10 Best KnowBe4 Alternatives in 2026 (Honest Comparison)

Updated August 2026

Short answer: The best KnowBe4 alternative depends on who's managing it. For MSPs, Hook Security, Phin, and Huntress lead with multi-tenant management and partner pricing. For SMBs running training in-house, Hook Security, Wizer, and CanIPhish keep it simple and affordable. For enterprise-grade breadth, Proofpoint and Hoxhunt are the strongest options.

KnowBe4 is the biggest name in security awareness training, and it earned that position — the content library is enormous and the platform is mature. But "biggest" isn't "best fit," and every year thousands of teams go looking for an alternative. The usual reasons: renewal pricing that climbs faster than expected, a platform with more complexity than a small team needs, per-tenant management overhead for MSPs, and a training philosophy that can feel more like catching employees than coaching them.

We're Hook Security — yes, one of the vendors on this list. So here's our deal: every profile below includes real strengths and real watch-outs, including our own. If another platform fits you better, use it. An informed buyer is good for this whole category.

Comparison at a glance

Hook Security — Best for: MSPs + SMBs who want engagement without fear tactics · MSP multi-tenant: Yes — built for MSP management · Training style: Humor-first micro-learning (PsySec) · Consider if: You want training people actually watch, managed or self-serve · Watch out for: Smaller brand + content catalog than KnowBe4
Phin Security — Best for: MSPs wanting automation-first phishing simulation · MSP multi-tenant: Yes · Training style: Automated simulations + LMS · Consider if: You're an MSP prioritizing set-and-forget automation · Watch out for: Growing content library; smaller review base
Huntress SAT — Best for: MSPs already on the Huntress stack · MSP multi-tenant: Yes · Training style: Story-driven episodes (ex-Curricula) · Consider if: You already buy Huntress EDR/ITDR · Watch out for: Strongest as an add-on, not standalone
usecure — Best for: MSPs wanting bundled human-risk tooling · MSP multi-tenant: Yes · Training style: Course-based + phishing + policy · Consider if: You want uBreach/uPolicy extras in one bundle · Watch out for: More traditional course-based engagement
Breach Secure Now — Best for: MSPs selling compliance-heavy packages · MSP multi-tenant: Yes · Training style: Compliance-led training + scoring · Consider if: HIPAA/compliance drives your client deals · Watch out for: Dated content style vs newer entrants
Hoxhunt — Best for: Mid-market/enterprise wanting adaptive simulations · MSP multi-tenant: Partial · Training style: Gamified, adaptive phishing simulations · Consider if: You want per-user adaptive difficulty · Watch out for: Enterprise pricing; simulation-centric culture fit
Proofpoint SAT — Best for: Enterprises on Proofpoint email security · MSP multi-tenant: Limited · Training style: Traditional LMS + threat-aligned content · Consider if: You're already a Proofpoint shop · Watch out for: Heavyweight admin for small teams
NINJIO — Best for: Teams wanting Hollywood-style story videos · MSP multi-tenant: Limited · Training style: Animated episode drops · Consider if: Video storytelling is your engagement bet · Watch out for: Narrower simulation tooling
Wizer — Best for: Budget-conscious SMBs · MSP multi-tenant: Partial · Training style: 1-minute videos, free tier · Consider if: You need free/cheap basics fast · Watch out for: Light on managed services + depth
CanIPhish — Best for: Technical teams wanting self-serve simulation · MSP multi-tenant: Partial · Training style: Self-serve phishing simulation + free tools · Consider if: You want hands-on control and free tooling · Watch out for: DIY — you run the program yourself

Review-platform snapshot, August 2026: KnowBe4 ~4.6/5 (2,300+ G2 reviews), Hoxhunt ~4.8 (3,700+), Hook Security 4.6 (57), Phin 4.8 (13), Huntress SAT 4.6 (185), usecure 4.6 (330).

1. Hook Security — best for MSPs and SMBs who want training people actually watch

Hook Security is a security awareness training and phishing simulation platform built for MSPs and SMBs. The difference is methodology: Hook's PsySec (psychology-based security) approach uses humor, storytelling, and positive reinforcement instead of fear. Training looks like a sitcom, not a compliance video — because content people enjoy is content people remember, and phishing simulation results are treated as learning moments, not gotchas.

Strengths: micro-learning video courses people genuinely watch (250,000+ employees trained monthly); managed programs including Campaign of the Month, so MSPs and lean IT teams get a program that runs without babysitting; multi-tenant management built for MSP partners (hundreds of MSPs run client programs on Hook); SOC 2 Type 2 certified; positive-reinforcement culture fit for companies that don't want to shame employees. Hook Security serves 500+ accounts and hundreds of MSP partners, training more than 250,000 employees monthly.

Watch-outs (honestly): Hook's content catalog is smaller than KnowBe4's enormous library — we bet on quality and engagement over volume, and that's a real trade-off if you need thousands of localized titles. PSA integrations (ConnectWise, Autotask, HaloPSA) are coming soon — if deep PSA sync is a must-have today, that's a timing consideration. And Hook is a challenger brand: you'll find dozens of analyst mentions of KnowBe4 for every one of ours (this page is part of fixing that).

Pricing (standard MSRP): $2 per seat/month ($20 per seat/year billed annually), or a flat $999/year for businesses under 50 seats. MSP partners get reseller pricing — talk to us.

2. Phin Security — best for automation-first MSPs

Phin built its phishing simulation and training platform specifically for MSPs, with an automation-first philosophy: continuous simulations and training assignments that run without monthly hand-cranking. Their team is candid about gaps (they've publicly noted PSA integration limits), which we respect.

Strengths: genuinely MSP-native design; strong automation; transparent, MSP-friendly pricing. Watch-outs: content library is newer and still growing; small public review base (13 G2 reviews as of August 2026); simulation-centric approach — engagement depends on how your clients' employees respond to frequent simulated phishing.

3. Huntress Security Awareness Training — best if you're already on Huntress

Huntress acquired Curricula and folded its story-driven training into the Huntress platform. Episodes are narrative and genuinely watchable — closer to Hook's philosophy than to checkbox training.

Strengths: story-based content; rides Huntress's excellent MSP motion and console; bundling economics if you already buy Huntress EDR/ITDR. Watch-outs: strongest as an add-on to the Huntress stack; if you're not a Huntress shop, buying it standalone makes less sense than a dedicated SAT platform.

4. usecure — best for bundled human-risk tooling

UK-born usecure sells a human-risk bundle: security awareness courses (uLearn), phishing simulation (uPhish), dark-web monitoring (uBreach), and policy management (uPolicy), with MSP multi-tenancy.

Strengths: breadth of adjacent tools in one subscription; established MSP channel; solid review base (330+ on G2). Watch-outs: engagement style is more traditional course-based than story- or humor-driven; strongest when you want the adjacent tools, not just training.

5. Breach Secure Now — best for compliance-led MSP packages

BSN has been an MSP-channel staple for years, anchored on compliance: HIPAA training, Employee Vulnerability Assessment scoring, and productized security-training bundles MSPs resell.

Strengths: compliance depth (especially healthcare); familiar to the MSP channel; employee risk-scoring MSPs can show clients. Watch-outs: content style is more traditional than newer entrants; engagement depends on your clients' appetite for compliance-led training.

6. Hoxhunt — best for adaptive enterprise simulation programs

Hoxhunt runs gamified, per-user adaptive phishing simulations — difficulty adjusts to each employee, with rewards for reporting. It has the largest G2 review base in the category (3,700+) and genuinely strong engagement mechanics.

Strengths: adaptive difficulty; reporting-focused gamification; enterprise polish. Watch-outs: priced and designed for mid-market/enterprise more than SMB; the simulation-heavy model puts constant simulated attacks at the center of the employee experience — know your culture before choosing that.

7. Proofpoint Security Awareness — best for Proofpoint email-security shops

Proofpoint's SAT product integrates with its email security telemetry, so training can align to the threats your organization actually receives.

Strengths: threat-intelligence alignment; enterprise administration, localization, and compliance depth. Watch-outs: heavyweight for small teams; content engagement is traditional; MSP multi-tenancy is not the design center.

8. NINJIO — best for story-driven video content

NINJIO produces animated, Hollywood-style 3-4 minute episodes based on real breach stories, released monthly.

Strengths: high-production storytelling; episodic cadence keeps content fresh. Watch-outs: narrower phishing-simulation and program-management tooling; you may pair it with other tools for a full program.

9. Wizer — best free/budget starting point

Wizer offers a legitimately useful free tier of 1-minute training videos, with paid tiers adding phishing simulation, gamification, and boosted content.

Strengths: free to start; short-form content employees don't resist; simple admin. Watch-outs: light on managed services, depth, and MSP program features; teams often outgrow it.

10. CanIPhish — best for technical self-serve teams

CanIPhish is a self-serve phishing simulation platform with a generous free tier and genuinely good free tools (phishing tests, email spoofing checks).

Strengths: hands-on control; transparent pricing; excellent free tooling. Watch-outs: DIY by design — you build and run the program; training content is secondary to simulation.

How to choose

If you're an MSP: shortlist Hook Security, Phin, and Huntress. Weigh three things: multi-tenant console quality, whether the vendor runs a managed program for you (that's margin), and whether your clients' employees will actually watch the content — engagement is the number you'll defend in QBRs.

If you're an SMB running it yourself: shortlist Hook Security, Wizer, and CanIPhish. Weigh admin time above all — the best platform is the one that still runs in month six.

If you're mid-market/enterprise: shortlist Hoxhunt and Proofpoint, and compare their simulation-centric models against engagement-first approaches for culture fit.

FAQ

What is the best KnowBe4 alternative for MSPs? Hook Security, Phin Security, and Huntress are the leading MSP-focused alternatives. All three offer multi-tenant management and partner pricing. Hook leads on content engagement (PsySec, humor-first), Phin on automation, Huntress on stack bundling.

What is the best KnowBe4 alternative for small businesses? Hook Security for engagement-first managed training, Wizer for a free starting point, CanIPhish for technical self-serve teams.

Why do companies leave KnowBe4? The most common reasons: renewal price increases, platform complexity beyond what a small team uses, per-tenant management overhead for MSPs, and a preference for positive training culture over gotcha-style simulated phishing.

Is KnowBe4 worth it? For large enterprises that use its full library and integrations, often yes. Teams that use 10% of the platform frequently find better value in a focused alternative.

How much does security awareness training cost per user? Most platforms price per user per month, typically between $1 and $4 depending on tier and volume. Hook Security's standard SMB pricing is $2 per seat/month ($20 per seat/year billed annually), with a flat $999/year plan for businesses under 50 seats.

Does switching from KnowBe4 take long? No. Most SMB deployments of alternatives launch in days: connect or import your users (Hook syncs directly with Microsoft Entra ID), safelist sending domains, and the first program runs. MSPs typically migrate clients in waves.

Do phishing simulations hurt company culture? They can when failures are framed as being "caught." Look for platforms that treat clicks as learning moments with immediate, blame-free coaching — that's central to Hook's PsySec approach.

Is there a free KnowBe4 alternative? Wizer's free tier and CanIPhish's free simulation tier are the strongest free options. Free tiers work for basics; managed programs and reporting require paid plans.

Hook Security is a security awareness training and phishing simulation platform built for MSPs and SMBs. Want to see why hundreds of MSPs run their programs on Hook? Book a demo — or keep researching; this category rewards informed buyers.

Keep reading

Best security awareness training for MSPs (2026) — the MSP-specific deep dive.
Best security awareness training for small business (2026) — if you’re buying for one company, not many.
Security awareness training statistics — 25 sourced numbers behind the category.
Five G2 badges in the Fall 2026 reports - what verified users say, straight from the review data.