Coding is a critical skill these days, and not just for web developers. Whether you’re creating a website, assembling a professional portfolio, or contributing to an online publication, knowing the coding basics goes a long way. Of course, if you’ve ever tried to learn how to code, you know that it can be a frustrating and overwhelming process. Online learning programs make the education process less intimidating by enabling you to move at your own pace, seek help when you need it, and repeat lessons as needed until you have a real grasp on how and why your code is working the way it does. We looked at a wide variety of online schools aimed at different age groups and skill sets to find the best coding classes. If you want to learn to code online, these services will put you on the right path. Here are the best programs for learning to code, followed by what to look for when making your selection.
Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
Codecademy
Best for Free Coding With Paid Options
Why We Picked ItCodecademy’s classes make it easy to start learning the complicated subject, thanks to video lessons and active discussions. By helping you build real websites, it also reassures you that the skills you’re learning are viable in the real world.Who It’s ForCodecademy’s many free courses make it an excellent choice for students looking to try a class without a big financial commitment. If you want to keep going, though, you must pay to unlock all classes and features.
PROS
Many free courses
Exercises include building real websites
Dedicated, active forums for each class
YouTube video lessons
Professional certifications
CONS
More features and later courses are locked behind paid tiers
SPECS
Name
Value
Starting Price
Free
Free Trial
Free Courses
Video Tutorials
Quizzes
Built-in Tools
User Forums
Learn More
Codecademy Review
Treehouse
Best for Overall Coding Education
Why We Picked ItTreehouse has everything you want from a premium coding class. A wide variety of lessons, helpful user forums, approachable curriculums, and engaging videos can help any student become a coding master.Who It’s ForTreehouse is our top pick for anyone looking for an outstanding overall coding education. Just know that you must pay monthly subscription fees. In a nice touch, you can pause and renew your enrollment whenever you want, so you don’t pay for classes you aren’t actively taking.
PROS
A large variety of coding classes
Easy-to-understand curriculums
Slick video lessons
Can pause and renew enrollment at any time
Useful user forums
SPECS
Name
Value
Starting Price
$25 per month
Free Trial
Free Courses
Video Tutorials
Quizzes
Built-in Tools
User Forums
Learn More
Treehouse Review
GameMaker
Best for Aspiring Game Developers
Why We Picked ItInstead of teaching you how to generally code, GameMaker teaches you how to code video games. You can play your self-made games on a computer or sell them on consoles. Multiple award-winning indie games are powered by this engine, including Hyper Light Drifter and Katana Zero. It’s our top pick for video game development software.Who It’s ForGameMaker is for people who want to make games and maybe pursue that as their professional career. The higher subscriptions are expensive, making them suitable for professional budgets. GameMaker supports multiple programming languages, including a simple visual language that lets novices develop complex games.
PROS
2D and 3D game development
Visual and text-based programming languages
Lets you export to the web, mobile, PC, and consoles, including PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S/X
Free subscription option
Online multiplayer
Robust marketplace
CONS
Expensive to publish on consoles
SPECS
Name
Value
Starting Price
$99
Free Trial
Free Courses
Video Tutorials
Quizzes
Built-in Tools
User Forums
Learn More
GameMaker Review
Khan Academy
Best for Free Academic Learning
Why We Picked ItKhan Academy offers an impressive list of courses for free. It covers a variety of topics beyond just coding, but coding students will find plenty of useful lectures, readings, and quizzes.Who It’s ForWhen it comes to prices, it’s hard to beat free. Khan Academy is also great if you’re interested in online education in general, not just coding. However, it’s specially designed for US students and the US education system.
PROS
Free
No account necessary
Uses video lectures, readings, and quizzes
Impressive test-prep and college-prep resources
Generous language support
CONS
Missing some subjects, such as foreign languages and music
Caters uniquely to the US education system and needs
SPECS
Name
Value
Starting Price
Free
Free Trial
Free Courses
Video Tutorials
Quizzes
Built-in Tools
User Forums
Learn More
Khan Academy Review
Code Avengers
Best for Children and Educators
Why We Picked ItAs the name implies, Code Avengers makes learning how to code as fun as learning how to be a superhero. Free demo courses and quizzes teach you the fundamentals, while the built-in text editor lets you get creative and test your knowledge. Who It’s ForCode Avengers is for coding students of all ages. Kids can take advantage of free courses, adults can pay for something more substantial, and even educators have their own subscriptions to suit their classroom needs.
PROS
Free demo courses
Educational tracks for kids, adults, and teachers
Built-in text editor and quizzes
Responsive customer support
CONS
Potentially more expensive for slightly fewer features than the competition
Lacks community forums
SPECS
Name
Value
Starting Price
$29 per month
Free Trial
Free Courses
Video Tutorials
Quizzes
Built-in Tools
User Forums
Learn More
Code Avengers Review
Free Code Camp
Best for Free Lessons and Alumni Support
Why We Picked ItFree Code Camp isn’t the flashiest learning tool, but it does give you thousands of hours of coding lessons free of charge. Lessons are easy to grasp without sacrificing complexity, and video hints help you if you’re stuck. Who It’s ForFree Code Camp is for students who want to immediately apply their new professional skills in the real world. The service integrates with the popular GitHub tool for sharing code. Students even gain access to a robust alumni network for coding job opportunities.
PROS
Free
Thousands of hours of coding lessons
Integrates with GitHub
Robust alumni network
Video hints
CONS
Some online communities are more overwhelming than helpful
Nonprofit outreach not as prominent as before
SPECS
Name
Value
Starting Price
Free
Free Trial
Free Courses
Video Tutorials
Quizzes
Built-in Tools
User Forums
Learn More
Free Code Camp Review
SitePoint
Best for Affordable Coding Courses and Ebooks
Why We Picked ItSitePoint offers a lot of coding learning material at a reasonable price. Along with classes, you also get ebooks to read and talks to watch. It goes deep into coding topics for starting your own business.Who It’s ForSitePoint is best for self-motivated learners. The classes, while useful, can be a little stilted and dry, especially because they aren’t very interactive. Still, it’s a solid wealth of information.
PROS
Affordable price
Offers classes, ebooks, and tech talks
Closed captioning available on videos
Interactive coding assessments
CONS
Not very interactive overall
Stilted coursework
SPECS
Name
Value
Starting Price
$9 per month
Free Trial
Free Courses
Video Tutorials
Quizzes
Built-in Tools
User Forums
Learn More
SitePoint Review
CodeHS
Best for School Curriculum Integration
Why We Picked ItCodeHS stands for “Code High School” because that’s what it is: coding education specifically meant for high school students. The wide range of video coding lessons, as well as the experimental coding sandbox, will mold teenage minds into the next generation of coders.Who It’s ForCodeHS is for high school students, which really means it’s for high school educators. Teachers are meant to integrate CodeHS into their existing school lesson plans. The weird pricing tiers make the courses much less appealing to older, individual learners.
PROS
Helpful video tutorials
Covers a wide range of coding topics
Easily integrates with school lesson plans
Lets you create programs in a coding sandbox
Free middle school and high school curriculum
CONS
Not useful for individual adult learners
Unclear pricing tiers
SPECS
Name
Value
Starting Price
Free; request a quote
Free Trial
Free Courses
Video Tutorials
Quizzes
Built-in Tools
User Forums
Buying Guide: The Best Programs for Learning to Code
(Credit: Treehouse)
How Can I Learn to Code for Free?Price is always a concern, no matter what you’re buying. There are subscription-based programs, such as Code Avengers, CodeHS, SitePoint (formerly Learnable), and Treehouse, that offer access to all classes in the course catalog for a monthly or annual fee. Check to see if the program lets you pause your membership, which is helpful if you want to save your progress without racking up fees while you’re away on a trip or too busy to access the instruction.Khan Academy and LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com) feature classes on every topic under the sun, as do similar general education services not featured here, such as Coursera, edX, and Udemy. There are more than enough coding options to make a subscription or individual purchase worthwhile. If you only care about coding, you might be better served by a program specifically tailored to your needs, especially if you’re willing to pay. Code School and Safari Books Online, which we previously covered here, have now been fully absorbed into their parent companies, Pluralsight and O’Reilly, respectively. Those robust, broad, business-oriented education platforms cater to business teams that want to learn more about tech’s benefits in the workforce. Codecademy, on the other hand, offers many, free courses and materials, but it charges a monthly fee if you want to access quizzes and other learning tools. Paid classes generally offer more in the way of course depth, breadth, and presentation, but if you’re determined and resourceful, you may find that free classes are sufficient for your needs.
(Credit: Code Avengers)
What Type of Coding Class Do You Need?After price, the most important thing to consider in a coding service is the number (and variety) of offered courses. Some feature CSS, HTML, and other web technologies, while others contain advanced languages (like C++ and Python) mobile app and video game development, and APIs. In terms of the sheer number of courses, paid classes usually have the edge over free ones. A huge library can also be overwhelming, so starting with a smaller, focused program is a good option. And for the most part, you can expect all of these services to offer at least the fundamental languages you need to know to get started on a serious coding education journey.The course format is worth paying attention to, as well. All you really need to code is a functional text editor, and most of these programs feature one of those. Depending on your learning style, you might appreciate the polished video tutorials from Khan Academy and LinkedIn Learning.Many of these online coding schools, including Code Avengers, Codecademy, SitePoint, and Treehouse, offer curriculums that let you choose a broad topic (not unlike selecting a college major), and then access all the necessary courses you need to master the topic. This organizes your studies and lets you skip ahead if you’ve already mastered particular skills. Treehouse even offers a structured certification program.
(Credit: Codecademy)
How Do Beginners Learn to Code?If you’re a beginner, you need a program that’s easy to dive into as the material becomes more complex. That’s ideal for learners at all levels. You’ll also need encouragement to keep you going. Most of these services offer badges or other rewards when you hit milestones. and show your progress on a dashboard. The best services offer quizzes and challenges so you can test your skills. Testing isn’t just for beginners—even experienced programmers want feedback on how they are doing. Newer programs also like to treat progress like a game, rewarding students with shiny badges as they level up their skills. You won’t find these features in all programs, though.However, if you’re serious about pursuing coding as a career, eventually you’ll need to ditch the easy stuff and take on more challenging material. Consider switching to a paid program, such as Code Avengers or Treehouse, to continue your coding education. Free Code Camp helps you take the knowledge you’ve learned and use it to help start your career at a real-life organization. Google directly offers coding education resources. Alongside their online programs, Coding Dojo and General Assembly host physical campus locations where you can learn alongside fellow students.
(Credit: Free Code Camp)
The Best Coding Programs for KidsIf you’re a parent or teacher, getting kids to code makes sense. Programming teaches kids to think logically, develops problem-solving skills, and improves how they interact with technology. Plus, it can prepare them for the workforce of tomorrow. CodeHS has special features educators can use in the classroom and a wonderful sandbox mode that students can use to express their coding creativity. CodeCombat and similar programs treat coding more like a video game to help keep kids interested. Coding is just another way to make cool things they can show off, which means kids of any age can learn to code. CodeCombat and Treehouse offer special pricing and curricula for teachers and students. Hopscotch, Scratch, Move the Turtle, Daisy the Dinosaur, and similar apps treat coding like a video game, keeping the interest of even very young kids. With coding, as with any kind of language, the younger you can start learning, the better.Moving beyond the scope of this particular roundup, GameMaker Studio 2 and other dedicated video game design software go even further with gaming, teaching coding (and animation) as an important part of their game-design curriculums. Licenses are pricey, but the lessons are robust. Plus, the apps teach kids how to make everything from 3D platformers to 2D sidescrollers that they can offer for sale in PC gaming marketplaces. If you’re an educator interested in other ways technology can help your school, check out our list of the best learning management systems.
(Credit: SitePoint)
Where to Get Coding Help and SupportYou’ll need help when you get stuck on an exercise or a quiz. We like Codecademy, Treehouse, and other services that offer active student forums to help you work through problems, and get a second eye on long code blocks. Code Avengers has live chat and an exclusive Slack channel. Support for bugs and website problems, which most of these services offer in some way, is also key. Some communities encourage you to create a GitHub account, so you can easily collaborate on code with fellow students. Although LinkedIn Learning and Khan Academy are excellent generalist services, they can’t offer this level of coding-specific help and support.All these considerations depend on your level of skill. You may not need a lot of handholding, in which case you can download ebooks and teach yourself by signing up with SitePoint, or you can dive right into a new language with Codecademy.Not sure where to start? Most of the paid services here offer a free or low-cost trial or even a money-back guarantee. You may try several online coding classes before you find the right fit. For more, check out The Best Online Learning Courses and Quarantine and Learn: 9 Free Online Courses You Can Take Now.
