Template library size is the quiet predictor of whether a phishing programme keeps working. This ranking uses only vendor-published numbers, with the honest caveat that every figure below is the vendor's own claim.
TL;DR
- KnowBe4 publishes the largest library: 25,000+ phishing templates on its own comparison page, with 1,200+ training modules in 35+ languages.
- Proofpoint ships "thousands" of templates across 42 languages (ThreatSim); Cofense publishes 3,000+ training challenges in its AI-assisted training builder library.
- Microsoft Attack Simulation Training includes a built-in template set with Defender for Office 365 Plan 2, but Microsoft does not publish a count.
- Cyber Aware's Auto Phish generates a full year of varied campaigns from one setup conversation; the full library count is not published.
- GoPhish has zero built-in templates - you write every one, which is the price of it being free.
- Bigger is better only up to the point of staleness: rotation and difficulty scaling matter more than the raw number.
Why template library size matters
A phishing simulation only teaches if it is fresh. The same three templates recycled monthly train employees to spot your simulations, not real attacks - and click rates fall for the wrong reason. Vendors that publish large libraries usually pair them with frequent updates from real-world threat intelligence; the number itself matters less than the rotation behind it.
Library size also drives personalisation. The most-clicked subjects in recent benchmark data are personalised with company names, manager names and internal system names - a library of thousands with merge fields can test that; a library of twenty cannot.
Ranked by published template library size
| Rank | Platform | Published template/library figure | Source basis | Notable caveat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | KnowBe4 | 25,000+ phishing templates; 1,200+ training modules in 35+ languages | KnowBe4's own comparison page | Counts are vendor-published, not independently audited |
| 2 | Proofpoint | "Thousands" of templates across 42 languages (ThreatSim) | Vendor materials via third-party roundups | No exact number published |
| 3 | Cofense | 3,000+ training challenges in the AI-assisted training builder | Cofense press release | Challenges are training content, not all phishing templates |
| 4 | Microsoft AST | Built-in simulation templates included with Defender for Office 365 P2 | Microsoft product docs | No public count; rotation limited vs. specialist vendors |
| 5 | Cyber Aware | Auto Phish generates 12 months of varied campaigns from one setup conversation | Cyber Aware product materials | Full library count not published - disclosed rather than estimated |
| 6 | GoPhish | 0 built-in - every template is written or imported by you | Open-source project | Free, but the labour is real |
A note on honesty: "largest library" claims come from each vendor's own marketing, and definitions differ - phishing templates, training modules and challenge libraries get mixed together. The ranking above flags which figure is which.
What the numbers hide
- Rotation cadence beats raw size. A library of 25,000 that never gets refreshed loses to a smaller one updated weekly from live threat intelligence. Ask vendors what they added in the last quarter, not what they own in total.
- Personalisation capability is a multiplier. Templates that merge company names, manager names and internal systems consistently out-click generic ones in published benchmark data. Size only helps if the templates carry merge fields.
- Difficulty scaling matters more than variety. Adaptive campaigns that escalate as click rates fall keep a programme honest; a static pool of hard templates just frustrates learners.
How to choose on library size
If you want maximum variety with an enterprise budget, KnowBe4's published number is unmatched. If you are already on Microsoft 365 with Defender P2, the included template set is free but thin for a multi-client MSP programme. If the library count is not the constraint - automation is - judge platforms on what happens after month one: whether campaigns, coaching and re-tests run themselves.
What to do next
Whichever platform you pick, simulations only pay off when clicks turn into coaching - that is the core of phishing simulations done properly, and the results belong in a human risk report your client can read. The comparison guide ranks eight platforms across the dimensions that matter to an MSP.
FAQ
Which phishing simulation tool has the largest template library? KnowBe4, on published numbers - 25,000+ templates cited on its own comparison page. No independent audit verifies any vendor's count, so treat the figures as marketing claims ranked in good faith.
How many templates does a good phishing programme need? More than you can rotate through in a year - a rough floor is 100+ varied, personalised templates for a monthly multi-client programme. Rotation cadence and difficulty scaling matter more than the raw count.
Are more templates automatically better? No. A stale large library trains people to recognise simulations, not attacks. Freshness, personalisation and adaptive difficulty are the qualities that actually reduce clicks.
Does Microsoft Attack Simulation Training have enough templates? For a single organisation running monthly simulations, its included set is workable and free with Defender for Office 365 P2. For an MSP running varied campaigns across many clients, rotation gets repetitive quickly.