- Coding practice sites compared
- Nine places to practise coding
- What the jobs data says
- Interview prep, contests or learning a language?
- A practice routine that sticks
- Mistakes that slow your progress
- How to tell a practice site fits you
- My plain advice on choosing a LeetCode alternative
- Frequently asked questions
The best LeetCode alternative depends on why you're practising: a big tech interview, a company's timed assessment, contests or learning a new language. Look at the problem style, the explanations and how much is free. Nine sites follow in no particular order, plus a practice routine that holds up in real interviews.
Interview prep can turn into an endless grind of problems that don't seem to stick. Changing where you practise can help, because each site teaches a slightly different skill: pattern spotting, speed under a timer, clean code or maths-heavy thinking.
The nine sites below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, from contest platforms to gentle beginner challenges. Each description comes from the site itself, re-checked today. If you're applying for roles now, my guide to writing a cover letter for a software engineer role covers the other half of the application.
Coding practice sites compared
In the free plan column, Yes means the site describes free use, a free account or free contests, Trial only means a time-limited trial and No means neither is stated on the pages we read. Free accounts often limit premium problems, solutions or courses.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| AlgoExpert | Interview prep course | Video walkthroughs of problems | No |
| CodeChef | Practice and contests | Regular rated contests | Yes |
| Codeforces | Competitive programming | Hard timed contests | Yes |
| Edabit | Beginner challenges | Gentle start for beginners | Yes |
| Exercism | Practice with mentors | Learning a new language | Yes |
| HackerRank | Tests and practice | Company-style coding tests | Yes |
| InterviewBit | Interview questions | Mock tests with a timer | Yes |
| NeetCode | Interview roadmap | A structured problem roadmap | Yes |
| Project Euler | Maths-based problems | Maths-heavy programming puzzles | Yes |
Nine places to practise coding
AlgoExpert
Best for: Job hunters who learn best from a video explanation after every problem instead of reading discussion threads.
CodeChef
Best for: Students who want weekly contests and a rating to track progress alongside structured practice problems.
Codeforces
Best for: Competitive programmers who want frequent, difficult timed rounds and a large archive of past problems.
Edabit
Best for: Beginners who find interview-style problems too steep and want small, friendly challenges to build confidence.
Exercism
Best for: Developers picking up a new language who want exercises and feedback from volunteer mentors.
HackerRank
Best for: Job seekers whose target employers screen with this platform and want to practise in the same editor.
InterviewBit
Best for: Graduates preparing for tech interviews in India and abroad who want topic-wise questions and mock tests.
NeetCode
Best for: Anyone who wants an ordered list of interview problems by pattern with clear video solutions.
Project Euler
Best for: Programmers who enjoy number theory and want problems that reward clever maths more than memorised patterns.
What the jobs data says
Practice matters because the competition's real, but so is the demand. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of software developers, quality assurance analysts and testers to grow 10 percent from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations.
What that means for you: there are jobs to aim for, but interviewers want people who can explain their thinking, not just paste a memorised answer. Treat every problem as practice in talking through your approach out loud.
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Interview prep, contests or learning a language?
Interview prep sites organise problems by pattern, such as two pointers or dynamic programming, and often add video explanations. Contest platforms reward speed and hard problem-solving under a clock. Mentored practice sites suit people learning a new language, because feedback on style matters more than speed there. Beginner challenge sites build confidence before the harder material.
Most people get the best results from one main site plus a second for variety, and that's plenty.
A practice routine that sticks
- Pick one list of problems organised by pattern.
- Set a timer and try each problem before reading any hints.
- Say your approach out loud as if an interviewer were listening.
- Read one other solution after you finish, even if yours worked.
- Revisit problems you got wrong after a few days.
- Do a timed mock assessment once a week before interviews start.
Mistakes that slow your progress
- Reading the answer too soon. Struggle for a while first; that's where learning happens.
- Only doing easy problems. Comfort feels productive but won't prepare you for interviews.
- Ignoring complexity. Always state the time and space complexity of your solution.
- Never practising out loud. Silent practice hides gaps that show up the moment someone is watching.
How to tell a practice site fits you
Give a new site a week before you judge it; first impressions aren't reliable. Notice whether the explanations make sense to you, whether the problems feel like the interviews you're facing and whether you come back to it without forcing yourself. If you dread opening it, try a different style. Consistency matters more than which site you pick, and you won't be consistent with a site you don't enjoy.
It also helps to match the language you'll use in interviews. Most sites support the popular languages, but editors, hints and test cases differ, so practise in the same setup you'll face on the day where you can. And keep a short log of the patterns that trip you up; reviewing it the night before an interview is worth more than one more random problem.
Do you make a coding practice site? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on choosing a LeetCode alternative
Choose based on the interview you're facing. If a company uses a particular assessment platform, practise in that format; if you're aiming at big tech, stick to a pattern-based list and finish it before jumping elsewhere.
Whatever you pick, depth beats volume. Fifty problems you can explain clearly will serve you better than five hundred you half remember, and real projects you can talk about still carry a lot of weight in interviews. Even a small build, like following my steps on how to make a Discord bot, gives you something real to discuss.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to LeetCode?
It depends on your goal: pattern-based prep for big tech, contests for speed, or mentored practice for learning a new language.
Is there a free LeetCode alternative?
Yes. Several sites here describe free accounts, free contests or completely free practice.
How many problems should I do before an interview?
There's no magic number. Aim to understand each common pattern well enough to explain it, rather than chasing a total.
Are coding contests good interview practice?
They build speed and problem-solving, but interviews also test communication, so practise explaining your answers too.
Which site is best for beginners?
Start with gentle challenge sites or mentored practice before moving to interview-style problems.
Is the developer job market growing?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 10 percent growth for software developers, QA analysts and testers from 2025 to 2035.
