Top 15 Cofense PhishMe Alternatives

Cofense PhishMe is a leading provider in the security awareness training space, offering phishing simulations to organizations worldwide. However, many companies face operational challenges with the system like high managerial effort required to run campaigns manually and the absence of automated adjustment. 

Its user interface is fragmented and includes several outdated elements. These issues often push security teams to look for alternatives with better automation and higher employee engagement. 

Here, we will review the top Cofense PhishMe alternatives to help you decide the right solution for your organization. For each product, we will cover: 

• How the software compares to Cofense PhishMe 
• Pros and cons 
• Cost details 

TL;DR: What’s the best alternative to Cofense PhishMe? KnowBe4 stands out as one of the strongest alternatives to Cofense PhishMe, with its superior automation via smart groups and the most extensive library of security awareness content in the industry. 

Our Top Cofense Phishme Alternatives 

KnowBe4 

Best For: Large enterprises requiring extensive content variety 

Overall Rating: 4.6/5 

Free Trial: Not available 

KnowBe4 is a security awareness training tool that comes with a large library of simulated phishing exercises. It focuses on empowering employees to act as a human firewall through ongoing training and reinforcement. 

The software provides an edge over Cofense Phishme through its ModStore, which contains a large library of security awareness content. While Cofense relies on specific managed scenarios, KnowBe4 allows for deeper cultural transformation through varied media formats and gamified modules. 

We recommend KnowBe4’s social training awareness tool, which lets organizations run interactive phishing simulations and track user responses. It provides detailed reporting on who clicks or reports simulated phishing emails, helping teams identify learning gaps and reinforce safe email practices. 

What Are The Pros And Cons Of KnowBe4? 

How Much Does KnowBe4 Cost? 

Starting at $1.90/seat/month (3-year term, 25–50 users). Other plans include: 

• Gold: $2.23 
• Platinum: $2.60 
• Diamond: $3.25 

Disclaimer: The pricing is subject to change. 

Hoxhunt 

Best For: Organizations prioritizing automated, behavioral-based training 

Overall Rating: 4.9/5 

Free Trial: Not available 

Hoxhunt offers a human risk management system that delivers phishing simulations tailored to each user’s behavior. It encourages safe actions, like reporting suspicious emails, to help employees build habits that lower security risk. 

Hoxhunt surpasses Cofense Phishme in engagement with its game-like format and quick adaptive paths. These features adapt training based on risk levels, improving engagement and completion rates compared to Cofense’s fixed simulations. 

Our recommendation for Hoxhunt is its bite-sized security awareness training for daily lessons on phishing tactics, multiplayer phishing leagues for team competition. It has deep-fake audio/video simulation readiness that is not native in Cofense. 

What Are The Pros And Cons Of Hoxhunt? 

How Much Does Hoxhunt Cost? 

Hoxhunt pricing is customized and estimated to start at $10,000/year.

Disclaimer: Pricing references are based on publicly available third-party information and industry benchmarks. Actual costs may vary. 

SoSafe 

Best For: Firms needing compliance-aligned training 

Overall Rating: 4.1/5 

Free Trial: Not available 

SoSafe is a human risk management system that applies psychological principles to encourage safer behavior. It offers gamified training and phishing simulations to improve security practices while staying compliant with global data protection rules. By tracking behavior from simulations and daily activity, it helps reduce risk in real time. 

SoSafe deploys faster through automated templates while Cofense requires campaign planning. It emphasizes behavioral psychology–based training, whereas Cofense focuses primarily on threat-based phishing simulations. Both platforms offer real-time tracking and automatic training assignments after failed simulations, but SoSafe provides broader learning-focused features.

Its AI-powered chatbot, Sofie, is a recommended capability. It provides real-time security guidance and contextual intervention at the point of risk, allowing employees to query the bot for instant micro-learning. 

What Are The Pros And Cons Of SoSafe? 

How Much Does SoSafe Cost? 

SoSafe pricing starts in the range of $10 per user/month or less. Other plans include: 

• Essential 
• Professional 
• Premium 
• Ultimate 

Disclaimer: Pricing references are based on publicly available third-party information and industry benchmarks. Actual costs may vary. 

Proofpoint 

Best For: Enterprises with integrated email security stacks 

Overall Rating: 4.2/5 

Free Trial: Available 

Proofpoint offers a thorough security awareness solution that integrates directly with its market-leading email gateway. It uses real-world threat intelligence to inform training content and ensure that users are exposed to phishing tactics currently active in the field. 

Cofense simulations are usually predefined and generic, while Proofpoint turns real threats blocked by its email gateway into instant simulations. This ensures employees are trained on attacks that specifically target their organization, making the training both efficient and highly relevant. 

We recommend using Proofpoint’s Very Attacked People (VAP) reporting, which identifies the employees most targeted by attacks. This allows your team to apply stronger security controls and specialized training where it’s needed most. 

What Are The Pros And Cons Of Proofpoint? 

How Much Does Proofpoint Cost? 

Proofpoint Email Security Services start at $2.75/active user/month for the business email security plan. Other plans include: 

Email Security Services Plans: 

• Advanced: $3.75/active user/month 
• Professional: $5.33/active user/month 

Proofpoint Essentials Security Awareness (PESA): 

• PESA: $1.00/active user/month 

Disclaimer: The pricing is subject to change. 

Mimecast 

Best For: Companies seeking a unified email security and human risk hub 

Overall Rating: 4.4/5 

Free Trial: 30-day 

Mimecast is a global cybersecurity software that combines advanced email security with its engage security awareness product. It employs a solo hub to monitor and address human-driven risk signals across the organization, including insider data protection. It lowers security risk by combining strong technical protections with an engaged, well-trained workforce. 

Compared to Cofense PhishMe, which emphasizes structured phishing simulations and detailed user reporting, Mimecast offers customizable phishing simulations. It also provides broader security awareness content to help users recognize suspicious emails. 

Mimecast’s Human Risk Command Center (HRCC) is worth considering, as it combines risk scores from multiple sources into a single dashboard. This gives security teams a clear, holistic view of human risk and helps them target interventions where users are most vulnerable. 

What Are The Pros And Cons Of Mimecast? 

How Much Does Mimecast Cost? 

Mimecast Advanced Email Security pricing starts in the range of $10 - $100. Other plans include the following: 

• Threat Protection: Critical, Advanced, Premium 
• Insider Risk Management: Professional, Enterprise, Gov 
• Security Awareness and Training: Professional, Enterprise 

Disclaimer: Pricing references are based on publicly available third-party information and industry benchmarks. Actual costs may vary. 

IronScales 

Best For: Organizations needing rapid, AI-powered remediation 

Overall Rating: 4.7/5 

Free Trial: 14-Day

IronScales is an email security software that uses adaptive AI to detect and stop phishing attacks. It combines automated protections with employee training for better security and defense. 

Compared to Cofense PhishMe, IronScales offers advanced phishing training through AI-driven, customizable simulations. While PhishMe focuses on structured phishing simulations and detailed user reporting, IronScales provides personalized campaigns that help employees practice recognizing real-world phishing attempts. 

One feature worth highlighting is IronScales’ GPT-powered spear phishing tool. Using GenAI, it produces highly customizable simulations that closely mimic social-engineering-heavy attacks. These are the scenarios that traditional template-based systems like Cofense Phishme often fail to capture. 

What Are The Pros And Cons Of IronScales? 

How Much Does IronScales Cost? 

Ironscales pricing starts at $6 (Monthly) with other custom plans: 

For SMBs and Enterprise: 

• Ironscales Protect 
• Email Protect 
• Complete Protect 

For MSP: 

• Ironscales Protect 
• Email Protect 
• Complete Protect 
• Security Awareness Training Suite 

Disclaimer: Pricing references are based on publicly available third-party information and industry benchmarks. Actual costs may vary. 

Hook Security 

Best For: Small to mid-sized businesses that need automated, zero-admin security awareness training 

Overall Rating: 5/5 

Free Trial: Available 

Hook Security is a security awareness software that sends realistic phishing emails, tracks user clicks, and automatically assigns targeted microlearning courses. Its short, hands-on training helps employees remember lessons and act to avoid real-world security risks. 

Hook Security replaces the Cofense phishing workflow by swapping heavy, compliance-focused reporting for behavior-based coaching. Employees stay engaged through concise, fun lessons and microlearning. This approach reinforces a positive and resilient security culture. 

We recommend using the HookMail add-in, which allows employees to report suspicious emails directly from their inbox. This lets security teams review potential threats right away, while reinforcing phishing awareness without requiring users to leave their email client. 

What Are The Pros And Cons Of Hook Security? 

How Much Does Hook Security Cost? 

Hook Security pricing starts at $1.50/user/month. Other plans include: 

• Hook Basic: $1.50/user/month 
• Hook+: $2.00/user/month 

Disclaimer: Pricing references are based on publicly available third-party information and industry benchmarks. Actual costs may vary. 

Selection Methodology 

We have identified these competitors according to their ability to address set limitations in Cofense PhishMe simulation tools through: 

• Functional Superiority: Tools with features like native AI remediation, conversational chatbots, and automated risk scoring were chosen 
• Technical Accuracy: Data was sourced from official vendor documentation to ensure precision regarding pricing, compliance and connectivity 
• Intent-Driven Performance: Each solution was vetted for effectiveness against threats, prioritizing agentic AI and real-time intelligence 

How To Choose The Best Cofense Phishme Alternatives 

To select the ideal alternative, evaluate your internal resources and security objectives. Organizations without a dedicated security operations center should prioritize tools with high automation and AI-driven remediation to manage threats. If your infrastructure depends on advanced gateways, an integrated ecosystem ensures training is triggered by real-world intelligence. Finally, for environments with low participation, automated and gamified solutions effectively foster long-term behavioral change.