Quick, smooth data on-ramp, thin on its own
DataCamp's Introduction to Python is the right pick for data-minded beginners who plan to continue into DataCamp's pandas and analyst tracks, because its four chapters move from variables to NumPy arrays in about four hours with no setup. The exercises are heavily scaffolded, so it builds familiarity rather than independence. If you will not subscribe to Premium, do the free first chapter and switch to Kaggle Learn Python. If you want general programming skills, choose Python for Everybody or CS50's Python instead.
What we liked
- Four hours from zero to NumPy arrays
- Code in the browser with instant feedback, nothing to install
- First chapter free with a DataCamp account
- Leads straight into DataCamp's Intermediate Python and data tracks
- Rated 4.8 from more than 10,000 reviews on DataCamp
What we didn't
- Chapters 2 to 4 need Premium
- Heavily scaffolded exercises, little blank-page coding
- No loops or conditionals in depth; those come in Intermediate Python
- Statement of accomplishment carries little weight with employers
Who it's for
Take it if you…
- want Python mainly for data analysis or data science
- plan to continue on DataCamp's tracks
- prefer short videos and instant in-browser feedback
Skip it if you…
- want one free course and no subscription
- want to build apps, games or automation scripts
- need a certificate that employers recognise
What you'll learn: the 4 courses
- Python BasicsRunning Python interactively and as a script, using it as a calculator, variables and basic data types. Free chapter.
- Python ListsStoring, subsetting and changing data in lists, including nested lists.
- Functions and PackagesUsing built-in functions, methods and packages written by other developers.
- NumPyNumPy arrays, how they differ from lists, 2D arrays and basic statistics.
Skills you'll practise
DataCamp’s Introduction to Python is worth it as a fast, low-risk first taste of Python for data work, but it is too short to be your only Python course. It is a four-hour beginner course with 11 videos and 46 coding exercises, rated 4.8 from 10,209 reviews and taken by more than 7 million learners, per DataCamp’s course page. The first chapter is free. The other three need DataCamp Premium. Take it if you want to learn Python specifically to analyse data and like typing code straight into the browser. Choose a longer course if you want general programming skills, because it stops at lists, functions and a first look at NumPy.
Introduction to Python is the entry course for most of DataCamp’s Python tracks. Hugo Bowne-Anderson teaches it, with Filip Schouwenaars as a co-instructor, and DataCamp last updated it in February 2026. Finishing earns a statement of accomplishment. Below we cover what each chapter teaches, what it really costs and how it compares with Kaggle Learn Python and Codecademy’s Learn Python 3.
Is DataCamp Introduction to Python worth it in 2026?
Yes, as an on-ramp to DataCamp’s data tracks. It is short, well paced and hands-on. On its own it covers too little to call yourself a Python programmer, so its value depends on whether you continue into pandas and the Data Analyst or Data Scientist tracks.
Each chapter follows the same loop. A short video explains an idea, then several exercises ask you to write a line or two of code in the browser and submit it for instant checking. There is nothing to install, which removes the most common reason beginners quit in week one. The trade-off is depth. Exercises are tightly scaffolded, so you rarely write a program from a blank file. If you stop after this course, you may struggle to start a script on your own.
Start here if your goal is data analysis and you will continue on DataCamp. If you only want one free course, Kaggle Learn Python covers similar ground at no cost.
When the answer flips
- You will not subscribe to DataCamp. Do the free first chapter, then switch to Kaggle Learn Python, which is free in full.
- You want general programming, not data. Python for Everybody or CS50’s Python teach broader fundamentals.
- You want to build apps. 100 Days of Code or the Python Mega Course are project-led.
What does each chapter cover?
| Chapter | Videos | Exercises | Access | Topics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Python Basics | 2 | 8 | Free | Running code, Python as a calculator, variables and types |
| 2. Python Lists | 3 | 13 | Premium | Creating, subsetting and changing lists, including nested lists |
| 3. Functions and Packages | 3 | 12 | Premium | Built-in functions, methods, importing packages |
| 4. NumPy | 3 | 13 | Premium | NumPy arrays, 2D arrays, basic statistics such as mean, median and correlation |
The course closes with NumPy, which matters. NumPy arrays are the base of pandas, so the last chapter points straight at the next step. Expect the four listed hours to stretch to five or six if you are brand new and read every hint.
How much does DataCamp Introduction to Python cost?
The first chapter is free with a DataCamp account. The full course needs Premium. In the US that lists at $35 a month, or about $28 a month billed yearly, and DataCamp often runs half-price yearly promotions. Prices vary by region.
| Plan | US list price, 2026 | What you get for this course |
|---|---|---|
| Basic (free) | $0 | Chapter 1 only |
| Premium monthly | $35/month | All four chapters plus the full catalogue |
| Premium yearly | About $28/month, billed yearly | Same, cheaper per month |
| Premium yearly on promotion | Often about half the yearly price | Same; promotions come and go |
Here is the math. Paying $35 for one month just to finish a four-hour course is poor value, unless you also take Intermediate Python and a few more courses in that month. Paying yearly makes sense only if you will continue into the longer tracks, which run to dozens of hours each. If you are unsure, finish chapter 1 free and decide afterwards. Our DataCamp review breaks down the plans in more detail.
How hard is it?
Easy. It assumes no prior coding, and the exercises give you most of the code, so few learners get stuck for long. The hardest moment is usually the switch from lists to NumPy arrays in chapter 4.
That ease is both the strength and the limit. You will understand types, lists, functions and arrays. You will not have practised loops, conditionals or writing your own functions in depth, because they belong to DataCamp’s follow-on course, Intermediate Python. Plan on taking that next if you stay on the platform.
DataCamp Introduction to Python vs alternatives
| Course | Length | Cost | Pick it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| DataCamp Introduction to Python | 4 hours | Chapter 1 free, then Premium | You will continue on DataCamp’s data tracks |
| Kaggle Learn Python | About 5 hours | Free, with certificate | You want a free data-focused primer |
| Codecademy Learn Python 3 | About 24 hours | Plus or Pro for the certificate | You want broader basics in short sessions |
| IBM Python for Data Science | 1 course | Coursera subscription | You want a branded certificate |
| freeCodeCamp Python | Long, self-paced | Free | You want deep practice at no cost |
Kaggle Learn Python is the closest match, and it is free. DataCamp’s edge is smoother videos and a clear path into its paid tracks. For deeper university-style fundamentals, the Python 3 Programming Specialization goes much further. See the full field on our best Python courses list and the Python subject hub.
Will it help your career?
Only as a first step. A four-hour statement of accomplishment does not move a hiring decision. Its career value comes from leading into the longer DataCamp tracks and the projects you build after it.
If you are aiming for analytics, follow it with pandas, SQL and a visualisation tool, then build two or three portfolio projects on public data. Our data analyst career page and data analytics subject hub lay out the full route.
FAQ
Is DataCamp Introduction to Python free?
Partly. Chapter 1, Python Basics, is free with a DataCamp account. Chapters 2 to 4 need a Premium subscription.
How long does DataCamp Introduction to Python take?
DataCamp lists it at four hours, with 11 videos and 46 exercises. Complete beginners often take five or six hours.
Do I get a certificate?
You get a statement of accomplishment when you finish. It shows completion, not a tested skill level, so treat it as a progress marker rather than a credential.
What should I take after Introduction to Python?
DataCamp’s Intermediate Python is the direct follow-on, covering loops, logic and pandas basics. After that, a full Data Analyst or Data Scientist track adds projects.
Is DataCamp Introduction to Python good for complete beginners?
Yes. It assumes no coding experience and runs in the browser. It is better for data-minded beginners than for people who want to build apps.