# LeetCode 50 Hacker News commenters recommended LeetCode and 63 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 11 of 13 months. **Verdict:** People recommend it for practicing the algorithm problems used in technical interviews, and say the free version is enough for standard interviews. The most common caveat is that critics say it rewards interview tricks more than real engineering. ## Why people recommend it - Practice for technical interviews (5 comments): "Practice leetcode + hello interview, as almost every place will have some sort of leetcode round and system design round." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46594468)) "Solving the leetcode and clearing system design interviews can help you land a paying job." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46393099)) "The free version of LeetCode is more than enough to prepare for standard interviews." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49645417)) - Sharpens problem-solving and algorithm skills (5 comments): "I still do it to brush up my problem-solving skills and fundamental understanding of systems and data structures" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47763736)) "Doing leetcode absolutely makes your system design better and you don't deploy algorithms you don't know." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48550527)) "I enjoyed the challenge and learning how to get better at understanding, solving them myself" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45900042)) - Problems are fun and engaging (5 comments): "I did spend a few months studying it and it turned out to be pretty fun" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46387108)) "Some of the problems are genuinely fun, like dynamic programming." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49769814)) "I actually have been enjoying it a lot more than in the past" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50156399)) - Worth the cost for jobs (3 comments): "that $30 subscription has probably paid for itself 20,000x over at this point" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49644764)) "I told him those three weeks would be the best ROI he'd ever make." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49278908)) "one of the highest ROI things you can buy" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49644427)) ## What people warn about - Tests interview tricks, not engineering (3 comments): "Grinding leetcode was never optimizing for solving problems algorithmically but for performing well in live coding interviews." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47777839)) "Leetcode does not test your ability to code in the sense of anything related to real world engineering applications." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49768032)) "LeetCode can impossibly teach you how to create useful programs, it only teaches you syntax and specific problems." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46204137)) - Takes time away from other work (2 comments): "I became a worse developer because I spent time on Leetcode instead of my open source projects, but it taught me marathon long grind." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50050957)) "leetcode grinding makes me feel like all my 10+ years of commitment to my previous employer" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45899904)) - Interviewers often poorly prepared (3 comments): "Any company still using LeetCode at all during interviews is signaling that either they are run like a frat house" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46204740)) "I've almost always seen the LeetCode grilling be administered by someone who doesn't know what they're doing" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45793634)) "It is a waste of everyone's time because they will either do it and think 'ok, that was weird'" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47267260)) - Favors younger, recent graduates (2 comments): "I think Leetcode does weed out older folks, not necessarily because of skill, but because of the time needed for practice." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46904847)) "this type of interview is biased toward younger out of college hires and codecamp hires" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48339793)) ## Alternatives hackers recommend - [Project Euler](https://hackerapproved.com/p/project-euler.md): 45 recommend - [Advent of Code](https://hackerapproved.com/p/advent-of-code.md): 31 recommend - [Codecrafters](https://hackerapproved.com/p/codecrafters.md): 14 recommend - [AlgoDrill](https://hackerapproved.com/p/algodrill.md): 13 recommend - [Exercism](https://hackerapproved.com/p/exercism.md): 6 recommend ## Where to get it - [Visit the official site](https://leetcode.com/) ## Cite as Hacker Approved, "LeetCode", https://hackerapproved.com/p/leetcode/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).