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 VulnHub Alternatives ranked by AI · updated Aug 2026
VulnHub is a community platform offering downloadable vulnerable virtual machines for security practice. It is aimed at learners and penetration testers who want to build isolated labs and solve machines independently.
Top 6 VulnHub alternatives
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
HackerBot is an educational cybersecurity assistant and reference service for beginners and ethical hackers. It provides hacking tutorials, security information, and practical...
Pros
- More approachable for beginners than full lab platforms
- Combines cybersecurity explanations with practical reference material
- Covers a broad range of ethical-hacking topics in one place
Cons
- Less structured and hands-on than Hack The Box or TryHackMe
- Limited challenge depth compared with dedicated penetration-testing labs
- May require external tools and environments for practical exercises
4
PwnTillDawn Online Battlefield
PwnTillDawn
PwnTillDawn is an online penetration-testing and cybersecurity training platform built around vulnerable machines and practical attack scenarios. It is aimed at learners...
Pros
- Provides hands-on vulnerable-machine scenarios rather than only guided lessons
- Supports practical reconnaissance, exploitation, and post-exploitation workflows
- Offers a gamified progression system for individual learners
Cons
- Less structured for beginners than TryHackMe
- Smaller learning ecosystem than Hack The Box
- Documentation and walkthrough coverage can vary by machine
Free; paid access options available
OverTheWire provides a series of war games that can help you learn and practice security concepts.
Pros
- Progressive difficulty levels
- Educational focus
Cons
- Less interactive than other platforms
- Older interface design
6
PortSwigger Web Security Academy
PortSwigger
PortSwigger Web Security Academy is a free web-application security training platform for developers, testers, and penetration testers. It combines detailed lessons with...
Pros
- More authoritative and technically detailed for web security than HackerBot
- Interactive labs cover current web-application vulnerability classes
- Completely free, including the core learning content
Cons
- Much narrower than HackerBot outside web application security
- Requires more independent study than TryHackMe
- Less useful for network, cloud, or general security topics
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