Hackathon software has rapidly evolved from simple coding challenge tools into sophisticated platforms that empower enterprises to drive innovation, recruit talent, and manage large‑scale ideation programs. In fact, companies that leverage dedicated hackathon platforms report a 35-50% increase in participation rates and operational efficiency.
In this guide, we’ll explore the top 11 hackathon platforms that are setting the standard in enterprise innovation management in 2026. You’ll also learn how they compare across features, pricing, community reach, and strategic value.
Why Use Hackathon Software in 2026?
Before we explore the platforms, here’s why hackathon software has become a necessity:
- Streamline management: Hackathon software automates many logistical tasks, including registration, team formation, and final submissions.
- Scale operations: Hackathon software efficiently manages registration, submissions, teams, judging, and communications, even for large, global events with hundreds or thousands of participants.
- Support diverse formats: Modern hackathons include coding, product design, AI/ML prototypes, marketing ideas, business models, and UX. Platforms support multiple formats, including code submissions, design entries, idea submissions, and voting.
- Enable global collaboration: Software schedules activities, manages collaboration, and centralizes submissions and judging for participants across different time zones, geographies, and backgrounds.
- Track projects: Organizers monitor project progress, assign tasks, and ensure participants meet deadlines.
- Generate ideas: Features such as brainstorming sessions, voting tools, and idea repositories capture and refine innovative concepts.
- Provide data and analytics: Companies measure participation, engagement, idea quality, and follow-up outcomes. Analytics help assess ROI, identify trends, and guide future hackathons.
📌Suggested read: 6 Reasons: Why Companies Conduct Hackathons
Hackathon Platform Decision Matrix
With so many virtual hackathon platforms available, comparing them side by side helps you pick the one that matches your event goals and team needs. Here’s a quick breakdown of the top options.
📌Also read: 10 Things to Keep in Mind While Conducting a Hackathon
Top 11 Hackathon Software Platforms
Discover how the top 11 online hackathon platforms help you run events, track projects, and engage participants.
1. HackerEarth

HackerEarth provides a complete platform for hosting technical hackathons and measuring real-world skills in a single, easy-to-use solution. You can create project-based tasks, coding challenges, and hackathons that test candidates across full-stack development, DevOps, machine learning, data analytics, and GenAI skills. The platform includes over 40,000 questions covering more than 1,000 technical areas, allowing recruiters and organizers to measure applied skills accurately.
All HackerEarth hackathons include fully managed services, so organizers can focus on outcomes rather than administrative tasks. The platform provides real-time team creation, idea shortlisting, project evaluation, and advanced plagiarism detection to keep events secure and fair. A dedicated process management team handles creative support, evaluation guidance, and organic promotion to increase engagement and participation across internal or external audiences.
You can reach over 10 million developers in 133 countries and 450 global universities while running global, internal, hybrid, or in-person events. Internal hackathons help teams collaborate across departments, spark creativity, and turn ideas into actionable results. External hackathons and innovation challenges allow organizations to crowdsource solutions and discover top-tier talent in real-world problem-solving scenarios.
HackerEarth also offers the FaceCode platform for live coding interviews with HD video, AI assistance, structured evaluation, and performance summaries. Recruiters can score code for correctness, readability, security, and maintainability while automating over five hours of technical evaluation per hire.
The platform uses an AI Interview Agent to run realistic interviews that assess technical and soft skills, while AI Screening Agents identify top candidates early, remove up to 80% of unqualified applicants, and allow recruiters to focus only on the most promising talent. With 15+ ATS integrations, GDPR compliance, and ISO 27001 certification, HackerEarth ensures reliable, secure, and scalable hiring for large-scale programs.
Key features
- 40,000+ questions across full‑stack, DevOps, data, ML, and GenAI skills
- Automated evaluation and scoring with intelligent insights
- Access live collaborative coding with HD video and AI support via the FaceCode Interview platform
- Continuous proctoring with tab‑switch detection, audio monitoring, and bot/tool usage flagging
- Engaging talent through innovation‑focused hackathons and hiring challenges
- Connect with 15+ systems, including Greenhouse, Lever, Workday, SAP
- GDPR compliance, ISO 27001 certification, reliability for scale
Pros
- Make assessments with varied question types
- Give teams a largely intuitive interface that reviewers appreciate
- Provide deep reporting and analytics that recruiters find helpful
- Offer wide language support and real coding environments
Cons
- Does not offer low-cost or stripped-down plans
- Fewer customization options at entry-level pricing
Pricing
- Growth Plan: $99/month per user (10 credits)
- Scale Plan: $399/month (25 credits)
- Enterprise: Custom pricing with volume discounts and advanced support
Best for: Enterprises and growing companies seeking end-to-end hackathon management with integrated technical assessment, talent acquisition, and innovation capabilities. Ideal for organizations running both internal innovation challenges and external public hackathons.
2. Devpost

Devpost provides organizations with a platform where developers can participate in hackathons, build real projects, and showcase their skills to recruiters. You can host branded coding events, engage global developer communities, and create high-visibility experiences that highlight your company culture and technical challenges.
The platform lets organizers review submissions, assess project outcomes, and invite top performers into hiring pipelines while maintaining seamless event management for large-scale online competitions.
Key features
- Host branded hackathons and coding challenges to attract developers
- Review participant submissions and portfolios to assess project skills
- Integrate participant data and results with ATS or CRM systems
Pros
- Reach developers who demonstrate skills through live, public hackathon challenges
- Strengthen employer branding through community engagement and project visibility
- Get access to over 4 million developers, offering instant, built-in marketing
Cons
- Requires participants to engage in timed events, which may reduce candidate availability
- Relies on developers’ willingness to submit projects publicly for evaluation
Pricing
- Custom pricing
Best for: Large-scale online hackathons, global developer challenges, and organizations seeking maximum visibility and participant reach.
3. Eventornado

Eventornado gives organizations a platform built specifically for running hackathons, where every stage, from registration to results, happens in one place. You can create custom event pages, collect ideas and applications, let participants form teams, support collaboration with built-in chat, and run judging workflows with clear audit trails.
The platform works in a browser, so no installation is needed. Plus, it scales from small internal hackathons to global hybrid events with thousands of participants.
Key features
- Launch a customizable event landing page for hackathons
- Collect registrations and detailed idea submissions
- Help participants form or join teams based on skills
Pros
- Enable real-time chat for collaboration and mentor feedback
- Run judging and score submissions with audit trails
- Publish hackathon results and analytics to stakeholders
Cons
- Advanced customization and integrations are limited
- Organizations looking for deep analytics or third-party tool integrations may find fewer built-in options than larger enterprise innovation platforms
Pricing
- Custom pricing
Best for: Organizers wanting fast setup, modern UX, and purpose-built hackathon functionality for virtual/hybrid events.
4. InspireIP

InspireIP helps hackathon teams carry ideas forward after the event ends. The platform moves each submission through clear stages, including validation, evaluation, prioritization, and follow-up development.
Organizers customize workflows, judging criteria, and templates to align with hackathon goals. Participants collaborate through comments, updates, and shared workspaces without extra tools. Built-in analytics show engagement, idea quality, and progress, while enterprise integrations connect hackathon outcomes to real project execution.
Key features
- Move hackathon submissions through validation, evaluation, and follow-up development
- Customize workflows to match your hackathon phases and goals
- Collaborate with participants through comments and shared workspaces
Pros
- View engagement and idea progress with built-in analytics
- Connect hackathon outcomes to real project execution via integrations
- Real-time collaboration and smooth communication features
Cons
- Heavier interfaces can interrupt idea flow during large hackathon campaigns
- Advanced customization and admin controls can take time to learn
Pricing
- Custom pricing
Best for: Organizations focused on post-hackathon innovation tracking and idea lifecycle management.
5. IdeaScale

IdeaScale provides organizations with a platform to run hackathons that capture, evaluate, and implement ideas from participants through a central system. You can collect submissions, foster collaboration on concepts, and move promising projects toward execution while tracking engagement across teams and stakeholders.
The platform supports real-time feedback, voting, and idea refinement, so hackathon organizers can prioritize contributions that matter most to their goals. You can also use customizable tools to build workflows that guide ideas from submission to measurable results.
Key features
- Capture ideas and organize submissions from hackathon participants
- Collaborate with teams to refine and strengthen proposed solutions
- Use analytics to track participation, idea performance, and outcomes
Pros
- Strong customer support and responsive service
- Foster broad participation and get support for decision-making
- Manage portfolios from early ideas to implementation stages
Cons
- The platform’s backend and administrative features are harder to learn
- Advanced customization options and integrations with other business systems are limited
Pricing
- Custom pricing
Best for: Enterprises, governments, and universities running continuous innovation programs with hackathons as one component.
6. Brightidea

With Brightidea, you can customize support levels with expert consultants, coordinate stakeholders, and execute events that maximize engagement across internal teams and external participants.
The platform centralizes project development, team formation, judging, and analytics to deliver measurable impact while maintaining security and compliance. Hackathons run smoothly with guided workflows, automated scheduling, and tools to help every participant contribute and collaborate effectively.
Key features
- Automate event scheduling for streamlined hackathon management
- Manage project development and collaboration in real-time
- Guide participants through registration and team formation
Pros
- Connect participants with teammates based on skills and interests
- Evaluate submissions with mobile-friendly judging tools
- Track engagement, participation, and ROI with analytics dashboards
Cons
- Require some training for teams unfamiliar with full-featured platforms
- Higher cost may limit access for smaller internal hackathons
Pricing
- Custom pricing
Best for: Large enterprises with complex, multi-department innovation programs requiring governance and ROI tracking.
7. HYPE Innovation

HYPE Innovation provides organizations with a platform to manage hackathons where participants submit ideas, build teams, and collaborate on real problems, all in one system. You can run online or in-person hackathons with tools that help participants find teammates, comment on ideas, vote, and work with mentors throughout the event.
Judges can score submissions using built-in evaluation tools, and organizers can monitor progress with campaign dashboards that show live metrics for engagement and activity. After the event, participants can return to view winning ideas and track their development within the same platform.
Key features
- Capture and display idea submissions for all participants to explore
- Help teams form before and during hackathon events with search tools
- Encourage interaction among participants, mentors, and project teams
Pros
- Score and select top ideas using flexible built-in evaluation tools
- Monitor hackathon progress through a central campaign dashboard
- Showcase winning ideas and follow progress after hackathons conclude
Cons
- Some users report that configuration flexibility can be limited without help
- Performance issues, such as slow loading or clarity problems in the backend, can occur for complex projects
Pricing
- Custom pricing
Best for: Global enterprises and R&D-heavy companies needing strategy-driven innovation programs with consulting support.
8. InnovationCast

InnovationCast helps organizations run hackathons that capture ideas, solve real problems, and engage teams globally with collaborative campaigns. You can launch time-bound innovation challenges in minutes, manage submissions, and encourage teams to co-create solutions across departments.
The platform continuously collects ideas, surfaces opportunities that may not otherwise appear, and tracks all contributions so that every vote, comment, and edit builds measurable insight. You can run internal and external competitions, recognize contributors, and manage the full idea lifecycle to drive meaningful results.
Key features
- Capture challenge-driven ideas for strategic opportunities
- Collaborate across teams with multiple participation options
- Co-create solutions in a shared idea environment
Pros
- Distribute idea management across teams and categories
- Organize portfolios with custom processes for each type
- Use feedback-based voting to improve idea quality
Cons
- Limited advanced hackathon or automation features
- Basic analytics and reporting compared with other platforms
Pricing
- Custom pricing
Best for: Organizations seeking collaborative, end-to-end innovation management to support hackathons and beyond.
9. Hackathon.com

Hackathon.com gives organizations access to the largest global community of hackathon participants who build real projects and share them with organizers worldwide. You can list your event for free or use the platform’s hackathon management tools to organize challenges, manage teams, and collect submissions from a wide network of developers, designers, entrepreneurs, and other innovators.
The platform supports online, hybrid, and in-person hackathons and helps you boost event visibility, attract relevant participants, and tap into a community spanning 10+ million innovators across 40 countries.
Key features
- Connect with a global database of developers and innovators
- Host free or managed hackathon listings to reach broad audiences
- Support team formation and real-time collaboration tools
Pros
- Get access to a very large global community of 10 million innovators willing to join hackathons and collaborate on projects
- List events for free or use its tools to manage hackathons with customizable pages, communication tools, and live engagement features
- Use analytics to monitor engagement and project success metrics
Cons
- Limited built‑in judging and submission management tools
- The platform lacks the same level of backend tools that more specialized enterprise hackathon solutions provide
Pricing
- Custom pricing
Best for: Smaller events, beginner organizers, community-driven hackathons, and non-profits.
10. Ideanote

Ideanote gives hackathon organizers one place to plan, run, and manage idea-driven events without switching between tools. You can capture ideas in real time, guide teams through refinement, and move promising concepts toward implementation after the event ends.
The platform keeps collaboration active by letting participants co-own ideas, share feedback, and track progress across phases.
Key features
- Collect ideas from participants during hackathons
- Let participants comment and vote on each other’s ideas
- Show idea progress from initial draft to refined submission
Pros
- Provide tools for group feedback and refined evaluations
- Support templates that match specific hackathon challenge goals
- Provide responsive customer support
Cons
- Occasional feature gaps compared with broader innovation suites
- Onboarding may take time for new users
Pricing
- Free
- Scale Plan: $7/month per user
- Ultimate Plan: Custom pricing
Best for: SMBs and digital-first organizations that prioritize continuous ideation through lightweight hackathons.
11. Agorize

Agorize gives organizations a platform to host hackathons with built-in tools to create challenge forms, assign mentors, and evaluate participant solutions all in one place. You can attract developers with profiles and skills that go beyond traditional resumes.
The platform also helps participants develop solutions through webinars, chat, and mentor support throughout the event. You can also monitor hackathon KPIs on real-time dashboards, export results with a single click, and manage roles for multiple stakeholders, so teams and organizers remain coordinated from start to finish.
Key features
- Create hackathon challenges with customizable application forms
- Assign mentors and engage participants through chat and webinars
- Evaluate participant solutions centrally with grading, commenting, and likes
Pros
- Attract tech profiles beyond traditional corporate recruitment pipelines
- Monitor hackathon completion with real-time KPI dashboards
- Export performance data for reporting and post-event analysis
Cons
- Customization options for event layouts and advanced features can be limited
- The back-end interface can be confusing and less responsive on certain screen size
Pricing
- Custom pricing
Best for: Open innovation challenges targeting external developer communities and startup engagement.
How to Choose the Right Hackathon Platform
Choosing the right hackathon platform starts with understanding your goals, audience, and event needs. Here’s how to approach it:
- Clarify your primary goal: Start by narrowing it down. If you want to focus on talent acquisition, HackerEarth and Devpost give you access to developer communities and recruitment pipelines. For internal innovation, consider HackerEarth, Brightidea, or HYPE to engage employees and manage idea development. If your goal is community engagement, Devpost and Hackathon.com help connect with external innovators and build visibility.
- Map your event flow: Match platform capabilities to each stage of your hackathon. Look for tools that handle registration, team formation, idea submission, judging, and post-event follow-up so nothing slows down participation.
- Consider your audience: Internal teams benefit from HackerEarth or Brightidea, while external developers can thrive on Devpost or HackerEarth. If your hackathon targets both audiences, HackerEarth offers flexibility to accommodate participants of different types.
- Evaluate scalability needs: Think about scalability. Small internal hackathons with 50 to 200 participants run smoothly on Eventornado or Ideanote. Medium-sized events with 200 to 2,000 participants are supported by most platforms. Large global events with 2,000 or more participants are best handled by HackerEarth or Devpost.
- Assess post-hackathon requirements: For one-off events, Devpost or Eventornado work well. For continuous innovation and idea development, InspireIP, IdeaScale, or Brightidea help sustain momentum long after the event ends.
- Review integration requirements: Always request demos and, if possible, run pilot hackathons before committing to a platform so you can evaluate usability, engagement, and reporting firsthand.
Run Your Next Hackathon with HackerEarth
Hackathon software is now essential for driving repeatable, measurable innovation in enterprises. Whether your focus is talent acquisition, internal ideation, or global developer engagement, there’s a platform tailored to your needs.
HackerEarth remains the top choice for organizations seeking a comprehensive solution that combines innovation, execution, and talent discovery. It supports large‑scale internal and external hackathons while offering integrated evaluation, dedicated process support, and access to a broad global developer community. Companies use it to crowdsource solutions to real challenges, connect with skilled technologists, and accelerate innovation with data‑driven workflows and structured execution.
Join thousands of companies that trust hackathon platforms to advance innovation and uncover top talent. Request your free demo with HackerEarth today!
FAQs
What is hackathon software, and why do organizations need it?
Hackathon software helps organizations plan, run, and manage them by handling registration, idea submission, team collaboration, judging, and communication. Teams use it to stay organized, manage scale, and keep participants engaged throughout the event.
What’s the difference between hackathon software and hackathon platforms?
Hackathon software usually focuses on event logistics and execution, while hackathon platforms often add communities, talent networks, project visibility, and post-event follow-up. Platforms support both event delivery and longer-term outcomes.
What features should teams prioritize when selecting hackathon tools?
Teams should prioritize easy idea submission, team collaboration, judging workflows, progress tracking, and reporting. Tools should also support different challenge formats and scale smoothly as participation grows across teams, regions, or departments.
Can hackathon platforms support virtual and hybrid events?
Yes, many hackathon platforms, including HackerEarth, support virtual and hybrid events by offering remote collaboration, online submissions, mentor access, and digital judging. These tools let participants join from different locations while keeping the event structured and interactive.
How do hackathon platforms help with talent acquisition?
Hackathon platforms such as HackerEarth help recruiters spot talent by showing real project work, team collaboration, and problem-solving skills. Companies use results to identify strong performers, review portfolios, and invite participants into hiring pipelines.







































































Our AI-enabled Smart Browser takes frequent snapshots via the webcam, throughout the assessment.
Consequently, it is impossible to copy-paste code or impersonate a candidate.The browser prevents the following
candidate actions and facilitates thorough monitoring of the assessment:







