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Python has rapidly become one of the most popular and in-demand programming languages. With its easy-to-read syntax and versatility across many fields like data science, web development, and machine learning, Python is a great language for beginners to learn.
However, with so many Python courses and learning materials out there, it can be overwhelming trying to find the right one. This guide will walk you through 15 of the best Python courses available online today, from options for complete beginners to more advanced coders looking to skill up.
How We Evaluated the Best Python Courses
With hundreds of Python courses available online, it was no small task selecting the 15 options in this guide. Here are some of the criteria we used:
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Beginner-friendliness: Some courses assume no prior coding experience, while others are geared more towards intermediate Python coders looking to expand their skills. We included options appropriate for every level.
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Comprehensiveness: The best courses provide a thorough introduction to Python without major gaps. They also include hands-on coding projects and exercises.
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Instructor quality: The best instructors are engaging, knowledgeable on the content, responsive to student questions, and able to explain complex topics clearly.
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Positive reviews: Quality courses tend to have overwhelmingly positive student reviews over many ratings sites. We researched reviews across the web for each course.
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Pricing/access: Both free and paid course options are included on this list to fit different budgets and commitment levels. Some courses offer free enrollment with certificate fees, while others charge an upfront cost.
Now let‘s get into the list of the highest quality Python courses available today!
1. Python for Everybody Specialization (Coursera)
Best For: Complete beginners
The Python for Everybody Specialization course offered through Coursera lives up to its name. It‘s one of the most beginner-friendly Python courses available, with no assumed background in programming.
Over a series of four courses totaling over 100 hours of video content, it covers everything from basic syntax, data structures, networking, and database integration all the way through to building GUI applications and data visualization. The specialization culminates in a hands-on capstone project utilizing many of the skills covered.
With a flexible schedule and self-paced format, Python for Everybody makes an excellent starting point for coding newcomers looking to learn Python.
Key Details:
- Platform: Coursera
- Duration: approx. 8 months for 3 hours/week
- Price: Free (or $49/month for graded assignments)
- Certificate: Yes
- Prerequisites: None
2. The Complete Python Bootcamp 2024 (Udemy)
Best For: Beginners wanting a very thorough introduction
For beginners looking for great bang-for-their-buck in a Python course, The Complete Python Bootcamp 2024 on Udemy is a leading choice.
The course packs an enormous amount of up-to-date Python training into its 22 hours of engaging HD video content. Guiding students through hands-on exercises along the way, it covers all of the essentials like variables, data types, functions control flow, OOP, and more. Advanced topics like game building, GUIs, and working with databases take the course to an expert-beginner level.
With lifetime access for a single one-time price, positive reviews, and a 30-day money back guarantee, The Complete Python Bootcamp 2024 is easily recommendable for all coding newcomers.
Key Details:
- Platform: Udemy
- Duration: 22 hours video
- Price: $200 (frequently discounted to $12.99)
- Certificate: Yes
- Prerequisites: None
3. Introduction to Python Programming (Udacity)
Best For: Total beginners wanting a more guided approach
For those with literally no Python or programming experience at all, Introduction to Python Programming from Udacity provides about the most supportive environment possible to gain those initial skills.
As a project-based course, Udacity guides you step-by-step through writing Python scripts, explaining concepts clearly along the way with rich multimedia content. Through learning version control with Git and GitHub and building a student profile generator app, all core Python basics are covered interactively.
With a slower pace and thoughtful combination of video lessons, quizzes, focused projects, and community support, Introduction to Python Programming is the perfect starting point for novice coders to set themselves up for success learning Python.
Key Details:
- Platform: Udacity
- Duration: 5 weeks
- Price: Free
- Certificate: Yes
- Prerequisites: None
4. Learn Python: The Complete Python Programming Course (Udemy)
Best For: Beginners wanting structured learning
For beginners seeking more structured learning, Learn Python: The Complete Python Programming Course guides you methodically through all essential Python skills from the ground up.
Through 70+ hours of HD video lessons centered around SoloLearn‘s proven "code-along" teaching method, the course builds up your abilities incrementally through reading code examples, practicing coding challenges, and reviewing with built-in quizzes.
Expert instructors present real-world relevant examples like game building, web scraping, and data analysis to equip learners with immediately applicable Python skills. With lifetime access and a 30-day money back guarantee, this course leaves no stones unturned for budding Python coders.
Key Details:
- Platform: Udemy
- Duration: 70+ hours
- Price: $200 (frequently discounted to $12.99)
- Certificate: Yes
- Prerequisites: None
5. Python for Everybody (EdX)
Best for: Beginners on a budget
Python for Everybody on EdX offers a beginner-oriented and wallet-friendly introduction to Python programming.
Created by University of Michigan professor Dr. Chuck Severance, the course aims to make Python education accessible for all. Over 5 courses totaling over 100 hours of material, the specialization covers everything from basic syntax and data structures through to databases, web services, and data visualization.
With a slower pace and emphasis on fundamentals, Python for Everybody helps coding newcomers build up foundational Python proficiency. While graded assignments are gated behind a Verified Certificate purchase, all lecture materials are freely accessible, making this a great budget-friendly option for beginners.
Key Details:
- Platform: EdX
- Duration: 5 courses, approx. 8 months for 3 hours/week
- Price: Free (or $49 for graded assignments)
- Certificate: Yes
- Prerequisites: None
6. 30 Days of Python (Udemy)
Best for: Beginners seeking lots of hands-on practice
As the name suggests, 30 Days of Python packs practice-focused Python training into a high intensity month-long schedule. The course wastes no time diving into real-world coding activities like reading and parsing emails, scraping websites for data analysis, building Twitter bots, and more.
The project-driven approach helps cement beginner Python proficiency quickly by encouraging learners to spend more time actively programming versus passively watching video lectures. With lifetime access and a supportive Q&A community, 30 Days of Python provides a trial-by-fire entrypoint for motivated beginners to sharpen their Python skills.
Key Details:
- Platform: Udemy
- Duration: 9.5 hours on-demand video
- Price: $200 (frequently discounted to $13.99)
- Certificate: Yes
- Prerequisites: None
7. Introduction to Python Programming (EdX)
Best for: Intermediate coders seeking strong computer science fundamentals
EdX‘s Introduction to Python Programming course shifts gears towards more intermediate Python coders looking to solidify computer science concepts alongside strengthening their Python abilities.
Created by Georgia Tech College of Computing lecturers, the series packs a rigorous exploration of computation, algorithms, data structures, and object-oriented programming using Python 3 into four courses totaling over 300 hours of material. Programming assignments and a final project give learners plenty of opportunity for hands-on skills development.
While lengthy and intense, Introduction to Python Programming provides intermediate coders a rock-solid computer science and Python education applicable across industries like data science, analytics, and software engineering.
Key Details:
- Platform: EdX
- Duration: 4 courses, approx. 5 months for 9-10 hours/week
- Price: $429 per course
- Certificate: No
- Prerequisites: Some Python experience expected
8. Python for Data Science and Machine Learning Bootcamp (Udemy)
Best for: Aspiring data scientists/machine learning engineers
Python‘s extensive data science and machine learning libraries make it a prime language for roles in those growing fields. Python for Data Science and Machine Learning Bootcamp fully prepares learners to leverage Python for end-to-end data activities.
Through 25+ hours of hands-on video content, the course teaches all steps of the data workflow – from collecting, cleaning and storing data to analysis with NumPy and Pandas through to building machine learning models with SciKit-Learn. Relevant real-world case studies help cement retention.
For coders looking to transition into data-centric roles, Python for Data Science and Machine Learning Bootcamp stands out as a skills-focused bridge to guide that career change.
Key Details:
- Platform: Udemy
- Duration: 25+ hours on-demand video
- Price: $200 (frequently discounted to $12.99)
- Certificate: Yes
- Prerequisites: Some Python experience expected
9. Applied Data Science with Python Specialization (Coursera)
Best for: Industry-relevant intermediate Python data science skills
Whereas Udemy‘s data science course takes a broader approach, Coursera‘s Applied Data Science with Python Specialization zone in specifically on need-to-have industry abilities for data-focused Python roles.
Created by University of Michigan faculty, this 5-course specialization centered around hands-on assignments develops key Python skills like data visualization, predictive modeling, data wrangling at scale, and communicating data insights. The culminating capstone mimics a real-world data science project end-to-end.
For intermediate Python coders looking to skill up into data science and analytics careers, Applied Data Science with Python hones just the most applicable abilities through industry-led content.
Key Details:
- Platform: Coursera
- Duration: 5 courses, approx. 5 months for 7 hours/week
- Price: Free (or $49/month for graded assignments)
- Certificate: Yes
- Prerequisites: Intermediate Python skills
10. Programming for Everybody (Getting Started with Python) (Coursera)
Best for: Backfilling knowledge gaps after learning bad habits
Even intermediate Python coders can pick up bad habits or have certain knowledge gaps if primarily self-taught. Programming for Everybody helps backfill those issues through revisiting Python basics in a thoughtful, structured manner.
Designed as crash course refresher for those beyond beginner status, the 4-week course re-covers core topics like data types, variables, conditionals, functions, loops, strings, file I/O, and more with clarity and expert guidance. Learners cement retention through quizzes and coding practice.
For intermediate coders struggling with lingering foundational Python issues, Programming for Everybody fills those holes in efficiently yet thoroughly.
Key Details:
- Platform: Coursera
- Duration: 4 weeks at 2-4 hours/week
- Price: Free
- Certificate: Yes
- Prerequisites: Some prior Python experience
11. Using Python for Research (EdX)
Best for: Aspiring researchers/academics wanting Python skills
While academia lags industry in Python adoption, its numerical analysis and computational capabilities make it a rising star for research applications as well. Using Python for Research prepares that next generation of academics.
A collaboration between Harvard and MIT faculty, this 12-week course builds upon core Python 3 skills to layer in the most popular Python data science libraries like NumPy, SciPy, Pandas, Matplotlib, and TensorFlow. Learners then apply those new abilities across real-world research case studies and an open-ended final project.
For intermediate Python coders applying their skills in graduate programs or other research roles, Using Python for Research delivers that domain-specific guidance unavailable elsewhere.
Key Details:
- Platform: EdX
- Duration: 12 weeks at 2-4 hours/week
- Price: Free
- Certificate: Yes
- Prerequisites: Intermediate Python 3 skills
12. Python 3 Programming Specialization (Coursera)
Best for: Upgrading Python 2 skills to Python 3
While Python 2 still sees some lingering production use, Python 3 adoption continues quickly rising as the industry standard version moving forward. For coders only familiar with Python 2, Python 3 Programming Specialization delivers that essential upgrade training.
Through 4 courses and over 100 hours of materials from University of Michigan faculty, the specialization fully transitions existing Python 2 knowledge into modern Python 3 equivalents. Updated syntax, new libraries, and best practices are all covered extensively.
For any intermediate Python 2 programmers looking to skill up and future proof their abilities, Python 3 Programming Specialization provides that definitive and affordable path.
Key Details:
- Platform: Coursera
- Duration: 4 courses, approx. 5 months for 7 hours/week
- Price: Free (or $49/month for graded assignments)
- Certificate: Yes
- Prerequisites: Intermediate Python 2 experience
13. Complete Python Developer in 2025: Zero to Mastery (Udemy)
Best for: Aspiring Python software engineers
While job prospects for Python developers continue growing rapidly each year, few courses prepare learners specifically for that production software engineering role utilizing the language. Complete Python Developer in 2025: Zero to Mastery stands out as the solution.
Created by expert instructor Andrei Neagoie, the course delivers an intense 50+ hour training curriculum tailored towards real-world Python developer competencies. Through building reactive web apps, desktop GUIs, CLI tools and more, key abilities like debugging, testing, deployment, and DevOps around Python come sharply into focus in an industry-aligned capstone project.
For intermediate coders aiming for Python developer careers, Zero to Mastery provides that definitive roadmap for securing those roles and hitting the ground running.
Key Details:
- Platform: Udemy
- Duration: 50+ hour on-demand video
- Price: $200 (frequently discounted to $12.99)
- Certificate: Yes
- Prerequisites: Intermediate Python skills
14. Python Data Science (edX)
Best for: Data scientists needing production-ready Python abilities
EdX‘s Python Data Science course shifts the lens once again towards preparing learners specifically for data-focused Python roles. But rather than foundational skills, the focus centers sharply around building job-ready production abilities.
By leaning heavily on hands-on labs and IBM Cloud-hosted Jupyter Notebooks for practical work, the course develops in-demand talents like REST APIs, relational databases, data engineering pipelines, Spark, and cloud deployment strategies. The culminating project even includes crafting and presenting professional data science deliverables.
For intermediate Python coders well-versed in basics seeking that final launchpad into data-oriented careers, Python Data Science delivers on that real-world preparedness.
Key Details:
- Platform: EdX
- Duration: 2 courses, approx. 6 months for 3-5 hours/week
- Price: $258 per course
- Certificate: No
- Prerequisites: Intermediate Python skills
15. Google IT Automation with Python Professional Certificate (Coursera)
Best for: IT pros needing more automation capabilities
Last but not least, Google‘s IT Automation with Python Professional Certificate tailors Python training specially for IT support professionals.
Bridging the separate worlds of software development and systems administration, the 6-course certificate builds up automation skills using Python to create solutions like monitoring hard drive usage, web scraping to manage data, and parsing IT documentation. Implementation on Google Cloud rounds out the modern DevOps experience.
For current IT practitioners looking to expand capabilities and career options, Google IT Automation with Python supplies that domain-specific curriculum unavailable through other courses.
Key Details:
- Platform: Coursera
- Duration: 6 courses, flexible timeline
- Price: $39/month
- Certificate: Yes
- Prerequisites: IT experience (some Python helpful)