I Tried 50 Python Courses: Here Are My Top 5 Recommendations

After spending 8 months and $2,400 testing every major Python course, here’s what actually works

I Tried 50 Python Courses: Here Are My Top 5 Recommendations

Last year, I had a humbling wake-up call that changed everything.

I was contributing to an open-source project when a maintainer left feedback on my pull request: “This works, but it’s not very Pythonic.”

I had been writing Python like it was Java for years, and it showed. While my code worked, it was verbose, slow, and hard to maintain.

The worst part? I realized I had been fooling myself about my Python skills for years. I could solve problems, but I wasn’t writing good Python.

That weekend, I did what any developer would do: I signed up for a Python course.

Then another one.

And another.

Before I knew it, I had enrolled in 50+ Python courses across DataCamp, Udemy, Coursera, ZTM Academy, Educative.io, and a dozen other platforms. Some were brilliant. Most were disappointing. A few were downright terrible.

Eight months and $2,400 later, I finally understand what makes a Python course actually worth your time.

My Testing Methodology

I didn’t just skim through courses. For each one, I:

  • Completed at least 50% of the content (100% for top contenders)
  • Built the projects they assigned
  • Timed how long concepts took to stick
  • Tested the code in real work scenarios
  • Measured my confidence before and after each module

I also tracked some key metrics:

  • Time to first “aha!” moment
  • Quality of hands-on exercises
  • How much I retained after 30 days
  • Whether I’d recommend it to a colleague

The Results That Surprised Me

Before diving into my top 5, here’s what shocked me most:

Price doesn’t predict quality. Some of the best courses cost under $20, while I wasted hundreds on “premium” content that taught outdated practices.

Bigger isn’t always better. 40-hour courses often had more filler than 12-hour focused ones.

Interactive beats passive every time. Courses where I wrote code constantly were 3x more effective than lecture-heavy ones.

Project quality matters more than project quantity. One well-designed capstone project taught me more than 20 tiny exercises.

My Top 5 Python Courses (Ranked)

Without any further ado, here are my top 5 Python courses, for both beginners and intermediate developers.

#1: 100 Days of Code: The Complete Python Pro Bootcamp for 2025

Platform: Udemy
Price: ~$15–20 (on sale)
Duration: 60+ hours
My Rating: 9.5/10

Why it’s #1:

This course changed how I think about learning programming. Instead of rushing through concepts, Dr. Angela Yu structures it as a daily challenge that builds real momentum.

What makes it special:

  • Daily projects that actually matter: Day 47 is building a web scraper, Day 83 is creating a portfolio website
  • Modern Python practices: Uses Python 3.11+ features and current best practices
  • Perfect progression: Starts with basic syntax, ends with web development and automation
  • Real-world focus: Every project solves actual problems you’ll face as a developer

The breakthrough moment: Day 15’s Coffee Machine project. It was the first time I truly understood object-oriented programming in Python. The way Angela breaks down classes and methods finally made it click.

Who should take it:

  • Complete beginners who want structure
  • Developers switching from other languages
  • Anyone who learns better with consistent daily practice

The only downside: It’s long. Really long. You need genuine commitment to finish all 100 days.

Here is the link to join this course — 100 Days of Code: The Complete Python Pro Bootcamp for 2025

By the way, I joined many other Python courses on Udemy because I had Udemy Personal Plan, which will give instant access of more than 11,000 top quality Udemy courses for just $30 a month.

If you got a lot of time and want to save money, Udemy Personal Plan will be perfect for you.

#2: Python for Everybody Specialization [Coursera]

Platform: Coursera (University of Michigan)
Price: $49/month (financial aid available)
Duration: 8 months (suggested pace)
My Rating: 9/10

Why it made #2:

Dr. Chuck Severance is simply one of the best programming instructors alive. His explanations are so clear that complex concepts feel obvious.

What makes it special:

  • University-level depth without university-level confusion
  • Incredible community: Active forums with helpful peers and instructors
  • Focus on problem-solving: Teaches you to think like a programmer
  • Real data: You’ll work with actual datasets, not toy examples

The breakthrough moment: The web scraping modules where you build programs that actually interact with real websites and APIs. It felt like magic.

Who should take it:

  • People who want academic rigor without academic pretension
  • Learners who prefer slower, deeper understanding
  • Anyone planning to use Python for data analysis

The trade-off: Less focus on modern web development compared to other courses.

Here is the link to join this course — Python for Everybody Specialization

Similar to Udemy, I also joined multiple Python courses on Coursera like Google IT Automation with Python Professional Certificate and Automate Cybersecurity Tasks with Python by Google. because I have Coursera Plus subscription which provides you unlimited access to their most popular courses, specialization, professional certificate, and guided projects.

Coursera Plus | Unlimited Access to 10,000+ Online Courses

It costs around $399/ per year but is worth it because you get access to more than 10000+ courses and projects, and you can also get unlimited certificates.

#3: The Complete Python Developer in 2025: Zero to Mastery

Platform: Zero to Master Academy
Price: ~$25 monthly / ~1,299 for lifetime
Duration: 30+ hours
My Rating: 8.5/10

Why it’s excellent:

Andrei Neagoie understands that Python developers need more than just Python. This course teaches the entire ecosystem.

What makes it special:

  • Full-stack perspective: Covers Python + web development + deployment
  • Industry insights: Andrei shares real hiring manager perspectives
  • Modern tools: Git, Docker, testing frameworks, virtual environments
  • Career guidance: Resume tips, portfolio projects, interview prep

The breakthrough moment: The section on decorators and context managers. Andrei’s explanations finally made these “advanced” concepts feel approachable.

Who should take it:

  • Developers who want to get hired as Python developers
  • People who prefer practical over theoretical
  • Anyone who wants to understand the broader Python ecosystem

The limitation: Can feel rushed compared to the 100 Days course.

Here is the link to join this course — The Complete Python Developer in 2025: Zero to Mastery

Btw, you would need a ZTM membership to watch this course which costs around $25 per month but also provides access to many super engaging and useful courses like this Python course and this JavaScript Web Projects: 20 Projects to Build Your Portfolio course. You can also use the FRIENDS10 coupon to get 10% OFF.

ZTM Academy

#4: Python 101: Interactively Learn How to Program with Python 3 [Educative]

Platform: Educative
Price: $225/annum(subscription) (50% discount now)
Duration: 15+ hours
My Rating: 8/10

Why it’s underrated:

This is the most interactive Python course I’ve found. Every concept includes immediate coding practice in the browser.

What makes it special:

  • Zero setup required: Code directly in your browser
  • Immediate feedback: Your code runs instantly with helpful error messages
  • Bite-sized lessons: Perfect for busy schedules
  • Visual learning: Excellent diagrams and code visualizations

The breakthrough moment: The interactive debugging exercises. Being able to step through code execution line-by-line was incredibly helpful for understanding loops and conditionals.

Who should take it:

  • Busy professionals who need flexible learning
  • Visual learners who benefit from diagrams
  • People who get frustrated with local development setup

The downside: Less comprehensive than full bootcamp-style courses.

Here is the link to join this course — Python 101: Interactively Learn How to Program with Python 3

Btw, you would need an Educative subscription to join this course, which not only provide access to this course but more than 1200+ courses to learn essential tech skills, prepare for coding interview and improve yourself as a Developer.

Educative Unlimited: Excel with AI-Powered Learning

If you want to invest yourself and upgrade your tech skill, this is one subscription you definitely need. They are also offering 50% discount now.

#5: Introduction to Python [DataCamp Course]

Platform: DataCamp
Price: $35/month (subscription)
Duration: 4 hours
My Rating: 7.5/10

Why it made the list:

Sometimes you just need to learn Python fast. This course gets you productive in hours, not weeks.

What makes it special:

  • Incredibly efficient: Covers core Python in just 4 hours
  • Data science focus: Perfect if you’re heading toward analytics or data science
  • Hands-on from minute one: You’re writing code in the first lesson
  • Quality over quantity: Every exercise teaches something important

The breakthrough moment: The pandas introduction. In 30 minutes, I understood data manipulation better than I had in weeks of other courses.

Who should take it:

  • Experienced programmers who need Python quickly
  • Data scientists or analysts transitioning to Python
  • Anyone who wants to test if they like Python before committing to longer courses

The limitation: Too basic for anyone wanting to become a full-time Python developer.

Here is the link to join this course — Introduction to Python

Once you have gone through this course, you can also take a look at more advanced courses like Intermediate Python and Python Data Science Toolbox to master Python for data science.

The best thing about this DataCamp course is that it’s engaging and up-to-date, few chapters are free and you can access them by creating a free account.

Though for better learning I also suggest you to join Datacamp Standard plan which gives you access to entire platform, exercises, and projects for just $25 per month.

The Courses That Disappointed Me

Automate the Boring Stuff with Python Programming: Great book, mediocre course. The video format doesn’t add much value over just reading Al Sweigart’s excellent book.

Python Crash Course: Tries to cover too much too quickly. Left me confused rather than confident. Though the whole specialization is good and some people may find it good as well, especially if you have ideas about Python and you are in rush.

Complete Python Masterclass: 60+ hours of outdated content with too much theory and not enough practice.

My Honest Recommendations by Situation

If you’re a complete beginner with time: Start with #1 (100 Days of Code). It’s comprehensive and builds real habits.

If you want university-quality education: Go with #2 (Python for Everybody). Dr. Chuck is worth the investment.

If you need to get job-ready fast: Choose #3 (Zero to Mastery). It covers the full stack you’ll need.

If you learn better interactively: Pick #4 (Educative). The browser-based coding is genuinely helpful.

If you just need Python basics quickly: Use #5 (DataCamp). Four hours well spent. Also a couple of lessons are completely free.

What I’d Do Differently

If I were starting over, I’d pick one course and stick with it instead of jumping around.

While most of the time I learn better by following multiple instructors, course-hopping is also the enemy of deep learning.

I’d also focus more on building personal projects alongside the course content. The courses that forced me to build real things were infinitely more valuable than those with only toy examples.

The Real Secret to Learning Python

Here’s what none of these courses explicitly teach: Python fluency comes from writing bad Python code and then making it better.

Every course will teach you syntax. The best ones teach you to think in Python. But true fluency only comes from:

  1. Writing lots of code (even bad code)
  2. Reading other people’s Python (especially good Python)
  3. Getting feedback from more experienced developers
  4. Refactoring your old code as you learn better patterns

The Course That Doesn’t Exist (Yet)

After trying 50 courses, I have a clear picture of what’s missing from the Python education landscape:

A course that teaches Python thinking, not just Python syntax. One that shows you how to:

  • Choose between different ways to solve the same problem
  • Write code that other Python developers would call “Pythonic”
  • Debug systematically instead of randomly changing things
  • Design larger programs that don’t turn into unmaintainable messes

Maybe someone will build it someday.

Final Thoughts

Learning Python changed my development skills completely. The projects I had been struggling with became elegant one-liners. My open-source contributions started getting accepted without revision. I even landed a freelance gig specifically because the client was impressed with my “clean, Pythonic code.”

But here’s the thing: it wasn’t any single course that got me there. It was the combination of structured learning, consistent practice, and real-world application.

Pick one of these courses based on your situation and learning style. Complete it fully. Then start building things that matter to you.

The Python community is incredibly welcoming, the language is genuinely fun to work with, and the career opportunities are endless.

All the best with your Python learning !!

Other AI and Cloud Computing Resources you may like

Thanks for reading this article so far. If you find these online courses to learn Python in 2025 then please share with your friends and colleagues. If you have any questions or feedback, then please drop a note.

P. S. — If you prefer books, then you can also start with Head First Python: A Brain-Friendly Guide, by Paul Barry, its one of the great book to start with Python from scratch, but if you don’t like Head First Style, Fluent Python: Clear, Concise, and Effective Programming, by Luciano Ramalho is also a good alternative.

Fluent Python: Clear, Concise, and Effective Programming

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