Two things make interview prep courses stand out. The first is an insider experience of the course creators, and the second is a community of like-minded students.
In my years of reviewing interview prep courses, I’ve discovered that these two elements set the best apart from the rest.
In this article, I’ve taken both platforms piece by piece, showing you everything each has to offer. I’ve equally shared my personal experience with the platform and what other people have to say.
In the end, you should have enough information to decide which of the two platforms works best. With that said, let’s start with a brief overview of Zero to mastery academy and Codecademy.
TLDR; Both platforms are good but I prefer Zero to Mastery because of their Discord community and constantly updated courses. In addition, you can obtain a lifetime access for the platform.
Overview of Zero to Mastery and Codecademy
Zero To Mastery Academy, also known as ZTM combines the features of a learning community and a course-hosting platform to create a learning experience for students.
Zero to Mastery Academy is an example of a beginner-focused learning platform. It hosts several courses that provide in-depth training on various programming skills needed for job interviews and career development.
Besides the skills training, the platform offers several interview prep courses and off-platform communities where learners can interact and share experiences.
Zero to mastery academy brings the offline boot camp experience into the online space.
Overview of Codecademy
Codecademy came into existence as a solution to the learning gap observed in the tech skills market at the turn of the millennium.
Zach Sims and his partner, Ryan observed that programmers developed several tools to address different life problems, but no one created a platform where programmers learn how to code.
Codecademy became the offspring of this idea. The platform is a practical-centric learning site that gives you everything you need to develop the coding skills you crave.
Codecademy also offers career-focused and skill-focused courses to equip developers with all they need to land their dream job. It has grown into a massive learning platform with over 50 million students since its inception.
Institutions like the United States White House and Google have partnered with the platform in various capacities.
Founder of Zero to mastery Vs Codecademy
Well, the status of the platform founders hardly determines the quality of the course hosted on the platform.
However, it may influence students’ confidence. Below is a brief overview of both founders and why they qualify to be your instructors and role model.
Zero to mastery course, ZTM was founded by Andrei Neagoie, a senior developer at several Top-tier tech companies, including Uber. He left the corporate world to pursue his passion, which is teaching others how to code.
He started his journey by providing training courses on course-hosting platforms like Udemy. He later launched his site, which grew into the Zero to Mastery Academy we know today.
Over the years, Andrei Neagoie has taught over 700000+ students through his ZTM platform and courses hosted on other platforms.
Codecademy was co-founded by the duo Ryan Bubinski and Zach Sims in 2011. However, Zach Sims remains its CEO to date.
He launched his first site at 13, and it raked in thousands of visitors, giving him more revenue than he needed at that age.
His desire to master the language of the internet grew with the booming internet era of the 2000s. Zach Sims also attributes his success to his decision to speak the language of the technology that drove the internet connectivity of that time.
His struggle with programming knowledge sparked his drive to make programming knowledge available to all through the power of technology.
His partner, Ryan Bubinski, serves as the CTO of the company. Ryan developed the original product that became Codecademy during his time at the Y-combinator program.
Pros of Zero to Mastery
- lifetime access
- access to the developer community
- consistent course update
- certificate of completion
- money-back guarantee
Cons of Zero to Mastery
- IDE not included
- no free courses
- Does not offer job-specific interview prep
Pros of Codecademy
- Access to free courses
- Comes with an integrated development environment (IDE)
- Certification of completion
- Access to the developer community
- Provides job prep courses
- over technical interview training
Cons of Codecademy
- No video-based lessons
- Limited information about instructors
- No lifetime access options
- No money-back guarantee
- Course update happens less frequently
- Cons of Codecademy
Zero to Mastery vs. Codecademy – Features and Course Outline
Community
ZTM and Codecademy operate a similar community model. Each platform features a GitHub integration that allows participants to work with codes within the community.
However, Codecademy’s community is more robust and engaging than ZTM’s. It offers additional platforms that foster cooperation and interaction among students.
ZTM uses a LinkedIn group in its community, and Codecademy uses a Facebook group. Social media platforms offer a unique experience where students interact on a more conventional and personal level.
However, one upside of the Codecademy community over the ZTM community is that you don’t have to be a premium student of the platform to participate in the community.
ZTM requires you to pay for registration to participate in the community. Without paid registration, you’ll have access to the LinkedIn community alone.
The Codecademy community program also integrates forums, chapters, discord, and events into the community, making it slightly different from ZTM’s. The platform also offers mobile apps for discord groups, which improves interaction easy and makes it ever-present.
Another point of difference in the community experience is the interface. You’ll find the Codecademy community interface not-so-great, especially the UX. It is congested and not intuitive.
The ZTM interface is also not intuitive, but much better than Codecademy.
The UX of ZTM Vs Codecademy
When taking online courses, one of the things I look out for is UX. While UX may not affect the quality of the content, it could influence the drive and desire to continue or finish the course.
ZTM offers a very intuitive design with easy navigation. If you’re new to the student area, you’ll find a quick guide showing you how to get started.
Also, you get help choosing the career path that’s best for you if you’ve not already chosen the career you want to pursue. The ZTM interface shows you everything you need to do in a step-by-step sequence.
It shows you what to click, and the grid layout of the content makes it user-friendly.
Codecademy’s user interface is quite different from ZTM’s. It features a simple design, and detailed information helps you get around. However, it doesn’t provide a detailed navigation guide on ZTM.
Even though it uses the grid system, it has fewer graphical presentations and is rather academic than fun. The learning environment also features a simple design, easy navigation, and a simple call to action.
For example, any course you’re working on shows on the landing page under the Today tab.
Course overview of zero to mastery vs Codecademy
Zero to Mastery Academy courses are divided into 5 categories: coding, designs, web3/blockchain, business, and life skills. Each category offers unique content that helps students master skills and acquires in-depth knowledge.
There are 48+ courses on The ZTM platform. However, many courses have overlapping categories. You’ll find several lessons on the platform under the coding category.
It has the highest number of courses: featuring over 37 courses, including some courses covering how to launch a freelancing career as a programmer. ZTM also features some classes that are not directly related to programming or coding but still help you in the long run.
Examples include Learning to Meditate [Productivity & Focus], Learning to Learn [Efficient Learning]: Zero to Mastery, and ZTM Fitness: Get Healthier in 4 Weeks.
Some students might think the courses are irrelevant to their careers. However, building a successful career as a developer exceeds the technical skills alone.
Some life skills can also help you scale the ladder of progress much faster.
Meanwhile, Codecademy courses are in two parts the career path and the skill path. Students who want in-depth knowledge of choosing a programming career would benefit from the career path category.
It provides a robust immersion program that helps you master everything there is to know about the job and ace any job interview you may encounter. A skill path is a rapid-fire approach to grasping any programming skill.
Students can navigate through Codecademy courses by clicking the catalog option in the navigation menu. It grants you an overview of all Codecademy courses.
Course quality and content of zero to mastery vs Codecademy
Every platform puts in its best to ensure students get the best quality. How good is Zero to Mastery courses compared to Codecademy? Let’s find out.
Codecademy courses come in modules; each module features various items, including lessons, course materials, interactive lessons, quizzes, projects, etc.
Comparing learning experiences, Codecademy integrates several tools to help students learn and practice what they’re learning. Each interactive lesson is a combination of text-based explanations and exercises.
You get an IDE with the lecture where you practice the codes shown within the course. Each time you enter incorrect codes, you’ll receive an immediate prompt telling you what’s gone wrong.
Also, there are several other assistance provided within the IDE. The quizzes section features multiple-choice questions. It helps you review what you learned within the course and solidify your knowledge.
The platform provides help within the quiz interface to help you understand what is wrong with your answer and why you are right.
What sets ZTM courses apart from Codecademy courses is the video-based lessons. While Codecademy depends heavily on text-based lessons, Codecademy uses a combination of text and video lessons to teach the point.
Each course is equally divided into modules, and the module provides video teachings, text articles, and quizzes for students to test their knowledge. The videos come in high-quality videos and sounds.
The downside of ZTM is that you are not given access interactive editor similar to the one found in Codecademy. You have to source for an editor by yourself, and if you run into any form of error, you may have to be the one to figure it out. It is a downside that I hope ZTM will look into in the future.
Course Updates on ZTM vs Codecademy
When it comes to course updates, ZTM outperforms Codecademy a hundred times to one. ZTM updates its course content every year to feature the most relevant knowledge.
You’ll find a large percentage of courses on ZTM are tailored to the year you’re taking the course.
Codecademy however, features evergreen content, which is ideal. However, you may encounter outdated lessons that don’t matter in today’s work environment.
Given situations where your Job interview requires more current knowledge, you may perform below expectations. It is not always the case, but it matters when you invest a lot of money into your skills and development. It’s best to pay for knowledge that puts you ahead of the majority.
The course duration of ZTM vs Codecademy
ZTM course videos is in the range of 5 hours to 40 hours long. Each course is divided into lessons, which may last up to 4 to 10 weeks, depending on the student’s availability and comprehension speed.
Codecademy course duration depends on the path you choose. Students learning on the skill path can expect to spend anywhere from 5-10 weeks on each course, depending on their availability. However, the career path courses can span as much as 30-35 weeks.
ZTM Certificates Vs Codecademy Certificates
Both platforms offer certificates of completion.
Instructors at ZTM Vs Codecademy
ZTM features exceptional developers with insider experience with top-tier companies, including FANNG. Some instructors featured on the ZTM platform include:
Codecademy instructors are not explicitly detailed. However, courses hosted on the platform feature articles from recognized experts. I will recommend that Codecademy looks into profiling instructors so students can know who their instructors are.
The major difference between ZTM instructors and Codecademy instructors comes from how they’re sourced. ZTM is built with course delivery in mind, while Codecademy focuses on building a platform where students learn and practice coding. Instructors on ZTM are more human-sensitive, and they as a course.
Job interview prep courses on ZTM Vs Codecademy
Which of these two platforms helps better position yourself for job opportunities? Zero to mastery offers several job-specific interview prep courses as the Aws Bootcamp course showing you various ways to pursue a career as a developer.
You’ll also find lessons that show you how to ace your job interview. Some of the job prep courses featured on ZTM include
- Master the coding interview: Data Structures + Algorithms
- The Complete Junior to Senior Web Developer Roadmap
- Master the Coding Interview: System Design + Architecture [Part 1]
- Master the Coding Interview: Big Tech (FAANG) Interviews
- The complete guide to freelancing
- Consulting: the complete freelancer’s guide
Codecademy also features several interview prep courses. Some courses you’ll find in the Codecademy interview prep section include
- the Data analyst interview preparation course
- Pass the technical interview with the Java course
- Pass the technical interview with the Javascript course
- Pass the technical interview with Python
- Data scientist interview preparation
- Pass the technical interview with swift
When placed side-by-side, both platforms offer courses that help any aspiring programmer and developer land a dream job. However, Zero to mastery includes classes showing freelancing and consulting career paths. You won’t find that on Codecademy.
Zero to Mastery vs. Codecademy – Pricing
ZTM and Codecademy offer different pricing models that grant various access levels to students taking courses on the platform. Zero to Mastery Academy offers three payment plans to students.
- $39/Month plan. With this plan, students gain one-access to all the courses on the ZTM platform. Access elapses after the allotted period.
- $279/year plan. The yearly plan offers a 40% discount on the monthly plan. It grants access to all courses hosted on the platform for one year. Students also get a certificate of completion for any course completed within the year.
- $999 Lifetime plan. If you’re a lifelong learner, I’ll suggest this plan. You get unlimited access to everything offered on Zero to Mastery, and every update to the platform. You also gain access to the communities and other features of the platform. As a developer, this comes in handy throughout your career.
Codecademy pricing
One major advantage of Codecademy over ZTM is that you can audit several courses on Codecademy without paying a dime. This free feature brings a lot of flexibility to the learning experience.
First, it helps you decide if you love the learning style of the platform. And two, students using online learning platforms for the first time know if it’s a perfect fit.
Codecademy’s free plan is also the basic plan and provides only learning access without other benefits. You may be required to enter your billing details to use it in some cases. Other subscription plans offered by Codecademy include
- Pro-lite plan. It costs 13/month billed annually. It means you pay $156 for one-year access to exclusive benefits. It covers real-world projects, certificates of completion, skilled path, personalized practice, quizzes, and all courses.
- Pro plan: the plan is valued at $19 monthly and billed annually at $228. It comes with exclusive offers, including everything you get from the pro lite plan, plus technical interview prep, career path groups/community, the career path option, and a certificate of completion
ZTM Money-back-guarantee Vs Codecademy
ZTM offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for the annual and lifetime plan. Codecademy only allows you to cancel your subscription at any time. However, the subscription will still run until the end of the current billing cycle. You don’t get your money back.
Zero to Mastery vs Codecademy – which is best?
Both platforms have their unique strengths and weaknesses. However, they are beginner-friendly, and Developers at any level would benefit from using them.
ZTM is better adapted for learners who want a feel of human touch and visuals. Anyone who craves hand-holding experience will love ZTM better. The experience on the platform is more engaging and taken step by step.
Students who want to skip around as fast as possible would find Codecademy more appealing. ZTM is more chronological, using the slow and steady approach. Also, students looking for an integrated learning experience with IDE would find Codecademy much more appealing.
Codecademy is ideal for independent learners who can dig deeper for the knowledge they seek. The platform is designed as a learning ground where you find what you want by yourself.
It’s less empathic than ZTM. If you’re a visual-type learner, Codecademy won’t help you as much. You’ll find more value in taking ZTM courses than Codecademy.
If I were to start learning how to code from scratch, I will begin my journey from Zero to mastery. The platform is intuitive and easy to navigate, and the teaching is much deeper, especially for beginners.
At the intermediate level, I’ll combine ZTM experience with the pro plan of Codecademy. This will grant me entry to career readiness and more robust practice and job prep programs.
Wrapping up
Now that you have a clear evaluation of what each platform entails, it becomes easy to decide which works best for you, based on your learning preferences.
Your experience level also affects the choice of platform that works best for you, and the underlying reason why you want to take a coding course matters too. If you need the knowledge and skills, you can leverage both platforms, starting with ZTM.
However, if you need quick help with interview preparation, Codecademy offers a rapid-fire learning program to teach you what you need to know immediately.
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