Best Python Courses for Beginners: Top Picks for 2026

Python tops the TIOBE index and remains the go-to language for AI, machine learning, and data science on GitHub. TypeScript passed it in overall contributor count in 2025, but Python still powers automation, web backends, and nearly every major ML framework.

Everyone wants to learn it. That’s the problem.

Hundreds of Python courses compete for your time. Some work well. Others trap you in “tutorial hell.” That’s where you follow along fine but can’t write code alone.

At Mimo, we’ve helped thousands of people learn to code. We picked these courses based on teaching quality and hands-on practice. We looked at whether they prepare you for real work.

Here’s what each course covers and who should pick it.

Best Python courses for beginners: Quick picks

• Mimo Python Development Career Path: Best for AI-powered learning and software engineering careers
• Harvard CS50P: Best for rigorous computer science basics
• Helsinki Python MOOC: Best for deep practice and pro-level code
• 100 Days of Code: Best for daily projects and habit building
• Python for Everybody: Best for patient, clear teaching
• freeCodeCamp Python Certification: Best for free certificates

1. Mimo Python Development Career Path

• Best for: Learning to code with AI help
• Who should try it: Total beginners who want job-ready skills
• Price: Free Basic plan; Pro $8.33/month (yearly) or $12.49/month; Max $24.99/month (yearly) or $39.99/month

Mimo teaches Python through real code, not videos. You type code and get instant feedback.

The Python Development Career Path has 8 sections, 23 coding challenges, and 8 portfolio projects. You go from zero to job-ready.

Each lesson has hands-on exercises. When you’re stuck, the AI tutor helps without giving away answers.

The Building Experience sets Mimo apart. You describe what you want to create in plain language, then collaborate with AI to build it. That includes full-stack apps with front end, back end, and SQL database.

You stay close to the code, preview changes instantly, and publish real projects to a custom domain. It’s not vibe coding where AI does everything. You learn by building things you actually understand.

What you’ll learn

• Python basics: variables, data types, control flow
• Functions and object-oriented programming
• Working with APIs and libraries
• Projects like password generators and quiz apps

How you’ll learn

• Interactive coding with instant feedback
• Bite-sized lessons on web or mobile
• Portfolio projects for GitHub
• Certificate when done

Our take

Choose Mimo if you:

• want to start free and upgrade later,
• prefer typing code over watching videos,
• want projects you can show employers.

2. Harvard CS50P

• Best for: Solid computer science basics with polished videos
• Who should try it: Learners who like a challenge
• Price: Free; certificate costs $219 on edX

Harvard CS50P sets the bar for free coding education. Professor David Malan uses high-end production: camera angles, scripted lectures, and pop culture jokes.

The course follows an “80/20 Rule.” You get 80% of what you need. You find the other 20% yourself. This gap frustrates many at first. But it teaches research skills that pros use daily.

CS50’s graders are strict. A typo fails your code. Students spend hours fixing small bugs. The rigor pays off. It trains the precision real code demands.

What you’ll learn

• Python basics through loops and functions
• File handling and regular expressions
• Object-oriented programming
• Testing and debugging
• APIs and real-world libraries

How you’ll learn

• 10+ weeks of video (self-paced)
• Problem sets with auto-grading
• Discord community with thousands of students
• Office hours and online help
• Certificate through edX

Our take

Choose CS50P if you:

• want free, college-level training,
• learn well from polished videos,
• can push through hard challenges.

Skip if you’re brand new to coding. Try CS50x first for basics.

3. Helsinki Python Programming MOOC

• Best for: Lots of practice and clean code habits
• Who should try it: Self-starters who like reading over watching
• Price: Free; EU students can get ECTS credits

The Helsinki Python MOOC 2026 skips the flash. No fancy videos. Just text lessons and 250+ exercises that drill skills until they stick.

Two parts cover basics and advanced topics, about 280 hours total. By week four, you code on your own computer using Visual Studio Code. Most courses keep you in a browser much longer.

The “Test My Code” system grades your work instantly. You must pass 80% before moving on. No skipping. No shortcuts.

Students praise the OOP (object-oriented) sections. Where other courses skim this topic, Helsinki goes deep with classes, inheritance, and design patterns.

What you’ll learn

• Python basics with heavy repetition
• Object-oriented programming in depth
• Functional programming concepts
• File handling and data processing
• Professional coding patterns

How you’ll learn

• Text lessons with clear examples
• 250+ auto-graded exercises
• Local VSCode setup by week four
• 80% pass rate needed per section
• Free credits for EU students

Our take

Choose Helsinki if you:

• prefer reading to watching videos,
• want serious OOP training for free,
• can commit 280+ hours to get good.

Skip if you need flashy content to stay hooked.

4. 100 Days of Code

• Best for: Daily projects that build habits
• Who should try it: Beginners who need structure
• Price: ~$15–85 on Udemy; often on sale

Dr. Angela Yu’s 100 Days of Code does what it says. One project per day for 100 days. You build games, websites, and tools.

The first 50 days get rave reviews. You create a Blackjack game, coffee machine sim, and fun animations. Angela explains hard concepts in simple terms.

After day 50, some content feels dated. A few projects use APIs that changed since filming. The flight tracker and some web scrapers need extra fixes to work.

Bigger problem: many Selenium and web scraping projects are now broken due to Chrome updates and Python 3.12/3.13 changes. You’ll need to dig through the course Discord and Q&A forums for community fixes. Following the videos alone won’t get you through.

Some call this good practice. Real dev work has bugs too. Others find it frustrating.

Watch out for Day 4. The jump from simple variables to grid logic trips up many. If you struggle here, slow down. The logic leap is harder than the syntax.

What you’ll learn

• Python basics and automation
• Web apps with Flask
• Web scraping with Beautiful Soup and Selenium
• Data work with Pandas and NumPy
• Desktop apps with Tkinter

How you’ll learn

• 56+ hours of video over 100 days
• 100 projects from games to web apps
• Coding quizzes throughout
• Active Q&A community
• Certificate when done

Our take

Choose 100 Days if you:

• thrive on daily structure,
• want wide coverage from basics to web dev,
• can debug when projects need fixes.

Skip if you need everything to work as shown, or can’t commit months.

5. Python for Everybody

• Best for: Clear teaching from a world-class instructor
• Who should try it: Beginners who want patient explanations
• Price: Free to audit; Coursera Plus ($59/month) for certificate

Dr. Chuck Severance from the University of Michigan has taught millions. His Python for Everybody on Coursera breaks down concepts so clearly they feel simple.

Five courses cover Python basics, data structures, web scraping, databases, and data work. Dr. Chuck explains not just how to code, but why certain ways work better.

The web scraping section stands out. Students say it’s where Python “feels like magic.” Your code talks to real websites and pulls real data.

The downside? No modern web frameworks like Flask or Django.

What you’ll learn

• Python basics with patient explanations
• Lists, dictionaries, and tuples
• Web scraping and APIs
• Databases and SQL
• Data basics

How you’ll learn

• Video lectures from a top instructor
• Auto-graded assignments
• About 8 months at standard pace
• Certificate on completion
• Learner community

Our take

Choose Python for Everybody if you:

• want clear, patient teaching,
• prefer college-style instruction,
• plan to work with data or web scraping.

6. freeCodeCamp Python Certification

• Best for: Free certificates and wide coverage
• Who should try it: Self-driven learners who want free credentials
• Price: Free (runs on donations)

freeCodeCamp’s Python certification underwent a major overhaul in late 2025. It’s now a fully interactive, browser-based curriculum with 490+ steps, workshops, and labs.

You learn through hands-on coding challenges. No more sitting through videos as the primary method. Work through lessons on syntax, data structures, and OOP. Then build five projects to earn your certificate.

No AI tutors here. No game elements. Just a curriculum, browser coding, and a forum when you need help. You need self-drive to push through.

Beyond Python, freeCodeCamp covers JavaScript, databases, and APIs. If you want to try many languages for free, no other platform matches it.

What you’ll learn

• Python basics through interactive exercises
• Data structures and algorithms
• Object-oriented programming
• Five certification projects
• Computing concepts

How you’ll learn

• 490+ interactive coding steps
• Workshops and hands-on labs
• Five required projects
• Forum community for help
• Free verified certificate

Our take

Choose freeCodeCamp if you:

• want a free certificate from a known platform,
• can motivate yourself without games,
• plan to explore other languages too.

Skip if you need AI help or personalized feedback.

What else you need to learn

Knowing Python syntax won’t land a job in 2026. The market is competitive. Employers want more.

Git is a must. Every dev team uses version control. Courses that teach Git early, like Mimo or CS50, give you an edge.

Learn to manage environments. Tools like venv or conda handle package conflicts. Different projects need different library versions. Learn this early to save headaches.

Build a GitHub portfolio. Certificates matter less than projects. A script that automates your current job impresses more than a generic to-do list app.

Pick the right libraries. For data: Pandas and NumPy. For web apps: Flask or Django. For automation: Beautiful Soup and Selenium. For CLI tools: Click.

How to use AI tools wisely

ChatGPT and similar tools have changed coding education. You can get custom explanations and practice problems instantly.

The risk is in generating solutions without understanding them. Your projects work, but your skills don’t grow.

A good rule: use AI for concept help, not answers. Ask “explain list comprehensions with a simple example.” Don’t ask “write code that does X.”

Courses with AI guardrails, like Mimo’s AI tutor or Boot.dev’s Socratic mentor, give AI benefits while building real skills.

Pick the right Python course for you

The best course depends on how you learn and what you want.

Like typing code with quick feedback? Try Mimo or Boot.dev. Prefer video lectures? Go with CS50P, Python for Everybody, or 100 Days of Code.

Think about your goals too. Want a coding career? Pick structured paths. Need quick scripts for work? Automate the Boring Stuff works great. Planning data science or backend work? Choose courses that go deep there.

See the quick picks at the top to match your learning style to a course.

Ready to start? Try Mimo free to code from day one and build a career in tech.