High school sucks. This is a near-universal fact. But if it can teach you valuable skills that help you land a sweet career, maybe it's not so bad. CodeHS tries to improve high school by giving educators easy free tools for integrating coding classes into their curricula. However, individual adult learners are better off with Codecademy or Treehouse, our Editors' Choice winners for coding education services, if you want to learn to code outside of the school environment. 

Education for All

CodeHS's more than 100 classes tackle a variety of coding subjects that teachers can use to create custom assignments. One intro course teaches you how to write JavaScript and the Karel educational programming language. Karel's initial coding metaphor, which sees you command a dog on a grid, is kid-friendly and easy to grasp. Still, it resembles actual coding more than CodeCombat's video game version of similar concepts. The built-in text editor instantly checks code for errors while highlighting what you did right. CodeHS's game development lessons are deep, yet easy to understand. You can even code your own version of Snake, the classic video game. The Hour of Code section is a convenient option for impatient kids or busy adults. And CodeHS's cheery video tutorials surpass those found in Code Avengers, despite being a little corny and unpolished in spots.

Many coding classes have a clean and intuitive text editor, and CodeHS is no different. However, whereas most programs limit students to only typing code that will solve the prompt, CodeHS's Sandbox mode lets you code whatever you want, from an HTML page to a JavaScript game to a Python or C++ program. Creativity is crucial to being a successful coder. It's how you're able to work around unexpected challenges. CodeHS gives students an awesome outlet to practice that kind of expression. It's simple enough to copy your code and save it offline for later use elsewhere.

CodeHS's community features further ease students into increasingly complicated topics. School administrators and teachers who use CodeHS can create class codes that let teachers and students collaborate online during and after school hours. Users can study the knowledge base or access educational community forums powered by Code.org.

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How Much Does CodeHS Cost?

CodeHS offers classrooms its unlimited middle school and high school curricula for free. AP test prep materials are especially useful for college-bound students. CodeHS also lets schools request a quote for one of its three paid subscription tiers: Starter, School License, and District License. The base Starter tier (for one teacher only) includes the entire course library along with improved functionality such as assessment reports, student attendance tracking, and cheat detection tools. The most expensive configuration offers full administrative powers across multiple schools and lets you manage multiple teachers' professional development. Paid subscribers also gain access to a "customer success manager."

I can't say if CodeHS's prices are reasonable for schools since I don't work for one. CodeHS also used to offer a pricey individual Grading plan, but it seems that option is no longer available, or at least heavily deemphasized. The service is built for schools. Single learners should consider other, free and affordable options. Codecademy, our Editors' Choice winner for free coding services, balances free and paid content, with a paid tier starting at $17.49 per month. Treehouse, our Editors' Choice winner for paid coding education, costs a reasonable $25 per month. Free Code Camp offers thousands of hours of material for nothing.

Fast Times at CodeHS

CodeHS's course variety, teacher tools, and freeform coding sandbox make it a robust solution for schools looking to enhance their computer science curriculum without committing much money upfront (or even any money at all). However, this focus on educators make CodeHS not well-suited for individual, adult learners. Codecademy and Treehouse keep their Editors' Choice crowns for free and paid online coding classes, respectively, for offering similarly stellar lessons at low prices.

For more, check out The Best Online Learning Courses.