CTFd vs CTFGuide: Side-by-Side Comparison (2026)
Features, pricing, ratings, and pros & cons — compared head-to-head.
CTFd is a free cyber range training tool. CTFGuide is a free cyber range training tool by CTFGuide. 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 core features, here is our conclusion:
Security teams and training programs building internal skill-development competitions will find CTFd the fastest path to launch; its free, self-hosted model means you control the infrastructure and avoid vendor lock-in while running unlimited challenges. The 6,500-plus GitHub stars and active open-source community signal real production deployments and rapid bug fixes. Skip CTFd if you need a managed SaaS platform with hands-off administration or enterprise SSO controls; this is a build-it-yourself framework, not a turnkey service.
Security teams building internal training programs or hiring pipelines need CTFGuide because its community-driven challenge library eliminates the friction of sourcing diverse, real-world CTF problems at zero cost. The platform's two-person team keeps overhead minimal while user-submitted writeups and hints create a self-reinforcing learning loop that scales with participation. Skip this if you need managed instructor oversight, formal certification tracking, or hand-holding through structured curricula; CTFGuide is best for teams comfortable with peer-led learning and willing to curate content themselves.
