Which is better Codecademy or Coursera? 2025 Compparison

If you are looking to learn something new or to boost your skills in a certain industry such as coding, then you might be interested in taking up an online course.

Codecademy and Coursera are two of the most popular options – even so, which is better Codecademy or Coursera?

While they both have very similar pricing structures and offer courses that you can do in the comfort of your own home, do the certificates hold the same weight when it comes to applying for a job?

In this article, we shall take a look at both Codecademy and Coursera and find out which one is better.

What Is Codecademy?

Codecademy (see also ‘Is Codecademy Or Khan Academy Better?’) is an online platform that offers different technology courses for people to do without them having to leave their homes.

Some of these courses are free, but more often than not they need to be paid for.

The company’s mission is to make learning about computer-based skills fun and rewarding. They also offer courses that put the knowledge you have learned into practice by giving you practical lessons.

For example, you may be given the opportunity to build a website from scratch using the HTML knowledge you have acquired.

You can also learn about game development through Codecademy which is becoming more popular than ever. After all, more than 215 million Americans play video games.

What Courses Do Codecademy Offer?

Codecademy (see also ‘Which One Is Better Free Code Camp Or Codecademy?‘) began as a way to help beginners get into coding and other online-based jobs.

While that is still the case, it now offers advanced courses for those who want to push themselves for a better chance at getting a well paid role.

For example, it offers beginner-friendly lessons in the likes of Javascript, Ruby, Python and C++, but then you can do intermediate courses where you can apply what you have learned.

Or you can delve into more complicated coding work to advance your knowledge. If it is the tech industry you want to get into, then Codecademy has the course for you.

However, you can also take crash courses too, such as in Cybersecurity. And if you have a job in mind, for example as a Full-Stack Engineer, then you can take up a course designed for that purpose in mind.

How Much Does Codecademy Cost?

You can use Codecademy for free, whether that is the 7 day free trial, or choose the basic plan which does not cost a dime.

While this will give you access to the likes of beginner courses, and the forum to chat with other students, there are a number of things you will not be able to access.

These are a certificate for the completion of a course, content that is exclusive, projects, guidance, lessons that have interactivity, practice tools, and so on.

You can pay for Coursecademy in monthly installments of $39.99, or annually at a cost of $239.88. As a newbie, you will get the 7 day free trial.

What Is Coursera?

Just like Codecademy, Coursera is an online platform where you can take up a course to do from home without going into class.

It was founded by a couple of Computer Science professors who went to Stanford University.

The company has partnered up with some major colleges and brands such as Princeton, Yale, Google, Stanford, IBM, and Penn, just to name a few.

While this is impressive, it is the course options that can really tell a lot about an educational platform. They offer a wider range of courses compared to Codecademy.

For example, you can choose courses in Personal Development, Social Sciences, Computer Science, Arts and Humanities, and so much more.

What Courses Do Coursera Offer?

Before you begin looking for a course on Coursera, it can seem a little overwhelming due to the amount of information and courses that are available.

They offer everything from learning how to use Photoshop (see also ‘How Long Does It Take To Learn Photoshop?‘) and public speaking, to Medical Neuroscience and Machine Learning.

Some of these are in partnership with major universities and colleges across the world, rather than directly by Coursera.

They also offer what they call ‘upskilling’ programs which lets you take up courses with the likes of IBM and Google. No doubt that will look impressive on your resume.

How Much Does Coursera Cost?

Unsurprisingly, Coursera is a little more expensive than Coursecademy. Because you can do both bachelor’s and master’s degrees, you could potentially pay a few hundred dollars.

However, most courses cost up to $49 each, and you can pay an annual fee of $399 to have access to 90 percent of the courses on Coursera. That is over 3,000 different classes.

There is also a 7 day free trial on specialized courses, and programs that are longer. You can also audit a course too, however you will not be able to achieve a certificate or have the homework graded.

Pros and Cons of Codecademy

Pros

• Free courses
• Has forums for individual classes
• ‘Real-life’ projects
• 7 day free trial

Cons

• Limited on course subjects

Pros and Cons of Coursera

Pros

• Well-known partnerships
• Offers Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees
• 7 day free trial on particular subjects

Cons

• Expensive

Final Thoughts – Which One Is Better?

When it comes to using either Coursacademy or Coursera, it all depends on the type, of course, you would like to do and your budget.

Coursecademy offers technology-based courses that are fun and often interactive. If you want to move into the world of AI, game development, or coding, then this online platform is a great choice.

On the other hand, while Coursera is more expensive, they are backed by big names such as Google and Stanford, and offer courses that will look impressive on your resume.

If you want to invest in a full bachelor’s degree, then Coursera will be the one for you. They also have a wider range of subjects.

However, Coursecademy should be your first priority if you want community-based learning where you can get support from other people doing the same course as you.

They both offer great online learning opportunities.