Codecademy vs. Udacity: Which one is Worth the Money? (Coupons Inside)

Nowadays, you don’t have to go to a physical computer college to learn about computers. This is because you can have your lessons via an online-based learning platform. One key area that’s attracting interest around the globe is coding. There are so many job opportunities opened for coding experts. Another area that’s equally attractive is programming.

When thinking about the two computer fields, you have to mention two learning platforms; Codecademy and Udacity. This brings us to our title question: which one is worth the money? To answer this question, here’s a comparative review of the two:

About Codecademy

Codecademy refers to a cloud-based learning platform that offers comprehensive programming courses. Their prices are very competitive and they are quite popular because of their rich programming languages. In particular, they are well identified with Java and HTML. In addition to the two, they also offer Python, PHP, React.js, and SQL languages.

The interesting bit is that most of their courses are free. The few courses that you pay for were introduced recently and they come with additional perks like live support and tutorial. Since its launching in 2011, Codecademy has grown to attract over 25 million active users. The number is still growing.

Features

• Access to Student Community: The cloud-based platform allows users to access other students taking the same course so as they can support each other and interact.
• Free Lessons: Unless you are on Pro Plan where you pay for live tutorials, all other courses on Codecademy are free. Actually, there are hundreds of options to choose from.
• Free User Account: You don’t pay anything to sign up for a user account when you visit the Codecademy Website. This allows you to start a free course that you like almost immediately. All free options are available on site.
• Subscription: Even though most courses come free, you pay a starting fee of $49/month when on Pro Plan. The good news is that you can get 25% off Codecademy discount codes on CouponCause.com.
• Student badge: To motivate students once they began learning, Codecademy offers them a student badge. It shows all their achievements. The badge is displayed on your dashboard.

Pros

• Easy to set up a user account
• Free account sign up
• Some courses are exclusive to Codecademy
• Great interaction and constant feedback
• So many free courses
• Course progression is excellent

Cons

• Lack of real-life context
• No certifications for courses
• Not ideal for fast refreshers

About Udacity

Udacity refers to a university-style learning platform for online courses. They are particularly interested in helping career people improve in vocational areas. This is meant to boost their chances of landing better job opportunities. Udacity is actually younger than Codecademy. The online platform first launched in 2013, majoring in computer science and programming courses. By partnering with several universities, they have managed to grow to become a top contender in the online computer learning platform.

Like Codecademy, Udacity also offers free courses. However, their free lessons come with no live tutorials and minimal customer support. If you want the perks, then you have to pay. The good news is that they don’t have admission barriers. In terms of programming languages, they are popular with Java, SQL, Python, and HTML. Moreover you still can make use of Udacity newest coupon codes to score some discount.

Features

• Khan Academy Model: Udacity borrows its model of learning from Khan Academy. They offer general computer education. They simply create and teach their own content. So, you might not get the content you are taught on any other platform despite the courses looking similar.
• Fast-paced courses: A majority of courses on Udacity are short. They take roughly two weeks and are divided into beginner’s level and advanced level. So, you are the one to decide which level works for you depending on your computer knowledge and past course.
• Video lecturers: The learning sessions are quite interactive on Udacity since the lecturers are offered via videos.
• Free trial: Upon joining, Udacity gives you a 7-day free trial. This allows you to enjoy your payable course free for a week. By the time the free trial period elapses, you are can decide if to go ahead with the course or drop it.
• Subscription: Currently, there are two subscription packages. The first one is the individual cost and the second one is the Nanodegree course (which costs $200/month)

Pros

• Courses are simple and self-paced
• Fast feedback
• Tutorials are administered by professionals
• A wide selection of free courses
• Nanodegree options

Cons

• Inadequate user support
• Nanodegrees are expensive
• Limited revision resources

Which one is Worth the Money?

Both platforms are quite impressive, more so when it comes to free courses and programming languages. However, if you are looking for the right course to spend your money on, then you should go for Udacity. Though the Nanodegrees are expensive, you get quality tutorials and the courses are easy to understand.