Adaptive Security vs. KnowBe4: Feature-by-Feature Comparison for 2026

Key takeaways

• Adaptive Security vs. KnowBe4 is a choice between an AI-native platform built around multichannel and deepfake phishing simulation and an established platform built around a large studio library and email phishing simulation
• KnowBe4 phishing simulation covers email, simulated vishing, callback phishing, QR code, and USB tests, so describing KnowBe4 as email-only is outdated
• Adaptive Security deepfake simulation runs live, interactive voice and video scenarios built on personas of an organization's own executives, while KnowBe4 deploys pre-generated deepfake videos of a company leader in cybersecurity awareness training campaigns
• Both vendors now offer AI security awareness training that generates modules from prompts or policies, and Adaptive Security modules are more editable, down to individual frames, layouts, and quizzes
• KnowBe4 offers several reporting and event APIs, while Adaptive Security provides a REST API for reporting, user and group sync, and Email Security actions, plus signed webhooks
• Adaptive Security features fit organizations most exposed to executive impersonation across voice, SMS, chat, and video channels.

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Adaptive Security vs. KnowBe4 are two cybersecurity awareness training platforms with different starting points. KnowBe4 centers on its KnowBe4 Studios library and email phishing simulation, with vishing, callback, QR code, and USB tests. Adaptive Security generates email, SMS, voice, and deepfake phishing simulations from public data and an organization's own executives, alongside an editable training library.

According to Gartner's September 2026 Survey, 41% of chief information security officers (CISOs) reported at least one social engineering incident involving a deepfake during an employee audio call in the previous 12 months. The survey covered 297 security leaders between March and May 2026, and it places executive impersonation squarely in voice and video channels.

Buyers comparing Adaptive Security vs. KnowBe4 meet vendor checklists, review summaries, and AI-generated overviews that disagree on basics. Some sources describe KnowBe4 as email-only, others overstate the size gap between the two cybersecurity awareness training libraries, and several still use product names KnowBe4 has since retired.

This comparison resolves those disagreements against each vendor's own product pages and independent data from October 2026. Each KnowBe4 vs. Adaptive Security angle ends with a verdict on which platform fits which situation. It covers:

• How KnowBe4 phishing simulation and Adaptive Security compare across email, SMS, voice, chat, and physical tests;
• Where deepfake simulation realism differs, with an annotated executive-impersonation walkthrough;
• How AI security awareness training content and KnowBe4 training modules compare on size, generation, and editing;
• How reporting, risk metrics, integrations, and compliance evidence compare between the two platforms;
• What KnowBe4 and Adaptive Security publish on licensing and contract terms;
• When KnowBe4 may be the better fit and when Adaptive Security features fit best.

Most awareness programs test email while cyberattackers have moved to cloned voices and video calls. Adaptive Security runs deepfake, voice, SMS, and email phishing simulations in one cybersecurity awareness training platform.

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What Is the Difference Between Adaptive Security and KnowBe4?

The core difference in Adaptive Security vs. KnowBe4 is the starting point of each product. KnowBe4 has built around a studio-produced cybersecurity awareness training library and email-first phishing simulation since 2010, while Adaptive Security has built since 2024 around AI-generated multichannel and deepfake simulation.

Adaptive Security at a Glance in 2026

Adaptive Security was founded in New York in 2024 and launched publicly in January 2025. Its Adaptive Security features span security awareness training, phishing simulations, Phish Triage, Agentic Email Security, AI Governance, and risk monitoring, and the company has more than 2,000 customer organizations as of October 2026.

Funding arrived in three rounds during 2025: a $43 million Series A in April led by Andreessen Horowitz and the OpenAI Startup Fund, a $12 million follow-on in September, and an $81 million Series B in December led by Bain Capital Ventures with participation from NVentures, NVIDIA's venture arm. Total capital raised to date reached $146.5 million, according to SecurityWeek's Adaptive Security Series B funding coverage.

KnowBe4 at a Glance in 2026

KnowBe4 was formed in Delaware in August 2010 and is headquartered in Clearwater, Florida. Vista Equity Partners has owned the company since February 1, 2023, and Bryan Palma has served as president and CEO since May 5, 2025, according to KnowBe4.

Since May 5, 2026, its cybersecurity awareness training product has been sold in two tiers, SAT Foundation and SAT Advanced, and the full suite of 12 AI Defense Agents (AIDA) ships with SAT Advanced.

Older quotes and datasheets use retired names, including Kevin Mitnick Security Awareness Training (KMSAT) and the Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond tiers. Buyers matching an old proposal to current KnowBe4 features should map those legacy names to the two current tiers.

Adaptive Security vs. KnowBe4 Company Profile Table

The table below compares Adaptive Security and KnowBe4 on company profiles as of October 2026, with a confidence column marking where figures are company-reported.

Customer counts carry medium confidence because both come from the vendors themselves. The Adaptive Security and KnowBe4 feature checklist on the Adaptive Security site lists product capabilities line by line.

How Each Cybersecurity Awareness Training Platform Approaches Human Risk

According to Verizon's 2026 Data Breach Investigations Report, a human element was present in 62% of breaches, up from 60% the year before. Both vendors treat employee behavior as the control point that technical filters miss. KnowBe4 markets a Train, Test, and Reinforce cycle, and in SAT Advanced its AIDA Orchestration agent schedules training and phishing simulations for each user without admin-built campaigns.

Adaptive Security runs a Build, Deliver, Measure loop instead. Each phishing simulation result feeds a per-employee risk score, and a rising score assigns targeted cybersecurity awareness training without manual workflows.

KnowBe4 grew outward from a training library; Adaptive Security grew outward from realistic, multichannel cyberattack phishing simulations. See how that works in practice.

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Adaptive Security vs. KnowBe4 Phishing Simulation Channels Compared

Both cybersecurity awareness training platforms simulate email and voice cyberattacks as of October 2026. Adaptive Security adds SMS, chat, and live deepfake channels, while KnowBe4 phishing simulation adds physical USB drive tests, so the better choice depends on which channels employees actually face.

KnowBe4 Phishing Simulation Coverage Across Email, Voice, and Physical Tests

KnowBe4 phishing simulation centers on unlimited email phishing tests, with AI-selected templates matched to each user's training and phishing history. Phishing reply tracking captures replies to simulated messages in the way business email compromise (BEC) works, and Social Engineering Indicators show employees the red flags they missed.

Beyond email, KnowBe4 lists simulated vishing (voice phishing), callback phishing that pairs an email lure with a phone number, physical QR code tests, and USB drive tests that measure how employees treat unknown devices found near the workplace. KnowBe4's vishing tests place outbound calls that play pre-recorded or text-to-speech messages, and a July 2026 update added local caller IDs, personas, and multi-step scenarios.

KnowBe4 covers smishing (SMS phishing) through ModStore training content, but its official list of simulated phishing test types does not include an SMS test. AI-generated templates carry red-flag indicators based on the NIST Phish Scale User Guide, a NIST method for rating how difficult a phishing email is to detect.

Adaptive Security Phishing Simulation Coverage Across Email, SMS, Voice, and Chat

Adaptive Security phishing simulations generate email spear phishing from open-source intelligence (OSINT), the same public data a cyberattacker would gather about an employee. The email library also covers BEC, vendor impersonation, executive impersonation, QR code, attachment, callback, and text-back lures.

According to APWG's Phishing Activity Trends Report, 2nd Quarter 2026, vishing rose 20% from the first to the second quarter of 2026, and smishing grew at twice that rate.

Beyond email, Adaptive Security lists voice phishing with inbound and outbound scripted calls, shared-line and help-desk attacks, smishing simulations, deepfake Teams and Zoom scenarios, and multichannel attack chains. Voice phishing is sold as an optional add-on, according to Adaptive Security.

Phishing Simulation Channel Comparison Table

Channel support for KnowBe4 vs. Adaptive Security appears below, listing each cyberattack channel and whether each vendor publishes support for it.

Which Platform Fits Which Channel Requirement

According to Verizon's 2026 Data Breach Investigations Report, the median click rate for voice and text vectors was 40% higher than for email in phishing simulations.

The voice and text click-rate gap matters most for organizations whose finance, help desk, and executive support staff receive calls and texts requesting payments or account changes. For programs that must test voice, SMS, chat, and video together, Adaptive Security covers more channels in one cybersecurity awareness training platform.

For programs that need physical USB testing alongside email and voice coverage, KnowBe4 meets the requirement through SAT Advanced. Its callback phishing tests also rehearse the phone step that many BEC schemes rely on.

If a help desk analyst resets a password after one convincing phone call, email-only testing has missed the exposure. Adaptive Security tests voice, SMS, and chat responses through multi-channel phishing simulations.

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Deepfake Simulation Realism in Adaptive Security vs. KnowBe4

Realism in deepfake simulation depends on whether employees watch a fake or must respond to one in real time. KnowBe4 deploys pre-generated deepfake videos of a company leader in cybersecurity awareness training campaigns, while Adaptive Security runs live deepfake voice and video phishing simulations and embeds custom executive personas in training.

How KnowBe4 Delivers Deepfake Training Content

KnowBe4's Deepfake Training Content Agent generates custom deepfake training featuring a leader from the customer's own organization, which admins then preview, approve, and deploy.  KnowBe4 includes the agent with their SAT Advanced tier.

The KnowBe4 Studios library adds deepfake and shadow AI topics, along with a vishing recognition game called Spot the Vish in 60 Seconds. KnowBe4 also offers a Custom AI Video Builder for producing presenter-led training videos from a script.

Live deepfake phishing simulation, such as a real-time fake video call or a live cloned-voice call that an employee must answer and handle, does not appear on KnowBe4's feature pages; its deepfake training and vishing tests use pre-recorded content. Employees therefore learn to recognize deepfakes through watched content, and live decision-making under pressure sits outside the published KnowBe4 features.

How Adaptive Security Builds Deepfake Simulations From Executive Personas

Adaptive Security builds deepfake video and audio phishing simulations from public OSINT and can place real-time voice calls from deepfake personas of an organization's executives. Its scenario library also includes deepfake Teams and Zoom meeting cyberattacks.

According to Gartner's September 2026 Survey, 36% of CISOs reported at least one social engineering incident involving a deepfake during an employee video call in the previous 12 months.

Inside the cybersecurity awareness training, administrators can create custom deepfake personas from a photo and a voice sample, write the script, and embed the persona in any module. Interactive deepfake conversations let employees practice speaking with an AI persona before facing a live deepfake simulation.

Deepfake Simulation Comparison Table

Deepfake realism splits into two capabilities, deepfake training content and live, interactive deepfake simulation, and the following table scores each vendor on both.

Deepfake Simulation Verdict by Use Case

For general awareness of how deepfakes look and sound, both Adaptive Security and KnowBe4 offer executive-likeness content that employees recognize. According to the FBI's 2025 IC3 Annual Report, more than $30 million in BEC losses involved AI, including voice cloning used to request wire payments. For testing whether a finance or help desk employee verifies a live cloned-voice or video request before acting, Adaptive Security offers the direct test.

Organizations planning executive impersonation phishing simulations should secure internal approval from the executives involved and document the purpose of each scenario. The deepfake protection risk management guide explains how deepfake simulation fits a wider deepfake risk program, from assessment to incident response.

How would an accounts payable respond if the CFO's cloned voice called with an urgent wire request today? Adaptive Security answers that question through live deepfake voice and video phishing simulations.

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Example Deepfake Simulation Walkthrough of a Hypothetical CFO Impersonation

The following hypothetical scenario shows how a multistage executive impersonation maps to what each cybersecurity awareness training platform can reproduce. Every capability statement reflects a feature each vendor publishes as of October 2026, and the roles involved are invented for illustration.

Reconnaissance and Pretext Email Stage of the Deepfake Simulation

In the hypothetical scenario, a cyberattacker collects a chief financial officer's (CFO's) public conference recordings and the company's organizational chart. The cyberattacker then emails an accounts payable specialist about an urgent vendor payment from a lookalike domain such as cfo-office.example.com.

KnowBe4 can reproduce this stage with an email phishing simulation that uses an AI-selected template and reply tracking. Adaptive Security can reproduce it with an OSINT-built spear phishing email sent from a custom lookalike domain. Both vendors record whether the specialist clicks, replies, or reports the message.

Cloned Voice Call Stage of the Deepfake Simulation

Next, the specialist receives a phone call in the CFO's cloned voice, pressing for payment before a bank cutoff and discouraging any callback. A mandatory callback to a known number is the control that deepfake voice scam prevention procedures place at this exact step.

KnowBe4 can test the phone step with simulated vishing and callback phishing. KnowBe4’s simulated vishing can use AI-generated voice, and its product roadmap states that admins can create custom deepfake vishing scenarios using high-fidelity AI voice cloning. Adaptive Security can place real-time voice-phishing calls through its optional voice add-on, using an AI agent that can navigate phone trees and interact with live employees; its simulations can use cloned executive voices.

SMS and Video Meeting Stage of the Deepfake Simulation

The cyberattacker then sends a text message confirming the call and invites the specialist to a short video meeting in which a deepfake of the CFO approves the transfer on camera. Each additional channel makes the request appear more legitimate to the employee.

KnowBe4 does not list SMS phishing simulation or live deepfake video meetings among its published capabilities. Adaptive Security lists smishing / SMS phishing simulation and deepfake Teams and Zoom scenarios, and it can run the email, voice, and SMS steps as one multichannel attack chain alongside separate deepfake video meeting scenarios.

What Each Platform Can Simulate at Each Deepfake Simulation Stage

In practice, the control that breaks this attack chain is a verification step, such as calling the CFO back on a number from the company directory before releasing funds. Both platforms can train that verification behavior, but they differ in how many stages of the attack chain each can rehearse under realistic pressure.

Rehearse every stage of an executive impersonation, from pretext email to deepfake video call, with Adaptive Security’s multichannel phishing simulations built from an organization's own executives and public data.

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AI Security Awareness Training Content in KnowBe4 vs. Adaptive Security

Both vendors list more than 1,000 cybersecurity awareness training items at the top tier, and both now generate modules from prompts or policies. The sharper difference in AI security awareness training is editability, since Adaptive Security exposes frames, layouts, and quizzes for editing and KnowBe4 customizes its catalog mainly through Content Manager settings.

KnowBe4 Training Modules and the KnowBe4 Studios Library

KnowBe4 training modules come from KnowBe4 Studios, with more than 200 pieces in the SAT Foundation library and more than 1,000 in SAT Advanced, including The Inside Man live-action series, games, posters, and newsletters. KnowBe4 adds content monthly, and its series The Inside Man and Chameleon have won Telly and NYX Video Awards.

Since May 5, 2026, KnowBe4's Content Creation Agent has turned prompts or internal policies into custom multilingual cybersecurity awareness training, and its Policy Quiz Agent generates quizzes from an organization's own policies. KnowBe4's AI video workflow lets administrators edit a generated video's script, language, and presenter's outfit before export.

Catalog customization runs through Content Manager, which sets passing scores, branded themes, test-out, and skip prevention. KnowBe4 describes its own content as not directly customizable in its UK G-Cloud listing, with deeper changes available as a paid service.

Adaptive Security AI Content Studio and Editable Training Library

According to Verizon’s 2026 Data Breach Investigations Report, 45% of employees are regular AI users, up from 15%, and 67% of users access AI services through non-corporate accounts on corporate devices. AI-use policies have to keep pace with that adoption, and the cybersecurity awareness training that explains them has to change just as often.

Adaptive Security security awareness training offers more than 1,000 interactive modules in video, interactive, and gamified formats, plus posters and newsletters, according to Adaptive Security. The library covers AI security, deepfake, and AI voice phishing topics, role-based tracks for every department, and secure coding tracks, and Adaptive Security reports weekly content refreshes and celebrity-led modules featuring Conan O’Brien.

Adaptive Security’s AI Content Studio builds modules from a prompt, a policy document, a URL, or regulation text, and its March 12, 2026 update added suggested prompts, an editable outline before generation, and an AI persona introductory video. Generated modules can include quizzes, and administrators can embed custom executive deepfake personas.

Customization runs through a module editor in which administrators edit text inline, change layouts, add frames, and adjust quizzes and other interactions, and every library module can be edited or used as delivered. A brand kit applies an organization’s logo, colors, fonts, imagery, and email domain across modules and the learner portal.

Languages, Localization, and LMS Export in Both Platforms

KnowBe4 fully supports 35 languages and offers 11 more with limited support, delivers multilingual SCORM packages that link every language version in one file, and offers a Learner App for phones and tablets. SCORM is the e-learning standard that lets modules run inside a third-party learning management system (LMS).

Adaptive Security supports 39+ languages with localized narration. Its browser-based platform is accessible from any device, allowing employees to complete mobile-friendly training without installing a separate app. Adaptive also exports modules as SCORM packages for third-party learning management systems, including Workday and SAP SuccessFactors.

AI Security Awareness Training Content Comparison Table and Verdict

Library size, AI generation, and editing depth decide how quickly a program can respond to a new cyber threat, and the comparison below scores both libraries on each criterion.

For a broad, studio-produced catalog with award-winning series, KnowBe4 SAT Advanced fits. For programs that rewrite and brand every module or build role-specific courses quickly, Adaptive Security fits, and its approach to AI security awareness training reflects that editable model.

Adaptive Security's AI Content Studio produces a fully editable, branded cybersecurity awareness training module from an uploaded security policy, ready for frame-by-frame adjustment before administrators assign it to employees.

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Personalization and Role-Based Phishing Simulation in KnowBe4 vs. Adaptive Security

Both Adaptive Security and KnowBe4 personalize phishing simulations, drawing on different inputs to do it. KnowBe4 personalizes from each user's own training and phishing history through AIDA, while Adaptive Security personalizes from public OSINT, job role, and organizational chart data.

KnowBe4 AIDA Agents and Smart Groups for Targeting

KnowBe4's AI-selected phishing templates match each user's training and phishing history, and in SAT Advanced the Orchestration Agent schedules personalized training and KnowBe4 phishing simulation for every user. After a failed test, the Remedial Training Agent chooses between a short SecurityTip and full cybersecurity awareness training.

Smart Groups segment users by department, behavior, or location for tiered campaigns. SAT Foundation includes a limited number of Smart Groups, and SAT Advanced includes unlimited Smart Groups and the full AIDA suite.

KnowBe4 also offers Learning Paths and AI-recommended optional learning, which suggests extra modules based on the courses a user has completed. Its Knowledge Refresher Agent assigns short scenario-based refreshers at set intervals.

Adaptive Security OSINT Personas and Auto-Phish Targeting

Adaptive Security’s Auto-Phish builds a phishing simulation for each employee from OSINT, the organizational chart, job role, and past click history, then deploys on a cadence administrators set once. Every scenario carries a difficulty level, and no-repeat rotation keeps employees from seeing the same scenario twice.

When an employee fails, a just-in-time micro-lesson tailored to the missed cue appears immediately. Repeat clickers receive automated remediation, managers receive failure digests, and training is assigned automatically when an employee’s risk score crosses a set threshold.

Dynamic groups stay synchronized with the human resources information system (HRIS), keeping group risk scores and automatic training assignments current as employees change roles, and phishing simulation campaigns support group targeting and exclusions.

Personalization Comparison Table and Verdict

Input data and automation decide how closely a phishing simulation resembles what a specific employee would receive, so the table below compares personalization on those two factors.

For organizations that want personalization driven by each user's past behavior inside the platform, KnowBe4's AIDA agents fit. For organizations that want phishing simulations shaped by what a cyberattacker can learn about an employee publicly, Adaptive Security fits.

According to Mandiant's M-Trends 2026, voice phishing caused 11% of intrusions, making it the second most common initial infection vector. Role targeting therefore matters most for the help desk and finance staff that voice phishing reaches.

Generic templates teach employees to spot generic lures, yet cyberattackers research names, roles, and vendors before launching. Adaptive Security's Auto-Phish builds each phishing simulation from the public data cyberattackers actually use.

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Reporting and Risk Metrics in Adaptive Security vs. KnowBe4

KnowBe4 reports through more than 60 built-in reports, a Phish-prone Percentage, and a SmartRisk Engine Risk Score. Adaptive Security reports through a 1 to 100 risk score with published input weights and executive OSINT exposure reports, which makes its scoring method visible to auditors and boards.

KnowBe4 Phish-prone Percentage and SmartRisk Risk Score

The Phish-prone Percentage is KnowBe4's metric for the share of users likely to engage with a simulated phishing test. KnowBe4 also scores each user through its SmartRisk Engine, which KnowBe4 says analyzes 316 indicators, and rolls those scores up to group and organization level.

Administrators get the built-in report library, executive reports, industry benchmarking against peers, and a Reporting API. Email Exposure Check Pro adds a monthly search of breach databases and public data for exposed employee email addresses.

KnowBe4 publishes outcome figures for Phish-prone Percentage reductions after one year of training, but the figures differ across its own product page, benchmarking report, and homepage case study. Buyers should treat every published reduction as a KnowBe4 claim and ask which dataset applies.

Adaptive Security Risk Scores and Executive OSINT Reports

Adaptive Security scores every employee from 1 (low risk) to 100 (high risk), updated daily. Phishing simulation performance carries 50% of the score, training completion 25%, and job risk based on role, tenure, and application access 25%, with a temporary adjustment for new employees.

Adaptive Security risk monitoring groups scores by department, location, and custom group synchronized from the HRIS. It also produces OSINT dossiers showing what a cyberattacker can find about executives, including exposed credentials and deepfake risk. Opening any employee profile shows which inputs drive that person's score and what needs to change, according to Adaptive Security.

A library of pre-built risk report templates covers organization-wide scores, department breakdowns, individual risk, and trends over time. Reports can run on a schedule, reach the CISO's inbox automatically, export to CSV, XLSX, and PowerPoint, and include AI-generated executive summaries.

Reporting and Risk Metrics Comparison Table and Verdict

According to IBM's Cost of a Data Breach Report 2026, the global average cost of a data breach reached $4.99 million, a record high.

Rising breach costs push boards to ask which employees carry the most risk and why, and published score weights let a security team explain to an auditor why one department ranks above another. KnowBe4 suits benchmark-heavy reporting across large estates. Adaptive Security suits programs that need behavior-weighted scoring with visible inputs and executive exposure intelligence.

Completion dashboards show who finished a module, whereas risk scores show who would click on a phishing email tomorrow. Adaptive Security weighs phishing simulation behavior as half of every employee's daily risk score.

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Integrations, APIs, and Admin Effort for KnowBe4 vs. Adaptive Security

KnowBe4 offers a broader API set, including an API that accepts inbound security events, plus integrations for its Real-Time Coaching product. Adaptive Security scores higher on G2 for ease of setup and administration, bundles AI phish triage, and provides a REST API for reporting, user and group sync, and Email Security actions, plus signed webhooks.

Identity, HRIS, and Messaging Integrations in Both Platforms

KnowBe4 provisions users through Active Directory or SCIM (the standard for automatic user provisioning) with Microsoft Entra ID, Okta, and OneLogin, and includes single sign-on through SAML at every tier. Its Real-Time Coaching product connects to more than two dozen security tools and sends SecurityTips through Microsoft Teams, Slack, Google Chat, and email.

Adaptive Security lists more than 35 integrations, including more than 15 HRIS connectors such as Workday, BambooHR, ADP, and Rippling, and SCIM provisioning for Okta, Microsoft, and Ping Identity. It sends training notifications through Slack and Microsoft Teams and connects to Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace for phishing simulation delivery and email security.

APIs, Webhooks, and SIEM Delivery in Both Platforms

KnowBe4 offers a Reporting API, a Graph API for authentication, a Webhook API for real-time data transfer, and a User Event API that accepts security events from external sources to adjust user risk scores.

Adaptive Security's API v2 is a REST API covering users, groups, training campaigns and enrollments, phishing campaigns and simulations, audit logs, Email Security events and rules, and webhooks; its write actions cover Email Security, and its MCP tools are read-only. Signed webhooks deliver events to security information and event management (SIEM) and security orchestration, automation, and response (SOAR) tools, which provides event notification and adds no write access.

Neither vendor documents full campaign administration through its API, as both focus on reporting and event data. Teams that only need reporting data in a SIEM or dashboard are served by either vendor.

Phish Reporting and Triage With PhishER Plus and Adaptive Security Phish Triage

According to CrowdStrike's 2026 Global Threat Report, average eCrime breakout time fell to 29 minutes in 2025. Fast triage of employee-reported email shortens the time a malicious message stays in inboxes.

KnowBe4 sells PhishER Plus as an add-on or a stand-alone product, while Adaptive Security Phish Triage classifies every reported email as safe, spam, or malicious with AI and removes matching messages across the organization with reversible actions.

Administrators set the confidence thresholds that decide what Adaptive Security remediates automatically. Its Phish Remix feature also converts a reported cyberattack email into a live phishing simulation for the rest of the organization.

Admin Effort and Integrations Comparison Table and Verdict

Administration effort and integration depth are summarized in the following table, which pairs feature coverage with G2 reviewer scores for ease of setup and ease of administration.

For teams that automate administration against a mature API set or run managed service provider (MSP) programs across many tenants, KnowBe4 fits. For lean security teams that want triage, automated phishing simulation, and HRIS-synced enrollment in one console, Adaptive Security works better, and G2 reviewers rate its setup and administration higher on smaller review samples.

What happens to a reported phishing email while analysts sort a backlog by hand? Adaptive Security Phish Triage classifies it with AI and removes matching messages organization-wide, with reversible actions.

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Compliance Reporting and Certifications in KnowBe4 vs. Adaptive Security

Both vendors cover the major compliance frameworks with training content and audit reporting. KnowBe4 holds FedRAMP Moderate authorization, while Adaptive Security bundles compliance modules into its cybersecurity awareness training library and exports audit evidence by framework to governance tools.

Compliance Training Libraries and Framework Coverage

KnowBe4 sells Compliance Plus as an optional add-on library covering ethics, workplace conduct, harassment, and regulatory courses such as HIPAA, PCI DSS, and GDPR, with more than 1,000 pieces listed on KnowBe4's pricing page. Compliance Plus modules are brandable, the library includes newsletters, documents, and posters, and customers can upload their own policies and SCORM packages.

Adaptive Security compliance training lists more than 50 compliance modules on Adaptive Security’s pricing page, covering frameworks including HIPAA, GDPR, PCI DSS, CCPA/CPRA, SOC 2, ISO 27001, NYDFS, and NIS2, along with workplace topics such as harassment prevention, unconscious bias, and bystander intervention.

Modules come as framework fundamentals, quick guides, scenario challenges, explainer videos, and role-specific courses, each brandable with an organization’s logo, colors, fonts, and imagery. Jurisdiction-specific tracks cover states such as California and New York and countries including the UK, Germany, and Brazil, localized in 39 or more languages.

Audit Evidence and Compliance Reporting Workflows

KnowBe4 supports audits with an Audit Log that records every administrative action in real time, alongside campaign completion tracking. Compliance Plus campaigns report through the same console as the rest of the cybersecurity awareness training program.

According to the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology's Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025/2026, 19% of UK businesses provided staff cyber security training in the previous 12 months.

Adaptive Security logs every completion, score, and timestamp, exports reports formatted for auditors by framework, employee, and date range, and escalates overdue employees to their managers. Postback integrations push completion evidence to Vanta, Drata, and BambooHR, and HRIS-synced enrollment places new hires into onboarding compliance training on their first day.

Platform Certifications and Government Readiness

KnowBe4 has held FedRAMP Moderate authorization since November 14, 2023, according to the FedRAMP Marketplace listing for the KnowBe4 Platform. KnowBe4 also reports SOC 2 Type 2 attestation, ISO 27001 and ISO 42001 audits, and Cyber Essentials certification.

According to Adaptive Security’s Compliance & Certifications page, Adaptive Security holds an independent SOC 2 Type II attestation, available by request through its Trust Center, and maintains HIPAA and GDPR compliance programs. Microsoft integration supports GCC High tenants for US public-sector and defense deployments. Adaptive Security lists FedRAMP as a compliance training topic but states that its training coverage is not FedRAMP authorization.

Compliance Comparison Table and Verdict

Procurement and audit teams typically check compliance coverage and certifications first, and both appear in the summary below.

KnowBe4 fits US federal buyers and contractors that require FedRAMP authorization. Adaptive Security fits commercial teams that want compliance modules bundled with security awareness content and evidence pushed into governance tools.

Once auditors request evidence, a program pulling completion data from five places has already lost days. Adaptive Security exports compliance records by framework and pushes completions straight into governance tools.

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Adaptive Security vs. KnowBe4 Pricing and Contract Terms in 2026

KnowBe4 publishes per-seat list prices for its two cybersecurity awareness training tiers on its website, while Adaptive Security issues quotes based on employee count and the products selected. The contract terms behind each offer differ on renewal, refunds, and termination, and both agreements are published online.

KnowBe4 Published SAT Pricing for 2026

KnowBe4's pricing page lists manufacturer's suggested retail prices (MSRP) in US dollars, per seat per month, on three-year terms, labeled as pricing as of May 2026. The table below shows each published seat band for SAT Foundation and SAT Advanced, which KnowBe4 labels its most popular tier.

KnowBe4 states that list pricing may change at any time, may vary by region, and excludes taxes and other government fees. The company publishes the same bands in several other currencies, advertises non-profit and competitive upgrade discounts, and sells its cybersecurity awareness training through AWS Marketplace. Optional add-ons carry their own published rates, shown below in US dollars per seat per month on three-year terms.

Buyers comparing proposals should check which add-ons each one includes, since KnowBe4 sells PhishER Plus and Compliance Plus outside its base tiers, while Adaptive Security includes Phish Triage in the platform.

How Adaptive Security Prices Its Platform

Adaptive Security licenses per seat, with a quote based on employee count and the products chosen across security awareness training, phishing simulations, Agentic Email Security, AI Governance, and the reporting and risk platform.

Voice phishing is sold as an optional add-on. Adaptive Security publishes its Master Subscription Agreement online, and the Order Form sets term length and renewal and overrides the agreement wherever the two conflict.

Is Adaptive Security a Good KnowBe4 Replacement for Enterprises?

Adaptive Security scores higher than KnowBe4 on G2 and Gartner Peer Insights, with review samples a fraction of the size. KnowBe4 brings scale, federal authorization, and more than a decade of enterprise deployments, so enterprise fit depends on which of those signals a buying committee weighs most.

Review Ratings for Adaptive Security and KnowBe4 in 2026

PeerSpot mindshare measures research engagement on PeerSpot, so it signals buyer attention, but says nothing about sales volume. Gartner states that Peer Insights content reflects the opinions of individual end users. G2 reviewer demographics show both products drawing most reviews from mid-market organizations, with KnowBe4 carrying a larger enterprise share.

Enterprise Scale and Market Signals for KnowBe4 vs. Adaptive Security

According to KnowBe4, enterprise customers include Ferrari Group, Panasonic, and Japan Airlines, and every subscription includes standard support. The platform provides security roles for console administrators, and a channel partner program gives managed service providers deal registration, dedicated partner managers, and margins. Outside KnowBe4’s own pages, US universities and state agencies publish KnowBe4 training instructions for their staff.

Adaptive Security’s customers include PayPal, Figma, and Ramp, and every account receives a dedicated customer success manager and 24/7 in-app chat support. The platform provides role-based access control for administrators, and a channel partner program offers deal registration, protected margins, and pre-sales and post-sales support.

Enterprise Fit Verdict for Adaptive Security vs. KnowBe4

Adaptive Security is a credible replacement where executive impersonation risk drives the program, which matches the criteria for selecting an enterprise cybersecurity awareness training platform.

Test Adaptive Security against a current KnowBe4 program by running deepfake and multichannel phishing simulations on a pilot group, before the next renewal notice deadline arrives.

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Adaptive Security vs. KnowBe4 Decision Guide

According to ENISA's ENISA Threat Landscape 2026, phishing represented 77.8% of social engineering activity, which keeps strong email phishing simulation valuable for any program.  Choosing between Adaptive Security vs. KnowBe4 comes down to cyber threat exposure, procurement constraints, and administrative capacity. The lists below set out when KnowBe4 fits, when Adaptive Security fits, and which points to confirm with both vendors during an evaluation.

When KnowBe4 May Be the Better Fit

KnowBe4 may be the better fit in six situations:

• FedRAMP requirement: KnowBe4 holds FedRAMP Moderate authorization, which US federal agencies and many contractors require;
• Physical testing: USB drive and physical QR code tests measure how employees treat unknown devices and printed codes;
• MSP delivery: Multi-tenant consoles and a partner program suit managed service providers running programs for many clients;

When Adaptive Security May Be the Better Fit

Adaptive Security may be the better fit in six situations:

• Executive impersonation exposure: Finance, help desk, and executive support teams face cloned-voice and video requests that live deepfake simulation can rehearse;
• Channel breadth: Programs need SMS, chat, and multichannel attack chains alongside email and voice in one cybersecurity awareness training platform;
• Editable content: Security teams want to rewrite, brand, and generate custom modules with AI Content Studio instead of adjusting catalog settings;
• Lean administration: Small security teams want automated phishing simulation, HRIS-synced enrollment, and AI phish triage in one console;
• Transparent scoring: Boards and auditors want a risk score whose input weights are published;
• Governance evidence: Compliance teams want training completions pushed directly into governance tools.

Organizations still weighing other vendors can review a broader list of KnowBe4 alternatives before shortlisting.

Questions to Ask in an Adaptive Security vs. KnowBe4 Evaluation

An evaluation pilot is itself a test of staff. These six checks sharpen what an Adaptive Security vs. KnowBe4 pilot measures:

1. 1Channel packaging: Confirm which phishing simulation channels the proposal includes and which are sold as add-ons;
2. 2Voice realism: Ask whether voice phishing simulation uses live callers, recordings, or cloned executive voices;
3. 3Tier mapping: Map which KnowBe4 features and Adaptive Security features sit in which tier or package;
4. 4API coverage: Check whether the Adaptive Security reporting API covers the reporting automation required and which KnowBe4 APIs replace current scripts;
5. 5Renewal terms: Review the notice period, seat-reduction rules, and termination rights in the Order Form or Terms of Service;

Evaluations that test only email leave voice, SMS, and video channels unmeasured until a live incident exposes them. Adaptive Security runs pilots across email, voice, SMS, and video phishing simulations.

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How Adaptive Security Features Prepare Teams for Deepfake Simulation and Multichannel Attacks

An executive impersonation attempt can move across channels, with a spoofed email setting up a phone call and a cloned voice or video confirming the request. Adaptive Security Phishing Simulations rehearse that sequence with OSINT-based email, SMS, voice, chat, and deepfake simulation scenarios that run as coordinated multichannel attack chains. Training reinforces confirming a request through a separate channel before acting.

Employees who miss a cue receive cybersecurity awareness training that mirrors the cyberattack they just experienced. Security Awareness Training from Adaptive Security embeds custom deepfake personas of an organization's executives, generates modules from policies through the AI Content Studio, and lets administrators edit and brand every frame, which keeps AI security awareness training aligned with current policy. Just-in-time micro-lessons appear the moment an employee fails a phishing simulation, while the lesson is still relevant to the decision just made.

Boards need a clear picture of where human risk sits, which departments carry it, and whether it is falling. Risk Monitoring and Mitigation gives every employee a risk score with published input weights, tracks department trends, surfaces executive OSINT exposure, and delivers scheduled reports to the CISO automatically. Scores that cross a threshold trigger training automatically, so a KnowBe4 vs. Adaptive Security pilot can measure whether risk falls after each assignment.

When the next executive impersonation arrives by phone or video, the outcome depends on what employees have rehearsed. Adaptive Security builds that rehearsal from an organization's own executives’ information.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Adaptive Security vs. KnowBe4

Is KnowBe4 Using AI?

Yes. KnowBe4 reports 12 AI Defense Agents (AIDA) in production, including agents that orchestrate personalized training and phishing simulations, generate phishing templates, produce deepfake training content featuring a company leader, and create custom training from prompts or policies. The full AIDA suite is included with SAT Advanced, and SAT Foundation includes select AI features.

Is Adaptive Security a Reliable Company?

Adaptive Security shows several reliability signals for buyers. The company was founded in 2024, is backed by investors including Bain Capital Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, and the OpenAI Startup Fund, and is SOC 2 Type II compliant. It also holds top ratings on G2 and Gartner Peer Insights.

How Long Does It Take to Migrate From KnowBe4 to Adaptive Security?

Migration time depends mainly on the integrations involved, and Adaptive Security says its API connection takes minutes. The larger planning constraint sits on the KnowBe4 side, because KnowBe4's Terms of Service renew a subscription unless notice arrives at least 30 days before the term ends, so organizations should time the switch around that window.

Does KnowBe4 Content Transfer to Adaptive Security?

KnowBe4 content does not transfer, because KnowBe4 Studios modules are licensed with the KnowBe4 subscription. Organizations moving to Adaptive Security use its own module library instead and can rebuild custom courses from existing policies with the AI Content Studio. Retaining KnowBe4 completion reports before the subscription ends preserves audit history for compliance reviews.

Can Adaptive Security and KnowBe4 Run in Parallel During a Transition?

Yes. A parallel pilot on a subset of users is the common transition approach. KnowBe4 seat quantities cannot be reduced mid-term, so pilots usually run near renewal, and Adaptive Security pilot features fall under the early access terms in Section 2.9 of its Master Subscription Agreement.

Is Adaptive Security Cheaper Than KnowBe4?

KnowBe4 publishes per-seat list prices for its two tiers and add-ons on its website, while Adaptive Security quotes per seat based on employee count and the products selected, with voice phishing sold as an add-on. A like-for-like comparison requires matching channels, add-ons, and contract terms across both proposals.

Is Adaptive Security a Good Fit for Small Businesses?

Adaptive Security suits both SMBs and enterprises that want automated campaigns and minimal administration, and it offers a dedicated plan path for smaller organizations. KnowBe4 publishes seat bands starting at 25 seats and sells through AWS Marketplace for organizations of up to 500 users, which suits small businesses that prefer marketplace procurement.

Does Adaptive Security Offer Email Security Like KnowBe4 Defend?

Yes. Adaptive Security’s Agentic Email Security connects to Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace by API with no MX record changes, and every detected cyberattack feeds the targeted employee's risk score and can trigger training. KnowBe4 offers inbound email security through KnowBe4 Defend and outbound protection through KnowBe4 Prevent, both built on technology from Egress, the email security company KnowBe4 acquired in July 2024.

Side-by-side feature comparisons only go so far; the deciding evidence comes from how employees actually respond and learn. Adaptive Security pilots email, SMS, voice, chat, and deepfake phishing simulations on enterprise teams.

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