Choose KnowBe4 if you run a large, multinational workforce with dedicated admin staff and want the deepest training library on the market; choose Cyber Aware if you are an Australian SMB or an MSP that wants white-label delivery, Essential Eight-mapped evidence and per-seat pricing with no seat minimums. Both run phishing simulations and awareness training — the axis of difference is scale and operating model: KnowBe4 is an enterprise human-risk platform, Cyber Aware is a white-label machine for Australian SMBs and the MSPs that serve them.
At a glance
| Dimension | Cyber Aware | KnowBe4 |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Australian SMBs and MSPs | Enterprises and global workforces |
| Pricing model | Per-seat, no seat minimums, rates unpublished | From $2.40/user/month on 25-seat bands, 3-year terms |
| Standout feature | 12 months of phishing campaigns scheduled from one chat | 1,000+ training modules in 35+ languages |
| Template library | 100+ phishing templates matched to the company's stack | Deep global library with Smart Groups targeting |
| Framework evidence | Essential Eight, SMB1001, NIST and ISO 27001 mapping | Broad global compliance coverage; no Australian framework mapping advertised |
| Administration | Auto Phish and Auto Enrol run the cadence for you | More configurable, more admin-heavy |
| MSP white-label | Full — portal, emails, reports and certificates carry your brand | Multi-account console; co-branding rather than full white-label |
Cyber Aware is the simpler platform to run
Cyber Aware's phishing simulations run on Auto Phish: a chatbot asks which services the company uses, then schedules 12 months of varied campaigns from a library of 100+ templates that impersonate those exact brands — Microsoft 365, Xero, Slack, Dropbox. Sends are segmented and staggered, and Direct Message Injection lands simulations in Microsoft 365 and Gmail inboxes without allow-list maintenance. Anyone who fails is auto-enrolled into a spear-phishing course, and PDF reports send themselves.
Security awareness training follows the same hands-off pattern: Auto Enrol syncs Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace (or takes a CSV or signup link), enrols every learner into a default schedule — two courses on signup, then monthly, stretchable to 68 months — and sends all learner emails white-labelled. Total hands-on onboarding time with the defaults is under five minutes.
- Admin burden: one setup conversation replaces template picking, send calendars and spreadsheets
- Evidence: campaign results feed a per-learner Human Risk Score and gap-assessment mapping for auditors
- Verdict: the right shape for a team with no dedicated security-training admin
KnowBe4 wins on content depth (by a lot)
KnowBe4 protects 70,000+ organisations with a library of 1,000+ modules in 35+ languages, including the Netflix-style "The Inside Man" series. Smart Groups automate campaign targeting, the AIDA suite runs 12 in-production security-awareness AI agents, and PhishER Plus turns user reports into a security-operations workflow. It is a recognised leader in analyst rankings for email security and awareness training.
That depth comes with administration: campaign building, group management and add-on decisions sit with your team, and Compliance Plus, SecurityCoach, PhishER Plus and AIDA are priced separately. A five-person IT team will use a fraction of what the platform offers — and pay in admin time for the rest.
- Content: the deepest library in the category, with the broadest language coverage
- Ecosystem: email security, AI defence agents and PhishER beyond training
- Verdict: unmatched for enterprises; overkill for a 40-seat office
Both handle phishing simulations well
This is an honest tie. KnowBe4's simulations draw on its deep template library with AI-driven template selection per user; Cyber Aware's draw on 100+ templates matched to the stack a company actually uses, delivered straight to the inbox. Both report who clicked and who reported. Neither is weak here — the difference is whether you want breadth (KnowBe4) or regional relevance and zero allow-listing (Cyber Aware).
Where they genuinely differ is remediation: Cyber Aware auto-enrols every clicker into a spear-phishing course the moment they fail, while KnowBe4's equivalent power depends on how you configure Smart Groups and policy.
Pricing: predictability versus published rates
Neither vendor makes comparison easy, for opposite reasons. Cyber Aware publishes no rates at all — pricing is per-seat with no seat minimums, quoted when you ask, which suits MSPs building client margins but makes desk research impossible. KnowBe4 publishes bands that start at $2.40 per user per month on 25-seat bands with 3-year list terms — predictable on paper, but the 3-year term and separately priced add-ons change the real number. Get quotes at your actual seat count from both before deciding.
Final verdict
Choose Cyber Aware if you are an Australian SMB that wants Essential Eight-mapped evidence, or an MSP reselling awareness training under your own brand across many small clients.
Choose KnowBe4 if you are a large organisation with admin headcount, a multinational workforce and a need for the deepest content library and security-operations tooling.
| Dimension | Winner |
|---|---|
| Content depth | KnowBe4 |
| Admin simplicity | Cyber Aware |
| Australian framework mapping | Cyber Aware |
| MSP white-label delivery | Cyber Aware |
| Enterprise scale and tooling | KnowBe4 |
FAQ
Is Cyber Aware cheaper than KnowBe4? At small seat counts, usually yes in practice — KnowBe4's published bands start at $2.40 per user per month on 25-seat minimums with 3-year terms, while Cyber Aware quotes per-seat pricing with no seat minimums. Get both quotes at your actual headcount.
Can I run Cyber Aware alongside Microsoft 365 without allow-listing? Yes — Cyber Aware's Direct Message Injection delivers simulations straight into Microsoft 365 and Gmail inboxes, bypassing spam filters and traditional whitelisting.
Which platform has better training content? KnowBe4, on volume and breadth — 1,000+ modules in 35+ languages versus Cyber Aware's 120+ animated lessons. Depth matters most for large, multilingual workforces.
Does KnowBe4 map to Australia's Essential Eight? No Essential Eight or SMB1001 mapping is advertised on knowbe4.com. If you need that evidence for an auditor or insurer, that is Cyber Aware's home ground.
Can MSPs white-label KnowBe4? KnowBe4 offers a multi-account console for partners, but the platform is co-branded rather than fully white-labelled. Cyber Aware white-labels the portal, emails, reports and certificates end to end.
Related guides
One last thing
Founding date matters less than fit: KnowBe4 has 15+ years of behaviour data, but Cyber Aware's stack was built for exactly one job — running an Australian awareness programme or an MSP's client fleet without hiring an admin to operate it. If that is your job description, the decision makes itself.