Hack The Box is an online platform that allows you to test your penetration testing and cybersecurity skills in a simulated environment.
Free/Paid
Best PicoCTF Alternatives ranked by AI · updated May 2025
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A capture the flag competition aimed at middle and high school students to introduce cybersecurity concepts
Price: Free
Top 6 PicoCTF alternatives
An online competition where participants solve cybersecurity challenges
TryHackMe is a browser-based cybersecurity training platform for beginners through advanced learners. Its guided rooms and interactive virtual labs teach networking, penetration...
Pros
- More interactive hands-on practice than CodeRed
- Clear learning paths for beginners and career switchers
- Browser-based labs require little local setup
Cons
- Some advanced content is less comprehensive than Hack The Box Academy
- Free access excludes many of the strongest rooms
- Guided exercises can provide less realism than independent lab environments
Freemium, Premium from about $10.75/mo billed annually
4
hackU
hackU
hackU is an online cybersecurity training platform built around hands-on hacking exercises and security labs. It is aimed at aspiring ethical hackers...
Pros
- Hands-on security exercises rather than theory-only lessons
- Designed around practical ethical-hacking skills
- More focused on cybersecurity than general coding platforms
Cons
- Smaller public ecosystem than TryHackMe or Hack The Box
- Less independently documented course coverage
- Pricing and plan details are not clearly published
CyberGordon is an online cybersecurity training platform built around hands-on exercises and practical security challenges. It is intended for learners developing skills...
Pros
- Hands-on cybersecurity exercises rather than lecture-only content
- Covers practical offensive and defensive security skills
- Suitable for learners building an applied cybersecurity portfolio
Cons
- Less widely documented and supported by the community than TryHackMe or Hack The Box
- Pricing and plan details are not clearly published
- May offer fewer structured learning paths than larger training platforms
Parrot CTFs is a browser-based cybersecurity challenge platform from the Parrot Security team. It is aimed at learners and security practitioners who...
Pros
- Free access lowers the barrier for learners
- Challenges complement the Parrot OS security-tool ecosystem
- Covers practical CTF-style security tasks
Cons
- Smaller challenge library than Hack The Box or TryHackMe
- Less structured learning content than guided training platforms
- Limited public information about progression, reporting, and platform features
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