HEAD TO HEAD
iluminr vs TryHackMe: which crisis simulation platform fits your team?
THE SHORT ANSWER
By The Exercise Desk · Crisis Simulation Ranked · Published 2026-10-11
Desk research from public vendor pages, vendor announcements and standards documents read between 27 September and 13 October 2026. Editorial assessment; we did not run any exercise on these platforms.
How do iluminr and TryHackMe score on each criterion?
| Criterion | Weight | iluminr | TryHackMe | Higher score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scenario realism | 20% | Real-time injects and immersive media, with AI assessing each response against the organisation's own plans; a scenario that branches on each decision is not described. Source: iluminr homepage · Read 27 Sep 2026 | Built from industry, attack vector and tech stack, with injects the team can edit or re-prompt; adaptation to each decision is not described. Source: TryHackMe: tabletop exercises · Read 27 Sep 2026 | iluminr |
| Executive and board focus | 20% | Built for boards, executives, crisis teams and risk functions, with board-ready dashboards. Source: iluminr homepage · Read 27 Sep 2026 | Aimed at managers, practitioners and security leaders; the boardroom is not the focus. Source: TryHackMe: tabletop exercises · Read 27 Sep 2026 | iluminr |
| Exercise delivery effort | 15% | Microsimulations of 3–5 minutes for one person and 30–45 minutes for a team make frequent practice practical. Source: iluminr homepage · Read 27 Sep 2026 | The vendor states a 10-minute average launch, with unlimited exercises and participants. Source: TryHackMe: tabletop exercises · Read 27 Sep 2026 | Tie |
| Measurement and after-action reporting | 15% | Behavioural evidence (decision velocity, confidence, alignment) and benchmarking by department, region and role. Source: iluminr blog: continuous capability intelligence (18 August 2026) · Read 27 Sep 2026 | "Audit-ready reports" with performance insights. Source: TryHackMe: tabletop exercises · Read 27 Sep 2026 | iluminr |
| Regulatory evidence | 10% | Nine named frameworks on the homepage, including DORA, APRA CPS 230, ISO 22301 and FFIEC, plus automated board-ready regulatory reports citing DORA, NIS2, CER and APRA CPS 230. Source: iluminr press release: continuous capability intelligence (PRWeb, 25 August 2026) · Read 11 Oct 2026 | Scenarios align to NIST and ISO 27035. Source: TryHackMe: tabletop exercises · Read 27 Sep 2026 | iluminr |
| Customisation | 10% | The AI Context Engine draws on the organisation's continuity and GRC data; authoring tools are not described in detail. Source: iluminr blog: continuous capability intelligence (18 August 2026) · Read 27 Sep 2026 | Industry, attack vector and stack inputs, Co-Create, editable injects and upload of the team's own IR playbooks. Source: TryHackMe: tabletop exercises · Read 27 Sep 2026 | TryHackMe |
| Pricing clarity | 10% | No price published on the pricing page. Source: iluminr pricing · Read 27 Sep 2026 | Individual plans are published; business plans with tabletop exercises go through sales. Source: TryHackMe pricing · Read 27 Sep 2026 | TryHackMe |
| Total | 100% | iluminr |
Which stages of an exercise does each cover?
Build: Documented
The AI Context Engine draws on business continuity and GRC data during scenarios (August 2026 update).
Source: iluminr blog: continuous capability intelligence (18 August 2026) · Read 27 Sep 2026
Adapt: Partial
Real-time injects and immersive media; AI assesses each response against the organisation's own plans. Branching on each decision is not described.
Source: iluminr homepage · Read 27 Sep 2026
Seats: Documented
Built for boards, executives, crisis teams and risk functions; single-player microsimulations and team exercises.
Source: iluminr homepage · Read 27 Sep 2026
Run: Partial
Live QR polling supports in-room sessions; who facilitates a tabletop is not described on the pages reviewed.
Source: iluminr blog: continuous capability intelligence (18 August 2026) · Read 27 Sep 2026
Report: Documented
Board-ready dashboards and regulatory reports, benchmarking by department, region and role, and behavioural evidence such as decision velocity, confidence, alignment and blind spots.
Source: iluminr press release: continuous capability intelligence (PRWeb, 25 August 2026) · Read 11 Oct 2026
Map: Documented
Evidence mapped to DORA, ISO 22301, APRA CPS 230, FCA/PRA, NIST CSF, UK Operational Resilience, ISO 27001, FFIEC and OSFI E-21, with automated regulatory reporting.
Source: iluminr homepage · Read 27 Sep 2026
Build: Documented
Scenarios generated from industry, attack vector and tech stack; teams can upload their own IR playbooks and co-create.
Source: TryHackMe: tabletop exercises · Read 27 Sep 2026
Adapt: Partial
Facilitators can edit injects or re-prompt; branching on each player decision is not described.
Source: TryHackMe: tabletop exercises · Read 27 Sep 2026
Seats: Partial
Aimed at managers, practitioners and security leaders rather than the boardroom.
Source: TryHackMe: tabletop exercises · Read 27 Sep 2026
Run: Not described
Who facilitates a session is not described; the vendor states a 10-minute average launch.
Source: TryHackMe: tabletop exercises · Read 27 Sep 2026
Report: Documented
"Audit-ready reports" with performance insights.
Source: TryHackMe: tabletop exercises · Read 27 Sep 2026
Map: Documented
Scenarios align to NIST and ISO 27035.
Source: TryHackMe: tabletop exercises · Read 27 Sep 2026
iluminr documents 4 of 6 stages and TryHackMe documents 3 of 6.
What do they cost?
iluminr
Packaging: A resilience exercising platform with several modules; pricing through sales.
Not published iluminr's pricing page publishes no prices.
Source: iluminr pricing · Read 27 Sep 2026
TryHackMe
Packaging: Part of TryHackMe for business; business pricing through sales.
Not published Individual plans are priced publicly; business plans, which include tabletop exercises, are not.
Source: TryHackMe pricing · Read 27 Sep 2026
Which frameworks do they map results to?
iluminr
- DORA
- ISO 22301
- APRA CPS 230
- FCA/PRA
- NIST CSF
- UK Operational Resilience
- ISO 27001
- FFIEC
- OSFI E-21
- NIS2
- CER
Source: iluminr homepage · Read 27 Sep 2026
Source: iluminr press release: continuous capability intelligence (PRWeb, 25 August 2026) · Read 11 Oct 2026
TryHackMe
- NIST
- ISO 27035
Source: TryHackMe: tabletop exercises · Read 27 Sep 2026
Which should you choose?
Choose iluminr if
- Regulatory evidence: 10 / 10, Nine named frameworks on the homepage, including DORA, APRA CPS 230, ISO 22301 and FFIEC, plus automated board-ready regulatory reports citing DORA, NIS2, CER and APRA CPS 230.
- Executive and board focus: 9 / 10, Built for boards, executives, crisis teams and risk functions, with board-ready dashboards.
- Board-level evidence for regulated firms
Choose TryHackMe if
- Customisation: 9 / 10, Industry, attack vector and stack inputs, Co-Create, editable injects and upload of the team's own IR playbooks.
- Exercise delivery effort: 8 / 10, The vendor states a 10-minute average launch, with unlimited exercises and participants.
- Fast, security-team tabletops from a large training platform
iluminr profileTryHackMe profileAlternatives to iluminrAlternatives to TryHackMeSee them side by side
Frequently asked questions
Is iluminr or TryHackMe better for executive crisis exercises?
iluminr scores higher on executive and board focus (9 against 4 out of 10). Read each profile for the detail.
Which is easier to run, iluminr or TryHackMe?
They tie on delivery effort, where a higher score means less effort, at 8 out of 10. Read each profile for the detail.
Do iluminr and TryHackMe publish prices?
Neither iluminr nor TryHackMe publishes a price for its exercise product.