Prepping for a tech interview, especially one at a giant like Google, feels like training for a marathon you didn't know you signed up for. The internet throws a million resources at you. Forum threads from 2012, conflicting advice on Reddit, and that one YouTube guru who swears by solving every single problem on LeetCode. It’s… a lot. The paralysis is real. You end up with 50 tabs open and zero actual studying done.
So, when I stumbled across a new tool called cram.fyi, my curiosity was definitely piqued. The name itself is brutally honest, isn't it? It promises to help you ace interviews in the fastest time possible. A shortcut? A secret weapon? Or just another drop in the vast ocean of interview prep sites? I decided to roll up my sleeves and take a look.
So, What Exactly is Cram.fyi?
At its core, cram.fyi is a hyper-focused study guide. It doesn't try to be everything to everyone. Its mission, from what I can gather, is simple: provide a curated list of recent, relevant interview questions specifically for roles at Google. And here’s the modern twist—it offers AI-generated solutions to go along with them.
Think of it less like a massive, dusty library and more like a set of high-tech flashcards. The interface is clean, almost minimalist. There are no distractions, no leaderboards to make you feel bad about yourself, no flashy animations. Just a straightforward list of questions, ready for you to tackle. Its laser focus on Google is probably its biggest selling point. No more wondering if that obscure algorithm question is really something a Google PM would be asked. This platform seems to say, “Here’s what they’re asking. Right now.”
A First-Hand Look at the Platform
Jumping onto the homepage, you’re greeted with a list of roles and their corresponding interview questions. And I have to say, I was immediately impressed by the breadth of roles covered. It’s not just the usual suspects. While you have your Software Engineer and Summer Intern questions, you also find stuff for:
- UX Researcher
- Project Manager
- Network Engineer
- Recruiter
- Administrator
- Analyst
This is a huge plus in my book. So many prep sites are overwhelmingly geared toward pure coders, leaving folks in product, design, or operations to fend for themselves. Seeing specific, nuanced questions like, “Imagine you're a UX Researcher on a specific Google design sprint…” feels incredibly validating for those roles.
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The questions themselves feel authentic. They aren't just simple brain teasers; they are situational and behavioral, reflecting the kind of multi-layered problems you'd actually face on the job. You can filter by role and sort by “Most Recent,” which is a fantastic feature for getting a pulse on current interview trends.
The AI in the Room: Let's Talk About the Solutions
Okay, let's get to the main event: the AI-generated interview solutions. For any given question, you can click to see a detailed, structured answer. This is, without a doubt, a powerful feature. If you’re completely stumped, it gives you a well-organized starting point. It shows you how to break down a problem, structure your response using something like the STAR method, and hit the key points an interviewer is listening for.
But—and this is a big but from someone who's been in the SEO and hiring world for a while—you have to treat these AI solutions with a healthy dose of skepticism. An AI answer is like a GPS that tells you the perfect route. It's efficient, it's logical, and it gets you there. But it doesn't teach you how to read the map, understand the terrain, or find a cool little coffee shop on a side street. Interviewers aren't looking for the “perfect” robotic answer. They're looking for your thought process, your experience, your personality. The little story about that one time a project went completely off the rails and how you saved it? That's what lands you the job, not a perfectly recited AI script.
My advice? Use the AI solutions as a blueprint, not as a script. See how it structures the logic, then tear it apart and rebuild it with your own stories and your own voice.
Who is This Tool Really For?
After playing around with it, a few clear user profiles come to mind.
The Hopeful Googler
This is the most obvious one. If you have an interview lined up at Google, or it’s your dream company, this tool is a no-brainer. The specificity is its superpower. It cuts through the noise and lets you focus on what truly matters for that specific company culture and their hiring process.
The Career Changer
Maybe you're a developer who wants to move into project management. You know the tech, but you don't know the lingo or the types of behavioral questions PMs face. Cram.fyi could be an incredible resource for quickly getting up to speed on the interview patterns for a new role.
Not Just for Software Engineers
I’m saying it again because it’s important. Recruiters, UX researchers, analysts—this tool sees you. For anyone in a non-coding tech role who has felt left out by the major prep platforms, this could be a breath of fresh air.
The Good, The Bad, and The Quirky
No tool is perfect, and cram.fyi has its own set of peculiarities. I actually appreciate them; it shows it's a platform built by real people, not a faceless corporation. The main benefit is that targeted approach. By focusing solely on Google, it saves you countless hours you might have spent on irrelevant material. That, combined with the wide role coverage, is a potent combination.
On the flip side, that focus is also its main limitation. If you’re applying to Microsoft, Amazon, or a hot new startup, the utility drops significantly. I also noticed a search bar at the top to “Search by Company.” Out of curiosity, I tried a few other big names. The result? “Oops! Company Page Not Found.” This tells me the platform is either very new and plans to expand, or the feature isn't fully baked yet. It’s not a dealbreaker, just a quirk to be aware of. It has a single job right now, and it seems to be doing it well.
The other thing is the gated content. Many of the AI solutions are “locked,” requiring you to sign in. This suggests a freemium model, which is fair, but it’s something to be aware of if you were expecting everything to be completely open.
What's the Price of Admission?
This is the million-dollar question, isn't it? As of my time with the site, the pricing isn't explicitly listed on a dedicated page. The model seems to be a classic “try before you buy.” You can see the questions for free, which is valuable in itself. But to unlock the AI solutions and the full suite of features, you’ll likely need to create an account, and possibly subscribe. I'd expect a monthly or annual subscription fee, which is pretty standard for specialized services like this. For someone dead-set on a Google role, a small investment to get a leg up could easily be worth it.
How Does it Stack Up Against the Giants?
So, should you ditch your LeetCode premium or stop scouring Glassdoor? Not necessarily. Think of it this way: LeetCode is the giant, all-purpose gym. It has every machine, every free weight, every class you could ever imagine. It's awesome, but it can be overwhelming. Glassdoor is like eavesdropping at a cafe—you get some juicy gossip and real-world intel, but it's often disorganized and you have to sift through a lot of noise.
Cram.fyi, in this analogy, is the boutique personal training studio that specializes in one thing: getting you ready for the Google Olympics. It's focused, it’s intense, and it gives you a very specific training plan. It’s a specialist, not a generalist.
Final Thoughts: Is Cram.fyi Worth Your Time?
So, here’s my final take. Is cram.fyi a magic wand that will instantly get you a job at Google? Of course not. Nothing is. But is it a genuinely useful, time-saving, and smartly designed tool for anyone serious about that goal? Absolutely.
It’s a fantastic resource for understanding the types of questions you’ll face and for seeing a structured, logical approach to answering them. Its focus is its strength. Just remember to bring your own secret sauce—your personality, your unique experiences, and your genuine passion for the role. Use cram.fyi to build the skeleton, but you have to provide the heart.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is cram.fyi?
- cram.fyi is a web-based platform designed to help candidates prepare for interviews at Google. It provides a curated list of recent interview questions for various roles, along with AI-generated solutions to guide your preparation.
- Is cram.fyi free to use?
- The platform operates on a freemium model. You can view the interview questions for free, but accessing the AI-generated solutions and other premium features requires you to create an account and may involve a subscription.
- Are the AI solutions reliable?
- The AI solutions are a great starting point for understanding how to structure an answer and what key points to include. However, they should be used as a guide, not a script. The best interview answers are personalized with your own experiences and voice.
- Does cram.fyi only have questions for Google?
- Currently, the platform is almost entirely focused on Google interview questions. While there is a search function for other companies, it appears that functionality is still under development.
- What roles does cram.fyi cover?
- It covers a surprisingly wide range of roles beyond just software engineering, including Project Manager, UX Researcher, Recruiter, Network Engineer, Administrator, and more.
- How is this different from LeetCode?
- LeetCode is a broad platform for practicing coding problems applicable to many tech companies. Cram.fyi is a specialized tool focused specifically on the types of questions (both technical and behavioral) asked during Google interviews across a variety of roles.
Reference and Sources
- Cram.fyi Official Website
- The Insider's Guide to the Google Interview - by freeCodeCamp for general context on Google's hiring process.