Evidence-Based SQL Hiring

Stop hiring SQL developers on
multiple-choice quizzes.

Assess every candidate in a live PostgreSQL environment using production-realistic industry data. Measure SQL correctness, efficiency, speed, and problem-solving automatically — and receive reproducible evidence rather than résumé claims.

Post Your First Assessment → See How It Works →

Your analysts will never reverse
a linked list on the job.

LeetCode / HackerRank

  • Algorithmic puzzles
  • Data structures (heaps, trees, graphs)
  • Big-O optimization
  • Problems nobody sees in data work
  • Scores that predict nothing about SQL ability

HireSQL

  • JOINs across 3+ tables
  • Window functions and CTEs
  • Aggregations and GROUP BY logic
  • NULL handling and edge cases
  • Real business questions on real data
  • The exact queries they will write on day one

Three steps. Twenty minutes.
Real signal.

01

You build the assessment

Choose an industry dataset — banking, healthcare, fintech, or more. Select which SQL challenges to include. Set the time limit. Done in 2 minutes.

02

Candidate gets a live database

Every candidate receives a unique link. They open it and get a live PostgreSQL database with thousands of realistic rows. No setup. No install. Just SQL.

03

You get real signal

Score, time on task, and trap detection analytics per candidate. See exactly which queries they got right, which shortcuts they tried, and how they think about data.

What the results look like

Candidate Score Time Traps Certified
⭐ Jane Doe 94/100 18 min 0 RealityDB SQL Analyst ✓
John Smith 71/100 31 min 2 —
Alex Chen 88/100 22 min 1 —
Maria Santos 79/100 28 min 0 —
David Kim 45/100 41 min 4 —

⭐ = RealityDB certified candidate. Certification verified in real-time.

Production-realistic industry environments

🏦 Fintech & Payments 🏥 Healthcare 🧬 Clinical Research 🛒 E-Commerce 🌐 SaaS & Subscriptions 🪨 SQL Debugging & Traps

Each is a live PostgreSQL environment with thousands of rows, 100% referential integrity, and realistic distributions — not random data. Candidates query the same shapes they will meet on the job.

Simple company pricing

Per company. No per-candidate fees. Unlimited candidate invitations.

Starter

$79

/month

or $790/yr — save $158
  • Up to 25 assessments/month
  • Live PostgreSQL environments
  • Production-realistic industry datasets
  • Automatic scoring
  • Timing analytics
  • Candidate reports
  • Email support
Get Started →
Most Popular

Growth

$249

/month

or $2,490/yr — save $498
  • Everything in Starter, plus:
  • Up to 250 assessments/month
  • Team dashboard (5 recruiters)
  • Organization analytics
  • Trap detection
  • Certified candidate filtering
  • CSV export
  • Priority support (4hr response)
Get Started →

Enterprise

Custom

contact us

  • Everything in Growth, plus:
  • Unlimited assessments and recruiter seats
  • ATS integrations (Greenhouse, Lever, Workday, Ashby)
  • SSO and SCIM
  • API access
  • Custom assessment libraries
  • Custom datasets
  • Audit logs
  • Dedicated onboarding
  • Enterprise SLA
Contact Sales →

FAQ

How is this different from HackerRank or LeetCode?
HackerRank and LeetCode test algorithmic problem-solving — heaps, trees, dynamic programming. Useful for software engineers. Not useful for data analysts. HireSQL tests SQL against realistic industry data — the actual queries your analysts will write on day one.
What does a candidate experience?
Candidates receive a link. They click it and get a live PostgreSQL database pre-loaded with thousands of rows of realistic industry data. They write SQL in a browser-based editor. No setup, no install, no account required. Results are submitted automatically when time expires or they click Submit.
Can candidates cheat?
HireSQL uses realistic datasets with trap detection — queries designed to catch copy-paste shortcuts and reveal whether the candidate actually understands the data. Score alone does not tell the full story — trap analytics show how they think.
How long does an assessment take?
You set the time limit when building the assessment — typically 20 to 45 minutes. Candidates see the countdown in their browser.
What industries are available?
Fintech and Payments, Healthcare, Clinical Research, E-Commerce, SaaS and Subscriptions, and a SQL Debugging environment built from deliberately messy data. New environments are added regularly.
Do candidates need to know a specific SQL dialect?
Assessments use standard PostgreSQL. Skills learned in PostgreSQL transfer directly to Snowflake, BigQuery, Redshift, and most enterprise platforms.
What is a RealityDB certified candidate?
Candidates who have passed a RealityDB Academy certification exam are flagged in your results dashboard. You can filter for certified candidates only — they have already proven their SQL skills in a separate proctored exam.
Is there a free trial?
Yes. Create your first assessment and invite up to 3 candidates at no cost. No credit card required to start. Email [email protected] to activate your free trial.