Is LeetCode Free?
LeetCode is one of the most popular platforms for coding practice, interview preparation, and improving problem-solving skills. However, many users wonder: Is LeetCode free? The answer is yes, but with limitations.
In this guide, we’ll explore LeetCode’s free and premium features, compare them, and help you decide whether you need a paid subscription.
1. LeetCode Free vs. Premium
LeetCode offers two main tiers:
- LeetCode Free (Basic)
- LeetCode Premium (Paid)
| Feature | Free Version | Premium Version |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Questions | ✅ 1,000+ | ✅ 2,700+ |
| Interview Questions from Companies | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Solutions and Hints | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Premium Questions | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Code Debugging | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Mock Interviews | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Contest Participation | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Discussion Forum Access | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Difficulty Levels | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Tags & Topics Filtering | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
2. What Can You Do with LeetCode Free?
If you use LeetCode for free, you still get access to many coding problems across various difficulty levels:
- ✅ Access to 1,000+ problems
- ✅ Participate in coding contests
- ✅ View discussions and community solutions
- ✅ Code in an online editor with multiple programming languages
- ✅ Track your progress with basic stats
- ✅ Solve easy, medium, and some hard problems
This is enough for most beginners and intermediate programmers preparing for coding interviews.
Limitations of the Free Plan
However, the free version has some major drawbacks:
- 🚫 No company-specific questions (e.g., Google, Amazon, Meta)
- 🚫 No official solutions or hints
- 🚫 Limited access to premium questions
- 🚫 No advanced filters (e.g., topic-wise questions)
- 🚫 No mock interviews or debugging tools
3. What is LeetCode Premium?
LeetCode Premium unlocks additional features to enhance your learning experience.
Key Features of LeetCode Premium
- Exclusive Questions (More Than 1,700 Extra Problems)
- Premium users get exclusive access to extra problems, including many hard-level problems.
- Company-Specific Questions
- You can filter questions by company (e.g., Amazon, Google, Facebook, Microsoft).
- This helps if you’re preparing for a specific job interview.
- Official Solutions & Hints
- Premium users can view official explanations for problems.
- You also get hints to guide you toward the solution.
- Mock Interviews
- Simulate real interview environments with curated question sets.
- Code Debugging & Performance Analysis
- Premium users can use advanced debugging tools to analyze their solutions.
- Tag & Topic Filtering
- You can filter problems by data structure, algorithm, or difficulty level.
- This helps you focus on specific areas like Dynamic Programming, Graphs, Trees, etc.
4. How Much Does LeetCode Premium Cost?
LeetCode Premium has two pricing options:
| Plan | Price |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $35 per month |
| Annual | $159 per year (≈ $13.25 per month) |
💡 Tip: If you plan to use LeetCode for more than 5 months, the annual plan is more cost-effective.
5. Should You Get LeetCode Premium?
It depends on your goals and budget.
LeetCode Free is Enough If:
✅ You are a beginner just starting with coding challenges.
✅ You don’t have a specific job interview soon.
✅ You don’t need company-specific questions.
✅ You are okay with searching for solutions on YouTube or forums.
LeetCode Premium is Worth It If:
✅ You are preparing for top tech company interviews (Google, Amazon, etc.).
✅ You need official solutions and company-specific problems.
✅ You want mock interview experiences.
✅ You are applying to jobs soon and want to accelerate your learning.
6. Alternative Free Platforms to LeetCode
If you don’t want to pay for LeetCode Premium, here are some free alternatives:
1. GeeksforGeeks (GFG)
- ✅ Free problem-solving section
- ✅ Interview experiences
- ✅ Company-wise questions
- ✅ Detailed explanations
2. HackerRank
- ✅ Beginner-friendly
- ✅ SQL, Python, JavaScript practice
- ✅ Certification tests
- ❌ Lacks advanced DSA questions
3. Codeforces
- ✅ Great for competitive programming
- ✅ Free contests every week
- ❌ Not focused on job interviews
4. CodeChef
- ✅ Beginner & advanced challenges
- ✅ Monthly contests
- ❌ No company-specific questions
5. NeetCode (YouTube & Website)
- ✅ Free video explanations
- ✅ Curated roadmap for FAANG interviews
- ✅ Free problem lists
7. Tips to Maximize LeetCode Free Plan
Even if you don’t pay for Premium, you can still make the most of LeetCode:
- Solve Free Questions First
- Stick to easy & medium problems before moving to hard.
- Use Free Community Solutions
- Search LeetCode Discuss for hints & solutions.
- Watch YouTube Tutorials
- Channels like NeetCode, The Primeagen, and CodeWithHarry explain solutions.
- Join Discord & Reddit Communities
- LeetCode Discord Server and r/leetcode on Reddit provide tips & support.
- Follow a Structured Plan
- Start with Arrays & Strings before moving to Dynamic Programming & Graphs.
8. Conclusion: Is LeetCode Free Worth It?
Yes, LeetCode Free is worth it for most users. It provides 1,000+ questions, coding contests, and discussion forums.
However, if you need premium questions, company-specific filtering, mock interviews, and official solutions, then LeetCode Premium is a great investment.
Final Recommendation
- Beginners: Use LeetCode Free and learn from YouTube or discussion forums.
- Intermediate & Advanced Users: Consider LeetCode Premium if preparing for FAANG/MNC interviews.