ACI Learning Skill Labs vs OWASP Bricks: 2026 Comparison
ACI Learning Skill Labs is a commercial cyber range training tool by ACI Learning. OWASP Bricks 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 and individual practitioners who need to build muscle memory on real web attack vectors should start with OWASP Bricks; it's free, requires zero infrastructure setup, and lets you exploit actual vulnerability classes without the legal and ethical friction of lab environments. The tool includes deliberately flawed code across OWASP Top 10 categories, so you're practicing against problems that match what you'll find in production assessments. Skip this if your team needs guided paths or compliance-aligned reporting; Bricks is a sandbox for hands-on breaking, not a training platform with curriculum or audit trails.
