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KnowBe4 vs Proofpoint Email Protection comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Feb 2, 2025

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
4.9
KnowBe4 provides cost-effective security training, enhances cybersecurity awareness, reduces incidents, and mitigates risks, increasing organizational security culture.
Sentiment score
6.5
Proofpoint Email Protection effectively reduced threats and costs, excelling in phishing defense, leading to significant efficiency improvements.
We learned extensively about cybersecurity with the training, and the automated trainings are very convenient and feasible for us.
Senior Compliance Officer at a university with 1,001-5,000 employees
This soft ROI shows value within the company and how security and data are being protected.
Information Technology Solution Specialist at Toyota South Africa
The solution proved valuable for audit reporting and successfully raised awareness while reducing phishing click rates.
Cybersecurity Governance Specialist at Suse
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
5.7
KnowBe4 is praised for responsive, effective customer service, fast technical support, and timely feedback with minimal interactions needed.
Sentiment score
7.1
Proofpoint Email Protection's customer service is praised for responsiveness and expertise, though some report slow responses or portal issues.
Their support is very quick and informative.
Owner at Ekforce LLC
We have escalated questions to KnowBe4's technical support, and it has been quite helpful in guiding us, especially when we request feature edits or face buggy issues.
Cyber Security Analyst at Ideagen PLC
The content is regularly updated to reflect current threats.
Senior Executive Assistant at Zenith Bank
I am familiar with the granular policy control feature of Proofpoint Email Protection, and I find their support excellent for modifying those policies.
Senior Cybersecurity Specialist at a retailer with 10,001+ employees
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
6.0
KnowBe4 supports scalable growth and compliance with automation, aiding diverse industries in reducing phishing risks despite synchronization challenges.
Sentiment score
7.5
Proofpoint Email Protection excels in adaptability and scalability, serving both small and large enterprises with ease and flexibility.
I would evaluate the scalability of KnowBe4 as quite scalable, giving it an 8.5 on a scale of one to ten.
Information Technology Solution Specialist at Toyota South Africa
The product is pretty much scalable.
Business Intelligence Developer at a consultancy with 51-200 employees
Proofpoint is scalable for multi-site organizations with thousands of users.
Products and solutions director at ITVikings
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
6.4
KnowBe4 is considered stable and reliable, with minimal downtime and praised for its performance and dependable support.
Sentiment score
8.2
Users rate Proofpoint Email Protection highly for reliability and performance, with minor UI challenges and rare stability issues.
KnowBe4 works without interruptions and is very stable.
Information Technology Solution Specialist at Toyota South Africa
In terms of stability, KnowBe4 is stable; based on the training we are receiving, I would rate it at nine out of ten.
Senior Software Engineering Manager at Field Nation
During the last downtime, it caused significant disruption as users couldn't access the system.
Cyber Security Engineer at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
 

Room For Improvement

KnowBe4 can boost engagement by adding interactive, personalized content, localization, and more effective, stable, diverse training options.
Proofpoint Email Protection struggles with setup complexity, feature enhancements, pricing issues, and requires improved support and interface design.
KnowBe4 could educate people about OWASP Top 10 in web security testing and API security.
Cyber Security Engineer at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
KnowBe4 should focus more on these issues and provide guidance on dealing with links received from individuals who attempt to manipulate our emotions, particularly on social media platforms such as Facebook and LinkedIn.
EPC Environmental Manager at Nesma & Partners
The more complicated things they do about phishing, AI, and social engineering are very important, and the way they do it is very structured and good.
Manager, Strategic Risk Management at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
Proofpoint could expand its phishing detection capabilities to improve its efficiency.
Products and solutions director at ITVikings
More security could be implemented.
Logistics Manager at a educational organization with 501-1,000 employees
I may advise Proofpoint to adjust marketing solutions based on each country.
Manager, IT Director at Cakmak Avukatlik Ortakligi
 

Setup Cost

KnowBe4's pricing is reasonable, varying by user count and location, but may seem costly, especially in government sectors.
Proofpoint Email Protection is considered costly, with pricing starting at $8 per user and varying by features.
It's about five dollars a seat per month.
Solution Architect at a consultancy with 51-200 employees
The solution was considered expensive, particularly in government contexts.
Cyber Security Engineer at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
As an exceptional product, they are relatively expensive, but it is worth it because compared to offline education with hired dedicated people, it would be much more expensive and not obviously more efficient.
Owner at Ekforce LLC
Customers pay around $90,000 yearly for a 1,000-user organization, with the subscription license being the main expense, apart from implementation fees.
Products and solutions director at ITVikings
Additional costs do come in, but it enhances security.
Logistics Manager at a educational organization with 501-1,000 employees
 

Valuable Features

KnowBe4 provides automated phishing simulations, engaging training, AI-enhanced checks, and scalable, customizable security solutions with multilingual support.
Proofpoint Email Protection offers advanced threat defense, user-friendly interface, and seamless Office 365 integration for comprehensive email security.
Modern phishing emails appear authentic, as if from friends. This enables full-blown ATP operations using AI to generate convincing phishing emails, making it crucial to focus on AI-based detection against AI-generated threats.
Cyber Security Engineer at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
This is the biggest benefit to raise caution in the digital world, making people aware of the importance of verifying the sources of information.
Information Technology Solution Specialist at Toyota South Africa
I appreciate the training methodology. It is detailed with videos and real examples about handling phishing emails and dealing with social media links received through WhatsApp, email, or other platforms.
EPC Environmental Manager at Nesma & Partners
The main feature I find most effective is that Proofpoint Email Protection scans emails and quarantines the doubtful ones.
Logistics Manager at a educational organization with 501-1,000 employees
The most beneficial feature of Proofpoint Email Protection is mostly spam filtering; it was very efficient, and we were very happy with the functionality as only relevant emails were allowed for mailboxes.
Manager, IT Director at Cakmak Avukatlik Ortakligi
I appreciate that it's the industry leader, and its firewalling is very easy to manage and implement.
Senior Cybersecurity Specialist at a retailer with 10,001+ employees
 

Categories and Ranking

KnowBe4
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
5.8
Number of Reviews
18
Ranking in other categories
Security Awareness Training (1st)
Proofpoint Email Protection
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
53
Ranking in other categories
Email Security (3rd), Digital Risk Protection (3rd), Office 365 Protection (2nd), Secure Email Gateway (SEG) (2nd)
 

Mindshare comparison

KnowBe4 and Proofpoint Email Protection aren’t in the same category and serve different purposes. KnowBe4 is designed for Security Awareness Training and holds a mindshare of 17.7%, down 32.5% compared to last year.
Proofpoint Email Protection, on the other hand, focuses on Secure Email Gateway (SEG), holds 20.3% mindshare, up 20.2% since last year.
Security Awareness Training Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
KnowBe417.7%
Proofpoint’s ZenGuide7.0%
Mimecast Engage Awareness Training4.8%
Other70.5%
Security Awareness Training
Secure Email Gateway (SEG) Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Proofpoint Email Protection20.3%
Microsoft Defender for Office 36524.2%
Mimecast Email Security14.4%
Other41.1%
Secure Email Gateway (SEG)
 

Featured Reviews

Amran Hossain - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Software Engineering Manager at Field Nation
Training program enables comprehensive security awareness and cautious email practices
One feature that would be highly beneficial in a future release is the ability to automatically send training articles or security tips to users on a regular, scheduled basis—for example, weekly or monthly. While the current training modules and phishing simulations are highly effective, ongoing awareness is equally important to keep security top of mind in day-to-day operations. These short, digestible articles or micro-learning content could cover recent phishing trends, real-world examples of security breaches, or quick tips on secure online behavior. Periodic delivery would serve as a continuous learning touchpoint, reinforcing key concepts from the main training and adapting to evolving threats. Ideally, this feature would also include personalization, allowing content to be tailored based on a user’s role, previous training performance, or common mistakes observed in phishing simulations. This kind of proactive, lightweight training approach could significantly enhance employee engagement with security practices and help maintain a strong security posture over time.
reviewer2500410 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Cybersecurity Specialist at a retailer with 10,001+ employees
Has provided reliable threat detection and simplified policy management
I do not have experience with Microsoft Purview products, but I know some Proofpoint products. I apologize, I do not have experience with the Purview one, but I do know the Proofpoint products. I'm not sure about the features of the Purview one. Compared to other products, Proofpoint's real-time threat intelligence makes it less noisy. They collect and share threat information effectively, which benefits all customers. I have seen a lot of improvements in Proofpoint's reporting and analytics compared to earlier days. As a leader in the market, I find the pricing for Proofpoint Email Protection is a little high. Their licensing models vary, and even the premium model adequately supports awareness campaigning, so I find it acceptable. Normally, they sell their products through resellers, not directly through AWS Marketplace. For us, we are clients of Proofpoint. I rate Proofpoint Email Protection a nine out of ten.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
13%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Construction Company
8%
Manufacturing Company
6%
Computer Software Company
12%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Government
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business5
Midsize Enterprise3
Large Enterprise10
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business21
Midsize Enterprise13
Large Enterprise17
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about KnowBe4?
Their customizable nature allows us to create scenarios that closely resemble real-world phishing attempts, making them highly relatable to our end users.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for KnowBe4?
I would not know about the pricing because it has been subsidized for us, so I am not fully aware of the actual cost.
What needs improvement with KnowBe4?
I have a challenge with the stability while using KnowBe4. I have made an observation regarding the login process. For every login attempt, because my organization uses KnowBe4 with a large staff s...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Proofpoint Email Protection?
In terms of pricing, it is okay compared to others. I would say it is normal. Additional costs do come in, but it enhances security.
What needs improvement with Proofpoint Email Protection?
I believe they still need to improve by consolidating some portals, as currently, you have to log in separately to a few of them.
 

Also Known As

No data available
Proofpoint Enterprise Protection, Proofpoint Digital Protection
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

West Aurora Public School District 129
Blocket, University of Waterloo, Lincoln Memorial University, WellSpan Health, U-Haul, Carestream Health, Westinghouse
Find out what your peers are saying about KnowBe4, Proofpoint, Huntress and others in Security Awareness Training. Updated: December 2025.
879,422 professionals have used our research since 2012.