You’re in the middle of coding interview prep. Maybe you’ve already solved 100 LeetCode questions. Maybe you’re stuck on Mediums. Or maybe your recruiter just sent over a loop schedule for Amazon, and now you’re wondering:
Is LeetCode Premium worth it, or is it just paywalled anxiety bait?
Let’s cut through the fluff.
In this guide, you’ll get:
- A full breakdown of what LeetCode Premium includes
- When Premium makes a real difference in outcomes
Who benefits the most (and who shouldn’t bother) - A real-world answer to: is LeetCode Premium worth it for you?
- What is another alternative?
Spoiler: Premium helps, but only if you prep like it matters.
What Does LeetCode Premium Actually Give You?
You’ve probably seen the subscription page, but here’s what you really get:
1. Company-Specific Problem Tags
See what problems have been asked at companies like Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Netflix, and more. Filter by company. Sort by frequency. Target problems that matter.
2. Premium-Only Questions
Access 300+ exclusive problems, most of which are in the Medium and Hard range. These are locked for free users and often mimic the difficulty level of onsite interviews.
3. Question Frequency and Analytics
LeetCode tracks how often a problem gets asked in interviews and displays that data so you can prioritize high-signal questions.
4. Official Solutions and Explanations
Premium questions come with official write-ups. No more guessing which Reddit comment is actually right.
5. Mock Interview Mode
Simulate time-boxed interviews using real questions tagged by the company. Set a timer. Run the session. Check performance.
6. Cleaner UX and Ad-Free Browsing
It’s a small quality-of-life boost, but if you’re practicing daily, it adds up.
Who Is LeetCode Premium Actually For?
Let’s be honest: not every developer needs Premium. But if you’re serious about interviews at top-tier companies, it’s a strategic advantage.
You’re Targeting FAANG or Tier-1 Tech Companies
If you want to interview at Meta, Google, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Microsoft, or similar, Premium gives you access to actual questions asked in those loops.
No, they’re not guaranteed to show up—but they’re a reliable signal of the style, difficulty, and structure of what’s ahead.
You’re Actively Interviewing (Or Have a Loop Scheduled)
You’ve got an interview in the next 30–90 days. Now is not the time to guess what problems to study.
Premium lets you reverse-engineer the prep path based on company patterns. That’s a massive time-saver when your prep window is short.
You’ve Outgrown Free LeetCode
If you’ve solved 100+ free questions and find yourself running into repeats or “similar” questions, Premium gives you the depth and challenge to keep progressing.
Who Should Probably Skip Premium (For Now)
You’re Just Starting Out
If you’re still struggling with arrays or loops, Premium won’t help you. It assumes you already know the basics and are refining for performance.
You don’t need 300 extra questions. You need 20 core patterns.
Start with free LeetCode, NeetCode’s 150, or Grokking the Coding Interview before you consider Premium.
You’re Not Interviewing Anytime Soon
If you don’t have an active timeline (no applications, no recruiter outreach), Premium might sit unused.
Save your money. Return when the stakes are higher.
You’re Not Practicing Consistently
Paying for Premium doesn’t make you consistent. If you’re not already solving at least 3–4 problems per week, the extra content won’t help.
Why LeetCode Premium Can Be Worth It (If Used Properly)
This is where most people mess up. They pay, scroll, skim solutions, and wonder why their performance isn’t improving.
Here’s what Premium actually helps you do—if you’re intentional.
Prioritize High-Signal Problems
Instead of guessing what to solve, you sort by company and frequency. You stop wasting time on obscure edge-case questions and focus on the 80/20.
Example: Amazon repeatedly asks questions around arrays, sliding windows, and heaps. You can drill into those themes directly.
Learn from Official Solutions
Reddit and discussion threads are hit or miss. Premium’s official explanations provide clarity and multiple strategies per problem.
Great for:
- Complexity breakdowns
- Edge case thought process
- Optimized code comparisons
Practice Under Pressure
Mock interview mode forces you into time-boxed sessions. You learn what 35 minutes feels like. You build comfort with pressure.
Analyze Your Gaps
LeetCode’s analytics show where you’re strong, what you’re skipping, and how your timing stacks up. It’s not magic, but it helps you self-diagnose.
How to Get the Most From LeetCode Premium
1. Start with Company Filters
Let’s say you’re interviewing at Meta. Start with Meta-tagged problems. Sort by frequency. Work your way down the list.
Repeat for each company in your pipeline.
2. Group by Pattern
You’ll notice many problems test the same core skills:
- Two-pointer
- Binary search
- BFS/DFS
- DP with memoization
Group them. Work one pattern at a time. Solve 3–5 variations in a row.
3. Time Every Problem
Set a 30-minute limit. Treat it like a real interview. No autocomplete. No Stack Overflow. Just you and the clock.
4. Speak Your Thinking
Before you write code, speak your approach. In real interviews, thinking out loud matters. Practice that here.
5. Read Solutions After You Try
Never peek before giving it a shot. Use Premium’s explanations to close the feedback loop after you’ve committed to your approach.
6. Mark Problems to Revisit
Don’t just solve and move on. Flag tough ones. Revisit a week later. Re-solve without notes.
Premium vs. Free: What Are You Really Paying For?
Here’s the difference between the two paths:
| Free LeetCode | LeetCode Premium | |
| Problems | 1000+ (but not all accessible) | Full catalog + exclusive questions |
| Company Tags | Not available | Filtered by actual companies |
| Mock Mode | Basic | Simulates interview formats |
| Solutions | Community-sourced (varied quality) | Official + structured walkthroughs |
| Analytics | Basic stats | Time-based + progress tracking |
But here’s the catch:
You’re not paying for more problems. You’re paying to waste less time.
If you treat Premium like Netflix, it’s a waste.
If you treat it like your interview gym, it’s ROI-positive.
What Does the Community Say?
Reddit Feedback (Summarized):
- “Premium saved me time by helping me focus on high-yield Amazon and Google problems.”
- “Not worth it if you’re not already solving problems daily.”
- “It’s worth it in the 1–2 months before your interviews.”
Twitter and Blind Threads:
- Candidates with multiple FAANG offers consistently mention Premium for targeted prep, not bulk prep.
- Common sentiment: “Premium didn’t make me better, but it helped me practice better.”
What If LeetCode Premium Isn’t Right for You?
Let’s say you’re still early in your journey. Or you don’t want to drop $35/month just to unlock more Medium problems. That’s fair. Premium isn’t the only game in town, and honestly, it isn’t always the best fit.
So, where else can you go?
Educative.io — Structured Prep That Prepares You to Use LeetCode Well
Their Grokking the Coding Interview course teaches 24+ patterns that appear repeatedly in interviews. It’s ideal if you’re still grappling with core concepts, and it helps build the instincts needed to tackle LeetCode problems efficiently.
CodingInterview.com Resources
CodingInterview.com offers:
- Coding Interview Roadmap
- Company-specific interview guides
- Expert breakdowns on Amazon loops, Google questions, and more
These free resources help you align your practice, without a paywall.
Combine Learning and Practice
For best results:
- Use Educative to build patterns and confidence
- Then pair with free LeetCode problem sets aligned to those patterns
- Simulate interviews through mock sessions on platforms like Pramp or MockInterviews.dev
So, is LeetCode Premium worth it? Yes, for the final miles of the marathon.
But if you’re still lacing up your shoes, Educative and CodingInterview.com might be the better starting block.
Final Verdict: Is LeetCode Premium Worth It?
Here’s the bottom line:
Yes, if you’re actively preparing for coding interviews and need a way to prioritize, filter, and simulate real rounds. The company-tagged questions, high-frequency filtering, and mock interview features can sharpen your prep significantly, especially if you’re targeting FAANG or top-tier startups.
But if you’re still building your foundations, LeetCode Premium might be overkill. In that case, structured, pattern-based platforms like CodingInterview.com and Educative.io can offer a clearer learning path, especially when you’re just trying to grasp dynamic programming or system design from scratch.
Premium is a high-leverage tool, but only if you already know how to use the leverage.
So, is LeetCode Premium worth it?
If you’ve got interviews in the next 60 days
If you’re already solving 3–5 problems a week
If you need targeted, company-specific practice
Then yes, it’s a smart investment.
If you’re still learning Big-O
If you haven’t nailed patterns like two-pointer or sliding window
If you’re not consistent yet
Use the right tool for where you are, not just where you want to go.