Education & E-Learning · head to head
Codecademy vs Blackboard
Codecademy
Education & E-Learning
Learn to code interactively for free
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Blackboard
Education & E-Learning
Comprehensive learning platform for educational institutions
- From
- $10/year
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Codecademy has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Codecademy free plan has limited access to quizzes and projects; Blackboard user interface is outdated, cluttered, and unintuitive with hidden menus and excessive clicks
- They diverge on capability: Codecademy covers Interactive coding, Blackboard covers Course management.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Codecademy and Blackboard actually diverge.
| Attribute | Codecademy | Blackboard |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $10/year |
| Pricing model | freemium | Unknown |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Founded | 2011 | 1997 |
Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Education & E-Learning).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Codecademy
- Interactive coding
- Instant feedback
- Projects
- Quizzes
- Career paths
- Offline practice
- Community forums
- GitHub
Only in Blackboard
- Course management
- Assessment tools
- Discussion boards
- Virtual classroom
- Gradebook
- Analytics
- Accessibility
- SIS systems
Both cover
- Mobile app
- Web support
- IOS support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Codecademy
- Learn to codenot Blackboard
- Career transitionnot Blackboard
- Skill buildingnot Blackboard
- Portfolio projectsnot Blackboard
Blackboard
- Course deliverynot Codecademy
- Student engagementnot Codecademy
- Assessmentnot Codecademy
- Virtual learningnot Codecademy
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Codecademy
- Free plan has limited access to quizzes and projects
- Pro pricing at $15.99/month is among the higher options for coding education platforms
Blackboard
- User interface is outdated, cluttered, and unintuitive with hidden menus and excessive clicks
- Slow response times and platform crashes when opening multiple tabs simultaneously
- Cannot track detailed student activity beyond most recent login information
- Limited ability to handle large file uploads for content and assignments
- Minimal customization options for page and template design
Pricing, plan by plan
Codecademy
Free- FreeFree
- Basic courses
- Interactive lessons
- Community
- Plus$17.49/month
- All courses
- Projects
- Quizzes
- Pro$29.99/month
- Everything in Plus
- Interview prep
- Real-world projects
Blackboard
$10/yearNo published plan breakdown. See the Blackboard review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Codecademy if
- You need interactive coding.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want instant feedback.
Questions people ask
- Is Codecademy or Blackboard better?
- Neither clearly leads. Codecademy starts at Free and Blackboard at $10/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Codecademy or Blackboard?
- Codecademy has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Codecademy and $10/year for Blackboard.
- Does Codecademy or Blackboard run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Codecademy for free?
- Yes. Codecademy has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Blackboard starts at $10/year.
- What is Codecademy best used for?
- Codecademy is most often used for learn to code, career transition, skill building, portfolio projects. Of those, learn to code and career transition are not what Blackboard is typically brought in for.
- What can Codecademy do that Blackboard cannot?
- Codecademy covers Interactive coding, Instant feedback, Projects, Quizzes. Blackboard covers Course management, Assessment tools, Discussion boards, Virtual classroom. Both handle Mobile app, Web support, IOS support, Android support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Codecademy: Does Codecademy have a free plan?
Yes. Codecademy offers a permanent free plan with access to basic courses and introductory content. Advanced features like quizzes, projects, and career paths require Pro with a 7-day free trial.
SourceBlackboard: What does Blackboard LMS offer?
Blackboard is a learning management system that includes course management, assignment and gradebook tools, discussion forums, and analytics for tracking learner progress in online, hybrid, and in-person courses.
SourceCodecademy: What is Codecademy Pro pricing?
Codecademy Pro costs $15.99/month when billed annually. Student pricing is available at a discount.
Source