Phishing remains the single most exploited cyber attack vector, accounting for over 90% of breaches globally. For more than a decade, KnowBe4 has been synonymous with security awareness training (SAT), helping organizations educate employees and reduce phishing risk through massive multilingual content libraries and scheduled simulations.

But the threat landscape has evolved. Attackers are now leveraging deepfake voices, AI-generated spear phishing, and social engineering across collaboration tools. Even KnowBe4 recently launched its HRM+ platform, integrating AI Defense Agents (AIDA) and real-time coaching to move beyond simple awareness.

This shift confirms that 'checkbox' compliance is dead. However, for many CISOs, the question is whether a broad 'best-of-suite' platform - built through years of acquisitions - can match the surgical precision and seamless UX of vendors built from day one to solve for human risk.

What this article covers:

• Why organizations are exploring alternatives to KnowBe4 and when it makes sense to switch
• The top 7 criteria by which enterprises evaluate modern Human Risk Management solutions today
• A detailed review of seven viable alternatives to KnowBe4
• And practical tips for choosing the right fit for your organisation or cyber risk priorities

While KnowBe4 remains a trusted name in security awareness, its evolution into Human Risk Management hasn’t been smooth.

Organizations exploring alternatives to KnowBe4 often share a common theme: they need platforms that go beyond “awareness” and deliver measurable behaviour change. Here’s why:

• Proof of Impact: Boards, regulators and even insurance carriers now demand evidence of risk reduction. Metrics like “phish report rates”, “failure rates”, and “time-to-contain incidents” matter far more than course completion stats.
• Static vs. Dynamic Training: Scheduled training can’t respond to real-time risky actions. Security teams want platforms that react instantly to risky behaviours (e.g., clicking a malicious link, sharing sensitive data in Teams) and deliver contextual nudges or training at the moment of risk. Buyers often contrast KnowBe4’s strong content ecosystem with vendors built natively around continuous, behavior-triggered Human Risk Management.
• Complex Multi-channel Cyber Threats: Email-only simulations don’t prepare employees for multi-channel attacks. Modern risk solutions must replicate voice, video, SMS, and chat-based threats, helping users build resilience where they spend most of their time.
• EngagementFatigue : Large content libraries don’t guarantee cultural change. Gamification and microlearning often outperform static courses in reporting and resilience.
• Integrated Suite vs. Native Architecture: KnowBe4’s rapid expansion into HRM has been fuelled by acquiring specialized tools for email security and real-time coaching. While powerful, this can result in a 'Frankenstein' experience compared to native architecture where behavioural data and training are part of a single, fluid engine.

The bottom line? If your security program is moving beyond checkbox awareness toward measurable risk reduction, it’s time to look past traditional SAT.

Consider switching from KnowBe4 when:

• You need real-time, behaviour-triggered interventions embedded in tools employees already use (Teams, Slack etc.) not just periodic training campaigns.
• Your board or CISO demands predictive scoring, at-risk cohorts, and KPIs that show real cyber resilience outcomes, not just course completions.
• You want gamified culture change backed by peer-reviewed results: higher report rates, lower click rates, and sustained engagement.
• You prioritize analyst-validated HRM capabilities for compliance-heavy environments.

Before comparing vendors or alternatives, it’s critical to define what “better” really means in the context of a modern HRM or SAT platform. Based on an analysis of the top 100 enterprise RFPs we reviewed in the past year, these seven key criteria (listed in order of importance and RFP weight factor) consistently rank as the most important for security teams:

Research Highlights:

• Data Management ranked #1 with about 25% average weight
• Behaviour Change and Engagement both scored above 20% by average weight on most items
• Integration Depth and Adaptive Training are now table stakes

1. Data Management & Compliance

Why it matters: Highest-weighted criterion in 2025 RFPs.
What buyers expect:

• Transparent data collection, storage, and destruction
• Compliance with GDPR, CCPA, PDPA, ISO
• Strong security controls and retention policies

2. User Engagement

Why it matters: Drives adoption and culture change.
What buyers expect:

• Gamification (leaderboards, challenges)
• Nudges via Teams/email
• Multi-language support and engagement analytics

3. Behaviour Change

Why it matters: Outcomes over awareness.
What buyers expect:

• Measure real security behaviors
• Diagnose root causes of risky actions
• Auto-triggered, adaptive training

4. API-First Native Design

Why it matters: Ensures the platform is a flexible service with seamless deployment at scale.

What buyers expect:

• Triggering real-time nudges via SIEM/XDR APIs.
• All UI functions available via API for custom automation.
• A single, unified interface for training, phishing, and analytics.

5. Phishing Simulation

Why it matters: Core risk vector coverage.
What buyers expect:

• AI-driven templates using live threat intel
• Root-cause analysis and targeted remediation
• Alert-triggered training loops

6. Reporting & Insights

Why it matters: Decision intelligence for CISOs.
What buyers expect:

• Risk scoring and posture dashboards
• Engagement metrics and APIs for BI integration
• Visibility at user, team, and org levels

7. Human Risk Intelligence (HRI)

Why it matters: Predictive risk management.
What buyers expect:

• Dynamic risk scoring using behavioral signals
• User-facing guidance to improve scores
• Predictive insights for proactive intervention

Now that we’ve defined what “better” means for modern security awareness and human risk management platforms, the next step is to see how leading vendors stack up. Each contender approaches the challenge differently; some double down on behavior-driven interventions, others excel at gamification and cultural change, while a few focus on SOC-grade automation.

To help you navigate this crowded market, we’ve summarized the core strengths, maturity level, and ideal use cases for seven top alternatives to KnowBe4. This quick comparison table gives you a high-level view before we dive into detailed vendor profiles below.

Quick Comparison Table

1. OutThink – Best Overall KnowBe4 Alternative

OutThink is the leading example of a native Human Risk Management (HRM) platform. While legacy providers have tried to "bolt on" HRM features to old training libraries, OutThink was built from the ground up to treat human risk as a real-time data problem. This results in a much tighter integration, particularly for teams deep in the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.

Key Differentiators:

• Adaptive, personalized learning: Dynamic mapping of training to roles, behavior, and risk profile.
• Real-time nudges & microlearning: Embedded in tools like Teams, Outlook, and Gmail to address risky behaviours as they happen.
• AI-powered phishing simulations: Deliver context-sensitive simulations that trigger immediately after risky activity, creating immediate learning moments.
• Human Risk Intelligence (HRI): Provides individual and organizational risk scores based on behavior, permissions, and phishing outcomes.
• Microsoft-scale integration: With Defender and Sentinel, reduces friction in M365 environments and enhances automation.

Where It Outperforms KnowBe4:

• Delivers real-time, behaviour-triggered training vs. KnowBe4’s campaign scheduling.
• Offers individual risk scoring and remediation, beyond universal campaign metrics.
• HRM-first design built from the ground up, not added onto a legacy SAT suite.

Ideal For:

Mid-market to enterprise organizations aiming for predictive risk reduction, especially those heavily invested in the Microsoft ecosystem.

2. Hoxhunt – Best for Engagement & Gamification

Hoxhunt is a human risk management platform rooted in behavioural science and AI, designed to foster lasting behaviour change through gamified micro-simulations embedded in the users’ daily routines.

Key Differentiators:

• Leaderboard-driven engagement: Gamification (points, levels, and friendly competition) makes phishing awareness “fun” and “habitual” with strong report‑rate uplift and resilience outcomes.
• Seamless workflow integration: Blends naturally into email workflows,” reducing friction and improving adoption.
• Realistic, threat-informed simulations: Scenarios reflect real phishing threats, with regular updates to match evolving attack tactics.
• Robust analytics and reporting: Dashboards offer clear insights into engagement, report rates, and risk levels.

Where It Outperforms KnowBe4:

• Sustained user engagement with gamification vs. static course completion.
• Threat-informed scenarios reflect actual attack profiles better than generic simulations.
• Embedded microlearning without disrupting employees’ tools.

Ideal For:

Mid-market to large organizations focused on user engagement metrics, culture-driven behavior change, and measurable human risk reduction through gamification.

3. Adaptive Security – Best for AI/Deepfake & Multi-Channel Simulations

Adaptive Security is a next-gen security awareness platform tailored for the AI era of social engineering. It delivers hyper-realistic, multi-channel training (email, SMS, voice, and video) with deepfake simulations and AI-driven content.

Key Differentiators:

• Multi-Channel Deepfake Scenarios: Offers deepfake voice, video, SMS, and vishing simulations that reflect modern attack vectors.
• Generative AI Content Engine: Enables security teams to generate role-specific phishing templates based on open-source intel.
• Risk Analytics & Reporting: Tracks GenAI risk across the organization, providing dashboards on campaign performance, failure rates, and deepfake resilience.

Where It Outperforms KnowBe4:

• AI-generated, threat-specific simulations across multiple channels vs. KnowBe4’s email-centric approach.
• Personalized learning paths that adapt to user roles and risk profiles for relevance and impact.

Ideal For:

Security teams preparing for AI-enhanced social engineering and seeking multi-channel realism beyond email-only simulations.

4) Proofpoint Security Awareness - Best for Enterprise Stack Integration

Proofpoint Security Awareness is tailored for large enterprises within the broader Proofpoint ecosystem, integrating awareness training directly with email security, Nexus AI, DLP, and insider-threat workflows. It aligns human risk management tightly with SOC and data protection telemetry.

Key Differentiators

• Deep platform integration: Shares telemetry with Proofpoint’s email gateway, DLP, and insider-threat systems; providing unified visibility and policy orchestration.
• Nexus AI-powered analytics: Incorporates AI insights from trillions of messages across email, web, and cloud to deliver threat-intel-informed training and risk scoring.
• PhishAlarm reporting: Empowers users to report suspicious emails directly from Outlook, integrated into clear remediation workflows for SOC teams.
• Compliance and benchmarking: Comes with dashboards for compliance tracking, peer benchmarking, and regulatory reporting; key to managing risk in regulated sectors.

Where It Outperforms KnowBe4

• Seamlessly connects awareness with DLP, gateway defenses, and insider-risk workflows; unlike KnowBe4’s standalone SAT platform.
• Drives simulations and user risk scoring based on real-world threat intelligence, not just simulated campaigns.
• Shared telemetry, and remediation workflows make it a strong match for email-centric security teams.

Ideal For

Enterprises already leveraging Proofpoint (email security, DLP, or insider threat detection) seeking an integrated, AI-driven HRM approach that supports SOC workflows and compliance mandates.

5) SoSafe - Best for Gamified, Science-Based HRM

SoSafe is a Human Risk Management platform grounded in behavioural science. It replaces traditional one-size-fits-all training with personalized, gamified micro-learning and AI-powered nudges to foster secure habits at scale.

Key Differentiators

• Behavioral science foundation: Interactive, gamified micro-learning sessions and contextual phishing simulations designed to connect with emotions and decision-making triggers.
• AI copilot: Provides real-time nudges, policy reminders, and coaching in Slack and Teams, offloading manual work from IT/security teams.

Where It Outperforms KnowBe4

• Behavior-driven personalization and short, gamified learning bites, compared to KnowBe4’s longer modules.
• Integrated copilot nudging for everyday tools, going beyond fixed training schedules to embed security habits.

Ideal For

Multinational and privacy-sensitive organizations seeking HRM that’s grounded in behavioral science, privacy-first compliance, and engaging micro-learning, while minimizing admin overhead and maximizing cultural impact.

6) Cofense PhishMe - Best for SOC‑Grade Phishing Response

Cofense PhishMe, part of a broader Phishing Detection & Response (PDR) suite, delivers SOC-grade capabilities through user-driven phishing detection, automated incident triage, and post-gateway remediation; closing gaps left by static training and standard email gateways.

Key Differentiators

• Phishing Triage & Vision: “Who Clicked” dashboards and auto-quarantine workflows ensure precise containment tailored to enterprise SOC needs.
• SIEM/SOAR integration: Viewing forwarded indicators in Sentinel, Splunk, and ServiceNow enables aligned threat intelligence and analyst workflows.
• Crowd-sourced phish intelligence: Millions of real-time user reports feed threat detection, enabling zero-day triage based on live patterns.

Where It Outperforms KnowBe4

• Post-gateway remediation with auto-quarantine and analyst workflows, not just simulated training.
• Rich behavioral context (“Who Clicked”) and threat intelligence sourced from real-world user data.
• More SOC‑oriented

Ideal For

Enterprises where phishing detection & response speed is paramount and the SOC drives the program.

7) SANS Security Awareness - Best for Curriculum Depth

SANS Security Awareness delivers expert-led, role-based cybersecurity training grounded in the renowned SANS Institute methodology. Tailored for compliance-focused organizations, it emphasizes governance, maturity frameworks, and real-world practitioner insights to build resilient security cultures.

Key Differentiators

• Role-based, expert-developed curriculum: Built by frontline practitioners, covering critical areas like phishing, secure development, PCI-DSS, and industrial systems.
• Maturity and governance alignment: Implements the SANS Security Awareness Maturity Model, enabling structured program benchmarking and audit readiness.
• Flexible delivery formats: Offers on-demand modules, live training, and LMS integration to suit diverse learning needs.

Where It Outperforms KnowBe4

• Well-structured curriculum with depth and industry credibility, surpassing generic SAT libraries.
• Governance-centric approach ideal for regulated sectors seeking audit-ready compliance.
• Role-adapted training formats including live instruction—stronger contextual engagement vs. standard module-based SAT.

Ideal For

Heavily regulated organizations (such as finance, healthcare, government, and energy) seeking high-confidence, compliance-focused training, proven methodologies, and audit-ready maturity frameworks.

Selecting the right KnowBe4 alternative is about aligning technology, culture, and measurable outcomes to reduce human risk effectively. Here’s a structured approach to help you get started:

1. If behaviour-driven risk reduction and cultural change are your priorities, platforms like OutThink, Hoxhunt, SoSafe, or Adaptive Security should be on your radar.
2. For compliance-heavy environments where audit readiness and regulatory mapping dominate, SANS’ extensive compliance library may fit better.
3. For organizations embedded in the Proofpoint ecosystem, Proofpoint Security Awareness offers tight telemetry and SOC workflow alignment.
4. SOC-driven phishing response? Cofense PhishMe paired with PDR is a strong choice for automated triage and quarantine.
5. If employees complete training but risky behaviours persist, prioritize platforms that use gamification and real-time nudges - Hoxhunt, SoSafe, OutThink, and Adaptive excel here. Look for leaderboards, badges, and micro-learning embedded in Teams, Slack, or email to sustain engagement.

Before committing, run a structured 90-day pilot with clearly defined KPIs such as phishing report rates, failure rate reduction, time-to-contain (MTTD/MTTR), and risk score improvement. Use this period to validate vendor dashboards, analytics, and engagement metrics, ensuring they demonstrate real behavioural change rather than just course completions. Finally, review the vendor’s roadmap for AI-driven capabilities and HRM maturity to confirm long-term scalability and innovation.

Choosing a KnowBe4 alternative in 2026 ultimately comes down to a strategic trade-off between breadth and agility.

As the market leader, KnowBe4 offers immense complexity and breadth. With its recent HRM+ platform, you get a massive content library and a one-stop-shop for every conceivable compliance need. However, for some, this can feel like a product suite built through acquisitions that can be slower to adapt and more complex to navigate.

In contrast, alternatives like OutThink, Hoxhunt, or Adaptive Security are "purpose-built" HRM platforms for the AI era. They may not have 15 years of legacy content, but they offer a HRM-native architecture that is lighter to deploy, more engaging for users, and surgically focused on changing behaviour in real-time.

The Verdict:

• If you need a compliance powerhouse with the widest possible safety net, KnowBe4 remains the primary choice.
• If you want a unified, high-performance engine that treats human risk as a real-time data problem rather than a training schedule, it is time to look at an agile HRM alternative.