Finding hackathons
Free tools
Six free tools at /tools that check a hackathon listing, benchmark prize pools and dates, or match you to events, with a free account.
/tools has six free tools built on the hackathons HackathonRadar tracks. Each one takes a short form and gives you a shareable report. Anyone can fill in the form; seeing the result needs a free account.
The tools
| Tool | For | Route | You enter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hackathon Quality Checker | Organizers | /tools/hackathon-quality-checker | A hackathon URL |
| Prize Pool Calculator | Organizers | /tools/prize-pool-calculator | Category, plus optional format, country, expected participants and the prize pool you had in mind (USD) |
| Hackathon Date Checker | Organizers | /tools/hackathon-date-checker | Target start date and category, plus optional format and country |
| Sponsorship Value Checker | Sponsors | /tools/hackathon-sponsorship-checker | A hackathon URL |
| Hackathon Matcher | Developers | /tools/hackathon-matcher | What you are into, plus optional format and country |
| Should I Enter This Hackathon? | Developers | /tools/should-i-enter | A hackathon URL |
The URL tools work with any public hackathon page, whether it is on one of the platforms we cover or the event's own site. If we already track the event, the report uses our full record of it. If not, we read the page directly and say the result has less history behind it.
What each tool returns
Hackathon Quality Checker
A listing quality score from 0 to 100, the same score shown on event pages. You get a breakdown across five dimensions, a ranked list of fixes under How to improve this listing, a confidence rating, and your rank against comparable events. If the page has too little to go on, the headline says Not scored.
Prize Pool Calculator
What comparable hackathons award: a distribution of prize pools, the median prize pool, the median prize per participant, and the share that award cash. If you enter expected participants, you also get an implied prize pool for that size. If you enter a proposed prize pool, it is marked on the distribution with the percentile it beats. If too few events match exactly what you described, the tool widens the comparison and says so.
There are prefilled versions for popular categories, for example /tools/prize-pool-calculator/ai.
Hackathon Date Checker
A seasonality calendar for your category, the number of events we track within 7 days of your date, your lead time against how far ahead comparable events announce, and quieter weeks nearby. Treat the clash count as a minimum: it only covers events that are already announced.
Sponsorship Value Checker
A readout for a sponsor deciding on one event: the organizer's track record and quality score, an estimated attendance range from comparable events (alongside the organizer's own figure where they publish one), an estimated audience profile, where the prize pool sits, sponsors on the event and sponsors the organizer has worked with before, and similar events you could sponsor. It does not estimate a sponsorship price.
Hackathon Matcher
Describe what you want to build or learn in your own words. The matcher shows your 6 closest upcoming hackathons, filtered by format and country if you set them. You do not need to guess keywords or tags.
Should I Enter This Hackathon?
The facts that decide whether an event is worth your weekend: prize pool and prize per participant, expected participants, format and travel support, whether judging criteria, an agenda and a prize breakdown are published, who the event is for, and how many days until it starts. It does not give a yes or no verdict.
Sign-in, limits and plans
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Sign-in | Required to see a result. Fill in the form signed out and you are asked to sign in. Your answers are kept, and the tool runs as soon as you are back |
| Daily runs | 3 runs per tool in any rolling 24 hours. Each tool has its own allowance |
| Repeats | Running the same input again within the week returns your existing report and does not use a run |
| Failures | If a run fails, it is not counted |
When you hit the limit, the tool tells you when your next run unlocks.
Scores, percentiles, medians and counts are free on every plan, including the analysis of the event you entered. The only part that depends on your plan is lists of events, such as comparable events, clashing events and your matches. On the free plan those lists name events starting in the next 7 days and tell you how many more there are. Dev Pro names all of them. See Plans and billing.
Reports and sharing
Every run opens a shareable report at /tools/r/{id}.
- Reports last 7 days. After that the page says This report has expired and offers to run the tool again, since the numbers behind it have moved.
- Anyone opening a shared link needs to be signed in.
- A report made on a paid plan can include events a free account cannot see. A free viewer is asked to Run it yourself instead.
Troubleshooting
- "We couldn't load that page." The URL did not respond or returned nothing readable. Check it opens in a private browser window.
- "We couldn't find a hackathon on that page." Use the event's main page, not a login or registration form.
- "You've used your 3 ... runs for today." The message names the tool and when your next run unlocks. Wait for that time, or use another tool: each has its own allowance.