TryHackMe Alternatives (2026)

TryHackMe is great for guided, beginner-friendly cybersecurity learning. If you want a different angle - fixing real vulnerable systems with a portfolio, harder open-ended challenges, or practice beyond security - here are the best alternatives, starting with HeyDevJob.

The best alternatives

HeyDevJob
Fixing real vulnerable production systems and building a portfolio across Security plus six other engineering roles.
TryHackMe teaches via guided rooms; HeyDevJob drops you into real broken/vulnerable systems to fix, and you keep the portfolio.
TryHackMe
Guided, beginner-friendly security learning paths (the original).
Best if you want structured, step-by-step rooms to start from zero.
Hack The Box
Less guided, harder offensive-security and CTF machines.
The natural next step up from TryHackMe for offensive skills.
PortSwigger Web Security Academy
Free, deep web application security labs.
Free and focused on web vulns; not a portfolio.

How to choose

Starting from zero and want guidance? TryHackMe. Ready for harder offensive challenges? Hack The Box. Want free web-appsec depth? PortSwigger. Want to fix real systems and build a portfolio across roles? HeyDevJob.

Practice real Security work

All Security projectsProjects hubSecurity roadmapStep by stepClose a SQL Injection in a Search EndpointSecurity projectNeutralize a Stored XSS in CommentsSecurity project

Common questions

Is there a free TryHackMe alternative?

PortSwigger's Web Security Academy is free, and HeyDevJob's junior tickets are free across every role.

What is the best TryHackMe alternative for real-world skills?

HeyDevJob, if you want to fix real vulnerable systems and show the work on a portfolio.

Why hands-on practice wins

Whichever you choose, the thing that gets you hired is proof you can do the work. On HeyDevJob you fix real broken production systems in a live cloud workspace, and every fix lands on a portfolio a hiring manager can open and click - real work you can show, not just course progress or a certificate of completion. That is the gap most prep tools leave, and the one HeyDevJob is built to close.

Start with real work. Fix a real production system free in a live cloud workspace and start your portfolio.

Start free →