Dataquest Review: How good is it for data science?

Name: There are better providers
Item: Dataquest Review: How good is it for data science?
Rating: 6
Author: Nancy

Nancy February 15, 2024 3844 0

Is your goal to become a data analyst or a data scientist? Or do you just need to build programming or analytical skills to get a promotion? Dataquest serves for both goals. However, is it really worth signing up? Let’s find out in this Dataquest review.

What is Dataquest?

Dataquest, as it’s clear from the company’s name, is an online course provider focused on learning Data. Particularly working with such programming languages as R, Python, and SQL as the most common option when it comes to analyzing data.

7Expert Score

There are better options

There are better platforms for learning data-related skills with more courses and a lower price.

Evaluation Criteria	Score
Content quality	4/5 Structured courses, practical applications, text-based content, advancing complexity. Instructors are not specified.
Convenience	4/5 Self-paced courses with text-based content
Free content	2/5 Free tier with limited access to lessons, practice problems, and community features.
Career development	4/5 7 career paths with a satisfaction guarantee, ensuring career progression or refund.
External score	4.79/5 Course Report 4.85/5 Switch Up 3.9/5 Trustpilot 4.2/5 Career Karma

Positive

Good content
Less theory, more practicing
Projects are close to real-life cases

Negatives

System bugs
Fewer courses and projects than its main competitor, Datacamp, offers
Is more expensive than its main alternative

Check its main alternative—DataCamp

DataCamp is our choice over Dataquest.

Try Datacamp

DataCamp

It offers more courses and projects at a cheaper cost while working more smoothly.

Dataquest reviews from Reddit

Most reviews of Dataquest available on the Internet point out similar pros and cons.

As for the strengths, this provider has a high level of content and exercises are good enough to build coding skills.

As for the negatives, the system often lags, so it may take more time to get the feedback and generally it makes the process slower. Moreover, the complaints tell about the high prices of Dataquest as the disadvantage, when compared with competitors like Datacamp. Finally, Dataquest reviews uncover the fact that career coaching, which is a premium service, is not really worth paying as it’s about getting feedback and advice on the inner forum which is furthermore not really active.

Here are some of the points mentioned by other users.

Course Quality:

Users appreciate the structure of the courses, noting that exercises build on each other and culminate in a project that utilizes all the learned skills.
The platform is praised for making users think and act on what they’ve learned, with practical applications.
The content is considered well-explained, especially for subjects like SQL, command line, Git, and statistics.
Some users found the initial lessons basic but acknowledged that they quickly advanced to more complex and useful content.

Price:

The price is mentioned as steep, but users note that there are often 50% off sales.
Some users opted for a multiple-year subscription due to their time constraints and the perceived long-term value of the content.

Time Commitment:

Users with full-time jobs and other commitments find the pacing flexible enough to fit their schedules.
The time to complete courses can vary, with some users taking extensive notes to aid in retention, which slows their progress but is seen as beneficial for long-term learning.

Learning Style:

Dataquest’s learning style is hands-on, with a focus on exercises rather than video content, which some users prefer.
The platform offers hints and answers for exercises, and example projects to help with data analysis and report writing.
The absence of video content is noted, but the platform compensates with animations and interactive materials.
Community engagement through newsletters and forums is highlighted as a positive aspect of the learning experience.

Here are some of the sources for these reviews:

Dataquest Features

Dataquest’s content is built on practicing. It has different types of content, including such levels as paths, courses, missions, and even smaller chunks of information like ‘screens.’ Also, one of the main features is that Dataquest doesn’t have videos – a student is provided with the written information and exercises to practice that topic.

You read the information on the topic, instructions on the tasks and then, you just jump right in the coding. After the task is submitted, a student gets immediate feedback on their work.

So, when enrolling in the learning path, a student immediately starts by writing the code in the browser and gets points if this is correct. The result is checked automatically right after you print the answer and click the ‘Submit answer’ button.

Dataquest Pricing

Pricing options are quite simple as there are three packages. They are a premium monthly plan which costs $49 and a premium annual package available for $33.25 per month. There is also a lifetime subscription for $1,176.

Also, you can use this platform at no cost as a free trial; however, the paid version unlocks such options as missions where you get feedback and projects. The paid subscription includes such services as guided projects, community, and the support, and also career coaching.

Moreover, there is a Team licensing with full access to all courses and user switch option for $283 per licence annually.

Dataquest Career Paths

To start with, the path in Dataquest is a list of courses needed to be accomplished on a way to a particular career. The company has 7 career paths to choose from:

Data Scientist [in Python] (includes 38 courses and 25 projects)
Data Analyst in Python (27 courses and 16 projects)
Data Engineer (22 courses / 13 projects)
Data Analyst in R (23 courses / 16 projects)
Business Analyst with Power BI (15 courses / 7 projects)
Business Analyst in Tableau (14 courses / 7 projects)
Junior Data Analyst (19 courses / 12 projects)

Data Scientist [in Python]

This career path teaches the fundamentals of Python, SQL, and Git. This one covers such topics as data analysis and visualization, probability and statistics and also data mining, web scraping, APIs and others.

This path is very similar to ‘Data Analyst in Python’; however, this one also has Machine Learning and Deep Learning, Linear Algebra and Linear Regression, Natural Language Processing, and others among the topics revealed.

What is also worth mentioning, Dataquest has a list of Data Science Projects to polish the skills. The provider offers a list of projects for practicing. Among them are ones like Predicting Car Prices, Analyzing Startup Fundraising Deals From Crunchbase, Analyzing NYC High School Data, and many others.

Data Analyst in Python

This path by Dataquest uncovers how to write code in Python and how to use this programming language to analyze and visualize data. Among the courses which are available in this path are fundamentals of Python itself and its libraries like Pandas & NumPy. Also, it includes techniques for visualizing and cleaning data. Moreover, it has statistics, probability, and SQL as separate courses.

Data Scientist in Python

The path teaches the fundamentals of Python, SQL, and Git. This one covers such topics as data analysis and visualization, probability and statistics and also data mining, web scraping, APIs and others.

Data Analyst in R

This path is aimed at teaching how to clean, visualize, and generally work with data using R. It includes such courses as Data Structures, Functions, Strings and Dates in R, SQL basics, APIs and Web Scraping, statistics and probability and even basics of Machine Learning.

Data Engineer

The path covers working with data using Python and SQL. It teaches how to find and utilize efficient algorithms when building a data pipeline. The path also helps to discover such Python libraries as NumPy and Pandas which are commonly used when working with data.

Business Analyst with Power BI

This career path provides learners with essential skills in Power BI, SQL, and Excel for data analysis. Participants will acquire practical skills to analyze data effectively, communicate insights, and make data-driven decisions. The path covers data analysis in Excel, SQL fundamentals, data visualization in Power BI, and preparation for the Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst certification PL-300.

Business Analyst with Tableau

The path is design to equip students with practical business analytical skills, including SQL, Excel, and Tableau. By the end of the course the learners acquire the knowledge on building effective data visualizations, analyze data, share analytical insights, and make data-driven decisions. The path includes the preparation for the official Tableau Desktop Specialist Certification.

Junior Data Analyst

This is a beginner-friendly path is for learners aspired to launch a data analyst career. It teaches Excel, SQL, and Python skills required to articulate insights, analyze data, and make data-driven decisions. Starting with Excel, the students are gradually introduced to SQL, learning how to handle, query, and explore data from various sources. Finally, learners study the foundations of statistical analysis, data visualization, and programming with a focus on Python.

Dataquest Courses

There are about 110 courses centered on working with data. While this company has a focus on long-duration ways of learning like career paths, it also has some short courses to offer. Among them are different classes on R, Python, and SQL for all levels but more of them are for beginners. On Dataquest, you can sign up for courses like Pandas and NumPy Fundamentals, Storytelling Through Data Visualization, Statistics Intermediate: Averages and Variability – just to name a few.

Dataquest for Data Science

Dataquest has various options for learning data science. The first option is to choose of one of seven paths with multiple courses and projects and get job-ready for the selected career and a certificate in 3-9 months. Alternatively, you can learn a data-science related skill with 4-12 courses (SQL Fundamentals, Machine Learning with Python, Probability and Statistics, Data Analysis in Excel, etc.) or take a separate course you are interested in (Python, Command Line, Hypothesis Testing in R, etc).

Will Dataquest help you with your career?

Dataquest states that they have assisted thousands of learners in launching new careers in data. The platform offers valuable resources and guidance for career development in data science. By diligently following their structured learning paths, individuals can expect to acquire mastery in data skills, thus enhancing their career prospects. Moreover, Dataquest’s satisfaction guarantee offers career path graduates a full refund in they are not happy with the outcome.

Dataquest Alternatives

Datacamp

To start with, both companies are centered on learning how to work with data by using Python, R, or SQL. However, Datacamp offers a wider range of options, including career tracks like Quantitative Analyst, Machine Learning Scientist, Statistician and also separate courses on Spreadsheet and Shell (which Dataquest doesn’t have). They both have a similar way of learning and even the interface to practice coding has lots in common. Moreover, both companies generally have two types of learning, longer options (paths/tracks) and smaller (courses) and they incorporate real-life projects to build the skills.

As for the content, Datacamp’s exercises may be simpler than Dataquest’s. However, the platform works without lagging (which is often a concern of Dataquest’s users) and the interface is more polished.

When it comes to the price, Datacamp is cheaper than Dataquest’s subscription.

Read the full review of Datacamp or the detailed Datacamp vs Dataquest comparison.

Codecademy

When comparing those providers, Codecademy has quite a wide list of courses and they are not limited to working with data. While Dataquest includes content on just three programming languages which are best for data analysis, Codecademy has almost all the most popular coding languages, from Javascript to C++.

As for the commons, both companies have skill paths that consist of separate courses as well as just single courses.

Comparing the pricing policy, Codeacedemy has a free subscription option as well as a paid plan which is much cheaper ($16 per month) than Dataquest’s packages.

Read the full review of Codecademy.

Udacity

Both companies offer programs which consist of courses to become a specialist in a particular field as well as just single courses. While both companies have programs focused on Data Analysis and Data Science, Udacity has many more options to offer, including different programming languages and business-related subjects like marketing or product management.

As for the price, Udacity has a program-based pricing policy, however, you can also pay monthly. This company is more expensive than Dataquest (average price is $300-400 per month) but you also get more services like technical mentor support and career coaching (which is provided on a higher level than by Dataquest).

Read the full review of Udacity.

Wrap-up: Is Dataquest good?

Based on all the aspects we have reviewed, this platform is a decent option for learning data skills but not as good as its competitors like Datacamp or Codecademy.