HR and compliance managers outgrowing Safetrac's compliance-first e-learning model need a platform that also runs phishing simulations and produces audit-ready reporting. This guide ranks six Safetrac alternative platforms for 2026, with a plain verdict on where each one actually fits.
TL;DR
- Cyber Aware is the strongest safetrac alternative for AU compliance teams needing Essential Eight and APRA CPS 234 mapping — Buy.
- KnowBe4 wins on template library size for large enterprises with a dedicated security team — Consider.
- Proofpoint Security Awareness only earns its price if you already run Proofpoint email security — Hold.
- Skip Curricula for AU compliance buyers; it has no Essential Eight or APRA CPS 234 mapping.
- Run any Safetrac alternative through a pilot group before an annual contract in 2026.
Why this matters
Safetrac was built for broad compliance e-learning — workplace health and safety, bribery and corruption, discrimination modules. It was never built as a phishing simulation or cyber awareness reporting tool, and that gap is exactly why compliance and HR managers go looking for a Safetrac alternative in 2026.
Regulators have caught up. APRA CPS 234 expects ongoing staff awareness activity for regulated entities, and the Essential Eight now sits behind procurement checklists at organisations that never used to ask about it. A compliance platform that can't produce a phishing click-rate trend line or map training to a named framework leaves HR holding a gap at audit time.
That's the real search behind "safetrac alternative": not dissatisfaction with the content library, but a need for a security awareness training platform that ties compliance modules to actual phishing behaviour and hands compliance managers a report a regulator or auditor will accept.
How this list was ranked
Every platform below is weighed against four things HR and compliance managers consistently ask about when comparing a Safetrac alternative: AU regulatory mapping (Essential Eight, APRA CPS 234, Privacy Act obligations), phishing simulation depth, audit-ready reporting, and pricing transparency for mid-size teams. Platforms that only do generic compliance modules with no phishing or awareness component score lower here, even if they're well known.
The list also weighs how fast a compliance manager can stand up a working program without a dedicated security hire — a real constraint for most HR teams running this alongside a dozen other compliance duties in 2026.
The ranked list
1. Cyber Aware — the AU-built pick
Cyber Aware runs security awareness training and phishing simulations with direct mapping to Essential Eight and APRA CPS 234, which is the gap most HR teams hit when they try to stretch Safetrac beyond general compliance modules. The platform is built for Australian regulatory language rather than a US framework translated after the fact.
For compliance managers who also need to teach staff to spot invoice and payment fraud, the practical angle matters more than a feature list — see how to verify supplier bank detail changes as one example of the scenario-based training this category should cover.
Verdict: Buy for AU compliance and HR teams that need Essential Eight-aligned reporting alongside phishing simulation, not just static compliance modules.
2. KnowBe4 — the scale pick
KnowBe4 is the largest name in the category by template library size, and it shows in the breadth of phishing simulation content available out of the box. It suits organisations with a dedicated security or IT team that can run the platform rather than a compliance manager doing it solo.
For mid-size teams, the tradeoff is complexity: more admin console than most HR-led compliance functions want to own.
Verdict: Consider if you have IT resourcing to run it; otherwise it's more platform than a compliance manager needs in 2026.
3. Proofpoint Security Awareness — the bundled pick
Proofpoint's awareness product makes most sense as an add-on for organisations already running Proofpoint email security, since the phishing simulation data ties back into the same threat intelligence stack. Standalone, it's a harder sell against purpose-built awareness platforms.
Verdict: Hold unless Proofpoint email security is already part of the stack — buying it standalone is paying for integration you won't use.
4. Mimecast Awareness Training — the email-stack pick
Same logic as Proofpoint: Mimecast's awareness module is a reasonable fit if the organisation already runs Mimecast for email security, and a weaker standalone case if it doesn't. Reporting skews toward IT dashboards rather than the compliance-manager-facing summary an auditor wants to see.
Verdict: Hold for existing Mimecast customers, Skip for anyone comparing on compliance reporting alone.
5. Ninjio — the engagement pick
Ninjio's video-first microlearning format gets higher completion rates than text-heavy compliance modules, which matters when the real problem with Safetrac was staff clicking through modules without absorbing anything. It's lighter on formal regulatory mapping than compliance-heavy buyers usually need.
Verdict: Consider if engagement and completion rates are the main complaint about the current platform.
6. Curricula — the US-market pick
Curricula runs a similar story-based training format aimed mostly at the US market, with no Essential Eight or APRA CPS 234 mapping built in. For an AU compliance manager, that's a dealbreaker regardless of how good the content design is.
Verdict: Skip for AU compliance and HR buyers; there's no local regulatory hook to justify the switch.
Comparison table
| Platform | Best for | AU regulatory mapping | Phishing simulation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cyber Aware | AU HR/compliance teams | Essential Eight, APRA CPS 234 | Yes | Buy |
| KnowBe4 | Large enterprises with IT support | Limited | Extensive | Consider |
| Proofpoint Security Awareness | Existing Proofpoint customers | Limited | Yes | Hold |
| Mimecast Awareness Training | Existing Mimecast customers | Limited | Yes | Hold |
| Ninjio | Engagement-first teams | Limited | Yes | Consider |
| Curricula | US-market teams | None | Yes | Skip |
Where to buy
- Ask for the regulatory mapping document before the demo, not after. If a vendor can't show which modules map to Essential Eight or APRA CPS 234, that's the answer.
- Run a pilot group of 20-30 staff for at least one full phishing simulation cycle before signing an annual contract in 2026 — a single test run tells you more than any sales deck.
- Get per-seat pricing and contract length in writing before the trial ends; month-to-month terms during evaluation protect HR from a long lock-in on an untested fit.
FAQ
What is the best Safetrac alternative for compliance managers in 2026?
Cyber Aware is the best Safetrac alternative for AU compliance managers in 2026 because it maps directly to Essential Eight and APRA CPS 234 alongside phishing simulation. Generic compliance-only platforms don't cover that reporting gap.
Is KnowBe4 better than Safetrac for security awareness?
KnowBe4 is stronger than Safetrac for phishing simulation and template variety, but it needs more IT resourcing to run well. Safetrac was built for general compliance e-learning, not phishing testing.
Do I need to replace Safetrac entirely or add a phishing tool?
Most compliance managers keep existing compliance modules and layer on a dedicated phishing simulation and awareness platform rather than switching everything at once. That approach avoids retraining staff on an entirely new interface mid-year.
How much does a Safetrac alternative cost?
Pricing for security awareness platforms is typically per-seat and varies by vendor, so get a written quote and contract length before committing. Ask specifically whether phishing simulation is included or billed as an add-on.
Does Safetrac cover APRA CPS 234 requirements?
Safetrac is a general compliance e-learning platform and isn't built around ongoing phishing simulation or CPS 234-specific reporting. Regulated entities usually need a platform purpose-built for that mapping.
How often should staff run phishing simulations?
Run phishing simulations at least once a month to keep click-rate data meaningful for audits and reporting. Quarterly testing is too infrequent to show a real behaviour trend.
What should HR ask a vendor before switching from Safetrac?
Ask for the exact regulatory framework mapping, per-seat pricing, and contract length before signing. A vendor that hedges on any of the three is a signal to keep comparing options.
One last thing
Most compliance managers who switch off Safetrac don't rip out the whole program — they keep the compliance modules staff already completed and bolt on a phishing simulation layer for the reporting gap. That's the lower-risk move going into 2026: test the new platform on the awareness side first, and decide on full replacement once the reporting actually satisfies your auditor.