similar on both platforms (like Data Analyst or Data Scientist), and some are completely different (like iOS Developer in Codecademy or Statistician in DataCamp).
Projects
Both companies have real-life projects to practice new skills. DataCamp has around 100 projects and almost all of them are guided. Codecademy has over 160 projects with a wider list of subjects. All in all, DataCamp is a better choice to practice data-related skills on real-life projects, while Codecademy is better for getting into the most popular programming languages.
Keynotes
Codecademy has a wider focus when it comes to the list of courses available. Particularly, there are programs on a bunch of different programming languages for different goals. Meanwhile, Datacamp has mainly R, Python, and SQL courses for the main purpose of working with data but it lets you dive deeper when it comes to data science or data analysis.
Learning style
The companies have quite similar learning styles and course structures. A typical course by both companies includes a theoretical part and practice where you need to type code. The main difference is probably that Datacamp introduces the concept using videos while Codecademy has written content fo this goal.
For the practice part, the two companies have very similar solutions. You will get a convenient and nice-looking interface for writing code. You will see a task on the left and will need to type your code on the right. Then you run the results to see what you get. If it’s correct, you can move on to the next task. The interface for coding is very similar by both companies.
Syllabus and time commitment
Let’s compare the two most in-demand courses on both platforms–Data Scientist. To start with, Codecademy’s program uses Python as a central programming language, whereas DataCamp has two Data Scientist tracks–Data Scientist with Python and Data Scientist with R. We will be comparing the first one with Codecademy’s career path.
The program by DataCamp includes 25 courses and 6 projects; it’s estimated to be completed in 96 hours of learning without additional self-learning (which means 24 weeks of learning 4 hours per week). The program by Codecademy includes 20 courses and 1 project; it is estimated to take 28 weeks to finish.
DataCamp’s Data Science program has a number of courses on Python and its libraries like pandas and Matplotlib. It covers such topics as importing and cleaning data, data visualization, and other aspects of data analysis. There are also 6 projects included: Investigating Netflix Movies and Guest Stars in The Office, The Android App Market on Google Play, A Visual History of Nobel Prize Winners, and others.
The program by Codecademy–Data Scientist: Analytics Specialist–is more of a mix between Data Science and Data Analysis. Also, it’s more diverse in terms of topics–Python is a central one but there are also courses on SQL, Tableau, and Excel. Thus, this career path is wider but less in-depth. The program includes 4 projects, including the U.S. Medical Insurance project.
Datacamp vs Codecademy pricing
Free content
Both companies have free plans so you can access all courses at no cost. But this is a very limited option–you are able to check the first chapters only. Meanwhile, there are completely free courses offered by both companies. Codecademy offers a lot more in terms of free content: it gives over 200 free short courses. Its competitor is not so generous offering less than 10 completely free courses.
Premium subscriptions
Both DataCamp and Codecademy have paid plans as well.
Codecademy has two premium plans: Plus and Pro. The first costs $17.49 and the second one is $22.49 if billed annually or $34.99 and $44.99 accordingly if billed monthly. These two premium subscriptions provide access to all courses and unlimited practice on mobile. The most expensive option also gives career options like access to career paths and technical interview prep.
DataCamp’s price is less diverse. It has a free subscription with access to the introduction of each course or a premium subscription. Its price is $39/mo if billed monthly or $25 if billed annually ($300/year). You don’t need to pay more for additional career opportunities like applying to jobs listed on the platform.
Additionally, both companies have discounts for students with the same offer. DataCamp’s price is $149.99/year and Codecademy’s is $149/year.
Finally, both companies have separate plans for teams with additional dashboards for group management.
| DataCamp | Codecademy | |
| Free plans | yes | yes |
| Monthly price (billed annually) | $25 | $17.49-$22.49 |
| Cost per year (billed annually) | $300 | $210-270 |
| Monthly price (billed monthly) | $39 | $34.99-$44.99 |
| Solutions for teams | $25 per user, monthly | $287 per user, yearly |
| Student price | $149.99/year | $149/year |
Keynotes
Companies have similar pricing models and provide basic content at no cost. The cost of the two companies is very similar but Codecademy offers more free content.
Career services
DataCamp offers additional services to help with finding a job afterward. The company gives support for creating a professional profile and provides access to jobs listed in its directory where each user can apply.
Codecademy offers a technical interview prep service with possible interview questions and code challenges.
Finally, with both companies, you earn a certificate upon completion, which you can use for your CV or LinkedIn profile.
Certificates
While earning a certificate is not a primary reason for taking a course, it’s still important for many customers as proof of course completion and a way to enhance your LinkedIn profile or CV.
DataCamp recently introduced Professional Certifications to its offerings, where you can find three options: Data Engineer, Data Scientist, and Data Analyst Professional Certifications. These programs, developed by Datacamp in collaboration with industry leaders, prepare learners for job-ready roles and demonstrate their skill sets to potential employers. Meanwhile, you can get a regular certificate upon completing a course on DataCamp.
Codecademy offers certificates of completion with its paid memberships upon successfully finishing a course or path. These certificates show your achievement and can be shared on Linkedin or your CV.
Options for business and teams
Both Datacamp and Codecademy cater to the needs of not only individual learners but also teams and businesses which is expected with the increased demand for employee training.
Datacamp provides two plans that convert business needs: Teams and Enterprise. The Team plan is tailored for a smaller user group ranging from 2 to 100 individuals. For larger businesses, the Enterprise plan offers custom pricing based on their specific requirements. Datacamp has successfully partnered with over 2,500 companies, including industry giants like Google, Microsoft, and eBay, to deliver employee training. Also, check out this page to see what Datacamp offers for business and request a demo to get more details.
Codecademy also offers business-oriented plans, namely Teams and Enterprise. The Team plan offers a smaller seat range, typically between 5 and 25 users. The Enterprise plan is custom-tailored for businesses with 25 or more employees. Codecademy allows a free trial for its Team plan and provides the option to request a demo for its Enterprise package.
Community and support
Both companies have communities where students are able to ask questions, get help with assignments, and just stay connected.
Codecademy has its built-in student forum and also chats on discord.com. The company also hosts regular virtual events. If you opt for a Pro subscription and sign up for a career path, you’ll be able to join career path groups to connect with other students.
DataCamp also has an active Slack community, regular live events and groups. Even more, the company also allows creating your own groups for collaborative learning.
As for support, Codecademy offers priority customer support for Pro customers where you can get a response in up to 12 hours. Meanwhile, DataCamp also has support for paid users, but they respond in a shorter time.
Datacamp vs Codecademy: Bottom line
So, both companies are good and have a lot of similarities in what they offer; however, they have even more differences. DataCamp is good for those who want to dive into data science or data analysis and do it at an affordable cost. Codecademy is better for those who are beginners and want to learn a coding language for free (more advanced coding courses are paid and are more expensive than what DataCamp offers).
