Are you already running KnowBe4 or weighing it against something newer?
Has your engagement dropped off? Is your team is spending too much time building campaigns? Or maybe leadership is asking, "Are we actually getting better? Or just ticking boxes?"
We’ve had dozens of conversations with security leads asking those exact questions. Some are tired of static content and manual campaign work. Others are frustrated by low reporting rates. A few have just hit a ceiling. The platform is running... but the impact has flatlined.
This guide breaks down exactly what real customer reviews are saying about Hoxhunt vs KnowBe4.
Below we'll give a side-by-side comparison of how each platform stacks up across the areas we know security leaders care about:
- Will our employees care enough to engage?
- Can we prove impact to leadership?
- How much admin time will this really take?
- And when a real phish hits... what happens?
We recently recorded a conversation on exactly this shift - moving from checkbox training to real behavior change. If you’re wrestling with stagnant engagement or platform fatigue, this one’s worth a listen.
Training methodology
Security training programs aren’t judged by how many modules are completed -they’re judged by whether people pause, report, and make better decisions in the moments that matter.
At some point, every security awareness manager asks a simple question: Are people just completing training or are they getting better at spotting threats? That’s where methodology matters. Both Hoxhunt and KnowBe4 aim to educate users. But the underlying training models lead to very different outcomes.
Learning approach
Hoxhunt: Microlearning built for behavior change
At Hoxhunt, our training is continuous and embedded into the workday. Rather than long modules or scheduled content drops, users encounter short, simulation-driven moments that adapt based on how they respond.
- Simulations are delivered via email, at random but intentional intervals.
- Each interaction builds muscle memory - helping users form the habit of reporting, not just recognizing.
- One-click design integrates into Outlook, Gmail, and Teams without disruption.
- Short, story-based content keeps users engaged without draining time or attention.
“Doesn’t just provide training... it transforms culture.” - SoftwareReviews
KnowBe4: Campaign-based, compliance-ready
KnowBe4 follows a more traditional SAT structure: admins create or select campaigns made up of videos, quizzes, and phishing tests. Training is scheduled, not situational.
- Users complete assigned modules on a set cadence - often monthly.
- Content is organized for policy coverage and audit tracking.
- Engagement often peaks near deadlines and resets once training is marked complete.
“It gets the job done, but it’s generic.” - Reddit
Content relevance & personalization
Hoxhunt: Personalized by default
Every user’s experience is uniquely tailored based on their role, location, behavior, and threat landscape. From currency used in phishing simulations to the platforms impersonated, relevance is built in.
- No two employees are on the same learning path.
- Training content adapts in language, tone, and context.
- Localization isn’t just translation, it’s local threat modelling.
“Hoxhunt... learns how [each] user reacts with training and automatically adjusts based on that.” - Reddit
KnowBe4: Same content for everyone (unless you change it)
Out-of-the-box, most users receive the same content, in the same format, at the same time. Personalization is possible but it’s manual and admin-driven.
- Admins can assign different modules by group, department, or region - but only with upfront setup.
- Localization is available in many languages, but cultural adaptation is hit or miss.
- Content relevance depends on how much time teams invest in customizing campaigns.
“You can localize, but it’s mostly manual.” - G2 Review
Adaptivity & feedback
Hoxhunt: Real-time response and difficulty tuning
Training difficulty adjusts based on user performance. Struggle with a phish? You’ll get coaching and a simpler simulation next time. Spot one easily? You’ll face more subtle threats.
- Users get immediate feedback after every action.
- Adaptive logic ensures everyone is learning - but no one’s overwhelmed.
- Admins can step in to tweak settings, but most let the system optimize.
“Feels like leveling up - like a game.” - G2 Review
KnowBe4: Manual retraining and static progression
There’s no built-in difficulty scaling. If users repeatedly fail phishing simulations, they’re only re-trained if the admin catches it and intervenes.
- Retraining requires manual assignment or group targeting.
- Phishing test difficulty stays the same unless swapped out by the admin.
- No automatic progression or feedback loops tied to user behavior.
“Wish it adjusted based on how people perform.” - Reddit
Use cases
Hoxhunt is best for…
Organizations looking to move beyond compliance and actually reduce risk. Especially valuable for teams that want high engagement, automated personalization, and phishing defense that feels real.
- High-fit for hybrid or distributed orgs where relevance and adaptivity matter.
- Best for security teams that want less micromanagement and more behavior change.
KnowBe4 is best for…
Organizations that need to cover a broad set of topics and meet compliance requirements at scale. Works well when content breadth and reporting structure take priority over individual engagement.
- High-fit for organizations who have the time to manually run campaigns.
- Best for teams that want structured content delivery.
Automation & admin experience
Time is the invisible cost in every awareness program. Whether you're running phishing simulations or tracking training outcomes, the question isn't just 'can it be done'... it's 'how many hours does it take?' Here’s how Hoxhunt and KnowBe4 compare when it comes to automation, oversight, and everyday admin effort.
Setup & campaign management
Hoxhunt: Set it once, let it run
Hoxhunt is built to be low-touch. Once the initial rollout is complete, the platform runs continuously without manual campaign building.
- No campaign design, scheduling, or user targeting needed.
- Phishing simulations and training modules are automatically delivered based on user behavior.
- Admins don’t need to babysit the platform to maintain impact.
- Option to choose your own level if automation for those who want manual control.
“Everything just works - we barely touch it once it's up.” - G2 Review
KnowBe4: High control, high effort
KnowBe4 gives you full control—but with that comes complexity. Admins are expected to select content, assign users, and manage cadence.
- Every campaign must be configured manually.
- Requires time investment to group users, rotate content, and set up reminders.
- Some teams dedicate staff just to managing KnowBe4 logistics.
“It’s a full-time job just managing the thing.” - Reddit
Simulation scheduling
Hoxhunt: Randomized, intelligent delivery
Simulations are dispatched at calculated intervals - based on the user’s risk profile, past actions, and organizational context.
- Keeps users on their toes without overwhelming them.
- No need to manually select templates or plan timelines.
- Delivery avoids repeat patterns that users can game.
KnowBe4: Admin-scheduled campaigns
Admins schedule phishing tests in advance and select templates from the library of training content. Without regular refreshes, users can start recognizing patterns.
- Templates can be reused, but effectiveness drops over time.
- Risk of “simulation fatigue” if scheduling isn’t well-balanced.
- No built-in delivery intelligence - just timing rules.
“Advanced users figured out the phish cadence and just filtered them out.” - G2 Review
Reporting workflows
Hoxhunt: Real-time, role-specific dashboards
Reports are auto-generated and designed for different audiences - from security teams to execs.
- Includes detection rate, reaction time, repeat clickers, departmental risk trends.
- Heatmaps and timelines make it easy to spot risk clusters.
- Exports are clean and presentation-ready - no Excel gymnastics required.
KnowBe4: Structured, but surface-level
KnowBe4 offers detailed activity metrics (completions, click rates, test results), but deeper analysis often requires extra manual work.
- Good for proving training happened - not always for proving it worked.
- Less emphasis on time-to-report, organizational risk mapping, or behavior over time.
- Executive-level insights may need to be built externally.
“Dashboard is fine, but we end up pulling data into our own tools anyway.” - TrustRadius Review
Use cases
Hoxhunt is best for…
Teams that want high impact with minimal overhead. Ideal for security programs that need to scale quickly without assigning an admin to micromanage phishing campaigns or build complex reporting.
- Great fit for lean security teams or orgs with limited training resources.
- Best for companies using Microsoft 365 looking for seamless integration.
KnowBe4 is best for…
Teams that want full control over every aspect of their training experience - and have the bandwidth to manage it. Particularly suitable for regulated industries with compliance-focused training needs across diverse topics.
- Good fit for orgs with in-house training managers and predefined content schedules.
- Strong if you want deep manual control over every campaign component.
Real threat handling & feedback loop
Security awareness doesn't end with simulations. What happens when a real phish hits a user's inbox? The value of a training platform is increasingly measured by how well it connects learning with live defense. This is where automation and response capabilities matter as much as training content.
Detection-to-response time
Hoxhunt: Instantaneous triage and ticketing
When a user reports a phishing email via the Hoxhunt button, it’s automatically analyzed in real time. Safe simulations get rewarded instantly. Suspicious emails trigger threat intelligence processes with no delay or manual triage required.
- Real threats are routed to the security team immediately.
- A live threat feed visualizes user-reported phishing attempts across the org.
- Machine learning models classify, cluster, and escalate threats within seconds.
KnowBe4: Slower, manual review process
In KnowBe4, reported emails are sent to a central mailbox or SIEM for review. There's no automated feedback or triage pipeline - just flagged messages waiting on human action.
- Admins or security analysts must review each report manually.
- Threat identification is only as fast as your response team.
- No built-in prioritization, clustering, or instant classification.
“Reporting works, but there’s no context. We have to dig into every single one ourselves.” - TrustRadius Review
Feedback to reporters
Hoxhunt: Real-time, user-level feedback
Every user receives instant, clear feedback on their action—whether they reported a phish, a simulation, or a false positive. That feedback is what helps build reflexes.
- Gamified reinforcement for correctly reporting simulations.
- Notifications on whether a real message was malicious or safe.
- Builds psychological safety: users know they’re helping, not guessing.
KnowBe4: Delayed or missing feedback
Reported emails in KnowBe4 don’t trigger an immediate user response. Unless the security team manually replies, the user hears nothing.
- Many teams skip follow-up due to volume.
- This creates a broken loop: users report once, never hear back, and disengage.
- Some orgs build custom reply workflows, but they’re not native to the platform.
“People stopped reporting because they never got feedback.” - Reddit
Use cases
Hoxhunt is best for…
Organizations where speed and scale matter - especially those without a large SOC team. The real-time feedback loop drives both user learning and security response in one flow.
- Ideal for companies who want to turn reporting into a threat detection asset.
- Best fit for orgs who need to reduce noise and elevate real incidents.
KnowBe4 is best for…
Organizations with dedicated threat intel or SOC teams that prefer to own triage themselves. Especially in environments where reported emails go directly into custom tooling.
- Good for security teams who already have robust internal workflows.
- Best for orgs where training and detection are kept functionally separate.
User engagement & learning culture
No matter how good your training content is, it’s worthless if users treat it like spam. The real challenge isn’t just delivering security awareness training - it’s getting people to care enough to engage voluntarily. Here's how Hoxhunt and KnowBe4 stack up when it comes to building that kind of culture.
Gamification depth
Hoxhunt: Behavioral science in action
Hoxhunt doesn’t treat gamification as decoration. It’s embedded in the design - reinforcing good decisions through real-time feedback, rewards, and streaks.
- Every phishing simulation is a gamified training moment.
- Users earn stars, badges, and level-ups for detecting cyber threats.
- Progress is persistent, not per module: it’s part of a learning journey tied to real-world behaviors.
- Live team leaderboards drive inter-departmental participation.
- Users can see their standing and progress - creating sustained motivation over time.
“It makes work feel like a video game... I actually look forward to the next one.” - G2 Review
KnowBe4: Basic gamification, if any
Gamified elements exist, but they’re surface-level. Most training modules are videos or quizzes with little incentive beyond completion.
- Some leaderboards or badges are available but limited by content type and admin setup.
- No public-facing progress dashboards for employees.
- User motivation is often driven by HR enforcement or compliance deadlines.
- No persistent engagement system tied to risk behaviors or reporting rates.
Optional vs. mandatory completion
Hoxhunt: High voluntary engagement
Hoxhunt flips the script on typical security training. Many users voluntarily opt in to phishing simulations and even request more because the feedback is immediate, the stakes are low, and the dopamine hit is real.
- Campaigns feel like interactive training, not compliance tasks.
- Even users outside the core program often ask to join, driven by curiosity or competition.
- The culture that emerges is one of positive security awareness, not obligation.
KnowBe4: Completion driven by enforcement
Engagement in KnowBe4 is typically a function of HR pressure. Users complete modules to avoid escalation (not because they’re invested).
- Training frequency and completion are scheduled from the top-down.
- Employees often treat phishing tests as traps, not learning opportunities.
- Optional engagement is rare—unless required, many users don’t engage at all.
“If it wasn’t mandatory, I doubt most people would do it.” - Reddit
Use cases
Hoxhunt is best for…
Organizations aiming to build a strong security culture through sustained, intrinsic motivation. Especially effective in companies where employees have a voice and will ignore training they find dull or condescending.
- Ideal for orgs that value engagement rates and real-world impact over simple metrics like completion rates.
- Best for building a positive security culture over time... not just enforcing mandatory training.
KnowBe4 is best for…
Organizations that need to enforce frequent cybersecurity training. If the primary goal is broad topic coverage with minimal expectation of emotional buy-in, KnowBe4 can meet that standard.
- Suitable for companies where training is compliance-first, and completion is the main KPI.
- Works best in top-down cultures where opt-in engagement is unlikely.
Measurement, insights & executive reporting
It’s one thing to run security training. It’s another to show the board what’s actually changing. Proving that training is making a difference is the hard part... what matters isn’t how many people watched the video, it’s whether fewer people fall for real attacks.
Reporting speed & threat response
Hoxhunt: Time-to-report, not just click rates
Hoxhunt tracks how quickly users detect and report both simulated phishing attacks and real ones. These metrics give security teams and execs a view into reflexes, not just test outcomes.
- Reaction time is captured and trended over time across individuals and departments.
- Simulated phishing attack reporting rates are benchmarked against real phishing emails.
- Alerts and risk scoring help highlight the difference between late clickers and fast responders.
KnowBe4: Fail rate, click rate, and not much more
KnowBe4 tracks who completed training, who clicked phishing emails, and who passed or failed quizzes. It’s enough to show auditors you’re doing something but not always enough to show why it matters.
- No built-in measure of how fast users report threats.
- No direct tie between simulation data and real-world behaviors.
- Security teams often supplement with external tools to build full reports.
“The metrics are fine, but they don’t tell you if people are improving.” - TrustRadius Review
Micro-training & learning progress
Hoxhunt: Behavior profiles, not just module checkmarks
Each user’s progress is measured not by completion, but by capability. Hoxhunt builds a skill profile based on what users catch, report, and learn over time.
- Metrics like reporting accuracy and training difficulty progression are built-in.
- Admins can track behavioral change at the individual or team level.
- Completion rates exist, but they’re just one signal—not the goal.
KnowBe4: Completion-driven success model
In KnowBe4, progress is mostly binary: did they complete the training? Did they pass the quiz? It works well for regulatory requirements, but may miss nuances in actual learning behavior.
- No adaptive learning metrics or skill growth profiles.
- Success is often defined by completing basic training or not clicking during simulations.
- Higher-frequency campaigns may provide more data, but interpreting trends is up to the admin.
“It shows who did it. Not who got better.” - Reddit
C-suite dashboards & comparative views
Hoxhunt: Exec-ready, role-aware reporting
Hoxhunt dashboards are designed with both technical teams and non-technical stakeholders in mind. With filters for region, department, and cyber risk level, they make it easy to brief leadership without a deep dive in Excel.
- Reports include top risk users, organizational blind spots, and trending threats.
- Department-level heatmaps visualize performance over time.
- Dashboards are exportable, readable, and tailored to business outcomes.
KnowBe4: Admin-focused, audit-friendly
KnowBe4 reporting is comprehensive but mostly operational. It’s geared toward showing auditors what training occurred and which users are overdue, not necessarily tying outcomes to risk or business impact.
- Basic reporting metrics include training status, quiz scores, and simulation fail rates.
- Deeper breakdowns (e.g. by department or trend over time) often require manual slicing.
- Useful for admins and auditors, less so for storytelling to execs.
“I have to build the board slides myself every quarter.” - G2 Review
Use cases
Hoxhunt is best for…
Teams that need to demonstrate progress... not just process. Particularly strong for organizations reporting into security leadership or boards and looking for granular insights into user behavior.
- Ideal for tracking human cyber risk over time, not just ticking boxes.
- Best for orgs who want data-driven results tied to real-world threats.
KnowBe4 is best for…
Organizations with clear compliance requirements or audit expectations. Great for tracking training status and phish test outcomes at scale.
- Best suited for orgs where completion rates are the primary KPI.
- Strong for teams that want a straightforward admin console without layered analytics.
Platform flexibility & integration
Between security tooling, email gateways, and collaboration platforms, integration friction can derail even the best awareness program. Here's how Hoxhunt and KnowBe4 compare when it comes to fitting into modern enterprise ecosystems.
Microsoft 365 environment support
Hoxhunt: Built with Microsoft in mind
Hoxhunt was designed to play nicely with Microsoft 365 from day one. Outlook, Defender, Entra, and Teams all integrate without hacks, rewrites, or workarounds.
- Reporting button works natively across Outlook clients - no registry edits or broken links.
- Simulated phishing emails bypass Defender filtering and URL rewriting issues.
- Supports Microsoft tenants with complex policies, including multi-region orgs.
KnowBe4: Microsoft conflicts are common
KnowBe4 works in Microsoft environments but not always easily. Many teams report having to tweak, whitelist, or disable certain Microsoft protections just to ensure basic functionality.
- Defender flags KnowBe4 phish simulations as suspicious or quarantines them outright.
- Simulated QR codes often break due to image labeling and Defender previews.
- Microsoft Safe Links rewrites URLs, disrupting realism and tracking accuracy.
Button deployment & maintenance
Hoxhunt: One button, consistent behavior
The Hoxhunt report button installs once and just works. Whether users are on desktop Outlook, Gmail, webmail, or mobile, the experience is consistent (and so is the data it feeds back).
- Unified data flow from the report button to the threat response system.
- No discrepancy in behavior across platforms or OS types.
- Works across Microsoft 365 tenants without complex custom configs.
KnowBe4: Button behavior varies by client
KnowBe4 offers a report button but the behavior isn’t always consistent. Users on mobile, web, or Outlook Desktop may experience different workflows, which can hurt reporting rates.
- Some customers report issues with click tracking or inaccurate reporting counts.
- Button deployment may require registry edits or troubleshooting with Microsoft.
- Reporting data sometimes lacks context, requiring SOC follow-up.
Integration with SOC, Slack & Teams
Hoxhunt: Behavior triggers across channels
Hoxhunt doesn’t just integrate, it nudges. The platform can deliver behavior-based notifications via Slack and Microsoft Teams, keeping users engaged and security teams informed.
- Send positive reinforcement or feedback via Slack/Teams after a report.
- Alert SOC teams in real time when real phishing emails are flagged.
- Feed threat data into SIEMs and ticketing platforms with structured events.
KnowBe4: Integrations available, but limited behaviorally
KnowBe4 integrates with many SIEM and helpdesk tools but the flow is more transactional than behavioral. Slack or Teams nudges aren’t built-in; they require custom work.
- Reporting data can be sent to external systems via APIs.
- SOCs often build their own tooling to triage KnowBe4-reported emails.
- No direct feedback or training tie-ins via Slack or Teams without third-party middleware.
“The integrations exist, but it’s all pull - not push. You have to build the rest.” - G2 Review
Use cases
Hoxhunt is best for…
Organizations operating in Microsoft 365 environments that want plug-and-play integration. Especially useful for hybrid orgs using Teams or Slack for internal comms.
- Great for security teams that want data consistency, fast setup, and low overhead.
- Best fit for orgs that want behavior-based nudges, not just email delivery.
KnowBe4 is best for…
Organizations with mature IT teams who don’t mind building and maintaining integrations. Especially if they already route reporting data through custom pipelines or SIEM tooling.
- Suitable for teams who want flexibility over UX consistency.
- Works if you already have a playbook for handling integration gaps.
Content quality & freshness
When users say training feels stale, what they usually mean is: I’ve seen this before. Phishing threats evolve fast so your training content has to evolve faster. Here’s how Hoxhunt and KnowBe4 compare when it comes to realism, freshness, and difficulty tuning.
Source of phishing simulations
Hoxhunt: Live threat intelligence at scale
Hoxhunt simulations are drawn from a constantly refreshed pool of real-world threats—over 300,000 suspicious emails reported monthly across the network. Every simulation is derived from actual attack vectors, not generic templates.
- 1,500+ localized, adaptive phishing scenarios
- Role-specific lures based on industry, geography, and user tools
- Content is tailored, not templated - and always evolving
This makes simulations feel real... because they are real.
KnowBe4: Template-based, with reuse fatigue
KnowBe4 relies on a large but aging mod store. Templates are often reused across organizations, and the tone/content sometimes reflects older attack patterns.
- Simulations tend to follow predictable patterns over time
- Realism can break down - users recognize training emails based on structure, formatting, or even headers
- New templates are released periodically, but frequency varies
Simulation difficulty curve
Hoxhunt: Adaptive, from beginner to “spicy” mode
Users who nail the basics move into more complex phishing simulations automatically. Those who struggle get easier ones with coaching moments with no admin intervention required.
- Built-in difficulty scaling tied to user performance
- "Spicy mode" unlocks for high performers - more deceptive lures, less obvious red flags
- Keeps advanced users challenged while bringing low performers up safely
KnowBe4: Static templates, same for all users
Difficulty in KnowBe4 is driven by admin effort. If you want simulations to evolve, you have to design that yourself. By default, everyone gets the same level of challenge, regardless of ability or risk profile.
- No native difficulty progression or user-level personalization
- Repeat clickers don’t automatically get extra training
- Advanced users often spot templates on sight
Content update frequency
Hoxhunt: Continuous refresh model
Because simulations are pulled from live threat reports, new content enters circulation weekly. Localization ensures the same attack type looks different depending on region.
- New simulations released continuously, not quarterly
- Real-world phishing campaigns often surface in training within days
- Phishing simulations mimic real-world threats
KnowBe4: Periodic content drops
KnowBe4 adds content in batches, usually tied to quarterly updates or new regulatory themes. But there’s no guarantee that new content reflects emerging phishing trends.
- Some templates haven’t been updated in years, according to experienced users
- Localization exists but isn’t always context-sensitive
- New content often requires manual campaign assignment to take effect
Use cases
Hoxhunt is best for…
Teams that want training to evolve with the threat landscape and with their users. Especially strong for organizations that need realism and localization to maintain user trust and attention.
- Great for phishing-heavy environments where staying sharp matters
- Best for orgs who want adaptive simulations and current, relevant threats
KnowBe4 is best for…
Teams who want a broad base of canned templates to meet general training needs. Good for coverage across a wide range of training modules - not necessarily tuned to today’s phishing threats.
- Useful for compliance-focused orgs where template breadth > simulation realism
- Stronger fit when depth of engagement is less critical than surface-level coverage
Why are organizations switching from KnowBe4 to Hoxhunt?
“We’ve hit a ceiling with KnowBe4... is there a better way?”
Most organizations don’t leave KnowBe4 because it failed. They leave because it topped out.
Teams often tell us they started with KnowBe4 and saw early traction - training rolled out, phishing tests ran smoothly, compliance boxes got checked. But within a year or two, engagement drops. Users stop taking training seriously. Simulations feel repetitive. Teams stop seeing meaningful improvements in reporting rates or phishing resilience.
That’s when the questions start: Are we still getting better? Is this actually helping anymore?
Admin burden becomes unsustainable
As the initial novelty fades, the admin workload often ramps up. Campaigns need constant upkeep. New content needs to be selected, phishing templates rotated, users re-segmented. Teams with lean security headcount say it starts to feel like a second job just to keep the system running.
Training starts to feel like homework
Another common theme: users aren’t excited. KnowBe4's content is broad, but it’s not personalized. Teams often describe it as “static” or “checkbox-driven.” Everyone gets the same modules. Little feedback. No real adaptivity.
“What if we stopped focusing on completions and started measuring improvement?”
What pulls teams toward Hoxhunt is the shift in philosophy.
Rather than forcing users through generic modules, Hoxhunt delivers individualized phishing training tailored to role, language, performance, and risk profile. The experience feels more human. Users get real-time feedback when they report a threat (simulated or real) and the system adapts accordingly.
That’s where Hoxhunt fits. Not as a checkbox replacement, but as a behavior engine. And for many orgs, that’s the next chapter they’ve been waiting for.

What are the drawbacks of sticking with KnowBe4 for security awareness?
KnowBe4 still works for a lot of organizations, especially those focused on regulatory requirements or wide-scale training coverage. It’s a familiar platform, with a broad content library and reliable campaign tools. If your main goal is to demonstrate that training happened, KnowBe4 gets you there.
But the tradeoff is depth.
Most teams we talk to aren’t leaving because something broke. They’re leaving because they’ve outgrown the static model. They want more than completions, they want engagement. More than phish test stats, they want behavior signals. And more than manually scheduled campaigns they want a system that adapts.
Sticking with KnowBe4 often means accepting:
- Plateaued engagement after year one
- More admin time spent keeping campaigns fresh
- Reporting that shows activity, not improvement
- A user experience that feels required, not rewarding
The risk isn’t that KnowBe4 will fail. It’s that your people will tune it out.
Hoxhunt is designed for teams who are ready to move from training compliance to human risk reduction - with adaptive phishing, real-time feedback, and behavior-first metrics that scale without adding admin overhead.
Hoxhunt vs KnowBe4 FAQ
How hard is it to transition from KnowBe4 to Hoxhunt, and what can we expect during the switch?
The short answer: It’s easier than most teams expect.
We hear this concern a lot, especially from smaller security teams already stretched thin. But most admins are surprised at how hands-off the migration is. Hoxhunt is designed to be light on configuration and heavy on automation. That means:
- No need to rebuild campaigns or upload templates
- No manual user group segmentation
- One-click report button deployment across Microsoft 365
Our onboarding team handles integration, communications and training so the switch typically happens in weeks, not quarters. Admins often tell us: “This is the first training platform that didn’t add to our workload.”
Will auditors and regulators accept Hoxhunt as readily as KnowBe4 for compliance purposes?
Yes. Hoxhunt meets all standard regulatory requirements for security awareness training (including GDPR, HIPAA, ISO 27001, and more).
We provide exportable reports for training participation, phishing simulation results, and user engagement metrics. If you need to show auditors who completed what, when, and how often, that’s all built in.
What do real users cite as KnowBe4’s biggest weaknesses, and does Hoxhunt solve them?
A few themes come up again and again:
- Manual campaign management: KnowBe4 requires admins to constantly select content, assign groups, and schedule campaigns. Hoxhunt runs automatically and adapts based on user behavior.
- Static content:– KnowBe4 sends the same modules to everyone unless you intervene. Hoxhunt personalizes training by role, region, and performance, and continuously evolves.
- Low engagement: KnowBe4 users often treat training as a task to get through. Hoxhunt uses gamified training, real-time feedback, and behavioral science to keep people invested.
- Integration friction: Many teams struggle with KnowBe4’s Microsoft compatibility. Hoxhunt is deeply embedded in Microsoft 365, with reliable Outlook, Teams, and Defender integration.
Does Hoxhunt lack any useful features that KnowBe4 has?
If you’re looking for a massive, off-the-shelf library of general compliance modules (things like physical security, USB safety, or HR-led ethics training) KnowBe4 has more legacy content.
Hoxhunt is laser-focused on phishing, reporting behavior, and driving real improvement in threat detection. Some teams supplement Hoxhunt with a secondary compliance LMS to cover broader regulatory topics.
Our focus allows us to go deeper, offering adaptive simulations, instant feedback, and user-level skill modeling that most traditional platforms simply don’t provide.
Sources
Customer reviews & user feedback
KnowBe4 Reviews on G2 - Real user pros, cons, and comparisons.
Hoxhunt Reviews on G2 - Verified feedback on training quality and user engagement.
KnowBe4 Reviews on TrustRadius – Insights from security teams on platform limits and admin effort.
KnowBe4 Customer Ratings – FeaturedCustomers – Aggregated reviews with user sentiment breakdown.
KnowBe4 Product Ratings on Slashdot – Community feedback on product usability.
Peer discussions & reddit threads
KnowBe4 vs. Hoxhunt - r/sysadmin thread - Direct comparisons and switching stories from practitioners.
KnowBe4 Experiences - r/sysadmin discussion - Admins share long-term pros/cons.
Analyst & market reviews
KnowBe4 on Gartner Peer Insights - Security Awareness Training - Enterprise-scale reviewer feedback.
KnowBe4 on Gartner Peer Insights - Data Loss Prevention - Broader context in DLP and risk environments.
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