Your cyber insurance renewal just arrived with a red flag: no security awareness training program means higher premiums or denied coverage. Your CEO wants a budget proposal by Friday, but every vendor hides pricing behind "contact sales" forms. You need real numbers, not sales pitches.
The landscape is confusing. Published prices range from $0.50 to $6.00 per employee per month. Some vendors lock you into three-year contracts with hidden admin costs. Others bundle features you may not need. The question is not just what security awareness training costs, but what you actually pay after implementation time, ongoing management, and unexpected add-ons.
This guide breaks down real vendor pricing, reveals hidden costs that inflate sticker prices by 20-40%, and shows you how to calculate total cost of ownership. You will see budget scenarios for companies from 50 to 2,000 employees and learn which pricing models make sense for your situation.
Security awareness training costs between $0.50 and $6.00 per user per month, with most organizations paying $1.50 to $3.00 per user per month. On an annual basis, expect $10 to $72 per employee per year depending on vendor type, features, and contract terms.
Here is what drives the variation:
The average cost of security awareness training sits around $2.00 per user per month for a mid-tier platform with phishing simulations, a core content library, and basic reporting. Add 20-40% to that sticker price once you factor in implementation time, ongoing administration, and feature add-ons.
For a 500-person company, budget $12,000 to $18,000 annually for a solid program. A 1,000-person organization should expect $18,000 to $36,000 per year depending on feature tier and delivery model.
Understanding pricing levers helps you compare vendor quotes and negotiate effectively. Seven factors drive what you ultimately pay.
Volume discounts kick in at predictable thresholds. Vendors tier pricing at 25-50 users, 100 users, 250 users, 500 users, and 1,000+ users. Per-user costs drop 30-50% as you scale from 50 to 1,000+ employees.
A company with 50 employees might pay $3.00 per user per month, while a 1,000-person organization pays $1.50 per user per month for the same platform tier. Most vendors require minimum seat counts, typically 25 or 50 users.
Annual contracts are standard, but multi-year commitments unlock discounts. Based on published vendor pricing data, three-year terms deliver 15-25% lower monthly costs compared to one-year agreements.
The trade-off: less flexibility if your needs change or the vendor underperforms. Avoid multi-year lock-in until you have piloted the platform for at least six months.
The security awareness training market segments into distinct vendor categories, each with characteristic pricing bands.
Basic platforms provide compliance-focused training modules covering phishing, password security, and data handling. Mid-tier platforms add role-based content for different departments. Premium tiers include micro-learning libraries with 100+ modules, industry-specific content, and localized training in multiple languages.
Each tier jump adds $0.30-$0.80 per user per month. Start with role-based essentials and expand only when engagement data shows employees have exhausted current content.
Entry-level platforms bundle phishing simulations with core training content. Mid-tier adds customizable campaigns, basic reporting, and email integration. Enterprise tiers include AI-driven risk scoring, behavioral analytics, automated coaching, and executive dashboards.
Based on industry pricing data, add-ons like AI coaching, risk scoring, and compliance libraries run $0.17-$1.50 per user per month. Avoid over-buying features your team will not use in the first 12 months.
Self-serve platforms provide the software and leave campaign management, reporting, and optimization to your team. Managed service providers handle the entire program: campaign design, scheduling, employee communication, reporting, and executive presentations.
Managed services cost more upfront but eliminate 3-10 hours of monthly admin work. For a 1,000-person company, that represents $4,500-$9,000 in annual internal labor costs at a $75/hour loaded IT rate. When total cost of ownership includes your team's time, managed services often cost less.
Base platform pricing rarely includes everything you need. Common add-ons include compliance-specific modules (HIPAA, PCI-DSS, SOC 2), advanced phishing features (callback phishing, QR code attacks), single sign-on integration, API access for HRIS sync, and white-label reporting.
Each add-on typically costs $0.10-$0.50 per user per month. Four add-ons can increase your effective per-user cost by 20-30%.
Different vendor categories serve different organizational needs. Here is what to expect from each.
Modern platforms prioritize ease of use and fast time-to-value. They offer streamlined interfaces, pre-built phishing templates, and automated campaign workflows. Setup typically takes 2-4 hours rather than days.
Based on market analysis, pricing for modern vendors ranges from $0.45 to $1.25 per user per month depending on company size and contract term.
Established players dominate the enterprise market with comprehensive feature sets. These platforms offer extensive content libraries (100+ modules), advanced analytics, behavioral risk scoring, and integrations with security orchestration tools.
Pricing runs $1.30-$4.00 per user per month with required annual or multi-year commitments. Most vendors force enterprise buyers into three-year contracts to access competitive pricing.
Niche vendors focus on specific industries or premium content. Healthcare-focused platforms address HIPAA requirements with patient data scenarios. Financial services vendors cover regulatory training for banking and investment firms. Executive training specialists offer board-level cybersecurity awareness programs.
Pricing ranges from $3.00-$6.00 per user per month based on published vendor pricing data.
Managed security awareness training combines platform access with full program management. The provider handles campaign design, scheduling, employee communications, follow-up coaching, executive reporting, and ongoing optimization.
Pricing varies by scope but typically includes platform cost plus $3,000-$10,000 annually for service delivery, depending on company size and service level.
Symbol Security's managed approach combines a streamlined platform with full program management. With 5,000+ customers and seven years in business, Symbol's team becomes an extension of your security program, running campaigns and delivering reports while you focus on other priorities.
Vendor pricing varies significantly. Here are published and reported prices for major platforms.
KnowBe4 dominates the enterprise market with extensive content and advanced features. The company publishes MSRP pricing tables based on user count and term length.
For 25-50 users on a three-year term:
For 101-500 users on a three-year term:
Add-ons include:
One-year terms cost 15-20% more than three-year pricing. Actual negotiated prices often run 10-20% below published MSRP for competitive deals.
Proofpoint integrates awareness training with its email security platform. Standalone pricing runs $12-$24 per user per year ($1.00-$2.00 per user per month) based on partner and reseller pricing data.
Bundled with Proofpoint email security, awareness training adds $6-$12 per user per year. Most enterprise customers purchase the bundle rather than standalone training.
Hook Security offers transparent public pricing at $1.50-$2.00 per user per month according to their published pricing page. The company targets SMBs with straightforward tiers and no hidden fees.
Plans include unlimited phishing simulations, core training content, and basic reporting. Enterprise features like SSO and API access require their highest tier.
Mimecast bundles awareness training with email security and archiving. Standalone awareness training pricing is rarely published, as most customers purchase bundled packages.
Reported standalone pricing ranges from $2.00-$4.00 per user per month depending on content tier and contract term. Bundled pricing significantly reduces the per-user awareness training cost.
Cofense positions as a premium solution with advanced phishing simulations and threat intelligence integration. Pricing typically runs $3.00-$5.00 per user per month based on market reports and RFP data.
The platform suits organizations that prioritize sophisticated phishing scenarios and detailed attack reporting. Most SMBs find the pricing premium difficult to justify.
Organizations with Microsoft 365 E5 or Defender for Office 365 Plan 2 licenses already have access to Attack Simulation Training at no additional cost. The built-in tool provides phishing simulations and basic training content.
According to Microsoft documentation, this feature includes phishing templates, user reporting, and training assignments. It lacks the content depth and reporting sophistication of dedicated platforms but eliminates duplicate spend for organizations already paying for E5 licensing.
Sticker price tells only part of the story. Total cost of ownership includes expenses most vendors do not disclose upfront.
Managed service models absorb most hidden costs. Symbol Security's approach includes implementation, ongoing campaign management, reporting, and optimization in a single predictable fee. You avoid the surprise of discovering your $20,000 platform actually costs $28,000 after admin time and add-ons.
Budget planning becomes easier when you see real scenarios. Here are total cost estimates including platform, add-ons, and admin time for different company sizes.
At this size, modern SaaS platforms or managed services make the most sense. The admin burden of enterprise platforms exceeds their value for small teams.
This range suits mid-tier platforms with solid content libraries and reporting. Managed services remain attractive for IT teams stretched across multiple priorities.
Companies in this range often negotiate between enterprise platforms and managed services. If you have dedicated security staff, enterprise platforms work well. If not, managed services deliver better total cost of ownership.
At this scale, you enter enterprise pricing tiers. Volume discounts become significant, but admin burden also increases. Consider whether your IT team can commit 7+ hours monthly or whether managed service makes more sense.
Large organizations typically purchase enterprise platforms but may still benefit from managed services. Ten hours monthly of senior IT time costs $9,000 annually. Managed services might add $8,000-$12,000 to platform costs but eliminate internal burden and guarantee program quality.
Managed Service Alternative: Many managed service providers charge platform cost plus a service fee of $5,000-$12,000 annually regardless of company size. For the 1,000-2,000 employee range, this adds $0.30-$0.80 per user per month but eliminates the entire admin burden. Total cost often equals or undercuts DIY total cost of ownership while delivering better program outcomes.
Your CEO wants to know why security awareness training deserves $30,000 when the company has "never had a breach." Here is how to build your business case.
Phishing attacks cost organizations an average of $4.8 million per successful breach according to IBM's 2025 Cost of a Data Breach Report. That figure includes incident response, forensics, legal fees, regulatory fines, customer notification, credit monitoring, business interruption, and reputational damage.
Research from the Verizon 2025 DBIR shows that 68% of data breaches involve a human element, primarily phishing attacks. Without training, your employees represent your largest vulnerability.
Security awareness training delivers measurable returns:
Training effectiveness shows up in measurable metrics:
Calculate expected value for your organization:
Expected annual loss without training = Probability of breach × Average breach cost Net ROI = Expected annual loss - Training cost
Example for a 1,000-person company:
Even with conservative estimates (10% breach probability, 40% risk reduction, $2 million breach cost), training delivers 2-3× return on investment.
Security awareness training satisfies requirements for:
Avoiding a failed audit or insurance claim denial justifies training costs independently of breach prevention.
Symbol Security's short-form training methodology (3-5 minute monthly videos) versus competitors' 30-45 minute modules saves significant employee time.
Research from video training studies shows that videos under three minutes achieve 75% viewing session completion, while engagement drops during the 9-12 minute mark. Microlearning courses see approximately 80% completion rates, whereas conventional long-form eLearning courses have completion rates around 20%.
For 1,000 employees:
At a $50/hour average fully loaded employee cost, that represents $250,000 in preserved productivity while achieving higher completion rates due to shorter training duration.
Most organizations buy security awareness training platforms and struggle to use them effectively. The software sits idle while employees remain vulnerable because no one has time to run campaigns, design relevant phishing tests, or generate executive reports.
Managed security awareness training solves this problem by outsourcing the entire program.
A comprehensive managed service delivers:
Consider total cost of ownership for a 1,000-person organization:
DIY Platform Approach:
Managed Service Approach:
The managed service saves $11,400 in year one and $8,400 annually thereafter while delivering professionally run campaigns and guaranteed outcomes. Your IT team eliminates 8 hours of monthly work on security awareness training administration.
Beyond cost savings, managed services reduce program failure risk. According to industry data, 30-40% of organizations that purchase security awareness training platforms fail to launch consistent programs. The software becomes shelfware because:
Managed services guarantee consistent execution. The provider's reputation depends on your program success, creating accountability that does not exist with self-serve platforms.
Symbol Security combines a streamlined platform with full program management. With 5,000+ customers across seven years in business, Symbol's managed service model differentiates from "platform-only" competitors.
Symbol's team handles:
The managed model works especially well for:
Symbol's platform bundles security awareness training with dark web monitoring and credential alert services, simplifying procurement and reducing vendor management overhead. The managed approach means "we work for you," becoming an extension of your security team rather than just selling you software.
Different pricing structures suit different organizational needs. Understanding each model helps you negotiate effectively and choose the right fit.
The dominant model charges monthly or annual fees based on user count. Pricing tiers at specific headcount thresholds (25, 50, 100, 250, 500, 1,000 users).
Pros:
Cons:
Best for: Organizations with stable or predictable headcount, companies that want direct cost-to-value alignment, buyers who prefer standard SaaS economics.
Some vendors offer fixed annual fees regardless of user count within a range. You might pay $25,000 annually for up to 1,000 users.
Pros:
Cons:
Best for: Fast-growing startups expecting 50-100% annual headcount growth, organizations that value budget predictability over per-user optimization.
Some vendors bundle security awareness training with related services like dark web monitoring, credential alerting, email security, or vulnerability scanning.
Symbol Security bundles three services: security awareness training, dark web monitoring (powered by Dark Owl), and domain/email threat monitoring. This approach provides comprehensive employee-focused cybersecurity in a single platform and procurement process.
Pros:
Cons:
Best for: Organizations wanting comprehensive employee security coverage, buyers who value procurement simplicity, companies with limited security vendor management capacity.
Learn more about bundled platform benefits in our guide on security awareness training with dark web monitoring.
Managed services charge platform fees plus service delivery fees. Pricing structures vary: some use per-user platform costs plus fixed service fees, others charge all-in per-user pricing that includes service.
Pros:
Cons:
Best for: Overwhelmed IT teams, organizations without dedicated security staff, compliance-driven buyers needing audit documentation, companies that tried DIY platforms and failed to maintain consistent programs.
Decision framework: Choose per-user SaaS if you have time and expertise to run the program. Choose managed service if you need guaranteed outcomes without admin burden. Choose bundled platforms if you want comprehensive employee security in one package. Choose flat-rate if you are growing rapidly and want budget predictability.
Once you understand pricing models, evaluate vendors systematically using our guide on how to choose a security awareness training vendor.
You can lower your security awareness training budget without compromising program effectiveness.
Organizations with Microsoft 365 E5 or Defender for Office 365 Plan 2 licenses already have Attack Simulation Training included at no additional cost. According to Microsoft documentation, this native tool provides phishing simulations, training assignments, and basic reporting.
The Microsoft solution lacks the content depth and advanced reporting of dedicated platforms but eliminates duplicate spend. Use it as your phishing simulation tool and pair it with a cost-effective training content library.
Audit your existing security stack. Some email security platforms (Mimecast, Proofpoint) include awareness training at discounted bundle rates if you already subscribe to their email security.
Most organizations buy extensive content libraries and use 20-30% of available modules. Start with role-based essentials: phishing awareness, password security, data handling, and social engineering for all employees. Add department-specific content (finance, HR, executive) only for those roles.
Expand your library only when engagement data shows employees have completed existing content and your phishing simulation results plateau. Save $0.50-$1.00 per user per month by avoiding premium content tiers you will not use.
Three-year contracts deliver 15-25% discounts but eliminate flexibility. Negotiate a hybrid: one-year initial term with option to convert to three-year pricing after successful pilot period.
Some vendors offer "annual contract with three-year pricing" if you commit to three one-year renewals rather than a single three-year lock-in. This structure preserves flexibility while capturing most of the discount.
If your loaded IT labor rate exceeds $75/hour and your team spends 5+ hours monthly on security awareness training admin, managed service delivers better total cost of ownership even at premium pricing.
Calculate: Hours per month × Loaded rate × 12 months = Annual internal labor cost
For many organizations, that calculation yields $3,000-$9,000 annually. Managed services often cost less than platform plus internal labor while delivering superior outcomes.
Vendors offer package discounts when you purchase multiple services together. Bundling security awareness training with dark web monitoring, credential alerting, or email security typically saves 15-30% compared to purchasing separately.
Symbol Security's bundled platform includes training, dark web monitoring, and credential alerts for comprehensive employee-focused security. Simplified procurement reduces vendor management overhead while lowering total cost.
Employee training completion rates drop dramatically as module length increases. Platforms offering 3-5 minute training videos achieve 85-95% completion rates versus 40-60% for 30-45 minute modules.
Higher completion rates mean more employees trained per dollar spent. Better return on investment comes from training employees actually complete. Symbol Security's short-form methodology reflects this insight: brief, focused training employees finish delivers better outcomes than comprehensive training employees abandon.
Avoid over-buying features in year one. Start with core platform capabilities: phishing simulations, essential training content, basic reporting. Add AI-driven risk scoring, advanced analytics, and compliance modules after your program matures and you have baseline data showing where premium features would add value.
Most organizations waste money on premium features they never use. Launch with essentials, prove ROI with basic metrics, then justify feature upgrades with performance data.
Recognize warning signs that indicate vendor pricing practices that hurt buyers.
"Contact Sales" Pricing Without Transparent Ranges: Vendors who refuse to publish even approximate pricing bands force buyers into lengthy sales processes before revealing costs. This wastes your time and signals lack of confidence in value proposition. Demand pricing ranges before engaging in discovery calls.
Multi-Year Lock-In Without Trial Period: Requiring three-year commitments without offering 30-60 day trials or limited pilots shows vendor prioritization of contract value over customer success. Insist on proof-of-value periods before long-term commitment.
Aggressive True-Up Clauses: Contract language that penalizes headcount growth through retroactive billing at full price creates budget landmines. Negotiate reasonable true-up terms with monthly rather than annual reconciliation, or choose vendors with quarterly true-ups at prorated discounts.
Nickel-and-Dime Add-Ons for Basic Features: Vendors who charge separately for SSO, API access, or HRIS integration (features that should be standard) extract revenue through artificial feature segmentation. These add-ons signal vendor prioritization of revenue extraction over customer experience.
Platforms with Long Employee Training Videos: Training modules exceeding 15-20 minutes generate low completion rates. Research shows microlearning courses achieve 80% completion rates while conventional long-form eLearning courses have only 20% completion rates. Employees skip or abandon long training, making your investment ineffective. Prioritize platforms with micro-learning approaches (3-10 minute modules).
Zero Implementation Support for Self-Serve Platforms: Vendors who provide software without onboarding assistance force you to figure out integrations, campaign design, and best practices independently. This extends time-to-value and increases likelihood of program abandonment. Ensure vendor includes implementation support or choose managed services.
Hidden Professional Services Fees: Some vendors quote attractive platform pricing but require $5,000-$15,000 in professional services for setup, customization, and integration. Demand all-in pricing including implementation before signing contracts.
Security awareness training costs $0.50 to $6.00 per employee per month, with most organizations paying $1.50 to $3.00 per month. Annual costs typically range from $10 to $72 per employee depending on vendor type, feature tier, and contract term length. Modern SaaS platforms cost $0.45-$1.25 per user monthly, legacy enterprise platforms run $1.30-$4.00, and specialist vendors charge $3.00-$6.00. Total cost includes platform fees, add-ons, implementation, and ongoing administration.
A 1,000-person company should budget $18,000 to $36,000 annually for a mid-tier security awareness training platform including phishing simulations, core content library, and basic reporting. Add $6,000 to $14,400 for feature add-ons like compliance modules and advanced reporting. Include $3,000 to $9,000 for internal administration time if self-managing the program. Managed service options typically cost $28,800 to $42,000 annually but eliminate admin burden and guarantee program quality.
Yes. Security awareness training delivers 4:1 ROI on average, with organizations achieving 300-500% return on investment. Programs reduce successful phishing attacks by 50-70% within 12 months and save an average of $1.5 million in breach-related costs compared to organizations without training. Given that phishing-driven breaches cost an average of $4.8 million, even a modest risk reduction justifies $20,000-$40,000 annual training investment. Training also satisfies cyber insurance, SOC 2, HIPAA, and NIST compliance requirements.
Yes. Vendors offer volume discounts at specific headcount tiers (25, 50, 100, 250, 500, 1,000+ employees). Per-user costs drop 30-50% as you scale from 50 to 1,000+ employees. A 50-person company might pay $3.00 per user monthly while a 1,000-person organization pays $1.50 monthly for the same platform tier. Most vendors enforce minimum seat counts (typically 25-50 users) that may force small teams to overpay. Larger organizations also gain negotiating leverage through competitive procurement processes.
Most modern platforms include unlimited phishing simulations in base pricing. Legacy enterprise vendors (KnowBe4, Proofpoint, Mimecast) bundle simulations with training content. Advanced phishing features like AI-driven template generation, callback phishing scenarios, and QR code attacks may cost $0.20 to $1.50 extra per user per month as add-ons. Verify what types of phishing simulations are included: basic email phishing should be standard, while SMS phishing (smishing) and voice phishing (vishing) may require premium tiers.
Hidden costs add 20-40% to sticker prices. Implementation requires 10-40 hours of internal IT time ($750-$3,000 in labor cost). Ongoing administration takes 3-10 hours monthly ($2,700-$9,000 annually at $75/hour loaded rate). Add-ons for compliance modules, SSO, and advanced features cost $0.20-$1.50 per user monthly. Multi-year contracts reduce flexibility with $10,000-$50,000+ buyout costs for early termination. Integration with email, directories, and HRIS may require $2,000-$10,000 in professional services. Managed services eliminate most hidden costs by bundling implementation and administration.
You now understand pricing ranges, vendor categories, hidden costs, and ROI calculations. Here is how to choose the right approach for your organization.
Choose DIY platform if:
Best vendor types: Legacy enterprise platforms (KnowBe4, Proofpoint) for robust features and reporting, modern SaaS platforms for streamlined management.
Choose managed service if:
Best vendor types: Managed security awareness training providers (Symbol Security), MSPs offering security awareness as managed service.
Choose premium vendor if:
Best vendor types: Specialist vendors, enterprise platforms with premium tiers.
Choose bundled platform if:
Best vendor types: Platforms bundling multiple employee security services (Symbol Security).
Symbol Security provides transparent quotes showing exactly what you will pay, including managed service options that eliminate admin burden. Our bundled platform combines security awareness training, dark web monitoring, and credential alerts with full program management.
With 5,000+ customers and seven years delivering managed security awareness training, Symbol's team becomes an extension of your security program. No "contact sales" runaround. No multi-year lock-in required. Just transparent pricing and a team that works for you.
Need help choosing a vendor? Read our comprehensive guide on how to choose a security awareness training vendor for evaluation frameworks and comparison criteria.
Considering bundled security? Learn more about the advantages of security awareness training with dark web monitoring for comprehensive employee threat protection.