Kubernetes Goat vs Simulator: 2026 Comparison
Kubernetes Goat is a free cyber range training tool. Simulator 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 available product data, here is our conclusion:
DevSecOps teams building security muscle memory before production incidents happen should use Kubernetes Goat; it's free and deliberately vulnerable, meaning engineers learn by actually breaking real attack chains instead of reading documentation. With 5,400+ GitHub stars and active community contribution, you're getting a battle-tested lab that covers lateral movement, RBAC bypass, and supply chain attacks across multiple Kubernetes versions. Skip this if your team needs instructor-led validation or compliance sign-off; Kubernetes Goat is self-directed learning for hands-on practitioners, not a managed training platform.
Security teams building internal red team capacity or running incident response drills will get the most from Simulator because it lets you spin up deliberately broken Kubernetes clusters in AWS without needing to maintain custom vulnerable infrastructure. The free pricing and 981 GitHub stars indicate active adoption among practitioners who value hands-on cluster attack scenarios over theoretical exercises. Skip this if your team needs a polished SaaS training platform with guided curricula and progress tracking; Simulator is a raw sandbox, not a structured learning program.
