Why your current employee cyber security training just isn’t working
“It feels like nobody takes this seriously.”
Most security awareness training wasn’t built to actually change behavior. It was built to check a box. That’s why it feels disconnected. Disengaging. And ineffective.
If you’ve been running legacy solutions like KnowBe4 or Microsoft Defender simulations, you already know the story. Same stale templates. Minimal reporting. Clunky admin tools. Engagement? Mostly forced. Results? Marginal.
We’ve heard the same pain points from hundreds of security teams:
- “It’s manual and outdated.”
- “It doesn't integrate well with Microsoft.”
- “Training isn’t engaging or personalized.”
- “We have no visibility into real threats.”
Worse, the phishing simulations themselves have become predictable. Users start gaming the system. Real behavior doesn’t shift. Meanwhile, your team still bears the burden of manually building campaigns, chasing engagement, and justifying outcomes to leadership.
The result? Nothing improves.
The fail rates don’t drop meaningfully. Reporting doesn’t increase. Cultural maturity stalls out. At best, you’ve met the compliance mandate.
Legacy security awareness tools are stuck in the past - designed for audit trails, not actual threat resilience. The threats have evolved. The workforce has changed. But the training? Not so much.
Ever wondered why the same people keep clicking simulations? You’re not alone. We tackled this head-on in our latest podcast episode: What Happens When Users Keep Failing? And Should We Punish Them? We break down one of the most uncomfortable questions in cyber security awareness training: what should we actually do with repeat offenders?
We just want something that works - what should training actually do?
Most security leaders we speak to are looking for something they don’t have to babysit but still delivers.
The bar for security awareness training has changed. It’s not just about checking a compliance box or pushing content. Teams want results without having to manually configure phishing campaigns or chase down engagement stats.
The recurring theme across almost every conversation we have with training practitioners is that they don’t have time to manage it day to day and need to show real improvements - without doing all the work.
Modern IT and security teams are stretched thin. You’re managing endpoints, alerts, vendors, audits, and board questions... so why are you expected to also be a campaign manager for phishing simulations?
If a training platform is going to be effective today, it needs to function like an extension of your team. Here's what that means...
Automated phishing simulations
No more manually building campaigns or digging through template libraries. Simulations should be personalized and continuously delivered in the background without you lifting a finger.
Real-time, behavior-adaptive content
Stop teaching the same material to everyone. Users shouldn’t just pass a quiz - they should get better. Effective training adapts to each person’s risk profile, role, and behavior over time. People don’t need walls of information. They need to know what to do in their context and feel like it was made for them.
Microsoft 365 integration that actually works
“We use KnowBe4 and Defender - they fight each other. Too many whitelists. Too much noise.” We hear this all the time. Many platforms claim Microsoft compatibility but in reality, it’s partial at best. Training should integrate natively with your email, security stack, and admin tools without generating false positives or breaking your workflows.
Real threat reporting with feedback loops
Real security maturity means users are actually reporting live threats. Not just simulations. You should be able to track what’s coming in, who’s catching it, and how long it took.
Gamification that drives engagement
Gamified dashboards, point systems, and micro-rewards aren’t fluff - they’re neuroscience. Used well, they’re how you motivate consistent behavior change without making training feel like a punishment. We've seen employees go from groaning at training to bragging about their leaderboard rank. You can read our guide to gamified cyber security training here.
This is what good training looks like: not just awareness, but behavior change at scale. Delivered automatically, tuned to your ecosystem, and proven to reduce real-world risk. So if you’re asking, “Isn’t there something that just works?” - yes. But only if it checks these boxes.
How do the top employee cyber security training platforms compare?
What’s the real difference between these tools?
Most vendors talk a big game - phishing simulations, training modules, some reporting. But the real divide shows up when you dig into how they do it, how much effort it takes to manage, and whether anything actually changes.
Breakdown below is based on 6,000+ real user reviews, feedback from security admins, and product sentiment across platforms like G2, TrustRadius, Reddit, and Info-Tech’s SoftwareReviews.
Hoxhunt: Behavior-first, fully adaptive, actually enjoyable
G2 Rating: 4.8/5 (3,170 reviews)
Strengths:
- Personalized phishing simulations that adapt in real time to user behavior
- Gamified micro-learning that employees voluntarily engage with
- Microsoft 365 native integration, no workarounds
- Behavioral feedback loops that auto-adjust training difficulty
- Admin effort: Minimal - campaigns run themselves
- Real threat reporting directly feeds Security Operations with enriched data
Admin sentiment:
- “Honestly, I don’t have to touch it. It just runs.”
- “Hoxhunt’s reporting made it so easy to show impact to the board.”
Drawbacks:
- Smaller library than KnowBe4 - though most users don’t need 1,000+ templates
- May need tailored content for niche compliance frameworks out of the box
Best for:Teams that care about real behavioral change, not just annual completion rates
"My favorite aspect of Hoxhunt is its personalized, adaptive learning model. Most security awareness tools treat users as a homogenous group, but Hoxhunt tailors its simulations and feedback to each individual’s behavior and learning curve, making the training more relevant and engaging.” - SoftwareReviews user
KnowBe4: The legacy leader that’s starting to rust
G2 Rating: 4.7/5 (2,128 reviews)
Strengths:
- Massive content library that's great for ticking compliance boxes
- Templates galore for phishing simulations
- Strong support team that helps admins set things up
Admin sentiment:
- “There’s so much content… and no guidance on what’s actually good.”
- “Feels like 2005 UX-wise. It’s clunky and repetitive.”
Weaknesses:
- One-size-fits-all training with no adaptive learning path
- Stale phishing simulations - some employees auto-filter tests
- Heavy admin burden with manual campaign setup and manual adjustments
- Engagement dips fast and users check the box and move on
Best for: Teams that need broad coverage but aren’t focused on behavioral outcomes
"A lot of their existing training is a bit meh or out of date these days" - Reddit
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Proofpoint: Integrated email security but clunky UX
G2 Rating: 4.5/5 (321 reviews)
Strengths:
- Tight integration with Proofpoint’s email security tools
- Realistic phishing simulations pulled from threat intel
- Granular reporting for security teams
Admin sentiment:
- “The phishing emails are solid but the admin portal is a nightmare.”
- “I’ve used it for years. The content hasn’t changed.”
Weaknesses:
- Outdated training modules that don’t adapt by user
- Clunky setup and navigation, requiring dedicated IT support
- Stale UX and high friction for admins and learners
- Limited learning progression - everyone gets the same material
Best for:
Enterprises already deep in the Proofpoint ecosystem
The Proofpoint interface is generally sluggish and not intuitive. The training content is stale and not engaging.” - Reddit user
SoSafe: Engaging front-end, still maturing under the hood
G2 review: 4.6/5 (419 reviews)
Strengths:
- Strong gamification and microlearning design - training feels like a game
- Adaptive phishing difficulty adjusts based on user performance
- Regionally localized content, with support for GDPR-sensitive markets
- Good first impressions with clean UX and interactive elements
Admin sentiment:
- “Our team loved the look and feel but reporting just didn’t go deep enough.”
- “We spent weeks setting it up. It’s not plug-and-play.”
Drawbacks:
- Implementation is heavy - setup and HR/email integrations require time
- Reporting lacks depth - no cohort comparisons or behavior modeling
- Training is awareness-only with no compliance coverage or policy tools
- Some UX quirks remain: retaking quizzes, unclear language toggles
- Limited insight into long-term progress or measurable culture change
Best for: Teams looking for a modern, engaging front-end experience and who have time to manage rollout - especially in EMEA markets. Less ideal for organizations needing full automation, deep analytics, or compliance alignment.
“Fun to do, engaging, and keeps things fresh without being overwhelming.” - G2 reviewer
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MetaCompliance: Compliance-first, culture-second
G2 review: 4.4/5 (289 reviews)
Strengths:
- Entertaining, narrative-led content like the Cyber Police series
- Built-in tools for pushing policies and collecting attestations
- Good language support for multinational orgs
- Manageable modules are short, digestible, and styled to reduce user friction
- Support team receives high marks - especially during onboarding
Admin sentiment:
- “It’s great for compliance sign-offs. But we still don’t know who’s actually improving.”
- “The platform works, but the admin experience is painful.”
Drawbacks:
- Rigid admin UI that users describe as outdated and unintuitive
- No behavioral tracking or adaptive difficulty progression
- Reporting is surface-level - focused on completion, not insight
- Simulations require additional allowlisting and have mixed deliverability
- Training isn’t role-specific or tailored to user performance
Best for: Teams prioritizing regulatory coverage and formal attestation workflows but not necessarily aiming to drive long-term culture change or behavioral risk reduction.
“Cyber Police is fun but we’re still just checking the box.” - G2 reviewer
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Employee cyber security training vendor comparison table
Which platform makes sense for a team like ours?
“We’re not a massive enterprise. Is this even for us?”
The short answer: yes. But not all platforms are built for your bandwidth or your reality. Here’s how the most common buyer types we hear from tend to break down.
Enterprise teams
“We’ve got thousands of users, multiple regions, and zero margin for error.”
At the enterprise level, the stakes are higher and the complexity deeper. You're juggling compliance across regions, aligning with standards like ISO 27001, NIST SP 00-53r4, and needing to tie human risk management directly to cyber insurance outcomes and internal audit readiness.
Enterprise organizations choose Hoxhunt because they're able to show real-time security coaching and data classification progress in one dashboard. Many have moved from SCORM campaigns to adaptive micro modules - which means less junk hits the SOC, and reporting goes up.
Key considerations:
- Scalability across languages, roles, and regions
- Integration with cloud security tools and identity providers
- Advanced metrics for reporting up to the board or CISO
- Role Based Training with evidence for auditors
Best match:
- Hoxhunt - Scales globally with adaptive content by user and location; deep behavior analytics + xAPI v1.0.2 exports
- KnowBe4 - Offers scale, but lacks personalization and automation
- SoSafe / MetaCompliance - Surface-level metrics, limited behavioral insight
Nonprofits
“We need something that works out of the box without a massive spend.”
Nonprofit IT teams wear five hats and chase grants between budget cycles. What works here isn’t a full learning management system or 80-module library... it’s simple automation, lightweight reporting, and content that works in the background.
Key considerations:
- Low admin lift, minimal setup
- Affordable pricing without locking core features behind a paywall
- Proof of compliance (especially if tied to cyber insurance)
Best match:
- Hoxhunt - Easy rollout, real-time coaching, discounted pricing for NGOs
- KnowBe4 - Too much manual campaign work
- SoSafe - Fun UX, but heavier implementation
SMBs
"It’s just me running security. I can’t manage all this manually.”
Most small and midsize businesses don’t have a Cyber Defense Analyst or a SOC 1.4 team. You need simulated phishing that runs itself, cyber security awareness training that adapts without manual targeting, and metrics that show leadership you're actually moving the needle.
SMBs often switch to Hoxhunt because KnowBe4 made them the admin... and they just needed something smarter.
Key considerations:
- Admin-free campaign building
- Microsoft 365 native compatibility
- Security coaching that doesn’t interrupt work
Best match:
- Hoxhunt - Plug-and-play phishing engine, no campaign building, auto-reports
- Proopoint - Requires time-intensive admin setup
- MetaCompliance - Great for compliance, but too rigid for agile teams
IT-stretched orgs
“I don’t have time to chase completions - I need something that works in the background.”
These teams care about outcomes, not admin dashboards. They want integrations, automation, and real-time security coaching that strengthens security controls without generating more tickets.
Key considerations:
- Integration with Microsoft, Slack, identity providers
- Adaptive content that responds to behavior
- Reporting that speaks to risk - not just compliance training completions
Best match:
- Hoxhunt - Adaptive engine, low dwell time, one-click SOC alerts
- KnowBe4 - Integrates, but lacks adaptive content
- MetaCompliance - Focused on policy sign-off, not threat response
Teams moving off KnowBe4 or Defender
“I’m not here for another compliance tool. I want to prove improvement.”
The common refrain: “We’ve been running phishing tests for years and nothing’s changed.” These are the teams that are tired of vanity metrics and are now hunting for real Human risk management impact. Once they switch to Hoxhunt, people actually started reporting real threats.
Key considerations:
- Engagement rate and dwell time
- Proof of reduced risk to show the board
- Something that shows people are actually learning
Best match:
- Hoxhunt - Behavior change is the product
- SoSafe - Looks modern, but misses depth on metrics
- KnowBe4 - Completion rate isn’t proof of security
How will I know this is actually working?
What to know how you can show your success to the leadership team? Here’s what the teams we work with report back to their execs and boards...
Below you can see how tracking and reporting looks like in the Hoxhunt platform.
Hoxhunt benchmarks:
- 60% of users report at least one real threat in Year 1
- Fastest reporters flag within 60 seconds
- AES saw a 526% increase in reporting and a 79% drop in fail rate
- 6x improvement in reporting 6 months, and 86% reduction of phishing incidents.
What makes Hoxhunt different from what we’re using now?
Most teams we talk to don’t need more content. They need a platform that actually changes behavior - without turning admins into campaign managers.
Here's how Hoxhunt stands apart:
Behavioral science at the core
Where KnowBe4 focuses on awareness and knowledge checks, Hoxhunt is designed to shift behavior. Training evolves in response to user actions, not just policy deadlines.
We don’t tell people what to know... we train them how to behave.
This isn’t about scare tactics or finger-wagging. Hoxhunt uses motivational triggers, behavioral reinforcement, and habit formation models to drive long-term change - not just compliance box-ticking.
Truly adaptive learning paths
Other platforms talk about customization. Hoxhunt delivers it - automatically. Simulations get harder or easier based on each user’s actions. Micro modules adjust in tone and complexity. Repeat offenders are coached. High performers are challenged.
This continuous progression helps even skeptical users hit turning points. Think of these like “behavioral click moments.” It’s how we help real people in real jobs stay sharp against phishing threats and social engineering tactics.
Automated delivery - no campaigns to build
Legacy tools require manual campaign setup, targeting, scheduling, and reminders. With Hoxhunt, all of that goes away. You turn it on, configure your baseline, and it runs. Admins get out of the weeds and back to focusing on strategic cybersecurity controls.
A gamified user experience people actually enjoy
Most platforms struggle to make cyber security awareness training anything other than a chore. Hoxhunt flips that on its head.
Users get levels, badges, leaderboards, and real-time feedback - making reporting phishing emails feel more like winning, not working.
Microsoft 365 native integration
No workarounds. No risky allowlisting. Hoxhunt plugs directly into Microsoft Defender, Outlook, and Azure AD - so you get clean delivery, seamless user experience, and fewer IT tickets.
And because it’s native, threat data flows both ways, powering your detection and incident response planning, not fighting it.
Employee cyber security training FAQ: Real questions we hear from teams switching tools
Will this work with Microsoft Defender or Outlook?
Yes. Hoxhunt integrates natively with Microsoft 365 and Outlook. It avoids Defender-triggered false positives by using smart header management, alignment with Microsoft’s authentication protocols, and transport rules so you don’t need to mess with risky whitelisting or manual rule configs.
Can we customize training by role, region, or skill level?
Absolutely. Hoxhunt adapts automatically to each user’s behavior, location, language, and risk profile. No tagging, segmentation, or campaign building required—it just happens in the background.
How many simulations do employees get?
Typically 36–48 per year, spaced out and personalized to each user’s learning curve. This includes simulated phishing, social engineering scenarios, and lightweight micro modules.
Do I have to manage campaigns or content?
No. Hoxhunt is fully automated. You don’t have to schedule training, assign modules, or build phishing campaigns. Everything—from delivery timing to content difficulty—is handled by the platform itself.
What happens when someone reports a real phishing email?
They get immediate, in-the-moment feedback to reinforce best practices. Meanwhile, your team gets structured, enriched reporting data with indicators of compromise, user metadata, and prioritization flags - delivered instantly to your inbox, SIEM, or case management system.
Sources
Security Awareness Computer-Based Training Reviews and Ratings - Gartner
Best Security Awareness Training Software - G2
r/sysadmin - Reddit
Phishing Guidance: Stopping the Attack Cycle at Phase One - CISA
