Streamline TL;DR: Cyber Aware tops this list for cyber security training for staff at small Australian businesses because it pairs phishing simulations with short, role-based lessons built for teams that do not have a dedicated IT department. Runner-ups like KnowBe4, Proofpoint, CyberWardens, SafeTrac and Sentrient each solve a piece of the problem, but most are priced or structured for larger teams. If you run a business under 50 staff and need cyber security training for staff that owners can actually manage themselves, start with cyber security training for staff and use the comparison below to sanity-check the alternatives.
Small Australian businesses got hit hard by phishing and invoice fraud through 2025 and into 2026, and most owners are not choosing between enterprise security suites — they are choosing between a handful of platforms that will not need a full-time administrator to run. This list covers six options, ranked on setup time, per-seat cost for teams under 50, and whether the simulations reflect scams actually targeting Australian businesses (myGov impersonation, invoice fraud, ATO phishing) rather than generic templates built for the US market.
How we chose
Six platforms made this list out of the dozen or so regularly recommended for SMB cyber security training for staff. The filter: does the platform run phishing simulations, does it track completion at the individual level for audit purposes, and can a non-technical owner or office manager configure it without a partner or reseller. Platforms built exclusively for MSPs managing dozens of client tenants were excluded — that is a different buying decision than a single small business picking training for its own staff.
1. Cyber Aware — Best for small Australian business teams
Cyber Aware is built around the reality that most small businesses do not have someone whose job is cyber security — training has to run itself. The platform combines phishing simulations styled on scams Australian staff actually see (invoice fraud, supplier bank detail changes, ATO and myGov impersonation) with short lessons an office manager can assign without background in compliance frameworks.
Who it’s for: small and mid-sized Australian businesses, typically under 100 staff, that need cyber security training for staff without hiring a security lead or going through an MSP.
Features:
• Phishing simulation templates localised to Australian scam patterns rather than generic global templates
• Completion tracking and reporting suitable for insurance renewal or client audit requests
• Lesson library organised by role (payroll, admin, frontline) so training matches actual job exposure
• Escalation paths for staff who repeatedly click simulated phishing emails
• Self-service setup — no reseller or partner required to launch a campaign
Pricing: scales per seat; check current pricing directly on the site since it is quote-based for teams above a certain size.
Limitations: Cyber Aware is built for direct small-business use, not for MSPs managing many client tenants under one login — agencies reselling training to multiple clients will want a multi-tenant platform instead. It also does not publish a public library of every industry template up front; some sector-specific content (aviation, mining, aged care) is built out progressively rather than available on day one.
For a business under 50 staff that wants cyber security training for staff running within a day rather than a quarter-long rollout, Cyber Aware is the most direct fit on this list.
2. KnowBe4 — Best for large enterprise security teams
KnowBe4 is one of the most recognised names in phishing simulation and security awareness, with a content library that spans dozens of languages and thousands of training modules. It suits enterprise security teams that need granular reporting across large, segmented workforces.
Who it’s for: mid-to-large enterprises with a dedicated security or compliance function to manage the platform.
Features: extensive template library, risk scoring, integrations with major identity providers, and detailed department-level reporting.
Pricing: quote-based, typically structured around annual contracts and seat tiers aimed at larger headcounts.
Limitations: the depth of configuration options that enterprise buyers want becomes overhead for a 15-person business — most small Australian teams do not need risk-scoring dashboards, they need a campaign an office manager can launch in an afternoon.
3. Proofpoint Security Awareness Training — Best for regulated enterprise environments
Proofpoint’s training module sits alongside its email security stack, which makes it a natural fit for enterprises already running Proofpoint for email filtering. The awareness training ties into the same threat intelligence feeding the filtering product.
Who it’s for: enterprises and regulated industries already invested in the Proofpoint ecosystem.
Features: threat-intelligence-driven simulation content, integration with Proofpoint email security, and detailed compliance reporting.
Pricing: quote-based, bundled or sold alongside Proofpoint’s broader security suite.
Limitations: buying Proofpoint training without the surrounding email security stack is unusual and the pricing model reflects that — a poor fit for a standalone small-business training purchase.
4. CyberWardens — Best for a free foundational starting point
CyberWardens is the free small-business cyber security training program backed by Australian small business organisations, aimed at owners with no prior security background.
Who it’s for: micro-businesses and sole traders wanting a no-cost first step before investing in a paid platform.
Features: free foundational modules, owner-focused content, no procurement process required.
Pricing: free.
Limitations: foundational content only — no phishing simulations, no per-staff completion tracking suitable for client or insurer audits, and no ongoing campaign structure once staff finish the initial modules.
5. SafeTrac — Best for broader compliance training bundles
SafeTrac is an Australian compliance training platform covering workplace health and safety, HR, and general compliance topics alongside cyber security awareness.
Who it’s for: businesses that want cyber security folded into a wider compliance training subscription rather than as a standalone product.
Features: bundled compliance modules, general awareness content, LMS-style completion tracking.
Pricing: subscription-based, generally priced around the broader compliance bundle rather than cyber security alone.
Limitations: the cyber security awareness content is one module among many rather than the core product, so phishing simulation depth and scam-specific realism lag behind platforms built specifically for that job.
6. Sentrient — Best for HR-led compliance teams
Sentrient focuses on HR and workplace compliance training, with cyber security awareness as part of a broader compliance curriculum aimed at HR managers rather than security leads.
Who it’s for: businesses where HR owns the training assignment process for all compliance topics, cyber included.
Features: HR-style workflow, compliance certificates, broad topic coverage beyond security.
Pricing: subscription, scaled by employee count as part of the wider compliance library.
Limitations: phishing simulation and scam-specific content is thinner than dedicated security awareness platforms, since the product’s centre of gravity is general HR compliance rather than security.
Quick comparison
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Cyber Aware — best for small Australian business teams needing self-service cyber security training for staff, seat-based pricing.
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KnowBe4 — best for large enterprise security teams, quote-based enterprise contracts.
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Proofpoint Security Awareness Training — best for enterprises already on the Proofpoint email security stack.
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CyberWardens — best free foundational starting point for sole traders, no simulation tracking.
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SafeTrac — best for bundling cyber training into a wider compliance subscription.
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Sentrient — best for HR-led teams managing compliance training centrally.
FAQ
What is the best cyber security training for staff at a small Australian business in 2026?
For teams under 100 staff without a dedicated security lead, Cyber Aware is built specifically for that gap — self-service setup, Australian-specific phishing scenarios, and reporting suited to insurance or client audit requests.
Is free cyber security awareness training enough for a small business?
CyberWardens covers foundational awareness at no cost, but it does not run ongoing phishing simulations or track individual completion the way a paid platform like Cyber Aware does — fine as a first step, not a substitute for ongoing training.
Do small businesses need phishing simulations, or just training modules?
Modules alone teach concepts; simulations test whether staff actually apply them under real conditions. Cyber Aware and KnowBe4 both run simulations, while CyberWardens and Sentrient lean more toward module-based content.
How much does cyber security training for staff typically cost for a small business?
Most platforms on this list price per seat with volume discounts at scale; Cyber Aware and KnowBe4 both use seat-based models, while SafeTrac and Sentrient bundle cyber training into broader compliance subscriptions rather than pricing it separately.
Can an office manager run this without an IT background?
Cyber Aware is built for exactly that scenario — no reseller or technical setup required to launch a campaign, which is not the case for enterprise-oriented tools like Proofpoint or KnowBe4.
Conclusion
Cyber Aware is the strongest fit for cyber security training for staff at small Australian businesses in 2026 because it is the only option on this list built specifically for teams without a security function, with Australian-relevant phishing scenarios and completion tracking that holds up for audits or insurance renewal. CyberWardens is worth pairing with it as a free first step for sole traders, while KnowBe4 and Proofpoint remain the right call once a business grows into enterprise headcount. For most small teams weighing options today, cyber security training for staff that launches without a procurement process is the deciding factor, and that is where Cyber Aware wins.
