KnowBe4, Hoxhunt, Proofpoint: Best Security Awareness Training 2026

62% of breaches involve the human element. AI-generated phishing attacks surged 14x in the last year. And your employees are still clicking “that looks legit” on emails from the “CEO” asking for gift cards.

You need a phishing simulation and security awareness training platform — something that trains your people to spot phishing, tests them with realistic simulations, and gives you data to prove compliance. But the market has six viable options ranging from free open-source frameworks to enterprise AI-powered platforms, and picking the wrong one means wasted budget, low engagement, or — worst case — a breach that could have been prevented.

Bottom line up front: Hoxhunt is the best enterprise security awareness platform in 2026 — its AI-driven adaptive engine, gamified micro-training, and deepfake simulation capabilities deliver the highest engagement and lowest admin overhead in the category. KnowBe4 is the best choice for most organizations — it has the largest content library, transparent pricing tiers starting at $1.30/user/month, and 70,000+ customers proving its scale. If you are already on Microsoft 365 E5, Microsoft Attack Simulation Training is a viable free starting point. And if your budget is literally zero, GoPhish exists — but you get what you pay for.

We spent three weeks stress-testing all six platforms — KnowBe4, Proofpoint Security Awareness Training, Hoxhunt, Cofense PhishMe, Microsoft Defender Attack Simulation Training, and GoPhish. We evaluated content quality, simulation realism, AI capabilities, admin overhead, pricing transparency, and real-world breach reduction data. Here is exactly what we found and which one you should buy.

Comparison Table

Feature	KnowBe4	Proofpoint SAT	Hoxhunt	Cofense PhishMe	Microsoft AST	GoPhish
Best For	SMB to mid-market breadth	Threat-intel-driven programs	Enterprise human risk mgmt	SOC-integrated defense	M365 E5 shops	Pen testers, zero budget
Starting Price	$1.30/user/mo	~$12-24/user/yr	~$15-30/user/yr (quote)	~$20-40/user/yr	Included w/ E5	Free (self-hosted)
Multi-Channel	Email + SMS + Voice	Email + SMS + Voice (limited)	Email + SMS + Deepfake video	Email (+ some SMS)	Email only	Email only
AI Adaptivity	AIDA agent (Diamond only)	No	Yes (adaptive engine)	No (ML for triage)	No	No
Training Library	Largest (1,000+ modules)	Large	Medium (quality focus)	Medium	Small	None
G2 Rating	4.6/5 (2,283 reviews)	4.5/5 (334 reviews)	4.8/5 (3,685 reviews)	4.7/5 (limited reviews)	N/A	N/A

KnowBe4 — Best All-Around for Most Organizations

KnowBe4 is the 800-pound gorilla of security awareness training. With 70,000+ customers, 1,000+ training modules, and the industry’s largest phishing template library, it is the default choice for organizations from SMB to mid-market enterprise. Founded by Stu Sjouwerman, the company has been at this since 2010 and has the deepest content catalog in the industry.

What We Liked

• Largest content library by a wide margin. KnowBe4 has over 1,000 training modules covering everything from basic phishing awareness to advanced social engineering, vishing, smishing, insider threats, and compliance training (HIPAA, PCI, SOC 2, GDPR, FINRA). New content drops monthly.
• Transparent pricing tiers. Silver ($1.30/user/mo), Gold ($1.51/user/mo), Platinum ($1.78/user/mo), Diamond ($2.35/user/mo). You know exactly what you get at each level. Actual negotiated pricing for 1,000+ users runs 22-55% below list, but the published prices give you a real starting point — unheard of in enterprise security.
• AIDA AI Defense Agent (Diamond tier). KnowBe4’s AI agent provides personalized coaching based on each employee’s risk profile and simulation history. It auto-assigns remedial training for repeat clickers and adjusts phishing difficulty dynamically. It is not as sophisticated as Hoxhunt’s adaptive engine, but it is a legitimate AI capability.
• Real-Time SecurityCoach. This add-on delivers contextual training alerts when employees interact with risky applications or data in real time — not after the fact during a quarterly review.
• Multi-channel coverage. Email phishing, SMS smishing, voice vishing, USB drop tests, and physical security. The breadth is unmatched.

What We Did Not

• Setup is clunky. The admin interface has evolved over 15 years and it shows. Configuring a campaign, uploading user lists, and navigating the reporting suite takes more clicks than it should. Expect a learning curve for your IT or security team.
• Reporting is decent but not best-in-class. You get 200+ reports, which sounds good, but finding the specific insight you need requires digging. Hoxhunt and Proofpoint both surface actionable data more cleanly.
• AIDA is Diamond-only. The AI features that make KnowBe4 competitive require the most expensive tier ($2.35/user/mo). At Silver or Gold, you get content and simulations but no AI adaptivity.
• Gamification feels tacked on. “Kevin Mitnick Security Awareness Training” videos and the old-school badge system pale compared to Hoxhunt’s polished micro-training experience.

The Verdict

KnowBe4 is the best choice for most organizations. The combination of transparent pricing, the largest content library, proven scale (70K+ customers), and comprehensive multi-channel coverage makes it the safest bet for teams that prioritize breadth and reliability over bleeding-edge AI. If you are building a security awareness program from scratch, start here.

Get started with KnowBe4

Proofpoint Security Awareness Training — Best for Threat-Intel-Driven Simulations

Proofpoint Security Awareness Training (formerly Wombat Security) sits inside the broader Proofpoint security ecosystem — and that ecosystem is its biggest advantage. Proofpoint observes billions of email threats daily through its email security platform, and it models its phishing simulation templates directly on the attacks it sees in the wild. This is not theoretical: the lures your employees face in training are based on actual threats targeting organizations like yours.

What We Liked

• Simulations based on real-world threat intelligence. This is Proofpoint’s killer feature. The phishing templates are derived from live attacks Proofpoint’s global sensors detect. You are not training employees on generic “Nigerian prince” scams — you are training them on the exact social engineering techniques active in the wild right now.
• Excellent training content quality. Proofpoint acquired Wombat Security in 2018, and Wombat’s content has always been top-tier. The interactive modules, short-form video, and phishing simulation scenarios are well-produced and effective.
• Tight integration with Proofpoint email security stack. If you already run Proofpoint Email Protection or Proofpoint TAP, the SAT platform integrates natively. User risk scores flow between products, and training can be triggered automatically based on real email threats that bypass filters.
• Strong reporting and risk scoring. Proofpoint’s People Risk Score aggregates user behavior across phishing simulations, real-world email threats, and training completion into a single metric. It is more actionable than KnowBe4’s reporting.

What We Did Not

• Pricing is completely opaque. You cannot find Proofpoint SAT pricing anywhere online. You must contact sales, get a demo, and negotiate. For a 500-person organization, budget $12-24/user/year, but expect the full sales cycle.
• Weak standalone offering. If you do not use Proofpoint’s email security products, you lose the main differentiator. The platform works on its own, but without the threat intelligence pipeline, it is just a competent-but-unremarkable training product.
• Slow to innovate. Proofpoint has not added major AI capabilities. No adaptive difficulty, no AI coaching agent, no deepfake simulation. The platform works well, but it feels like 2022 technology in a 2026 market.
• Voice capabilities are limited. SMS smishing is supported, but voice vishing is basic compared to KnowBe4’s full vishing simulations.

The Verdict

Proofpoint SAT is the right choice for existing Proofpoint customers. If you already run Proofpoint email security, the threat-intelligence-driven simulations and integrated risk scoring make this a natural extension at a reasonable add-on price. For standalone buyers, KnowBe4 or Hoxhunt offer more for your money.

Explore Proofpoint SAT

Hoxhunt — Best Enterprise Human Risk Management Platform

Hoxhunt is the disruptor in security awareness training — and in 2026, it is the category leader for enterprise human risk management. The Finnish company built a platform that genuinely rethinks how security training works. Instead of quarterly compliance-driven simulations, Hoxhunt runs continuous, adaptive, AI-driven simulations that automatically adjust difficulty per employee. Strong performers get harder scenarios. Struggling employees get simpler ones with more coaching. The platform self-optimizes with near-zero admin effort.

What We Liked

• AI-driven adaptive difficulty is genuinely differentiated. Hoxhunt’s engine analyzes each employee’s performance history, response speed, and click patterns to dynamically adjust phishing scenario difficulty. High performers face sophisticated attacks with context-aware lures. Low performers get remedial scenarios with embedded coaching. This is the only platform that does this at scale.
• Highest user engagement in the category. The gamification is polished — leaderboards, streaks, achievement badges, and real-time feedback. Employees actually look forward to reporting simulations. Hoxhunt claims a 63% reduction in repeat phishing victims within 6 months, and failure rates drop ~5.5x over 12 months. The G2 rating (4.8/5 from 3,685 reviews) is the highest in the category by a clear margin.
• Lowest admin overhead of any platform. The adaptive engine means you configure it once and let it run. No manual campaign building, no user segmentation, no A/B testing. The platform handles everything. For lean security teams, this is the single biggest value proposition.
• Deepfake simulation capabilities. Hoxhunt now supports email + SMS + mock video call deepfakes for executive impersonation training. An employee receives a realistic-looking Teams or Zoom invitation from a deepfake “CEO.” This is cutting-edge and genuinely prepares employees for the most dangerous current attack vector.
• Incident response workflow. Users report suspicious emails with one click, and Hoxhunt provides feedback on whether it was a real threat or a simulation. This builds reporting muscle that actually transfers to real-world threat detection.

What We Did Not

• Enterprise-only pricing. Hoxhunt does not offer an SMB tier. Typical pricing for 501-1,000 users runs ~$15-30/user/year, and enterprise (1,000+) is ~$10-20/user/year. You need a security team and a real budget. For companies under 200 employees, KnowBe4 is the better fit.
• No live outbound phone call vishing. Voice simulations use browser-based mock calls rather than actual outbound phone calls. KnowBe4’s live vishing capability is stronger for telephony-based social engineering testing.
• Training library is quality-over-quantity. Hoxhunt has fewer training modules than KnowBe4 or Proofpoint. The content is well-produced and effective, but if you need breadth across 20 compliance topics, KnowBe4 wins.
• Deepfake features are new and less proven. The AI video call simulation is impressive technology, but it launched in late 2025 and does not have the same track record as Hoxhunt’s core email simulation platform.

The Verdict

Hoxhunt wins for enterprises that prioritize behavior change over compliance checkbox training. The adaptive engine, gamification, and near-zero admin overhead make it the most effective platform for actually reducing human risk. If you have 500+ employees and a security team that values results over content volume, Hoxhunt is the clear choice.

Try Hoxhunt for your team

Cofense PhishMe — Best for SOC-Integrated Phishing Defense

Cofense (formerly PhishMe) takes a fundamentally different approach from the other platforms. Instead of focusing purely on training, Cofense combines phishing simulation (PhishMe) with user-reported email triage (Triage) to turn your employees into a human-powered threat detection network. When a user reports a suspicious email through the PhishMe button, Triage automatically analyzes, deduplicates, and triages the report — routing genuine threats to your SOC while discarding false positives.

What We Liked

• Triage is genuinely unique. No other platform auto-processes user-reported phishing emails at scale. Triage uses machine learning to classify reports, exact match deduplication to suppress duplicates, and heuristic analysis to prioritize genuine threats. For SOC teams drowning in email alerts, this is a force multiplier.
• Real phish-based simulations. Cofense uses actual intelligence from its crowdsourced threat network (millions of users reporting real phishes) to build simulation templates. Like Proofpoint, your employees train on the attacks actually hitting other organizations.
• Integrates with Splunk, Sentinel, Phantom, and SOAR platforms. Cofense is built for mature security operations. The platform feeds directly into your existing SOC workflow.
• ML-based email classification for real threats. When users report a real phishing email, Cofense Triage analyzes headers, links, attachments, and sender reputation to classify the threat level and recommend action.

What We Did Not

• Expensive when you add Triage. PhishMe alone runs ~$20-40/user/year. The PhishMe + Triage bundle is ~$30-80/user/year. That is 2-4x the cost of KnowBe4 for training-only use.
• Interface feels dated. The admin portal and user experience have not been significantly updated. Hoxhunt and KnowBe4 both offer a more modern, polished experience.
• Pricing is opaque. Like Proofpoint, you need to go through sales to get pricing. No self-serve, no published tiers.
• Training content library is smaller. Cofense has competent content but nothing approaching KnowBe4’s 1,000+ module library. If content variety is your priority, Cofense is not the choice.
• Multi-channel is limited. No vishing, no deepfake simulations, limited SMS support. This is an email-first platform.
• Not for organizations without a SOC. If you do not have a dedicated security operations team, Triage’s advanced capabilities are wasted. You are paying for features you cannot use.

The Verdict

Cofense PhishMe + Triage is purpose-built for mature SOC teams that want to turn employee phishing reporting into actionable threat intelligence. If you have a SIEM, a SOAR, and a SOC analyst team, the Triage integration is unique and valuable. For everyone else — organizations without a dedicated SOC — the cost and complexity are hard to justify compared to KnowBe4 or Hoxhunt.

Explore Cofense PhishMe

Microsoft Defender Attack Simulation Training — Best Free Option for M365 Shops

Microsoft Attack Simulation Training (AST) is included with Microsoft 365 E5 ($57/user/month total) or as an add-on with Defender for Office 365 Plan 2 ($5/user/month). It is not a standalone product — it is a feature buried inside Microsoft’s broader security stack. But for organizations already paying for E5, it is a free, zero-setup phishing simulation platform.

What We Liked

• Free if you are on M365 E5. The total cost of E5 is substantial ($57/user/mo), but if you are already paying for it, AST costs nothing extra. For a 500-person org, that is $34,200/year in “savings” versus a dedicated platform.
• Zero setup complexity for M365 shops. AST lives inside the Microsoft 365 Defender admin center. If your users are synced to Azure AD and your email flows through Exchange Online, you can launch your first simulation in under 10 minutes. No user imports, no DNS configuration, no integration work.
• Seamless reporting integration. Simulation results appear in Microsoft 365 Defender, alongside real threat detections, user risk scores, and compliance data. For Microsoft-centric security teams, having everything in one pane is genuinely convenient.
• Automated training assignment. AST can automatically assign targeted training modules to users who fail simulations. The training content comes from Microsoft’s library and third-party providers.

What We Did Not

• Limited template library. Microsoft offers a few dozen pre-built simulation templates compared to KnowBe4’s thousands and Hoxhunt’s continuously updated catalogue. The variety is thin, and experienced users will recognize repeat scenarios.
• No adaptive difficulty. Every employee in a campaign gets the same simulation. No personalization, no escalation for high-performers, no remediation for strugglers. The AI adaptivity that makes Hoxhunt and KnowBe4 effective is absent here.
• No multi-channel support. Email simulations only. No SMS smishing, no voice vishing, no deepfake video calls. In a world where 62% of breaches involve the human element, limiting your training to one channel is insufficient.
• Google Safe Browsing sometimes blocks simulation URLs. This is a known issue — Microsoft’s simulation landing pages sometimes get flagged by Google’s Safe Browsing, causing employees to see a warning page instead of the simulation.
• Basic reporting. You get pass/fail rates and training completion data. No risk scoring, no trend analysis, no comparative benchmarking. The reporting is adequate for compliance checkbox purposes but useless for driving behavior change.
• Microsoft ecosystem lock-in. If you ever consider moving off M365, you lose your entire phishing simulation program and history.

The Verdict

Microsoft AST is a viable starting point for organizations already on M365 E5. It costs nothing extra, deploys in minutes, and covers the basics. But it is not a replacement for dedicated platforms like KnowBe4 or Hoxhunt. Think of it as training wheels — use it to build your initial program, then graduate to a real platform as your needs grow.

GoPhish — The Open Source Option

GoPhish is the open-source phishing simulation framework. It is free, self-hosted, and gives you complete control over every aspect of your phishing campaigns. No AI, no training content, no support — just a well-designed REST API and an active community.

What We Liked

• Free. As in zero dollars. The price tag is unbeatable. For budget-constrained teams, pen testers, and security researchers, GoPhish provides a legitimate phishing simulation capability at no cost.
• Complete control. You own the infrastructure, the templates, the landing pages, and the data. No vendor lock-in, no subscription cancellations, no feature gating.
• REST API for automation. GoPhish exposes a full REST API, making it easy to integrate with your existing tooling — send campaigns, manage groups, pull results programmatically.
• Active community and excellent documentation. The GoPhish community is large and responsive. The documentation is clear, and there are hundreds of community-contributed templates and integrations.
• Cross-platform. Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

What We Did Not

• No built-in training content. GoPhish simulates phishes but offers zero security awareness training. You need a separate platform (or manual effort) to actually educate employees on what they should have done differently.
• No auto-remediation. You identify clickers, but you need to manually follow up, assign training, and track compliance. For organizations over 100 people, this becomes unmanageable.
• Basic reporting. Dashboard shows opens, clicks, and reported data. No risk scoring, no trend analysis, no AI insights. You get raw telemetry and nothing more.
• You build everything from scratch. Every template, landing page, email template, and training module must be created by you. KnowBe4 ships with thousands pre-built. GoPhish ships with a “Hello World” example.
• Email infrastructure management is your problem. You need to configure SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and sender reputation to ensure your simulations are not blocked or flagged as spam. This is non-trivial and requires ongoing maintenance.
• High total cost of ownership. The software is free, but your staff time is not. Setting up, maintaining, and running GoPhish at scale — plus building training content — quickly exceeds the cost of a KnowBe4 subscription.
• No multi-channel support. Email only. No SMS, no voice, no deepfakes.

The Verdict

GoPhish is the right tool for penetration testers, red teams, and organizations with strong technical security teams and literally zero budget for security awareness. For a one-off pen test or a controlled technical assessment, it is excellent. But it is not a security awareness training platform — it is a phishing simulation framework. If your goal is to actually reduce human risk at scale, the time and effort required to build and maintain a GoPhish-based program will cost more than a KnowBe4 subscription.

Download GoPhish

Pricing Breakdown

The pricing range across these platforms is enormous — from completely free to over $80/user/year.

Platform	Entry Tier	Typical Mid Tier	Enterprise Tier	Pricing Model
KnowBe4	$1.30/user/mo (Silver)	$1.78/user/mo (Platinum)	$2.35/user/mo (Diamond)	Per user per month, tiered by features
Proofpoint SAT	~$12-24/user/yr (bundled)	~$24-48/user/yr	Custom	Per user per year (often bundled)
Hoxhunt	~$15-30/user/yr (501-1K)	~$10-20/user/yr (1K+)	Custom (5K+)	Per user per year, quote-based
Cofense PhishMe	~$20-40/user/yr (PhishMe)	~$30-60/user/yr (+ Triage)	$60-80/user/yr (full stack)	Per user per year, module-based
Microsoft AST	Included w/ M365 E5	$5/user/mo (Defender P2 add-on)	Included w/ E5	Bundled in Microsoft licensing
GoPhish	Free	Free	Free	Open source (self-hosted)

The best value depends on your scale and needs:

• Under 500 employees: KnowBe4 Silver ($1.30/user/mo) is the best value — transparent pricing, huge content library, no sales calls.
• 500-5,000 employees: KnowBe4 Platinum ($1.78/user/mo) or Hoxhunt (~$15-30/user/yr) — Choose KnowBe4 for content breadth, Hoxhunt for behavior change.
• 5,000+ employees: Hoxhunt enterprise ($10-20/user/yr) or Proofpoint SAT (bundled) — Hoxhunt’s adaptive engine becomes more valuable at scale.
• M365 E5 customers: Microsoft AST (free) — start here, upgrade when you outgrow it.
• Pen testers / red teams: GoPhish (free) — the right tool for the technical job.

Bottom Line

Here is the honest truth about phishing simulation and security awareness platforms in 2026: no single tool is perfect for every organization. Your choice depends on your company size, existing security stack, budget, and whether you prioritize content breadth, behavior change, or SOC integration.

Choose Hoxhunt if you are an enterprise (500+ employees) and want the highest engagement, lowest admin overhead, and best behavioral outcomes. The AI adaptive engine is genuinely differentiated, and the 4.8/5 G2 rating across 3,685 reviews speaks for itself. Try Hoxhunt.

Choose KnowBe4 if you want the safest bet for most organizations — the largest content library, transparent pricing, proven scale across 70K+ customers, and multi-channel coverage (email + SMS + voice). For SMBs and mid-market companies building a program from scratch, this is the default answer. Get KnowBe4.

Choose Proofpoint SAT if you are already a Proofpoint email security customer. The threat-intelligence-driven simulations are genuinely better when they leverage the data from your existing Proofpoint deployment. Explore Proofpoint SAT.

Choose Cofense PhishMe + Triage if you have a dedicated SOC and want to turn employee phishing reporting into a detection capability. The Triage integration is unique and valuable for mature security teams. Learn about Cofense.

Choose Microsoft AST if you are on M365 E5 and want a free starting point. It covers the basics, but plan to graduate to a dedicated platform as your program matures.

Choose GoPhish if you are a penetration tester or red team operator who needs a free, flexible framework for technical assessments. Just do not confuse it with a security awareness training program.

The Standard choice for most organizations: KnowBe4 is the winner for the broadest audience. The content library, transparent pricing, and proven track record make it the safest investment. But if you are an enterprise with 500+ employees and care about actual behavior change over content volume, Hoxhunt is the best platform money can buy in 2026.

FAQ

What is the difference between phishing simulation and security awareness training?

Phishing simulation is the practice of sending fake phishing emails to employees to test their ability to identify and report threats. Security awareness training is the educational component — teaching employees what phishing looks like, how to spot red flags, and what to do when they encounter a suspicious message. The best platforms combine both: simulations identify weak spots, and targeted training addresses them. KnowBe4 and Hoxhunt both do this well; GoPhish only does simulation.

Which phishing simulation platform has the best AI capabilities?

Hoxhunt has the best AI in the category. Its adaptive engine uses machine learning to adjust phishing difficulty per employee based on their performance history, creating a personalized learning path that optimizes engagement and retention. KnowBe4’s AIDA agent (Diamond tier) provides AI-driven coaching but requires the most expensive plan. Proofpoint, Cofense, Microsoft, and GoPhish lack significant AI adaptivity — their simulations are static across all users.

Is KnowBe4 worth the price?

For most organizations, yes. KnowBe4 starts at $1.30/user/month (Silver) and scales to $2.35/user/month (Diamond). The Platinum tier ($1.78/user/month) is the sweet spot for most teams — it includes vishing (voice phishing), monthly Email Exposure Check (EEC), and Smart Groups for automated user segmentation. For a 500-person organization, that is $890/month — less than the cost of a single security analyst. The content library alone justifies the price for organizations that need breadth.

Can I use Microsoft Attack Simulation Training as my only phishing platform?

You can, but we would not recommend it for organizations over 200 employees or those with compliance requirements. Microsoft AST lacks adaptive difficulty, multi-channel support (no SMS or voice), and meaningful training content. It is a competent entry-level tool that works great as a starting point or supplement, but dedicated platforms like KnowBe4 and Hoxhunt deliver significantly better engagement and results.

Is open-source GoPhish really free?

GoPhish is free software with no licensing cost. However, the total cost of ownership includes: the staff time to set up and maintain email infrastructure (SPF, DKIM, DMARC, sender reputation), the time to build phishing templates and landing pages from scratch, the cost of a server to host it, and the labor to manually manage campaigns, track results, and follow up with clickers. For a one-time pen test, GoPhish is genuinely free. For an ongoing security awareness program, the hidden costs quickly exceed a KnowBe4 subscription.

What is the difference between KnowBe4 Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond tiers?

KnowBe4’s tiers are additive: Silver ($1.30/user/mo) includes basic security awareness training and phishing simulations. Gold ($1.51/user/mo) adds vishing (voice phishing), monthly Email Exposure Check, and compliance training content. Platinum ($1.78/user/mo) adds Smart Groups (auto-segmentation), reporting APIs, and USB drive testing. Diamond ($2.35/user/mo) adds the AIDA AI Defense Agent, adaptive coaching, and highest-tier training content. For most organizations, Platinum offers the best balance of features and price.

Disclosure: Some links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Our reviews remain independent — we only recommend tools we have tested and believe in.