Udemy vs. Codecademy: Which Learning Platform is Best?
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Online learning platforms have become increasingly popular recently, as they can be a lot more convenient, and the courses are a lot more accessible to people, from the comfort of their own homes. However, figuring out which learning platform to commit to, can be quite the decision, as they all have different pricing options, features, pros, and cons.
Codecademy is a platform that focuses on courses related to coding, so it doesn’t really offer anything beyond those topics. Udemy, on the other hand, offers a little more variety, and also includes many courses about coding. Usually, when someone is between these two learning platforms, it is because they want to use those coding courses, but aren’t sure which to go for.
There’s a lot to consider when it comes to learning platforms, as you have to consider not only what they offer, but the quality of their courses and the price that they have. Plus a few other things. So let’s get started, and compare both platforms!
Udemy:
Udemy is an American online learning platform, which is aimed at professionals and students alike. It was founded in 2010, by Eren Bali, and it has since gained traction around the entire world, becoming a highly popular option for online courses.
It offers over 155 thousand courses, with 70 thousand instructors that impart said courses, in over 65 languages. There are courses that cover many different topics of study, with most of them being aimed at improving job-related skills. So just like most other competitors’ online learning platforms, Udemy is there to help you gain and enhance skills to further your professional career.
Some of the courses on Udemy also generate credit, which goes towards receiving a technical certification, so that you can prove the skills and knowledge acquired. Udemy has also made a conscious effort of attracting different corporate trainers, to create coursework for employees on the learning platform, so that they gain more users.
Codecademy:
Codecademy is an American online learning platform, which is majorly popular amongst those that are wanting to learn coding skills. It offers different coding classes, for free, in 12 different programming languages. These include Python, Java, Go, JavaScript, Ruby, SQL, C++, C#, Swift, Sass, HTML, and CSS.
As these coding classes are free, Codecademy has become one of the most popular go=to platforms for e-learning in regards to coding skills. However, it also offers a paid option for Premium content, in which you then gain access to more of its tools. Some of these Pro tools include personalized learning plans, quizzes, and different projects to test your acquired skills.
The platform was founded in 2011 by Zach Sims and Ryan Bubinski, and has since expanded with its partnerships and features so that it is used by people worldwide. It’s known as one of the best options for the independent learning of programming and coding languages, and despite not offering much beyond that, it remains quite competitive among other learning platforms.
| Udemy | Codecademy | |
| Pricing Options | Between $0 and $200, you pay for each course individually. Some courses are free. | All classes are free. $19.99 a month for the Pro features. $199 for the Codecademy Pro Intensive |
| Features | Online videos with adjustable settings.Additional materials.All content is downloadable.Q&A section to resolve questions about the lectures.Certificate of completion awarded after each course. | Personalized learning features Mobile App for additional learning toolsQuizzes and practicing skills on projectsFeedback Certificate of completion (only for Codecademy Pro Intensive) |
| Usability | Highly intuitive. Very easy to purchase the courses and download the additional materials.Navigating the selection of courses is also made very easy thanks to the different categories. | Not as intuitive, requires some getting used at the beginning. However, the layout is very professional, and navigating through the different courses is easy enough. |
| Conclusion | Best for hobbyists and students looking to kick start new skills. | Best for professionals and those looking to acquire skills for their career. |
Pricing options:
The pricing options of an online learning platform can be the make or break when deciding whether you use them or not. So let’s take a look at how much both Udemy and Codecademy cost.
Udemy:
The Udemy online learning platform doesn’t work by having a monthly payment via a subscription or anything like that. Creating an account on the platform is actually free.
Instead, you pay for each course individually. That way, you’re paying for the courses you want and ignoring the rest. Although, there are also plenty of courses on Udemy that are completely free!
This is because Udemy acts as a hub for instructors to offer their courses on different skills and knowledge. The price for each course is therefore established by each instructor. Prices can range between $9 and $200. Once you pay for a course, you will usually gain lifelong access to it.
Codecademy:
Codecademy is mostly known for being an online learning platform that offers all of its basic coding courses and classes for free. No need to subscribe, and no need to pay for them individually, they’re just there to be used.
However, you can then pay for Codecademy Pro, which gives you access to many pro features that can’t be accessed through just the basic free courses. These pro features include things such as personalized learning plans, quizzes to test what you’re learning, and others. Codecademy Pro is a monthly subscription priced at $19.99.
There is then another pricing option, which is the Codecademy Pro Intensive. This is priced at $199, and it is essentially an intensive program that will teach you many different skills and knowledge on a specific subject so that you are able to use it in full by the end of it. It’s sort of like a Premium intensive course that will teach you many classes worth of the subject.
Comparison:
Both Udemy and Codecademy have classes available for free, which is great as it means you can test out both platforms without having to pay before you decide which one to commit to.
The main difference is that the paid content in Udemy is paid individually for every course, with the price set by the instructor. While the paid content on Codecademy is a monthly subscription that gives you access to the Pro features.
You can do a lot more on Codecademy without paying, while you will have to pay for all the courses you’re interested in Udemy unless they’re free, only that the free ones tend to be very basic introductions.
Features:
Different online learning platforms offer different features, although most of them have pretty common basic features that are the norm for e-learning.
Let’s look at what Udemy offers, and at what Codecademy offers so that you can choose the one most suited to your needs and preferences.
Udemy:
Udemy offers plenty of features that are there to ensure you are able to utilize the courses in the best way possible, so that the learning experience is as suited to you as possible, adapting to your needs. Here are some of the main features:
- Video quality:
You can adjust the quality of the video in the video settings, which is very useful. If the course has added options for subtitles, you can also enable those, which is a highly requested feature in most online learning platforms.
Just bear in mind that it might depend on each course, as each course is added by the instructor.
- Video playback speed:
You can also adjust the speed of the videos in the course. Whether you want them to go slower, or faster, you can adjust them in the settings for the best viewing experience.
- Downloadable lecture resources:
Most Udemy courses will include various additional materials that are completely downloadable, and they serve as extra content or extra support to learn about the subject at hand.
- Downloadable lectures:
All lectures from your Udemy courses are downloadable. This way, you can access them anywhere and anytime, whether you have access to the internet or not.
It can make learning a lot more convenient and adapts to more needs. Of course, you are expected to keep the lectures to yourself, as a paying user, and to not share them with others.
- Q&A section to resolve doubts, issues, and start-up discussions:
Udemy has a handy Questions and Answers section, corresponding to each course and topic. It’s there for you to ask specific questions about the lecture, and receive answers from the instructor or other users.
Most questions will be answered by the instructor quite fast too, so any problems will be resolved for you to continue on with the learning.
- Certificate of completion:
After you complete each course, you receive a certification of completion that proves you have acquired those specific skills.
Codecademy:
All of the free content on Codecademy has the basic features that are to be expected from online learning platforms. Things such as videos, with adjustable settings, and some content to walk you through the different topics.
However, if you decide to pay for Codecademy Pro, you gain access to many more features that can help personalize your learning experience a lot more. Some of these features include:
- Personalized learning plan:
Depending on your learning goals and your topic interests, Codecademy will be able to offer you personalized learning paths that cover various courses and classes on specific topics, for a more complete knowledge.
- Quizzes:
These are great to track your progress and to test your knowledge, before advancing on to the next class or course.
- Real world projects:
There is no better way to test your knowledge than to apply it to practice. Codecademy offers projects in which you can put the programming and coding to use, in a realistic way.
- Practice your skills:
There is a special tab for practicing the skills acquired, in which you can find both quizzes and projects, for your daily dose of individual practice.
- Mobile App:
Codecademy has a mobile app that serves as an additional tool in the learning process, called ‘Codecademy Go’. It’s a great way for taking the learning platform with you wherever you go.
- Feedback from professionals and other students:
When you engage in the practice projects, you will be able to receive feedback from the professional developers themselves, as well as from other users and students on the platform. You can also exchange questions and answers, and start-up helpful discussions.
- Certificate of completion (only on Codecademy Pro Intensive):
Codecademy Pro Intensive is one of the paid options, which offers you an intensive full course that covers everything you need to know on a specific topic. At the end of this course, you will receive a certificate of completion to prove the acquired skill set.
Comparison:
Both platforms have quite a good range of useful features that make the learning experience a lot more convenient and easy to use.
However, most of the features from Codecademy come from subscribing to the Pro version of the platform, while all the features on Udemy are there regardless of whether you’re using paid courses or free courses.
Usability:
One of the most important factors in an online learning platform is how easy it is to use them.
After all, if you’re spending too much time trying to figure out how to utilize the courses, then you’re not spending your time actually making use of them and learning!
Not only that, online learning should be easy to access and should be clear and well-organized, so that there are no complications. Especially because you will be using it by yourself, from home. You can’t just walk up and ask them for help!
Let’s look at the usability of both platforms.
Udemy:
Udemy is very easy to use, and very easy to navigate when you’re searching for different courses to use. Registering to the platform and creating an account is completely free, so you can start by doing that.
Once you’ve found a course that you want to take, you can add it to your cart. Then you choose a payment method (if it’s a paid course, some of them are free), and it will be added to your list of courses on your profile for you to access at any time.
Navigating the course selection is easy, as you can browse by typing in a specific course name or topic, or you can filter by categories. These are the different categories:
- Topic:
This category will group different courses into different topics so that you narrow the search down to specific subjects to choose from. It’s the main category of search used and is very similar to just typing in a topic in the search bar.
- Level:
You can also search for courses based on the level of skill. So you can choose from beginner, intermediate, and advanced!
- Language:
This category will show you all of the courses available for each language that is used within the platform. Usually, most courses will be available in different languages. But just in case, you can search in your specific language to avoid any disappointments.
- Price:
Some courses on Udemy are free, while others are priced. And those that are priced can vary in price, as the price is set by each instructor. You can categorize the courses by free or pay for, and you can also search for specific price ranges within your budget.
- Star ratings:
This will categorize the courses according to their star rating, which is awarded by all the users that have taken the course. It’s a good way to search for higher-quality content.
- Video duration:
If you’re in a hurry and want a shorter course, you can search for it using this category.
- Features:
Searching according to features includes things such as the possibility of having subtitles, closed captions, quizzes, and additional material included with the course.
Codecademy:
Codecademy has a layout similar to that of other online learning platforms, although many users note that it looks a lot more professional, and therefore conveys a higher quality, which is always good.
However, Codecademy is a lot less intuitive to use, and a lot of users get stuck in how to navigate the main features. It takes some time to get used to how the platform works, so it’s not exactly easy to use right off at the start.
Basically, it requires some time and patience before you’re used to the system, and know how to make your way around. Not the best if you struggle with paying attention!
Once you’ve signed up and you’ve watched the short video that introduces the platform as a whole, you can make your way to two different main sections:
- The community section:
This is where you can join a ‘chapter’, which is basically a group of users from the platforms, coming together to discuss different topics and classes. Very much like a forum.
It is there to encourage a more interactive learning experience, providing feedback, posing questions, and even organizing meet-ups with other students to learn together.
- The full catalog:
The full catalog is where you can browse all of the different courses, and search for specific topics or classes. It has a very easy-to-navigate layout, compared to the rest of the platform, which makes it easy enough to find the classes you wish to take.
You can organize the available courses by different categories, much like with Udemy. However, what’s especially good about the layout in Codecademy, is that the course buttons have only the essential information until you click on them to view more. This clears up a lot of space on the page and makes it a bit less overwhelming.
Comparison:
Overall, Udemy is incredibly easy to use, and the layout is extremely intuitive, making it easy to find your way around the platform.
You can browse all of the courses available in different categories, or by typing in a specific topic. You then choose a course, add it to your cart, and begin using it!
Codecademy, on the other hand, is a lot less intuitive and takes some getting used to before you know your way around. However, it has a very professional layout, and the navigation to browse the different courses is very practical and simple.
Conclusion:
Both Udemy and Codecademy can be incredibly useful in helping you acquire different skills and knowledge, to take your professional career to the next step.
Udemy is essentially a hub in which instructors offer their courses at different prices, some of them for free. Codecademy focuses solely on programming and coding, and all classes are free.
However, to utilize the Pro features that will help personalize your learning experience, you will have to subscribe and pay a monthly fee.
All in all, Udemy is ideal for hobbyists and for students that are looking to discover new skills and courses that might help them advance their professional life. It’s easy to use and caters to a wide range of topics.
Codecademy, on the other hand, has a far more professional layout, aimed at those that require specific coding skills for their professional career. It takes some getting used to when you first start using it, but the content is very high quality.
About the Author Jacob M.
Jacob has a background in finance and engineering. Outside of his day job, he is a lifelong learner, who enjoys reading, taking online courses, and writing about what he's learned.
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