Originally published on LeetCopilot Blog
NeetCode has replaced the Blind 75 as the gold standard for interview prep. But is solving 150 problems actually enough to get hired at Google? We review the pros, cons, and missing pieces.
If you're preparing for coding interviews in 2025, you've heard of NeetCode.
It started as a guy in a hoodie solving LeetCode problems on YouTube. It has since exploded into the default roadmap for millions of engineers. The "NeetCode 150" has largely replaced the classic "Blind 75" as the industry standard for study lists.
But the big question remains: Is it actually enough?
If you finish all 150 problems, are you guaranteed a job at Google or Meta? Or is there a gaping hole in this strategy that leads to rejection?
In this honest review, we breakdown what NeetCode is, why it's so effective, and the critical pieces it leaves out.
What is the NeetCode 150?
The NeetCode 150 is a curated list of 150 LeetCode problems that covers every major pattern you need to know:
- Arrays & Hashing
- Two Pointers
- Sliding Window
- Stack
- Binary Search
- Linked List
- Trees & Graphs
- Tries
- Heap / Priority Queue
- Backtracking
- 1D & 2D Dynamic Programming
- Greedy
- Intervals
- Math & Geometry
- Bit Manipulation
How is it different from Blind 75?
Think of NeetCode 150 as Blind 75 Extended Edition.
The original Blind 75 (created by Yangshun Tay) is brilliant but dense. NeetCode took those 75 problems and added ~75 more to fill in the gaps, creating a smoother learning curve and better category coverage.
The Good: Why Everyone Loves It
1. The Explanations Are God-Tier
NeetCode's biggest selling point isn't the list—it's the videos.
Most LeetCode solutions are poorly written text blocks. NeetCode draws out the visual intuition on a whiteboard (iPad) before writing a single line of code. For visual learners, this is a game-changer.
2. The Structure is Logical
You don't just jump into Hard Graph problems. You start with Easy Arrays. Then Medium Arrays. Then Hasing. The roadmap forces you to build a foundation before attempting the roof.
3. It's Free (Mostly)
The core list and video solutions are 100% free. You can get a world-class education in algorithms without spending a dime.
The Bad: Where "Just NeetCode" Fails You
So, if you do the 150, you're set, right? Wrong.
Here is where candidates crash and burn.
1. The "Tutorial Fallacy" (Passive Learning)
This is the #1 killer.
You read a problem. You get stuck. You watch the NeetCode video. You nod your head and say, "Ah, that makes sense." You type out his solution.
You learned nothing.
Comparison is the thief of joy; passive watching is the thief of skill. You learned how to watch someone else solve a problem, not how to solve it yourself.
2. No System Design
NeetCode is purely Algorithms & Data Structures.
For any role above Junior/L3, System Design is 25-50% of the interview. If you ace the coding rounds but bomb the System Design, you don't get the offer.
3. No Behavioral Prep
"Tell me about a time you failed."
If you answer this poorly, you will be rejected even if you solved the Hard DP problem in 15 minutes. NeetCode doesn't prepare you for the "Amazon Leadership Principles" style grilling.
The Verdict: Is It Enough?
For the Coding Round? YES (if done right).
For the Offer? NO.
NeetCode 150 covers 95% of the algorithmic patterns you will see. If you truly understand these 150 problems (can solve them cold, explain the time complexity, handle edge cases), you will pass almost any coding round.
But "truly understanding" requires more than watching videos.
How to Actually Use NeetCode (The "Active" Method)
To turn NeetCode from "Netflix for nerds" into a job offer, you need to add Active Recall and Friction.
1. The 20-Minute Struggle
Never watch the video until you have struggled with the problem for at least 20 minutes. That pain is where the neural connections form.
2. Hints > Solutions
When you're stuck, obtaining the full solution ruins the learning opportunity. You need a nudge, not a spoiler.
- Bad: Watching the full video immediately.
- Good: finding a small hint about the data structure to use.
- Better: Using a tool like LeetCopilot which gives progressive hints inside the LeetCode editor without revealing the answer.
3. Spaced Repetition
Solve the problem today. Solve it again in 3 days. Solve it again in 2 weeks.
If you can't solve it in 2 weeks without peeking, you never learned it.
Summary
| Resource | Rating | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| NeetCode 150 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | The best problem list available today. |
| NeetCode Videos | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Essential for understanding how to think. |
| System Design | ⭐ | Non-existent. use other resources (e.g. HelloInterview). |
| Mock Difficulty | ⭐⭐ | You need to practice talking while coding, which videos don't teach. |
Final advice: Use NeetCode 150 as your textbook. But don't forget to practice the test. Do mock interviews, use spaced repetition, and study System Design separately.
If you're looking for an AI assistant to help you master LeetCode patterns and prepare for coding interviews, check out LeetCopilot.
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