15+ Best Codecademy Courses & Certifications Online in 2026

Last updated: October 2026. Written by Josh Hutcheson. Every path and course below was opened on Codecademy’s own catalog on 14 October 2026 to confirm its length, level, enrollment and the plan it needs. We did not take the courses ourselves; where a section cites learners’ views, it says so. See our review methodology. If you enroll through our links we may earn a commission, which never changes the ranking.

Codecademy has 848 catalog items, so the hard part is choosing. The short answer: start with a free course to see whether the in-browser format suits you, then pay for a plan only when you need a skill path, career path or certificate. The table below lists all 25 picks with the plan each one needs, and every section explains who it suits.

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What Codecademy costs in October 2026

Prices are from Codecademy’s pricing page on 14 October 2026. Annual plans include one complimentary workshop. Eligible high school and college students get Pro Student at over 35% off, and verified US, UK and Canadian veterans, military, first responders, healthcare workers and educators get 50% off annual Plus or Pro. Codecademy runs time-limited promotions too, so check the pricing page for the current offer before you pay.

Lengths, levels, ratings and enrollment counts are Codecademy’s own figures, read 14 October 2026. Prices, ratings and course versions change, so check the course page before you buy.

Jump to a section: 1. Build Python Web Apps with Django · 2. Build Web Apps with ASP.NET · 3. Full-Stack Engineer · 4. Front-End Engineer · 5. Create REST APIs with Spring and Java · 6. Machine Learning/AI Engineer Career Path · 7. Software Engineering for Data Scientists · 8. Design Databases With PostgreSQL · 9. Learn Microsoft Excel for Data Analysis · 10. Computer Science · 11. Learn Git & GitHub · 12. Code Foundations · 13. Introduction to UI and UX Design · 14. Learn Game Development with Phaser.js · 15. Build iOS Apps with SwiftUI · 16. BI Dashboards with Power BI · 17. Fundamentals of Cybersecurity · 18. Introduction to Project Management · 19. Fundamental Math for Data Science · 20. Foundations of Cloud Computing · 21. Introduction to DevOps · 22. Introduction to Linux · 23. Data Scientist Interview Preparation · 24. Pass the Technical Interview with JavaScript · 25. Pass the Technical Interview with Java.

1. Build Python Web Apps with Django

Skill path · 13 hours · Intermediate · 27,662 learners enrolled · Plan: Plus or Pro

This skill path teaches the Django framework on top of Python you already know. It starts with how the web works (requests, responses, HTML templates), then moves to Django models, views and templates, saving records to a database, handling forms and adding user authentication, and ends with deploying a project.

It is listed as intermediate for a reason: you should be comfortable with Python functions, classes and dictionaries first. If you are not, take Learn Python 3 (24 hours) before this path. Django is a sound choice when you want a full web app with an admin panel and authentication built in, rather than assembling those pieces yourself.

See also: other Django courses, Python courses, web development courses, machine learning courses.

View Build Python Web Apps with Django on Codecademy →

2. Build Web Apps with ASP.NET

Skill path · 48 hours · Intermediate · 24,516 learners enrolled · Plan: Plus or Pro

This 48-hour skill path has four units and 38 projects: an introduction to the .NET platform, Beginner C#, Intermediate C# (arrays, loops, classes, inheritance and LINQ), and then ASP.NET with the Razor Pages architecture, where you build web apps and manage their data.

C# is a common enterprise language: 27.8% of all respondents to the 2025 Stack Overflow Developer Survey used it, and Codecademy notes that Stack Overflow and Walmart build on ASP.NET. Pick this path if you are aiming at corporate .NET jobs. It is not a mobile path: for C# on phones, look at .NET MAUI instead.

See also: C# courses, ASP.NET courses, Unity courses, game development courses, coding courses.

View Build Web Apps with ASP.NET on Codecademy →

3. Full-Stack Engineer

Career path · 150 hours · Beginner · 313,910 learners enrolled · Plan: Pro only

The Full-Stack Engineer career path is Codecademy’s largest web track: 150 hours, 51 units, 161 lessons and 96 projects. Codecademy describes it as starting with the front end, moving to the back end and then connecting the two, and lists JavaScript, Node.js, SQL, Express.js, React and test-driven development among its topics. Portfolio projects include a Node.js console app and a React playlist app built on the Spotify API.

It is one of the six career paths with a professional certification: you earn it by passing a series of exams, which makes it more credible than a certificate of completion. It needs Pro, and it is long: at 10 hours a week, 150 hours is close to four months. Our Codecademy Full-Stack Engineer review covers what a graduate found after finishing it.

See also: full-stack courses, front-end courses, React courses, coding courses.

See the Full-Stack Engineer path →

4. Front-End Engineer

Career path · 115 hours · Beginner · 159,815 learners enrolled · Plan: Pro only

This career path focuses on what runs in the browser: 115 hours over 34 units, 124 lessons and 77 projects. It starts with HTML, CSS, local development tools and deploying a site with GitHub Pages, then moves through JavaScript and React; one project pulls real data from the Reddit API and displays it with React and Redux. Codecademy updated its React content to function components and React 18 syntax.

Like Full-Stack Engineer, it carries a professional certification earned by passing exams. Choose it over the full-stack path if you know you want to build interfaces rather than servers. The first units are shared with the full-stack path, so you can switch later without starting over.

See also: JavaScript courses, UX design courses, software testing courses, Git courses, coding interview courses.

View Front-End Engineer on Codecademy →

5. Create REST APIs with Spring and Java

Skill path · 20 hours · Beginner · 21,165 learners enrolled · Plan: Plus or Pro

This skill path ends with you building your own web API in Java with the Spring framework. Its nine units cover two units of Java, how the web and Spring fit together, responding to HTTP requests with Spring controllers and annotations, Spring beans and Spring Boot, and adding a database with Spring Data JPA.

Codecademy lists it as beginner level, and it teaches the Java it needs, but it moves faster if you have written some code before; the free Learn Java course (17 hours) is a good first step. Spring is the most common Java back-end framework in enterprise jobs, so this is a practical path toward Java back-end work.

See also: Spring courses, Java courses, microservices courses.

View Create REST APIs with Spring and Java on Codecademy →

6. Machine Learning/AI Engineer Career Path

Career path · 50 hours · Intermediate · 42,894 learners enrolled · Plan: Pro only

Codecademy now titles this path “Machine Learning/AI Engineer.” Over 50 hours and seven units it covers machine learning fundamentals, software engineering for ML engineers, intermediate machine learning and building ML pipelines, and finishes with a portfolio project on a topic you choose.

It is intermediate: you need Python and some statistics first. It is a solid applied introduction, but it is not one of the six paths with a professional certification. If you want a data path with a certification, look at Data Scientist: Machine Learning Specialist (95 hours, Pro).

See also: machine learning courses, data science courses, AI courses.

View Machine Learning/AI Engineer Career Path on Codecademy →

7. Software Engineering for Data Scientists

Skill path · 22 hours · Intermediate · 6,935 learners enrolled · Plan: Plus or Pro

This 22-hour skill path teaches the engineering habits that notebooks skip. Its units cover software engineering in Python, the command line, Git and GitHub (including branching and deploying), Bash scripting, unit tests and logging, and object-oriented code.

It suits analysts and data scientists who already write Python and now need to hand code to an engineering team. It has under 7,000 learners, which reflects its narrow audience rather than its quality.

See also: software testing courses, parallel computing courses, Bash courses, coding for beginners.

View Software Engineering for Data Scientists on Codecademy →

8. Design Databases With PostgreSQL

Skill path · 13 hours · Beginner · 27,683 learners enrolled · Plan: Plus or Pro

This skill path teaches you to store and access relational data in PostgreSQL. Its five units take you from setting up a database on your own computer and writing basic queries, to designing schemas, relationships and keys, adding constraints so data arrives in the format you expect, and keeping queries fast with indexes and normalization.

If you have never written a SQL query, start with the free Learn SQL course (5 hours, rated 4.6 from 27,565 ratings). This path is about designing a database, which is a different skill from querying one.

See also: database design courses, SQL courses.

View Design Databases With PostgreSQL on Codecademy →

9. Learn Microsoft Excel for Data Analysis

Course · 3 hours · Beginner · 34,383 learners enrolled · rated 4.4 from 813 ratings · Plan: Free (Basic plan); certificate needs Plus or Pro

This free three-hour course covers importing, sorting and filtering data, common formulas, pivot tables and charts, and ends with a capstone that analyzes a real dataset in Excel.

It is free on the Basic plan; only the certificate of completion needs Plus or Pro. It is short, so treat it as a refresher or a first look, not a full Excel course.

See also: Excel courses, data analysis courses, Google Sheets courses, business intelligence courses, data visualization courses.

View Learn Microsoft Excel for Data Analysis on Codecademy →

10. Computer Science

Career path · 75 hours · Beginner · 194,490 learners enrolled · Plan: Pro only

The Computer Science career path runs 75 hours and is taught in Python. It covers programming fundamentals, data structures and algorithms, databases with SQL, computer architecture and discrete math, roughly the first-year topics of a university CS degree.

It is one of the six paths with a professional certification. It suits self-taught developers who want the theory they skipped, and anyone preparing for technical interviews that test algorithms. It does not replace an accredited degree.

See also: computer science courses, data structures and algorithms courses, computer architecture courses, Python courses.

See the Computer Science path →

11. Learn Git & GitHub

Course · 4 hours · Beginner · 165,634 learners enrolled · rated 4.5 from 2,099 ratings · Plan: Plus or Pro

This four-hour course covers the basic Git workflow, the operations for undoing changes and when to use each, setting up your first GitHub repository and collaborating with others. Codecademy built it with GitHub, and it includes a lesson on writing code with GitHub Copilot.

It is rated 4.5 from 2,099 ratings and needs a Plus or Pro plan. Git is a skill every developer path assumes, so it is a good second course after your first language.

See also: Git courses, software development courses.

View Learn Git & GitHub on Codecademy →

12. Code Foundations

Skill path · 4 hours · Beginner · 223,770 learners enrolled · Plan: Plus or Pro

Code Foundations is a four-hour taster for people who are not sure coding is for them. It explains what software development, web development, computer science and data science involve, and has you write your first lines of Python and JavaScript.

It is one of Codecademy’s most-enrolled paths (223,770 learners). If you already know you want to code, skip it and start a language course.

See also: coding for beginners, computer science courses, data science courses.

View Code Foundations on Codecademy →

13. Introduction to UI and UX Design

Course · 2 hours · Beginner · 157,406 learners enrolled · rated 4.5 from 5,949 ratings · Plan: Free (Basic plan); certificate needs Plus or Pro

This free two-hour course introduces UI and UX design through the Product Design Life Cycle, the Double Diamond and design thinking, then has you create low-fidelity wireframes and turn them into interactive prototypes in Figma.

It is rated 4.5 from 5,949 ratings and is a good way to find out whether design interests you before paying for a longer program. It is an introduction, not job training.

See also: UX design courses.

View Introduction to UI and UX Design on Codecademy →

14. Learn Game Development with Phaser.js

Course · 7 hours · Intermediate · 79,121 learners enrolled · rated 4.4 from 289 ratings · Plan: Free (Basic plan); certificate needs Plus or Pro

This free seven-hour course teaches Phaser, an HTML5 framework for 2D browser games, over six lessons and four projects. It covers Phaser basics, physics, multiple scenes and sprite animation, and deploying a game to the web.

It assumes some JavaScript. Phaser is a good first engine if you already write JavaScript for the web; for console or 3D games, Unity (C#) is the more common route.

See also: game development courses, JavaScript courses.

View Learn Game Development with Phaser.js on Codecademy →

15. Build iOS Apps with SwiftUI

Skill path · 13 hours · Beginner · 15,971 learners enrolled · Plan: Plus or Pro

This 13-hour skill path teaches Swift and SwiftUI by building one app, a trivia game called Code History, over seven units: Xcode and Swift basics, wireframing, the user interface, the question and game models (using MVVM design), and finally publishing to the App Store.

You need a Mac with Xcode to follow along, and publishing needs Apple’s $99-a-year developer program. Apple’s free Develop in Swift tutorials are a natural next step.

See also: Swift tutorials, Android courses, design pattern courses.

View Build iOS Apps with SwiftUI on Codecademy →

16. BI Dashboards with Power BI

Course · under 1 hour · Beginner · 21,531 learners enrolled · rated 4.1 from 1,171 ratings · Plan: Plus or Pro

Despite what older roundups say, this is a short course, not a career path: Codecademy lists it at under an hour. It is a set of articles on loading and transforming data, basic visualizations, and dashboarding and data storytelling in Power BI, followed by an off-platform profitability-analysis project.

It is rated 4.1 from 1,171 ratings and needs Plus or Pro. Treat it as a first look at Power BI; the PL-300 certification needs much more depth.

See also: Power BI tutorials, business intelligence courses, business analytics courses, data visualization courses.

View BI Dashboards with Power BI on Codecademy →

17. Fundamentals of Cybersecurity

Skill path · 3 hours · Beginner · 24,874 learners enrolled · Plan: Plus or Pro

This three-hour skill path covers why cybersecurity matters and how people enter the field, common cyber attacks, social engineering, threat actors and ways to assess and research security. Codecademy says it uses CompTIA’s Security+ certification as a frame of reference.

It is an orientation with quizzes, not job training. If it confirms your interest, studying for CompTIA Security+ is the usual next step.

See also: cybersecurity courses, ethical hacking tools, social engineering courses, pentesting methodology, computer networking courses.

View Fundamentals of Cybersecurity on Codecademy →

18. Introduction to Project Management

Course · 1 hour · Beginner · 2,800 learners enrolled · rated 4.4 from 209 ratings · Plan: Plus or Pro

This one-hour course is a set of articles on what a project is, what project managers do, understanding your customers, Waterfall, Agile and hybrid approaches, and managing constraints, risks, dependencies and change.

It is rated 4.4 from 209 ratings and needs Plus or Pro. It is brief, so use it to decide whether project management interests you; the Google Project Management certificate or CAPM study is where real preparation starts.

See also: project management courses, Agile courses.

View Introduction to Project Management on Codecademy →

19. Fundamental Math for Data Science

Skill path · 12 hours · Beginner · 22,993 learners enrolled · Plan: Plus or Pro

This 12-hour skill path covers the math behind data science: probability, descriptive statistics and hypothesis testing, linear algebra and introductory calculus (limits and derivatives).

It is useful if your school math is rusty and you plan to go further into machine learning. It is a refresher, not a full statistics course.

See also: statistics courses, data science courses.

View Fundamental Math for Data Science on Codecademy →

20. Foundations of Cloud Computing

Course · under 1 hour · Beginner · 32,646 learners enrolled · rated 4.4 from 1,666 ratings · Plan: Plus or Pro

Codecademy now calls this course “Intro to Cloud Computing.” It is a platform-neutral set of articles on cloud fundamentals, careers in cloud, deployment models, types of cloud service (SaaS, IaaS and PaaS) and the major providers: AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.

It is rated 4.4 from 1,666 ratings and takes under an hour. It is a vocabulary course: for a credential, the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam is the common first step.

See also: AWS courses, Azure courses, Google Cloud courses.

View Foundations of Cloud Computing on Codecademy →

21. Introduction to DevOps

Course · 2 hours · Beginner · 27,155 learners enrolled · rated 4.5 from 686 ratings · Plan: Free (Basic plan); certificate needs Plus or Pro

This free two-hour course explains DevOps culture and how code reaches users, how infrastructure is managed in traditional and DevOps teams, monitoring, resiliency and CI/CD pipelines. Codecademy also lists containerization and scalability among its topics.

It is rated 4.5 from 686 ratings. It explains concepts rather than teaching tools hands-on, so pair it with Linux and Git if you are heading toward a DevOps role.

See also: Azure DevOps courses, Kubernetes courses.

View Introduction to DevOps on Codecademy →

22. Introduction to Linux

Course · 4 hours · Intermediate · 32,845 learners enrolled · rated 4.3 from 466 ratings · Plan: Plus or Pro

This four-hour course covers what Linux is, setting up Ubuntu, the desktop environment, the file system and installing apps, then the Bash shell: navigating and editing files with text commands, writing Bash scripts to automate tasks, and setting users and file permissions.

It is rated 4.3 from 466 ratings and is listed as intermediate. It is a practical base for back-end, DevOps and cloud work, where most servers run Linux.

See also: Linux courses, Bash courses.

View Introduction to Linux on Codecademy →

23. Data Scientist Interview Preparation

Skill path · 3 hours · Intermediate · 7,632 learners enrolled · Plan: Pro only

This three-hour skill path prepares you for an entry-level data science job hunt: reading job postings, writing targeted applications, practicing general data, visualization and experimental-design questions, SQL coding challenges and whiteboarding, machine learning questions, and a portfolio project.

Codecademy’s interview-prep skill paths are only available to Pro members. It will not teach data science itself, so take it near the end of your studies.

See also: coding interview courses, data science courses, business communication courses.

View Data Scientist Interview Preparation on Codecademy →

24. Pass the Technical Interview with JavaScript

Skill path · 13 hours · Intermediate · 25,596 learners enrolled · Plan: Pro only

This 13-hour skill path teaches the computer science that coding interviews test, in JavaScript: Big O and recursion, linked lists, queues and stacks, hash maps, trees, binary trees and heaps, sorting algorithms such as merge sort and quicksort, and graphs.

It assumes you already write JavaScript comfortably, and interview-prep paths are Pro-only. It covers the same ground as LeetCode-style practice, with more structure and less volume.

See also: data structures and algorithms courses, JavaScript courses.

View Pass the Technical Interview with JavaScript on Codecademy →

25. Pass the Technical Interview with Java

Skill path · 19 hours · Intermediate · 18,174 learners enrolled · Plan: Pro only

The Java version runs 19 hours over the same eight units, building linked lists, queues, stacks, hash maps, trees, binary search trees, heaps and graphs in Java, and finishing with graph traversal by depth-first search, breadth-first search and Dijkstra’s algorithm.

Choose it over the JavaScript version if your target jobs are Java back-end or Android roles. Like the other interview paths, it needs Pro.

See also: Java courses, data structures and algorithms courses.

View Pass the Technical Interview with Java on Codecademy →

Conclusion

Codecademy is best at one thing: getting you writing real code in the browser from the first lesson, with no setup. Its weak spot is the step from guided exercises to building something on your own, which learners on Reddit raise again and again when they ask whether Pro is worth it.

Our picks by goal: if you want a web development job, the Full-Stack Engineer career path is the most complete option and carries a professional certification. If you are unsure, start free with Learn SQL, Learn Java or Introduction to UI and UX Design, then upgrade when you hit a skill path you want. If you work with data, Design Databases With PostgreSQL and the Data Scientist path are the strongest picks.

Whichever you choose, build one project of your own alongside the course. That is what turns Codecademy progress into something you can show an employer.

Compare Codecademy plans →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best Codecademy course?

For most beginners, Learn Python 3 (24 hours, rated 4.6 from 12,240 ratings) or the free Learn SQL course (5 hours, rated 4.6 from 27,565 ratings). For a career change, the Full-Stack Engineer career path (150 hours) is the most complete option and carries a professional certification.

Which Codecademy courses are free?

Many single courses are free on the Basic plan, including Learn SQL, Learn Java, Introduction to UI and UX Design, Introduction to DevOps, Learn Microsoft Excel for Data Analysis and Learn Game Development with Phaser.js. Skill paths, career paths and all certificates need a paid plan.

How much does Codecademy cost?

On 14 October 2026, Plus cost $14.99 a month billed annually ($179.88 a year) or $29.99 month to month, and Pro cost $19.99 a month billed annually ($239.88 a year) or $39.99 month to month. Basic is free.

Is Codecademy Pro worth it?

Pro is worth it if you will use a career path or interview-prep path, because those are Pro-only, or if you want a professional certification. If you only need single courses and certificates of completion, Plus costs less.

Are Codecademy certificates worth it?

A certificate of completion shows you finished the content; it carries little weight with employers on its own. Codecademy’s professional certifications, available in six career paths with Pro, require passing exams and are more credible. Neither replaces a portfolio of your own projects.

Does Codecademy have a student discount?

Yes. Eligible high school and college students can join Codecademy Pro Student, an annual membership with all Pro features at over 35% off the regular price.

Can Codecademy get me a job?

Codecademy can teach the skills, and the career paths include portfolio projects and interview preparation, but no course guarantees a job. Employers hire on projects and interviews, so build your own projects alongside the path.

Is Codecademy better than freeCodeCamp?

Codecademy has a more polished interactive editor, paths across many languages and AI-assisted help, but its best content is paid. freeCodeCamp is free and project-heavy. Many learners use both: Codecademy to learn a language, freeCodeCamp or The Odin Project to build projects.

Codecademy plans explained: Basic vs Plus vs Pro

Codecademy’s pricing FAQ describes the split this way. Basic gives you the free course content and lets you start some advanced courses. Plus adds assessments, most skill paths, certificates of completion and more AI Builder credits; it suits someone learning one skill for work or a personal project. Pro adds career paths, interview-prep skill paths, code challenges and certification prep, and is aimed at career changers. An All Access plan adds Codecademy’s live bootcamps on top of Pro.

Two practical points. First, the monthly price is about double the annual rate, so if you expect to study for more than six months, annual billing is cheaper. Second, you can cancel at any time in your payment settings and the plan runs to the end of the billing period; Codecademy also lets you pause a subscription. That matters: in the 40 most recent Trustpilot reviews of Codecademy we read on 14 October 2026, the most common complaint (16 of 40) was being charged at renewal, so if you buy an annual plan, put a reminder in your calendar a week before it renews. Our Codecademy review covers the plans in more depth.

Certificates of completion vs professional certifications

Codecademy issues two different credentials, and roundups often blur them. A certificate of completion comes with Plus, Pro or All Access when you reach 100% progress in a course or path; it confirms you went through the material. A professional certification requires passing a series of exams and is only available with Pro or All Access, in six career paths: Full-Stack Engineer, Front-End Engineer, Back-End Engineer, Data Scientist: Machine Learning, Data Scientist: Analytics and Computer Science.

Neither is an accredited qualification, and hiring managers weigh projects far more than certificates. If a recognized credential matters for your goal, compare Codecademy with university or company certificates on Coursera; our Coursera vs Codecademy comparison sets them side by side.

When Codecademy is not the right choice

Codecademy suits people who want structure and short daily sessions. It is a weaker fit if you learn best by building large projects from a blank editor, or if you cannot pay for a plan. Free options such as freeCodeCamp and The Odin Project are more project-driven, and Zero To Mastery leans on longer video courses with a community. See our Codecademy alternatives, ZTM vs Codecademy and DataCamp vs Codecademy guides, plus our lists of Pluralsight courses and DataCamp courses.

How we chose these courses

We kept the 25 courses and paths this guide has covered since it was first published, and checked each one on Codecademy on 14 October 2026: that it is still in the catalog, its current title, length, level and enrollment, its rating where Codecademy shows one, and which plan it needs. Two of our links pointed at the wrong course (a Learn SQL link opened Learn Java, and our Python link opened the legacy Python 2 course); both are fixed. We also read Codecademy’s pricing FAQ and recent Reddit threads from learners comparing Pro with free alternatives. The order follows the original guide, so the numbers are not a ranking; use the quick picks and the table above to choose.

Browse the Codecademy catalog →