Pathrise is a popular job search mentoring website for candidates in software engineering, product management, strategy, operations, data, marketing, and sales.

However, there is a fierce debate on platforms such as Reddit as to whether or not Pathrise is worth it.

In this article, we'll summarize the arguments on both sides and try and give a balanced picture of whether Pathrise is a worthwhile option.

We'll also list some good alternatives, most of which will cost you much less in the long-term.

Here's an overview:

• Pathrise review: is it worth it?
• Pathrise pricing: how much will it end up costing you?
• Top 3 Pathrise alternatives
• Pathrise alternatives if you’re looking for a career accelerator program
• Pathrise alternatives for job search coaching
• Pathrise alternatives for resume review
• Pathrise alternatives for interview coaching
• Pathrise alternatives for salary negotiation coaching
• Pathrise alternatives if you want an engineering job
• Pathrise alternatives if you want a product manager job
• Pathrise alternatives if you want a marketing job
• Pathrise alternatives if you’re looking for consulting job
• Pathrise alternatives for graduates

Let's go!

1. How Pathrise works

Pathrise is a career accelerator for people looking for jobs in software engineering, product management, strategy, operations, data, marketing, and sales. Through a mix of 1-1 and group mentorship, learning resources, and coaching, the idea is that it will help you land your dream job. What makes it an attractive proposition for many people is that you don't pay anything until you get the job (more on that later!).

Here's how the process works, step-by-step.

Stage 1: Application (1-2 weeks)

You apply to Pathrise via their website, uploading your resume and linking to your LinkedIn profile. You sign up for a specific industry track, for example, "Software engineering" or "Product, Strategy & Operations".

Pathrise will then assess if they think their program can successfully help you get a job. If not, they'll turn down your application. They should get back to you within two weeks to let you know either way.

Stage 2: Free trial (2 weeks)

Upon joining, you can try their service for 2 weeks on a free trial. According to one user, the free trial includes "a 45 minute 1-on-1 with an industry mentor, a 30 minute 1-on-1 with a resume specialist, and access to live group sessions on various topics."

Once you've finished the trial, you'll need to think carefully. If you continue after the free trial but later want to cancel, you'll need to pay $250 each week that you've been a part of the program (although this seems to be negotiable depending on your circumstances).

Stage 3: Program (8 weeks)

If you decide to go ahead, you’ll commit to a regular 8-week regimen. During this period, you'll be able to access up to 2 hours per week of mentoring. This could take the form of resume coaching, working out a study plan for your skills improvement, practicing interviews (coding, technical, behavioral, etc), mindset coaching, salary negotiation, or even therapy. You'll also have a Pathrise recruiter applying for jobs on your behalf.

You'll also be expected to work on your own. Pathrise says that users do an average of 10 hours of individual work per week. Pathrise gives you a lot of resources to help you learn skills in your field as well as general job search skills and tools.

Stage 4: Ongoing support

After these weekly sessions, you’ll continue to receive 1-on-1 support and attend workshops and other learning sessions until you land a job within 12 months (hopefully!).

2. Pathrise review: Picking through the arguments

I haven't tried the Pathrise myself and so can't give a review of my personal experience. What I'm aiming to do with this article, is present a summary of the most trustworthy first-hand accounts that are available, and thereby help you make an informed decision (and save yourself a lot of time trawling through forums!).

There are a lot of strong opinions online about Pathrise. If you go to Reddit, the verdict is overwhelmingly negative. However, on TrustPilot, most of the reviews are 5-stars, from satisfied customers (with the odd angry one-star review thrown in). Below, I've done my best to summarize the arguments in a balanced way.

2.1 Pathrise: the arguments in favor

No upfront payment: This is the main reason people are attracted to Pathrise. Only having to pay if you're successful can seem like a great deal. After all, what's better, no paycheck or getting a good paycheck but having to give a fraction of it away for the first 12 months?

Of course, if and when you do get that job, you'll have to pay a significantly higher amount for the services you've received from Pathrise than if you had used a pay-upfront service. But, depending on your situation, that could be a deal worth taking.

Some great mentors.

2.3 Pathrise: the arguments against

• Pricing: The actual pay-on-result fees are not available on the website. Some reviews estimate Pathrise's pricing to be 5% to 9% of your first annual income, while the website estimates it at 7% to 14%, either of which most consider to be quite high. 
• Lock-in program: Pathrise requires candidates to commit to a 12-month contract to qualify for the waived fee in case you don’t land a job. This means if you exit after the 2-week free trial or before the end of the 12-month agreement for whatever reason, you’ll have to pay a fee.
• No option to pick and choose services: The Pathrise program is a complete job search mentoring package. If you already have an interview lined up and only need interview practice sessions with a coach, it might not be a good fit for your needs.
• No option for next-day coaching: The application for Pathrise can take up to two weeks, which may not be ideal if you need interview coaching ASAP.
• No option to choose mentor: Upon application, the coach assigned to you will depend on the track you choose.

With these Pathrise limitations in mind, we’ve drawn up a shortlist of what we think are the three best coaching services available right now for candidates who want to improve their chances of getting a top job.

However, we know that coaching isn’t a one-size-fits-all. So we’ve also listed some more good options that respond to different needs and profiles.

Browse over 300 coaches and mentors on IGotAnOffer

3. Pathrise pricing: How much will it cost you?

Some reviews estimate Pathrise's pricing to be 5% to 9% of your first annual income, while the website estimates it at 7% to 14%, either of which most consider to be quite high. 

4. Top 3 Pathrise alternatives

#IGotAnOffer

Okay, we may be biased here, but a 4.95 average star rating from over 10k reviews is hard to ignore.

IGotAnOffer is a coaching platform where you can book career coaching/mentoring, leadership coaching, interview coaching, or even resume coaching sessions.

Whichever career moment you're in, be it trying to land a top job, aiming for a promotion, thinking about a transition, or simply wanting to develop key skills, you'll find plenty of coaches ready to help you. 

There are over 200 coaches/mentors on the platform and they’ve all worked at the very top companies in their industry (e.g. Google, Meta, McKinsey, etc.). Most of the coaches specialize in tech, especially product management and engineering, but it also offers a range of finance and consulting coaches.

Unlike Pathrise, IGotAnOffer doesn’t have a comprehensive job search mentoring program and a pay-on-result policy. But if you feel you only need coaching in one or two aspects of the job search, whether it’s for your resume or your interviewing skills, IGotAnOffer is the ideal option. Plus, you don’t need to be locked into a 12-month agreement.

To find a coach, browse our selection, click on a coach’s profile so you can instantly see their hourly availability, something that you can’t do on Pathrise. Prices are clearly displayed before you book and if you’re not satisfied with your session, you get a full refund.

Click here to browse hundreds of coaches/mentors on IGotAnOffer

#PathUp

PathUp offers a 1:1 Job Search coaching program for professionals looking to improve their job search strategy. Its primary goal is to help clients improve their job application skills. 

The program is pretty in-depth, similar to Pathrise. The biggest difference is that PathUp doesn’t have the pay-on-result option. Before coaching, you’ll get an analysis of your job search, which will help your coach identify where you might need to improve, whether it’s with how you craft your resume or cover letter or present your career stories during interviews. You have 3 packages to choose from: a 3-month, 6-month, or 9-month program depending on your needs. The packages look a bit pricey, but the company offers a 2-month payment plan to make it easier on the pocket. Unlike Pathrise, PathUp offers single coaching sessions if you don’t have the budget or time to commit to a long-term program. 

The website only profiles founder and lead coach Teresa Lee, but not the company’s team of coaches. So if you want the flexibility of choosing your own coach, you might not have that option here.

#Formation.dev

Formation.dev offers a comprehensive tech interview prep program (SWE Fellowship) for experienced software engineers. It specifically targets those who want to land mid-level or senior frontend, backend, and full-stack roles at top-tier companies. 

It is unique from other tech interview prep platforms because it uses patented AI tech to benchmark your skills, adjusting your learning path as you go through the program.  Being as comprehensive as it is, the fellowship is quite pricey. But unlike Pathrise, Formation.dev has its pricing and payment options published on the website. They offer two types of memberships: monthly and unlimited. Both have the same inclusions: unlimited mock interviews and job search and career coaching, prep for every interview type, and targeted practice.

3.1 Pathrise alternatives if you’re looking for a career accelerator program

We’ve already introduced a career accelerator program similar to what Pathrise offers, but here are two more websites that offer similar comprehensive programs.

#Hi Counselor

Hi Counselor offers a pay-on-result career accelerator program similar to Pathrise in the following career tracks: software engineering, product management, sales, and data science. Lilling courses are included in either package.

They offer a choice of two packages, Starter and Advanced, which vary in the number of included mentoring and coaching sessions and hence in the price. The packages include upskilling courses, 1-on-1 mock interview sessions, salary negotiation advice, and other forms of support meant to help you land a job at top companies. However, you won’t find any info on the upskilling courses for your industry track. You’ll have to sign up for an info session to find out more about any program you’re interested in.

#Interview Kickstart

Interview Kickstart offers comprehensive tech interview prep programs for experienced engineers who want to land jobs at top tech companies. They offer 4 different programs with different timelines, so you can choose which timeline best suits your own schedule and the domain you’d like to work in.

Each program will include self-paced or live level-up courses on your domain, 1-on-1 mentoring and mock interview sessions, unlimited coaching sessions and visa assistance if needed. You’ll also get advice on your resume writing, personal branding, and salary negotiation. The curriculum is quite rigorous but they will tailor the courses to your schedule. That said, you’ll still have to devote a lot of time and energy to take full advantage of the program.

Unlike Pathrise, they don’t have a pay-on-result option. If you do well in the program but still don’t land a job within the post-program support period, you qualify for a 50% tuition fee refund. To learn about the cost and other information on your chosen program, you’ll need to attend their free webinar.

3.2 Best Pathrise alternatives for job search coaching

#Placement.com

Placement.com works on a credits-based system, meaning you buy credits and use them to book your coaching sessions. Each coach has a different rate, so you’ll have to decide the best credit package to purchase or get advice from the company itself. You can’t choose your coach with Placement.com. They will make the match for you.

#IGotAnOffer

IGotAnOffer specializes int tech, consulting, or finance, so if you're targeting a role in one of these industries. You can search by company, role, specialty, timezone, etc, and book a timeslot that suits you. There are well over 200 coaches on the platform, you’ll definitely find a coach who can guide you through your chosen field.

3.3 Best Pathrise alternatives for resume review services

#Prepfully

The written review is a much more cost-effective option at $79. But if you’re looking to transition into a completely different role, you might want to consider the resume review call, as your plan of action requires thoroughly restructuring your resume. 

A possible downside to this is that for either service, you can’t choose who reviews your resume–you can only choose between a recruiter and a domain expert. The rate may also vary for the resume review call, depending on the seniority of your resume reviewer and your target company. At IGotAnOffer, a single resume review session is priced at $149 and you get to choose your coach as well.

#HireClub

For the resume review, you get a 30-minute consultation with a coach, during which you’ll go over your current resume together and come up with an actionable plan to improve it. After your review session, you should be able to turn your resume into an ATS-friendly resume tailored to your target position.

If you’re getting the resume rewrite service, you get 3 sessions with your resume coach. The first 30 minutes the two of you should discuss your career goals and targeted role. You will then get 2 more feedback sessions (15 minutes each) with your coach as you refine your resume.

3.4. Pathrise alternatives for interview coaching

#IGotAnOffer

On IGotAnOffer, you’ll find hundreds of coaches from top companies across many roles offering interview coaching, from software engineers, data scientists, product managers, to consultants. If you’ve got a specific company you’re targeting, you can choose a coach who has worked there. They can give you real-world insights on what it will take to ace an interview in your target company.

You can search by company, role, specialty, timezone, etc, and book a timeslot that suits you. There are well over 200 interview coaches on the platform, all highly qualified, so plenty to choose from. Unlike Pathrise, you can book a next-day session with a mentor at IGotAnOffer. No need to wait for your account application to push through before you meet with a mentor. 

#MentorCruise

MentorCruise is much more well-known for its long-term career mentorship programs. If you’re seeking interview coaching sessions, they do have those as well. Simply search for the particular service you want, and you’ll get a list of coaches offering your specific needs. The services range from $40-$189 for single sessions, and up to $500 if you’re opting for the long-term packages.

To assess whether you only need a single coaching session or a more long-term mentorship, you can opt for the 20-minute introductory call for $39. They also have a 7-day free trial to help you assess whether a specific mentor is a good match.

Find out more about MentorCruise and alternatives.

#Interviewing.io

Interviewing.io is unique in that it offers total anonymity for its mock interview sessions. Also, some of their interview guides are superbly written and go into excellent detail. If you’ve got the budget to spare and you’re focused on getting hired at Amazon, Google, or Meta, their multi-session dedicated coaching might be a good investment. This package pairs you with a senior interviewer from your target company who can tailor a lesson plan for you.

Learn more about Interviewing.io and other good alternative mock interview websites

3.5 Best Pathrise alternatives for salary negotiation coaching

#The Salary Negotiator

The Salary Negotiator is as its name suggests–it’s a website that offers salary negotiation assistance, whether it’s through coaching or courses. Like Pathrise, you only pay once you get a result, so in The Salary Negotiator’s case, if you get an increase, that’s when you pay. If you don’t get an increase, then the service is free.

Unlike Pathrise, The Salary Negotiator is upfront with how its pay-on-result pricing works. An example they give on the website is if you get a $10,000 increase in your first year’s total compensation (whether that includes an increase in your base salary, bonuses, or equity), The Salary Negotiator will charge you a one-time fee of 7%, which will amount to $700. 

The biggest disadvantage is that you could end up paying hundreds or even a thousand dollars for the coaching service, depending on the increase you get. Unlike on IGotAnOffer, where a 1-hr salary negotiation coaching session is priced at $149.

#The Job Sauce

The Job Sauce provides career development and recruitment services. For individual candidates, they offer resume writing packages, resume reviews, interview coaching, and salary negotiation coaching. According to their website, they’ve successfully helped candidates negotiate a higher salary over 90% of the time. Apart from your base salary, The Job Sauce will help you negotiate for better benefits.

As for the pricing, The Job Sauce requires a small deposit and then a one-time payment (a percentage of your increase).  The actual percentages for both deposit and one-time payment are not published on the website, so you will have to schedule a consultation to find out more.

3.6 Best Pathrise alternatives if you’re looking for engineering coaches

#TryExponent

TryExponent is one of the leading platforms for tech candidates looking to land their dream job. The site is packed full of resources and while it’s mainly known for its courses, it also does interview coaching. You’ll find a good range of software engineer or PM coaches with experience at top FAANG companies. 

However, the price is a bit high. In fact, if you go to IGotAnOffer instead you can often book a session with the exact same coach for $60 less!

#Engineer Seeking FIRE

Engineer Seeking FIRE is primarily a blog that aims to help professionals in tech achieve FIRE (Financial Independence and Retire Early). It’s run by an engineer who has worked as an SWE, PM, and TPM at Amazon and Microsoft, and has an MBA from Kellogg School of Management. More importantly, he has grown his career and personal finance to achieve FIRE at the age of 40, so he definitely knows what he’s talking about.

You can learn directly from the man himself by booking him for a personalized coaching session, whether it’s for a mock interview, a resume/LinkedIn review, or career coaching. Otherwise, you can read his blog if you’re looking to learn more about personal finance and other career-related advice. 

His rates are not disclosed on the website, but he’s easy to reach online on his various social media platforms and email.

Click here to check out our list of the best tech career coaching services.

3.7 Pathrise alternatives if you’re looking for product manager coaches

#IGotAnOffer Product Management Interview Coaching

IGotAnOffer has 50+ product management coaches, almost all of whom have worked at one or Meta, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Netflix, and other top tech companies. If your goal is to improve your chances of getting a PM job at a FAANG or similar tech company, you’ll likely find an expert coach here who can give you insight specific to the company you’re targeting.

Click on a coach’s profile and you can instantly see their hourly availability and book your online session in just a few clicks, unlike on Pathrise. Prices are clearly displayed before you book. No need to sign up for a 12-month program and if you’re not satisfied with your session, you get a full refund.

#Product Refinery

What we find interesting about The Product Refinery is that it’s focused on providing coaching services for product people. Its small roster of coaches has worked in startups, scale-ups, and big enterprises in a variety of industries so you can easily find a coach who shares your background or interest. 

The website offers three ways to engage with a coach. You can opt for a one-off session, or if you’re working through a single challenge like improving your job search strategy, they recommend a package with a set number of sessions with a coach. If you want a longer-term coaching relationship (and have the budget for it), you can go for the retainer package. Product Refinery coaching is particularly suited for PMs who are keen to level up on their next job search.

If you want more PM-specific coaching options, check out our list of the best product management coaching services.

3.8 Best Pathrise alternatives if you’re looking for consulting coaches

#IGotAnOffer Case Interview Coaching

IGotAnOffer has 60+ consulting coaches, almost all of whom have worked at Bain, BCG, McKinsey and other top firms. If your goal is to improve your chances of getting a consulting job at any of these companies, you’ll likely find an expert coach here who can give you insider insight on how to stand out as a candidate.

Click on a coach’s profile and you can instantly see their hourly availability and book your online session in just a few clicks, unlike on Pathrise. Prices are clearly displayed before you book. No need to sign up for a 12-month program and if you’re not satisfied with your session, you get a full refund.

#MyConsultingCoach

MyConsultingCoach is a coaching website dedicated to consulting candidates. It only chooses consulting coaches who have coaching experience and have worked for at least two years and have been promoted during their tenure at McKinsey, BCG, or Bain.

Unlike Pathrise, MyConsultingCoach has different coaching packages. You can choose to get a single session or multiple sessions. You’ll need to apply to get into the program, and there’s no guarantee you’ll get in unless you’re deemed to be a strong candidate. So if you can’t afford to wait for your admission to such a program, you can instead look for McKinsey, Bain or BCG coaches at IGotAnOffer, whom you can book for next-day sessions.

4. Pathrise FAQs

If we did a good job writing this article, you should have found something in the list above that responds to your specific needs better than Pathrise.

If you didn’t, it might be that Pathrise is the best fit for you after all. Particularly if you’re looking for a mock interview website that offers anonymity and you can afford to wait to get an invite to sign up.

To help you make your final decision, let’s cover the Pathrise basics.

4.1 What is Pathrise?

Pathrise is a popular job search mentoring website for candidates in software engineering, product management, strategy, operations, data, marketing, and sales. Their program entails an 8-week learning module, plus continuous 1-on-1 support and workshops throughout the 12-month agreement period. You’ll only need to pay once you get a job within the 12 months you’re in the program. If you don’t get a job within those 12 months, your fee is waived.

4.2 Is Pathrise any good?

Yes, Pathrise is generally considered to be a good service, judging by user reviews on the website. However, some candidates feel it’s a bit too pricey even as a pay-on-result service. Plus, if you opt out after the 2-week trial and before the 12-month agreement, you’ll be charged a fee.

4.3 What's Pathrise's pricing like?

The exact pricing for Pathrise's pay-on-result fee is not disclosed on the website, but they estimate it at 7-14% of your first annual income. They offer two types of income-based repayment agreements to make the program more accessible.

4.4 Who is the founder of Pathrise?

Pathrise was founded by Kevin Wu, who now serves as the company’s CEO as well as one of its career mentors. Before founding Pathrise, Wu worked at top tech companies including Yelp and Salesforce, created a study app, and directed an award-winning nonprofit for SWE student volunteers.

4.5 Who are Pathrise’s competitors?

Other competitors to Pathrise that we haven't included in this article would be:

Personal Career Management is a UK-based career management company that offers a comprehensive job search program that provides hours of 1-on-1 career coaching, job search strategy, interview prep, networking and personal branding techniques, salary negotiation, and more. 

JobSearchCoach offers different job hunter packages at various price points. It has a ‘career copilot’ package which includes multiple coaching sessions, mock interviews, advice on job search strategy, resume, and cover letter among other job search resources.

5. Conclusion

Pathrise is a good job search coaching platform, with a unique pay-on-result program and full of interesting and experienced people offering their expertise.

But is it the best option for you? Only you can decide that, although hopefully in this article we’ve helped you make a more informed decision.

Whichever coaching platform you do choose, we hope you’ll also consider IGotAnOffer.

You’ll find over 200 expert coaches on our platform, and you can search by industry, role, or company to get the right match for you. You can see the coaches' hourly availability and book your online session in a couple of clicks. No 12-month commitment, 100% money-back guarantee.