Hacktivate vs iCTF
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Hacktivate
Engage in cybersecurity challenges with 240 real-world hacking technique missions. Progress through a global map, learning encryption, steganography, and more. Designed for educational use, it offers scalable difficulty and comprehensive tutorials.
- 240 graded cybersecurity missions
- Real-world hacking techniques
- Global progression map
- Hacker's Toolbox (hashing, encryption, XOR)
- Unix terminals and web browsers
- Scalable difficulty
- Cross-platform sync (iPhone, iPad, Mac)
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Crack codes. Break firewalls. Conquer the map. Hacktivate is the ultimate cybersecurity challenge: a world map of 240 missions where every puzzle is built on real cybersecurity techniques hackers use. From classic ciphers to covert steganography, you’ll sharpen your brain while infiltrating deeper into the network. No fluff. No filler. Just pure challenges. Hacktivate: Education Edition is the same as the regular Hacktivate app, except it's paid up front so that schools and colleges can use it. - 240 graded missions across the Americas, Europe, Asia, and more – unlock all the continents with a one-time purchase. - The Hacker’s Toolbox: hashing, encryption, XOR, ciphers, and beyond. - Real-world attack techniques through Unix terminals, web browsers, digital forensics, SQL injection, and more. - Global progression: unlock regions and learn different specialties each time. - Comprehensive tutorials and documentation teach you the skills you need to win. - Difficulty that scales: from rookies breaking their first code to cyber masterminds cracking the strongest firewalls. - Play on iPhone, iPad, and Mac with a single purchase – your progress is auto-synced. Every lock is a challenge. Every mission is a test. Every solution pulls you deeper into the system. The network is waiting, and your mission starts now! Terms of service: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula Privacy policy: https://www.hacktivate.app/privacy
iCTF
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Learn or sharpen your security skills with a mobile CTF, quiz generator, and fundamentals section. iCTF values your privacy. ZERO data is collected from the app; all analytics and user achievement tracking is performed locally and encrypted. All of your data stays with you, on your phone. INTERACTIVE SECURITY CHALLENGES Build practical cybersecurity knowledge through engaging Capture The Flag (CTF) challenges. Explore cryptography, web application security, digital forensics, code analysis, network protocols, and more. Each challenge teaches real skills used by security professionals to protect systems and data. BUILT-IN TERMINAL EMULATOR Practice command-line skills with a fully functional terminal featuring 40+ Unix commands. Navigate the virtual filesystem, analyze files, decode data, and solve puzzles in a safe learning environment. Includes cat, grep, find, base64, xxd, md5sum, sha256sum, and many more. CYBERQUIZZER - CAREER PREP Prepare for cybersecurity career interviews with comprehensive study modules: • Security Operations: Active Directory, authentication protocols, system administration • Security Engineering: Architecture design, threat modeling, secure development • Hardware Security: Embedded systems, firmware analysis, IoT security concepts • Defense & Response: Incident handling, log analysis, digital forensics Each question includes detailed explanations with examples and industry best practices. PROGRESSIVE LEARNING PATH • Difficulty levels from Beginner to Expert • Hint system to guide your learning • Solution explanations after practice attempts • Progress tracking across all modules • Earn points and celebrate achievements SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT All challenges run in a completely sandboxed environment on your device. Learn security concepts safely — everything stays within the app with no external connections required. FEATURES - 10+ educational challenges across 8 security domains - 100+ career interview preparation questions - Interactive terminal with virtual filesystem - Code analysis sandbox for learning - Works offline — no internet required - Dark theme for comfortable extended study - Progress saved locally on your device PERFECT FOR • IT professionals expanding their security knowledge • Students studying for cybersecurity certifications • Career changers preparing for security roles • Technology enthusiasts exploring information security • Anyone building defensive security skills Begin your cybersecurity education today. Download iOScTF and start learning!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: iCTF at $3.99 against Hacktivate's $19.99. iCTF also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.5). Hacktivate's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Hacktivate costs $19.99 and iCTF $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Hacktivate ships an update weekly, iCTF every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Hacktivate | iCTF |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $19.99 | $3.99 — better |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 18.5 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 184 MB | 24 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Hudson Heavy Industries | Jeremy Laratro |
In-app purchases
Hacktivate
No in-app purchases
iCTF
No in-app purchases









