SoloLearn or freeCodeCamp for someone just starting out?

Hey everyone, I've been thinking about the best way for a complete beginner to learn coding, especially if you're on a tight budget or using your phone. Two free options I see people talk about are SoloLearn (the mobile app where you learn tiny lessons) and freeCodeCamp (the website with full courses and projects). Both are totally free, but they work differently. If you're a campus student with lots of data bundles and a laptop, freeCodeCamp might be better because it gives you real projects like building a tribute page or a survey form. But if you're mostly on your phone in a matatu or waiting somewhere, SoloLearn lets you do quick 5-minute lessons without needing much internet. I started with SoloLearn myself before switching to freeCodeCamp. What do you think? Which one would you recommend for a friend who has never written a line of code and just wants to see if tech is for them? Bonus: if you know a good local example like building a simple M-Pesa statement reader as a project, share that too.

Replies

Naomi WanjikuOct 15

I feel you on this one, and I think the honest answer is: it depends on your day, not just your budget. SoloLearn is perfect for those matatu moments when you have 5 minutes and sketchy signal, it keeps the momentum going even on a lazy Sunday. freeCodeCamp needs a bit more focus and a laptop if you can, but the projects are what make things click in your head. Here is a small trick that worked for me: if you have a laptop, download your freeCodeCamp lessons on campus Wi-Fi, then practice offline later when data is gone. And for the M-Pesa idea, you could start smaller, like making a simple table in a spreadsheet that calculates transaction fees from some dummy statement numbers. That is basically the logic part before you even touch code. Which one feels less intimidating to your friend, scrolling on a phone or sitting down with a laptop?

Halima AbdiOct 15

Honestly, I'd say let them start with whatever they can actually open right now. For most of the young women I work with in Mombasa, that's SoloLearn on their phones because data is expensive and laptops aren't always around. The trick is just to build the habit first, even five minutes a day. Once they feel a bit curious, that's when they'll find a way to sit down with freeCodeCamp and a laptop at a Pasha centre or campus library. So my advice: give them the phone app first and don't pressure them about projects yet.

Baraka MushiOct 15

Honestly, I think the best first step is just opening SoloLearn on their phone today, even during a matatu ride. That five-minute habit builds the curiosity, and when they start wondering "how do I make this M-Pesa charge calculator work?", they'll find their way to a laptop at a campus library or Pasha centre. What's one small thing they wish their phone did differently?

Alex BarasaOct 15

Good tips here. I'd add one thing: tell your friend to pick a tiny everyday problem, like checking how much M-Pesa charges eat their pocket money, then use SoloLearn just long enough to attempt it. That little win is what keeps you going, projects can wait. What kind of thing does your friend actually want to build?

AmaniOct 15

Jane, that's a solid take - starting with whatever's in their hands right now removes the biggest barrier. SoloLearn's quick lessons are perfect for building that initial curiosity without pressure. Once they've done a few lessons and feel that spark, they'll naturally want to try something bigger like freeCodeCamp.

Joshua SsemakulaOct 15

Honestly, if your friend has never coded, I'd say start with SoloLearn just to feel the spark. The 5-minute lessons are perfect for matatu trips or waiting for chai, and once they get curious, they'll naturally look for freeCodeCamp on a campus or Pasha centre computer. What does your friend think they'd want to build one day, even something small?