Key Takeaways
- Cost-effective career path. Free coding bootcamps offer a low-risk way to break into the tech industry without the hefty price tag of traditional bootcamps or a college degree. Aspiring software developers, web developers, and software engineers can invest their time, with the potential for a high return if they land an entry-level position in the tech field.
- Flexible learning options. Many free bootcamps offer self-paced learning, providing flexibility to balance studies with other commitments. While this learning format may lack real-time instructor interaction, it suits individuals with busy schedules or those who prefer to learn independently.
- Community-driven support. Free bootcamps often rely on decentralized communities of learners and instructors, which can foster a strong professional network. Students can engage in discussions via forums or platforms like Discord, gaining exposure to the latest coding trends and potential career opportunities.
- Limited career services and engagement. Without tuition fees, free bootcamps typically offer fewer career services, such as resume reviews or interview coaching.
- Potential drawbacks: Outdated content and limited guidance. While free bootcamps can teach core coding skills, some may struggle to keep up with the rapidly evolving tech industry. Curricula might not be updated frequently, and learners may miss out on the latest tools or frameworks, including artificial intelligence and machine learning.
The coding job market has seen stunning growth over the past decade, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is projecting that jobs like software developer, quality assurance analyst, and QA tester will outperform the U.S. labor market by 17% leading up to 2033.1
But it hasn’t been all roses in the tech world, as of late. Massive layoffs at the biggest companies have made headlines in national publications, and TechCrunch suggests that these have disproportionately affected those “learn-to-code” roles like software engineer, software developer, and web developer.2,3
There is evidence that these layoffs aren’t signaling a downturn in the industry, but more so a correction after the volatility of the pandemic years and the rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning.4 Certainly nobody is saying that a tech profession is off the table for those looking to build up their coding skills and (hopefully) land a job with $100k+ compensation. But, in what is still an uncertain economic climate, an aspiring web developer, software developer, or full stack engineer would be easily forgiven for being hesitant to make big, potentially risky investments in their career aspirations.
And what’s the big, potentially risky investment of the moment if you’re interested in coding? A coding bootcamp. Coding bootcamps have the ability to prepare you for entry-level jobs, but may lack transparency when it comes to outcomes, and the relative newness of the format can give budget-conscious coders-to-be understandably cold feet. The good news: There are many free coding bootcamps that offer many of the benefits of a paid coding bootcamp (with some key differences) for no cost at all!
Below, we’ll dive into just how free coding bootcamps differ before running down a list of our favorites. At the end, we’ll suggest even more free resources that you can use to level up your coding skills for nothing more than your time.
What is a coding bootcamp?
A coding bootcamp is an accelerated (three-to-six-month) training program that aims to help aspiring coders skill up in software development, software engineering, and/or web development in order to land an entry-level software developer, software engineer, or web developer job.
Most coding bootcamps feature project-based learning, which allows students to move through hands-on projects, gaining practical technical skills in coding languages, frameworks, and development tools deployed in the real world every day. Different bootcamps feature or specialize in areas of technical training like front-end development, full stack development, game development, web applications, data science, or even machine learning.
By learning through project-based curriculum, students are already a step ahead in their job hunt. These projects form the basis of a portfolio they can share with prospective employers to show off their web and software development skills. Many bootcamps also complement these portfolio-worthy projects with dedicated career services like resume review, interview prep, networking tips, and even private job boards.
Web development and coding bootcamps can be found both online and in-person, with different formats and durations. Some are full-time programs, demanding a significant time commitment, while others—especially online coding bootcamps—offer part-time or flexible schedules to accommodate individuals who may have other obligations. Similarly, some require a daily commute to a site where students can learn together and receive in-person instruction from industry pros, while others allow students to tune in from anywhere in the world.
How much does a typical coding bootcamp cost?
According to EducateMe, tuition costs for a coding bootcamp in 2025 range from $2,000-$16,000, with an average tuition price hovering around $14,000.5
For comparison, an average four-year undergraduate degree for a public school in the U.S. costs $39,000 per year in 2025, according to EducationData.org. This is for students paying in-state tuition. Students paying out-of-state tuition for a four-year public school degree invest an average of $113,544.6
What changes in a free coding bootcamp?
Of course, for many, $14,000 is still too much of an investment for a coding bootcamp, even with financing options like private loans, income share agreements (ISAs), payment plans, or job placement guarantees.7 Often, it’s not the tuition itself that presents a challenge, but the tuition paired with the opportunity costs associated with taking time off to study part- or full-time.
For many, inexpensive or free coding bootcamps can offer a great alternative to the pricier, big-name options like General Assembly, Hack Reactor, Fullstack Academy, or Coding Dojo—but just as there is no such thing as a free lunch, free coding bootcamps can come at some price. Free coding bootcamps can differ from their paid counterparts in the following ways:
Level of instruction
With software engineers and software developers making six-figure salaries in the tech industry (as of July 2025), high-ticket coding bootcamps are able to put together competitive compensation packages for instructors with professional experience.1,8
Conversely, free bootcamps are often less able to compete for the top instructors. Instead, some ask instructors to donate time, while others draw on community support or grant funding. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the level of instruction suffers, but it can. When looking at free options, you’ll want to make sure that the information they provide you with is accurate, reasonably current, and delivered by professional developers with experience.
Learning modality
A related issue when you remove tuition from the equation is that it becomes more difficult to provide live instruction for hands-on learning. As a result, many free coding bootcamps leverage highly scalable, asynchronous learning environments with “set-it-and-forget-it” content that requires some up-front cost or effort to produce but doesn’t require much to maintain or keep running.
While asynchronous content is far more financially and logistically accessible, it can quickly become out of date and won’t necessarily suit all learning styles.
Career services
No tuition also means less likelihood that a bootcamp is able to provide personalized career services to its students. When the goal of a bootcamp is to help students land entry-level coding positions, this is certainly not ideal. However, this is an obstacle that can be overcome with industrious leveraging of one’s own network and a get-up-and-go attitude.
Student interaction
With fewer live learning opportunities, student interaction moves to formats like message boards and Discord servers. While this might not befit the social butterfly, it’s authentic to the online-native coding community and remote coding jobs.
What are the advantages of a free coding bootcamp?
We’ve covered how free coding bootcamps might differ from paid coding bootcamps, but let’s get down to business: What are the real advantages presented by these differences?
Price
The biggest advantage is obvious: Price. By removing any monetary costs from the equation, the only real investment you’ll make in a free online coding bootcamp will be your time. If you land an entry-level job and embark on a career path as a software developer, you’ll see incredible return on investment.1 And if for some reason your coding journey doesn’t work out, you’ll be no worse off, financially, than you were before.
Community
"Career Karma entered my life when I needed it most and quickly helped me match with a bootcamp. Two months after graduating, I found my dream job that aligned with my values and goals in life!"
Venus, Software Engineer at Rockbot
It might sound crazy, but having to rely on decentralized communities of coders to learn how to program can actually be an asset, helping you build a strong network early on. This style of community can help you stay more current with the latest coding trends and potentially even open up career opportunities down the road.9
Flexibility
While an asynchronous tech education might provide less in the way of personal interaction with your instructor and fellow students, it can also offer flexibility. This allows you to study on your own schedule. It can also allow you to continue working while you study or fit your career change around your family obligations.
What are the drawbacks of a free coding bootcamp?
With the advantages of free coding bootcamps come drawbacks. While none of these drawbacks are deal-breakers on their own, together they may suggest that a free coding bootcamp isn’t the right choice for you.
Lower engagement
While some thrive in asynchronous learning environments, for others, they can be difficult to find engaging. If you’re not engaged in what you’re learning, maintaining motivation and retaining information can become more difficult.
Less guidance
Looking for a job, especially in the days of LinkedIn and layoffs, is anything but easy, especially if you are trying to jump into an unfamiliar industry. While some can leverage professional relationships and social networks to teach themselves recruitment skills, even the best coders sometimes need help navigating this minefield. Free coding bootcamps might help you learn the skills needed for a coding position, but guidance in this area is either community-supported (not necessarily a bad thing!) or hands-off.
Potentially out-of-date instruction
If you’re learning to code, it makes sense to know the most popular languages, frameworks, and tools.10 Unfortunately, when curricula are community-supported or only able to be updated infrequently, they might not offer the latest preparation you need to succeed in an industry that’s famously on the cutting edge.
Who are free coding bootcamps right for?
With these advantages and drawbacks in mind, we’d suggest that a free coding bootcamp might be the right fit for your tech education if you’re part of one of the following groups:
Free coding bootcamps can be beneficial for certain individuals who meet specific criteria. Here are some groups of people who might find free coding bootcamps suitable:
- Budget-conscious learners: Individuals with limited financial resources who want to learn coding without spending a significant amount of money.
- Self-motivated and disciplined individuals: Individuals who can learn without the structure and built-in accountability of paid programs.
- Hobbyists or side-hustlers: Individuals looking to pick up coding in their free time or as a way to supplement their income.
- The coding curious: Individuals who are curious about coding but don’t want to commit time and money to a paid bootcamp.
- Computer science students looking to supplement their studies: Individuals in computer science degree programs looking for added practice or to learn new skills.
Examples of free coding bootcamps (July 2025):
freeCodeCamp
freeCodeCamp offers an expansive curriculum of tutorials. Seriously, they have a tutorial for just about any coding task you can think of. Click on one and you’ll open up an integrated coding environment right in your browser. Need help? You can ask someone in the forum or on the Discord channel. This is very aligned for students who don’t require much guidance. That said, if you are a complete beginner and need more direction, you might find freeCodeCamp difficult to use, at least at first.11
Location: Remote
Learning Format: Self-paced, online
Program Length: Varies
Pros
- Expansive library of courses
- Browser-friendly integrated coding environment
- Forum, Discord, and YouTube channel with loads of coding tutorials
Cons
- No student-instructor interaction
- Amount of content can be overwhelming for beginning coders
42
42 is a European mutual-aid group that leverages gamification and peer-to-peer learning to offer free, effective coding instruction to students all over the world. 42 prioritizes openness and inclusivity, with some courses reserved for groups historically marginalized in tech. Courses will always be free, and as of July 2025, 42 self-reports a 100% job placement after completion of their core curriculum.12 To join, aspiring coders work on gamified assessments, complete an in-person intro meeting, and spend a month immersed in the program to make sure it’s right for them.
Location: Multiple campuses worldwide: Arica, Americas, Asia, and Europe
Learning Format: In person
Program Length: The common-core curriculum, up to 2 years
Pros
- Supportive, inclusive community
- Gamified learning experience
- No prerequisites
Cons
- No distance-learning option
- Lengthy admissions process
Codecademy
Codecademy’s basic access plan allows students to participate in free coding courses such as “Intro to ChatGPT,” “Learn SQL,” and “Learn HTML.” These beginner-friendly courses allow students to learn core coding skills and apply them through independent projects, all on their own schedule. Unfortunately, this free tier doesn’t include many of the essentials if you want to take the next step in your coding career: Expanded courses, career-specific learning paths, coding challenges, or career services, for which students need to pay a subscription fee of $30/month to access.
Location: Remote
Learning Format: Self-paced, online
Program Length: Varies
Pros
- Mobile app lets you practice on the go
- Community forum
Cons
- Limited course offerings for free tier
- No career services
MIT OpenCourseWare’s Intro to Computer Science and Programming in Python
A course rather than a full bootcamp, MIT OpenCourseWare’s Introduction to Computer Science and Programming in Python allows coding novices to experience a college-level programming course from a world-renowned technical university, for free. Students get access to lecture videos and notes, as well as problem sets. But since there is little student-to-student or student-instructor interaction, this course is best for 1) those who are merely curious about coding but not yet looking to switch careers and 2) auto-didacts who are skilled at learning in a low-touch environment.
Location: Remote
Learning Format: Self-paced, online
Program Length: Equivalent to one college semester
Pros
- Instruction from a world-leading university
- Includes problem sets to complete in order to earn a certificate
Cons
- No interaction with instructor or fellow students
- No opportunity to apply learning through independent projects
- Focuses only on Python
Harvard University’s CS50: Introduction to Computer Science
Another course making our list of free online coding bootcamps is Harvard’s famous CS50. CS50 is widely regarded as the top university computer science MOOC, a go-to resource for many successful self-taught programmers.13 Available anywhere in the world through edX, students can access instruction from Harvard’s world-class faculty thousands of miles away from Cambridge, all for free. However, just like MIT’s Intro to Computer Science, CS50 features problem sets, not independent projects, so students will need to supplement their learning with online coding challenges if they wish to begin populating a portfolio.
Location: Online
Learning Format: Self-paced, online
Length: 11 weeks, 10-20 hours per week
Pros
- Comprehensive overview of computer science
- Produced by leading authority
- Frequently cited on Reddit as go-to resource
Cons
- Low-touch user experience
- Less emphasis on practical application than other courses
- Potentially more difficult than other courses
Flatiron School: Free Software Engineering Prep
Flatiron School’s Free Software Engineering Prep Course isn’t really a free online coding bootcamp so much as a free resource that can help you succeed in a bootcamp. But it’s still a great way to build a foundation in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Git without needing to pay for anything—perfect if you’re on the fence about pursuing coding and just want a taste of what it would be like.14
Location: Remote
Learning Format: Self-paced, online
Length: Self-paced
Pros
- Offers low-risk taste of what coding is all about
- Bootcamp prep from a leading bootcamp provider
Cons
- Broad overview without too much detail
App Academy: Open
App Academy Open isn’t just a bootcamp prep course, it’s an entire front and back-end coding bootcamp curriculum offered completely free. How does that work? While App Academy’s 6-month online Software Engineering Program provides students with a schedule, virtual lectures, group work, career support, and access to App Academy’s alumni network, App Academy Open students are on their own, pacing their learning and directing their study themselves.15 If you need external motivation, this might not be for you, but if you’re a self-starter, this means a potentially great deal.
Location: Remote
Learning Format: Self-paced, onlineLength: Self-paced
The Odin Project
For those interested in web development, the Odin Project offers a comprehensive curriculum to get started quickly and for free. Students can select between two tracks—Full Stack Ruby on Rails or Full Stack JavaScript—and have the flexibility to learn at their own pace. One thing to note is that The Odin Project does not provide preparation for data science or software engineering roles. While many individuals have successfully secured web development positions after completing the program, it’s worth noting that a certificate from The Odin Project may not hold as much recognition outside of coding circles compared to certificates from more renowned educational institutions.
Location: Remote
Learning Format: Online
Length: Self-paced
Pros
- Community-maintained, so curriculum remains current
- Two different web dev paths: Ruby on Rails and JavaScript
Cons
- Considered difficult by some
- Only for web development; not for software dev
- Low name recognition outside of coding circles
Upskill
Much like freeCodecamp, Upskill offers a vast library of free coding courses taught by real software development professionals through follow-along demonstrations. Students are able to learn HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Ruby on Rails, and more, and use these languages to create their own projects. While it would take any aspiring coder a while to work through the over 200 free courses on offer, if you wish to level up through even more instruction, paid live classes are also available. So, how do you choose between Upskill and freeCodeCamp? If you’re looking to follow along with videos, Upskill is for you. If instead you’re looking to follow step-by-step instructions alongside a browser-based coding environment, go for freeCodeCamp.
Location: Remote
Learning Format: Self-paced online
Length: Self-paced
Pros
- Video content is great for visual learners
- Large library of courses to choose from
Cons
- Infrequently updated
- No community forums or other student-instructor or peer interaction.
Resilient Coders
Resilient Coders is a full-service, tuition-free coding bootcamp that aims to help more people of color become full-stack JavaScript coders. Over 18 weeks, students learn and build projects with HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Node, MongoDB, and React, all while practicing the soft skills that will help them land a job. Since Resilient Coders is a mission-based non-profit organization, there are unfortunately considerable restrictions on who can apply. See if you’re eligible by checking out the Resilient Coders apply page.
Location: Remote
Learning Modality: Live online
Length: 18 weeks
Pros
- Full-service bootcamp, completely free
- Committed to equity in the tech space
- Reports a $98,000 average graduate salary, as of July 202516
Cons
- Limited space
- Extensive eligibility restrictions
Ada Developers Academy
Ada Developers Academy is a coding school committed to helping more women and gender non-conforming individuals gain tech skills, with an emphasis on those who are Black, Latinx, Indigenous, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander, LGBTQIA+, and/or low-income. ADA Developer’s Academy curriculum is extensive, with students expected to complete a 6-week pre-course series before starting 6-month full-time classroom study covering computer science fundamentals and SQL, Flask, HTML/CSS, JavaScript, and Python programming languages. As part of the 6-month ADA Core course, students then roll over into a 5-month internship program. All receive career support so that they can land a job upon graduating.
Location: Seattle, Atlanta, or Remote
Learning Modality: In person or live online
Length: 11 months, full-time
Pros
- The most extensive free bootcamp available
- Committed to equity in the tech industry
- Internship opportunities
- Corporate partnerships
Cons
- Competitive admission
- Significant time commitment
Camp Skillcrush
Camp Skillcrush is a light-hearted, gamified way to nail down beginning coding skills like HTML, visual design, UX, and JavaScript. While the curriculum is a bit limited, this is a great option for someone looking to complement an existing skillset or learn just enough about web development to start a side-hustle. That is, if you can ignore the not-so-hidden marketing embedded into the learning environment.
Location: Remote
Learning Modality: Self-paced, online
Length: Varies
Pros
- Fun way to get started coding
- Provides a broad overview of key web development areas
Cons
- Curriculum lacks depth
- Excessive marketing overtures within the learning environment
Founders and Coders
Founders and Coders is a UK-based non-profit that offers a free educational path to becoming a software developer: From self-paced learning to a software foundation cohort to software developer apprenticeships where you can actually get paid to learn. Over the course of this path, students learn job-crucial skills related to markup, HTTP, and testing. The only downside: it’s only for individuals who have been UK or European residents for the last three years or who are refugees or asylum seekers.
Location: London
Learning Format: In-person and online
Program Length: Software Foundation: 3 months, part-time, Level 4 Software Developer apprenticeship: 12 months, part-time
Pros
- Complete instruction in a web stack
- Covers gen AI
Cons
- Only available in the UK or Europe
- Actual bootcamp curriculum is more limited compared to other bootcamps
Per Scholas: Full Stack Java Developer
Per Scholas offers tuition-free training in areas like software engineering, cyber security, cloud-based services, and systems support by working directly with employers to produce future employees with in-demand skills. According to Per Scholas, as of July 2025, over 80% of Per Scholas graduates land a full-time job within a year of graduating, with typical graduates seeing a three-fold increase in income.17 Their 15-week Software Engineering course is available in select cities across the nation and teaches software engineering coding knowledge, including programming languages—like React and Node—along with design patterns, systems architecture, and more.18
Location: Remote or at one of 31 campuses
Learning modality: In person or live online
Length: 15 weeks
Price: Free
Pros
- High-level curriculum developed in collaboration with potential employers
- High placement rates
Cons
- Dry user experience
- Extremely competitive
How else can you learn coding for free?
Here, we’ve shown some free coding bootcamps options out there—but they aren’t the only way to learn how to code for free. Here are some other options:
- YouTube tutorials: YouTube is a goldmine of free coding tutorials and classes, with countless programmers producing great educational content. What’s more, many of these programmers also dive into what it’s like to be a programmer and how they got where they are today.
- Open-source projects: Once you learn the basics of coding, contributing to open-source projects on platforms like GitHub can be a great way to hone your skills in a practical environment, meet new people, and learn more about coding.
- Documentation and online resources: Programming languages and frameworks often have comprehensive documentation available for free. While diving into these resources won’t work for everyone, some are able to engage effectively with this presentation of information.
- Coding communities: Communities on platforms like Stack Overflow, Reddit, and Discord are also a great source of up-to-date information and guidance, including little-known resources that can help you progress in your coding journey.
- Coding challenges and competitive programming: Platforms like LeetCode and Codewars offer coding challenges and puzzles that can help you improve your coding skills in a fun, gamified environment.
- Meetups and workshops: Even if your coding life takes place online, IRL meetups, workshops, and hackathons can be great ways to network with other coders and learn from those with more advanced skills.
- Personal projects and experimentation: Last, but certainly not least, just get out there and code! Coding is ultimately about creating ways for computers to improve our world, so if you see something you want to change or build, don’t let inexperience stop you. By working to create something new, you’ll learn along the way. And if you’re looking for a job, create a final product that shows off not only your skills, but your entrepreneurial spirit.
What’s next?
Above, we’ve laid out all you need to know about free coding bootcamps and given you some options to get started in your research. We’ve also suggested some other ways you can start learning to code or practicing your existing skills for free.
Still think a paid coding bootcamp might be the way to go? Looking for more personal interaction, an easier path to admission, or career services that will help you nail your interview and land the job? Then get matched with a coding bootcamp today.
Sources
1 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/software-developers.htm
2 https://www.fastcompany.com/91229829/tech-mass-layoffs-tracker-november-2024-list-update
3 https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/16/tech-layoffs-2025-list/
4 https://www.finalroundai.com/blog/ai-tech-layoffs-mid-2025
5 https://www.educate-me.co/blog/bootcamp-market-statistics
6 https://educationdata.org/average-cost-of-college
7 https://www.forbes.com/advisor/education/bootcamps/bootcamps-job-guarantee/
8 https://builtin.com/salaries/us/software-engineer
9 https://www.refer.me/blog/the-inside-track-to-discord-networking-and-referrals-via-refer-me
10 https://tripleten.com/blog/posts/top-9-best-programming-languages-to-learn
11 https://www.freecodecamp.org/
12 https://42.fr/en/after-42/#key-figures
14 https://flatironschool.com/blog/learn-python-for-free/
15 https://www.appacademy.io/course/software-engineering/
16 https://www.resilientcoders.org/apply
17 https://perscholas.org/about-per-scholas/
18 https://perscholas.org/courses/?f-course_category%5B%5D=software-engineering#main
About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication.
Nice. I’ve been trying to learn coding specifically JavaScript from a few boot camps that I know. This gives me more options on bootcamps. I did not know there are A lot of highly reviewed boot camps to choose from that offers free coding programs. I would like to know more about the camps specifically those who offer online classes. Any suggestions?