Review — Is Pramp a Good Place for System Design Mock Interviews in 2025?

Is Pramp worth it? Learn how you can use Mock interviews to gain confidence and interview skills to crack FAANG/MAANG interviews

javinpaul
Javarevisited
8 min readSep 30, 2024

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Hello guys, if you are preparing for tech interviews in this tough market then you may know that preparing for technical interviews can be a daunting task, especially when targeting top-tier companies like FAANG (Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, and Google).

But, good resources can make this task slightly easier for you.

In the past, I have shared the best Coding interview books, courses, and websites as well as System design books, courses, and websites to prepare well for both Coding and System design interviews.

While these books and courses are essential for tech interview preparation if you want to crack FAANG interview then you must do Mock interviews, as many as possible.

Mock interviews are one of the best ways to practice under real interview conditions, and Pramp is a popular platform offering this service.

Pramp offers peer-to-peer interviews for software engineers in data structures and system design. Exponent has recently combined Pramp and Exponent into one service where you can practice peer mock interviews for free.

But is Pramp worth your time and effort? In this article, we’ll explore what Pramp is, and how it works, share some experiences from users, and evaluate its effectiveness for FAANG interviews.

What is Pramp?

Pramp is an online platform designed to help candidates practice technical interviews in a peer-to-peer environment.

It provides a structured environment where users can practice coding, data structures, algorithms, system design, and behavioral interviews with other candidates.

What makes Pramp unique is its focus on live, interactive mock interviews with peers, simulating the pressure and environment of real interviews.

The platform pairs you with another user who has similar experience levels and provides a series of questions for you to solve.

During a Pramp session, you alternate roles between interviewer and interviewee, giving you the chance to practice both giving and receiving feedback.

Here is what a Pramp session looks like:

How Pramp Works?

In simple words, Pramp brings the interviewer and the candidate together.

Here are the steps to join and schedule your mock interview with Pramp on Exponent:

  1. Sign Up and Schedule: You start by signing up on the Pramp website, creating a profile that reflects your experience and interview goals. Once set up, you can schedule mock interviews at your convenience.
  2. Pairing: Pramp pairs you with another user who is also preparing for similar types of interviews. The system tries to match you with someone at a similar skill level and background.
  3. Interview Session: Each session lasts around 60 minutes. You and your partner take turns being the interviewer and interviewee. The interviewer presents the interviewee with a coding or system design question, and the interviewee has a set time to solve it. After each round, there’s a feedback session where you provide constructive feedback to your partner.
  4. Feedback: Pramp encourages detailed feedback on coding efficiency, problem-solving skills, communication, and behavior. This aspect is crucial as it helps you understand areas where you can improve.

Here is the link to try out Pramp for free Mock interview — try Pramp

Is Pramp a Good Place to do Data Structure and System Design Mock Interviews?

There is no doubt that both Exponent and Pramp are great places to prepare for a System Design Interview. Pramp not only allows you to test your knowledge by giving an interview, it also allows you to play the role of a candidate and interviewer also. I mean you can join Pramp either as a candidate or interviewer to prepare better.

Apart from my own experience, I looked for what other people are saying about Pramp and I found that many users on Reddit have shared their experiences with Pramp.

While some have had positive experiences, noting that it was beneficial for getting into the interview mindset, others have pointed out a few limitations.

  • Positive Experiences: Several users reported that Pramp helped them get accustomed to the pressure of live interviews.

One user mentioned, “The peer-to-peer format really made me realize how I communicate my thought process, and I received some great feedback from my partner that I wouldn’t have noticed myself.”

  • Challenges: Some users faced issues with the variability in the quality of interviewers.

“It’s a hit or miss; sometimes you get someone who’s genuinely interested in helping, and other times the other person is not as engaged,” one user commented.

Overall, while the experiences are mixed, many agreed that the practice and exposure to live coding interviews were invaluable.

If you ask me, I found Pramp is a good place for mock interview, it allows you to communicate in real interview like setting which is gold. you can start for FREE and you will surely learn something by doing this mock interview.

Here is the link to try out Pramp for a free Mock interview — try Pramp

Why You Should You Do Mock Interviews? Does it Help?

As I said, doing mock interviews are best way to prepare for not just FAANG or MAANG interviews but also any tech interviews. Mock interviews are crucial for a number of reasons:

  1. Exposure to Realistic Interview Scenarios: Mock interviews simulate the stress and conditions of a real interview, making you more comfortable and prepared.
  2. Identifying Weaknesses: These sessions can highlight areas where you need improvement, whether it’s problem-solving speed, communication, or technical knowledge.
  3. Building Confidence: Regular practice can significantly boost your confidence, making you more relaxed during actual interviews.
  4. Feedback and Improvement: Constructive feedback from mock interviews helps you understand your mistakes and improve your performance.

What are the benefits of Mock Interviews?

While it's true that Pramp can be sometimes hit and miss and you may not get an experienced interviewer all the time but no mater who you get, you will get better slowly.

Here are the key benefits of doing Mock interviews:

  1. Improves Communication Skills: Mock interviews force you to verbalize your thought process, a critical skill in technical interviews.
  2. Enhances Problem-Solving Ability: Regular practice helps you become faster and more efficient at solving complex problems.
  3. Reduces Anxiety: Familiarity with the interview process reduces anxiety, making it easier to perform well in real interviews.
  4. Develops Behavioral Interview Skills: Mock interviews often include a behavioral component, helping you prepare for questions about your experience and soft skills.

Alternatives to Pramp for Mock Interviews

While Pramp offers a unique peer-to-peer experience, there are several other platforms you can consider for mock interviews:

  1. Educative.io: Provides interactive courses on system design and coding interviews, along with AI mock interview scenarios.
  2. Designgurus.io : Provide mock interviews with ex-FAANG engineers
  3. LeetCode: Offers a variety of coding problems and a mock interview feature that simulates FAANG-style interviews.
  4. Interviewing.io: Provides anonymous technical mock interviews with experienced engineers from top tech companies. The platform also offers the opportunity to get feedback from professionals.
  5. Exercism: A community-driven platform that focuses on code reviews and mentorship.
  6. HackerRank: Offers a wide range of coding challenges and mock interviews to help you prepare for technical interviews.

Is Pramp Really Worth It for FAANG Mock Interviews in 2025?

Well, Pramp can be a valuable tool for those looking to practice their technical interview skills in a realistic setting.

Its peer-to-peer format allows you to gain experience from both sides of the interview table, which is a unique and beneficial approach.

However, the quality of the experience may vary depending on your partner’s engagement and skill level. As I said, it can be hit or miss but overall benefits outweigh risk and you can also try for free.

If you are looking for structured practice and can handle the variability in partner quality, Pramp is worth considering.

For those targeting FAANG or similar companies, it may be helpful as a supplement to other resources like LeetCode, Interviewing.io, or professional mock interviews.

Here is the link — try Pramp

That’s all in this review of Pramp, a mock interview service from Exponent. In the end, Pramp offers a cost-effective way to gain live interview practice, but it should be part of a broader preparation strategy that includes diverse resources and plenty of self-study.

Other System Design Articles and Resources you may like

Thanks for reading this article so far. If you like this review of the Pramp Mock interview platform then please share it with your friends and colleagues. If you have any questions feel free to ask in the comments.

P. S. — By the way, DesignGuru.io also has 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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javinpaul
Javarevisited

I am Java programmer, blogger, working on Java, J2EE, UNIX, FIX Protocol. I share Java tips on http://javarevisited.blogspot.com and http://java67.com