The 10 best coding assessment tools for hiring programmers and developers

Software development roles demand strong skills in many different programming languages.

Naturally, your business’s hiring managers should evaluate candidates' coding skills to make sure you recruit programmers and software engineers who fit the job requirements.

Using assessment tests for general coding can be valuable because, unlike resumes, they offer direct insights into a candidate's skill level and practical knowledge of the necessary programming languages. 

They can also be more effective than a traditional whiteboard coding test because online assessments better resemble the coding environment candidates have come to expect.

Below, we review the 10 top coding assessment tools designed to evaluate candidates' general coding abilities and empower you to make better hiring decisions.

What are the 10 best coding assessment tools? A summary 

The 10 best coding assessment tools: A review of each

Now, let’s take a much closer look at each of the top 10 talent assessment tools and see which one’s best for judging the technical talent of your candidates. 

Bonus guide: Once you decide which assessment tool works best for you, check out our in-depth guide on what to pay a software developer.

1. TestGorilla: Best for comprehensive tests and wide talent pools

TestGorilla has recently revamped its coding test library to be among the most comprehensive on the market. 

We offer a powerful candidate screening platform backed by more than 400 scientifically validated tests. These include a range of general coding assessments, along with tests for specific languages or frameworks such as Node.js. 

A few of the most popular coding tests include:

• The JavaScript (Coding): Entry-Level Algorithms test

• The Java Data Structures test

• The Python (Coding): Entry-Level Algorithms test 

• Framework-specific tests such as Node.js, Gatsby.js, and more

Certain tests are also coding language-agnostic, meaning that their focus is more on the core concepts of programming than any particular language. The candidate can complete these tests in any coding language of their choice.

Tests are available in 12 languages, expanding your talent pool significantly by making it easier than ever to search for the perfect applicant internationally. 

You can also add custom questions to any test. These can include essay-style or multiple-choice coding questions or even requests for a short video response. 

What’s more, TestGorilla makes it easy to compare all candidates. You can view each applicant’s overall score as well as their score for each test and their responses to custom questions. 

You can annotate assessment reports, enabling effective collaboration between members of your hiring team. Check out how we helped one company rebuild its hiring process.

Features 

• 400+ tests

• Available in 12 languages

• Ability to add custom test questions

• Up to five tests per assessment

• Language-agnostic coding tests

Rating

4.5 out of 5 from 1,060 reviews (G2)

Pricing 

From free forever with premium accounts starting at $499 USD per month

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2. CodeSignal: Best for continuous assessments

CodeSignal is a cloud-based coding assessment platform for measuring top coding skills, offering custom tests in more than 70 coding languages with industry-expert questions. 

The platform features a three-step evaluation: prescreening to identify top talent, detailed technical skills tests customizable to job needs, and an integrated interview process with two-way video. 

After your candidates are hired, CodeSignal gives you the tools to continue to give practice tests to check on your employees’ job performances and provide learning opportunities to continue developing their skills. 

However, CodeSignal focuses only on coding skills, lacking tests for soft skills like communication. It's designed to streamline candidate selection, from prescreening to interviewing, despite its narrow test range.  If you’re looking for other options that offer similar features, check out the best CodeSignal alternatives.

Features 

• Role-specific evaluations

• Two-way video interviewing

• A selection of third-party integrations

• Shareable coding reports

• Keystroke tracking and replay

Rating

4.6 out of 5 from 47 reviews (Capterra)

Pricing 

Custom pricing: Please contact their sales team for a quote

3. CodeAid: Best for real-world coding tests

CodeAid is a Git-based testing platform for evaluating coding and technical skills designed to mimic real-life workflows for accurate applicant screening. 

Git-based tests mean the candidates can do the assessments in the same environment they would use in real-world scenarios.

The platform covers a range of skills, including problem-solving, web API creation, front-end development, and architecture design. 

After testing, CodeAid provides data-driven scores and detailed candidate evaluations, including a plagiarism checker and advanced "feedback and fix" tools for deeper skill assessment. 

Features 

• Basic ATS

• Integrated anti-cheating measures

• Accessible records of applicant results

• Assessments based on real-world situations 

Rating 

4.7 out of 5 from 18 reviews (G2)

Pricing 

From free with premium accounts starting at $99 USD per month

4. Codility: Best for large-scale enterprises

Codility gives you a comprehensive technical assessment platform. You can use it to hire and develop engineering teams with the skills needed to succeed in an AI-driven world. 

You get a range of solutions, including job-specific skills screening, structured technical interviews, and skill mapping for internal teams. The platform itself is built on a foundation of assessment science, enabling faster, fairer, and more effective evaluations. 

Codility supports clients globally, is trusted by more than 1,200 customers, and has evaluated 13 million engineers, significantly speeding up the hiring process. 

Features 

• Tailored assessments

• Live technical interviews

• Real-life challenges

• Plagiarism detection

Rating

4.6 out of 5 from 41 reviews (Capterra)

Pricing

Starts at $100 USD per month

5. HackerRank: Best for big companies in need of variety

HackerRank gives you a large collection of 3,100 challenges that cover 27 roles and 170 skills. 

It bridges the gap between developers' skills and companies' hiring needs, offering online coding tests, interview solutions, and practice challenges. 

With an emphasis on real-world problems, HackerRank provides a fair, effective way for developers

to show off their abilities and for companies to find the right talent. 

More than 3,000 companies and 40% of developers worldwide have used HackerRank for their hiring and skill development, making it a staple in tech recruitment and talent assessment. 

However, some users have reported that the platform feels bloated, suggesting it’s optimized for larger companies and leaving smaller companies in the dust.

Features 

• Customizable tests

• Automated interview solutions

• Competitive contests

• Company-specific questions 

Rating

4.5 out of 5 from 49 reviews (Capterra)

Pricing

Starts at $100 USD per month

6. HackerEarth: Best for organizing community-based events

HackerEarth connects developers with companies through coding challenges, hackathons, and developer assessment software. 

It serves as a hub for more than 7.6 million developers to practice, compete, and grow their skills while also offering businesses tools to engage, assess, interview, and upskill talent efficiently. 

HackerEarth focuses on two things simultaneously: community and recruitment. This makes it different from many other industry tools that only focus on hiring. 

You can use HackerEarth to set up challenges and hackathons to bring coders together, helping to establish your company as a brand that takes its people seriously. 

But if you’d like to explore other options, check out our selection of the best HackerEarth alternatives.

Features 

• Seamless integration with major ATS providers

• Best-in-class support at every step of the process

• A suite of tools for technical recruitment, upskilling, and developer engagement

Rating

4.7 out of 5 from 26 reviews (Capterra)

Pricing

Starts at $209 USD per month

7. CoderByte: Best for the candidate experience

Coderbyte is a leading platform for technical assessments, interviews, and projects. It’s designed to help organizations evaluate candidates quickly, affordably, and accurately. 

The platform offers a comprehensive solution for conducting technical screenings and assessments, catering to a wide range of programming languages and technologies. 

CoderByte positions itself as the number one platform from the candidate’s point of view. It has built-in tools to compensate candidates for their time and anonymize their test results to eliminate bias from the testers.

Looking for other options? Check out the best Coderbyte alternatives.

Features

• Auto-graded challenges and questions

• Live coding IDE with frameworks, proctoring video, and whiteboard

• Real-world assignments

Rating

4.5 out of 5 from 49 reviews (Capterra)

Pricing

Starts at $141 USD per month

8. iMocha: Best for extensive test library

iMocha is a comprehensive skills assessment platform that offers a skills-first approach to talent decisions. What sets iMocha apart is they have the world's largest skills assessment library with more than 2,500 pre-built tests. 

It aims to help organizations transform into skills-first entities, providing tools for talent acquisition, talent management, and skills intelligence. 

iMocha's AI-powered technology supports up-to-date skills inventory, skill-gap analysis, skills matching, and benchmarking, making it a valuable resource for companies looking to enhance their recruitment process and employee development programs.

Features 

• World’s largest skills library: 2500+ skills tests 

• Skills matching software

• Multi-channel validation combining industry, organizational, and employee-level skill insights

Rating

4.6 out of 5 from 30 reviews (Capterra)

Pricing

Book a demo for pricing details. 

9. Vervoe: Best for AI-powered streamlining

Vervoe is an AI-powered recruitment platform that enables employers to assess coding skills through realistic simulations and technical challenges tailored to specific programming roles. 

With its comprehensive library of online coding assessments, Vervoe supports a wide array of programming languages and integrates seamlessly with ATS systems. 

The platform streamlines the technical hiring process by empowering employers to identify top candidates based on their coding proficiency and problem-solving abilities. You can use it to improve both efficiency and the accuracy of hiring decisions for technical roles.

Features 

• 300 ready-to-use skills assessments

• AI-powered grading and ranking

• Realistic job simulations

• Skills validation and credentialing via API

Rating

4.5 out of 5 from 65 reviews (Capterra)

Pricing

Starts at $228 USD per month

10. CodeSubmit: Best for testing hands-on coding experience

CodeSubmit is a platform offering real-world coding interviews for every stage of the hiring process. 

It evaluates candidates using real tasks instead of abstract puzzles through three main features: take-home challenges, live coding interviews, and early screening tasks. 

Trusted by 1,200 leading organizations worldwide, CodeSubmit provides a library of coding tasks across various programming languages and frameworks, ensuring a natural candidate experience by enabling them to use their own tools and environments. 

The platform integrates with major ATS systems for streamlined candidate tracking.

Features 

• Take-home challenges for in-depth skill assessment

• Live coding interviews to observe real-time problem-solving

• Early screening tasks to filter candidates efficiently

Rating

4.9 out of 5 from 11 reviews (G2) 

Pricing

Starts at $159 USD per month

Conclusion: Our top choice goes to TestGorilla

All 10 online coding assessment tools are attractive options. 

However, TestGorilla stands above the rest (and not because it’s our product). Our solution offers dozens of coding aptitude tests, customizable assessments, and tests available in 12 languages to capture international talent. 

There are also tests for soft skills, features to view and rank applicant results easily, and transparent pricing, including a free forever plan with basic tests.

Overall, it’s an excellent option that we highly suggest trying if you need accurate applicant screening software for coding assessments (and other skills, too) for reducing your cost-to-hire metrics and hiring top talent.

Your next step is to watch a live demo, take a product tour, or jump straight in and sign up for a free forever account today!

Disclaimer: The information on TestGorilla competitors has been taken from the relevant competitor website and is accurate at the date of publication.

Frequently asked questions about coding assessment tools

What is a coding assessment?

A coding assessment is a type of talent assessment designed to evaluate a candidate's programming skills, logic, and problem-solving ability through specific coding tasks or challenges.

How do you assess programming code?

Programming code is assessed based on several criteria, including the efficiency of the solution, code quality (such as readability and use of best practices), correctness, and the ability to solve the problem within given constraints.

You can use the best coding assessment tools to quickly and effectively test developers’ programming ability.

Why are coding assessments important?

Coding assessments are crucial because they provide an objective measure of a candidate's coding skills and proficiency, helping employers identify potential hires who have the necessary technical capabilities for the role.

How do you choose the right coding assessment tool?

Choosing the right coding assessment tool involves considering factors such as the tool's relevance to the job's technical requirements, its ability to simulate real-world programming tasks, ease of use, and the quality of its reporting and feedback mechanisms.

We used all of these factors and more when picking our list of the 10 best coding assessment tools.

How do you test coding?

Coding is tested by presenting candidates with specific programming challenges or tasks and evaluating their submitted solutions for correctness, efficiency, and adherence to coding standards and best practices.