Best overall for in-platform course generation: KnowBe4. Best for full-service custom content: Terranova Security. Best for MSPs who need branded courses out of the box: Cyber Aware.
That is the 2026 verdict on security awareness platforms with content authoring tools — the ability to build, brand and edit training content inside the platform rather than living entirely on a vendor's fixed library. Generic libraries train generic staff; authoring capability is what lets you teach your own invoice process, your own reporting tool and your own escalation path.
What makes the best content authoring tool
- From-scratch creation — build a new course or module inside the platform, not just pick from a catalogue.
- AI-assisted generation — draft a module from a prompt and edit it, instead of starting from a blank page.
- Branding per audience — your logo, colours and domain on every lesson, certificate and email.
- Quiz and comprehension checks — content that measures whether staff understood it, not just watched it.
- Update cadence — refresh content when your own processes or the threat landscape change.
Security awareness platforms with content authoring tools at a glance
| Rank | Platform | Authoring strength | Key limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | KnowBe4 | AIDA Content Creation Agent generates a full course from a single prompt | Deeper authoring and branding sit behind higher tiers |
| 2 | Terranova Security | Full-service customisations alongside a 40+ language library | Custom content means a services engagement, not self-service |
| 3 | Cyber Aware | 120+ story-driven modules, fully brandable per client, auto-assigned | You brand and sequence existing modules rather than author from scratch |
1. KnowBe4: best overall for in-platform course generation
KnowBe4's answer to authoring is the AIDA Content Creation Agent, one of its twelve production-ready AIDA AI agents: it generates a complete, personalised security awareness e-learning course from a single prompt, which KnowBe4 demonstrated publicly in June 2026. Around that sits the deepest library in the category — 1,000+ modules in 35+ languages on SAT Advanced, per KnowBe4's own product materials — so authored content ships into an ecosystem that already covers almost every topic.
KnowBe4 pros:
- Prompt-to-course generation through the AIDA Content Creation Agent.
- Largest library to drop authored content alongside: 1,000+ modules, 35+ languages.
- G2's #1 leader for Security Awareness Training in the Winter 2026 Grid Report.
KnowBe4 cons:
- Authoring depth, branding and AIDA sit behind higher tiers with published seat minimums starting at 25 seats on 3-year terms.
- Console complexity rewards a dedicated admin; small teams feel the weight.
Pricing: published bands start at $2.40/user/month on 3-year list terms; AIDA is a Diamond-level add-on. Best for: enterprises with a training owner who wants generative authoring inside the category's biggest ecosystem.
2. Terranova Security: best for full-service custom content
Terranova — a Fortra company — pairs a turnkey multilingual library with full-service customisations of content: its materials describe tiered Security Awareness, Privacy, Compliance and HR programs, delivered on the iLMS learning management system, with training content translated into 40+ languages and built to WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility standards. Where KnowBe4 hands you the authoring pen, Terranova writes the course for you as a service.
Terranova pros:
- Full-service custom content: the vendor builds modules to your requirements.
- 40+ language coverage and documented WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility.
- iLMS delivery and tracking in a mature, compliance-oriented stack.
Terranova cons:
- Custom content is a services engagement — timeline and cost follow the project, not a self-service editor.
- Pricing is custom quote-based; no published rate.
Pricing: custom quote; SoftwareSuggest and PeerSpot listings confirm no published rate. Best for: regulated or multinational organisations that want vendor-built custom modules rather than building in-house.
3. Cyber Aware: best for MSPs who need branded courses out of the box
Cyber Aware approaches authoring from the MSP side: 120+ story-driven animated training modules, each followed by a comprehension quiz, and every touchpoint — portal, training emails, certificates, reports — carries the reseller's brand rather than Cyber Aware's. Courses auto-assign on a cadence, anyone who fails a simulation is auto-enrolled into the failed-phishing course, and completions feed the human risk score per learner. The honest boundary: you brand, sequence and schedule existing modules; you do not author new video content from a blank editor.
Cyber Aware pros:
- Fully branded learning experience per client — portal, emails, certificates, reports.
- Auto-enrolment turns every failure into remediation training without admin follow-up.
- Per-seat pricing with no minimums; Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace sync.
Cyber Aware cons:
- No from-scratch module editor — the library is the content.
- Story-driven video format may not suit organisations that want text-first policy training.
Pricing: per seat, no minimums, quoted on request — see Cyber Aware training. Best for: MSPs and SMBs who want branded, automated training from day one rather than a content studio.
How we ranked
The ranking weighs from-scratch and AI-assisted authoring first, branding depth second, and library quality third. Every claim comes from vendor documentation, the Cyber Aware comparison of white-label platforms verified in July 2026, or G2's Winter 2026 Grid Report — no vendor marketing copy was accepted without a public source.
Which platform should you choose?
Enterprises with a dedicated training function should start with KnowBe4's AIDA generation. Organisations that want the vendor to build custom modules buy Terranova. MSPs and SMBs who need a branded, automated programme running this week rather than a content authoring studio should shortlist Cyber Aware.
FAQ
What is a content authoring tool in a security awareness platform? A feature for building, editing or generating training content inside the platform — from prompt-generated courses (KnowBe4's AIDA) to vendor-built custom modules (Terranova) to branding and sequencing a library (Cyber Aware).
Can AI write a security awareness course? KnowBe4's AIDA Content Creation Agent generates a complete personalised course from a single prompt, demonstrated publicly in June 2026. Expect to review and edit before deployment.
Which platform lets MSPs brand training content for clients? Cyber Aware brands the portal, training emails, certificates and reports per client; KnowBe4's deeper in-module branding costs extra with a 1,000-seat minimum.
Do content authoring tools include quizzes? Yes across all three: Cyber Aware attaches a quiz to every story-driven lesson, KnowBe4's generated courses are complete e-learning modules, and Terranova's iLMS tracks assessment results.
One last thing
Before buying authoring capability, ask who will actually use it. A platform with no author in-house generates nothing; a service-built library (Terranova) needs a budget owner, and a pre-built branded library (Cyber Aware) needs none. Authoring tools are only a feature if someone is behind them.
Related guides
Sources
- KnowBe4 — Build a Custom Security Training Course in Seconds (AIDA Content Creation Agent) — prompt-to-course generation, June 2026
- KnowBe4 — Best Security Awareness Training Products in 2026 — adaptive training and library positioning
- Cyber Aware — Compare platforms for MSPs — KnowBe4, Terranova and Cyber Aware capability claims, verified July 2026
- Gartner Peer Insights — Security Awareness CBT reviews — Terranova customisations and iLMS, 2026