Websites to Learn Cybersecurity for Free
Last reviewed 4 November 2026. Provider facts were read from each provider's own page that day.
Short answer
The best websites to learn cybersecurity for free include PortSwigger's Web Security Academy (100% free), Professor Messer's Security+ videos (free), freeCodeCamp's articles, and the free tiers of TryHackMe, Cybrary and Hack The Box Academy, each with limits. This page lists what each site's own page says is free and what is paid.
Free cybersecurity learning websites and their limits
| Course or site | What the provider page says is free | Not free or not stated | Certificate or badge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Security Academy PortSwigger | The page says the Academy "is 100% free": text, many videos and interactive labs, with progress tracking after you create an account. | Nothing paid is listed on the page we read. | The page links to a certification section but did not explain its cost or requirements; check the provider's page. |
| CompTIA SY0-701 Security+ Training Course Professor Messer | The page says "All of my training videos are completely free". | Course notes (printed or PDF) are offered separately; no price shown. | No certificate of completion mentioned. The CompTIA exam itself is separate. |
| TryHackMe TryHackMe | Free plan: "Free rooms only", limited access to learning paths and a 1-hour daily AttackBox limit. | Premium adds full beginner learning paths and a certificate for each completed path (shown as EUR 16.99, or EUR 10.50 a month billed annually). | Path certificates are listed under the paid Premium plan. |
| Cybrary free access Cybrary | Free Access: limited access to Career Paths, Skill Paths and Cert Prep Paths, community forums, limited to 10 activities per day. | Insider Pro gives full access to all paths, labs and practice exams. | Not stated for the free plan. |
| HTB Academy Hack The Box | The page has a "Start for Free" button; it did not list which modules are free. | Certifications are paid, shown from US$490 to US$1260 with the exam included. | Paid HTB certifications only. |
| freeCodeCamp cybersecurity articles and courses freeCodeCamp | freeCodeCamp says its videos, articles and interactive lessons are "all freely available to the public"; the cybersecurity tag lists 187 posts, mostly articles. | Nothing paid is listed on the page we read. | Not stated for this tag page. |
| Introduction to Cybersecurity Cisco Networking Academy | The page is titled "Introduction to Cybersecurity by Cisco: Free Online Course". | Nothing paid is listed on the page we read. | The page text we could read did not state a badge or its conditions; check the provider's page. |
| Cybersecurity Fundamentals (badge) IBM SkillsBuild | The badge page lists the cost as free. You must be a registered IBM SkillsBuild user. | Nothing paid is listed on the page we read. | Digital badge on Credly for completing the IBM course and scoring 80% or higher on the end-of-course assessment. |
| CISA training catalogue CISA | A searchable list of 98 training results (formats include independent study, instructor-led, video and webinar). The page does not say the training is free. | Nothing paid is listed on the page we read. | Certificates not mentioned. |
Accessed 4 November 2026. Providers change terms; confirm on the provider's page before you enrol.
Practise on PlayCISO
- Free cybersecurity course library: hand-picked free courses grouped by role.
- Hands-on training and labs: browser labs and simulations.
- Beginner CTF challengesFree: warm-up puzzles.
- Cyber Arcade: quick security games and drills.
The full list of hand-picked free courses by role is the free cybersecurity courses library, which is the main PlayCISO page for this topic. For browser-based practice see hands-on cybersecurity training and labs.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best websites to learn cyber security for free?
On their own pages: PortSwigger Web Security Academy says it is 100% free; Professor Messer says all its training videos are free; TryHackMe and Cybrary have free tiers with limits. See the table for the details of each.
Is TryHackMe free?
It has a free plan with free rooms only, limited access to learning paths and a 1-hour daily AttackBox limit. Path certificates are listed under the paid Premium plan.
Is Hack The Box Academy free?
The page has a "Start for Free" button but did not list which modules are free. Its certifications are paid, from US$490.
Where should a total beginner start?
Start with a foundations course, then hands-on practice. The beginner roadmap lays out six stages.
Sources (accessed 4 November 2026)
- PortSwigger: Web Security Academy
- Professor Messer: CompTIA SY0-701 Security+ Training Course
- TryHackMe: TryHackMe
- Cybrary: Cybrary free access
- Hack The Box: HTB Academy
- freeCodeCamp: freeCodeCamp cybersecurity articles and courses
- Cisco Networking Academy: Introduction to Cybersecurity
- IBM SkillsBuild: Cybersecurity Fundamentals (badge)
- CISA: CISA training catalogue