Okay so I'll be straight with you.
When I first searched "Python course" on Udemy, I spent more time picking a course than actually learning Python. There are like 800 results and half of them have the same thumbnail. It's genuinely overwhelming.
So I did the annoying work of going through the top ones. Some were great. Some were surprisingly bad despite having thousands of reviews. And a few were clearly made just to cash in on the Python hype.
These 5 are the ones I'd actually tell a friend to buy — especially if you're still in school and just getting started.
First — what even is Python and why should you care?
Python is a programming language. But unlike most languages, it's weirdly close to plain English.
To make your computer print something, you just write:
# python
print("Hello!")That's a full working program. One line.
Compare that to Java where you need about 6 lines just to say hello. Python was designed to be readable, and that's exactly why it's the best first language to learn.
It's also everywhere. The recommendations on Netflix? Python. Instagram's backend? Python. A lot of the AI stuff you keep hearing about — ChatGPT, image generators — all built on Python. Even NASA uses it.
You don't need to care about all that right now. You just need to know it's worth learning.
The 5 courses — quick look
1. 100 Days of Code by Dr. Angela Yu
65+ hours · ⭐ 4.8 · Usually ₹3,499 but goes on sale for ₹449
This one came up first in almost every "best Python course" thread I read, so I went in a little skeptical. Courses with too much hype usually disappoint.
This one didn't.
The structure is what makes it work — you build one project every day for 100 days. Day 1 you make a simple calculator. Day 30 you're building a password manager. By Day 60 you're scraping websites. It sounds intense but each "day" is really just an hour of video.
What I actually like about Angela is that she doesn't pretend coding is easy. She'll say things like "this part confused me too when I first learned it" and then explain it properly. That's rare. Most instructors either rush through the hard parts or over-simplify them.
The Snake game project alone — building the actual Nokia Snake game from scratch — is worth it. When it works and you can see your snake moving on screen, you'll feel like a genius.
Best for: Anyone starting from zero. Genuinely, if you've never written a line of code in your life, start here.
One downside: 65 hours is a lot. Some students burn out around Day 40. The trick is to not skip days — even 20 minutes counts.
2. Complete Python Bootcamp by Jose Portilla
22 hours · ⭐ 4.6 · Over 1.8 million students
1.8 million students. That number is wild. This might be the most-taken Python course ever made.
Jose's style is very textbook-like — which I know sounds boring, but hear me out. Everything is in order. You don't randomly jump to advanced topics. You don't feel lost. He covers one thing, makes sure you get it, then moves to the next.
If you're the kind of student who likes reading chapters properly before solving problems — this will feel very natural. It's 22 hours which is also much more manageable than the 65 hours in Angela's course.
It won't make you feel as excited as Angela's course does, but it gives you a genuinely solid foundation. The kind where you actually understand why things work, not just how to write them.
Best for: If structured, step-by-step learning is your thing. Also good if you want something shorter and more focused.
👉 Complete Python Bootcamp on Udemy →
3. Python Zero to Mastery by Andrei Neagoie
30+ hours · ⭐ 4.7
This one's different from the other two.
Andrei doesn't just teach you Python — he teaches you how to think like someone who works at a tech company. There's a whole section on how to read error messages (sounds boring, incredibly useful), how to Google problems properly, and how to write code that other people can actually read.
That stuff doesn't sound exciting but it's what separates people who get stuck every day from people who can actually figure things out on their own.
The ZTM Discord community is also genuinely active — thousands of students asking questions, sharing projects, helping each other. When you're stuck at 11pm and your parents have no idea what Python is, having that community matters.
Best for: Class 11–12 students who are serious about going into tech. If you're thinking about CS in college or want to build a real project someday — this course will set you up properly.
One thing to note: This assumes you can handle a slightly faster pace. Not for absolute beginners with zero patience for technical stuff.
👉 Python Zero to Mastery on Udemy →
4. The Modern Python 3 Bootcamp by Colt Steele
29 hours · ⭐ 4.7
I almost didn't include this one because Angela and Jose already cover similar ground. But Colt does one thing none of the others do as well — he makes you practice constantly.
After almost every concept, he gives you an exercise to solve yourself. Not an optional one. You're expected to try it before watching the solution. That might sound annoying but it's actually the closest thing to how you'd learn in a real coding class.
The problem with most courses is you watch the video, think "yeah I get it", and then the next day you sit down to code and your mind goes blank. Colt's approach fixes that because you're not just watching — you're doing.
His sense of humor also helps when you're 4 hours deep and starting to question your life choices.
Best for: If you've started learning Python before and somehow still feel like nothing is sticking — this one is probably why, and this course will fix it.
👉 The Modern Python Bootcamp on Udemy →
5. Python for Data Science and Machine Learning by Jose Portilla
25 hours · ⭐ 4.6
Okay, this one is not for beginners. I'm putting it here because a lot of students ask about AI and data science, and this is the right next step once you know basic Python.
You know how Spotify knows exactly what song you want to hear next? Or how Google Photos can recognize your face? That kind of stuff is built with the tools this course teaches — NumPy, Pandas, Scikit-Learn, TensorFlow.
It sounds complicated but Jose explains it well. By the end you'll build actual machine learning models — not a toy example, but real ones using real data.
Best for: Class 11–12 students into Maths who want to get into AI or data science. Do Course 1 or 2 first though — this one expects you to already know Python basics.
👉 Python for Data Science on Udemy →
One thing nobody tells you about Udemy pricing
These courses are listed at ₹3,499 but nobody actually pays that.
Udemy runs sales constantly — almost every weekend, definitely on every Indian holiday, and randomly on Tuesday afternoons for no reason. The price drops to ₹449 or ₹549.
Add whichever course you want to your wishlist. You'll get an email within a few days saying it's on sale. That's genuinely all you have to do.
Which one should you pick?
Stop overthinking it. Here's the short version:
Never coded before → 100 Days of Code (Angela Yu) Like organized, step-by-step study → Complete Python Bootcamp (Jose Portilla) Serious about a career in tech → Python Zero to Mastery (Andrei Neagoie) Keep forgetting what you learn → Modern Python Bootcamp (Colt Steele) Already know basics, curious about AI → Python for Data Science (Jose Portilla)
Pick one. Don't switch. Finishing an average course is worth more than starting five great ones.
The first few days of learning to code are genuinely frustrating. You'll write something, it won't work, you won't know why, and it'll feel like everyone else is smarter than you.
They're not. They just hit that wall earlier and got through it.
The error messages will start making sense. The concepts will click. And one day you'll fix a bug you've been stuck on for an hour and feel unreasonably happy about it. That's when it gets fun.