Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about Guardian Foundry.
Plans & Upgrade Paths
What is the difference between Trial, Adventurer, and Guardian?
When should I upgrade from Adventurer to Guardian?
Is Guild another learner plan?
Legacy & Platform Questions
How does Guardian Foundry relate to older Level Effect courses or subscriptions?
I am an existing Level Effect customer. Where should I start?
Can I start free and upgrade later?
Getting Started
What is Guardian Foundry?
Guardian Foundry is Level Effect's RPG-inspired cybersecurity learning platform. Follow Courses and Learning Paths, practice through Activities, labs, and events, earn XP, and build a NICE-mapped Portfolio of the work you complete.
Do I need cybersecurity experience to start?
No. Guardian Foundry includes material for complete beginners through experienced practitioners, so you can start with the Courses and Learning Paths that match your current experience.
Is there a free tier?
Yes. Trial includes selected free Courses and Activities, basic XP and progress, a basic Portfolio view, and self-study feedback. No credit card is required.
Training & Content
What kind of training is available?
Courses can include reading, free-text responses, code exercises, multiple-choice Activities, report submissions, and hands-on labs. Checkpoints connect that work to real NIST NICE tasks, knowledge, and skills.
How does AI grading work?
Eligible Guardian submissions are evaluated against instructor-made rubrics. The feedback explains what was strong, what was missing, and where an answer needs more precision.
What about human review?
Guardian members can bring designated skill checks, reports, and career questions to cybersecurity practitioners when human judgment adds the most value.
How often is new content added?
New Courses, Activities, labs, and events are added on an ongoing basis. Follow the blog for product and content updates.
Portfolio & Career
What is the Portfolio?
Your Portfolio records completed work, progress, Credentials, and the NIST NICE tasks, knowledge, and skills connected to your training.
Can I share my Portfolio with employers?
Adventurer and Guardian members can share their Portfolio so employers can see the training, Credentials, progress, and completed work behind their experience.
What is the NICE framework?
NICE (National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education) is a federal workforce framework maintained by NIST that categorizes cybersecurity work into roles, competencies, and tasks. All Guardian Foundry training maps to NICE, so your skills are recognized industry-wide.
Pricing & Billing
How much does Guardian Foundry cost?
Trial is free. Adventurer is $29/month for the complete self-paced experience. Guardian is $79/month and adds AI-assisted feedback, human-reviewed work, Mentorship sections, Hall of Records access, and priority support. Annual billing currently saves 15%. Guild is the sales-led team plan at $119/month per seat with a 5-seat minimum.
Can I change plans or cancel?
Yes. Start on Trial, move to Adventurer for the complete self-paced experience, or choose Guardian when you want feedback and direct support. You can manage or cancel an individual subscription from your account and keep access through the end of the billing period.
Is there a team or enterprise plan?
Yes. Guild is the team plan at $119/month per seat with a 5-seat minimum. It includes Guardian access for each seat plus Course and Learning Path assignments, seat management, learner activity, and owner reporting. Contact the team at leveleffect.com/enterprise to discuss setup.