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🚨 SPECIAL ALERT! 🚨
Treehouse just fired 90% of their staff.
Because the future of Treehouse is uncertain, we can no longer recommend Treehouse to aspiring developers.
If you’re looking for a good alternative to Treehouse that isn’t freeCodeCamp, check out Zero to Mastery by Andrei Neagoie. Most of these video courses are beginner-friendly. There’s also some stuff for FAANG-level developers, too.
Treehouse vs freeCodeCamp… Which is the better platform?
We wish we could give you an easy answer.
But it all depends on what you’re looking for.
Are you looking for a few courses to brush up on your skills?
Or maybe you want a complete education in a particular area.
Either way, today we’re peeling all the layers off both learning platforms to include:
- Learning Style
- Structure and Layout
- Areas of study
- Courses
- Projects
- Extras
- Community
- Certificate of Completion
- Cost
TLDR: Treehouse vs freeCodeCamp
🌳 Treehouse has courses, learning tracks and specialized Techdegrees.
So whether you just want to dabble in a new programming language or want to learn a specific discipline or career field, Treehouse has something for just about everyone.
🔓 But if you’re on a budget or are just looking to get a certification in a specific field, freeCodeCamp may be the learning platform for you.
Treehouse vs freeCodeCamp
| Treehouse | freeCodeCamp | |
| Video Learning | ✅ | ✅ |
| Interactive Learning | ✅ | ✅ |
| Courses | 300+ | 35+ |
| Learning Tracks | 44 | ❌ |
| Techdegrees/Certifications | 5 | 10 |
| Projects | 42 | 50 +/- |
| Community | ✅ | ✅ |
| Cost | as low as $19.99/mo | Free |
Treehouse vs freeCodeCamp: Treehouse
Treehouse (also known as Team Treehouse) is a video-based learning platform. Accented with projects and quizzes, Treehouse is perhaps best known for its newbie-friendly curriculum.
It’s got a lot of similarities to freeCodeCamp. But it also has a lot of standalone qualities.
Treehouse vs freeCodeCamp: Platform Layout
In addition to courses, Treehouse offers learning tracks. freeCodeCamp doesn’t.
Learning tracks are a curated combination of courses meant to build your skills in a specific discipline or career field.
Treehouse also offers Techdegrees.
Techdegrees are like amplified learning tracks meant to prepare you for entry-level positions in a specific subject like PHP Development or UX Design.
They’re exclusive to Treehouse. However, freeCodeCamp has Certifications which are similar to Techdegrees.
Areas of study
Treehouse currently offers 24 areas of study.
Some of the most popular include:
- HTML
- CSS
- Java
- JavaScript
- C#
- PHP
- Python
- Machine Learning
- Data Analysis
- Databases
Treehouse Courses
There are over 300 courses on Treehouse.
Conversely, freeCodeCamp only has 46. And they’re part of their Certifications program, which you’ll read about in a bit.
Courses typically consist of 2-4 hours of video and readings.
But you can expect to put in hours more while working on your assignments.
Let’s look at the course Python Basics as an example.
There are 4 modules in this 4-hour course:
- Meet Python
- Types and Branching
- Functions and Looping
- All Together Now
In each module, you’ll:
- watch a series of videos
- take quizzes
- work on code challenges within the browser
In addition, you’ll work on a series of code challenges along the way.
These in-browser challenges ensure you’re grasping certain concepts presented in the course.
As we mentioned before, the course is only 4 hours of video.
But you’ll be doing hours more work on the actual challenges.
Treehouse also offers over 40 learning tracks.
In contrast, freeCodeCamp doesn’t have any.
Learning tracks are a curated combination of courses.
So instead of taking a few hours, they typically take a few months to complete.
Learning tracks include everything from Java to C#, and front end development to various aspects of UX/UI design.
In addition, Treehouse offers 5 Techdegrees:
- Front End Web Development
- Full Stack JavaScript
- PHP Development
- UX Design
- Python Development
Techdegrees are like amplified learning tracks.
Similar to a bootcamp, they’re intended to give you a complete education on a specific discipline.
And at the completion, you should be ready to apply for entry-level positions in that particular field.
Techdegrees typically take a minimum of 3 months to complete. But they can take up to a year or longer depending on your pace.
Also, they’re considerably more expensive than Treehouse courses or learning paths.
So you may want to make sure you have enough time to dedicate to completing a Techdegree before you sign up.
Read our Treehouse Techdegree Review [Is a Techdegree worth it?].
Treehouse Projects
Projects on Treehouse are only found in the Techdegrees.
For example, the Python Techdegree has 5 projects:
- The Number Guessing Game
- Baseball Stats Tool
- Phrase Hunters
- A Store Inventory
- Build a Learning Journal with Flask
Treehouse Extras
Treehouse offers extras like over 275 workshops.
Also, they have numerous practice problems where you can work on various concepts outside of the courses.
While freeCodeCamp doesn’t have workshops, they do have tutorials and practice problems.
Treehouse Community
In addition, Treehouse has a thriving community board.
With hundreds of thousands of active students, you can:
- give help
- ask for assistance
- participate in the general chat
And beyond.
Treehouse Certificate of Completion
Treehouse does not offer Certificates of Completion for completed courses.
However, they do offer Certificates for every completed learning track and Techdegree.
Treehouse Cost
You can get Treehouse for $29.99 per month for all courses and learning tracks.
Or you can sign up for a yearly subscription for $239.88 per year ($19.99/mo).
However, for a Techdegree it will cost you $199 per month.
Pros
- Courses, learning tracks, Techdegrees
- Video and interactive learning
- Practice questions
- Workshops
Cons
- No free tier
Treehouse vs freeCodeCamp: freeCodeCamp
Unlike Treehouse, freeCodeCamp is a non-profit learning platform. It’s completely free with an option to donate if you’re able.
It contains over 60,000 tutorials spanning from HTML to R programming, and web development to machine learning.
freeCodeCamp Platform Layout
The layout of freeCodeCamp is much different than Treehouse.
Instead of choosing from a variety of courses, learning tracks and Techdegrees, your options are a little more limited.
You can search tutorials or take one of the 10 Certifications available.
In addition, there are thousands of hours of coding interview prep challenges.
freeCodeCamp also has a sister YouTube channel with hundreds of tutorials and courses.
freeCodeCamp Courses
There are 46 courses on freeCodeCamp.
However, unlike Treehouse, they are compiled into Certifications. So you can’t take them individually.
And there’s anywhere between 2 and 10 courses per Certification.
Certifications are similar to Treehouse Techdegrees.
Each Certification uses a combination of:
- videos
- articles
- interactive coding exercises
- projects
Each Certification contains 300 hours of material.
Certifications are not accredited, but they are an added accomplishment for your resume.
Treehouse vs freeCodeCamp: Areas of Study
There are 10 Certifications you can earn including:
- Responsive Web Design
- JavaScript Algorithms and Data Structures
- Data Visualization
- Data Analysis with Python
- Machine Learning with Python
And beyond.
In contrast, Treehouse offers 5 unrelated Techdegrees such as Front End Development and UX Design.
Let’s look at the freeCodeCamp Scientific Computing in Python Certification.
There is one course with 56 lessons in the Certification.
Each section opens with a video explanation of a new concept.
Then you’ll answer a series of multiple choice questions for each lesson.
Then you’ll move onto the projects.
freeCodeCamp Projects
There are 5 projects you need to successfully build before passing each Certification.
In contrast, Treehouse projects vary based on the Techdegree and contain anywhere from 5 to 10 projects.
For example, in the Scientific Computing with Python Certification on freeCodeCamp, you’ll build:
- Arithmetic Formatter
- Time Calculator
- Budget App
- Polygon Area Calculator
- Probability Calculator
You’ll use a combination of platform materials and videos from the freeCodeCamp YouTube channel.
Upon completion, you’ll get your Certification.
freeCodeCamp Community
Similar to Treehouse, freeCodeCamp has a busy forum where students can gather to:
- ask questions
- give help
- get career advice
Or just have a general chat about all things code.
There are usually dozens or hundreds of students online. So many of the forums are active at any given time.
freeCodeCamp Certificate of Completion
You’ll get a certificate for every completed Certification on freeCodeCamp.
freeCodeCamp Cost
freeCodeCamp is completely free to all students.
However, there is the option to donate if you choose to.
freeCodeCamp Pros
- Video and interactive learning
- Completely free to all students
Cons
- No individual courses
- No learning paths
🔥 Geena’s Hot Take
Now don’t get me wrong, I love free. Especially when getting an education.
But Treehouse has something freeCodeCamp doesn’t have: individual courses.
I can’t very well commit to 300 hours for a freeCodeCamp Certification if I don’t even know if I’m interested in the curriculum offered.
With Treehouse I can get my feet wet with various courses, and even learning tracks before delving into something as massive as a Certification or Techdegree.
And for that reason, I’ll opt into Treehouse before signing up for a freeCodeCamp Certification.
Treehouse vs freeCodeCamp: Conclusion
In the battle of Treehouse vs freeCodeCamp, we think Treehouse is the winner.
Treehouse has courses, learning tracks and Techdegrees.
freeCodeCamp doesn’t offer individual courses or learning tracks. Only Certifications.
But it’s free, which is a benefit for students on a budget.
Up Next:
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- 14 Best UX Books [Beginner to Advanced UX Designers]
- 8 Best UX Courses for Beginners [Learn UX Design]
Treehouse vs freeCodeCamp – which platform is better?
In the battle of Treehouse vs freeCodeCamp, we think Treehouse is the winner. Treehouse has courses, learning tracks and Techdegrees. So you can learn a variety of different skills. Or even take a course or two to decide if you like a particular programming language or discipline. freeCodeCamp doesn’t offer individual courses or learning tracks. Only Certifications. But it’s free, which is a benefit for students on a budget.
Is freeCodeCamp free?
freeCodeCamp is completely free for students. But there is an option to donate if you’re interested. Keep in mind that there are no individual courses on freeCodeCamp, but there are Certifications and over 60,000 tutorials.
Are there Treehouse learning tracks?
Yes, in addition to courses, Treehouse has learning paths. Learning tracks are a curated combination of courses.
So instead of taking a few hours, they typically take a few months to complete. Learning tracks include everything from Java to C#, and front end development to various aspects of UX/UI design.