The 2025 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report revealed that nearly 60% of successful cybersecurity breaches involve human error. Through social engineering, particularly phishing, cyber criminals can bypass technical measures and obtain sensitive data, or even scam the company out of funds, by simply tricking an employee.
For that reason, security-conscious organizations are investing heavily in security awareness training to reduce human error and build resilience against phishing attempts. But with so many providers on the market, not every platform will be the right fit for your goals.
Here’s how to identify the best phishing simulation tools for your business.
Define Your Goals First
Before even thinking about the features you want or pricing, it’s essential to be clear about what you want a phishing simulation program to achieve.
Not every organization has the same priorities. For some, the primary goal is demonstrating compliance with industry regulations. For others, it’s about reducing the overall risk exposure or improving the team culture for more of a shared sense of responsibility around security.
Setting specific and measurable objectives helps narrow down your choices. For example, if your aim is to reduce phishing click rates by 20% within six months, you’ll want a platform that provides the analytics, behavior change track record and training features necessary to progress toward that goal. Without defined outcomes, it’s easy to be swayed by flashy features that don’t actually move the needle for your business.
Realism Is Everything
Phishing emails looked completely different ten years ago. However, many training providers still send outdated, generic templates that offer little value in preparing employees for the advanced techniques that are relevant today.
The closer the simulations mirror the types of emails your employees may actually encounter, the more valuable the results will be. A big part of that is tailoring the contents of the training based on employee roles. Finance teams are more likely to face fraudulent invoice requests or wire transfer scams, while HR might encounter fake job applications or payroll update notices.
For diverse organizations, customizable templates and multilingual support are additional essential features to maximize realism.
Training Mechanisms
The real value of a phishing training platform is in what happens after the click, as that is the defining moment when the employee either learns from their mistake or doesn’t, making them more likely to repeat it in the future.
There are a few methods that are common in the industry. One is instant feedback, where the employee is immediately shown why the email was suspicious and what red flags they missed. Another is through short microlearning modules that go a bit deeper with short, digestible lessons.
The most effective solutions usually combine these two approaches depending on the employee’s risk profile. High-risk employees (those who consistently fall for phishing attempts) must be given priority. Their training should include retests and tailored lessons that address their specific weaknesses.
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Reporting and Analytics
Phishing simulation training is an investment that must prove its value through measurable improvements in security awareness and a tangible reduction in organizational risk.
The only way to track that is through KPIs that are pre-determined based on organizational goals. For most organizations, these would be click rates, report rates, repeat offenders, and improvement trends over time. These will do a solid job in revealing whether the program is driving meaningful change.
On top of that, the training platform should also have solid and accessible reporting tailored for both security teams and executives. Security teams need detailed, technical analytics to fine-tune campaigns and identify high-risk users, while executives benefit from higher level dashboards that clearly demonstrate ROI and overall progress.
Integration and Ease of Use
Even if a solution checks all other boxes, it will fall short if it doesn’t fit seamlessly in your existing environment.
In particular, it’s important to look for compatibility with SIEM and XDR platforms to easily correlate phishing data with other security events. Integration with HR systems can also be valuable, ensuring new employees are automatically enrolled in training.
Another thing to consider is the administrative burden the tool brings to the security team. Lean teams may struggle to keep up with the additional responsibilities of leading a full-scale phishing training program. If that’s the case, go for a solution with strong automation capabilities that can handle repetitive tasks like campaign scheduling, user onboarding, and reporting.
Vendor Security and Support
Be cautious of providers who overpromise and underdeliver. Unless you are heavily constrained by budget, it’s generally better to invest in a reputable, established vendor that has a proven track record in both security and customer success.
Your training provider will handle sensitive employee information, so strong data handling practices and transparency are non-negotiable.
The level of customer support and onboarding assistance should also be considered. Reputable vendors provide Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for various aspects, including support response times.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, the best phishing simulation tool for your business is the one that strikes the right balance between cost, ease of integration, available features, and, most importantly, its ability to help you achieve your security goals. The quality of training should always take priority, but it only delivers real value when these foundations are met.
