AlgoMonster vs Educative.io: Which One Is Better for FAANG Interview? [Review]
One of the best place to learn Coding interview pattern for FAANG/MAANG
Hello guys, if you are preparing for FAANG interviews (Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Google) and wondering if the Algomonster is a right resource for you or not? or you have been confused between Algomonster and Educative.io courses then you have come to the right place.
Earlier, I have shared best Educative.io courses for FAANG and today, I will compare these two popular platform for coding interview preparation, especially for FAANG/MAANG Interviews.
There is no doubt that FAANG interview preparation requires a focused strategy, quality resources, and lots of practice. With so many platforms available nowadays, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming.
When I was preparing for my FAANG interview, I focused on two things:
- Data Structures and Algorithms
- System Design
If you cover these two topics well then you will be very good shape for the interview. Hence whatever platform or a combination of platform you choose to prepare, make sure they cover these topics.
And, I think about FAANG interview resources, two of the most popular platforms that come up during this decision-making process are Algomonster and Educative.io.
Both are great resources to prepare you for technical interviews, but which one is actually better if your goal is cracking FAANG-level interviews in 2025?
In this article, I’ll break down the strengths, weaknesses, and ideal use cases of both Algomonster and Educative.io to help you decide which one is worth your time and money.
What Is Algomonster?
Algomonster is a lightweight, text-based platform designed by ex-Google engineers. It focuses exclusively on data structures and algorithms, teaching problem-solving in a structured and minimalistic way.
I started my preparing from Leetcode but I actually got overwhelmed by the sheer number of question and got a feeling that there is no way I can finish all of them, so I decided to switch my focus to common problems which have been asked in past.
This search lead me to to AlgoMonster where they share top question based upon coding patterns which not only can help you solve the popular problems but also unknown problems or variations which are more likely to ask in real interview.
Highlights:
- Text-based, fast-loading content.
- Progressive difficulty: Start from basic arrays and move up to advanced topics.
- Visual diagrams to explain algorithms.
- Designed specifically for FAANG-style interviews.
Here are the top patterns you can practice on AlgoMonster to prepare for DSA round quickly
What Is Educative.io?
Educative.io is a massive online learning platform offering interactive, text-based courses with in-browser coding. I first come to this platform when I was search for a System Desig interview resource.
That time, it was the only platform which had a decent course called Grokking the System Design Interview, since then I fall in love with this platform.
The best thing about this platform is that it has come a long way in last few years and turned out to be really great by using AI tools, and AI to provide a an awesome learning experience.
It has a broader scope, including:
- System Design
- Data Structures & Algorithms
- Frontend/Backend development
- DevOps, Cloud, and much more
Its most popular courses for interview prep are:
- Grokking the System Design Interview
- Grokking the Coding Interview: Patterns for Coding Questions
- Grokking the Object-Oriented Design Interview
- Grokking Dynamic Programming Patterns for Coding Interviews
It also have AI based Mock interviews and AI based adaptive learning model which can help you to overcome your weakness and prepare well for interviews.
They also provide awesome cheat sheet like this coding pattern cheat sheet which you can use to quickly revise 6 common coding interview patterns.
AlgoMonster vs Educative.io Feature-by-Feature Comparison
Now, let’s compare both Algomonster and Educative.io feature-by-feature to make an informed decision.
1. Focus & Specialization
- Niche Focus — Algomonster is only DSA focused while Educative covers wide range of topics. While they do have
- FAANG Readiness — Algomonster will help you crack coding interviews but Educative.io is a strong choice for both coding and system design interview.
✅ Winner: Tie — depends on what you need (coding vs full-stack prep)
2. System Design Preparation
- Algomonster: Doesn’t cover system design.
- Educative.io: Home of the legendary “Grokking the System Design Interview”, one of the most recommended resources by FAANG candidates.
✅ Winner: Educative.io
3. Content Format
Both Algomonster and Educative.io are browser based platform and both offer coding playground and allows you to run your code on browser.
✅ Winner: Educative.io, for a richer interactive experience.
4. Learning Experience
- Algomonster is very minimalistic — no distractions, fast to complete.
- Educative.io is more structured, with deeper explanations and quizzes.
✅ Winner: Depends
If you prefer fast-paced problem-solving: go with Algomonster.
If you prefer structured learning with depth: choose Educative.io.
Though, I really liked the flowcharts on Algomonster which allows you to remember the pattern without memorizing it.
5. Pricing
I think when it comes to pricing I found Educative.io provide more value but they don’t have any lifetime plan while AlgoMonster has a lifetime plan which is great for any developer who want to get into FAANG as it can use it to anytime, even for future job searches.
- Algomonster: Free Plan, Yearly Pland and Lifetime Plan One-time payment (around $9–$459).
- Educative.io: Subscription model (~$16/month on annual plan, or ~$59/month monthly).
✅ Winner: Algomonster, for budget-conscious learners focused only on algorithms.
Who Should Use Algomonster?
If you are tried with the Leetcode and looking for better option then you should definitely try the AlgoMonster.
You should join AlgoMonster if :
- You’re focused solely on data structures & algorithms.
- You’re short on time and want a lean, fast-paced resource.
- You prefer text-based, distraction-free learning.
- You already have other resources for system design.
The good thing about AlgoMonster is that they are offering a huge discount now which means you can subscribe to Algomonster now for just $459 (50% discount) and give your interview preparation a new edge.
Who Should Use Educative.io?
You can consider joining Educative.io if:
- You want to master both algorithms and system design.
- You’re preparing for senior roles that include system design rounds.
- You like in-browser coding and deeper explanations.
- You’re considering full-stack or backend engineer roles.
You can go for an Educative subscription which costs around $18 per month and gives access to all of their 1200+ software engineering courses.
I personally recommend Educative membership because it is both cost-effective as well as an easy way to learn on the platform.
Which One Is Better for FAANG?
Here is what it looks like after comparing them so far, you can clearly say that AlgoMonster is a better choice for DSA preparation and Educative.io is better choice for both DSA and System Design.
My Recommendation
If you’re aiming for software engineering roles at FAANG, you’ll most likely face both algorithm and system design interviews. In that case, Educative.io offers a more comprehensive preparation.
However, if you already know system design or have other resources, Algomonster is a great DSA-focused prep tool for faster, cleaner learning.
If you ask me, I would also suggest you to Pair Algomonster or Educative.io with LeetCode for actual practice. These platforms help you build concepts, and LeetCode helps you apply them in real problems.
Other FAANG and System Design Resources you may like
- Is DesignGuru’s System Design Course worth it
- 16 best Resources to Prepare for System Design Interview
- Is Exponent’s System Design Course worth it?
- 16 Best System Design Interview Resources for Developers
- Is System Design Interview RoadMap by DesignGuru worth it?
- 10 Reasons to Learn System Design in 2025
- 6 Best System Design and API Design Interactive Courses
- Top 5 System Design YouTube Channels for Engineers
- 10 Best Places to Learn System Design in 2025
- 10 Software Design Courses for Developers
- 5 Best System Design Newsletters for Interviews
- My Favorite Software Design Courses for 2025
- 3 Places to Practice System Design Mock interviews
- Is Designing Data intensive application book worth reading?
Thanks for reading this article so far. If you like this comparison between Educative.io and AlgoMonster then please share with your friends and colleagues. If you have any questions feel free to ask in comments.
P. S. — By the way, if you need an alternative then DesignGurus.io also have many other Grokking courses to prepare for essential coding interview topics like OOP Design, System Design, Dynamic Programming etc and you can get access to all of their courses for a big discount by joining their All course bundle. You can also use code GURU to get 30% discount.
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