Honest comparison · checked 1 November 2026
PlayCISO alternatives
PlayCISO is for security leaders who want to practise decisions. If you need hands-on technical hacking labs, look at Hack The Box or TryHackMe. For security awareness training and phishing simulation for all staff, look at KnowBe4. For live-fire cyber ranges for a SOC team, look at Cyberbit (which now includes RangeForce) or Cloud Range. For enterprise-wide readiness exercising, look at Immersive.
We make PlayCISO, so read this with that in mind. Every fact about another platform comes from its own website, checked on 1 November 2026. Where we could not confirm something there, we left it out. Prices change; check each site before you buy.
Side by side
| Platform | What it is for | Who it suits | Free tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| PlayCISO | Practising security leadership decisions: Cyber War Room incident simulations graded against real frameworks, a board of AI executives, mock interviews, board-report coaching and architect studios. | Security leaders, aspiring CISOs and GRC people who need to practise judgement, not keyboard skills. | Yes, partly. Many tools, the CISO readiness scorecard, 25 templates and 5 arcade games need no account. A free account adds 3 Cyber War Room campaigns and 3 runs of Pro tools. Pro is $5 a month or $40 a year. |
| Hack The Box | Hands-on offensive and defensive labs, CTFs and courses. It says it has 1,500+ hands-on labs. | Individuals building technical skills, and businesses and public-sector teams training technical staff. | Yes. A free Labs account gets 20 active Machines, 80+ active Challenges and a one-time 2-hour Pwnbox trial. |
| TryHackMe | Guided hands-on learning paths and rooms, with a browser-based AttackBox. | Beginners and individuals building core skills; it also sells business plans. | Yes. Free rooms, limited learning paths and 1 hour a day of AttackBox. |
| Immersive | Enterprise cyber readiness: hands-on labs, technical and business-risk exercising, tabletop and crisis simulations, cyber drills and a Dynamic Threat Range. | Large organisations proving team and leadership readiness. | No free tier listed on its site; it offers demos. |
| RangeForce | A cloud cyber range for defensive teams: team exercises against simulated attackers, solo labs and skills plans, using real security tools. RangeForce is now part of Cyberbit. | SOC analysts, threat hunters and blue teams. | Yes, a Free Edition (now run by Cyberbit) and a free team exercise on request. |
| Cyberbit | A cyber readiness and cyber range platform with live-fire team exercises and solo labs. | SOC and incident response teams that train together on simulated attacks. | Yes, a Free Edition of solo labs, theory modules and monthly campaigns, plus a separate free team exercise. No free trial of the full platform. |
| KnowBe4 | Security awareness training, phishing and vishing simulations, and human risk management. | Organisations training all their staff; it says it has 70,000+ customers. | No free plan. It offers free tools, such as an attack simulation test and a training preview, plus demos and quotes. |
| Cloud Range | A cyber range with live-fire attack simulations across IT, OT/ICS, cloud and hybrid environments, and AI validation. | Enterprises, critical infrastructure, higher education, government and MSSPs. | No free tier listed on its site; it offers demos. |
Free tier means what each vendor lists on its own site. “Not listed” is not proof that none exists; ask the vendor.
How to choose
- You want to hack or defend at the keyboard. Pick a hands-on lab platform: Hack The Box for challenge-style machines, TryHackMe for guided paths. Both have free plans.
- You need every employee to spot phishing. Pick an awareness platform such as KnowBe4. PlayCISO is not a staff awareness programme.
- Your SOC needs to train as a team on real tools. Pick a cyber range: Cyberbit (with RangeForce), Cloud Range or Immersive.
- You lead, or want to lead, the response. PlayCISO lets you practise the calls: containment, regulators, the board, the budget. Start with a Cyber War Room campaign.
Many teams combine one technical platform with one decision platform. Our longer roundups: TryHackMe vs Hack The Box vs PlayCISO and best cyber ranges for enterprises.
What PlayCISO includes
- Free, no account: many tools, the 2-minute CISO readiness scorecard, 25 templates and 5 arcade games.
- Free account: 3 Cyber War Room campaigns and 3 runs of Pro tools.
- Pro ($5 a month or $40 a year): unlimited Cyber War Room, AI mock interviews, board-report coaching, every Pro tool, scanner and template, and the architect studios. See pricing.
Head-to-head comparisons
Questions
What are the best PlayCISO alternatives?
It depends on what you need. For hands-on technical hacking labs, look at Hack The Box or TryHackMe. For security awareness training and phishing simulation for all staff, look at KnowBe4. For live-fire cyber range exercises for a SOC team, look at Cyberbit (which now includes RangeForce) or Cloud Range. For enterprise-wide readiness exercising, including crisis simulations, look at Immersive. PlayCISO is for security leaders who want to practise decisions.
Is PlayCISO free?
Partly. Many tools, the 2-minute CISO readiness scorecard, 25 templates and 5 arcade games are free with no account. A free account adds 3 Cyber War Room campaigns and 3 runs of Pro tools. Everything else is PlayCISO Pro, which costs $5 a month or $40 a year and unlocks the whole product.
PlayCISO vs Hack The Box: which should I use?
Use Hack The Box to build hands-on technical skills: it has more than 1,500 labs, CTFs and courses, and a free Labs account. Use PlayCISO to practise the decisions a security leader makes during and after an incident: who to call, what to tell the board and regulators, and how to spend a budget. Many people use both.
PlayCISO vs TryHackMe: which should I use?
Use TryHackMe for guided, hands-on learning paths with a browser AttackBox; its free plan includes free rooms and 1 hour a day of AttackBox. Use PlayCISO for leadership and decision practice: incident simulations, board reporting and interview preparation. TryHackMe teaches you to work the tools; PlayCISO teaches you to lead the response.
Sources
Each vendor’s own site, checked 1 November 2026. PlayCISO facts are from our pricing page.