These Are The 11 Best Free Coding Bootcamps in 2024

How do you test out learning a new skill for a career change on a budget? The good news is that web development is one of the easier ones to train yourself in at zero cost.

In fact, there’s a diverse range of free coding bootcamps available at the moment, both online and in-person.

For some, all you have to do is sign up with an email address; for others, you might have to apply and interview, as they’re designed for people whose background is underrepresented in the tech sphere.

We’re going to start by exploring what a coding bootcamp actually is, then give you a list of the 11 best free coding bootcamps out there at the moment, and then for those wanting to go further, some of the best tech bootcamp options on the market. If you want to start learning programming quickly, then try our free coding short course on for size!

If you want to read one of these sections first, you can jump ahead by using the clickable menu:

What is a coding bootcamp?
Eleven of the best free coding bootcamps in 2024
Why take a coding bootcamp?
Bonus: 7 paid coding bootcamps to get to the next level
How to choose a free coding bootcamp
Next steps
Free coding bootcamp FAQs

1. What is a coding bootcamp?

Essentially a coding bootcamp is a short, intense course designed to give you the skills you need to transition into a job as a programmer. These days, in response to the overwhelming demand for people with web development skills, the best programming bootcamps come in many shapes and sizes.

There’s no set definition for what a “bootcamp” is—they can last as little as a few days to several months. Some can involve interactive teaching, the submission of assignments, online quizzes, or just instructional tutorials and exercises. Other bootcamps promise support in the job search through trainings and school connections.

Coding bootcamps often differ from web development courses in that they seek to teach you several skills to give you a working knowledge in programming, instead of just focusing on one specific thing.

2. Eleven of the best free coding bootcamps in 2024

Now that we’ve learned what they are, why they’re so useful, and what to look out for when picking one, here are 11 of the best free coding bootcamps around:

CareerFoundry Web Development for Beginners Course
Codecademy
CodeOp
UpSkill
Ada Developers Academy
freeCodeCamp
SkillCrush
MIT OpenCourseware
Resilient Coders
Founders and Coders
Flatiron School

Now let’s take a deeper dive into the contents and goals of each free bootcamp.

CareerFoundry Web Development for Beginners Course

This mini-bootcamp is a perfect way to create something tangible from the start.

It only takes five days to complete, and it’s entirely based on a project where you build your own website.

You’ll be introduced to all the major frontend concepts. This means creating the page using HTML for the markup, then CSS to style it, and JavaScript to make it come alive with functionality.

What’s really neat is that you’ll learn a crucial part of web development these days: responsive web design. Despite the importance of making sure your website looks its best no matter what the size of device it’s displayed on—this is often overlooked. Responsive design isn’t just something that UI designers are responsible for—a good web developer actually makes it happen.

Once you’ve completed this Web Development for Beginners Course and enjoyed it, you can take the month-long, fully mentored Intro to Frontend Development Course.

That flows into the complete the flexibly-paced Full-Stack Web Development Program, which is designed specifically to enable your career change into a lucrative career in web development, and comes backed by a Job Guarantee.

For a taste of what the mini-bootcamp is like, in this opening video Mozilla engineer Abhishek Nagekar gets you started building your first website with HTML:

Codecademy

A great place to start when it comes to free coding bootcamps, Codecademy uses a teaching formula heavy on the “learn by doing” approach, proving an invaluable teacher for budding developers.

In fact, it was here that CareerFoundry’s own founder Martin Ramsin began taking free courses when he was learning to code himself. Offering a huge range of paid and free options, Codecademy’s web development courses are an excellent way to learn to code quickly.

Once you complete the beginners courses in HTML and Ruby, you can move onto intermediate classes in CSS, PHP, and the React library, Node.js, p5.js, and Angular. We really like that there are cool other free courses included, such as learning Game Development and how to program Amazon Alexa devices.

If you’re a fan of the free courses, then sign up for their PRO plan, which lets you access hundreds more courses, as well as dedicated career paths.

CodeOp

Forced online by the Covid-19 pandemic, CodeOp offers free coding bootcamps for women, transgender, and gender non-conformative people who are looking to get into tech.

As well as creating a comfortable environment for learning, this school concentrates on supporting and mentoring students through small class sizes.

Their bootcamp is broken down into live workshops on HTML and CSS, JavaScript (beginner and advanced levels), Git, and Command-Line navigation.

If you enjoyed the classes, then you can sign up for their full- or part-time Full-Stack Bootcamp, which costs €5,300 ($6,254) to study online or €7,200 ($8,496) to do it in-person in Barcelona or Kuala Lumpur.

UpSkill

Looking for a free coding bootcamp that’s as comprehensive as possible? UpSkill’s “Essential Web Developer Course” is completely free and features a whopping 197 lessons to go through.

In it, you’ll be getting to grips with HTML, CSS, Ruby, and JavaScript, then focusing on lots of practical elements of being a web developer through a range of tools and frameworks. All of this is carried out according to UpSkill’s founding message—to explain all of these concepts as simply as possible.

They also have a JavaScript Basics bootcamp, as well as many more free and paid courses.

Ada Developers Academy

Similar to CodeOp, this non-profit school aims to break down the barriers preventing women and gender expansive adults from thriving in tech.

Based in Seattle, their free programming bootcamp prepares students for the job market by teaching them not just to write code but also crucially how to debug and also discuss it. Knowing how to communicate about web development with others, whether they are colleagues, clients, or other teams, is a key element of web development that many bootcamps overlook.

In addition to learning the likes of Python, HTML, SQL, and JavaScript, Ada Developers Academy also gives its students training in advocacy in tech—such as diversity and inclusion, leadership, and advocacy work, to name just a few.

This is important across the tech sphere, not just within company environments, but also in the work itself.

freeCodeCamp

This online learning platform does exactly what its name suggests, offering multiple free coding bootcamps.

These can range from a Responsive Web Design Certification to ones in APIs and Microservices, Frontend Development Libraries, and Machine Learning with Python.

Perhaps even more useful still to budding web developers is the fact that freeCodeCamp boasts thousands of coding challenges. As well as rehearsing common web developer interview questions, this is an excellent way to prepare for job applications.

SkillCrush

What we like about their free coding bootcamp is that as well as the almost obligatory HTML and CSS, you’ll also learn how to code with WordPress, a prized skill.

WordPress runs so many websites and blogs (including this one), and proficiency in WordPress development could be ideal for a freelance web developer who wants to be constantly in demand.

What’s more, the camp also includes more of the visual elements as well, with a basic introduction to UX design as well. If you’re looking to learn what it is and why it’s important, we’ve created a handy guide.

MIT OpenCourseware

When it comes to tech bootcamps, why not study at MIT? Their Introduction to Computer Science and Programming in Python course is conducted mostly over recorded lectures, with regular problem sets and quizzes being the main way of applying what you’ve learned.

While the academic setting may not be in the true “bootcamp spirit,” the course’s aim of teaching you to solve problems using computation is really useful for getting a job as a web developer.

Allied to this is the fact that you’ll learn to create your own programs using Python 3.5, meaning you’ll be getting to grips with the second-most desired language out there, according to the 2023 Stack Overflow Survey.

Resilient Coders

Similar to Ada Developers Academy, this 20-week, free coding bootcamp is based in Boston. Resilient Coders have the goal of introducing more equity to the tech world, and their bootcamps are for young people of color without college degrees.

They recruit these through hackathons (another hidden bonus to joining a hackathon), and the successful cohort are then taught core and soft skills, in preparation for employment.

These core skills include HTML, CSS, JavaScript and multiple tools, libraries, and frameworks, with an emphasis on fluency in vanilla JavaScript—something we also recommend you learn. In addition to this, you are taught soft skills for the profession, from communication to time management, and also to complete your own freelance work for a client during the bootcamp.

Truly this makes for the full package—allowing you not just to work as an in-house programmer on graduating, but also to become a freelance web developer.

Founders and Coders

Based in London, this non-profit organization offer paid software developer apprenticeships, with a free 3-month coding Skills Bootcamp along the way.

With an impressive aim of democratising the tech world, their bootcamp is aimed at providing you with everything you need to become a frontend developer. In the course, you’ll learn the basics of HTML and CSS, accessible web design, and the proceed to JavaScript, testing and debugging practices, and interview prep.

It’s worth bearing in mind that to access this part-time free coding bootcamp you will have to apply, with applications for their cohorts closing seasonally. At the time of writing in late December, they still haven’t released details of their 2024 cohorts.

In terms of learning platforms, Founders and Coders are quite ingenious. You’ll work on their application materials collaboratively through their Discord, which is great preparation for working as a professional web developer.

Although offered virtually, you will need to have the right to work in the UK as well as be within commuting distance of their London base if you progress onto their apprenticeship training.

Flatiron School

Here is another solid video-led series of classes which together make up a nice little free programmig bootcamp.

You’ll be taken through the basic building blocks of web and software development, all broken down into four areas—HTML & CSS, JavaScript, Ruby, and API Integration.

The inclusion of APIs is a real treat. One of the web development buzzwords you should learn if you want to become a programmer, knowing how to code APIs is a great thing to know how to do when you’re working for a company.

If you enjoyed the way this particular course was taught, then maybe you’d like to take some of their full paid courses in Software and Cybersecurity Engineering, which cost $16,900.

3. Why take a free coding bootcamp?

When you think about it, there are so many different ways to approach learning a subject or skill in the 21st century.

In the past, the most popular career advice was: “Go to a university and get a degree in that area.” These days, if you’re looking to start a career in tech, the rules are different.

For the world of coding, where a large number of professionals working in the field are actually self-taught, the rules are even more different. A piece of paper with an accreditation doesn’t matter so much here.

Thanks to the wealth of resources offered online, the biggest challenge you’ll have is picking the right training path for you. If you’re interested in stepping into the world of web development, but not so sure that it’s the path for you that you want to commit three of your most valuable resources—time, money, and energy—then free coding bootcamps are ideal.

These short, practical courses allow you to dip your toes in the field of programming, without tossing you in at the deep end. If you just don’t know if you’re going to enjoy the process of coding, this is a great way to see if it’s for you.

If you’ve realised it is for you, then that brings us nicely to the next step on your journey: paid bootcamps.

4. Bonus: 7 paid coding bootcamps to get to the next level

So far, I’ve given you a variety range of free options which will work well to allow you to get a solid grasp of programming basics. Many who complete one or two of these want to kick things up a notch and deepen their coding skills. This is where paid coding bootcamps and programs come in.

Typically designed to be intensive in their learning, they take place over a number of months—longer if they include a part-time option. By the end of the bootcamp, the student should be sufficiently prepared to navigate the coding world, as well as to land a job as a programmer.

Let’s briefly cover seven top options to consider:

1. CareerFoundry Full-Stack Web Development Program

Duration: 16 weeks (up to 28 weeks part-time)
Cost: $8,075–8,500
Features: Having been operating purely online from day one, CareerFoundry has an integrated learning platform, as well as the help of both a dedicated tutor and mentor throughout the program. Throughout the Full-Stack Development Program you’ll learn with a hands-on, project-based curriculum, culminating in a fully-fledged professional portfolio. They also have a job guarantee, with 96% of eligible graduates landing a job in tech within 6 months of graduating.

2. Fullstack Academy Online Coding Bootcamp

Duration: 17 weeks (can be up to 28)
Cost: $19,910
Features: Working off of a project-based structure, Fullstack’s bootcamp aims for you to leave with four projects in your portfolio by the end. Offering a number of different coding courses, they focus on pair programming, a useful concept for web developers.

3. Flatiron School Coding Bootcamp

Duration: 15 weeks (20, 40, or 60 weeks possible)
Cost: $17,900
Features: Normally an in-person business with campuses across the US, their online software engineering bootcamp features live lectures and covers HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, Ruby, and Rails.

4. Wild Code School Web Developer Bootcamp

Duration: 12 weeks
Cost: €6,000 ($6,553 US)
Features: In 2023 WCS changed from their full-time web developer program to only offering a 3-month intensive tech bootcamp, available in-person or online. It’ll focus on teaching you HTML, CSS, how to build a wireframe and to employ APIs. Also available in French, they boast a free introduction to coding course for you to try out, as well as employability coaching.

5. Coding Dojo Full-Time Online Bootcamp

Duration: 14 weeks
Cost: $16,995
Features: This bootcamp claims to teach you more full-stacks (Python, MERN, and Java) than their competitors. They also offer lifetime access to their career services, so that you’ll still be able to use their platform long after you graduate.

6. WBS Coding School Web & App Development Bootcamp

Duration: 15 weeks (24 weeks part-time)
Cost: €9,000–10,500 / $8,980–9,878 USD
Features: Based in Germany, WBS offer full- and part-time full-stack web and app development courses. Besides their online programming bootcamps with live teaching seminars, they also offer a hybrid version, where you come to their Berlin campus for the final three weeks of your study. Like with CareerFoundry, German residents can qualify to take their coding bootcamp for free.

7. General Assembly Software Engineering Bootcamp

Duration: 12 weeks (24 weeks part-time)
Cost: $16,450
Features: With campuses throughout the US, General Assembly’s online coding bootcamp offerings are taught similarly, through Zoom and Slack. Their software engineering course focuses on teaching students the techniques and workflows that they will encounter as professional web developers in the field.

5. How to choose a free coding bootcamp

There are several major factors that can help you decide which free coding bootcamp to choose, and most of them come down to your own personal goals.

We’ll go over a few of them briefly to give you an idea of what to look out for.

Language

Python, Ruby, Java, HTML…you’ll hear a lot of noise about different web development languages, and which are better than others. We’ve already picked out the easiest languages to learn for beginners, so this should definitely influence your choice.

Take time to work out whether you might want to just work on the frontend or the backend of websites, or if you want both, be sure to choose one that’s full-stack. Learning one language can also be the gateway to learning others later in your web development career.

Format

Just because it comes at no cost, doesn’t mean that you have to accept whatever way the free coding bootcamp is taught.

If you find just following video tutorials is not helping the information sink in, you might benefit from a bootcamp with more of a “learning by doing” or hands-on approach.

Some provide lots and lots of educational materials to sift through, whereas others focus on just getting you coding right away. Each has its own benefits and drawbacks, so figuring out what’s best suited to your own learning style is key.

Beyond coding

Remember that the primary aim of a bootcamp is not simply to get you as proficient as possible in a language fast, but to get you as ready as possible to work as a web developer.

What a web developer actually does is much more than just coding, so make sure that the free programming bootcamp you choose teaches you about other aspects of the job as well. This can be how to use a version control system like Git, how to work with APIs, or how to function in an Agile workflow.

6. Next steps

Switching careers and learning a completely new skillset is daunting.

However, the best free coding bootcamps are the ideal solution, creating an environment where you can learn, try things out, make mistakes, and then learn from them, all without judgement, pressure, or cost.

They’re an ideal way for you to see if a career in web development is for you, without committing so much that the decision is irreversible.

Hopefully with this guide you’ll now have a much better idea of what to look out for as well as some a big selection of free coding bootcamps to investigate further.

Thinking about taking things a step further by going for a paid course or bootcamp? As we explained earlier, CareerFoundry’s Full-Stack Program could be the option for you. Book a chat with one of our program advisors to see how that could work for you.

If you’re looking to read some more about the world of web development or career change in general, check out these articles:

7. Free coding bootcamp FAQs

What is free vs paid coding bootcamp?

There are hundreds of free and paid options on the market at the moment, but overall paid coding bootcamps offer a much larger curriculum, personal support and tutoring, as well as career placement assistance for the job search.

Is paying for a coding bootcamp worth it?

This depends on what you are looking to get out of the bootcamp. If you want to just try out coding to see if it’s for you, then a free programming bootcamp is a great option. But if you’re serious about switching to a career in coding, then the real-world curriculum, professional support, and accreditation of the right bootcamp is definitely worth it.

If you’d like to consider these factors more, check out our full article on whether coding bootcamps are worth it.

Does Google hire bootcamp grads?

In short, yes. A recent CareerKarma study shows that Google was second only to Amazon in terms of firms hiring bootcamp grads, particularly coders.

However as the tech skills gap deepens, more and more companies are hiring bootcamp grads, for example financial giant JP Morgan Chase, who hired almost 2,000 software engineers in late 2022.

What do you do in a coding bootcamp?

Essentially, in a coding bootcamp you’ll be learning the fundamentals of coding—the languages, skills, and tools to make it as a professional developer. How you’ll learn these things (live classes, videos, interactive exercises), which you’ll learn (JavaScript or Python, etc), as well as the level of support and mentorship you’ll receive depends on which tech bootcamp you choose.

Is 40 too old for a coding bootcamp?

Absolutely not. Bootcamps have a long list of examples of successful career changes at 40, and it’s a far more common pathway than you’d think. In fact, the 2023 Stack Overflow Developer Survey showed that the % of coders aged 35-44 years old who learned through a coding bootcamp was similar to those in the 18-24 and 25-34 age groups. So it’s time to let go of the idea that you’re too old for a career in coding!