FAANG vs Top Tech vs Growth Companies: Interview Comparison Guide 2025
Not all tech interviews are created equal.
Google gives hints. Meta expects speed. Netflix requires optimal solutions. Amazon asks about Leadership Principles in every single round.
This guide breaks down exactly what to expect from 19 top tech companies, organized by tier.
Quick Comparison Table
| Company | Hard % | Rounds | Timeline | Pace | Top Pattern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30% | 5 | 4-8 weeks | Moderate | Binary Search | |
| Meta | 20% | 4 | 3-5 weeks | Fast | Arrays & Trees |
| Amazon | 20% | 5 | 2-4 weeks | Moderate | Arrays & BFS |
| Apple | 20% | 5 | 4-8 weeks | Relaxed | Linked Lists |
| Netflix | 40% | 5 | 3-6 weeks | Moderate | Graphs |
| Microsoft | 20% | 4 | 2-4 weeks | Moderate | Arrays & Trees |
| Stripe | 35% | 5 | 3-5 weeks | Moderate | System Design |
| Uber | 30% | 5 | 3-5 weeks | Fast | Graphs |
Tier 1: FAANG+ (The Big Six)
Difficulty: Moderate-Hard (30% hard problems)
What to Expect:
- 5 rounds including phone screen
- Interviews often on Google Docs (no syntax highlighting!)
- Strong emphasis on explaining your thought process
- Interviewers give hints when you're stuck
Top Patterns:
- Arrays & Hashing (95% frequency)
- Binary Search (85%)
- Trees (80%)
- BFS/DFS (75%)
Unique Trait: "Googleyness" round evaluates culture fit and leadership potential.
Pro Tip: Think out loud. Google weights communication heavily—a clean O(n) solution with great explanation beats a silent O(log n).
Meta (Facebook)
Difficulty: Moderate (20% hard problems)
What to Expect:
- 4 rounds total
- Expect 2 coding problems per 45-minute round
- Speed matters—practice timed coding
- Uses CoderPad (real IDE with syntax highlighting)
Top Patterns:
- Arrays & Hashing (95%)
- Trees (85%)
- Binary Search (80%)
- Two Pointers (75%)
Unique Trait: Two problems per round means you need to code fast. Get a working solution first, then optimize if time permits.
Pro Tip: Practice solving Medium problems in under 15 minutes. That's your target pace.
Amazon
Difficulty: Moderate (20% hard problems)
What to Expect:
- 5 rounds including the infamous Bar Raiser
- Every round includes Leadership Principles questions
- Online Assessment (OA) is usually first
- STAR format for behavioral answers
Top Patterns:
- Arrays & Hashing (90%)
- Trees (80%)
- BFS (75%)
- Heap (70%)
Unique Trait: The Bar Raiser can veto your hire. This person isn't from the hiring team and evaluates whether you raise or lower Amazon's talent bar.
Pro Tip: Memorize all 16 Leadership Principles. Have 2-3 stories for each. This is non-negotiable.
Amazon Leadership Principles Guide →
Apple
Difficulty: Moderate (20% hard problems)
What to Expect:
- 5 rounds, slower process than other FAANG
- Heavy emphasis on domain expertise
- Code quality valued over speed
- May ask about Apple products you use
Top Patterns:
- Arrays & Hashing (85%)
- Trees (75%)
- Linked Lists (70%)
- Strings (70%)
Unique Trait: Apple is secretive—you often won't know the specific team until you get an offer. Focus on demonstrating deep technical expertise.
Pro Tip: Be prepared to discuss Apple products genuinely. "I don't use any Apple products" is not a great look.
Netflix
Difficulty: Hard (40% hard problems)
Full Netflix Interview Guide →
What to Expect:
- 5 rounds with heavy system design focus
- Primarily hires senior/experienced engineers
- Optimal solution often required
- Salary discussions happen early
Top Patterns:
- Graphs (90%)
- Arrays & Hashing (80%)
- Trees (70%)
- BFS (70%)
Unique Trait: Netflix pays top of market but expects top performance. Read the Netflix Culture Deck before interviewing.
Pro Tip: Netflix isn't for everyone. They explicitly say they're not a family—they're a pro sports team. Know this going in.
Microsoft
Difficulty: Accessible (20% hard problems)
Full Microsoft Interview Guide →
What to Expect:
- 4 rounds, generally friendly experience
- "As Appropriate" round is the final decision maker
- Growth mindset is core to culture
- Good work-life balance reputation
Top Patterns:
- Arrays & Hashing (90%)
- Trees (80%)
- Strings (75%)
- Linked Lists (70%)
Unique Trait: Microsoft values the Growth Mindset—show that you love learning and can admit what you don't know.
Pro Tip: The "As Appropriate" interviewer is usually a senior leader. Make a strong impression here.
Tier 2: Top Tech Companies
Stripe
Difficulty: Hard (35% hard problems)
The Deal: Stripe interviews are known for being challenging and practical. Expect real-world debugging scenarios alongside algorithmic problems. System design is weighted heavily.
Uber
Difficulty: Moderate-Hard (30% hard problems)
The Deal: Heavy focus on graphs (makes sense for a maps/routing company). System design questions often relate to real-time systems and location services.
Airbnb
Difficulty: Moderate (25% hard problems)
The Deal: Strong culture fit emphasis. Airbnb's core values drive hiring decisions. Technical problems often have a creative/design element.
Difficulty: Moderate (20% hard problems)
Full LinkedIn Interview Guide →
The Deal: As a Microsoft subsidiary, LinkedIn shares some cultural elements. Generally positive interview experience with reasonable difficulty.
Tier 3: High-Growth & Finance
Coinbase
Difficulty: Moderate-Hard (30% hard problems)
Full Coinbase Interview Guide →
The Deal: Crypto/blockchain knowledge is a plus but not required. System design questions often involve financial systems and high-reliability requirements.
Databricks
Difficulty: Hard (35% hard problems)
Full Databricks Interview Guide →
The Deal: One of the harder interviews in tech. Strong emphasis on distributed systems and big data concepts. Expect challenging algorithm questions.
Snowflake
Difficulty: Hard (35% hard problems)
Full Snowflake Interview Guide →
The Deal: Technical depth is valued highly. Cloud data warehousing knowledge helps. Interviews are thorough and challenging.
Jane Street
Difficulty: Very Hard (45%+ hard problems)
Full Jane Street Interview Guide →
The Deal: Quantitative trading firm with legendary interview difficulty. Heavy math/probability focus alongside coding. Not for the faint of heart.
Choosing Your Target
If You Value Work-Life Balance:
- Microsoft (explicit focus on balance)
- LinkedIn (similar culture)
- Shopify (remote-first, flexible)
If You Want Maximum Compensation:
- Netflix (highest base, but high expectations)
- Jane Street (quant finance pay)
- Google/Meta (strong total comp)
If You're a New Grad/Intern:
- Microsoft (intern-friendly)
- Google (strong new grad programs)
- Amazon (large new grad hiring)
If You Want Fast Interview Process:
- Amazon (2-4 weeks)
- Microsoft (2-4 weeks)
- Meta (3-5 weeks)
Universal Interview Truths
Regardless of company, certain things are always true:
1. Communication Matters Everywhere
Even "quiet" companies like Apple value clear technical communication. Think out loud.
2. Fundamentals Beat Tricks
Companies care about Arrays, Trees, Graphs, and DP. Master these before worrying about obscure patterns.
3. Behavioral Prep is Non-Negotiable
Every company has culture fit rounds. Have your stories ready.
4. System Design (for Experienced Candidates)
If you're interviewing for mid-level or above, system design is almost always included. Practice designing scalable systems.
Your Next Steps
- Pick 1-3 target companies from the list above
- Read the full interview guides for each
- Create your personalized roadmap based on your interview date
- Focus on company-specific patterns rather than generic prep
Browse All Company Prep Guides →
Create Your Personalized Roadmap →
The Bottom Line
Grinding LeetCode randomly is inefficient. Knowing that Google loves Binary Search (85%) while Meta expects speed (2 problems/round) changes how you prepare.
Study smart. Target your prep. Land the offer.