We have been on a reviewing spree of tech interview prep courses in the market and today we’ll do a detailed Algoexpert review.
Are you constantly bothered about how to get your dream job in tech? The best part of being a programmer is landing a job in one of the big tech companies anywhere worldwide.
However, the process of achieving this dream could be daunting and much more than you bargained for, especially for fresh graduates.
In the world right now, being a tech genius is not enough to land you a job because the competition in the job market is immensely high.
There is a need to learn how to project yourself to an organization. This capability is one of the most critical for job aspirants.
Without acing an interview, the chances of getting a job are zero. Getting help along the way also counts, if it’s from an insider.
Platforms like AlgoExpert offer programmers all the help they need to ace their job interviews and land a job that rewards them well for their contributions to the world.
In this article, you’ll find a deep dive into the platform and a detailed AlgoExpert review that shows you all you need to know about the platform, what you stand to benefit from AlgoExpert, the upside, and downside of the platform, and a host of other valuable info to help you decide if it’s best for you.
TLDR;
AlgoExpert is one of the best tech prep courses in the industry. However, it is lacking in some of the core parts of technical interviews.
Specifically, it is lacking in soft skills training. A key part of a technical interview is the soft skills assessment which most times can be indirect.
Also, it is a subscription-based service which means you only get access as long as you keep renewing.
In addition to this and other technical reasons, AlgoExpert isn’t my top recommendation. Instead, I recommend the Tech Interview Pro course by Patrick Shyu, an ex-Facebook, Ex-Google software engineer.
The course has produced over 200,000 student success stories with some of the students getting high-paying jobs with FAANGs and other top tech companies.
You get lifetime access to the program, a private community of software engineers and possible hiring managers, biweekly live sessions with the instructor and also get your resume reviewed by Patrick.
Hence, why it is my #1 recommendation.
You can save 40% OFF the price by using this discount link.
What is Algoexpert?
AlgoExpert’s online platform creates and curates resources to help programmers and tech graduates prepare for a job interview. It prioritizes data structures and algorithm types problems, which account for the name AlgoExperts.
AlgoExpert features a collection of about 160+ questions and over 70+ hours of 2-part video explanations that accompany each question on algorithm and data structure, making it a considerably versatile interview prep tool.
It also provides hints on how to solve each problem, helping students find their way around technical questions.
In addition to coding problems, AlgoExperts offers a bonus section where students find basic insight about behavior optimization to help students ace job interviews.
Students using the platform get access to Mock coding interviews, helping them gain an experience of what an interview situation feels like.
The execution environment on the platform, as well, is modified to work with about 9 programming languages.
Algoexpert Course Instructor
Clément Mihailescu, a former software engineer with Google and Facebook, co-founded AlgoExpert in 2017 and is currently the CEO.
Clement is a graduate of mathematics from the University of Pennsylvania. He acquired his programming skills after graduating from the university by enrolling in Fullstack Academy.
Armed with his new skills and deep knowledge of algorithm analysis, Clement aced the google interviews and landed a job.
His frustration with interview prep inspired him to create an AlgoExpert to help aspiring programmers navigate similar ordeals.
The first proof of concept was when Clement used AlgoExpert to prepare for his job interview at Facebook and Aced them
Fundamentally, people who are looking to land a job as software developers and engineers would benefit more from AlgoExperts because of its biases towards algorithm-type topics.
It may also be a result of the area of expertise of the founders.
Algoexpert Course Outline – What is Inside?
AlgoExperts offers some unique features that set it apart from other platforms in the interview prep niche. Below are some obvious features you’ll find on the platform.
Course Sections and Categories
The course is divided into four major sections and a bonus section: AlgoExpert, SystemExpert, FrontendExpert, and MLExpert.
Each section offers several categories, about 14 in all, with a total of 160+ coding questions.
Users can sort the questions according to the categories or according to complexity: from easy to extremely hard.
Some Categories on AlgoExpert include Binary Search Trees, Graphs, Recursion, Linked Lists, Searching, Strings, Arrays, Stacks, Famous Algorithms, Sorting, Heaps, TriesArray, Binary Trees, and Dynamic Programming.
Each category helps students develop the capability to handle related interview questions. Users can pick from a selection of well-curated questions.
Integrated Training Environment
AlgoExpert provides an easy-to-use learning platform for students. Students can run their code directly on the platform using the learning environment.
And the coding environment supports up to 9 languages: Javascript, Python, C++, C#, Java, Go, Swift, TypeScript, and Kotlin.
When you get stuck during your practice, there’s a pane where you can view hints, or view the complete solution to the code.
Video Training
You’ll also find a pane in the learning environment where you can view explainer videos showing you how to resolve the problems you are working on.
The videos are usually between 10 to 40 minutes long, giving fundamental explanations of the problem.
Bonus Section
You will also find two additional topics to help you ace your coding interview. There is the mock interview, which simulates the live interview where you are given fours to solve 2 questions with an hour break.
And you have the behavioral interview Prep too. It is a selection of 15-video training that gives you advice on behavioral interviews and how to answer behavioral interview questions.
Upside of AlgoExpert
Like every learning platform on the internet, AlgoExpert has many advantages that set it apart from other interview platforms.
Here are some of the things that students using AlgoExperts stand to benefit from.
Multilingual Features
The ability to practice with multiple coding languages is a strong point for AlgoExpert.
You can try out your codes in about 9 languages without leaving the coding environment and the browser. This feature makes it flexible to use.
Standard Questions
Another quality that sets AlgoExpert apart from other platforms is the quality of its questions. The clarity of the questions, the specificity, and all make it easy to understand and tackle.
Multiple Solutions to Problems
AlgoExpert allows you to test multiple solutions to the same questions and you can save each solution While you work on either. Unlike other platforms where you have to comment on your code variations to hide them while you run it.
High-Quality Videos
The quality of the videos is top-notch and the explanations are well presented. Covering every aspect of the problem you are working on.
The Stopwatch Feature
An added advantage of AlgoExpert is the in-app stopwatch displayed on the screen.
It helps you keep yourself accountable while you work. It could be tempting to stay with a problem till you find the solution. The stopwatch helps you culture your habits and work on time.
Downsides of AlgoExpert
AlgoExpert brings so much value to the coding interview niche. However, there are some downsides that intending users must be aware of before deciding to make the purchase or defer.
Unintuitive UI
Navigating the platform is needlessly complex. There is a need to have more flexible navigation and a smartly presented interface where you don’t have to wonder where you are going and all your concentration falls on the problem you are trying to solve.
Needlessly long Videos
The core purpose of the platform is to provide interview questions and solutions to help students prepare and not to train them on the topics.
It would have been better to have more straight-to-the-point, problem-focused videos that serve as a further help to the hints provided on the platform.
Limited Number of Questions
Given the broad scope of Job interviews, limiting the questions to 160 is not ideal.
A committed student would blitz through a 160-question course in less than one month.
In addition to this, it is possible that the student signing up for AlgoExpert already mastered most questions in the range offered on the platform.
Little Attention to Soft Skills
A 15 video program on behavioral interviews won’t cut it for a serious-minded programmer.
There is a need to expand the scope of the soft skills training offered on the platform.
Besides, soft skills assessment transcends a Question and answer. Students need to have a personal session with the expert to understand the kind of soft skills needed for the job they seek.
Confined Experience
Confining the experience of users to the course program without opportunities for interactive sessions defeats the essence of interview training.
There should be a hand-holding session where aspirants get to interact with the experts to gain insider insights.
Algoexpert vs TechInterviewPro
TechInterviewPro is another code interview prep platform that makes up for all the downside of AlgoExpert, while still offering the benefits plus some more.
Highlighted below are some of the added benefits that TechInterveiwPro offers to Users
1. Private Facebook Group
While AlgoExpert pays attention to hard skills development alone, TechInterviewPro takes it further by bringing like-minded people together on their Facebook group. It features a Private Facebook Group where past and present students interact, share ideas, bring up concerns and help each other out.
This interaction helps boost your confidence and gives you avenues to interact with other programmers from various parts of the world.
This kind of interaction gives you access to insider information from people who are more experienced in the interview space and you can get several third-party opinions on your skillset, your resume, and your career choices.
2. Resume Review
Beyond the behavior interview videos on AlgoExperts, TechInterviewPro offers students a resume review service.
As long as you are a student of the platform, you have instant access to expert reviewers to have a look at your resume.
Remember that it is the resume that gets your foot in the door before you even get an interview.
3. Bi-weekly Q/A Sessions
For the hand-holding session that’s lacking on AlgoExpert, Tech Interview Pro holds a bi-weekly Q/A session with TechLead where students are allowed to ask their questions.
The session is focused on providing insider tips to help aspirants better position themselves for the job of their dreams.
4. Lifetime Access (Frequent Update)
With a one-time payment, students own their access to TechInterviewPro for life. They get to benefit from every new content, update, and info released on the platform.
There is no need to scamper around for interview prep tools when you need a career change, your one-time purchase gives you access that outlives your career.
AlgoExpert Price – Is It Worth the Cost?
AlgoExperts request some amount in purchase payments to gain full access to the platform. Below is a run-through of what you are expected to pay and what you get for your purchase.
$44 for one year of access to the AlgoExpert Plan, which gives you access to 160 questions, videos, space-time analysis, IDE, certificate of completion, a course on data structures, and 4 timed coding assessments.
$69 for the tech interview bundle plan, which offers you a combination of the offerings of AlgoExpert and SystemExperts, plus other benefits.
$69 for The frontend development plan, which also offers you all the benefits of AlgoExpert and FrontendExpert.
$69 for the Algo and ML bundle, offering you both AlgoExpert Plan and the MLExpert Plans in one place.
$99 for a full-stack Interview bundle gives you access to All the features of the AlgoExperts plan, FrontendExpert plan, SystemExpert Plan and some additional bundles.
Even though AlgoExpert is much cheaper than some Interview prep tools, there is a major downside to the price.
The price is quite high, compared to the number of questions and resources offered on the platform.
An average student who dedicates sufficient time to studies would Blizz through 160+ questions and 100+ hours of videos in less than 30 days.
There is no need to pay such a high price for such a short-lived value. It’s better to create a plan with a shorter duration or create a system that keeps adding value to the platform.
Conclusion
As a job aspirant, how you spend your time during preps and the value you derive from a prep platform goes a long way toward the outcome of your interview.
AlgoExperts offers considerable value. However, Unless you want to use AlgoExpert in combination with more versatile tools, it is not an ideal option for interview beginners, especially as a standalone learning platform.
Experts may not find it fascinating due to the streamlined nature of the platform. My top recommendation is Tech Interview Pro. You can save a 40% discount off the current price of the course using this link.
Frequently Asked Questions about Algoexpert
Below are answers to some of the frequently asked questions about AlgoExpert, the value it has to offer you, and other things you need to know about the platform.
Is it worth buying Algoexpert?
AlgoExpert has a lot of advantages. However, it is not for everybody. If it is your first interview, it is better to start with a more robust alternative that gives you direct access to experts.
These experts are there to help you streamline your prep process and help you scale the hurdles faster.
Is Algoexpert a good course?
AlgoExpert is packed with values and several benefits, including a web-based IDE with over 9 languages for the practice session.
It also provides 100+ hours of video training that elaborates on most of the practice questions.
The content on the platform is well-curated: over 160+ standard and quality questions. However, it is best to use it in tandem with other prep tools to acquire a broader experience.
Is Algoexpert good for beginners?
Yes. But not in all cases. As a beginner, you need more than a confined coding experience.
You need a broader set of skills, including leadership and other soft skills. Sticking with platforms like AlgoExpert alone would only give you a part of what you need to succeed at an interview. It is best to widen your horizon and use the combined help of other platforms like TechInterveiwPro.
Is Algoexpert Enough for Coding Interviews?
No. AlgoExperts has some limitations which other platforms can mitigate. For example, there are a limited number of questions on AlgoExpert that Leetcode can remedy.
And, there is inadequate soft skills training and hand-holding sessions, which TechInterviewPro can resolve. Using AlgoExpert in tandem with other platforms makes it more effective.
Can Algoexpert Account be Shared?
No. The terms of use do not allow users to share, transfer or issue out ownership of the AlgoExpert access to a third party. Each access purchased on the platform is solely owned by the registered buyer.
Is Algoexpert Paid?
Yes. AlgoExpert is a paid platform offering plans that range from $44 to $99.
Each plan focuses on an aspect of interview questions including FrontendExpert, SystemExperts, MlExpers, and AlgoExperts.
There are also bundled offers that grant students access to enjoy a combination of the best of most plans. Each bundle costs $69 dollars.
Is Algoexpert Good for System Design?
Yes. AlkoExpert offers a dedicated plan named SystemExpert for aspirants interested in acting system-related interviews.
Besides, the founders of AlgoExpert have deep experience in software engineering, making them a go-to person for the system design interview space.
Besides, Clement, the cofounder of the platform has industry experience working with google and Facebook.
Which is Better Algoexpert or Leetcode?
Leetcode is preferable, owing to the robust nature of the platform.
However, AlgoExpert still has its own strengths, including the video explanation, the quality of the question, and the behavior interviews.
The best way to choose between the two is to opt for the combination. However, if finances are a constraint, Leetcode is a better option.
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