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McAfee Institute Certifications & Training vs Sophos Phish Threat comparison

McAfee Institute and Sophos are both solutions in the Security Awareness Training category. McAfee Institute is ranked #6 with an average rating of 10.0, while Sophos is ranked #3 with an average rating of 9.3. McAfee Institute holds a 0.6% mindshare in SAT, compared to Sophos’s 3.9% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of McAfee Institute users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Sophos users who would recommend it.
McAfee Institute Certificat...
Read 1 McAfee Institute Certifications & Training review
  • 178 Views
  • 160 Comparison Views
100% willing to recommend
Sophos Phish Threat
Read 13 Sophos Phish Threat reviews
  • 363 Views
  • 359 Comparison Views
100% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive Summary
We performed a comparison between McAfee Institute Certifications & Training and Sophos Phish Threat based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about KnowBe4, Proofpoint, Sophos and others in Security Awareness Training.

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To learn more, read our detailed Security Awareness Training Report (Updated: August 2025).
Buyer's Guide
Security Awareness Training
August 2025
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Helped 865,295 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

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

Categories and Ranking

McAfee Institute Certificat...
Ranking in Security Awareness Training
6th
Average Rating
10.0
Number of Reviews
1
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Sophos Phish Threat
Ranking in Security Awareness Training
3rd
Average Rating
8.8
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
13
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Security Awareness Training category, the mindshare of McAfee Institute Certifications & Training is 0.6%, up from 0.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Sophos Phish Threat is 3.9%, down from 5.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Security Awareness Training
 

Featured Reviews

TF
Helps with cybersecurity readiness, enhances awareness, and provides essential tools for investigations
While the program is comprehensive, there is always room for improvement. Specifically, I would love to see more focus on emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, and blockchain as they relate to cybersecurity. As these technologies become increasingly integrated into our professional and personal lives, understanding their security implications is critical. Also, a more advanced follow-up course would be beneficial for keeping professionals updated on the ever-changing cybersecurity landscape.
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Shaun Gordon - PeerSpot reviewer
Identifies vulnerable employees through customized simulations
Sophos Phish Threat effectively identifies susceptible employees. It depends on knowing my staff. For example, if I receive an email claiming my Facebook account is compromised, I immediately recognize it as suspicious, as I don't have Facebook. If I know my staff use LinkedIn, I utilize the LinkedIn simulation. Similarly, if they bank with Absa, I use the Absa simulation. There isn't a single 'one size fits all' approach. Sophos Phish Threat ensures users do not click on dodgy emails or dodgy links within an environment.
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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The standout features of the CECI program were undoubtedly the hands-on labs and real-world case studies."
"It is simple to push tests out to a group of users."
"Sophos Phish Threat effectively identifies susceptible employees."
"The solution is easy to integrate because it is on the cloud. We have been able to limit users to only accessing the Sophos platform by modifying the firewall and Sophos platform settings. The dashboard gives us detailed reports allowing us to be able to manage better."
"The most valuable features of Sophos Phish Threat are internal web filtering and security."
"The scalability is very good."
"I find the solution's reports very valuable."
"It is easy to use."
"It is very simple to install and you can do it by yourself."
More Sophos Phish Threat pros
 

Cons

"A more advanced follow-up course would be beneficial for keeping professionals updated on the ever-changing cybersecurity landscape."
"The security could be simplified within the product."
"There is a need for improvement regarding false negatives dealing with Office 365."
"The pricing of Sophos Phish threat can be improved."
"Sophos Phish Threat can improve by adding other languages, such as Mandarin or Cantonese to their online trainer video center, it would be helpful."
"The product's price is an area of concern, and it can be improved if Sophos reduces the prices by seven to nine percent, considering the current market price at which the product is offered."
"Sophos Phish Threat can improve load balancing."
"The security of the solution could improve."
"Sophos should offer tests where we can emulate new attacks happening now."
More Sophos Phish Threat cons
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available
"Licensing fees are paid annually."
"There are monthly and annual subscriptions available to use Sophos Phish Threat. The price is reasonable."
"The license for the product comes with the firewall offered by Sophos, so a user need not buy it separately."
"The pricing is very good, and some of my customers who have used other vendors say that Sophos is priced well within the market."
"There is a license required for this solution and the cost depends on the number of users."
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Company Size

By reviewers
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Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about McAfee Institute Certifications & Training?
I heard from other peers that their course and training quality are really good, so I bought a Crimelab a few days ago. Unfortunately, the material is outdated, but I believe their other course mat...
See all answers
What needs improvement with McAfee Institute Certifications & Training?
While the program is comprehensive, there is always room for improvement. Specifically, I would love to see more focus on emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, ...
See all answers
What is your primary use case for McAfee Institute Certifications & Training?
My primary reason for enrolling in the CECI program was to build on my existing skills in cybersecurity, particularly in the area of cyber investigations. I work in a large financial organization t...
See all answers
What do you like most about Sophos Phish Threat?
I find the solution's reports very valuable.
See all answers
What needs improvement with Sophos Phish Threat?
To make Sophos Phish Threat better, the user interface should be improved. They can enhance the preview of the campaigns and the templates of the phishing simulation. I see some difficulty there. T...
See all answers
What is your primary use case for Sophos Phish Threat?
The main use case for Sophos Phish Threat is security awareness training for users and employees in their offices to gain knowledge of cybersecurity hygiene, including how to use emails and how to ...
See all answers
 

Comparisons

No data available
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Compared 24% of the time
Proofpoint’s ZenGuide vs Sophos Phish Threat Logo
Proofpoint’s ZenGuide vs Sophos Phish Threat
Compared 23% of the time
Barracuda PhishLine vs Sophos Phish Threat Logo
Barracuda PhishLine vs Sophos Phish Threat
Compared 14% of the time
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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Security Awareness Training
August 2025
McAfee Institute Certifications & Training reportDownload McAfee Institute Certifications & Training product report
Buyer's Guide
Sophos Phish Threat
July 2025
Sophos Phish Threat reportDownload Sophos Phish Threat product report
 

Also Known As

No data available
Phish Threat
 

Overview

McAfee Institute LLC. is a professional certification body that administers several board certifications for the intelligence and investigative sectors. Topics available for training include cryptocurrency investigations, cyber intelligence, and investigations, counterintelligence, human trafficking, workplace violence, active shooter, organized retail crime, leadership, incident response, digital forensics, fraud, deception detection, and more.

McAfee Institute

Sophos Phish Threat emulates a range of phishing attack types to help you identify areas of weakness in your organization’s security posture, and empower users through engaging training to strengthen your organizations defenses.

Sophos
Buyer's Guide
Security Awareness Training
August 2025
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