Datacamp Review – What is DataCamp?

How Does DataCamp Work?

DataCamp is similar to other online learning platforms in that it offers stand-alone courses that you can take. Each course varies in terms of its content and length as well as its suitability for various skill sets.

In addition to these individual courses, DataCamp students can also pursue Tracks. These Track learning programs offer multiple “chunks” of courses that will allow you to earn a Statement of Accomplishment when you complete them.

Though this statement is not accredited, it will no doubt look great on your resume when it’s time to apply for jobs. 

As of writing this article, there are two tracks you can pursue: the DataCamp Skill Track and the DataCamp Career Track.The Skill Track will let you select a combination of individual courses that will give you all the knowledge you need to master a certain skill. You’ll only take courses relevant to you. These could be courses from different instructors and amount to a varying number of hours of training. 

The Career Track will let you access a number of courses that will prepare you for a certain career, rather than a skill. You might take 15 courses from a variety of instructors (and 58 hours of learning, for example) to help you become prepared as a Python programmer.

There are also DataCamp memberships for businesses. To date, DataCamp has worked with more than 1600 companies, many of which are Fortune 1000 members. As a business owner or manager, you can use DataCamp to provide flexible online training to all of your team members.

If you’re an educator, DataCamp has something to offer you. You can apply to get access to 1200 hours of data science courses totally free for your students. 

DataCamp User Interface

DataCamp has a user interface that is not only attractive but also easy to use. Although there is some information that can be tough to find on the website – you have to really dig to find any information on the free trial plan – it is not difficult to get started with using this online learning platform.

The entire user interface is intuitive and easy to use. To get started, you just need to open up a web browser and log on to DataCamp’s website. Then, you can enter your details into the pop-up box to start learning for free and to create an account.

You can use your Google, Facebook, or LinkedIn login (one less password and username to remember, after all!). You can always sign up with your email, if you’d prefer, to make a separate account.

Once you enter your details, you’ll be prompted to complete a basic profile. Then, you’ll have access to a simple launchpad and dashboard where you can view your progress and check out options like Career Tracks, Skill Tracks, DataCamp Projects, Courses, and more.

You can bookmark classes and features to check out late or even [participate in live events. You’ll be able to view how far you’ve come on each and every one of your courses in this dashboard, too. 

This dashboard also has a section that will allow you to browse different courses. You can search in several different ways. You can filter courses to select by Topics or Technologies or you can simply search by the newest or most relevant classes. 

Another thing that makes DataCamp easy to use is that you can cancel your annual or monthly subscription at any time. You will still be able to access all of its resources until the year or month ends.

Content Quality

You’ll find an impressive content quality when you decide to join DataCamp. This platform has worked with all kinds of successful companies, including eBay, Uber, Google, and more to provide its students with the skills they need to be successful – as well as to train their own employees on how to make them successful at their jobs. 

When you decide to use DataCamp for your personal learning or professional business needs, you’ll benefit from all kinds of features. Not only will you receive expert guidance from instructors who really know their stuff, but you’ll be able to create personally-tailored learning content and engage in hands-on skill-building activities. 

Before you begin a class, you can get an idea of its quality by taking the free test version. You can also choose to look at the instructor’s bio for the course. This will let you learn more about the professional from whom you will be learning before you even get started. 

Ease of Use

DataCamp is incredibly easy to use, especially when it comes to signing up and finding a course. 

One of the major complaints you’ll see echoed in other online course platform reviews is that it can be tough to wade through the thousands of courses offered by the platform. That’s not the case with DataCamp.

Everything is customized specifically to you so it’s extremely easy to use. You’ll even get personalized recommendations for courses you should take.

To get started, you’ll just need to choose a Skill Track or Career Track. Each one has a series of courses you can follow and complete based on your preferences. Skill Tracks usually have up to seven courses (sometimes fewer) that focus on complementary skills in certain topics or programming languages.

Career tracks, on the other hand, have introductory courses in things like SQL, Python, and R and will cover more basic skills. 

If you aren’t sure if DataCamp is the right platform for you, you’ll benefit from the easy to use free DataCamp account feature. With this, you can take a look at the first chapter of almost any course on the platform. That way, you can figure out whether it’s worth the money before you pay. 

You can also try out an assessment for free. These, too, can be filtered by Technology and topic. You don’t have to register or provide any kind of payment details (no need to have your credit card on hand!) to check out these features.

User Learning Experience

If you’re wondering who DataCamp is for and whether it’s the right platform for you, rest assured – in most cases, it’s the ideal way to learn. You’ll enjoy access to nearly 350 courses focusing on a variety of topics and data science technologies, including things like Python, R language, and even Excel.

Courses are broken down into small, bite-sized chunks so that you won’t get overwhelmed the minute you log on.

Not only that, but each course also comes with expert videos (these are deliberately kept short to help hold your attention!) and interactive exercises that you can complete immediately.

Whether you’re a complete newbie or have some level of knowledge on subjects related to data science, the DataCamp user learning experience is profoundly positive.

What Type of Courses Does DataCamp Offer?

DataCamp is unlike other online course providers, like edX or Coursera, in that it strictly offers courses in data science and analytics. You might take purses in technologies like:

• R 
• Python
• SQL
• Git
• Shell
• Spreadsheets
• Theory
• Scala
• Tableau 
• Excel
• Power BI

You can also pursue classes in topics such as:

• Probability and Statistic
• Case Studies
• Data Engineering
• Management
• Programming
• Applied Finance
• Machine Learning
• Reporting
• Data Manipulation
• Data Visualizations
• Importing and Cleaning Data

DataCamp Certificates

When you’re researching online course providers, you may have heard or read that DataCamp does not provide certificates. This is true to an extent. While DataCamp does not offer certificates, it does provide Statements of Accomplishment.

These statements are available after you have successfully completed a course. This is a free statement and while it is not accredited, you can share it on your resume or in your LinkedIn profile 

The Advantages (Pros) of DataCamp

Open for New Instructors to Join

Unlike many online course providers, DataCamp makes it possible for just about anybody to teach a course. Of course, you do need to prove that you are qualified to do so, but you don’t have to be employed at a major university in order to teach a class here. 

By teaching on DataCamp, you’ll be able to earn royalties through the revenue sharing program and get your impact and teachings out to a global audience. You can choose to teach courses, create short practice challenges, or build DataCamp projects for learners. 

Engaging, Interactive Courses

While data analysis and programming are topics that you’ll find on just about every learning website, DataCamp courses are unique in that they are interactive and engaging.

You won’t just sit around watching videos of instructors telling you what to do – you’ll also be able to participate in interactive learning experiences with all kinds of videos and exercises to help you build your skills. 

Not only that, but you’ll be learning from experts. While many of these experts are employed at major universities, there are also plenty of instructors with solid hands-on experience – people just like you! 

Clear and Affordable Pricing Structure

Look around online, and many of the pricing models that are employed for other learning platforms aren’t just complex – they’re downright confusing. Dig a little deeper, and you may find that the pricing structure makes them ultimately unaffordable, too. 

That’s not the case with DataCamp. Courses on here are not only easy to understand (something that is incredibly refreshing) but transparent. You’ll also enjoy access to a Start for Free Plan so you can see what the courses and assessments are all about.

Multiple Available Platforms

DataCamp is available on multiple platforms. Since everything is available 100% online, you can access the courses from a desktop, laptop, or mobile device. There is also a mobile-only subscription in which you can gain unlimited access to the mobile courses and practice exercises. 

The Disadvantages (Cons) of DataCamp

Limited Course Categories

Unlike other platforms that offer courses in a wide array of topics, including the humanities and business, DataCamp only offers classes in data science and analytics.

While there are about 350 courses in this area, it’s lacking in other disciplines, which can be frustrating if you want to branch out and learn more about other subjects.

English-Only Courses

DataCamp courses are only available in English. There are subtitles in Chinese, German, French, Italian, Korean, Japanese, Spanish, Russian, and Portuguese, but these cannot be downloaded with videos to watch offline.

Lacks Quizzes and Tests

Although you can take minor assessments and practice questions, there are no formal tests to assess your progress at the end of the course. 

DataCamp Alternatives

There are several alternatives to DataCamp that you might consider in your pursuit of the right e-learning platform.

One of these is Pluralsight. Pluralsight is similar to DataCamp in that it offers online training courses for developers and other IT professionals. It is, however, more expensive than DataCamp.

It offers more plans for business professionals and large companies, though, and more pathways toward certifications that are recognized and accredited. 

Another option is LinkedIn Learning. Formerly known as Lynda, LinkedIn Learning offers classes in a broader variety of fields. If you want to learn it, there’s a good chance that LinkedIn Learning offers the class!

The classes, again, are more expensive than what you would find on DataCamp, but you may have an easier time catching an employer’s eye because everything will link up directly with your profile on LinkedIn.

Last but not least is Udemy. Udemy is more or less an open marketplace for online learning. Again, you’ll find a much broader selection of classes here. Unlike DataCamp, you won’t pay for a subscription but instead, you’ll pay per course.

There are many classes that are free, but instructors are not vetted nearly as well as they are on DataCamp – so you might not access a high-quality course at all. 

Conclusion

So is this revolutionary online learning platform right for you? Only you can decide that. But chances are if you’re interested in learning about data science, this DataCamp review has piqued your interest in taking some classes online with this company.

Although DataCamp does have its fair share of drawbacks (many of which you will find echoed in other DataCamp course reviews), it’s nothing to worry about. You’ll likely find that this website offers relevant, updated courses that can help you get quite far as you’re pursuing a new career in analytics or data science.