Is Leetcode Premium Worth It?
eetCode is one of the best coding platforms for interview preparation, problem-solving, and competitive programming. However, many developers and students wonder: Is LeetCode Premium worth it?
The short answer: It depends on your goals. If you’re preparing for a FAANG (Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Google) interview or a top tech job, LeetCode Premium can be a game-changer. But if you’re just starting out, the free version might be enough.
Let’s dive deep into what LeetCode Premium offers, its pros and cons, pricing, and whether it’s worth the investment.
1. What Does LeetCode Premium Offer?
LeetCode Premium provides exclusive features to improve coding interview preparation. Here’s a comparison of free vs. premium:
| Feature | Free Version | Premium Version |
|---|---|---|
| Total Questions | ✅ 1,000+ | ✅ 2,700+ |
| Premium Questions | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Company-Specific Questions | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Solutions & Hints | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Mock Interviews | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Code Debugging | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Topic & Difficulty Filters | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Contest Participation | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
2. Who Should Get LeetCode Premium?
LeetCode Premium is a great investment if:
✅ You are actively preparing for FAANG or top tech company interviews.
✅ You want company-specific coding questions (e.g., Amazon, Google, Microsoft).
✅ You prefer official solutions & hints instead of searching online.
✅ You need mock interviews to simulate real coding rounds.
✅ You want a structured roadmap to master algorithms & data structures.
However, LeetCode Premium is NOT necessary if:
❌ You are just starting with DSA (Data Structures & Algorithms).
❌ You are not applying for jobs anytime soon.
❌ You are comfortable finding solutions on YouTube or forums.
❌ You want to practice for fun and not necessarily for job preparation.
3. LeetCode Premium Features Explained
A. Company-Specific Questions
- One of the biggest advantages of Premium is access to questions asked in real interviews.
- You can filter by company (e.g., Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Meta).
- This helps you practice the exact questions asked in past interviews.
B. Premium-Only Questions
- There are 1,700+ exclusive problems that are not available in the free version.
- Many of these are hard-level and used in FAANG interviews.
C. Official Solutions & Hints
- Premium gives detailed explanations for each problem.
- You also get hints to guide you if you’re stuck.
- This saves time compared to searching for solutions on YouTube.
D. Mock Interviews
- You can take realistic coding assessments that simulate an actual interview.
- These help you improve time management before your real coding test.
E. Advanced Filtering
- You can filter by topic (e.g., Trees, Graphs, DP, Arrays).
- You can also filter by difficulty (Easy, Medium, Hard).
- This helps you focus on weak areas and improve efficiently.
4. Pricing: Is It Expensive?
LeetCode Premium costs:
| Plan | Price |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $35 per month |
| Yearly | $159 per year (≈ $13.25 per month) |
💡 Pro Tip: If you’re preparing for an interview within 1-2 months, get the monthly plan.
💡 If you have 6+ months to prepare, the annual plan is cheaper.
5. Alternatives to LeetCode Premium
If you don’t want to pay, here are free alternatives:
A. GeeksforGeeks (GFG)
- ✅ Company-wise interview questions
- ✅ Detailed explanations
- ✅ Free problem-solving section
B. NeetCode (YouTube & Website)
- ✅ Free video solutions
- ✅ Curated problem lists for FAANG interviews
C. HackerRank
- ✅ Beginner-friendly
- ✅ Free SQL, Python, JavaScript practice
D. Codeforces & CodeChef
- ✅ Best for competitive programming
- ❌ Not focused on job interviews