KnowBe4 is the 800-pound gorilla of security awareness training (SAT). It has a massive content library, strong brand recognition, and a sales team that will happily sign your MSP to a multi-year contract — with seat minimums, annual billing, and pricing that makes per-client margin math very difficult.
The MSP community knows this. On r/msp, the complaints are consistent: KnowBe4 requires direct end-client contracts, charges per-seat regardless of actual usage, and doesn't build tools around the MSP workflow. For small and mid-sized MSPs managing 10–200 clients, that model doesn't work.
In 2026, several strong alternatives have emerged. This article ranks the top five, with a focus on MSP billing flexibility, white-labeling, AI-driven content, and multi-vector coverage — the factors that actually matter when you're reselling SAT to SMB clients.
ThreatPulse is the strongest KnowBe4 alternative for MSPs: AI-adaptive phishing, four attack vectors (email, SMS, voice, USB), no seat minimums, and $1.50/user/month flat. Best for MSPs who want real margin and a modern platform without enterprise bureaucracy.
Quick Comparison
| Platform | MSP Billing | AI-Adaptive | Vectors | Starting Price | MSP Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ThreatPulse | ✓ Per-user | ✓ Yes | 4 (email, SMS, voice, USB) | $1.50/user/mo | ★★★★★ |
| Huntress SAT | ✓ Per-user | ✗ No | 2 (email, training) | ~$3/user/mo | ★★★★☆ |
| Curricula | Annual/seat | ✗ No | 2 (email, training) | ~$5/user/mo | ★★★☆☆ |
| Ninjio | Annual/seat | ✗ No | 2 (video, phishing) | ~$4/user/mo | ★★★☆☆ |
| Infosec IQ | Annual/seat | ✗ No | 3 (email, training, dark web) | ~$3.50/user/mo | ★★★☆☆ |
1. ThreatPulse — Best Overall for MSPs
ThreatPulse was built from the ground up for the MSP channel. Where KnowBe4 treats MSPs as resellers who must manage end-client billing headaches, ThreatPulse gives MSPs a single pane of glass: one account, all clients, per-user billing with no minimums.
The standout feature is AI-adaptive phishing simulation. Instead of running the same template library every month, ThreatPulse's engine generates phishing emails tailored to each user's click behavior — getting harder for users who need more challenge, and easier for users who are already well-trained. This dramatically reduces training fatigue and improves retention metrics.
Beyond email phishing, ThreatPulse covers three additional attack vectors: SMS smishing, vishing (voice phishing), and USB drop simulations. In 2026, email-only SAT is simply not sufficient — attackers have shifted significantly to SMS and voice. Offering four-vector coverage is a meaningful upsell point with SMB clients.
- No seat minimums — bill what you use
- AI-adaptive simulations per user
- 4-vector coverage (email, SMS, voice, USB)
- $1.50/user/month flat pricing
- MSP multi-client management console
- 30-day free pilot, no credit card
- Newer platform vs. KnowBe4's 10+ year library
- Compliance report exports still expanding
- No native PSA integrations yet (coming Q3 2026)
If you want a deeper breakdown of ThreatPulse vs. KnowBe4 specifically — feature by feature, pricing, r/msp community feedback — see our full KnowBe4 vs. ThreatPulse comparison page.
2. Huntress SAT — Best for MSPs Already on Huntress
Huntress added SAT to their MSP-first security stack in 2024, and it's a logical bundle for partners already deployed on Huntress MDR. The platform covers email phishing simulation and training modules with a clean interface and MSP-friendly billing.
The limitation is scope: Huntress SAT is a solid tier-one SAT product, but it doesn't offer AI-adaptive simulations, multi-vector attack coverage, or the depth of a dedicated SAT platform. If your clients need compliance reporting or advanced customization, you'll hit walls faster than with a dedicated provider.
- Natural add-on if you're already a Huntress partner
- Per-user billing, MSP-friendly pricing model
- Clean, simple interface
- Strong brand trust in the MSP community
- Email phishing only — no SMS, voice, or USB vectors
- No AI-adaptive simulation engine
- Thinner training content library vs. dedicated SAT
- Requires Huntress MDR subscription for best pricing
Best for: MSPs already running Huntress MDR who want a light SAT add-on without managing a second vendor relationship. Not ideal if SAT is a primary service line.
3. Curricula — Best for Short-Form Video Content
Curricula differentiates with "story-based" training — cartoon characters, short episodes, narrative-driven modules. The pitch is that employees actually watch the content instead of clicking through compliance slides. User feedback confirms the approach works for engagement.
For MSPs, the model is less ideal: annual billing, seat minimums on enterprise tiers, and no native multi-client MSP console. You're essentially managing individual client instances rather than a unified MSP view. The phishing simulation tooling is adequate but not differentiated.
- High end-user engagement with cartoon format
- Short modules (5–10 min) reduce fatigue
- Good for less tech-savvy SMB workforces
- Custom content creation options
- Annual contracts with seat minimums
- No MSP multi-client management portal
- Email phishing only
- Higher per-user cost at small scale
Best for: MSPs with a few large clients where employee engagement is the primary concern. Not ideal for an MSP with dozens of small clients.
4. Ninjio — Best for Video-First Training
Ninjio's differentiator is production quality: short animated episodes based on real data breach stories, delivered monthly. The content quality is genuinely impressive, and end users who've experienced the endless click-through compliance modules tend to respond positively to Ninjio's format.
The MSP story is similar to Curricula: it's a direct-to-client model that requires annual contracts per client. Managing 50 Ninjio contracts is a significant admin burden. Phishing simulation is available but not the platform's strength. And at ~$4/user/month on annual terms, the margin math gets tight for smaller clients.
- Premium animated content based on real breaches
- New episodes monthly — fresh content cadence
- Strong end-user completion rates
- Available in 12+ languages
- Annual contracts required — no monthly flexibility
- No native MSP multi-client console
- Phishing simulation is secondary, not primary
- Premium content = premium price
Best for: Enterprise clients or mid-market companies where training culture and production quality are selling points. Not optimized for MSP multi-client delivery.
5. Infosec IQ — Best for Compliance-Heavy Clients
Infosec IQ (from Infosec Institute) is a feature-rich SAT platform with a deep content library, solid phishing simulation tools, and a dark web monitoring module that adds genuine value for compliance-sensitive clients. Coverage of HIPAA, PCI DSS, SOC 2, and GDPR training content is strong.
The MSP experience is a mixed bag. The platform has reseller options, but the billing model is still largely annual/seat-based. The UI, while functional, reflects the platform's enterprise heritage — it's not as clean or intuitive as newer MSP-first tools. Dark web monitoring is a legitimate differentiator if compliance is central to your SAT pitch.
- Deep compliance-focused content library
- Dark web monitoring included
- Phishing, training, and dark web in one platform
- Strong reporting for audit documentation
- Annual billing, not designed for MSP monthly models
- Heavier UI — not optimized for MSP speed
- No AI-adaptive phishing engine
- Requires per-client setup overhead
Best for: MSPs with healthcare, financial, or legal clients where HIPAA/PCI compliance training is the primary driver. The compliance content depth is genuinely best-in-class.
What to Look for in a KnowBe4 Alternative
Before switching, make sure your new SAT platform checks these boxes for MSP delivery:
- MSP-native billing: Per-user, monthly, no seat minimums. You can't profitably resell SAT if you're locked into annual seat commitments for clients who churn or reduce headcount.
- Multi-client management console: A single portal to manage all clients, run reports across the book of business, and delegate access to clients without separate logins.
- Automated phishing campaigns: Set it and forget it. The best MSP SAT tools run monthly simulations automatically — zero hands-on time after initial setup.
- Multi-vector simulation: Email phishing is table stakes. SMS smishing and vishing simulation are the emerging demand drivers as attackers diversify.
- Actionable risk reporting: Clients need to see their risk score improve over time. Good reporting is your renewal argument — and the foundation for a strong SAT ROI case at renewal time.
KnowBe4 fails on the first two points for most MSPs — and those are foundational. See the full MSP pricing comparison for what each billing model actually costs per seat, and the phishing simulation platforms comparison for how each tool stacks up on all five criteria.
The Bottom Line
In 2026, MSPs have genuine alternatives to KnowBe4. The best choice depends on your client mix and what you're optimizing for:
- Widest multi-vector coverage + lowest price + MSP-first model: ThreatPulse
- Already on Huntress and want a quick SAT add-on: Huntress SAT
- Compliance-heavy clients (healthcare, legal, finance): Infosec IQ
- End-user engagement is the primary concern: Curricula or Ninjio
If you're an MSP with 10–200 clients, the per-user-no-minimum model of ThreatPulse is the sharpest tool for your pricing and delivery model. The head-to-head comparison with KnowBe4 has the full breakdown of where ThreatPulse wins and where KnowBe4 still leads.
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