# KnowBe4 vs Proofpoint ZenGuide: which do AI models recommend for awareness training, October 2026

IT AI Recommendation Index, October 2026 Edition, Security awareness training. Nine of fourteen models named KnowBe4 first on the direct prompt; one named Proofpoint ZenGuide. Page: https://it-ai-index.com/security/security-awareness-training/knowbe4-vs-proofpoint-zenguide/

| | First-choice share | Rank | Negative rate | Labels | Models naming it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KnowBe4 | 45% | #1 of 11 | 18% | 65 | 14 of 14 |
| Proofpoint ZenGuide | 2% | #6 of 11 | 30% | 46 | 14 of 14 |

## The direct prompt, model by model

- Mistral Small: both first (first choices: KnowBe4, Proofpoint ZenGuide) (alternatives: Arctic Wolf Managed Security Awareness, Hoxhunt, Mimecast Engage, SoSafe)
- Claude Haiku 4.5: knowbe4 first (first choices: KnowBe4) (alternatives: Hoxhunt, Proofpoint ZenGuide)
- GPT-5.4 mini: knowbe4 first (first choices: KnowBe4) (alternatives: Hoxhunt, Huntress Managed Security Awareness Training, Mimecast Engage, Proofpoint ZenGuide, SoSafe)
- Grok 4.1 Fast: knowbe4 first (first choices: KnowBe4) (alternatives: Arctic Wolf Managed Security Awareness, Hoxhunt, MetaCompliance, Proofpoint ZenGuide)
- DeepSeek V4 Flash: knowbe4 first (first choices: Hoxhunt, KnowBe4) (alternatives: Arctic Wolf Managed Security Awareness, Proofpoint ZenGuide, SoSafe)
- Qwen 3.7 Flash: knowbe4 first (first choices: KnowBe4) (alternatives: Arctic Wolf Managed Security Awareness, Hoxhunt)
- GLM 4.7 FlashX: knowbe4 first (first choices: KnowBe4) (alternatives: Hoxhunt, SoSafe)
- MiniMax M2.5: knowbe4 first (first choices: Hoxhunt, KnowBe4) (alternatives: Arctic Wolf Managed Security Awareness)
- GPT-6 Luna: knowbe4 first (first choices: KnowBe4) (alternatives: Hoxhunt, Huntress Managed Security Awareness Training, Proofpoint ZenGuide)
- Perplexity Sonar: neither first, one named (first choices: Hoxhunt) (alternatives: Cofense PhishMe, KnowBe4, SoSafe)
- Kimi K2: neither first, one named (first choices: Hoxhunt) (alternatives: Arctic Wolf Managed Security Awareness, Huntress Managed Security Awareness Training, KnowBe4, SoSafe)
- Muse Glimmer 30B: neither first, one named (first choices: Hoxhunt) (alternatives: Arctic Wolf Managed Security Awareness, KnowBe4, MetaCompliance, Proofpoint ZenGuide)
- Gemini 3.5 Flash: neither named (first choices: Hoxhunt) (alternatives: Adaptive Security, Huntress Managed Security Awareness Training)
- Llama 4 Maverick: neither named (alternatives: Arctic Wolf Managed Security Awareness, Hoxhunt, Infosec IQ)

## What the models said about KnowBe4

- "1.9-star Trustpilot rating (85 % 1-star reviews) – users call the content “garbage”" (GLM 4.7 FlashX, negative prompt, hard negative)
- "What to Avoid - KnowBe4 – Industry leader but priced for enterprise" (Kimi K2, budget prompt, hard negative)
- "reviewers flag content fatigue after years on the platform and friction in phishing-simulation reporting and assessment setup" (Muse Glimmer 30B, negative prompt, soft negative)
- "KnowBe4: The "Comprehensive Library" Leader ... Choose KnowBe4 if you need to pass audits easily and want a "turn-key" solution with the most content available." (Qwen 3.7 Flash, comparative prompt, first choice)
- "KnowBe4 is widely used across SMB, mid-market, and enterprise organizations and is a strong option for organizations of all sizes." (Claude Haiku 4.5, direct prompt, first choice)
- "KnowBe4 and Hoxhunt stand out as the most comprehensive, AI‑driven platforms with large user bases and strong ratings." (GLM 4.7 FlashX, comparative prompt, first choice)

## What the models said about Proofpoint ZenGuide

- "Proofpoint, Mimecast – Often bundled with email security and can be expensive for small teams" (Kimi K2, budget prompt, hard negative)
- "Users describe the interface as “clunky” and poorly integrated with other systems." (GLM 4.7 FlashX, negative prompt, hard negative)
- "You should only choose these if you are *already* paying for their Email Protection/Gateways... Extremely expensive if you try to buy these standalone" (Qwen 3.7 Flash, paraphrase prompt, soft negative)
- "KnowBe4 and Proofpoint are top choices due to their comprehensive features and scalability." (Mistral Small, direct prompt, first choice)
- "Choose Proofpoint if you already use Proofpoint and want awareness training integrated into a larger enterprise security ecosystem." (Perplexity Sonar, comparative prompt, alternative)
- "worth evaluating if you already use Proofpoint and want training informed by its broader human-risk and threat context" (GPT-6 Luna, direct prompt, alternative)

Share is the count of first choices across the direct, paraphrase, budget and scale prompts over all fourteen models, for a mid-market B2B company; rank is within the category. Comparisons are drawn for the top eight products in each category. Published under CC BY 4.0; the output is the models' output, and nothing here is a recommendation by the index.