Introducing CodeChef Pro

[admin]

We want to try and build a platform that can sustain itself based on features that the Competitive Programming community finds useful. To do this, we need to build a revenue stream to independently support the platform and CodeChef Pro will be our primary offering.

What is CodeChef Pro?

• CodeChef Pro is a paid subscription which enhances your learning and practice experience.
• We have introduced some beta features over the last few months which we had announced will become paid in the future - like Doubt Support, WA Test Cases - these will become a part of Pro. Some other features like Hints, Video Editorials, Ads-Free have also been added. You can read more about them here.
• In case you find these features useful, you can consider Upgrading to Pro.
• We have currently launched a 2 week window to allow existing users to Upgrade to Pro at a 50% discounted price of Rs. 1999 / year (that’s Rs. 167 / month). Post 7th August, Pro will be available for Rs. 3999 / year.

What if I don’t upgrade to CodeChef Pro?

• Unlimited Practice and Contest participation will always continue to be free.
• We have sufficient free resources on the platform to help you in your CP journey.
• We expect the majority of our users to always use our platform for free. We will necessarily keep improving both our Free and Pro offerings.
• Contests will always be a level-playing field for all users.
• Comparison of Free v/s Pro features can be found here. The paid features will become unavailable to non-Pro users from 7th August.

CodeChef Pro launches on the 7th of August.

Note: For users outside India, CodeChef Pro will be available a few weeks later.

[kshitij603]

(post deleted by author)

[notmotivated]

All the features that have been free are still free. They are just adding new paid features

edit: It looks like they have added Ads

[dawnshard]

Does this mean that we will get ads now? If the ads are annoying enough, most people will leave the website, since no other CP platform, as far as I know, has ads. The only somewhat useful feature is the WA debugging, even that in the long run is not good, as it will foster bad habits.

[bandiforces]

We are getting ads from pretty long time though

[admin]

Ads have been present on the website for the last couple of months. If haven’t noticed them, then there’ll be no practical change for you on that front.

[anon12305781]

1 year back codechef was so nice, now dirty distracting ads also now we need to pay for looking at video solutions also. great!!! Atleast remove ads for free users, I hope this site runs while adblock is ON.

IMP** On codechef long challanges are full of cheating you should remove it first, every long contest solution is somehow made public on YT.

[anon12305781]

yes you are right, we should think by ourselves for the edge cases that builds understanding. In long run it will harm the skills of chefs

[kshitij603]

• Ads can be removed using ad blocker.

• Video solution can be provided by individuals who can explain way better than you.

• WA debugging in not good as suggested by @dawnshard

• Your doubt support is useless.

• We don’t need hints this website is for CP not for learning that we’ll need to get hint

[dangal_123]

Actually I am not surprised , these is quite expected from cheater-chef , ooh sorry sorry Codechef . Just one more advice to the authority , what if contest participations are also included in paid subscription , think on it . Shame on CC .

[admin]

• Video editorials will be available for free for 24 hours after a contest, so that contest participants can learn from it.
• They will be become part of Premium after those 24 hours, and so users who want an enhanced Practice-experience using VEs will have to get Premium.
• As has been explicitly mentioned, contests will never be paid.
• If trying to sustain an organization to keep it running is shameful, then yeah, shame on us.

[kshitij603]

I’m so surprised how codechef went from not-for-profit to only-for-profit few years after acquisition by Unacademy.

[codingmaster08]

Only greedy approach ha …

[admin]

I’d call it the amortized analysis of some greedy algo - where the revenue from Pro is used to offset the expenditure in other areas

[dchandrasekhar]

There’s nothing wrong with introducing Pro in my opinion as long as the basic features like unlimited practicing, submissions, editorials and discuss remains free. A lot of money is required to conduct contests (to pay contest writers, server costs).

[anon12305781]

CC should give a special star to premium accounts just to show off. Like profile has neon color effects if subscription is taken

[surajmsharma]

Hey @anon12305781

Thank you for the suggestion

Do you mean something like this? (Please check the attached screenshot).

We are already displaying badges against premium users’ usernames on the profile, ratings and contests rankings pages. It will be displayed at more places in the coming months. Do let us know if you like this.

[codetantra]

Will pro users will have access to the WA debug feature in contests and free users wont? Wouldn’t that be an unfair advantage?

[admin]

From the main post:
“Contests will always be a level-playing field for all users.”

So, no, definitely not.