A convincing phishing email does not need to defeat your firewall. It only needs one busy colleague to approve a Microsoft 365 sign-in, open a convincing invoice or share a password. That is why the best phishing training platforms focus on everyday habits, not blame or box-ticking.

For a small business, the right platform should be straightforward to run, relevant to the threats your people actually see and able to show whether risk is improving. It should also fit alongside sensible technical controls such as multi-factor authentication, email filtering, managed devices and reliable backups. Training is one layer of protection, but it is an important one because people are often the last decision point.

What makes a phishing training platform worth paying for?

The most useful platforms combine simulated phishing campaigns with short, practical awareness training. When someone clicks a simulated email, they should receive immediate, constructive guidance rather than a public telling-off. The aim is to help staff pause, check and report suspicious messages when it matters.

Look beyond the number of templates in a product catalogue. A good service lets you tailor campaigns by role, uses realistic examples such as delivery notifications or shared-document requests, and provides clear reporting for management. You need to see who has completed training, which themes cause difficulty and whether reporting rates are rising.

Ease of administration matters too. Office managers and internal IT teams rarely have spare hours to build campaigns every week. Consider how the platform connects with your Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace users, whether it automates enrolment and reminders, and how much support is available when you need to investigate results.

7 best phishing training platforms for small businesses

There is no universal winner. The best choice depends on your existing systems, staff numbers, compliance needs and the level of hands-on support you want. These seven platforms are widely used options worth assessing.

1. KnowBe4

KnowBe4 is one of the most established names in security awareness training. It offers a very large library of phishing templates and learning content, alongside campaign scheduling, risk scoring and detailed reporting. That breadth makes it a strong option for businesses that want to build a structured, ongoing programme rather than send occasional test emails.

Its strength can also be its trade-off. The range of content and settings may feel more than a small organisation needs, particularly if nobody owns security awareness internally. It is best suited to businesses willing to spend time setting up campaigns properly or working with an IT partner that can manage the programme.

2. Microsoft Attack Simulation Training

For organisations using Microsoft 365, Attack Simulation Training is a logical place to start. It sits within the Microsoft security environment and allows administrators to run simulations based on familiar attack techniques, such as credential harvesting and malicious attachments. There is no separate user directory to maintain, which can simplify administration.

The main limitation is that it is primarily a simulation tool, not a complete awareness-training programme with the depth of specialist providers. It can work well where Microsoft security licensing is already in place and your team has the knowledge to configure it. Many small businesses still benefit from additional training content and guidance around it.

3. Hoxhunt

Hoxhunt takes a more behaviour-led approach. It provides short, personalised simulations and encourages employees to report suspicious emails, using feedback to reinforce good decisions. This can be particularly effective for organisations that want to build a positive reporting culture rather than measure people solely by click rates.

The experience is designed to stay relevant as employees improve, which helps reduce training fatigue. It is a good fit for businesses that see phishing as a long-term people and culture issue. As with any premium platform, check that the cost and management approach suit the size of your organisation.

4. Cofense PhishMe

Cofense PhishMe is well known for realistic phishing simulations and an emphasis on phishing reporting. It is particularly useful for organisations that want staff to act as an early-warning network, flagging suspicious messages before they spread further through the business.

That focus makes it attractive to security-conscious teams with established processes for reviewing reports and responding to genuine threats. Smaller businesses should consider who will handle those reports. Encouraging staff to report is valuable, but the process must be supported so people know their concerns are being reviewed.

5. usecure

usecure is often a practical choice for smaller organisations that need awareness training, phishing simulations and compliance-focused reporting in one place. Its automated training approach can reduce the burden on a small IT team, while its content is designed to be accessible for non-technical users.

It is worth considering if you want a clear programme without an enterprise-scale administration overhead. Before choosing it, review the available training formats and reporting detail against your own requirements. A charity handling sensitive beneficiary data may need different evidence from an automotive business focused on keeping workshop operations running.

6. Proofpoint Security Awareness Training

Proofpoint is a major email security provider, and its awareness training platform reflects that background. It offers varied learning content, simulations and adaptive programmes intended to address different user behaviours and risk levels.

This is a strong option for businesses that are already using Proofpoint email protection or want a broader security ecosystem. For a smaller firm, however, the key question is whether the wider platform delivers value beyond what a more focused training service provides. Do not pay for sophistication that will sit unused.

7. SoSafe

SoSafe combines security awareness training with phishing simulations and a strong emphasis on behavioural science. Its content is designed to be engaging and relevant, which can help where staff have become used to clicking through annual compliance modules without retaining much.

It may suit organisations that want regular, approachable learning rather than a once-a-year exercise. Ask for a demonstration of the learner experience and management reports. The content needs to work for your workforce, whether they are desk-based, mobile, customer-facing or spread across several locations.

How to choose between phishing training platforms

Start with the risks you face, not a feature checklist. If your business receives regular fake invoice emails, supplier impersonation and Microsoft 365 login prompts, choose simulations that reflect those patterns. If you hold financial data, personal information or charity donor records, prioritise reporting, audit trails and targeted training for higher-risk roles.

Then decide who will run the programme. A capable internal IT manager may get good value from a platform with extensive configuration options. A busy office manager may be better served by simple automation and a managed service. The right answer is not necessarily the platform with the most features. It is the one that will be used consistently.

Ask suppliers or IT partners to show you four things before you commit:

• How users are added and removed when people join or leave.
• How a failed simulation is handled without embarrassing the employee.
• What management reporting looks like after three, six and 12 months.
• How the service supports genuine suspicious-email reports.

Also check the quality of the training itself. Short modules in plain English are usually more effective than lengthy generic videos. Staff should learn practical checks: examine sender addresses, treat unexpected sign-in requests carefully, verify changed bank details through a known phone number and report anything that feels wrong.

Make training part of your wider security plan

Phishing training cannot compensate for weak technical controls. If a user does enter credentials on a fraudulent site, multi-factor authentication may stop an attacker from accessing the account. Email filtering can block many dangerous messages before they reach an inbox. Conditional access policies, patching, least-privilege permissions and monitored backups limit the damage if an account is compromised.

That is why results should be interpreted carefully. A click rate is not a league table of good and bad employees. It is a signal about where your business may be exposed and what support is needed. A low reporting rate, for example, might mean staff are uncertain about the process, not that they do not care.

Run campaigns regularly, but do not overdo them. Monthly or periodic simulations with varied themes are normally more useful than one dramatic annual test. Share the lessons with everyone, including directors. Senior staff are frequent targets because their names and roles are easy to find and their requests can appear urgent.

For Sussex businesses without a dedicated security team, My Tech Team can help turn phishing training into a managed, practical part of day-to-day IT support. The objective is simple: give your people the confidence to spot a suspicious message, report it quickly and get on with their work securely.