
The market leader in security awareness training with 60,000+ customers, 35,000+ phishing templates, and AI-powered adaptive learning.
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KnowBe4 is the dominant vendor in security awareness training (SAT), holding the largest market share in a category it helped create. The platform's core mechanics — simulated phishing campaigns followed by training for users who click — have become the standard workflow for reducing human-factor security risk across industries.
The phishing simulation library is KnowBe4's most frequently cited competitive advantage: over 35,000 templates covering email, SMS (vishing), and voice call (vishing) scenarios, updated continuously to reflect current threat actor tactics. The KMSAT (KnowBe4 Security Awareness Training) platform allows administrators to schedule automated campaigns that send phishing tests at randomized intervals, enroll clickers in remedial training automatically, and track improvement metrics over time.
AI-powered Phishing Risk Score (PRS) assigns a risk level to each user based on their response history and demographic factors, allowing administrators to target high-risk users with more frequent and sophisticated simulations. PhishER is an add-on module that helps security teams manage user-reported phishing emails, prioritizing and clustering similar threats.
Content library includes thousands of interactive training modules, videos, games, and assessments covering topics beyond phishing: ransomware awareness, social engineering, physical security, password hygiene, and compliance topics (GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS). Pricing starts at $18/user/year for the Silver tier (basic simulations and training) and scales to $34/user/year for Diamond (full AI features, PhishER, and compliance reporting).
Procurement checklist for KnowBe4: confirm the current pricing and plan limits on the official pricing page, then validate the feature tier against your team size, data-retention needs, integration requirements, and support expectations. For Security Awareness Training buyers considering KnowBe4, the practical questions are whether the product fits the current workflow, whether administrators can configure it without heavy consulting, and whether the vendor's documentation supports the claims used in this review. If KnowBe4 will handle regulated or customer-sensitive data, review its data-processing agreement, security documentation, access controls, and export options before committing. Use the linked official sources and a trial or proof of concept for final validation of KnowBe4; do not treat this review as a private hands-on test claim.
A standardized buyer checklist for every product page, avoiding unsupported hands-on testing claims.
Important details to help you make the right choice
Best for organizations needing the world's largest phishing simulation library combined with automated security awareness training
Not the most cost-effective for very small teams under 25 users — consider free Proofpoint Security Awareness options or basic Microsoft training at that scale.
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KnowBe4 offers tiered pricing starting from $18 per user per year on the Silver plan, with higher tiers — Gold, Platinum, and Diamond — unlocking additional features such as advanced reporting and AI-driven tools. A free trial is available, allowing organizations to test phishing simulations and access a subset of the training library before committing to a paid plan.
KnowBe4 is the market-leading platform for security awareness training, designed to reduce human-related cybersecurity risks within organizations. The platform delivers simulated phishing, vishing, and smishing campaigns alongside a library of over 35,000 training modules, helping employees recognize and respond to social engineering threats before they cause real harm.
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Pricing source: Official pricing page — Last verified: 6/14/2026
KnowBe4 serves organizations of all sizes, from small businesses to large enterprises, and its 60,000-plus customer base reflects its proven scalability across industries including healthcare, finance, and government. The platform is particularly well-suited for compliance-driven organizations that require documented training records for regulations such as GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS.
KnowBe4 supports integrations with major identity providers and directories including Microsoft Active Directory, Azure AD, and Google Workspace, enabling automated user provisioning and enrollment. The platform also offers automated campaign scheduling with randomized delivery timing, which reduces the administrative burden on security teams and prevents employees from anticipating simulated attacks.
KnowBe4's interface has been widely noted as feeling dated when compared to newer competitors, which may affect the user experience for both administrators and learners. Additionally, PhishER — the platform's email incident response tool — is sold as a paid add-on rather than being included in base plans, which can increase the total cost of ownership for organizations seeking a more complete security awareness solution. Platforms such as Proofpoint Security Awareness Training and Cofense are commonly cited as alternatives.