MakeCode vs The Odin Project

MakeCode8.9Visit The Odin Project8.6Visit

Higher score MakeCode #5 in Coding Education Platforms 8.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 3 features Visit MakeCode

vs

The Odin Project #8 in Coding Education Platforms 8.6/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 3 features Try The Odin Project

• MakeCode fits best

  Learners building code for supported hardware

• The Odin Project fits best

  Free full-stack web development with portfolio projects

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Side by side

Feature	MakeCode 8.9/10 Visit ↗	The Odin Project 8.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.9	8.6
Ranking	#5 in Coding Education Platforms	#8 in Coding Education Platforms
Best for	Learners building code for supported hardware	Free full-stack web development with portfolio projects
Pricing model	Free	Free
Starting price	Not published	Not published
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud	Cloud
Platforms	Web	Web
Support	Email	Email, Community, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business	Solo
Features MakeCode 0/3 · The Odin Project 0/3
Guided lessons	Not published	Not published
Interactive projects	Not published	Not published
Classroom tools	Not published	Not published
Specs
Teaching approach	Not published	Not published
Languages taught	Not published	Not published
Learner age range	Not published	Not published
Our review
Pros	Offers both drag-and-drop blocks and text editors. Simulators let learners test and debug programs. Downloads code in native formats for compatible hardware.	Two full-stack paths: JavaScript and Ruby on Rails Exercises and portfolio projects cover databases, Git, and deployment Free, open-source curriculum with Discord community support
Cons	Experiences and features vary by target and editor. It is built around target-specific projects, not general-purpose coding. Its verified curriculum and platform coverage are narrower.	Designed for independent, self-directed learning Curriculum is delivered on the web Native Windows is not supported by the installation guidance
Our verdict	MakeCode gives learners and educators a free way to create coding projects through target-specific experiences. Its editors pair drag-and-drop blocks with text-based coding, including JavaScript and Python in supported experiences.… Read the review →	The Odin Project is a free, open-source online curriculum for people learning web development independently. Learners start with Foundations, which covers HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Git, web fundamentals, and development tools, then choose a… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• MakeCode — where it wins

  • Offers both drag-and-drop blocks and text editors.
  • Simulators let learners test and debug programs.
  • Downloads code in native formats for compatible hardware.

  Where it doesn't

  • Experiences and features vary by target and editor.
  • It is built around target-specific projects, not general-purpose coding.
  • Its verified curriculum and platform coverage are narrower.

• The Odin Project — where it wins

  • Two full-stack paths: JavaScript and Ruby on Rails
  • Exercises and portfolio projects cover databases, Git, and deployment
  • Free, open-source curriculum with Discord community support

  Where it doesn't

  • Designed for independent, self-directed learning
  • Curriculum is delivered on the web
  • Native Windows is not supported by the installation guidance

• MakeCode8.9/10 · Free plan

  A free learning platform that moves from visual blocks to text-based coding.

  Visit MakeCodeFull verdict →
• The Odin Project8.6/10 · Free plan

  A free, project-based web curriculum with JavaScript and Ruby on Rails paths.

  Try The Odin ProjectFull verdict →