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Codecademy vs Exercism in 2026

Codecademy and Exercism compared on cost, setup and daily use, plus what to check before you choose a code-learning tool.

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Codecademy and Exercism are two ways to start learning to code, and they teach in different styles.

Codecademy is a site where you write and run code right in your browser, and its Basic plan is always free [1][2]. Exercism's page says it is primarily built as a CLI-first tool, a command-line tool where you type commands in a text window [3]. Exercism has over 8,744 coding exercises [3]. It offers 84 programming languages [3]. It provides free human mentoring [3].

On needs, Codecademy says signing up is free and offers an AI Learning Assistant so you do not waste time searching online [1][1]. It also provides a browser code editor so you can write and run code [1]. Exercism's page says it is 100% free, forever [3] and provides free human mentoring [3].

OptionCostWhat it teachesWhere it runs
CodecademyBasic plan always free at $0 [2]; a paid price of $14.99 a month billed annually or $29.99 billed monthly [2]; another paid price of $19.99 a month billed annually or $39.99 billed monthly [2]Lessons with an AI Learning Assistant and a browser code editor [1][1]In the browser [1]
Exercism100% free, forever [3]; Insiders via $10 or more monthly donation [4]84 programming languages with free human mentoring [3][3]CLI-first, a command-line tool where you type commands in a text window [3]
ExercismFree, no account and no paid tier [5]Example source files with line-by-line callouts and visual diagrams [5][5]Any reasonably current desktop or mobile browser [5]

The short answer

Codecademy and Exercism are two ways to start learning to code, and they teach in different styles.

Codecademy is a site where you write and run code right in your browser, and its Basic plan is always free [1][2]. Exercism's page says it is primarily built as a CLI-first tool, a command-line tool where you type commands in a text window [3]. Exercism has over 8,744 coding exercises [3]. It offers 84 programming languages [3]. It provides free human mentoring [3].

On needs, Codecademy says signing up is free and offers an AI Learning Assistant [1][1]. It also provides a browser code editor so you can write and run code [1]. Exercism's page says it is 100% free, forever [3] and provides free human mentoring [3].

What Codecademy and Exercism are built for

Codecademy says signing up is free and that it offers an AI Learning Assistant so you do not need to waste time searching online [1][1]. Its page says you can write and run code right in your browser [1]. Its Basic plan is always free at $0 [2]. Its page also lists a paid price of $14.99 a month billed annually or $29.99 billed monthly [2], and another of $19.99 a month billed annually or $39.99 billed monthly [2].

Exercism is an independent, community funded, not-for-profit organisation [3]. Its page says it is 100% free, forever, and that it develops fluency in 84 programming languages [3][3]. It is primarily built as a CLI-first tool, a command-line tool where you type commands in a text window [3]. It provides human mentoring for free [3].

What AnatomyOf is built for

AnatomyOf is made by the team that publishes this site. It is free, with no account and no paid tier [5], and is open source under the MIT License [5]. There is nothing to install; it runs in any reasonably current desktop or mobile browser [5][5].

It shows an example source file with color-coded callouts linked to the exact lines they explain [5]. Hovering over an annotation highlights the code it explains, and clicking it opens a longer writeup on that piece of code [5]. Each language has a minimal and a verbose example, and switching between them animates only the lines that change [5]. The same annotated format extends to non-code concepts such as an email and a CI pipeline [5]. Some entries also show diagrams built from the source, tied to the same annotations [5].

The language list is ordered by how widely each language is used, can be switched to alphabetical order, and has instant search [5]. Code samples appear in clear color so the parts are easy to tell apart [5].

Pricing and fees

Codecademy's Basic plan is always free at $0 [2]. Its page lists a paid price of $14.99 a month billed annually or $29.99 billed monthly [2], and another of $19.99 a month billed annually or $39.99 billed monthly [2]. Annual plans include one complimentary workshop [2].

Exercism says it is 100% free, forever, as an independent, community funded, not-for-profit organisation [3][3]. It needs $25,000 in donations each month to become sustainable [4]. Insiders access is available via a recurring monthly donation of $10 or more, and lifetime Insiders is granted for donating $499 total [4][4]. Insiders is not a product that can be bought; it is a thank-you for contributors [4]. Exercism Premium was discontinued in August 2023 [4].

AnatomyOf is free, with no account and no paid tier, and is open source under the MIT License [5][5].

Setting it up and daily use

Codecademy has you write and run code right in your browser [1]. Signing up is free [1], and an AI Learning Assistant is offered so you do not waste time searching online [1]. The facts here say nothing more about its routine setup.

Exercism's page says it is primarily built as a CLI-first tool, a command-line tool where you type commands in a text window [3]. You deepen your knowledge with human mentoring, for free [3]. The facts here do not give install steps for the Exercism command line tool.

AnatomyOf is made by the team that publishes this site. There is nothing to install; the project's page explains how to run it locally if you want to [5]. It runs in any reasonably current desktop or mobile browser, and on phones you tap to keep an annotation fixed on screen [5][5]. It has light and dark themes [5]. Entries can be shared by copying their address, and each address opens a specific example [5].

Things to check before you choose

Ask how you like to learn. Codecademy's page says you write and run code right in your browser [1], while Exercism's page says it is primarily built as a CLI-first tool [3].

Ask what you want to pay. Codecademy has a free Basic plan [2], a paid price of $14.99 a month billed annually or $29.99 billed monthly [2], and another of $19.99 a month billed annually or $39.99 billed monthly [2], while Exercism is 100% free [3].

Ask whether you want human help. Exercism provides free human mentoring [3].

Check what each tool sends about you. AnatomyOf sends one anonymous visit ping per browser session on page load, and its README says it collects anonymous usage statistics [5]. For Codecademy and Exercism, the facts here do not cover data handling, so check their own pages before signing in.

How to choose

If you want to write and run code right in your browser with a free sign up, Codecademy's page describes that [1][1].

If you want an AI Learning Assistant so you do not waste time searching online, Codecademy offers one [1].

If you want to practise across 84 programming languages, Exercism describes that [3].

If you want free human mentoring, Exercism provides it [3].

If you want a free, no-account way to read example code with line-by-line callouts and visual diagrams in your browser, AnatomyOf does that [5][5][5][5].

Frequently asked questions

Is Codecademy free?

Codecademy says signing up is free [1], and its Basic plan is always free at $0 [2]. Its page also lists a paid price of $14.99 a month billed annually or $29.99 billed monthly [2], and another of $19.99 a month billed annually or $39.99 billed monthly [2].

Is Exercism really free?

Exercism's page says it is 100% free, forever [3], and that human mentoring is free too [3]. It is an independent, community funded, not-for-profit organisation that needs $25,000 in donations each month to become sustainable [3][4]. Insiders access comes from a recurring monthly donation of $10 or more [4].

Does Exercism have a paid plan?

Exercism Premium was discontinued in August 2023 [4]. The page says Insiders is not a product that you can buy but a thank-you for contributors [4]. Insiders access is available via a recurring monthly donation of $10 or more, and lifetime Insiders is granted after donating $499 total [4][4].

What do Exercism Insiders get?

Insiders get dark mode, which Exercism says is its most requested feature and is reserved for Insiders [4]. Insiders access is gained through a recurring monthly donation of $10 or more, and lifetime access is granted after donating $499 total [4][4]. Insiders is not a product you can buy [4].

Is AnatomyOf free?

AnatomyOf is free, with no account and no paid tier [5], and is open source under the MIT License [5]. There is nothing to install; it runs in any reasonably current desktop or mobile browser [5][5]. It sends one anonymous visit ping per browser session on page load, and its README says it collects anonymous usage statistics [5].

AnatomyOf is free, with no account and no paid tier. [5]

Try AnatomyOf

Sources

  1. Codecademy, codecademy.com, read 2026-10-08
  2. Codecademy, codecademy.com/pricing, read 2026-10-08
  3. Exercism, exercism.org, read 2026-10-08
  4. Exercism, exercism.org/insiders, read 2026-10-08
  5. AnatomyOf's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)

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