Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

PentesterLab VS Hacker101

Compare PentesterLab VS Hacker101 and see what are their differences

PentesterLab logo PentesterLab

Learn all about web hacking through online courses spanning the basics to advanced vulnerabilities

Hacker101 logo Hacker101

Hacker101 is a free class for web security. Whether youโ€™re a programmer with an interest in bug bounties or a seasoned security professional, Hacker101 has something to teach you.
  • PentesterLab Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-08-16
  • Hacker101 Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-07

PentesterLab features and specs

  • Comprehensive Learning
    PentesterLab offers a wide range of practical exercises and challenges that cover various aspects of web application security, providing users with a comprehensive learning experience.
  • Hands-On Labs
    The platform provides hands-on labs that simulate real-world scenarios, enabling learners to practice and enhance their penetration testing skills in a controlled environment.
  • Beginner to Advanced Content
    PentesterLab caters to users of different skill levels by offering content that ranges from beginner to advanced, making it suitable for both novices and experienced professionals.
  • Certificates of Completion
    Users receive certificates of completion after successfully finishing each module, which can be used to demonstrate their skills and knowledge to potential employers.
  • Community Support
    The platform has a community of users and a forum where learners can discuss challenges, share insights, and seek help, fostering a collaborative learning environment.

Possible disadvantages of PentesterLab

  • Subscription Fee
    Access to PentesterLab's full range of content requires a subscription, which may not be affordable for everyone, especially students or hobbyists.
  • Complexity for Beginners
    While the platform offers beginner content, some users may find certain modules challenging if they lack a foundational understanding of networking and programming concepts.
  • Limited Free Content
    Only a small portion of the platform's resources is available for free, which may limit the ability to fully assess the platform before committing to a paid subscription.
  • Self-Paced Learning
    The self-paced nature of the learning process requires users to be highly self-motivated and disciplined, which might not suit everyoneโ€™s learning preference.
  • Requires Technical Setup
    Some of the labs may require specific technical setups or require users to use their own machines, which could pose a barrier for those who are not familiar with these processes.

Hacker101 features and specs

No features have been listed yet.

Analysis of Hacker101

Overall verdict

  • Hacker101 is a strong, well-regarded free resource for learning web application security and bug bounty hunting, backed by HackerOne, making it a credible and practical starting point for aspiring security researchers.

Why this product is good

  • Completely free access to high-quality video lessons and content covering web security fundamentals
  • Created and maintained by HackerOne, a reputable and established name in the bug bounty industry
  • Includes hands-on Capture The Flag (CTF) challenges to practice skills in a legal, safe environment
  • Covers a wide range of topics from basic web vulnerabilities to more advanced exploitation techniques
  • Provides a pathway to real-world bug bounty programs through HackerOne's platform
  • Community-driven with active forums and support for learners
  • Regularly updated with new content to keep pace with evolving security trends

Recommended for

  • Beginners interested in learning web application security and ethical hacking
  • Aspiring bug bounty hunters looking to build practical skills before joining live programs
  • Students and self-learners who prefer free, structured educational content
  • Security enthusiasts wanting hands-on CTF-style practice
  • Developers wanting to understand common vulnerabilities to write more secure code
  • Career changers exploring cybersecurity as a potential profession

PentesterLab videos

THIS IS WHY YOU SHOULD GET A PENTESTERLAB PRO SUBSCRIPTION!

Hacker101 videos

Hacker101 - Secure Architecture Review

More videos:

  • Review - Hacker101 - Source Review
  • Review - Hackthebox, TryHackme, Hacker101: Which one to choose? #hacking #bugbounty

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to PentesterLab and Hacker101)
Security & Privacy
100 100%
0% 0
Training & Education
76 76%
24% 24
Education & Reference
100 100%
0% 0
Education
78 78%
22% 22

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare PentesterLab and Hacker101

PentesterLab Reviews

We have no reviews of PentesterLab yet.
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Hacker101 Reviews

Get Your Cybersecurity Career Started: The Best Websites for Newbies to Practice Cybersecurity
Hacker101 is a free online training platform that provides a comprehensive introduction to ethical hacking. The platform offers a variety of challenges and exercises designed to teach users how to identify and exploit vulnerabilities in web applications. Hacker101 is beginner-friendly and covers topics such as web application security, bug bounty hunting, and more.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, PentesterLab seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 17 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

PentesterLab mentions (17)

  • Diving into Bug Bounty Hunting: My Journey Begins with Resources and Tips for Beginners
    Learning Websites: PortSwigger Web Security Academy - Free, comprehensive web security training. I recommend PortSwigger Academy if you are starting out. Bugcrowd University - Free educational resources for bug bounty hunters. Bugcrowd also provides a platform for the Vulnerability Disclosure Program (VDP) and Bug Bounty Programs (BBP). It is a good place to start your bug bounty hunting by creating an account... - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • Where to start?
    For pentesting, look at the below: - https://portswigger.net/web-security - https://pentesterlab.com/ - https://www.hackthebox.com/. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Seeking Advice and Opinions
    These codes can be useful in different situations. A good site to test out different types of attacks and recon is: http://pentesterlab.com (mind it has a premium subscription plan but u can use it free). Source: almost 4 years ago
  • Simple site Security audit - NoSQL injection, buffer overflow...
    Iโ€™d strongly recommend PentesterLab (https://pentesterlab.com/) as they have very real world examples that should be helpful to you. I have no affiliation with this company, just a fan. Source: about 4 years ago
  • Are there any Computer Science activities for a high schooler in Baton Rouge? Things like hackathons, internships, and volunteering at a programming summer camp!
    Https://www.hackthebox.com/ has free retired boxes to punch and it isn't expensive if you want to access new ones. It is security orientated, but you still have to understand the basics and there are plenty of walk throughs. Proving Ground is another. https://www.offensive-security.com/labs/ pentersterlabs has a free tier https://pentesterlab.com/ https://www.udemy.com/ has free courses for about anything If... Source: about 4 years ago
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Hacker101 mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Hacker101 yet. Tracking of Hacker101 recommendations started around Oct 2023.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing PentesterLab and Hacker101, you can also consider the following products

TryHackMe - TryHackMe is an online platform for learning and teaching cyber security, all through your browser.

Cybrary - Free courses in cyber security

Hack The Box - An online platform to test and advance your skills in penetration testing and cyber security.

VulnHub - VulnHub provides materials allowing anyone to gain practical hands-on experience with digital security, computer applications and network administration tasks.

PwnTillDawn Online Battlefield - PwnTillDawn Online Battlefield is an online platform that allows you to learn and improve your pentesting and other cybersecurity assessments skills.

HackThisSite - Hack This Site is a legal free training ground for users to test and expand their hacking skills.