19 free resources on this topic. Everything here is free and hand-picked. You can also search within this topic.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's student hackathon, held in person in Troy, NY, on November 7–8, 2026. Registration via Devpost. Devpost page blocked automated checks; hackathons like this normally have no entry fee.
Free global hackathon where teams use NASA's open data to tackle real-world challenges, with local in-person and fully virtual participation options.
Details: Long-running annual NASA event; the specific page sections retrieved didn't use the word "free" outright, but multiple independent write-ups this cycle describe it explicitly as a free, worldwide hackathon with no entry fee.
Free, beginner-friendly, in-person 24-hour hackathon hosted by RIT's Golisano College of Computing & Information Sciences, part of the MLH collegiate hackathon league.
Details: In-person only, in Rochester, NY. A specific fee wasn't stated on the event page, but MLH-league hackathons are traditionally free for participants (often including meals).
Free virtual hackathon open to students worldwide, run through Devpost with a submission deadline in mid-October.
Details: Open to current students (high school, undergrad, or grad) worldwide, ages 13+. No entry fee is stated on the page, consistent with Devpost's standard no-cost entry model, but it isn't spelled out explicitly. Submission deadline is Oct 10, 12:00pm EST.
Free online hackathon focused on building technology that addresses real-world community and global challenges, organized by the GIS Engineering Club.
Details: Students only (must be above the legal age of majority in their country). No entry fee is listed on the Devpost page, consistent with Devpost's standard no-cost model, but it isn't spelled out explicitly.
Major League Hacking's week-long online Global Hack Week, 9-15 October 2026, themed around Hacktoberfest and open source. Daily workshops streamed live, mini-events in the MLH Discord, and social, technical and design challenges you can complete solo or with others for points.
Details: Free to join and beginner-friendly; everything runs on Twitch and Discord. The page now lists the Hacktoberfest theme rather than the open-source wording the link suggests, and MLH says details are still being added, so confirm the schedule on their page before planning your week.
A free competition to build computer-vision systems with OpenCV 5 and AWS, with cash prizes. Hosted on Devpost.
From the site: Build vision systems that see, reason, and act with OpenCV 5 and Amazon Web Services (AWS). Win money and bragging rights!
Details: Free to enter. useful portfolio work if you want to show applied vision skills rather than describe them.
A free hackathon to build across Amazon devices and shape what comes next, hosted on Devpost.
From the site: Build across Amazon Devices and shape what's next.
Details: Free to enter. Read the rules on what rights you keep in what you build before you commit a weekend to it.
A free global AI hackathon to build on open infrastructure, hosted on Devpost with Nebius and NVIDIA.
From the site: Build the next frontier of AI on open infrastructure
Details: Free to enter, and a decent excuse to try GPU infrastructure you would not normally pay for. Check what compute credits the organizers hand out.
Applied AI community, residency and fund running hackathons and build events, mostly in the Bay Area.
From the site: Applied AI lab, community, and VC fund empowering the world
Why I recommend it: The events are where the useful part is. Check whether anything runs online or near you before assuming you need to be in San Francisco.
Open build events aimed at government and public-service problems, with past hackathons and what each one produced.
From the site: State Capacity Ecosystem hackathons, past and upcoming: large open build nights and targeted single-agency builds. See what got built.
Details: Look at a past event before signing up for a future one — the write-ups show what actually got built, which tells you the level expected.
Free online hackathon for ages 13+ building AI projects for mental and physical health and concussion recovery, with cash and non-cash prizes and public voting on submissions.
Details: Social-impact hackathons are the friendliest entry point if this is your first one — judging rewards the idea as much as the code.
Free two-day online student hackathon building next-generation cybersecurity solutions, with about $6,600 in cash prizes, open to ages 13+ working solo or in teams of up to four.
Details: A weekend hackathon gives you a finished project to talk about in interviews. Ship something small and complete.
Canada's largest beginner-only hackathon, run by nwPlus on November 7-8, 2026, built for first-time hackers with hands-on workshops and no coding experience required.
Details: Beginner-only means nobody there expects you to know anything yet. This is the one to start with.
Free monthly AI building challenge from IBM SkillsBuild and BeMyApp: learn the tooling, submit an AI project for judging, and attend the AI Builders Conference on September 16, 2026 with IBM experts and developers. No cost to register or participate.
Details: Challenges like this give you a finished project to point at, which is worth more in interviews than another certificate.
A skills-based volunteer hackathon in New York City where participants collaborate with 1% for the Planet Impact Partners to solve real fundraising, storytelling, and launch challenges in 75 minutes.
Details: A great way to donate your professional skills rather than just your money. If you are between roles and want proof of impact, this is a high-signal, low-commitment option.
A beginner-inclusive hackathon open to developers designers and innovators of all experience levels worldwide including those with no prior hackathon experience.
Details: No explicit fee statement found on the official page; appears free based on standard hackathon format -- worth a quick double-check before publishing. Winners announced Oct 21.
A free global hackathon challenging developers to ship a mobile app and start generating in-app revenue. No purchase or payment necessary to enter.
Details: Open now - submit by this date.
A free hackathon (AWS Strands Agents SDK) to build an AI agent that automates repetitive real-world tasks. No purchase or payment necessary.
Details: Open now - submissions close this date; judging through Oct 8, winners announced ~Oct 14.
