You’ve scoured every bootcamp website. You’ve read the Course Report reviews. And you’ve read every forum on Reddit. 

But you still aren’t sure which bootcamp will give you the best chance for success in your software engineering career. 

We get it! It’s never an easy or straightforward decision. 

In today’s blog, we’re going to take a closer look at two of the most popular coding bootcamps in the industry, Codesmith and Rithm School. 

Both Rithm School and Codesmith are highly rated and offer an advanced curriculum. 

However, there are key differences between the two programs that you should consider before finalizing your choice. 

Let’s start with a quick pros & cons list for both schools.

Pros & Cons of Rithm School & Codesmith

#1 Rithm School

Great for personalized, small classes and advanced tech stack

Rated 4.99 on Course Report

Rithm School is a 17-week coding program that teaches full-stack web development with Python, JavaScript, React, Flask, and PostgreSQL. The bootcamp is best known for helping people change careers into the tech and software engineering space. 

The pros and cons of Rithm School are as follows:

Pros

• Rithm School teachers are not only software engineers, but trained educators as well
• The Rithm School curriculum is geared towards career changers, not just tech workers
• Rithm School offers considerably smaller class sizes than other online coding bootcamps (20 people max with a 1:5 teacher to student ratio), enabling a more close knit learning community
• The 2-week prep school is completely free
• Rithm School’s program includes 2 weeks of interview prep and 3 weeks of real-world project experience, enabling course graduates to add significant value to their resume before graduation
• Each student is assigned an advisor who will meet with them on a frequent basis to share feedback and track progress. In addition, each student will receive regular code reviews. 
• Rithm School’s program includes more than 2 weeks of career services curriculum and prep.
• Acceptance into Rithm School is difficult, with aspiring students being required to pass a technical assessment and both technical and behavioral interviews before being enrolled in the bootcamp. The team at Rithm School ensure you are set up for success.

Cons

• There is no part-time option available
• The cost of the Rithm School bootcamp is towards the top range of what you will find, though tuition can be paid in deferred installments
• There is no in-person program currently available

Read the full reviews on Course Report here.

Codesmith

Great for large classes & fast-paced curriculum

Rated 4.89 on Course Report

Codesmith offers a 13-week full-time and 38-week part-time online coding bootcamp that teaches full-stack JavaScript and software engineering, including HTML, JQuery, and CSS. The program is mainly tailored for CS graduates and tech workers, and it intends to prepare said individuals for roles as software engineers for leading tech companies. 

Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of Codesmoth below:

Pros

• Fast-paced curriculum; you may complete your studies faster than in other programs
• Large class sizes, which can be a positive thing if that is what you are looking for
• Codesmith offers a Minorities in Tech Mentorship Program tailored to those from underprivileged groups.
• Codesmith has a supportive community of mentors, instructors, and peers who provide feedback and guidance throughout the program.

Cons

• Codesmith has very large class sizes 
• Every cohort is all-intensive, with 70-80+ hour weeks expected
• Weekend work is expected
• The Codesmith prep course is not free, costing $925. 
• Codesmith coding programs are better suited for those with a Computer Science degree and existing tech workers 

Read the full reviews on Course Report here.

Comparing Rithm School vs. Codesmith By Feature

When it comes to deciding which coding bootcamp is best for you, it often comes down to personal preference and learning style. 

Do you learn better with a hands-on, more personal approach? Or do you prefer to learn through self-teaching and only use instructors when needed. 

Let’s compare some of the distinct differences in features between the two bootcamps. 

Class Sizes

One of the most notable differences between the two bootcamps is class size. Rithm School intentionally keeps its class sizes small, often capped at 18-20 students. On the other hand, CodeSmith is known to have triple the amount of students in each cohort. 

Rithm School chooses to keep class sizes small so that you’re able to get 1:1 help, daily code reviews, and close mentorship throughout the program, which many students rave about in their reviews. 

For both bootcamps, cameras are required to be turned on, and class participation is expected during every class. 

Length of Bootcamp

Another key difference between the two full-time bootcamps is length of program. Rithm School’s bootcamp is 4 weeks longer than Codesmith’s, at 17 weeks compared to Codesmith’s 13-week program. This is due to the speed in which the topics are covered, as well as a few inclusions that Rithm School deems necessary in order to land a successful software engineering role. 

During the additional 4 weeks at Rithm School, you’ll work on a professional company project to give you the opportunity to work on real life code, and go through intensive job search readiness, that includes mock interviews and practice projects to ensure you’re ready for life after graduation. 

Instructors

When it comes to instructors, classes at both bootcamps are led by experienced software engineers from the tech industry. 

However, Codesmith has also been known to employ recent bootcamp grads, who don’t necessarily have the real-world experience to help answer questions or troubleshoot specific problems. These paid student instructors are referred to as “fellows” within their program, and are a negative talking point in some of their reviews.

In addition to experienced software engineers, Rithm School places value in hiring educators. Meaning their instructors love to teach just as much as they love to code. The lead instructor at Rithm School has been teaching application development for over 10 years, both independently and as part of academic programs.

Teaching Style

Though the Codesmith online coding bootcamp offers support, it’s more structured to foster self-teaching, which can be appealing for some. If you have a lot of coding experience already and prefer to go at an accelerated pace, this type of teaching style may be for you. 

On the other hand, Rithm School takes a more hands-on approach, including interactive classes, daily code reviews, and robust support systems, like mentorship & career support. 

Location

While Rithm School used to have an in-person bootcamp in San Francisco, it is now conducted 100% online in 2024.

So, Which Coding Bootcamp Should You Choose?

At the end of the day, deciding on which coding bootcamp to go is a deeply personal decision. Both Rithm School & Codesmith excel in their own way. 

As a next step, we strongly recommend attending as many info sessions, alumni sessions, and events as you can to get a feel for how each bootcamp works. 

You can even apply to enroll in Rithm School’s free 2-week prep course to see if the program is right for you. Codesmith offers a prep course as well, however, you may have to pay to attend. 

We’re excited for you no matter whichever bootcamp you decide. It’s a great first step in beginning your software engineering career. 

Happy coding!