Is it worth it to buy LeetCode Premium?
If you're preparing for software engineering interviews, you've almost certainly heard of LeetCode problems. But eventually, one question comes up for every serious candidate: Is LeetCode Premium worth it?
In this blog, we'll break down what LeetCode Premium includes, who it's best for, and how to get the most value from your subscription. Whether you're just getting started or ramping up for a big interview loop, here’s what developers need to know.
Grokking the Coding Interview Patterns
With thousands of potential questions to account for, preparing for the coding interview can feel like an impossible challenge. Yet with a strategic approach, coding interview prep doesn’t have to take more than a few weeks. Stop drilling endless sets of practice problems, and prepare more efficiently by learning coding interview patterns. This course teaches you the underlying patterns behind common coding interview questions. By learning these essential patterns, you will be able to unpack and answer any problem the right way — just by assessing the problem statement. This approach was created by FAANG hiring managers to help you prepare for the typical rounds of interviews at major tech companies like Apple, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon. Before long, you will have the skills you need to unlock even the most challenging questions, grok the coding interview, and level up your career with confidence. This course is also available in JavaScript, Python, Go, and C++ — with more coming soon!
What is LeetCode Premium?#
LeetCode Premium is a paid upgrade to the standard LeetCode platform. It unlocks exclusive content, problem sets, and features specifically geared toward job preparation.
Here's what you get:
Access to company-specific problem sets (e.g., Google, Amazon, Meta)
Premium-only questions are not available to free users
Problem frequency statistics to prioritize your practice
Interview experience reports from real candidates
Premium discussion boards with better filtering and insights
For developers aiming for top-tier companies or leveling up their DSA skills, LeetCode Premium adds structure, signal, and efficiency to the prep process. It transforms the platform from a general problem archive into a personalized interview dashboard.
Who benefits most from LeetCode Premium?#
While LeetCode Premium is available to everyone, it’s especially valuable if:
You’re targeting big tech interviews (FAANG, startups, unicorns)
You’ve already solved 50–100+ free problems and want more variety
You need focused prep on specific roles (e.g., backend, frontend, SDE II)
You’re short on time and want to focus on high-yield problems
Premium allows you to study smarter, not harder. It’s built for learners who want to accelerate their progress and avoid wasting time on low-impact problems. Intermediate-to-advanced users will appreciate the structure it brings to an otherwise overwhelming practice backlog.
How to use LeetCode Premium effectively#
LeetCode Premium only adds value if you use it intentionally. Here’s how to get the most out of your subscription:
Start with company-specific filters: Practicing for Google? Start with Google-tagged questions and prioritize by frequency.
Focus on high-frequency problems: These appear in interviews again and again. Premium helps you identify them.
Leverage real interview experiences: The Premium tab gives you access to user-submitted reports that show what interviewers actually ask.
Track progress with topic tags: Premium includes curated lists for dynamic programming, graphs, trees, and more.
Focusing on curated paths and proven question sets reduces the guesswork and makes each session count. Aim to treat the platform like a strategic curriculum, not just a random grind.
What roles does LeetCode Premium help with?#
While most developers use LeetCode Premium to prepare for software engineering roles, it’s also helpful for:
Frontend developers prepping for algorithm screens
SDE II and senior-level candidates brushing up on fundamentals
DevOps and systems engineers focusing on scalability concepts
Product-focused engineers strengthening their problem-solving foundation
Whether you're writing API logic, debugging production issues, or designing scalable components, algorithmic thinking remains essential, and Premium reinforces that with problem sets tailored to these core skills.
How does it compare to other platforms?#
LeetCode Premium is often compared to platforms like:
HackerRank: Better for competitions and employer-led assessments
AlgoExpert: Polished videos and walkthroughs, but limited variety
NeetCode: Excellent structured lists, but lacks company-specific problems
LeetCode Premium’s edge is in breadth and real-world company targeting. With over 2,000+ curated problems and consistent community updates, it’s not just a practice platform—it’s a prep database backed by thousands of interview reports.
Can you cancel or pause your subscription?#
LeetCode Premium is available in monthly and annual plans. If you’re not sure about the commitment, start with a one-month subscription and pause when needed.
Many users choose to subscribe in the final 2–3 months leading up to interviews, maximize value, then cancel or resume as needed. There’s no penalty for taking a break. It’s designed to fit around your job hunt, not lock you into a long-term contract.
What are the limitations?#
LeetCode Premium is powerful, but it has limits:
No guided curriculum: You still need to create your own study plan
No real-time support: There’s no coaching or mentorship built-in
Overwhelming volume: Beginners may feel lost without structure
It works best when paired with a clear roadmap, mock interviews, and spaced repetition. If you expect a plug-and-play curriculum, Premium may feel underwhelming. It’s a toolkit, not a tutor.
Tips to get the most out of your subscription#
Set a weekly goal (e.g., 10–15 problems or 2 company lists)
Track progress using LeetCode’s built-in tools
Save hard problems to revisit and master over time
Use the discussion tab to learn alternate approaches
Consistency beats cramming. Use LeetCode Premium like a gym membership—you get stronger by showing up regularly. Consider pairing it with peer review or mock interview practice to turn passive learning into performance-ready skills.
How does LeetCode Premium help with System Design?#
While LeetCode is known for algorithmic challenges, Premium users also benefit from curated System Design questions tagged by company and difficulty. These problems help mid-level and senior candidates prepare for architectural interviews by:
Introducing design patterns through coding-based scenarios
Reinforcing core infrastructure concepts through constraint-focused problems
Offering examples of how companies evaluate system-level thinking
It’s not a replacement for deep System Design prep, but it’s a great bridge between code and design.
Grokking the Modern System Design Interview
System Design interviews are now part of every Engineering and Product Management Interview. Interviewers want candidates to exhibit their technical knowledge of core building blocks and the rationale of their design approach. This course presents carefully selected system design problems with detailed solutions that will enable you to handle complex scalability scenarios during an interview or designing new products. You will start with learning a bottom-up approach to designing scalable systems. First, you’ll learn about the building blocks of modern systems, with each component being a completely scalable application in itself. You'll then explore the RESHADED framework for architecting web-scale applications by determining requirements, constraints, and assumptions before diving into a step-by-step design process. Finally, you'll design several popular services by using these modular building blocks in unique combinations, and learn how to evaluate your design.
Does LeetCode Premium help with behavioral interviews?#
Indirectly, yes. The real interview reports in Premium offer behavioral context—what candidates were asked, how they responded, and what outcomes they saw. You can use these reports to:
Spot trends in behavioral questions by company
Structure your own STAR method responses
Understand how technical and behavioral rounds flow together
While it won’t coach you on delivery, it will help demystify what to expect.
What’s new in LeetCode Premium?#
LeetCode frequently updates Premium features to stay competitive. Recent updates have included:
More granular filtering for company-specific questions
Enhanced tagging by topic and difficulty
Integration of visual explanations in selected solutions
Staying up to date helps you get the most out of your membership. It’s not a static product—new content is always being added.
What do real users say about it?#
The general consensus from the developer community is positive. Users say LeetCode Premium helped them:
Focus their prep around real interview data
Discover high-impact questions they wouldn’t have found otherwise
Balance interview practice with a full-time job schedule
Criticism usually centers on the lack of structured roadmaps or mentorship, but those can be supplemented elsewhere.
How do companies use LeetCode Premium internally?#
While most of LeetCode Premium is candidate-facing, some companies encourage employees to use it for:
Mock interview practice
Upskilling junior engineers before role transitions
Hosting team-based problem-solving workshops
If your company reimburses interview prep resources, Premium might be an eligible expense.
Is LeetCode Premium the best investment for interview prep?#
For most new and intermediate developers, the answer is — not really. While LeetCode Premium offers access to extra problems and company-specific questions, it often overwhelms learners with too much choice and little structure. Without a guided plan, it’s easy to fall into the trap of random grinding without true skill development.
A better alternative for most interview candidates is Educative’s Blind 75. Here’s why:
Focused, high-impact preparation: Blind 75 distills the most important problems across arrays, trees, dynamic programming, and more — no distractions, no endless scrolling.
Built-in learning structure: Each problem comes with detailed explanations and optimized walkthroughs that teach patterns, not just answers.
More efficient use of time: Instead of paying for thousands of questions you’ll never solve, you get a lean, curated set that maximizes readiness in a fraction of the time.\n
Beginner and experienced friendly: Whether you're tackling your first interviews or aiming for FAANG, the Blind 75 covers the real core of what companies test.
LeetCode Premium can be helpful for niche prep (like when you already have multiple offers and want to target a specific company). But if you’re building foundational DSA skills or preparing for tech interviews systematically, Educative’s Blind 75 gives you faster, more focused results without the noise or extra cost.
Final thoughts#
LeetCode Premium isn’t a magic bullet, but it’s a powerful tool for motivated developers. It streamlines your prep, saves you time, and helps you focus on what matters most: becoming a better problem solver and a stronger engineering candidate.
If you’re serious about cracking interviews at top companies, LeetCode Premium is worth a close look. But don’t just subscribe—commit. Use the tools, follow the patterns, and treat every problem as a chance to level up.
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