HackerRank vs Mercer Mettl (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, HackerRank grades higher than Mercer Mettl: 2.0 against 1.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
HackerRank grades higher on the free plan and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
HackerRank
Coding assessments, pair-programming interviews and an AI interviewer
Which one is for you
Pick HackerRank if
- Fits if you hire engineers and want tests plus live coding in one place
- Works for teams where many people interview, since every self-serve plan has unlimited users
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you test many candidates: 60 attempts a year on Starter, and extra ones are $20 each
- Pricey if you need integrations, because they start at Pro, $419 a month
- Watch out: certified assessments, leaked-question protection and API access are Enterprise only
- Watch out: the pricing page wouldn't show its prices to us, so the figures are from the listing and not rechecked
Pick Mercer Mettl if
- Fits if you want tests and proctoring for hiring and for exams from one vendor
- Works for organizations that need psychometric and language tests as well as coding
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you only hire, because the suite also covers development and exams
- Not for you if you want a price: the pricing page asks you to contact sales
- Tight if you want to try first, since no free plan or self-serve trial is described
- Watch out: it offers customised plans only
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAHackerRankFair | 1.6GPAMercer MettlWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CStarter is $79 a month on yearly billing for 60 candidate attempts a year, just above the category's cheaper quarter at $74. Pro is $419 for 360. | CNo price is published, so we can't set it against the $74 to $149 a month this category charges. That leaves it at C. |
| Free plan and trial | DA free trial is offered on Starter and Pro, but its length isn't stated. A trial with no terms is a D. | FNo free plan and no trial is listed; the site routes you to a demo. A demo request isn't a trial. |
| Features | CCoding assessments, pair-programming, an AI interviewer and proctoring. ATS integrations start at Pro, and certified assessments and API access are Enterprise only. | CPsychometric, coding, English and domain tests plus AI-assisted proctoring. The products span hiring, development and exams, so a hiring-only buyer pays for a broad suite. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record, and the listing shows tests and question libraries to set up. That puts it at C. | CNo store rating on record, and the listing shows tests to assemble and candidates to schedule. That puts it at C. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb product with ATS and calendar integrations from Pro and API access on Enterprise. No desktop or phone app, so B. | CWeb only, with no separate app on record. One kind of device, so C. |
| Best for | coding tests and live coding interviews | assessments and proctored exams |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: HackerRank and Mercer Mettl. How we grade
Where they differ
- HackerRank also covers AI agents.
- Mercer Mettl also covers surveys.
At a glance
| HackerRank | Mercer Mettl | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Paid |
| Starts at | $79 per month, billed annually ($948) | Not published |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | Free trial offered on Starter and Pro; length not stated | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | HackerRank | Mercer | Mettl |
| Price read from | hackerrank.com | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
HackerRank
- Plans cap candidate attempts per year (60 on Starter, 360 on Pro); extra attempts are $20 each.
- ATS and calendar integrations start at Pro, and the larger ATS set at Enterprise.
- Leaked question protection, certified assessments and API access are Enterprise only.
- The monthly-billing price was not shown on the page; the figures here are the annual rates.
Mercer Mettl
- The pricing page lists no figures: it offers customised plans and asks buyers to contact sales.
- The products span hiring, development and exams, so a hiring-only buyer pays for a broad suite.
- No free plan or self-serve trial is described on the pages read.
Key features
HackerRank
- Chakra AI interviewer
- Runs conversational screens with real-time follow-up questions, then produces a report with transcript, session replay and scores.
- Coding assessments
- Take-home tests built from a question library of 2,000+ to 7,500+ questions, with multi-file projects and custom questions.
- Pair-programming interviews
- Live collaborative coding with recording and playback, a full IDE, and scorecard assistance for interviewers.
- AI-aware editor
- Candidates can work with AI agents in the IDE, with a choice of Claude, Gemini or GPT; employers set guarded or unguarded AI.
- Integrity features
- Advanced proctoring on every plan, with leaked-question protection reserved for Enterprise.
Mercer Mettl
- Psychometric assessments
- Personality, aptitude and behavioral tests aimed at role-specific benchmarking and predictive hiring insights.
- Coding assessments
- Auto-graded coding simulators in a real-world IDE with 20+ programming languages.
- English proficiency tests
- AI-assisted speech evaluation with CEFR-aligned scoring, pronunciation and fluency analysis.
- 360-degree feedback
- Multi-rater feedback collection with multilingual, customizable surveys and development plans.
- AI-assisted proctoring
- Remote exam delivery with AI and human proctoring, used for both hiring and academic exams.
Plans
HackerRank
Starter$79
per month, billed annually ($948 a year)
Unlimited users, 60 candidate attempts a year, 2,000+ library questions, AI interviewer and proctoring.
Pro$419
per month, billed annually ($5,028 a year)
360 candidate attempts a year, 4,000+ library questions, ATS and calendar integrations.
EnterpriseCustom
Sold through sales: custom users and attempts, certified assessments, API and MCP access, 7,500+ questions.
Mercer Mettl
Pricing could not be confirmed. See mettl.com.
Ways to pay less
HackerRank
- Annual discount
Save 20% with annual billing
The pricing page toggle is labeled Save 20% annually; Pro attempts can also be pre-bought at $15 on annual plans.
Mercer Mettl
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, HackerRank or Mercer Mettl?
As of Nov 13, 2026, HackerRank starts at $79 per month, billed annually ($948), and Mercer Mettl has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, HackerRank or Mercer Mettl?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither HackerRank nor Mercer Mettl has a free plan. HackerRank has a free trial.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.