Best Educative.io Alternatives in 2026: Free & Paid Options Compared

I subscribed to Educative.io for $299/year thinking I'd get access to the famous Grokking courses. Then I discovered the original creators had left to start Design Gurus—and Educative's versions weren't the same.

That was the first of several expensive lessons about coding interview platforms.

After testing every major Educative alternative over two prep cycles, here's what I learned: Educative is good, but you can get 90% of the value for free—or get the original Grokking content for less money elsewhere.

One-Minute Decision: What You Actually Need

If you want the original Grokking courses:
Design Gurus, not Educative. The original authors (the ones who made "Grokking" famous) now sell directly on designgurus.io. Educative has its own versions, but they're not the same.

If you want Educative's text-based format for free:
The Odin Project (web dev), GeeksforGeeks (references), or NeetCode's website (pattern roadmaps). All text-based, all free.

If you want pattern-based interview prep:
NeetCode (free) is better than Educative for DSA patterns. The videos are more concise, the roadmap is clearer, and it costs $0.

If you need system design content:
Design Gurus for Grokking System Design, or read "Designing Data-Intensive Applications" ($50 one-time). Both are better than Educative's system design content.

Don't subscribe to Educative if:

• You only want the Grokking courses (Design Gurus is cheaper and has the original content)
• You haven't tried NeetCode's free YouTube (it may be enough)
• You're a video learner (Educative is text-only)
• You're on a budget (free alternatives cover the same patterns)

Educative makes sense if:

• You strongly prefer text over video
• You want access to their broader course library (not just interview prep)
• You're comfortable with $299/year subscription

How to Use This Guide

Step 1: Identify what you actually need from Educative

• Just Grokking interview patterns? → Go to Design Gurus
• System design? → Design Gurus or DDIA book
• Broad course library? → Educative may be worth it
• Text-based DSA patterns? → Try GeeksforGeeks first (free)

Step 2: Match to your learning style

• Video learner → NeetCode (free) or AlgoExpert ($199/year)
• Text learner → Design Gurus, The Odin Project, or GeeksforGeeks
• Interactive coding → Codecademy or boot.dev

Step 3: Try free versions first

• NeetCode YouTube: 2 weeks
• LeetCode free tier: 2 weeks
• If making progress, don't pay for Educative

Decision Rules:

• If you're considering Educative for Grokking courses: Stop. Go to Design Gurus. Original content, lifetime option available.
• If you want text-based learning for free: GeeksforGeeks for references, The Odin Project for web dev.
• If videos work for you: NeetCode is free and better for patterns than Educative.
• If you've already paid for one platform: Don't add Educative. Use what you have.

Quick Verdict Table: Every Alternative Compared

Best Free Alternatives

NeetCode — Better Than Educative for Patterns (And Free)

Final Verdict: For DSA pattern learning, NeetCode's free content is more focused and practical than Educative. Start here.

The Educative comparison:
I used both. Educative's "Grokking the Coding Interview" is comprehensive but verbose. NeetCode covers the same 14 patterns in less time with better examples. And it's free.

What you get for free:

• NeetCode 150 and NeetCode 75 roadmaps
• Complete YouTube video explanations (200+ problems)
• Pattern-organized website
• Discord community support

What Pro adds ($119/year):

• Progress tracking with spaced repetition
• Additional problems beyond the 150
• Code solutions in 7+ languages

Choose NeetCode if:

• You want Educative's pattern-based approach for free
• You can learn from video (even if you prefer text)
• You're doing DSA prep, not broad learning

Skip NeetCode if:

• You absolutely cannot learn from video
• You need system design content (NeetCode is DSA-focused)

My experience:
I was paying $299/year for Educative while NeetCode's free YouTube covered the same patterns better. When I switched, I learned faster because NeetCode's explanations are more concise and practical.

Free status verification (Jan 2026):
Visit youtube.com/@NeetCode — all core videos free

LeetCode — The Practice Platform You'll Need Anyway

Final Verdict: Whatever learning platform you choose, you'll practice on LeetCode. The free tier has more than enough problems.

The Educative comparison:
Educative teaches concepts; LeetCode tests them. You need both, but LeetCode is free. Don't pay for Educative if you can learn patterns from NeetCode (free) and practice on LeetCode (free).

What's free:

• 2,000+ problems (you'll never solve them all)
• Discussion forums with multiple solutions
• Weekly contests

What's Premium ($159/year):

• Company-specific question tags
• Frequency data for each problem
• Official solutions

Choose free LeetCode if:

• You've solved fewer than 100 problems
• You're not targeting specific companies yet

Add Premium if:

• You've done 100+ problems and want company-specific practice
• You're targeting FAANG and want frequency data

Pro tip: Use LeetCopilot for hints without spoiling solutions.

GeeksforGeeks — Best Free Text Reference

Final Verdict: The most comprehensive free text resource for algorithms. Use as reference, not primary learning.

The Educative comparison:
GFG is messier than Educative but covers more topics for free. Every algorithm you encounter in interviews has a GFG article explaining it.

Choose GFG if:

• You need to look up specific algorithms
• You want company-specific interview experiences
• You prefer reading detailed explanations

Skip GFG if:

• You want structured course progression (it's a reference, not a course)
• You dislike dated interfaces

freeCodeCamp — Best for Complete Beginners

Final Verdict: If you're new to coding, start here. If you already know a language, skip to NeetCode.

What it covers:

• HTML, CSS, JavaScript
• Data structures and algorithms basics
• Certifications as you complete modules

Choose freeCodeCamp if:

• You're new to programming
• You need foundational skills before interview prep

Skip freeCodeCamp if:

• You already know how to code
• You only need interview-specific prep

The Odin Project — Best Free Text-Based Web Dev

Final Verdict: The closest free alternative to Educative's text-based format, but focused on web development, not interviews.

The Educative comparison:
Both are text-based with in-browser coding. The Odin Project is free, project-focused, and has a strong community. But it's web dev, not interview prep.

Choose The Odin Project if:

• You want Educative's format for free
• You're learning full-stack web development
• You like project-based learning

Skip The Odin Project if:

• You need DSA interview prep (use NeetCode instead)
• You're not interested in web development

Striver (takeUforward) — Best for Structured DSA Sheet

Final Verdict: Excellent alternative to NeetCode with more detailed explanations. Popular in India for good reason.

What you get:

• Striver's A2Z DSA Sheet (comprehensive problem list)
• Video explanations on YouTube
• Free roadmaps on takeuforward.org

Choose Striver if:

• You prefer longer, more detailed explanations
• You're targeting Indian tech companies
• You want an alternative voice to NeetCode

Skip Striver if:

• You prefer NeetCode's concise style
• You don't like very long videos

Best Paid Alternatives

Design Gurus — Where the Original Grokking Content Lives

Final Verdict: If you want the famous "Grokking the Coding Interview," this is where the original creators sell it. Not Educative.

The backstory:
The engineers who created "Grokking the Coding Interview" and "Grokking the System Design Interview" left Educative and started Design Gurus. Educative now has its own versions, but they're written by different people.

What you get:

• Grokking the Coding Interview: Patterns for Coding Questions (original)
• Grokking the System Design Interview (original)
• Grokking Dynamic Programming Patterns
• Grokking the Advanced System Design Interview

Pricing (Jan 2026):

• Annual: ~$180/year
• Lifetime: $320-500 (varies with sales)
• Verify on designgurus.io

Why choose Design Gurus over Educative:

• Original content from the creators who made Grokking famous
• Lifetime option (Educative is subscription-only)
• Focused on interview prep (not a broad course library)
• Usually cheaper for the same Grokking content

Choose Design Gurus if:

• You specifically want Grokking methodology
• You want to pay once and own it forever
• You need both coding patterns and system design

Skip Design Gurus if:

• You want Educative's broader course library
• You prefer video explanations (Design Gurus is text-first)
• NeetCode's free content is working for you

AlgoExpert — Best for Video-First Learners

Final Verdict: If you know you're a video learner, AlgoExpert is worth the $199/year. Higher production than NeetCode videos, with integrated IDE.

The Educative comparison:
Opposite approaches. Educative is text-first; AlgoExpert is video-first. Both are paid. Choose based on how you learn.

What you get:

• 160+ curated problems with video walkthroughs
• Integrated coding environment
• Data structures crash course
• SystemsExpert (separate purchase for system design)

Pricing (Jan 2026): ~$199/year (verify on algoexpert.io)

Choose AlgoExpert if:

• You definitely prefer video over text
• You want everything in one integrated platform
• You're willing to pay for high production quality

Skip AlgoExpert if:

• NeetCode's free videos work for you
• You prefer text-based learning
• You want more problems (AlgoExpert has 160 vs LeetCode's 3,000+)

boot.dev — Best for Backend Development

Final Verdict: Good alternative if you want to learn backend development in Educative's text-based style. Not interview-focused.

What you get:

• Text-based courses with in-browser coding
• Backend focus: Python, Go, SQL
• Gamified progression (XP, achievements)

Pricing: $49/month or $348/year

Choose boot.dev if:

• You want to learn backend skills specifically
• You like text + gamification

Skip boot.dev if:

• You want interview prep (NeetCode is more focused)
• You want free alternatives

Codecademy — Best for Interactive Beginners

Final Verdict: Good for learning your first programming language. Not designed for interview prep.

Pricing: Free tier available, Pro ~$240/year

Choose Codecademy if:

• You're learning to code from scratch
• You want hands-on interactive exercises

Skip Codecademy if:

• You already know a language
• You need interview-specific prep

The Grokking Courses: Educative vs Design Gurus

This confuses a lot of people, so let me clarify:

The history:

1. Engineers at Educative created "Grokking the Coding Interview" and "Grokking the System Design Interview"
2. These courses became famous and made Educative popular
3. The original creators left Educative and started Design Gurus
4. They now sell the courses directly on designgurus.io
5. Educative has its own "Grokking" courses, but they're written by different people

Which should you buy?

My recommendation:
If you only want Grokking courses: Design Gurus (original content, lifetime option).
If you want a broad course library: Educative (if you'll use the other courses).

Common Mistakes When Choosing an Alternative

Mistake #1: Paying for Educative for Grokking Only

The trap: $299/year for Educative when you only want the Grokking courses.

The problem: Design Gurus has the original content for $180/year or $320 lifetime.

The fix: Ask yourself: Will I use Educative's other courses? If not, go to Design Gurus.

Mistake #2: Not Trying Free Options First

The trap: Subscribing before exploring NeetCode and LeetCode.

The problem: I wasted money on Educative while NeetCode's free content covered the same patterns.

The fix: Spend 2 weeks with NeetCode + LeetCode (both free). If you're progressing, don't pay.

Mistake #3: Thinking You Need Text Because You "Prefer" It

The trap: "I prefer text, so I need Educative."

The reality: Many text-preferring learners do fine with NeetCode's concise videos. The "preference" often isn't as strong as assumed.

The fix: Try NeetCode's videos for a week. If you genuinely can't learn, then go text-based.

Mistake #4: Subscribing to Multiple Platforms

The trap: Educative + AlgoExpert + LeetCode Premium + Design Gurus.

The problem: They all teach the same patterns. You're paying 4x for redundant content.

The fix: ONE learning resource + LeetCode for practice. That's it.

What People Actually Ask About Educative Alternatives

"Where can I find the original Grokking courses?"

Short answer: Design Gurus (designgurus.io).

The original creators left Educative and now sell directly there. Educative has its own "Grokking" courses, but they're written by different people.

"Is NeetCode really a replacement for Educative?"

Short answer: For DSA patterns, yes. For broader learning, no.

NeetCode covers the same 14 coding patterns as Grokking the Coding Interview. If that's all you need, NeetCode is better (more concise, free). If you want Educative's broader course library, that's a different decision.

"Should I buy Design Gurus or subscribe to Educative?"

Short answer: Depends on what you want.

• Only Grokking courses: Design Gurus (original content, lifetime option)
• Broad course library: Educative (1000+ courses)
• Tight budget: Neither. NeetCode + LeetCode (free)

"Is Educative worth $299/year?"

Short answer: Only if you'll use the broader library.

If you only want interview prep, the free stack (NeetCode + LeetCode + Pramp) or Design Gurus ($180/year) is better value.

If you genuinely want access to courses on cloud, DevOps, languages, etc., then Educative's library makes sense.

"What's the best free text-based alternative?"

Short answer: GeeksforGeeks for algorithms, The Odin Project for web dev.

Neither is as polished as Educative, but both are free and cover the fundamentals.

Final Verdict: The Educative Alternative Stack

After paying for Educative and discovering cheaper/free alternatives, here's what I learned:

The Mistakes I Made

Mistake #1: Subscribed to Educative for $299/year for Grokking courses

• What I learned: The original Grokking creators sell on Design Gurus for less
• Lesson: Research where content comes from before subscribing

Mistake #2: Didn't try NeetCode first

• What I learned: NeetCode's free content covers the same patterns
• Lesson: Always try free options before paying

Mistake #3: Assumed I needed text-based learning

• What I learned: NeetCode's concise videos worked fine for me
• Lesson: Test your assumptions about learning style

The Stack That Works

For $0 budget:

• NeetCode free YouTube (patterns)
• LeetCode free tier (practice)
• GeeksforGeeks (reference)
• Pramp (mocks)

For $150-200 budget:

• NeetCode free (patterns)
• LeetCode Premium $159/year (company tags)
• Pramp (mocks)

For $200-400 budget (text learners):

• Design Gurus $180/year or $320 lifetime (original Grokking)
• LeetCode Premium $159/year (practice)
• Pramp (mocks)

For $200-400 budget (video learners):

• AlgoExpert $199/year (polished videos)
• LeetCode free or Premium (practice)
• Pramp (mocks)

One-Minute Decision Guide

If you want Grokking courses: Design Gurus (original content)

If you want free patterns: NeetCode (free, better than Educative for DSA)

If you want text-based system design: Design Gurus or DDIA book

If you want broad learning: Educative may be worth it

If you're unsure: Start with NeetCode + LeetCode (free). Add paid later if needed.

Last updated: January 13, 2026. Based on hands-on testing of all platforms, including paying for Educative before discovering cheaper alternatives. Platform pricing and features change frequently—verify on official sites before purchasing.