Is Hacker101 Free to Use?

Updated

Yes. Hacker101 describes itself as "a free class for web security," and its homepage lists no prices, paid tiers, or payment platforms. The two main learning paths shown on the site — Video Lessons and Capture the Flag (CTF) levels — are presented as freely available. The site's own description says it is for "a programmer with an interest in bug bounties or a seasoned security professional," which indicates the free material is meant for a range of experience levels, not a paid audience.

What the site says about cost

The homepage heading is "LEARN TO HACK," and the excerpt states directly: "Hacker101 is a free class for web security." It also invites visitors to "Start hacking!" with no mention of a fee, subscription, or purchase step. The page evidence contains no pricing keywords, no pricing links, and no payment platforms, so there is no indication on the page of a paid option at all.

What you get for free

Resource What it is Cost signal
Video Lessons "free video lessons, guides, and resources" Explicitly described as free
Capture the Flag "CTF levels inspired by the real world" Listed as a way to "put your skills into practice" with no price shown
Classes Linked as "Explore free classes" Labeled "free" in the link text

The phrase "Explore free classes" is the clearest confirmation that the class content itself is offered at no charge.

What is not confirmed

The available page evidence does not state whether you need an account to access lessons or CTF levels. It also does not describe any limits, gating, or optional paid services. Because the site doesn't mention these details, treat any account or registration requirement as something to check during the actual sign-up flow rather than assuming one way or the other.

How to start

  1. Go to hacker101.com.
  2. Choose a path: "Check out CTF" to practice with challenge levels, or "Explore free classes" for the video lessons and guides.
  3. Follow the site's own prompts if it asks you to create an account or log in.

The expected result is access to web security lessons and hands-on CTF challenges without a payment step, based on how the site presents itself.

Bottom line

If your question is whether Hacker101 costs money, the site's own description answers it: it is a free class for web security, with free video lessons and CTF levels. No pricing or payment information appears on the homepage, so there is nothing to suggest a paid requirement for the core learning content.