Coding skills are the cornerstone of the vast majority of tech jobs, and if you’re looking to break into the industry, it’s time to sharpen your chops. Online coding bootcamps have become one of the most popular ways to do this, and there is no shortage of options available.
One of the difficulties with choosing a coding bootcamp is figuring out which ones offer the best value. And this can be especially difficult if you’re looking for a bootcamp that’s on the more affordable end of things.
Looking to find a cheap coding bootcamp that doesn’t cut corners on its curriculum and student support? Then you’re in the right place. Below, we’ll tell you all about 13 coding bootcamps that won’t break the bank.
What Makes a Good Cheap Coding Bootcamp? Our Criteria Explained
Here at Springboard, we believe quality education should be accessible to all, regardless of one’s financial situation. Just because a coding bootcamp is affordable doesn’t mean it can’t offer a stellar education too. Our panel of coding experts has carefully examined numerous affordable coding bootcamps based on several pre-determined criteria.
We understand the skills, knowledge, and experiences necessary to thrive in a tech career and have designed our evaluation process to reflect this. Remember, price is not synonymous with quality. It’s about value for money, and some affordable online bootcamps deliver incredible value. Here’s what makes for a good cheap bootcamp:
Curriculum
A good cheap coding bootcamp doesn’t cut corners in terms of curriculum. It should cover the fundamentals and delve into the complexities of at least one major programming language like JavaScript, Python, or Ruby.
A good bootcamp should also update its content regularly to keep pace with the rapidly evolving tech landscape. Ideally, the course content should prepare students for the real-world challenges they’ll face in their future tech careers.
Flexible Learning Options
Flexibility is another hallmark of a good, affordable coding bootcamp. Students should be able to learn at their own pace, whether through self-paced learning, part-time, or even full-time options.
During the past few years, online learning has transformed accessibility, and a good bootcamp will leverage this to provide students with a flexible learning environment that can fit into their lives, not the other way around.
Quality and Experience of Instructors
Having well-qualified, experienced instructors is key to any good coding bootcamp. These people will guide you, challenge you, and open the doors to new ideas and ways of thinking.
Instructors should have a background in the industry, understand the latest trends and practices, and, most importantly, be passionate about helping you succeed.
Practical Projects
A quality bootcamp will emphasize hands-on learning through practical projects. These projects reinforce what you’ve learned and give you tangible work to showcase in your portfolio. Whether it’s building a web application or a machine learning model, having the opportunity to apply what you’ve learned is crucial in solidifying coding concepts.
Affordability and Multiple Payment Options
Affordability is more than just a sticker price. It includes multiple payment options that can make the bootcamp accessible to a broader audience. This might include different payment plans, deferred payments, or income share agreements. The idea is to lower the financial barrier to entry as much as possible.
Rating
The student rating of a bootcamp can tell you a lot about its quality. High ratings suggest that past students had a positive experience and feel that they received a good education. Looking at student ratings can help you gauge how well the bootcamp delivers on its promises and supports its students.
Specialization
While a good bootcamp should cover coding fundamentals thoroughly, it should also offer paths for specialization. Whether you’re interested in web development, data science, or cybersecurity, having the option to specialize allows you to dive deeper into an area of interest, making you more competitive in the job market.
Cheap Coding Bootcamps
When affordability is a priority for you, navigating the world of coding bootcamps can take a considerable amount of time. Below, you’ll find an in-depth analysis of budget-friendly bootcamps that offer low prices and also meet our strict quality criteria.
Nucamp
Nucamp’s suite of coding bootcamps is tailored to anyone ready to kick-start a new career in tech, offering a perfect blend of online learning, in-class support, and affordability. This organization offers various courses, from HTML, CSS, and JavaScript bootcamps for beginners to advanced programs in full-stack web development, Python, and DevOps.
With a focus on work-life balance, Nucamp makes it easy to fit learning into your busy schedule. Their bootcamps are conveniently paced, featuring a mix of self-study and live online workshops. Alongside building technical skills, you’ll also be working on your own coding project to add to your portfolio, which is key for demonstrating your abilities to future employers.
PRICE
From $458-$2,905, depending on the specific course and financing options
RATING
FEATURES
- 1:1 career coaching and job placement services
- Small class sizes (no more than 15 students)
- Experienced, dedicated instructors
- Courses taught by former Microsoft Learning experts
- Part-time and weekend courses
- Unique classroom experience with weekly online collaboration
JOB GUARANTEE?
No
Altcademy
Altcademy offers a selection of bootcamps that blend theory and practice to deliver learning experiences in web development. These bootcamps primarily focus on full-stack, front-end, and back-end web development.
For anyone looking to enhance their coding skills, Altcademy’s bootcamps offer an all-in-one learning experience that combines an up-to-date curriculum, mentorship, and insightful career guidance. In addition to that, the bootcamps are beginner-friendly and come with lifetime access, providing an adaptive learning path for everyone from absolute beginners to experienced coders seeking to update their skills.
PRICE
Varies by bootcamp, from $1,290 to $1,760
RATING
FEATURES
- No 1-1 mentorship
- Lifetime access to course material
- Responsive mentoring
- Real-world assignments and portfolio projects
- Career guidance
- Community engagement through the Q&A database and instant chat
JOB GUARANTEE?
No
Kal Academy
Aimed at empowering underrepresented folks in the tech industry, Kal Academy’s coding bootcamps offer a range of training, from basic introductions to advanced programming techniques. The fact that they adapt to busy individuals, with most classes offered on weekends, makes them even more convenient.
With a focus on people over profit, Kal Academy’s classes cost significantly less than most other options in Seattle. In addition to affordability, Kal Academy brings in industry-experienced instructors, ensuring the teaching is practical and directly applicable to real-world tech scenarios.
PRICE
$2,500 for bootcamps, $420 for individual classes
RATING
FEATURES
- No 1-1 mentorship
- Variety of bootcamps from introduction to programming to advanced programming
- Weekend classes for easy scheduling
- Industry-experienced instructors
- Collaboration with top IT companies
- Special courses for technical interview preparation
- Focused on women and underrepresented minorities in tech
JOB GUARANTEE?
No
Jax Code Academy
The Jax Code Academy, which runs for 12 weeks with an optional internship, covers a wide range of fundamental and advanced technologies, including HTML, CSS, Javascript, React, Node, MongoDB, PHP, MySQL, Python, Git, and more.
In addition to technical knowledge, the Jax Code Academy bootcamp prioritizes career-oriented skills. From the first day, students start building their portfolios and working on real-world projects, which increases their employability and average salary potential.
PRICE
Between $4,000 and $6,000
RATING
FEATURES
- No 1-1 mentorship
- In-person bootcamps and online class options
- Day and night class schedules
- Optional internship
- Opportunities for networking with a community of students, mentors, and instructors
- Flexible tuition payment options
- Job-oriented learning approach
JOB GUARANTEE?
No
Ada Developers Academy
Ada Developers Academy is a non-profit, tuition-free coding school for women and gender-expansive folks. The Academy’s goal is to diversify the tech industry. They aim to close the gender gap by serving underrepresented communities such as Black, Latino, Indigenous folks, LGBTQIA+, and low-income individuals.
The Academy provides an immersive 11-month program comprising six months of intensive in-class learning and a five-month internship with corporate partners. Here, students learn how to code and advocate for themselves in the industry and foster communities anchored in social justice.
PRICE
Free
RATING
FEATURES
- No 1-1 mentorship
- Five-month internship experience
- Tailored for women and gender-expansive folks
- Primarily serves underrepresented communities in tech
- Strong community and social justice focus
- Advocacy education and support
JOB GUARANTEE?
No
CareerFoundry
The CareerFoundry Full-Stack Web Development Program is a rigorous course built to turn absolute beginners into professional web developers in under ten months. It provides lifetime access to its curriculum, making it a sustainable learning resource even after completion.
Students are guided by a team of active industry experts and must complete a capstone project that will act as an impressive showcase to potential employers. The course also allows students to choose between specialization courses, such as their Python for Web Developers or Cloud Computing for Web Developers tracks, enabling a customized learning experience.
PRICE
€7900 (€7505 if paid upfront)
RATING
FEATURES
- 1-1 mentorship
- Lifetime access to the curriculum
- Specialization courses for a deeper understanding of specific areas
- Real-world work experience opportunities
- Career guidance
JOB GUARANTEE?
Yes
CodeStack Academy
CodeStack Academy, the first not-for-profit coding school in Stockton, California, offers a 12-month full-time software engineering program. CodeStack Academy hosts day and night programs, accommodating individuals beyond standard working hours. This appeals to a broad audience, including working professionals or those with a hectic schedule.
The CodeStack Academy team is highly qualified, consisting of lead engineers, software developers, UI/UX designers, and many more specialized roles. Besides their primary Software Engineering course, they provide a range of workshops and special programs, including front-end development, game development, mobile development, and more.
PRICE
$5,000
RATING
FEATURES
- 1-1 mentorship
- Day and night programs
- Regular tech meetups for networking and trend discussions
- A diverse team of experienced professionals
- Range of workshops and special programs
- Job readiness focus
- Accelerated learning approach
JOB GUARANTEE?
No
The Tech Academy
The Tech Academy is a licensed trade school that offers online coding bootcamps to students worldwide. It doesn’t require any technical background or prior coding experience for enrollment. This makes it an excellent choice for those new to tech or seeking a career shift toward programming.
The Academy’s self-paced training approach and flexible scheduling enable students to learn at their own pace, accommodating their schedules. Their curriculum is thorough, covering several in-demand programming languages. Apart from core coding skills, the institution takes pride in providing job placement training and assistance to its graduates.
PRICE
Starting at $100/month
RATING
FEATURES
- No 1-1 mentorship
- Self-paced training
- Job placement training and assistance
- Open enrollment, students can start anytime
- Accessibility to instructors via phone, video conferencing, email, and internal messaging system
JOB GUARANTEE?
No
Treehouse
Treehouse Techdegree is an excellent option for beginners, as it guides them from basic to advanced levels. One standout feature of the online program is its emphasis on portfolio building, achieved through a series of projects.
The bootcamp also comes with a plethora of perks, including access to their Slack community, certifications through Accredible, and 1:1 career strategy sessions. There’s a particular emphasis on community learning in this course.
PRICE
$199/month
RATING
FEATURES
- 1:1 career strategy session
- Real-world projects for your portfolio
- Certification through Accredible
- Access to the exclusive Treehouse Slack community
- Interactive quizzes and code challenges
- Peer reviews and community learning
JOB GUARANTEE?
No
Launch School
Launch School, as the name suggests, is all about launching your career as a software engineer. It’s an online platform created by industry veterans to maximize the lifetime earnings of its students. Rather than just teaching coding, this bootcamp focuses on developing the ability to deconstruct and solve problems like an engineer.
The program’s structure is set around slow and deliberate learning to demonstrate true proficiency in fundamentals that remain the same over time. The curriculum is not about learning to use React or Rails but about understanding how to tackle fundamental engineering problems.
PRICE
Standard Program: $199/month
Deferred Payment Program: $299/month
RATING
FEATURES
- No 1-1 mentorship
- Career-focused curriculum
- Founded by experienced software engineers
- Personalized learning paths
- Live coding
- Soft skills assessments
JOB GUARANTEE?
No
Not Cheap, but Come With a Job Guarantee
Coding bootcamps can often be a significant financial investment. For serious aspiring coders wanting to transition into a rewarding tech career, the investment often proves worthwhile, especially when it comes with a job guarantee.
Here are three coding bootcamps that, while not cheap, are a tremendous value, and also include a job guarantee upon completion.
Springboard
Springboard’s Software Engineering Bootcamp is uniquely constructed to ensure each student gets personalized attention with 1:1 mentorship, coaching, and career services, along with a project-based curriculum. Created in partnership with coding legend Colt Steele, the program will teach you how to code in widely used programming languages, understand software development theory, and build essential skills.
The program now includes a new AI for Engineers learning unit and an AI interactive learning series, setting students up for a future-proof career in the tech industry. Springboard’s graduates have been hired by tech giants, including Google, Slack, IBM, and Audible, promising a bright career prospect for students.
PRICE
$13,860 (upfront) or $1,540 per month
RATING
FEATURES
- 1-1 mentorship
- Project-based curriculum
- Coaching and career services
- Test readiness through multiple projects
- Collaboration with generative AI
- Job guarantee within six months of graduation
JOB GUARANTEE?
Yes
Flatiron
The Flatiron School provides an excellent opportunity for students with varying levels of programming knowledge, from those with zero coding experience to those who have self-taught themselves some basic programming skills. The course, which is regularly reviewed by hiring managers, covers everything from foundational skills to advanced, practical knowledge.
Full-time students can expect a rigorous schedule of 8 hours daily, Monday to Friday, with the promise of graduating in 15 weeks. The part-time course, designed for those with other commitments, offers asynchronous learning at the student’s own pace and can be completed in 40 weeks.
PRICE
Not publicly available
RATING
FEATURES
- 1:1 instructor access
- Hands-on, community approach to learning
- Creation of a real-world portfolio
- Flexibility of full-time or part-time courses, in-person or online
- Regular curriculum review by hiring managers
JOB GUARANTEE?
Yes
Coding Dojo
Coding Dojo is a seasoned player in the world of coding bootcamps, having over a decade of experience in providing tech enthusiasts and aspiring coders the technical skills they need to navigate the digital landscape. The bootcamp offers a range of full-time and part-time courses in software development, data science, and cybersecurity. It is notable for its flagship 3-stack coding bootcamp, an intensive program that promises a solid foundation in web development.
At Coding Dojo, a key differentiator is their commitment to making tech education accessible to individuals regardless of their coding background. They demonstrate this commitment by offering long-term, lifetime support from their career services team.
PRICE
From $9,995 to $16,995
RATING
FEATURES
- No 1-1 mentorship
- Experienced instructors
- Full-time and part-time course options
- Lifetime support from the career services team
JOB GUARANTEE?
Yes
Get To Know Other Software Engineering Students
Alyssa Menes
Software Engineer at Progyny
Dave McConeghy
Software Engineering Career Track Student at Springboard
Abdelkareem ElSharief
Software Engineer at Bread
Making the Most Out of a Coding Bootcamp
From understanding prerequisites and curriculum to assessing job prospects post-graduation, let’s delve into some key questions you should consider to make the most out of your coding bootcamp experience.
Are There Any Prerequisites for a Coding Bootcamp?
Some bootcamps require applicants to have a background in coding or a related degree, while others welcome individuals regardless of their previous experience. Review the entry requirements of each bootcamp and undertake some pre-bootcamp study to ensure you meet the criteria and are adequately prepared for the immersive and fast-paced learning experience ahead.
What Should You Expect To Learn During a Coding Bootcamp?
In a coding bootcamp, you should expect to learn a variety of practical skills according to the demands of the tech industry.
Depending on the course, this can range from web development languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to more complex programming languages like Python or specialized data science or cybersecurity skills. Coding bootcamps also foster essential in-demand skills such as problem-solving, teamwork, and adaptability.
What Computer Do You Need for a Coding Bootcamp?
The type of computer required for a coding bootcamp generally depends on the software you’ll be using and the complexity of the projects you’ll be working on. Your computer’s processing power needs to be capable of handling the software without lag.
That said, most bootcamps won’t demand a high-end machine since the projects undertaken are unlikely to be overly resource-intensive. Whether you choose a Mac or a PC usually comes down to personal preference, but it’s always wise to check any specific recommendations or requirements from the bootcamp.
What Kind of Job Can I Get After Completing a Coding Bootcamp?
Your new-found skills can lead to roles as a software developer, front-end developer, back-end developer, full-stack developer, or data scientist. For those focusing on cybersecurity, positions like security engineer or information security analyst are good options too.
FAQs About Cheap Coding Bootcamps
We answer your most frequently asked questions.
Are Cheap Coding Bootcamps Worth It?
Cheap coding bootcamps can be worth it, provided they offer a quality curriculum, experienced instructors, and strong job placement services. Before deciding based solely on price, research the bootcamp’s reputation, graduate outcomes, and reviews from past students.
Also, consider whether the program aligns with your learning style and career objectives. A more affordable coding bootcamp can still yield successful results if it meets these criteria.
Do Companies Actually Care About Coding Bootcamps?
Many companies appreciate the practical, up-to-date skills that coding bootcamp graduates bring to the table. Several high-profile tech companies, including Google, Microsoft, and Apple, have hired bootcamp graduates.
Am I Too Old for a Coding Bootcamp?
No. Age is not a barrier to learning new skills, and this certainly applies to coding bootcamps. In fact, many bootcamp students are career changers in their 30s, 40s, or even older, looking to transition into the tech industry.
Since you’re here…
No one wakes up knowing how to code – they learn how to code. Tens of thousands of students have successfully learned with our courses, like our Software Engineering Bootcamp. If you’re a total newbie, our Software Engineering Career Track Prep Course will be a perfect fit. Let’s do this!
