Did you know you can earn t-shirts, gadgets, stickers, and even cash — just by building cool stuff from your home?
Online hackathons have exploded in popularity, and many global platforms offer free swag to participants or winners. In this post, we list the best hackathons in 2025 where developers can get both rewards and recognition — from anywhere in the world.
🧩 What You’ll Get from This Blog:
- Verified global & Indian hackathons that offer swag
- Swag eligibility: participation vs winning
- Direct links to apply
- Bonus: how to maximize your chances of winning swag
🏆 Top Hackathons That Offer Free Swag in 2025
1. Major League Hacking (MLH)
- Swag Offered: Stickers, t-shirts, limited hoodies
- Website: https://mlh.io
- How to Get It: Join a listed hackathon (virtual or hybrid)
- Bonus Tip: Some events send kits to all valid submissions
- Region: Global
2. Devpost Hackathons
- Swag Offered: T-shirts, mugs, headphones, gift cards
- Website: https://devpost.com/hackathons
- How to Win: Submit a working demo before the deadline
- Tip: Look for “swag to first 100 valid submissions” offers
3. Hashnode Hackathons
- Swag: T-shirts, tech gadgets, Amazon gift cards
- Platform: https://hashnode.com/hackathons
- Good For: Bloggers, frontend developers, React/Next.js experts
4. ETHGlobal (Web3 Hackathons)
- Swag: NFT merch, crypto tokens, hardware wallets
- Website: https://ethglobal.com
- Bonus: Gas fee reimbursements + exclusive collectibles
5. GitHub & Dev.to Events
- Swag: Octocat gear, dev kits, GitHub Sponsors credits
- Watch For: Hacktoberfest, GitHub Universe challenges
🛍️ Bonus Hackathons (Swag Verified):
- Google Cloud DevJams – T-shirts & mugs for Cloud challenge participants
- Twilio CodeExchange – Swag kits via TwilioQuest
- Microsoft Reactor Hackathons – Swag for submitting Azure-based solutions
⚙️ How to Maximize Your Swag Chances:
- ✅ Register early — some limit swag to first 100 participants
- ✅ Submit something — even basic projects qualify in many cases
- ✅ Join Discord or Slack — exclusive swag drops happen here
- ✅ Share your project on Twitter with event hashtags — get noticed
🧳 Conclusion
Whether you’re in it for the challenge, learning, or the free t-shirts — hackathons in 2025 are an unbeatable way to grow your developer profile while getting cool swag shipped right to your door.
Keep coding, keep building — and who knows, you might just win more than goodies!
👉 Know any other hackathons sending swag? Drop it in the comments below!
