Treehouse Review: A Good Way to Start a Development Career?

Treehouse Overview

If you love technology and the idea of a high-paying career in a thriving sector, this Treehouse review is for you!

Let’s face it, the idea of learning how to code can be a daunting one, but not when you have platforms like this at your disposal.

Treehouse currently offers over 300 courses, most of which are linked to programing and technology.

Each program is developed by industry professionals and includes a combination of theoretical and practical learning methods.

I found the Treehouse cost structure to be competitive, and the learning process straightforward and engaging. 

However, there’s a lot more to this platform, which I will take you through now.

Treehouse Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Straightforward enrolment process
• Full library access for a small fee
• Treehouse certificate of completion
• Free trial available

Cons:

• No clear refund policy
• The courses aren’t accredited
• Limited course selection in some categories

Who Is Treehouse For?

Treehouse is a fun, simple, and affordable way to learn how to code – this is its main offering.

The platform is also useful for those who want to get into other tech-related subjects such as data analysis, machine learning, and cyber security.

Treehouse is a self-paced learning platform, so you can either study full or part-time, depending on the structure of your day.

Types of Courses Offered on Treehouse

Treehouse offers a wide variety of courses with different learning structures to tailor the process to your needs. If you’re only beginning your coding journey, you can pick individual classes on specific topics or tracks consisting of multiple classes. 

The primary categories on the site are:

• C#
• HTML
• Java
• PHP
• Python
• Javascript
• Go
• Ruby
• Databases

Another reason why Treehouse courses are so popular is that they cater to developers of every level. In fact, each course is assigned a difficulty level to make them easier to navigate.

Unfortunately, Treehouse certifications are not accredited, but you will receive an official certificate of completion to add to your resume – this is a certificate that many tech employers will recognize too! A potential employer can even verify the certificate’s authenticity by clicking on a link.

If you aren’t sure where to start, the platform features a short quiz that will help you find the courses that are right for you. Alternatively, you can filter the course catalog by difficulty, topic, newness, or alphabetic order.

Industry professionals can also watch conferences from influential leaders. Currently, Treehouse offers three conferences lasting 12-14 hours each and covering a multitude of topics, including computer science, HTML, design, dev tools, and digital literacy.

Treehouse Pricing and Refunds

Treehouse is a subscription-based platform that lets users learn at a comfortable pace. Users can choose from three pricing plans: Courses, Courses Plus, and Techdegree.

The Courses plan costs $25 per month and provides access to the entire video and text resource library. There are no limitations in terms of the classes you can take.

The Courses Plus plan costs $49 per month and includes all the features of the Courses plan. Additionally, users get access to bonus content and workshops, where they have to use creative thinking to solve complex practical tasks. In addition, Courses Plus plan subscribers can download video classes to watch offline. A small yet useful perk for those who study on the go.

The Techdegree plan is significantly pricier than the first two options, costing $199 per month. It provides users access to boot camp-tier programs that include video and text course libraries, interactive quizzes and exercises, workshops, and hands-on projects. Each program ends with an exam to prove learners are ready to take on a new career.

Treehouse offers a 7-day free trial, with full access to all features. Keep in mind that you must enter your card details when starting the trial. Thus, don’t forget to cancel your membership before the trial ends to prevent automatic payment.

Treehouse doesn’t issue refunds if you’re unhappy with the service, as the platform offers a free trial. However, users on the community forum suggest that Treehouse has a helpful customer service team that is happy to help if you forget to cancel your subscription on time.

Treehouse Enrolment Process

Starting your education with Treehouse is incredibly straightforward. Forget about paperwork – all you need is to register on the platform, complete your basic information, and pick your desired course. Anyone can enroll regardless of the course’s difficulty level. The website’s interface is user-friendly and intuitive, and the overall account set-up process is quick and simple.

Treehouse Course Structure

Every course page is brimming with useful details, including what you can expect to learn, the course duration, difficulty level, which top employers use this skill, and even what you can expect to earn.

Each course mainly consists of video lessons, coupled with some text and a quick quiz after each chapter.

Most of the beginner courses will only take a day or two to complete, while the Techdegree programs span several months, depending on your learning pace.

Learners will also need to set additional time aside for extra projects and exercises that will prove their knowledge.

Treehouse Alternatives

If you want to consider some additional coding platforms over and above Treehouse, here are some of my top recommendations:

• Udemy. Udemy is among the most popular online learning platforms on the market, offering an array of courses to choose from. Unlike Treehouse, Udemy doesn’t specialize in tech courses: you can learn pretty much any skill imaginable, from coding to solving a Rubik’s cube. The courses are also affordable and very easy to work into your week because most aren’t very long. Find out more about Udemy in this detailed review.
• Udacity. Udacity is another popular platform focusing on tech-related careers, such as cloud computing, cybersecurity, and data science. The platform offers a selection of courses for individuals, enterprises, and governmental institutions. Most of the beginner-level courses are free! You can find out more here.
• Coursera. Coursera is among the best platforms for learning coding basics, as most entry-level courses are free. Like Udemy, courses are created by thousands of users, each with its unique structure. Many programs are taught by university professors from some of the most famous institutions worldwide, such as Stanford University. We’ve created an in-depth review on the platform here.

Treehouse Review: The Verdict

Now that you know what Treehouse is and how it works, one final question remains – is the platform worth the money? The short answer is – yes. Treehouse is an excellent source of information for beginners and professionals within the IT and online technology industries.

The platform offers a range of programs with varying difficulty levels and structures to help you advance your knowledge. The learning process is exciting and includes engaging video content and interactive activities. Finally, you get all this at a fixed monthly fee that’s lower than the standalone fee of some courses on competing platforms.

The top-tier pricing plan, Techdegree, gives users the opportunity to acquire a certificate upon course completion that can help with employment. Even though the courses aren’t accredited, $400-$3,800 for a new career doesn’t seem that much compared with university fees. Many Treehouse graduates have started their careers in enterprises like Adobe, Nike, HubSpot, and Verizon, which proves that practical training often wins out over accredited degrees.

Treehouse is certainly worth the money for everyone interested in IT. Who knows, maybe it’s your chance to start a new career or significantly improve your business? I highly recommend trying out the free trial and judging for yourself whether it’s the right option for you.