ACI Learning Skill Labs vs Hackazon: Side-by-Side Comparison (2026)
Features, pricing, ratings, and pros & cons — compared head-to-head.
ACI Learning Skill Labs is a commercial cyber range training tool by ACI Learning. Hackazon is a free cyber range training tool. Compare features, ratings, integrations, and community reviews side by side to find the best cyber range training fit for your security stack.
CST VerdictBased on our analysis of NIST CSF 2.0 coverage, core features, company size fit, deployment model, here is our conclusion:
Academic programs and corporate training teams need ACI Learning Skill Labs because it actually lets students break things hands-on instead of watching videos, which is the only way network and security fundamentals stick. The CollegePro sets align with real course calendars across years 1-2, and auto-grading cuts instructor overhead on repetitive validation work. This is built for schools and training departments, not for security operations teams looking to upskill existing staff on incident response or threat hunting; if your goal is certifications and foundational competency, this works; if you need role-specific depth for security engineers already in the field, look elsewhere.
Security teams building internal training programs need Hackazon because it's free, deliberately vulnerable, and mimics real e-commerce architecture that trainees will actually encounter. With over 1,000 GitHub stars and active maintenance, it gives you a sandbox where developers and pentesters can safely practice exploiting OWASP Top 10 flaws without licensing fees or setup friction. Skip this if your goal is compliance-driven, checkbox training; Hackazon demands hands-on learners who want to break things, not slide-through courses.
