Photo of a review of Gainlo as a software engineer interview prep tool

A review of Gainlo as a software engineer interview prep tool – 2023 update

Updated in 2023

What does Gainlo do?

Gainlo is a platform where software engineers can participate in mock technical interviews with software engineers from big tech companies like Google, Amazon, Facebook, and more. Users begin by providing information about their background, experience, and interests so that Gainlo can match them with interviewers. Once they are matched, they can schedule an interview. They suggest scheduling interviews 7 days in advance.

Users then participate in 1-hour long technical interviews using Skype and a collaborative coding tool. The purpose is to make the experience feel like a real session. Users should interact with the interviewers just like they would in a real situation. When the interview is over, they receive a feedback form from the interviewer with details on how they did, what they could have done better, and what the optimal solution was.

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Who is Gainlo for?

Software engineers who are looking to practice for technical interviews by making use of mock interviews can benefit from Gainlo. Those who use this platform need to have background experience and skills necessary to get these software engineering jobs. This is because the program only provides mock technical interviews, not training, solutions, or additional help.

What does Gainlo cost? How much work is involved?

It is difficult to determine, but based on the reviews found online, it looks like the cost per interview is different depending on who is interviewing the candidate. It seems like the cost is between $90 and $180 per interview, with the average interview at $150.

Ratings and reviews

The reviews for Gainlo are not all that positive. One review explains that his interviewer did not show up to his first call. Then, when they rescheduled, the interviewer was not paying attention and did not provide valuable feedback. This seems to be a common occurrence, with other reviews discussing interviewers who were disengaged and not helpful.

Those who did have positive results with Gainlo were a little unsure if it was worth the price, given the free services available elsewhere. Interestingly enough, the positive testimonials on their site are all from 2016.

Alternatives to Gainlo

  • Those looking to participate in mock interviews with software engineers at top tech companies should check out Interviewing.io. Learn more about Interviewing.io in our review.
  • Pramp and Tech Mock Interview are similar resources for software engineers looking for mock interview prep with their peers.
  • A good option is AlgoExpert. This is a platform where software engineers can practice questions that cover a variety of interview topics.
  • Created by a former Google software engineer, Interview Cake is a study tool that teaches people the right way to think about technical questions so they do well in interviews. Read more about Interview Cake in our review.
  • Similarly, Codebasil features questions written by software engineers at top tech companies like Facebook, Apple, and Amazon.
  • Software engineers can use the tracks offered by Educative or Skilled.dev to brush up on skills or practice for specific-language interviews.
  • If you are looking to practice technical interview-type questions, Leetcode is probably the most well known, but they do not provide mock interviews.
  • Coderbyte offer a mix of free and paid resources and challenges for software engineers looking to practice their skills. Read more about Coderbyte in our review.
More alternatives to Gainlo
  • HackerRank is another common alternative with software engineering technical interview questions.
  • If you are looking for technical questions directly in your email, Daily Coding Problem is a newsletter that sends 1 problem a day and the solutions for those who subscribe.
  • Likewise, Edabit are other alternatives that software engineers can use as a study tool to practice technical questions.
  • For people looking to prep with real world problems, CodeKata provides challenges that mimic requests from real tech companies.
  • Codewars is a user-generated alternative, where all of the challenges are written by the community and CodinGame makes coding challenges more fun by gamifying them.
  • With exercises in Python and JavaScript for beginners and advanced engineers, CheckiO is a good free resource to check out.
  • Similarly, Quastor sends out a daily newsletter with software engineering interview questions. They also have a free online course.

We compiled a list of resources to practice software engineer interview questions that you can use to decide the best one for you. You can also check out our list of 93 software engineering interview questions from top tech companies to practice.

How does Gainlo compare to Pathrise?

Gainlo provides mock interviews with real software engineers at tech companies, but, according to the reviews, they do not provide much in the way of technical help. Similarly, they provide no behavioral interview help at all. They also charge per interview, which can become pricey, especially when candidates are not currently making any income.

Pathrise is a full service organization, working with candidates through all stages of the job search to enhance their soft skills and develop strategies that can help them in the future. We help candidates find the best possible opportunities for them and then work with them to optimize their resumes and online profiles, prepare for technical and behavioral interviews, and negotiate to ensure they end up with compensation that is above industry average. We represent the candidates, which means that we can help connect them with any and all companies.

Pathrise is an online mentorship program that works with students and professionals 1-on-1 so they can land their dream job in tech. With our tips and guidance, we’ve seen our fellows receive 3x as many responses to their applications and their interview performance scores double.

If you want to work with any of our mentors 1-on-1 to get help with your any aspect of your job search, become a Pathrise fellow.

Apply today.

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Brian Wong

Brian Wong is an experienced senior software engineer and has worked at top bay area startups and organizations. In his free time, Brian works with Pathrise SWE fellows to help them land their dream job and learn insider tips on how to ace technical interviews.

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