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Key takeaways
- The article positions Adaptive as a unified platform that combines company-specific training, interactive phishing/deepfake simulations, Agentic Email Security, and AI Governance, while saying Proofpoint’s security awareness training through ZenGuide focuses on threat-driven content, templated simulations, and automated learning pathways.
- Adaptive claims a 4.9/5 G2 rating versus Proofpoint’s 4.5/5, and includes customer quotes from leaders at NerdWallet ($800M+ revenue), Podium ($200M+ revenue), and Fireworks ($17.5B valuation).
- A key differentiator described is Adaptive’s AI Content Studio, which turns company policies and prompts into editable lessons with customized examples, quizzes, and branding, so teams can quickly update training when policies change.
- For simulations, Adaptive says it uses open-source intelligence and company-specific context to create personalized attacks across email, SMS, voice, and impersonation, including real-time AI personas and executive video impersonations; Proofpoint is described as offering documented threat-based simulation templates for email, SMS, and telephone-oriented scenarios.
- The article says Adaptive’s Agentic Email Security analyzes inbound messages with behavioral signals, intent analysis, and LLM reasoning, produces threat verdicts with confidence scores and explanations, and can feed detected attacks into employee risk scores and targeted training.
- On deployment and governance, Adaptive Email Security is described as integrating via API without MX record changes, while Proofpoint offers both API-based and inline deployment options; Adaptive also says its AI Governance discovers AI and SaaS usage, flags personal-account activity and sensitive data sharing, and can coach or block risky behavior while feeding those events into the same employee risk and training program.
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Prepare employees for AI attacks and connect protection to practice.
A convincing attack can reference an employee’s role, impersonate a trusted executive, and move from email to a phone call. But preparing employees isn’t enough. Your team also needs to detect the threats that get through and reinforce the right procedure when they do.
For teams comparing Adaptive Security and Proofpoint, Adaptive brings company-specific training, interactive attack simulations, Agentic Email Security, and AI Governance into one unified platform for human and agent security in the AI era. Turn your policies into lessons, build realistic impersonation scenarios around your organization, and connect training performance with real email threats and AI activity through the Adaptive products you use.
4.9/5 G2 rating vs. Proofpoint’s 4.5/5
A partner in building a stronger security culture
“We didn’t just adopt another training platform; we upgraded our entire security culture with a true partner that’s leading the way in AI, deepfake defense, and cybersecurity.”
Chris Or, Business Information Security Officer, NerdWallet
$800M+ revenue
“The deepfake simulations were a huge wake-up call. They fundamentally changed how our employees think about social engineering.”
Ben Porter, IT Director, Podium
$200M+ revenue
“Get ready for a super user-friendly platform that lets you almost fully automate your security awareness training.”
Natalie Zelman, GRC Lead, Fireworks
$17.5B valuation
Why choose Adaptive over Proofpoint?
An employee can understand the risks of impersonation yet still reset an account for an attacker posing as an executive. A finance team can complete annual fraud training but still approve a convincing request to change payment details.
Adaptive connects AI security awareness training with the practice your employees need. Teach your verification procedures, then give employees an interactive scenario where they have to apply them. Create company-specific lessons, personalize attacks with the right context, and use results to identify in which areas employees need better reinforcement.
Proofpoint security awareness training, delivered through ZenGuide, centers on threat-driven content, templated simulations, and automated learning pathways. Meanwhile, Adaptive adds a direct way to generate original training from your policies and put employees into responsive voice or executive impersonation scenarios.
- Teach employees how to follow your procedures. Turn policies into interactive, editable lessons with examples relevant to employees’ roles and responsibilities.
- Test the response to a convincing impersonation. Use company context, executive personas, and AI-powered conversations employees can question and challenge.
- Connect detected threats to employee training. Bring email protection, risk signals, and targeted training together through Adaptive’s unified product suite.
- Address risky AI use as it occurs. Discover AI and SaaS tool usage, inspect sensitive data being shared, and coach or block policy violations in the moment.
- Automate ongoing program management. Manage content, campaigns, employees, and results in one platform, with automated delivery and follow-up.
- Get help through implementation and beyond. Work with Adaptive’s customer success team on setup, rollout, and ongoing program needs.
How does Adaptive compare with Proofpoint security awareness training?
A generic lesson on payment fraud does not explain which employee approves a bank-detail change at your organization. A course about customer data does not necessarily walk through which information employees might share through your tools.
Adaptive’s AI Content Studio turns your policies and prompts into interactive training, allowing you to customize examples, quizzes, and branding so employees learn the steps they’re expected to abide by. Teach the IT team how to verify an account-reset request or show the finance team how to confirm a change in payment instructions. Easily update a lesson when the policy changes without rebuilding it manually.
When comparing Adaptive and Proofpoint security awareness training, consider how your team creates and updates company-specific lessons. Proofpoint offers content customization, including Customization Services for selected micro-learning. Adaptive’s AI Content Studio lets your team generate editable lessons directly from policies and prompts, then maintain the examples, quizzes, and branding within the platform.
Most importantly, the benefit reaches employees: the lesson explains how to handle a personalized situation specific to their own work environment.
How do Adaptive and Proofpoint compare on phishing and deepfake simulations?
Through open-source intelligence and company-specific context, Adaptive builds personalized phishing and deepfake simulations across email, SMS, voice, and impersonation. Coordinate different channels within an attack so employees practice responding as the request develops.
An email asks IT to reset an executive’s account and a call follows from someone who sounds like the executive, insisting they need immediate access. Adaptive’s AI persona responds in real time, allowing the employee to question the caller and their urgency, verify their identity, and refuse their request. Executive video impersonations test whether a familiar face changes the employee’s response.
Proofpoint phishing simulations include documented threat-based simulation templates, like email, SMS, and telephone-oriented attack scenarios. Adaptive’s distinction is the interactive exchange, with employees getting practice in handling a caller who responds to their questions while continuing to pressure them to make an exception.
How does Adaptive connect training with email protection and AI governance?
Simulation results show how employees perform in an exercise. Adaptive adds real inbound threats and risky AI usage to that picture, so your team can see who needs support and why.
Agentic Email Security: Connect Detection to Reinforcement
Adaptive analyzes inbound messages using behavioral signals, intent analysis, and LLM reasoning. Threat verdicts include confidence scores and explanations, while detected attacks can inform employee risk scores and trigger targeted training. Your team can remove a malicious message and reinforce the verification steps employees should follow when a similar request arrives.
Adaptive Email Security integrates through an API without requiring MX record changes. Proofpoint offers both API-based and inline deployment options, so compare the setup requirements for the specific products and configuration your organization is evaluating.
AI Governance: Connect AI activity, policy enforcement, and employee training
Adaptive discovers AI and SaaS usage, identifies personal-account activity, and analyzes prompts or pasted content for sensitive information inputted. Coach or block risky behavior as it happens, then use governance events to inform employee risk and targeted training.
Proofpoint also offers AI discovery, content inspection, and policy enforcement, while Adaptive brings employee AI behavior into the same risk and training program which also includes phishing performance and email exposure.
Adaptive’s approach to human and agent security for the AI era connects AI policy enforcement with employee risk and targeted training in one unified platform.
How much ongoing work does Adaptive vs. Proofpoint require?
Proofpoint’s ZenGuide automates learning pathways and recurring simulations. The difference, however, is not whether a program can run automatically, but how your team creates and maintains the experiences the program can deliver.
Adaptive’s unified platform brings policy-based content creation, executive personas, interactive simulations, employee management and results into the same environment. Create a lesson, test the procedure it teaches, and review performance within the same environment.
Automated delivery, employee syncing, new-hire campaigns, and follow-ups keep the program operating once it’s been configured. Dynamic groups also adjust who receives more frequent testing as employee performance changes.
Compared to commissioning customized micro-learning with Proofpoint, Adaptive gives teams direct control over creating and updating their own policy-based lessons, which is critical when procedures alter or a new attack reveals a training gap.
Can we evaluate Adaptive without replacing our existing email protection?
Replacing a gateway is a major decision, so your team should be able to see what an additional detection layer can find before committing to a full-fledged transition.
Adaptive’s free email security assessment identifies sophisticated attacks your existing defenses allowed through, without changing mail flow. Review the messages, explanations, and employee exposure to establish what needs the most attention.
Proofpoint offers different email products and deployment options. Compare Adaptive against the specific email protection configuration you run, using findings from your environment to directly shape your decisions rather than a generic feature checklist.
Get an email security assessment
What support will we get when switching from Proofpoint to Adaptive?
Your rollout may involve replacing Proofpoint’s training, evaluating email protection, or even bringing both into Adaptive. With a customer NPS of 94, hands-on support is part of the case for making the switch. Our customer success team is here for your team, helping plan around that scope.
Get hands-on help with implementation, configuration, and launch, followed up with ongoing support for any questions or adjustments you may need to make.
Proofpoint offers program assistance through Premium Services. When evaluating Adaptive, we’ll clarify the implementation help, ongoing support, responsibilities, and product scope included in your proposal.
Share your renewal date, employee environment, integrations, and audit requirements. We’ll help plan the rollout and confirm how historical records and custom content can be retained or carried over before launch.
Adaptive and Proofpoint: Features Compared
Compare Adaptive’s employee experience, ongoing administration, product scope, and independent customer ratings.
Customer ratings and confidence
| Adaptive | Proofpoint | |
|---|---|---|
| G2 Overall Rating | 4.9/5 | 4.5/5 |
| Gartner Peer Insights Overall Rating | 4.9/5 | 4.6/5 |
| Customer NPS | 94 | 30 |
AI security awareness training and phishing simulations
| Adaptive | Proofpoint | |
|---|---|---|
| Relevant Employee Training | Interactive modules built from your policies, with editable examples, quizzes, and executive persona videos. | ZenGuide delivers threat-driven content and learning tailored to employee roles, behavior, skills, and threat exposure. |
| Organization-Specific Simulations | OSINT-informed scenarios using employee and organizational context, with coordinated email, SMS, and voice attacks. | Threat-based simulations, with AI ThreatFlip converting attacks targeting your organization into safe simulation templates. |
| Conversational Voice Phishing | AI personas respond to employees in real time, giving them practice questioning and refusing requests. | Telephone-oriented scenarios without real-time conversational AI voice impersonation. |
| Executive Deepfake Experiences | Executive personas used in training and interactive attack simulations. | Training on emerging threats without interactive executive deepfake simulations. |
| Custom Training Generation | AI Content Studio creates editable, policy-based modules within Adaptive’s unified platform. | Offers content customization, with Customization Services for selected micro-learning. |
| Training Informed by Real Attacks | Detected email threats can trigger targeted training and inform employee risk through Adaptive Email Security. | Collaboration Security integrations can trigger training from real threats; AI ThreatFlip turns malicious messages into safe simulations. |
| Risk-Based Learning and Follow-Up | Automated follow-up and dynamic groups adjust reinforcement as employee performance changes. | Adaptive groups and automated learning pathways assign education based on employee risk, role, and behavior. |
Agentic Email Security: Detecting an attack and reinforcing the right response
| Adaptive | Proofpoint | |
|---|---|---|
| Email Threat Detection | Layered ML and LLM analysis combines behavioral signals, semantic intent, and organizational context. | Core Email Protection uses multi-model AI, machine learning, behavioral analysis, and threat intelligence. |
| Business Email Compromise and Impersonation | Analyze what the sender is asking employees to do, not just whether the sender looks legitimate. | AI-powered detection addresses BEC, impersonation, and other advanced email threats. |
| Deployment Architecture | API-based integration with Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace; no MX-record changes. | Offers API-based and inline deployment options. Mail-flow requirements depend on the selected configuration. |
| Automated Remediation | Automatically quarantine confirmed threats across affected inboxes, with configurable confidence thresholds. | Supports post-delivery detection and automated remediation through its API-based protection. |
| Explainable Decisions in the Inbox | Confidence scores and reasons behind email verdicts. | Threat Protection Workbench provides detection context, attack-chain visibility, and investigation workflows. |
| Response to Related Attacks | Remove similar attacks across affected inboxes automatically. | Connected investigation and response workflows help teams identify attack spread and remediate affected messages. |
| Employee Reinforcement After a Real Attack | Detected threats can trigger targeted training and update employee risk scores. | Connected ZenGuide and Collaboration Security capabilities can trigger learning from real-world threats. |
| Employee-Reported Phishing | Reported messages feed detection and connect with Phish Triage. | The Report Suspicious button supports employee reporting across email and mobile devices. |
| Evaluating Your Existing Defenses | Free email security assessment identifies threats existing defenses allowed through, without changing mail flow. | Evaluation scope depends on the Proofpoint email product and deployment selected. |
AI Governance: Control what employees share, not just which sites they visit
| Adaptive | Proofpoint | |
|---|---|---|
| Shadow AI Discovery | Discover AI and SaaS tools used across corporate browsers and enrolled devices. | AI Access Security documents discovery of sanctioned and unsanctioned AI usage, including apps, agents, tools, and MCP connections. |
| Browser and Desktop AI Visibility | Browser extension plus device agent for visibility into browser activity, installed applications, and command-line tools. | Runtime visibility across AI interactions and agent workflows; coverage depends on the deployed AI security products and integrations. |
| Sensitive-Data Inspection | Inspect prompts and pasted content for sensitive information and policy violations. | Inspect prompts, outputs, and AI interactions for data leakage and other risks, including text, image, and PDF content. |
| Policy Enforcement | Coach, redirect, alert, or block based on the behavior and policy violation. | Block, redact, restrict, or escalate AI actions based on runtime intent and context. |
| In-the-Moment Policy Coaching | Contextual coaching explains the applicable company policy when risky behavior occurs. | Runtime guardrails and enforcement without employee-facing coaching on company AI policies. |
| Follow-Up Training Based on AI Activity | Risky AI behavior can automatically trigger targeted employee training. | AI events feed security and governance workflows without automatically enrolling employees in ZenGuide training after AI policy violations. |
| AI Adoption Reporting | Usage and adoption reporting by employee, team, department, and tool. | AI activity visibility and interaction records support risk assessment, investigation, and governance reporting. |
| AI Governance Connection to Risk | AI and shadow IT activity feeds the same employee risk score as training and simulations. | AI security provides user-linked interaction records; Human Risk Explorer separately correlates data, awareness, and threat-risk signals. |
Running the program end-to-end
| Adaptive | Proofpoint | |
|---|---|---|
| Ongoing Program Automation | Automated delivery, employee syncing, new-hire campaigns, dynamic groups, and follow-up training. | ZenGuide automates grouping, enrollment, learning pathways, and simulation recommendations based on employee risk and behavior. |
| Evaluation Alongside Existing Email Protection | Evaluate training and simulations while retaining existing email protection, subject to delivery and allowlisting requirements. | ZenGuide can connect with Proofpoint’s broader security portfolio; capabilities depend on the products and integrations selected. |
| Historical Records and Custom Content | Review reporting, audit, and content requirements during transition planning; confirm what can be retained or carried over before rollout. | Confirm export, retention, and content requirements for the existing Proofpoint subscription before switching. |
Measurable Results
| Customer-Reported Result | Adaptive Evidence |
|---|---|
| Higher On-Time Training Completion | Checkr achieved over 98% on-time completion on its latest security awareness campaign, which is a company first. |
| Fewer Phishing Simulation Failures | Checkr reported a 74% reduction in phishing failure rate across two quarters. |
| Faster Training Program Updates | Checkr rebuilt its annual security training program around Adaptive’s Conan O’Brien content in approximately 1 week. |
| Less Time Spent Running the Program | Bright’s CISO estimates 30% less time spent preparing training, running simulations, and reviewing results compared with its previous program. |
| Stronger Employee Reporting | Village Bakery reported double the rate of employees reporting suspicious email through the Phish Alert Button. |
| Follow-Up Training Employees Complete | Village Bakery reports approximately 95% completion of assigned remediation training, reinforcing lessons after failed simulations. |
Adaptive Security vs. Proofpoint pricing
To compare Proofpoint pricing with Adaptive Security pricing, start with the products in your proposal: security awareness training, email protection, AI security, and any other services. Adaptive Security pricing is per seat, with a proposed price based on your employee count and the products you select.
Compare the total package of training, custom content, simulation channels, email protection, AI governance, implementation, and support. Adaptive’s optional add-ons, including voice phishing, should be included when comparing equivalent coverage. If your Proofpoint renewal bundles training with other products, compare the cost of the full package you need.
Bring your Proofpoint renewal quote. We’ll walk through an Adaptive proposal alongside it so you can compare pricing, included capabilities, optional add-ons, implementation, and support for the same employee count and contract term.
FAQ
Why choose Adaptive over Proofpoint?
Choose Adaptive to create training from your company’s policies, give employees practice handling responsive voice and executive impersonation scenarios, and manage that program in one platform. Agentic Email Security and AI Governance extend the program with real-world exposure and behavior signals through the corresponding products.
How is Adaptive different from Proofpoint ZenGuide?
ZenGuide provides threat-driven learning, simulation templates, and automated pathways. Adaptive combines policy-based content generation with OSINT-informed scenarios, executive personas, and AI conversations employees can challenge in real time.
How do Adaptive and Proofpoint automate training and use real-world threats?
Both platforms automate parts of the training program and can use real threats to inform employee learning. Proofpoint ZenGuide supports automated learning pathways, while connected Collaboration Security capabilities can trigger training or turn attacks into safe simulations. Adaptive automates delivery, new-hire campaigns, dynamic groups, and follow-up. With Adaptive Email Security, detected threats can also update employee risk scores and trigger targeted training.
Can our team create original training from company policies in Adaptive, not just customize existing lessons?
Yes. Adaptive’s AI Content Studio turns policies and prompts into original, editable training. Your team controls the examples, quizzes, branding, and updates directly within the platform. Proofpoint’s documented Customization Services modify selected micro-learning content. Adaptive puts policy-based creation in your team’s hands, so a new procedure can become a lesson without commissioning a customized module.
With Adaptive, can employees practice a live conversation with an AI impersonation?
Yes. Adaptive’s AI voice personas respond to employees in real time. An employee can question a caller’s urgency, insist on independent verification, and refuse an exception while the persona continues the conversation. Proofpoint’s documented simulations include threat-based templates and telephone-oriented scenarios; Adaptive provides a concrete way to rehearse the back-and-forth of a convincing impersonation attempt.
Can we keep Proofpoint email protection while evaluating Adaptive training?
You can evaluate Adaptive training and simulations without immediately replacing your email security setup. We’ll review simulation delivery, allowlisting, and coexistence requirements during setup.
However, Adaptive’s native email detection signals require Adaptive Email Security.
How do you deploy Adaptive Email Security?
Adaptive integrates through an API without requiring MX record or mail-routing changes.
Does Adaptive offer AI governance?
Yes. Adaptive AI Governance discovers AI and SaaS usage, inspects prompts and pasted content for sensitive information, and coaches or blocks behavior that violates company policy. AI activity can also inform employee risk scores and trigger targeted training. Proofpoint also offers AI discovery, content inspection, and policy enforcement; compare the specific products, employee guidance, and training connections included in each proposal.
Are Email Security and AI Governance included in Adaptive’s unified platform with training?
They require the corresponding Adaptive products. Your proposal will identify the training, simulation, email protection, and governance capabilities included.
What happens to our historical records and custom content?
We’ll review reporting, audit, and content requirements during transition planning and confirm what can be carried over or retained before rollout.
Can we evaluate Adaptive as a Proofpoint alternative before renewal?
Yes. Share your renewal date and requirements. We’ll scope the evaluation around your security review, implementation needs, and procurement process.
See how your team can prepare for AI attacks
Hear a realistic executive impersonation tailored to your organization. Explore interactive training built from your policies and simulations that let employees practice questioning convincing requests. See how the results reveal where employees need support and help you reinforce the right response.
We’ll show you how to automate your ongoing program and plan your transition from Proofpoint with hands-on support. You’ll also see how security awareness training, phishing simulations, agentic email security, and AI governance work together in one platform to protect your people and AI agents.
As experts in cybersecurity insights and AI threat analysis, the Adaptive Security Team is sharing its expertise with organizations.
