Program comparison (typical)
Approximate — verify stipends and dates on official sites.
| Program | Paid? | Duration | Remote | Student-only | Beginner-friendly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outreachy | Yes ($7k) | ~3 months | Yes | No (eligibility rules) | Medium |
| GSoC | Yes (PPP) | 12–22 weeks | Yes | No | Medium (need org PRs) |
| Summer of Bitcoin | Yes (BTC) | ~12 weeks | Yes | University yes | Medium–hard |
| ESoC | Yes (varies) | ~3 months | Yes | No | Yes (targets newcomers) |
| LFX | Yes (varies) | Term-based | Yes | Varies | Medium |
| MLH Fellowship | Yes (tracks) | Semester | Varies | Often students | Medium |
| Season of Docs | Yes (project) | Varies | Yes | No | N/A (writers) |
| C4GT | Yes (~₹1L) | Cycle-based | Often yes | Often students | Medium |
| FOSSEE / eSim | Yes | Summer | Varies | India students | Medium |
| OSPP | Yes (¥ tiers) | Summer | Yes | China-focused | Medium |
| Igalia | Yes (trainee) | Months | Yes | No | Hard |
| GSSoC / SSoC | Prizes/certs | ~2 months | Yes | Open | Yes |
| Season of KDE | Swag/cert | Season | Yes | Open | Yes |
| Hacktoberfest | Swag | October | Yes | Open | Yes |
| 24 Pull Requests | Badges | December | Yes | Open | Yes |
Hackathons vs these programs
| Hackathons | GSoC / Outreachy / SoB | |
|---|---|---|
| Time | Hours–days | Weeks–months |
| Pay | Prizes | Stipend |
| Best signal | Demo + teamwork | Merged commits + mentor vouch |