William Kendal
DataCamp is a popular e-learning platform that focuses on data-related skills, offering courses on Python, R, and SQL with many topics covered such as Machine Learning and Data Manipulation with pandas. It has received positive reviews for its well-designed and affordable courses. However, if you’re looking for an alternative, here are some options.
#1 DataCamp Alternative: Coursera
Coursera is a well-established and widely popular e-learning platform that offers a wide range of courses in various fields, not limited to just data science. Despite this, the platform still has hundreds of data science courses available for students and professionals to take. With Coursera, you have the opportunity to learn new skills online or even pursue a bachelor’s or master’s degree in data science.
The platform has a focus on data analysis, machine learning, and probability & statistics, and also offers courses in Python, SQL, R, Database Management, and Data Engineering, among others. Coursera partners with top academic institutions such as the University of London, University of Pennsylvania, and Imperial College, ensuring that the courses offered are of high quality and professional certifications are awarded upon completion.
Most of the valuable courses on Coursera are premium courses, however, there are also many free data science courses available. Pricing for Coursera is per course and varies, with pricing plans only available for businesses. The Coursera Business subscription allows teams to save money on individual learning with plans such as the Team Plan at $399 per user per year and Enterprise Plan with custom pricing, both of which give team members access to all courses on Coursera.
#2 DataCamp Alternative: Udacity
Udacity is an online learning platform that offers courses and skills for individuals, businesses, and governments to keep up with the latest tech and digital skills. It’s a great alternative to DataCamp for those looking to advance their career in data science, as the platform focuses on real-world projects and partners with top tech companies such as Google, IBM, AWS, Microsoft, and Intel. The most popular courses on Udacity are in the field of data science, including Python, SQL, Data Analysis & Engineering, and Business Analytics.
Udacity also has an exclusive School of Data Science that offers Nanodegree data science courses, with instruction from industry experts and the flexibility to learn at your own pace. Like DataCamp, Udacity has a limited number of free courses, with most being premium courses, but students can still download the course syllabuses without making payments. The cost of learning varies for different courses and nanodegree programs. Udacity offers the option to pay per month or pay four months ahead with a 15% discount, and allows students to try it out for free with access to quizzes and basic learning materials.
#3 DataCamp Alternative: Codecademy
Codecademy is a great option if you’re looking for a DataCamp alternative to learn Python and R for free. With around 50 million users, it is a popular platform that exclusively focuses on programming, with Python being the most popular language on the platform. It also offers a complete data science course that covers data analysis with Python, R, and SQL, as well as data visualization. The platform’s learning approach is easy to follow, with step-by-step instruction starting from basic principles.
The main downside of Codecademy is that mobile learning is limited for free account holders. They can only take quizzes and practice with the app and can’t access web-based learning on mobile. However, if you want unlimited mobile learning, you can pay for the pro plan.
Codecademy has different pricing plans for individuals, students, and enterprises, including a free basic plan, a pro plan for students at $149.99 per year, a pro plan for individuals at $19.99 per month or $15.99 per month with annual payment, and a custom pricing plan for teams. It’s worth noting that you can only learn Python 3 with a pro plan.
#4 DataCamp Alternative: Udemy
Udemy is an online learning platform that boasts over 40 million students, where you can learn almost anything. It’s particularly popular among data science enthusiasts, with Python programming courses being the most in-demand, with over 30 million students. SQL and Machine Learning courses also have a large number of students, with over four million and six million respectively. The platform offers courses taught by real-world experts and allows students to learn at their own pace.
One of the main advantages of Udemy over DataCamp is the availability of free courses, many of which are data science-related. Additionally, courses on Udemy are generally more affordable, as students pay for each course individually instead of paying for a subscription. Udemy also makes it easy for students to find the right course for their level of experience by allowing them to sort courses according to their level of experience.
For businesses, Udemy offers three pricing options to help companies save money, including the Enterprise Plan with custom pricing and the Teams Plan at $360 per year per user. Non-profit organizations can also contact sales support to request pricing.
#5 DataCamp Alternative: edX
EdX offers free online courses from prestigious institutions such as Harvard University and MIT. With over 3000 courses and 600,000 active students, it’s a great DataCamp alternative for those looking to gain professional certificates. The main data science courses on edX include R Basics and Machine Learning, as well as programs such as IBM Data Science, HarvardX Data Science, and Python Data Science. As the platform is affiliated with top learning institutions, students can expect expert instruction from tutors.
Although most courses on edX are free, programs require payment. For courses, students only pay for certification or upgrades. One major difference between edX and DataCamp is that courses on edX are not always self-paced, as students must enroll and follow a set curriculum.
Pricing for premium courses and certifications on edX varies, ranging from $50 to $300. For teams, there are standard pricing plans which include $349 per learner per year for groups and custom pricing for enterprises.
#6 DataCamp Alternative: FreeCodeCamp
FreeCodeCamp offers a free alternative to DataCamp, providing opportunities to learn coding and build projects with verified certifications. The platform is particularly popular for those seeking data-related skills, with many graduates going on to secure positions at top companies like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon.
FreeCodeCamp offers a range of courses, including data visualization, data analysis, and machine learning with a focus on Python, but does not cover other languages like R in as much depth as DataCamp. All of the platform’s course videos are available on YouTube, allowing learners to continue their studies outside of the website and access their full curriculum in advance.
After finishing a course, learners receive a list of projects to complete before being eligible to claim their certification. The platform also offers a forum for students to interact with each other, and it supports various languages, including English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Chinese, making it accessible to learners around the world.
While FreeCodeCamp is entirely free, donations can be made to support the team behind the platform.
#7 DataCamp Alternative: Dataquest
Dataquest is probably the main Datacamp alternative as this e-learning company offers very similar solutions. Both providers have courses on three cornerstone subjects for working with data: Python, R, and SQL. Dataquest has a similar learning format, but DataCamp has more courses on its list. However, DataCamp is cheaper, with a monthly subscription of $12 compared to $49/mo by Dataquest.
Dataquest is a highly-rated data science learning platform that allows users to learn in-demand data skills. It offers courses on a variety of topics such as data analysis with Python, machine learning, SQL, data analysis with R, and data engineering. Dataquest’s learning paths are intuitive, making the learning experience easier. The courses are self-guided, allowing students to learn at their own pace and build a portfolio by completing projects.
One of the main differences between Dataquest and DataCamp is that Dataquest is entirely based on reading and doing, rather than watching videos of teachers discussing the topics. This interactive approach allows students to learn in a hands-on manner. Dataquest offers a free plan, but it only provides access to introductory lessons and practice problems. The platform has four pricing plans including a Free Plan: $0 per month, Premium Annual Plan: $33.25 per month (billed annually), Premium Monthly Plan: $49.00 per month and a Team Plan: Custom pricing.
#8 DataCamp Alternative: FutureLearn
FutureLearn is a widely used online learning and training website that offers a diverse range of data science courses, among others. Many of these courses are created in partnership with esteemed universities and the platform is owned by Open University, a well-known educational institution in the UK. This makes FutureLearn a great DataCamp alternative for those seeking advanced and professional certifications.
The courses offered on FutureLearn include learning Python, data querying, applied data science, data visualization, and big data. Additionally, you can also learn to use NumPy and Pandas packages. The duration of the courses varies, with most courses being six to ten weeks long, but there are also two and three-week courses. The courses are presented through videos, audio, and reading articles, and include a variety of exercises to complete each week, with each exercise consisting of simple steps to help you learn.
To access additional features on FutureLearn, you must pay for the Unlimited Plan, which costs $279.99 per year.
#9 DataCamp Alternative: Treehouse
Treehouse is a coding platform that offers over 300 courses, 278 workshops, and has a student base of over 50,000 individuals. It is considered to be one of the most affordable alternatives to DataCamp and is ideal for individual learners.
The platform is regularly updated to include the latest coding skills needed for a career in data science. It offers expert video courses suitable for both beginners and experts, with courses in Python development, data analysis, databases, and machine learning.
To keep users on track with their learning goals, Treehouse offers the 100 days of code model. This model encourages users to code for at least 30 minutes a day for 100 days and sends reminders via email.
Treehouse’s interactive learning approach includes quizzes and code challenges, as well as a student community where learners can interact and learn from one another.
Treehouse offers a free trial period of seven days before requiring a subscription. Subscription plans include Courses Plan, Courses Plus Plan, and Techdegree Plan, which range from $25 to $199 per month.
#10 DataCamp Alternative: Pluralsight
Pluralsight‘s primary focus is assisting businesses in enhancing their teams and delivering better customer service. The platform offers a vast range of courses, with a significant emphasis on digital skills, including many that relate to data science. The Pluralsight library has over 2,500 courses.
Core Python is a notable course available on Pluralsight. While only a few courses are free, users can access all courses via a free trial, after which they are required to purchase a subscription.
Apart from Core Python, learners can access courses on interpreting data using R and working with Microsoft Azure. Pluralsight’s strong focus on Python and R programming languages makes it a great alternative to DataCamp.
The courses on Pluralsight are typically organized into learning paths that comprise multiple courses focused on specific skills, with variations for beginners, intermediate, and advanced learners.
As a business, Pluralsight offers instructor-led training, skill assessments, hands-on learning, and certification. Moreover, companies can monitor their team’s skill development through an analytics dashboard.
Pluralsight offers various pricing options, depending on whether an individual or a team subscribes. These include a Standard Plan for individuals, which costs $19 per month or $159 per year, and a Premium Plan, which costs $29 per month or $239 per year.
Final Thoughts
I can’t tell what’s the best DataCamp alternative for you–it will depend on your specific learning needs and preferences. Consider trying out a few different options to find the platform that best fits your learning style and career goals.
