Best overall for AI-driven voice realism: Brightside AI. Best for configurable scripts and your own voice recordings: Keepnet. Best for teams already using SoSafe: its vishing simulations, currently in early access. Voice phishing simulation is still a young category, so the honest ranking comes with caveats: features change quickly and vendors differ on how much is automated versus run by people.
Vishing, or voice phishing, is a phone call in which the attacker poses as an executive, bank, vendor or IT support to extract money, codes or access. These tools send staff simulated calls, then record who complied and who challenged the caller.
Why this matters
Voice and text channels are where simulated campaigns work best for attackers. Verizon's 2026 Data Breach Investigations Report found the median click rate in simulated voice and text campaigns ran 40% higher than in email. Social engineering accounted for 16% of breaches in the same report.
Most security awareness programs still test email only. That leaves the channel where staff are most likely to comply untested, which is the gap these tools exist to close.
What makes a good vishing simulation tool
Use these criteria to audit the ranking below:
- Voice realism. Does the call sound natural, or like a robot reading a script? AI speech synthesis and voice cloning raise realism but also raise consent and privacy questions.
- Scenario control. Can you write your own pretext, such as a fake IT helpdesk or CEO request, or are you limited to templates?
- Measurement. Does it record whether staff gave up information, hung up, or reported the call?
- Follow-up training. Does a failed call trigger coaching?
- Multi-channel coverage. Does it also cover email and SMS so one program tracks all three?
- Consent and legal fit. Recording and impersonation rules differ by jurisdiction; check your obligations before calling staff.
Vishing simulation tools at a glance
| Tool | Best for | Standout feature | Key limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brightside AI | Highly targeted, AI-voiced scenarios | OSINT-powered scenarios with generative voice cloning | Newer vendor; confirm scale and support for your region |
| Keepnet | Custom scripts and recorded voices | Upload your own voice recordings or use text-to-speech | Needs careful scenario writing to feel real |
| SoSafe | Existing SoSafe customers | Vishing sits alongside email, SMS and QR simulations | Vishing reported as early access |
| Manual red-team calls | Highest realism on a small group | Human adaptivity | Hard to repeat or scale |
1. Brightside AI: best for AI-voiced, targeted scenarios
Brightside AI focuses on AI-era threats such as deepfake vishing and targeted spear phishing, combining simulation with exposure reduction. According to its own 2026 guide, scenarios are built from open-source information and can use generative voice cloning.
Brightside AI pros:
- Targeted scenarios mirror how real attackers research victims
- Voice synthesis reflects current deepfake risk
- Covers phishing and smishing as well as vishing
Brightside AI cons:
- Voice cloning needs clear consent and policy rules
- Newer than established awareness vendors
Brightside AI pricing: check the vendor's current pricing page.
Best for: teams that want to rehearse AI-voice impersonation. Verdict: Buy if deepfake calls are your concern.
2. Keepnet: best for configurable vishing scripts
Keepnet's Vishing Simulator lets administrators upload their own voice recordings or use AI text-to-speech, and guides users through interactive steps that mirror a real call. That makes it a practical choice when you want to match your own suppliers, banks or internal roles.
Keepnet pros:
- Custom recordings or text-to-speech
- Interactive call flow with decisions
- Part of a wider simulation suite
Keepnet cons:
- Realism depends on the quality of your scripts
- Setup takes more effort than a ready-made template
Keepnet pricing: check the vendor's current pricing page.
Best for: organisations that want to tailor scenarios to their own processes. Verdict: Buy for customisation.
3. SoSafe: best if you already use its platform
SoSafe is a European gamified awareness platform with AI-assisted simulations covering email, SMS and QR codes, and has recently introduced vishing in early access according to a 2026 industry roundup. Treat it as an add-on for existing customers rather than a standalone voice tool.
SoSafe pros:
- One platform for several simulation types
- Adaptive difficulty per user
SoSafe cons:
- Vishing is in early access
- Strongest footprint in Europe
SoSafe pricing: check the vendor's current pricing page.
Best for: current SoSafe customers. Verdict: Hold until vishing is generally available.
4. Manual red-team calls: best for a small, high-risk group
Automated voice simulation is still maturing. One industry guide notes that voice simulation in current anti-phishing tools can be underwhelming and that many providers rely on human auditors for vishing. A trusted person calling finance and executive assistants gives the most realistic test, but it does not scale.
Manual red-team pros:
- Human adaptability and tone
- No new software
Manual red-team cons:
- Hard to repeat consistently
- Needs written authorisation and careful scoping
Best for: testing finance and executive teams once or twice a year. Verdict: Buy for a narrow, high-stakes group.
How we ranked
The ranking weighs voice realism, scenario control and measurement against maturity, and it reflects vendor claims published in 2026 rather than hands-on testing. Treat the tools as starting points for your own trial.
Where email phishing simulations fit
Voice tools do not replace email testing. Most attacks still begin in the inbox, and a program that covers email well gives you the baseline to build on. Cyber Aware's phishing simulations cover the email channel and auto-enrol clickers into follow-up lessons; check the page for current channel coverage before assuming voice is included. The two approaches combine well: simulate email at scale, and run voice tests on the people who approve payments. Our guide to whaling simulations for executives shows how to scope that group.
Which vishing simulation tool should you choose?
Pick Brightside AI if AI-voice realism matters most, Keepnet if you want to control every script, and SoSafe only if you already run it. If you have fewer than a dozen high-risk staff, a scripted manual call may beat any tool. Whatever you choose, run a baseline first, coach everyone who complies, and retest in a quarter.
FAQ
What is a vishing simulation? A training exercise in which employees receive simulated voice phishing calls, so you can measure whether they hand over information or challenge the caller.
Are vishing simulations legal? Rules on call recording and impersonation vary by jurisdiction. Get written internal authorisation and check local law before running one.
Can AI voice cloning be used in simulations? Some vendors offer it. It raises realism and consent concerns, so agree policy with leadership and HR first.
How often should I run vishing simulations? Quarterly for high-risk roles such as finance and executive assistants is a sensible starting point; less often for general staff.
Do vishing tools replace phishing simulations? No. Email remains the main entry point, so voice tests add coverage rather than replace email training.
One last thing
The strongest defence is a rule, not a tool: any request for money, codes or access by phone is verified by calling back on a known number. Test that rule first.