ADPList Alternative? DesignPath and ADPList Compared
ADPList alternative is the wrong frame for most designers: ADPList and DesignPath solve different parts of growth. Here is what each does, checked on 27 October 2026, and when to use which.
ADPList Alternative: The Short Answer
ADPList is the largest mentorship community for designers: free to start, with 39,000+ approved mentors and 588,000+ members as of October 2026, and live sessions whose length depends on the mentor. DesignPath is a growth system: it measures your skills against your target role, builds a free learning path, and adds written mentor reviews of your work.
DesignPath vs ADPList, Side by Side
| What we compared | DesignPath | ADPList |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A career growth system for product and UX/UI designers: skills assessment, personalised learning path, free courses with practice, and mentor feedback on real work. | A global mentorship community where designers and other tech professionals book 1:1 sessions with volunteer mentors. |
| Price | Free plan. Premium $9.99 a month or $99 a year (7-day free trial on yearly). Written mentor reviews from $25 each. | Free to start, with free sessions available (ADPList homepage). Some services go through a checkout. |
| Free to use | Designer archetype test, skills assessments graded Junior to Lead, competence matrix, personalised growth plan, 103+ free courses with unlimited practice tasks. | 1:1 mentor sessions with many mentors. |
| Skills assessment | Yes: 51 skills in 9 categories, scored against targets for 6 design roles at 4 levels. | No skills assessment on the platform pages we checked. |
| Learning path | Yes: your widest gaps against your target role decide which themes come first. | No personalised learning path. |
| Practice | Yes: every course has practice tasks. | No course practice; you bring your own work to sessions. |
| Mentor feedback | Written feedback on your real work within 48 hours (paid per review). | Live 1:1 sessions; the median completed session is 30 minutes (ADPList, August 2026). |
| Certificates | Shareable certificates on Premium. | No course certificates. |
| Best for | Junior and mid-level designers who want to know their level, close the right gaps first and get feedback on real work. | Designers who want live conversations with experienced people, career advice and portfolio opinions. |
Sources and dates are listed at the end of the page. Prices change: check each site before you pay.
Where ADPList Is Stronger
- Live conversations with a huge choice of mentors: 39,000+ approved mentors.
- Free sessions for many topics, from portfolios to changing roles.
- A community in 160+ countries.
Where DesignPath Is Different
- A structured measurement first: 51 skills against targets for your role and level.
- A learning path with 103+ free courses and practice tasks between sessions.
- Written reviews of your actual work within 48 hours, so feedback is in writing and specific.
Using ADPList and DesignPath Together
Use DesignPath to find your widest gaps and practise on them, then bring one case study and one question to an ADPList session. Our founder Olesia Borysova is a verified ADPList mentor.
Try the Free UI/UX Skills Assessment and More
Free UI/UX Skills Assessment
Score 51 skills against your target role and level.
Free UI/UX skills assessmentPersonalised UX Design Learning Path
Your widest gaps decide what you learn first.
Personalised UX design learning pathADPList Alternative: Frequently Asked Questions
Is ADPList Free?
ADPList says it is free to start, with free sessions available. Availability and session length depend on each mentor.
Is There an Alternative to ADPList for Designers?
For live mentoring, paid marketplaces such as MentorCruise exist. For measuring skills, a learning path and written reviews of your work, DesignPath covers what ADPList does not.
How Many Mentors Are on ADPList?
ADPList reports 39,000+ approved mentors and 588,000+ members as of 26 October 2026.
Sources
- ADPList, homepage (checked 27.10.2026). adplist.org/
- ADPList, The State of Mentorship 2026 (figures as of 26.10.2026). adplist.org/state-of-mentorship