KnowBe4 is the US market leader with a huge library and AI automation — built for large organizations managing their own awareness programs.
Webguardiola: curated, research-based training from Austria — completely free, EU hosting, zero admin effort.
Fairness first: KnowBe4 is the market leader in security awareness — with one of the world's largest training libraries, content in 35+ languages, AI-supported campaign automation, sophisticated risk scores and integrations from Active Directory to SCIM. For large, international organizations with a dedicated security team actively managing an awareness program, it's a very strong tool.
Companies looking for a KnowBe4 alternative typically have one of four reasons: They want to test the product before talking to sales — according to market comparison portals, no free version or trial is available for KnowBe4. They have no team for administration — campaigns, template selection and group management take time nobody in an SME has. They prefer a European provider — KnowBe4 is a US company headquartered in Florida. Or they don't want to run phishing simulations on their own employees — for data protection reasons, because of the works council, or out of conviction.
Webguardiola addresses exactly these four points — with a curated, research-based program rooted in doctoral research on overconfidence bias in the phishing context. And this isn't limited to SMEs: for larger organizations with their own LMS, the complete training is available as a SCORM package — compact, gamified superhero comic e-learning, already successfully deployed in companies, at a price well below typical enterprise licenses.
Both approaches have their place — the table shows where the concepts differ. As of July 2026, based on publicly available information.
| Criterion | KnowBe4 | Webguardiola |
|---|---|---|
| Testable before buying | Per comparison portals, no free version/trial available | ✓ Complete training without company registration |
| Provider & hosting | US company (Florida) | ✓ Austrian company, EU hosting Frankfurt, DPA |
| Content library | ✓ One of the world's largest, 35+ languages | Curated program (DE + EN), continuously updated |
| Phishing simulations | ✓ Automated campaigns, 25,000+ templates, AI selection | Deliberately none — recognition exercise in the training instead of click tracking |
| Administration effort | Platform management: campaigns, smart groups, template selection | ✓ No admin needed — cloud activation or SCORM upload, done |
| Didactic approach | Video library, micro-learning, gamification, AI personalization | ✓ Comic storytelling, research-based (overconfidence research) |
| Blue collar / no company email | Mobile learner app (accounts via AD/SCIM) | ✓ Cloud access on personal devices, email-code login — no directory integration needed |
| SCORM for your own LMS | ✓ | ✓ SCORM 1.2, no external content at runtime |
| Pricing model | Per-user tiers (Silver to Diamond), quote via sales | Trainings free for everyone · Dashboard at fixed prices from €490 / year |
| Ideal for | Large organizations managing their own awareness program | SME to enterprise: lean, verifiable training without employee tracking — cloud-based or via SCORM in your own LMS |
All statements about KnowBe4 are based on publicly available information (as of July 2026) and may change. KnowBe4 is a trademark of KnowBe4, Inc. No claim to completeness — verify current details directly with the provider.
You see 100% of what your employees will get — the complete training, all games, all quizzes. Free, no credit card, no sales call. The company dashboard with audit report comes at public fixed prices from €490 per year; SCORM packages and additional services are available separately on request.
No template library someone has to choose from, no campaign planning, no smart groups. A didactically structured program that's continuously updated — your team signs in via email code, or your IT uploads the SCORM package once. That's it.
Austrian company, EU hosting in Frankfurt, DPA with all providers, passwordless access via email code. DACH-tailored content in German and English — not translated US scenarios.
No covert test emails, no personal click data, no works council debate. Our overconfidence bias research shows: knowledge is rarely the problem — application is. That's exactly where the training starts.
NIS2 requires regular, documented training measures — not a specific product and no phishing simulation. Webguardiola delivers documented training records for audits (NIS2, ISO 27001, TISAX), a NIS2 training for all employees and the 30-minute NIS2 training for management and governing bodies (Art. 20(2)).
The four platform trainings are free, right now and for good. No demo call, no credit card, no fine print. Add the dashboard with audit report when you need it.
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