Best Alternatives To KnowBe4 Security Awareness Training

SafeTitan is a behavior-driven security awareness training platform from TitanHQ, built for enterprises and MSPs. Its standout feature is real-time intervention training that flags risky user actions as they happen, rather than waiting for the next quarterly training cycle.

Training That Reacts To User Behavior

We found the real-time intervention approach sets SafeTitan apart from most SAT platforms. When a user does something risky, the system notifies admins and assigns targeted training modules immediately. That closes the gap between mistake and education.

The phishing simulation library is solid, with realistic templates that automatically enroll users who fail into retraining. Courses, videos, quizzes, and gamified content are all customizable. Compliance mapping for GDPR and HIPAA is built in, which saves time if you’re reporting to regulators.

What Customers Are Saying

Users praise the MSP-focused campaign automation and the quality of phishing templates. Support teams get consistent positive mentions for responsiveness during onboarding.

Some customers flag that onboarding per M365 tenant takes longer than competing platforms.

Where it fits in your stack

We think SafeTitan makes sense if you need behavior-based training with automated risk mitigation. The instant intervention on risky actions and automated response to failed phishing tests addresses security gaps more effectively than passive training alone.

Adaptive Security is an AI-native platform launched in 2024 specifically to counter AI-powered social engineering attacks. Deepfake videos, voice phishing, and AI-generated email scams, this platform was built for that threat market.

GenAI training that adapts to your actual risks

The platform uses generative AI to create fully custom training modules from scratch or based on real attacks hitting your organization. We saw the content builder generate realistic audio deepfakes of executives and personalized phishing scenarios that matched specific business contexts. The direct mail injection system for Outlook-level phishing simulations avoids email gateway link scanning, which cuts down false positives that plague traditional testing tools.

Teams integration adds a second notification channel that’s harder to ignore than email alone. We found the dashboard intuitive for tracking campaign performance, and the simulation templates cover voice phishing, SMS attacks, and video deepfakes alongside standard email scenarios.

What Customers Are Saying

Customers say implementation with M365 environments takes less than a month, with some describing setup as almost turnkey. Support responds within 24 hours and actively incorporates feedback. Users have flagged that the platform evolves quickly with frequent feature additions.

When AI threats are your primary concern

We think Adaptive Security makes sense if AI-powered social engineering is a real risk for your organization and you need training that matches those evolving tactics. The GenAI content builder and deepfake simulations address threats that most legacy platforms ignore completely.

If you’re just looking for basic phishing awareness without AI-specific scenarios, or you need highly flexible reporting exports for compliance, this might not be the right fit yet. But for organizations facing sophisticated AI-driven attacks, the platform delivers training that actually reflects current threat methods.

ESET brings their endpoint security reputation to security awareness training with a platform focused on gamified learning and phishing simulations. Built for organizations that want compliance-ready training without complexity.

Interactive training that keeps users engaged

The platform uses gamified quizzes, role-playing scenarios, and interactive sessions to cover password safety, email protection, web security, and threat response. We found the refresher course model useful for addressing evolving threats without starting training programs from scratch each time new attack methods emerge.

Phishing simulations include prebuilt templates plus customization options for organizations that need scenarios matching specific business contexts. The admin dashboard tracks individual user progress, test scores, and completion metrics in one place. We think the gamification approach makes more sense than passive video-based training for actual behavior change.

Compliance support across major frameworks

The platform supports HIPAA, PCI DSS, SOX, NIST, ISO/IEC 27001, GDPR, and CCPA compliance requirements. Setup and user onboarding are straightforward, which matters when you’re rolling this out across departments with varying technical capabilities. ESET positions this for organizations of all sizes, from small businesses to enterprise deployments.

Compliance-Ready Training Support

We think ESET SAT makes sense if you need multi-framework compliance support with gamified content that’s easier to deploy than complex platforms. The combination of phishing simulations, interactive training modules, and compliance coverage handles most standard security awareness requirements.

For organizations looking for reliable, compliance-ready training from a known security vendor, ESET delivers solid fundamentals with minimal deployment friction.

Hoxhunt uses AI-driven personalization and gamification to turn security awareness training into something employees actually engage with. If current platform engagement rates are single-digit, this addresses that problem directly.

Personalization that drives actual behavior change

The AI engine adapts training to each employee’s role, location, and skill level in real time. We saw micro-training sessions delivered in bite-sized segments that fit into daily workflows instead of quarterly hour-long sessions people ignore. The gamification works through badges, leaderboards, and rewards that keep participation rates at 40x industry averages.

Integration with Microsoft Outlook and Google Workspace means employees report suspicious emails directly from their inbox. We think the instant feedback loop matters more than delayed training because it catches risky behavior at the moment of decision. The platform supports 30+ languages for global deployments and maintains GDPR, CCPA, and SOC 2 Type II compliance.

What Customers Are Saying

Analytics show a 10x increase in real threat reporting with 98% fewer false positives, saving approximately 900 SOC analyst hours monthly by reducing noise in security queues. Customers say the phishing simulations stay realistic without being too obvious, and the phish-a-friend feature gets users actively participating in security culture.

When engagement and behavior metrics matter

We think Hoxhunt makes sense if you need measurable behavior change with data showing actual risk reduction. The AI personalization and gamification address engagement problems that plague traditional platforms, and the false positive reduction delivers real SOC time savings.

If you just need basic compliance training without behavioral analytics, or your organization isn’t ready to track individual performance metrics, this might be more capability than necessary. But for organizations measuring security awareness success by behavior change rather than completion percentages, the platform delivers results that show up in threat reporting data.

Phished is an automated security awareness platform built around behavioral risk scoring and AI-driven phishing simulations. It targets organizations wanting to move beyond manual campaign scheduling toward continuous behavior measurement.

Automated campaigns with behavioral risk tracking

The platform auto-generates phishing and SMiShing simulations, schedules campaigns autonomously, and assigns individual behavioral risk scores based on how users interact with threats. We found the Phished Report Button integration useful for immediate threat analysis and quarantine when employees flag suspicious emails. The gamified micro-learning modules keep training sessions concise, typically a few minutes each.

Integration with Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 handles user onboarding through CSV upload or Active Directory sync. The AI assistant Aria provides 24/7 multilingual support across the platform.

What Customers Are Saying

Customers say the automated scheduling works well once configured, eliminating manual campaign management. Users appreciate that follow-up guidance after failed simulations is clear and actionable.

Automated Awareness Training

We think Phished makes sense if you want behavioral risk scores that quantify vulnerability rather than just tracking completion rates. The autonomous campaign scheduling and personalized simulations reduce administrative overhead compared to manual platforms.

Fororganizations measuring security awareness success through individual risk metrics and automated continuous training, Phished is a strong solution

Arctic Wolf’s platform is a fully managed service that removes administrative overhead from your training program. If you want continuous threat-relevant content without building campaigns yourself, the hands-off delivery model fits that need.

Microlearning delivered without admin work

The platform sends bi-weekly microlearning sessions via password-free email links, keeping content digestible and accessible without login friction. We found the rapid-response training model useful for addressing new threats as they emerge rather than waiting for quarterly curriculum updates. Pre-packaged phishing simulations draw from real attacks with immediate remediation content served to anyone who clicks.

The fully managed approach means Arctic Wolf handles content creation, scheduling, and campaign oversight. You don’t build simulations or write training modules yourself. The Phishtel Engine analyzes email threats automatically, providing threat-level assessment without manual triage. We think this makes sense for teams stretched thin on security resources who need consistent training delivery without dedicated staff managing the platform.

What Customers Are Saying

The always-on content updates keep training relevant to current threats rather than becoming stale between annual refreshes. Fast onboarding and minimal administrative lift appeal to organizations without dedicated training administrators. However, the fully managed model that eliminates customization work also limits your ability to tailor content to specific organizational risks or compliance requirements beyond what Arctic Wolf provides in their standard curriculum.

When you want training without the program management

We think Arctic Wolf makes sense if reducing administrative overhead matters more than deep customization. The bi-weekly microlearning cadence and managed delivery handle the consistency problem that kills many awareness programs.  Teams that want reliable, current training without dedicating staff to program management, the hands-off approach delivers continuous awareness education that actually runs.

Barracuda extends their email security reputation into awareness training with a platform that simulates phishing across multiple channels including email, SMS, voicemail, and physical media like USB drives.

Multi-channel simulations with granular tracking

The platform goes beyond email phishing to include SMS, voicemail, and physical media tests with advanced features like time-stamping, phone home macros, and geolocation for realistic attack scenarios. We found the dedicated email plugin useful for letting users report suspicious emails while feeding granular data back to admins for tailoring training based on actual reporting patterns.

Monthly content bundles include infographics, posters, and campaigns for ongoing compliance training. The Quick Launch tool deploys campaigns in minutes using prebuilt templates, and the Content Center Marketplace provides a hub for selecting relevant materials. The platform integrates with Barracuda’s Email Protection stack or runs standalone, supporting GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS compliance requirements.

What Customers Are Saying

Customers say the platform is robust and effective for phishing training, particularly praising the multi-language support and realistic simulations. However, users consistently flag that the admin interface is difficult to understand, with many steps required to create campaigns. The interface feels overwhelming for first-time users, and several customers note other products are easier to manage.

Advanced Phishing Simulations

We think Barracuda makes sense if you need advanced phishing simulations across email, SMS, voicemail, and physical media with detailed tracking capabilities. The multi-vector approach covers attack surfaces that email-only testing misses. If your priority is intuitive administration and quick setup, you might find the interface complexity adds unnecessary overhead. But for security teams that need comprehensive social engineering testing and are willing to learn the platform, the simulation depth is hard to match.

Huntress delivers security awareness training through narrative-driven content featuring DeeDee, a recurring cyber threat character that makes lessons memorable. It targets organizations wanting managed training with actual engagement.

Automated monthly cadence with minimal admin work

The platform handles lesson curation and phishing simulations with experts managing the entire program after initial setup. We found the automated monthly training schedule useful for maintaining consistent awareness without quarterly planning cycles. Customers say setup takes under 10 minutes for new tenants, and the automated assignments eliminate hours spent manually scheduling campaigns compared to platforms requiring constant admin intervention.

Short, professionally produced videos use storylines and animation that get employees talking about training instead of treating it as a chore. The narrative approach with DeeDee works across all technical awareness levels. Custom content creation through authoring software allows tailoring when needed. Monthly reports track progress, and the platform supports NERC CIP, PCI-DSS, SOC 2, and HIPAA compliance requirements.

What customers are saying

Users consistently praise the engaging content, noting it’s far better than alternatives they’ve used previously. The phishing simulations catch more users than expected, automatically assigning remediation training. However, customers have flagged several limitations. Training videos feel slow to some users. Dashboards and reporting need refinement with more detailed per-user performance insights.

Audio remains English-only even with translated subtitles. Support runs chat and email only with no phone option, and one customer experienced frustratingly slow chat response times during setup issues.

When narrative engagement justifies fixed scheduling

We think Huntress makes sense if employee engagement matters more than granular timing control. The narrative-driven content and automated management deliver consistent training without requiring dedicated SAT administration. If you need adaptive scheduling based on individual performance or highly customizable training paths, platforms with more scheduling flexibility might serve you better. But for organizations that want effective, low-maintenance security awareness training managed by actual security practitioners, Huntress delivers.

Infosec IQ maps its content library to the nine core security behaviors outlined in NIST guidelines, then contextualizes training for employees’ specific roles, industries, and experience levels. It targets organizations needing role-based training rather than generic modules.

What Customers Are Saying

Customers consistently praise the support as exceptional, with frequent follow-ups ensuring everything works properly. Account reps and client success managers get specific recognition for being easy to reach and simplifying complex issues. Users say the content gets great reviews internally and pricing is budget-friendly for the capabilities provided.

Some users flag there are limited options for adding attachments phishing simulations. The campaign building experience continues improving based on customer feedback, suggesting the platform evolves with user needs.

When role-specificity matters more than generic training

We think Infosec IQ makes sense if you need training that matches actual job functions rather than forcing everyone through identical modules. The NIST-mapped content library combined with strong client success support delivers programs tailored to your organization’s maturity level. If you need cutting-edge gamification, AI-generated scenarios, or real-time behavioral intervention, the platform focuses more on comprehensive role-based coverage than innovation in delivery methods.

But for organizations where relevant, contextualized training drives better behavior change than generic content, the role-mapping approach addresses the “why should I care about this” problem that kills engagement.

Proofpoint’s awareness platform combines ThreatSim phishing simulations with modular training content and Very Attacked People reports that identify your highest-risk users. It targets organizations already using Proofpoint email security.

Real attack templates with multi-channel testing

The library includes over 700 real-world phishing templates spanning email, USB, and SMS vectors. We found the ability to take actual sophisticated phishing attempts, neutralize them, and convert them into training materials more effective than basic generic templates. The PhishAlarm email plugin lets users report suspicious emails directly, feeding incident data back to admins for tracking.

VAP reports surface which individuals are getting targeted most frequently, letting you prioritize training resources toward actual high-risk users rather than treating everyone identically. Granular analytics support targeted interventions. The platform handles compliance requirements for GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS, and SOC 2.

What customers are saying

Customers praise the customer support as responsive with quick callback availability. Account managers meet monthly to help select appropriate templates, and the UI is straightforward for setting up campaigns across groups or entire organizations. Users appreciate the extensive template library and the ability to add policy acceptance workflows like PCI DSS acknowledgment before accessing sensitive data.

Integration with Proofpoint Email Security

We think Proofpoint SAT makes sense if you’re already using Proofpoint email security and want integrated awareness training without managing multiple vendor relationships. The combined approach of identifying real phishing threats and training employees on those same threat types creates a tighter feedback loop than standalone platforms.