KnowBe4 vs Hoxhunt vs Proofpoint Security Awareness: 11 Best Security Awareness Training Platforms 2026

Best for Compliance Training Gaps

KnowBe4 (#1, 9.1/9.4). Widest library and best automation across every size. It also handles Admin Overhead.

Best for High Phishing Click Rate

Hoxhunt (#2, 8.9/9.4). Best measurable drop in clicks through adaptive training. It also handles Repeat Offenders.

Best for Compliance Training Gaps

Infosec IQ (#5, 8.2/9.4). Best library-to-price ratio for mid-market teams.

Best for Low Course Completion

Ninjio (#9, 7.6/9.4). Best storytelling to lift completion and recall.

Best for Low Course Completion

Riot (#11, unrated wildcard). Best chat-native training that lives where work happens. It also handles Admin Overhead.

What is a security awareness training platform?

A security awareness training platform teaches employees to spot and report attacks, then tests them with simulated phishing emails to measure whether the lessons stuck. It combines a training module library, an ongoing phishing simulator, and reporting that turns click rates and report rates into a human-risk score leadership can track quarter over quarter.

Does security awareness training actually reduce breaches?

Yes, when it is continuous rather than annual. Programs that run monthly simulations and deliver a short lesson the moment someone clicks routinely cut click rates from double digits to low single digits within a year, and phishing remains the entry point in a large share of breaches, so a lower click rate directly shrinks the attack surface.

How to choose

1. 1Match to your size: KnowBe4 and Infosec IQ scale from SMB to enterprise, while Hoxhunt and Proofpoint are built for large, global workforces.
2. 2Name your goal: if you need compliance evidence fast, prioritize KnowBe4 or SANS; if you need measurable behavior change, prioritize Hoxhunt or CybeReady.
3. 3Check content fit: Ninjio and Curricula win on story-driven content people finish, while SANS and Proofpoint win on depth and role-based tracks.
4. 4Weigh admin effort: CybeReady and Riot automate almost everything, which matters when one person runs the whole program part-time.

What is the best security awareness training platform in 2026?

KnowBe4 is the best all-around security awareness training platform, because its template library, module breadth, and automated campaigns cover compliance and phishing simulation for teams from 50 to 50,000 users. Hoxhunt leads for measurable behavior change and Proofpoint for enterprises that want training tied to real threat intelligence.

What are the best alternatives to KnowBe4?

The strongest KnowBe4 alternatives are Hoxhunt for adaptive, gamified behavior change, Proofpoint for threat-intelligence-driven training, and SANS Security Awareness for the deepest expert-built content. For smaller teams that want low admin effort, CybeReady and Riot automate most of the program.

How much does security awareness training cost per user?

Most platforms price per user per year and drop sharply with volume, typically landing between roughly 10 and 40 dollars per user annually depending on tier and seat count. Enterprise and threat-intelligence-heavy tiers cost more, and several vendors quote custom pricing rather than publishing rates, so run a seat-count quote before comparing.

How often should employees do security awareness training?

Continuously, not once a year. The programs that lower risk run a phishing simulation roughly monthly and deliver short micro-lessons throughout the year, because a single annual course fades within weeks. Frequent, bite-sized reinforcement is what turns awareness into a durable habit.

Is phishing simulation enough on its own?

No. Simulation measures risk but training changes it. The platforms that reduce click rates pair each failed simulation with an immediate lesson and adapt future difficulty to the user, so simulation and training work as one loop rather than a test with no follow-up.