KnowBe4 buying verdict
- Best for: A business with at least 25 staff and an owner for recurring training, phishing simulations and follow-up.
- Start with: SAT Foundation. Buy SAT Advanced only when its larger content library and targeting options solve a specific program need.
- Avoid if: You cannot justify the published three-year term or need a lightweight program for a smaller team.
- Testing: Documented research from official product materials; we have not tested an account or measured outcomes.
Last updated: September 24, 2026
KnowBe4 can organize an ongoing awareness program, but it cannot substitute for multifactor authentication, email protection or a clear payment-verification process. Its published US price list changed in 2026. The current plans are SAT Foundation and SAT Advanced; older Silver, Gold, Platinum and Diamond comparisons should not drive a new purchase.
If you are still deciding which security gap to address first, use the free SMB assessment before requesting a quote. A team already paying for awareness training should improve its existing program before adding another subscription.
What does KnowBe4 cost?
The KnowBe4 US pricing table labels its amounts as MSRP USD per seat per month on a three-year term, with pricing dated May 2026. These are monthly equivalents, not a month-to-month contract. The page begins at the 25–50-seat band. Confirm seat eligibility, payment schedule, renewal, taxes and any add-ons in a written quote.
| Seats | Foundation per seat/month | Advanced per seat/month | Foundation monthly equivalent | Advanced monthly equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | No published band | No published band | Request a quote | Request a quote |
| 25 | $2.40 | $3.75 | $60 | $93.75 |
| 50 | $2.40 | $3.75 | $120 | $187.50 |
| 51–100 | $2.13 | $3.40 | Seats × $2.13 | Seats × $3.40 |
For 25 seats, multiplying the published monthly equivalent by 36 gives $2,160 Foundation or $3,375 Advanced over the three-year term, before taxes or extras. For 50 seats, that becomes $4,320 or $6,750. These are arithmetic examples, not guaranteed quotes. A 10-person business should not assume it can purchase ten seats at the 25-seat price.
Which plan should a small business choose?
| Decision | SAT Foundation | SAT Advanced |
|---|---|---|
| Main use | Repeatable baseline awareness and simulation program | Broader content and more targeted program management |
| Phishing simulations | Included in the vendor's plan comparison | Included in the vendor's plan comparison |
| Training library | Smaller included library | Larger included library |
| Smart Groups | Limited | More extensive targeting |
| Best fit | An owner can run and review a simple recurring campaign | An owner will actually use the added content and targeting |
Feature packaging changes; use the live plan comparison and a quote to check specific language, integrations, AI features and add-ons. Do not buy Advanced because its feature list is longer. Ask who will maintain groups, review reported messages and coach people after simulated failures.
What a practical rollout looks like
- Name an owner and choose a baseline. Decide which events matter: reporting suspicious messages, calling to verify payment changes and using MFA. A click rate alone misses those behaviors.
- Pilot with a small group. Test mail delivery, allowlisting, the reporting button and accessibility before a company-wide simulation. Follow the vendor's setup guidance so simulations do not weaken real mail filtering.
- Launch a short first campaign. Explain how to report suspicious messages and how reports are handled. Avoid surprise punishment or public scoreboards.
- Review monthly. Track participation, reports, repeat risky actions and time to triage. Change content when people repeatedly fail the same workflow.
- Reassess at renewal. Keep the subscription only if someone uses the data to improve controls and employee behavior.
The main deployment cost is staff attention. If there is no owner for triage and follow-up, paying for more simulations may add noise without improving defenses.
Alternatives and when to avoid a purchase
A very small team can start with a written payment-change callback rule, MFA, onboarding training, a suspicious-message reporting channel and periodic short practice. If Microsoft 365 or another existing platform already provides training or simulation capabilities under your edition, check that entitlement and its limits before adding a vendor. A managed IT provider may also run a program using tools it already owns. Compare the full service, including administration and response, not just the seat price.
For buying context, see the small-business email-security guide and Microsoft Defender for Office 365 review. Training complements mail controls; it does not replace them.
Purchase destination and disclosure
View KnowBe4's current SAT plans and request a quote. This is an official vendor link; we have not verified an affiliate commission for this destination. The review is independent and based on documented research, not hands-on testing.
What to ask in the quote
- Which exact SAT plan and seat band apply, and can seats change during the three-year term?
- What are the invoice schedule, renewal rate, cancellation terms, taxes and onboarding fees?
- Which integrations, support, language packs and AI features are included in this quote?
- How will simulations interact with mail filtering and the organization's incident-reporting process?
- What evidence will your program owner review after the first 30, 60 and 90 days?
Sources checked September 24, 2026: KnowBe4 SAT pricing and plan comparison. Price examples use the displayed May 2026 US MSRP and can change. No hands-on product testing or customer-outcome measurement was performed for this review.