ByteByteGo vs. DesignGurus vs. Educative: Which One Is Best for System Design Interview in 2025?

Hello guys, System design interviews remain one of the most difficult hurdles for software engineers in 2025. Unlike coding interviews, where you can practice data structures and algorithms with LeetCode-style problems, system design requires a mix of architectural knowledge, trade-off analysis, and real-world problem-solving skills. With FAANG and top-tier startups continuing to emphasize these interviews, software developers and engineers need the right preparation resources. 

And, when it comes to System Design Interview preparation, today, the most talked-about platforms for system design prep are:

• ByteByteGo (by Alex Xu, author of System Design Interview books)

• DesignGurus.io (founded by ex-FAANG engineers, hands-on system design courses and mock interviews)

• Educative.io (a massive interactive learning library with system design tracks and practice content)

But which one is actually the best for you? Let’s break them down one by one.

1. ByteByteGo

ByteByteGo started as Alex Xu’s viral visual newsletter and system design books. It’s now one of the best place to prepare for coding interviews and System design interviews offering visual explanations of system design concepts, diagrams, and video lessons.

Strengths:

• Best visual diagrams in the industry—complex concepts explained simply.

• Narrow and deep focus on system design and architecture only.

• Great for self-paced learners who like structured, curated material.

• Lifetime membership option with 50% discount available.

Limitations:

• No hands-on practice or coding challenges.

• Subscription-based, so you lose access if you cancel (unless you buy lifetime).

👉 Best for: Engineers who learn visually and want clarity on system design fundamentals.

And the good thing is that you can join ByteByteGo now for 50% discount. It’s rare discount they are giving now and if you always wanted to join ByteByteGo, now is your chance.  I bought their lifetime plan because its just 2.5x their annual plan and it provides best value as you will be getting all future content upgrades for free. 

2. DesignGurus.io

DesignGurus.io is built specifically for system design interviews but now they have expanded and provides everything you need to prepare for coding interviews.  Their courses covers not just System Design but also coding patterns, dynamic programming, Microservices as well as company based preparation like they have special courses for Amazon, Google and Meta interviews. 

Their platform includes text based lessons, practice problems, and mock interviews with real engineers. They are best known for their Grokking the System Design course which is the gold standard on System Design prep courses. 

Strengths:

• Courses cover end-to-end system design (scaling, databases, caching, event-driven, microservices).

• Huge focus on interview-style problems, not just theory.

• Mock interview platform where you can practice with peers or mentors.

• Practical insights from engineers who’ve worked at FAANG and unicorn startups.

Limitations:

• Less visually polished than ByteByteGo.

• No broad computer science content outside of system design.

👉 Best for: Engineers who want real interview practice and feedback.

And, if you like these Grokking interview courses from DesignGurus, you can get all of them for a big discount by purchasing their All course bundle. This bundle include their most popular Grokking courses like Grokking System Design Interview, OOP Design, Coding Patterns, as well Grokking Dynamic programming interview.  You can also use code GURU to get 30% discount. 

3. Educative.io

Educative is an AI powered, massive interactive learning platform with 1200+ courses. Created by ex FAANG engineers Fahim-Ul-Haq and his brother, Educative.io is one of the best place to learn programming and interview prep online. It has some of the most popular system design prep content, especially:

• Grokking the Modern System Design Interview

• Grokking the Advanced System Design Interview

• Grokking the Low Level Design Interview

Strengths:

• Text-based, interactive format—you learn by reading and coding in the browser.

• Includes step-by-step solutions to real FAANG interview-style problems.

• Subscription unlocks other career paths too (algorithms, ML, cloud, etc.).

• Premium tiers add AI mock interviews, projects, and AWS labs.

Limitations:

• Reading-heavy format—not ideal if you prefer video/visuals.

• Can feel overwhelming because of the huge content library.

👉 Best for: Engineers who want hands-on coding practice + breadth of topics beyond just system design.

By the way, you would need an Educative subscription to join this course, which cost around $14.99 but also provide access to more than 1200+ courses, projects, and cloud labs to learn in-demand tech skills including web development. 

You can also use 7 days free trial to get this course for FREE. 

Comparison at a Glance

Now, let's do the side by side comparison of all three popular platforms for System Design interview preparation so that you can make an informed decision.

Feature	ByteByteGo	DesignGurus.io	Educative.io
Pricing Model	Subscription or Lifetime	Subscription	Subscription
Content Style	Visual diagrams & videos	Text + mock interviews	Interactive text-based
Focus	System design & architecture	System design interview prep	System design + broader CS
Practice Opportunities	None	Yes (mock interviews, practice problems)	Yes (interactive coding)
Breadth	Narrow but deep	Focused on interviews	Broad: system design + DS/Algo + ML
Best For	Visual learners	Interview-focused prep	Self-paced coders

So, Which One Should You Choose?

Here’s the truth: all three platforms have unique strengths.

• Choose ByteByteGo if you want visual clarity and deep understanding of system design fundamentals.

• Choose DesignGurus.io if you want to practice system design problems and do mock interviews.

• Choose Educative.io if you want interactive practice and broader learning (system design + algorithms + more).

But if you really want to crack the system design interview in 2025, the best approach isn’t just one platform. 

You probably need to combine multiple platforms for best results though, out of three, if you need to choose one, I suggest go for ByteByteGo, its visual guides are really good to learn System Design and it also covers OOP Design, Machine Learning System Design and Generative AI System Design. They are now also offering 50% discount on their lifetime plan which provides the best value. 

Why Combining ByteByteGo + Codemia.io Is a Winning Strategy?

This is where many engineers miss out. ByteByteGo gives you world-class system design diagrams and explanations—you’ll master the fundamentals quickly. But learning concepts alone isn’t enough. You need to practice solving real interview problems.

That’s where Codemia.io comes in.

Codemia.io is a platform built for system design and OOP interview practice, with a large question bank of FAANG-style problems. 

You can practice:

• Designing Twitter, YouTube, or Uber

• Object-oriented design problems like Parking Lot, Elevator, Coffee Machine

• Mock interviews with structured feedback

By combining:

• ByteByteGo’s visual learning (to understand concepts deeply)

• Codemia.io’s practice environment (to apply knowledge in interview scenarios)

…you get a complete preparation toolkit that covers both learning and practice.

👉 You can grab ByteByteGo Lifetime Membership at 50% off here and pair it with Codemia.io for practice.

Final Thoughts

System design interviews are not about memorizing patterns. They’re about:

• Understanding core principles

• Communicating trade-offs clearly

• Practicing real problems until you can think on your feet

ByteByteGo, DesignGurus, and Educative are all strong platforms, but if you’re looking for the most effective, affordable combo in 2025, ByteByteGo + Codemia.io will give you the edge.

Instead of just knowing the concepts, you’ll walk into your next interview with both clarity and confidence—and that’s exactly what FAANG-level interviewers are looking for.

Other System Design and Coding Interview and Resources you may like

• ByteByteGo 50% OFF? Should you Join?
• Is ByteByteGo a good place to learn Software Architecture?
• Should you join ByteByteGo to learn System Design?
• Is System Design Interview RoadMap by DesignGurus worth it?
• Is Exponent’s System Design Course worth it?
• Is OOP Design Interview — An Insider Guide worth it?
• ByteByteGo vs Udemy? Which is better for System Design inteviews?
• 16 Best Resources for System Design Interview Prep
• Is DesignGuru’s System Design Course worth it
• Why AlgoMonster is best platform for DSA Prepration in 2025
• ByteByteGo vs NeetCode vs Educative? which one is better?
• DesignGurus.io Review 2025 — Is it worth it?
• Is ByteByteGo a good place for Coding interviews?
• 3 Free Books and Courses for System Design Interviews
• ByteBytego vs Exponent? which one is better?
• Is Exponent Good Place for Coding Interview Prep?
• ByteByteGo vs Udemy? Which one is better for System Design?
• 6 Best System Design and API Design Interactive Courses
• Top 5 System Design YouTube Channels for Engineers
• How to prepare for DSA for coding interviews?
• 3 Places to Practice System Design Mock interviews
• Is Designing Data-intensive application book worth reading?

All the best for your System Design interview preparation , if you have any doubts or questions, feel free to ask in the comments.

P. S. — If you just want to do one thing at this moment, join ByteByteGo and start learning software architecture fundamentals and you will thank me later. It’s one of the most comprehensive resource for coding interview now.