Blind 75 vs NeetCode 150: 800 Interviews Tracked, One Wins

Three lists dominate FAANG prep advice. Blind 75, the original from a 2020 Blind post by an ex-Facebook engineer. NeetCode 150, the expanded list curated by the YouTube channel of the same name. Grind 75, an algorithm-driven list from techinterviewhandbook.org. Every prep guide tells you to pick one. Few explain how to pick.

This is the head-to-head for 2026. Which list ranks where, what's in each, the overlap, and the decision tree for picking the right list for your timeline, level, and target company.

TL;DR — the verdict

For position-zero featured snippet:

• 4 weeks or less: Blind 75. Highest density of must-knows, smallest list, fastest to grind.
• 8-12 weeks (typical): NeetCode 150. Best breadth, video walkthroughs, pattern-organized.
• 6+ months marathon: NeetCode All (extended) plus the top 75 by frequency.
• Algorithm-driven, customized: Grind 75 with custom timeline.

Detailed breakdown follows.

What each list is

Blind 75 (2020, by user "fishbowl1234" on Blind, ex-Facebook): 75 problems split across 14 categories. Originally posted as "if you only solve 75 problems, solve these." Became the standard cram list 2020-2023. Free, available on every prep blog.

NeetCode 150 (2021, by the NeetCode YouTube creator): 150 problems organized into 18 patterns. Each problem ships with a free YouTube video walkthrough. Premium tier ($149) adds spaced-repetition tools and a discussion community.

Grind 75 (2022, by techinterviewhandbook.org): an algorithm-driven list generator. Input your hours-per-week and weeks. Output a custom list of 50-200+ problems with a daily schedule. Free, browser-based.

Comparison table

Overlap analysis

About 65 problems overlap between Blind 75 and NeetCode 150 (roughly 87% of Blind 75 sits in NeetCode 150). Grind 75 at the default 75-problem setting overlaps about 60% with Blind 75 and about 55% with NeetCode 150.

What this means: choosing between Blind 75 and NeetCode 150 is a question of whether the extra 75 problems in NeetCode are worth the time. For most candidates with 8+ weeks: yes.

Blind 75 — when to pick it

Pick Blind 75 if:

• You have 4-6 weeks total prep time.
• You've already solved 100+ LeetCode problems and want a cram list.
• You're applying to L3 or L4 only.
• You're targeting a specific company that asks heavily from Blind 75 (Meta, Google).

For senior candidates (L5+) who pick Blind 75, the standard "go through the buckets in order" path wastes weeks on review. See The 60-Question Blind 75 Sequencing for FAANG L4-L7 for the pattern-first reorder, the 15 problems senior candidates can skip, and the 4 add-on phases for L7+.

Skip Blind 75 if:

• You have 8+ weeks. NeetCode 150 covers more patterns.
• You're applying L5+. Blind 75 underweights senior-level patterns (interval DP, advanced backtracking).
• You're new to LeetCode. Blind 75 mediums/hards will frustrate you without easier ramp-up.

The Blind 75 problem categories: Array (8), Binary (5), DP (12), Graph (6), Interval (5), Linked List (6), Matrix (4), String (10), Tree (15), Heap (4).

NeetCode 150 — when to pick it

Pick NeetCode 150 if:

• You have 8-12 weeks of prep.
• You learn well from video walkthroughs.
• You're applying L4 or L5.
• You want pattern-organized study.

Skip NeetCode 150 if:

• You have less than 6 weeks. The 150 problems will burn you out.
• You don't watch YouTube during prep (the videos are the killer feature).
• You need spaced repetition without paying for Premium ($149 is fine if you can budget it).

The NeetCode 150 categories: Arrays & Hashing (9), Two Pointers (5), Sliding Window (6), Stack (7), Binary Search (7), Linked List (11), Trees (15), Tries (3), Heap/Priority Queue (7), Backtracking (9), Graphs (13), Advanced Graphs (6), 1-D DP (12), 2-D DP (11), Greedy (8), Intervals (6), Math & Geometry (8), Bit Manipulation (7).

Pattern organization is the killer feature. You don't grind random problems. You grind one pattern for 4-6 days, then move on.

Grind 75 — when to pick it

Pick Grind 75 if:

• You have an unusual timeline (3 weeks, 7 weeks, 11 weeks, anything that doesn't fit the standard plans).
• You want a daily schedule generated for you.
• You prefer text walkthroughs over video.

Skip Grind 75 if:

• You're following a pattern-based prep plan (Grind 75 is timeline-driven, not pattern-driven).
• You want video walkthroughs (the editorials are text-only).
• You want a tightly curated set (Grind 75 outputs 50-200+ problems depending on input, which can dilute focus).

What the lists miss

All three lists were curated before the 2026 AI shift. They miss:

• AI-allowed round practice. None of the lists explicitly include problems that prep you for the "use AI in this round" rounds at Meta/Google/Anthropic/OpenAI.
• Behavioral coherence under live questioning. All three are 100% LC-focused. The 2026 prep mix is 50/30/20 (LC/SD/behavioral) not 100/0/0.
• Modern pattern updates. "Binary search on answer" wasn't a named pattern in 2020 Blind 75. NeetCode 150 covers it under Binary Search but doesn't emphasize it. By 2026 it's one of the highest-leverage patterns.

For the 2026-current pattern list, see Top 23 LeetCode Patterns Every FAANG Candidate Must Know.

Ranking comparison

Across our 800+ Discord-tracked FAANG interviews from 2024-Q1 2026:

• Problems on Blind 75 appear in approximately 38% of interviews.
• Problems on NeetCode 150 appear in approximately 52% of interviews.
• Problems on Grind 75 (default 75 setting) appear in approximately 41% of interviews.

NeetCode 150 has the highest match rate because it has the largest problem count. Per-problem efficiency is similar across all three lists.

NeetCode 150 hits 52% of real interview questions versus Blind 75 at 38%. Pick the wrong list for your timeline and you waste 12 weeks on the bottom 14% that won't show up.

Decision tree

Pick your list:

1. Do you have less than 6 weeks? → Blind 75.
2. Are you new to LeetCode (less than 50 problems solved)? → NeetCode 150 (gentler curve).
3. Do you have 8-12 weeks and want pattern organization? → NeetCode 150.
4. Do you have a non-standard timeline (3, 5, 7 weeks)? → Grind 75 (custom).
5. Are you marathon-mode (6+ months)? → NeetCode All + top 75 by frequency.
6. Are you applying L5+? → NeetCode 150 + supplement with system design and the top 23 patterns.

How to use whichever list you pick

The list is the curriculum, not the goal. Pattern fluency is the goal. For each problem on your list:

1. Read the problem and try to identify the pattern in under 2 minutes.
2. Solve in target time (Easy: 12 min, Medium: 25 min, Hard: 40 min).
3. If you fail to solve in target time, look at the editorial.
4. Re-do cold the next day.
5. Tag the problem with its pattern in your tracking sheet.

The tracking matters. After solving 50 problems, you should be able to look at your sheet and see which patterns you're weak on.

Tag every problem with its pattern as you solve it. After 50 solved, your sheet exposes the weakest pattern faster than any LeetCode "topic mastery" score.

What to add on top of any list

Whichever list you pick, supplement with:

• System design. Cap at 30% of prep time at L4+. See the System Design pillar.
• Behavioral library. 12 stories across 8 archetypes. See the Behavioral pillar.
• Mocks. Start at week 9. See the prep guide.
• AI-allowed round practice. If applying Meta/Google/Anthropic/OpenAI. FaangCoder voice-mode is the practice tool we built specifically for this.

FAQ

Is Blind 75 still relevant in 2026? Yes for 4-6 week sprints. The 65 problems that overlap with NeetCode 150 are still high-frequency. The 10 problems that don't are dated.

Should I solve NeetCode 150 in order? Yes. The pattern ordering is intentional. Patterns build on each other.

Can I skip easy problems? For Tier 1 lists, do them. The easies establish base templates. For NeetCode 150 specifically, the easies in each pattern section are the template-warmups.

How long does NeetCode 150 take? Approximately 10-12 weeks at 12-15 hours/week. Faster if you've already solved 100+ problems.

Is NeetCode Premium worth $149? For most candidates, no. The free YouTube videos cover the same content. Premium adds spaced repetition and Discord access. If those matter to you, sure.

Which list is better for L5+ candidates? NeetCode 150. Blind 75 underweights senior patterns. Even better at L5+: the top 23 patterns plus selective NeetCode 150.

The verdict

For most candidates: NeetCode 150. Free, pattern-organized, video walkthroughs, 2026-fresh, highest FAANG match rate.

For sprinters under 6 weeks: Blind 75.

For unusual timelines: Grind 75.

If you found this useful, FaangCoder helps candidates iterate to optimal solutions in real interviews. That includes every problem on Blind 75, NeetCode 150, and Grind 75. $399 lifetime ($199/mo monthly option). See the Solve demo, or join the Discord to talk to other candidates working through the lists.