Technical Review by
Craig MacAlpine
Phishing simulation platforms send realistic simulated attacks to employees and measure who clicks, who reports, and whether targeted training reduces risk over time. Simulation without measurement produces compliance activity rather than risk reduction. We reviewed 11 platforms and found Adaptive Security, Phished, and TitanHQ Security Awareness Training to be the strongest on template quality and the behavioral reporting that shows whether risk is actually declining.
Phishing continues to be one of the most prevalent modes of cyberattack in modern times. An alarming 57% of organizations experienced a successful phishing attack in 2020, which isn’t something that should be taken lightly. And now, with more of us reliant on online communications than ever, it’s never been more important for your employees to be able to spot those phishing lures.
As cyberthreats evolve, organizations’ security defenses need to evolve with them, and that includes their staff. But as employees grow wiser, so do cybercriminals.
It’s not enough to provide a few unengaging, once-a-year, click-through training modules; users need to continuously be engaged and tested so that cyberattacks are always fresh in their minds. After all, employees that both know what to look for and can regularly practice those skills are far more likely to spot and report a real attack when faced with one.
Testing by phishing simulations is one of the best ways an organization can train their staff in a real-life, but safe environment. Simulations work by sending users mock phishing emails that are designed to look and feel genuine. The testing part comes in the user’s response; to successfully pass a simulation, users have to report the emails as phishing attempts. Many vendors offer a free plugin that enables users to safely and easily report any suspicious emails directly to their security teams. A user that clicks on any of the attachments or URLs within the email has failed, and often vendors offer reporting tools enabling organizations to identify and remediate these behaviors.
We’ve put together a list of the top phishing simulation testing solutions, so your organization can transform its employees into human phishing detectors. We’ll talk through some of their key features and how they work, as well as how easy they are to use and implement.
Phishing simulation and testing sends fake but realistic phishing emails to your employees to see who clicks, who reports, and who enters credentials on fake login pages. Employees who fail a simulation are assigned targeted training on the specific tactic they missed. Over time, organizations track whether click rates go down and reporting rates go up, giving a clear measure of whether the program is working.
Phishing simulation platforms operate across three layers: template engines, delivery infrastructure, and analytics. Template engines generate realistic phishing emails covering BEC, spear-phishing, credential harvesting, smishing, vishing, and increasingly deepfake audio and video scenarios. Delivery infrastructure handles mail injection, gateway bypass, and scheduling to ensure simulations reach inboxes without triggering security filters or creating false positives. Advanced platforms use direct mail injection into Outlook or M365 to bypass email gateway scanning entirely. Analytics layers capture click rates, credential submission rates, reporting rates, time-to-report, and link interaction data at the individual and departmental level. Machine learning models personalize simulation difficulty based on each user's historical performance, adapting both frequency and sophistication. Closed-loop platforms connect employee-reported phishing directly into SOC triage and inbox-level quarantine workflows, turning simulation programs into active defense layers.
This table compares the key capabilities across all 11 phishing simulation and testing platforms we reviewed.
| Product | Best For | Type | AI Content Generation | Adaptive Difficulty | Multi-Channel Simulation | Managed Service |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Adaptive Security
|
AI-powered multi-channel simulation
|
AI-Native
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
|
Phished
|
Low-admin automated testing
|
Standalone
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
|
TitanHQ, powered by CyberSentriq
|
MSP multi-tenant simulation
|
Standalone
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
|
ESET Cybersecurity Awareness Training
|
Gamified simulation and training
|
Standalone
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
|
IRONSCALES
|
Detection-linked simulation
|
Integrated
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
|
Hoxhunt
|
Adaptive enterprise simulation
|
Standalone
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
|
Huntress
|
Managed simulation for MSPs
|
Managed
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
|
Cofense PhishMe
|
Threat intelligence-driven simulation
|
Standalone
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
|
Infosec IQ
|
Structured year-long programs
|
Standalone
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
|
KnowBe4
|
Enterprise-scale simulation depth
|
Standalone
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
|
Proofpoint Security Awareness Training
|
Proofpoint ecosystem simulation
|
Standalone
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
We assessed 11 phishing simulation platforms across simulation realism, campaign automation, reporting and analytics, ease of deployment, content variety, and integration with email clients and security stacks. This article was researched and written by Alex Zawalnyski and technically reviewed by Craig MacAlpine, CEO and Founder of Expert Insights. Our editorial and commercial teams operate independently; no vendor can pay to influence our reviews. Read our full methodology
Adaptive Security is an AI-native phishing simulation platform built for organizations facing deepfake and multi-channel social engineering threats. Backed by $136 million in total funding from the OpenAI Startup Fund, Andreessen Horowitz, and Bain Capital Ventures, it’s one of the fastest-moving vendors in the simulation space. We think it’s the right call if AI-generated attacks are already on your risk register.
Customers consistently highlight fast deployment, with M365 and Google Workspace connections coming together in days rather than weeks. Support is responsive and ships frequent updates that keep simulation content current with evolving threats. Something to be aware of is that some users note reporting exports lack the flexibility needed for executive stakeholder presentations, and international functionality is limited for some non-US office locations.
We were impressed by the depth of multi-channel simulation capabilities. Adaptive moves faster than most vendors in this category, and the customization depth is real. If your organization needs to simulate AI-powered attacks across voice, video, SMS, and email from a single platform, this addresses those threat vectors more directly than any other option we reviewed.
Phished is a phishing simulation platform built around autonomous campaign scheduling and machine learning-driven personalization. The platform learns which phishing emails individual users are likely to click on and tailors simulations to each person’s unique patterns, which is a meaningful differentiator from platforms that send the same template to everyone. We think it’s a strong option for organizations that want effective, ongoing phishing testing with minimal admin overhead.
We were impressed by how much Phished delivers with how little ongoing effort. Configuring an automated campaign takes minutes, and once set up, simulations run on schedule without extra work. The personalization is the real strength; because every user receives simulations based on their own click history, testing is more accurate and realistic than platforms using a one-size-fits-all approach. Something to be aware of is that the Phished Academy doesn’t provide an extensive amount of training content, so if you need a full-spectrum awareness training library, you may need to supplement it. Simulation templates and training are available in nine languages, though Spanish content is limited and the most material is available in Dutch and English.
TitanHQ, powered by CyberSentriq, combines automated phishing simulations with real-time awareness training across a multi-tenant management portal. We think it makes the most sense for MSPs standardizing phishing simulation programs across multiple client environments. The platform delivers strong automation at a competitive price point.
Customers running MSP operations consistently highlight the low ongoing admin overhead. Once campaigns are configured, the platform handles automation without requiring constant attention. Multi-tenant management through a single portal saves significant time across client environments. Something to be aware of is that some customer reviews note support response times can be inconsistent, with some tickets sitting unresolved for extended periods.
We were impressed by the template volume and automation depth at this price point. For MSPs managing phishing simulations across multiple client environments, the operational efficiency is hard to beat. Organizations running a single internal program will find the value proposition less obvious, and teams needing responsive support should factor in the inconsistency flagged in customer feedback.
ESET is a cybersecurity provider that specializes in internet security and antivirus solutions, serving homes, businesses, and enterprises. ESET Cybersecurity Awareness Training is their security awareness and phishing simulation solution, with all training delivered via engaging videos in an easy-to-watch, bitesize format. We think the gamified approach, including a 90-minute RPG training module, sets ESET apart from more traditional awareness training providers on this list.
We think ESET Cybersecurity Awareness Training is a strong option for small to mid-sized enterprises looking for effective, easy-to-manage security awareness training and phishing simulation. The auto-enrollment for failed simulations means you’re building a feedback loop that improves behavior over time. It’s particularly well suited for organizations already utilizing ESET’s wider endpoint protection solution suite.
IRONSCALES is an API-based email security and security awareness training platform that sits at the mailbox level inside Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace. It provides inbound email protection against advanced email threats, spam, phishing attacks, and business email compromise, as well as a comprehensive phishing simulation and awareness training platform. This includes adaptive phishing simulations that use AI to mirror real-world attacks, and high-quality training content via partnerships with security awareness training content providers like Ninjio.
We are impressed by IRONSCALES. The phishing simulations are highly realistic and can be customized to mimic the attacks actually facing your organization. Reporting is detailed and makes it easy to track overall business performance. The training content itself is engaging and high-quality. The agentic AI capabilities, particularly the predictive red team agent, put IRONSCALES at the leading edge of proactive threat modeling in the email security space. IRONSCALES is best suited for teams or MSPs looking for a dedicated email security tool with built-in phishing simulations.
Hoxhunt is a fast-growing European company that specializes in teaching employees to identify and respond to phishing attacks in engaging ways. Their AI-driven platform personalizes training based on individual user weaknesses using gamification to reward users for correctly identifying and reporting simulated phishing emails. The solution is a fully managed service, including the full end-to-end automation of all phishing campaigns. We think it’s a strong fit for large global enterprises in high-risk industries that need simulation difficulty to scale with employee sophistication.
Customers describe the gamified approach as making phishing simulations feel rewarding rather than routine. The progressive difficulty draws positive feedback from end users across skill levels, and the Outlook reporting button is consistently praised for simplicity. Personal support is available for technical setup and onboarding, while onboarding new users takes minutes. Something to be aware of is that the leaderboard system frustrates field employees or infrequent email users who structurally cannot compete with office-based colleagues. There’s no vacation mode, so users miss simulations during time off and lose ranking points.
We were impressed by the adaptive difficulty model and the way simulations land in real inboxes at random intervals. That approach creates more authentic testing than scheduled campaigns. The fully managed service means security teams can focus on training users and remediating threats rather than personalising and managing campaigns. Hoxhunt is well suited to enterprise teams running simulation programs across multiple regions from a single console.
Huntress is a managed cybersecurity platform designed for MSPs and IT teams, with fully managed phishing simulation and security awareness training built in. Huntress is completely managed, so you don’t need to spend your own time keeping on top of training services. We think the combination of managed phishing simulation backed by a 24/7 SOC makes Huntress unique on this list.
We think Huntress is an excellent fit for MSPs that need a fully managed security solution to offer clients without increasing internal labor costs, or IT teams looking for a fully managed phishing simulation solution backed by a trusted 24/7 SOC. If you want phishing testing as part of a broader managed security stack rather than a standalone tool, Huntress is well worth considering.
Best for threat intelligence-driven simulation
Cofense, formerly PhishMe, is an industry leader providing advanced phishing detection and defense solutions for organizations. Their phishing threat intelligence collects data from 26 million users across the globe to detect phishing attacks, providing actionable and accurate insights. Serving more than 2,000 enterprise businesses globally, Cofense PhishMe goes beyond standard phishing simulation by connecting employee reporting directly to active threat response. We think it’s the right call for organizations with dedicated security staff who want simulation results feeding real incident response rather than running as a standalone testing program.
Customers highlight the Reporter button as the feature that gets used most consistently, with minimal friction for end users. Users rate the platform highly and find it flexible and reliable. The simulation customization and reporting analytics draw positive feedback from security teams tracking program progress over time. Something to be aware of is that some customer reviews note the platform requires continuous maintenance and dedicated staff to administer effectively. Repetitive simulations can also cause user fatigue over extended deployments.
We were impressed by the closed-loop connection between phishing simulation, employee reporting, and active remediation. This is a platform built for organizations that want simulation results to drive real security outcomes, not just awareness metrics. A version of PhishMe is also available at no cost to small businesses with fewer than 500 employees. If your detection strategy includes employee reporting as a core component, Cofense PhishMe is well worth considering.
Best for structured year-long simulation programs
Infosec is a cybersecurity education company that offers professional training and certification as well as security awareness training and phishing simulations. Now part of the Cengage Group, the platform currently serves 5 million learners in 185 countries. Infosec IQ delivers phishing simulation with instant feedback that redirects users to training the moment they click a simulated phishing link. We think it’s best suited for organizations building structured, year-long simulation and training programs.
Customers consistently highlight the depth of simulation options and the quality of account support, with dedicated contacts who actively assist program success. All subscriptions include 1:1 support for implementation as well as a client success manager and technical support. The content library earns praise for avoiding the AI-generated feel that makes employees tune out. Something to be aware of is that some customer reviews mention the reporting and campaign sections have a steep initial learning curve.
We were impressed by the instant feedback mechanism that turns every simulation failure into a teachable moment. With 70% of the Fortune 500 partnering with Infosec, the platform has proven scale. The solution is well suited to both SMBs and enterprises looking for a flexible and customizable phishing simulator with strong support. If you need a structured simulation program with consistent content delivery and immediate learning triggers, Infosec IQ is well worth considering.
Best for enterprise-scale simulation depth
KnowBe4 is an industry giant in security awareness training, dominating the market with their easy-to-deploy platform. Serving over 35,000 customers globally, the platform aims to keep the user at the forefront with engaging simulations across all skill levels. We think it’s the low-risk choice for organizations that want a proven simulation program with the content variety and reporting depth to sustain long-term engagement. KnowBe4’s SaaS solution is costed on a tiered basis, from silver to diamond, with more features becoming available in higher tiers.
Users describe the solution as easy to deploy and configure, great value for money, flexible, and effective at reducing the number of employees falling for emails. The constantly updated content library and dedicated success managers who stay engaged beyond onboarding draw consistent praise. The organisational risk score gives security teams a clear metric to track program effectiveness over time. Something to be aware of is that some users note campaign setup is time-consuming, with no managed service option to reduce the administrative workload. Some users also find the analytics and reporting tool lacking in customization and filtering options for specific results.
We were impressed by the organisational risk scoring and the data point that KnowBe4 reduces an organization’s phish-prone percentage from 30% to less than 5% after 12 months on average. The content depth and reporting capabilities are hard to match. KnowBe4’s solution is well suited for organizations of all sizes as it is flexible, built to scale, and easy to roll out to employees. For teams wanting a mature simulation platform with a track record, KnowBe4 earns its market position.
Best for Proofpoint ecosystem simulation
Proofpoint is an industry leader in securing businesses and their data against advanced threats and email compromises, serving over 4,000 organizations globally. Proofpoint Security Awareness Training was developed by Wombat Security Technologies, acquired by Proofpoint in March 2018. Their security awareness training can be licensed either as a standalone solution or as part of their Proofpoint Essentials stack for SMBs. We think it makes the most sense for large enterprises already invested in Proofpoint email security, where the integration depth and shared threat intelligence are real advantages.
Customers running regular phishing campaigns highlight the ease of monthly campaign management, with dedicated account managers helping teams select and schedule appropriate templates. Users find the platform easy to use and great at providing detailed reports. Monthly account manager meetings help align simulation campaigns with organisational needs. Something to be aware of is that some customer reviews mention sender email customization is limited, which can reduce simulation authenticity when users have seen similar content before. Some users experienced that implementation, as well as initially learning to use the platform, can take some time.
We were impressed by the ability to convert real neutralised threats into simulation content and the way daily threat intelligence shapes campaign targeting. Proofpoint’s global threat intelligence network collects data from over 100 million inboxes, which is used to inform their awareness training programs. For enterprise teams where Proofpoint is already the email security standard, this extends that investment into phishing testing effectively. The solution is well suited for SMBs and enterprises across all industries.
Beyond our top 11, these phishing simulation platforms are also worth considering.
An open-source phishing simulation tool for testing organizational susceptibility to phishing.
Offers highly engaging training content and adaptive phish simulations.
Integrates phishing simulations with security awareness training to educate users.
Provides phishing simulations and training to assess and improve employee awareness.
Pricing for phishing simulation platforms varies by vendor, organization size, and contract terms. Many platforms are quote-based, particularly at enterprise scale. The table below reflects publicly available starting prices where we could verify them; contact vendors directly for tailored quotes.
| Product | Starting Price | Billing | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Adaptive Security
|
Contact for quote
|
Annual
|
|
|
Phished
|
Contact for quote
|
Annual
|
|
|
TitanHQ, powered by CyberSentriq
|
Contact for quote
|
Annual
|
|
|
ESET Cybersecurity Awareness Training
|
$250/10 users (Premium); free plan available
|
Annual
|
|
|
IRONSCALES
|
From $3.89/user/month (Protect tier)
|
Annual
|
|
|
Hoxhunt
|
Contact for quote
|
Annual
|
|
|
Huntress
|
Contact for quote
|
Annual
|
|
|
Cofense PhishMe
|
From $10/user/year; free version for <500 employees
|
Annual
|
|
|
Infosec IQ
|
From $15/user/year (100-499 learners)
|
Annual
|
|
|
KnowBe4
|
From $1.30/user/month (Silver tier)
|
Annual
|
|
|
Proofpoint Security Awareness Training
|
Contact for quote
|
Annual
|
|
These are the configuration and operational steps we recommend when deploying a phishing simulation and testing platform.
Measuring your organization's current click rate and reporting rate gives you a starting benchmark to track improvement against.
Infrequent simulations let employees forget what they learned; regular testing keeps phishing awareness active.
Training delivered at the point of failure is more effective than generic modules assigned weeks later.
Generic templates are easier to spot; simulations that mimic real vendor emails or internal communications test awareness more accurately.
Simulations blocked or flagged by your security gateway create false positives and distort click rate data.
Making it easy to report suspicious emails builds a reporting culture and provides continuous behavioral data.
Click rates show who falls for simulations; reporting rates show who is actively defending the organization.
Email-only simulations leave gaps if your users are also targeted through phone calls, text messages, or AI-generated content.
Connecting employee-reported phishing to your threat detection pipeline turns simulation programs into an active defense layer.
Demonstrating declining click rates and increasing reporting rates builds organizational support for ongoing investment.
The phishing simulation market has matured significantly, with platforms now offering AI-generated scenarios, adaptive difficulty, and direct integration with email security and SOC operations. The right choice depends on your team size, administrative capacity, and whether you want simulation running as a standalone awareness program or feeding directly into active threat response. For lean teams, managed services like Huntress and Hoxhunt remove the operational burden. For enterprises with dedicated security staff, platforms like Cofense and IRONSCALES create genuine closed-loop security value.
Phishing is a type of cyberattack where malicious actors attempt to lure individuals into
Traditionally, phishing attacks were sent by email and used a “scatter gun” approach; they would spam hundreds and thousands of accounts with the same attack, in the hope the one or two of the accounts would fall for it.
Today, phishing is more sophisticated; the malicious actor researches their victim and tried to manipulate them into thinking the message is from a trusted sender, so they’re more likely to interact with it. Plus, while email is still the most common medium for exploitation, bad actors today also use SMS, phone calls, and social media to carry out phishing attacks.
Aside from email phishing, here are some other common types of phishing attack to be aware of:
Often delivered as part of a wider SAT platform, phishing simulation platform is deployed to simulate real world attacks, to better understand if employees respond correctly. Once the email is sent, the employee can assess if it is risky and decide if they want to interact with it, or ignore it. There are two main benefits to this:
Follow these recommendations to make sure your employees get the most out of your phishing simulation tool:
There are a few reasons why you might want to implement a phishing simulation tool:
Further reading on security awareness training from Expert Insights — buyers' guides, comparison articles, and platform-specific shortlists.
Joel is the Director of Content and a co-founder at Expert Insights; a rapidly growing media company focussed on covering cybersecurity solutions.
He’s an experienced journalist and editor with 8 years’ experience covering the cybersecurity space. He’s reviewed hundreds of cybersecurity solutions, interviewed hundreds of industry experts and produced dozens of industry reports read by thousands of CISOs and security professionals in topics like IAM, MFA, zero trust, email security, DevSecOps and more.
He also hosts the Expert Insights Podcast and co-writes the weekly newsletter, Decrypted. Joel is driven to share his team’s expertise with cybersecurity leaders to help them create more secure business foundations.
Craig MacAlpine is CEO and Founder of Expert Insights. Before founding Expert Insights in August 2018, Craig spent 10 years as CEO of EPA Cloud, an email security provider that rebranded as VIPRE Email Security following its acquisition by Ziff Davis, formerly J2Global (NASDAQ: ZD) in 2013.
Craig is a passionate security innovator with over 20 years of experience helping organizations to stay secure with cutting-edge information security and cybersecurity solutions.
Using his extensive experience in the email security industry, he founded Expert Insights with the singular goal of helping IT professionals and CISOs to cut through the noise and find the right cybersecurity solutions they need to protect their organizations.