K-12 buyer's guide
The Best Security Awareness Training for Schools in 2026
By Tartan App
A school needs four things a company doesn't: phishing simulations that are relevant to education, training content created for the unique cybersecurity, privacy, and compliance problems in schools, training for students, and a price that fits a school budget. Most security awareness tools are built and priced for companies. We built Tartan App around all four. Nine tools come up when schools shop: Tartan App, CyberNut, Fortinet's Education Edition, Infosec IQ, KnowBe4, CyberHoot, Microsoft's Attack Simulation Training, Proofpoint, and Hoxhunt.
Consider one US public school with 60 staff. Fortinet's free K-12 edition is training only; phishing simulations come with Fortinet's paid version. Among the tools that include simulations and publish a price, a year of staff training runs from $191 for Tartan App to $3,600 for Microsoft's Defender plan. Four of the nine don't publish a price at all.
- Tartan App, 60 staff
- $191
- A year, unlimited staff
- KnowBe4, 60 staff
- $1,534
- A year at list price, 3-year term
- Microsoft Defender Plan 2
- $3,600
- A year for 60 staff
- No published price
- 4 of 9
- Tools that need a sales call
What Should a School Look For in Security Awareness Training?
Is It Built for K-12?
Staff click on fake emails that look like the services they use every day. In a school, that means the student information system, the gradebook, and Google Classroom. A tool built for corporate sends Salesforce and Workday simulations. Check whether the simulations and videos were written for teachers and school staff.
Can It Train Students, and at What Ages?
Students have school accounts too. Some tools have no student training at all. Others cover only older students. KnowBe4's Student Edition is for students aged 16 and up. If you want to reach middle schoolers, check the ages before you buy. Tartan App's student training is designed mainly for middle and high school students.
Does It Work with Google Workspace or Microsoft 365?
Schools run Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or both. A tool should sync your users from whichever you use, deliver simulations to Gmail or Outlook inboxes, and give staff a report button in both. Some tools document only one of them. Ask for the setup steps for your platform if a vendor's site doesn't show them.
What Does It Cost a School Your Size?
Most tools charge per user, so the bill grows every time you hire. A per-school price doesn't move. Also check whether the vendor publishes a price at all.
How Do the Nine Tools Compare for Schools?
The last column is the list price per year for staff training at one school with 60 staff. Tartan's includes its report button. It leaves out student training and add-ons.
| Tool | Built For | Student Training | Google Workspace | Published Price | 60 Staff, per Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tartan App | K-12 only | Yes, designed mainly for middle and high school, separate from staff | Yes, plus Microsoft 365 | Per school, unlimited staff | $191 |
| CyberNut | K-12 | Yes, pre-K through 12 | Yes, plus Microsoft 365 | None published | Quote |
| Fortinet Education Edition | US K-12 districts and systems | Classroom lessons | Not stated | No cost; phishing simulations only in the paid version | $0, no simulations |
| Infosec IQ | All sectors, with a K-12 page | Yes, age-appropriate modules | Not stated; names Entra ID for sync | None published | Quote |
| KnowBe4 | All sectors | Ages 16 and up, add-on | Yes, user sync | Per staff seat | $1,534 |
| CyberHoot | All sectors, with an education page | Yes | Yes, user sync | Sent by email | Quote |
| Microsoft Attack Simulation Training | Microsoft 365 customers | None described | Not mentioned in its docs | Per user, or included in A5 | $3,600 |
| Proofpoint | All sectors, with a K-12 & Higher Education page | None listed | Not stated | Per user, Essentials plan | $720 |
| Hoxhunt | Employees at companies | None listed | Yes, Gmail delivery | Per employee | Quote |
Nine Tools at a Glance, as of October 23, 2026
Tartan App
- Built For
- K-12 only
- Student Training
- Yes, designed mainly for middle and high school, separate from staff
- Google Workspace
- Yes, plus Microsoft 365
- Published Price
- Per school, unlimited staff
- 60 Staff, per Year
- $191
CyberNut
- Built For
- K-12
- Student Training
- Yes, pre-K through 12
- Google Workspace
- Yes, plus Microsoft 365
- Published Price
- None published
- 60 Staff, per Year
- Quote
Fortinet Education Edition
- Built For
- US K-12 districts and systems
- Student Training
- Classroom lessons
- Google Workspace
- Not stated
- Published Price
- No cost; phishing simulations only in the paid version
- 60 Staff, per Year
- $0, no simulations
Infosec IQ
- Built For
- All sectors, with a K-12 page
- Student Training
- Yes, age-appropriate modules
- Google Workspace
- Not stated; names Entra ID for sync
- Published Price
- None published
- 60 Staff, per Year
- Quote
KnowBe4
- Built For
- All sectors
- Student Training
- Ages 16 and up, add-on
- Google Workspace
- Yes, user sync
- Published Price
- Per staff seat
- 60 Staff, per Year
- $1,534
CyberHoot
- Built For
- All sectors, with an education page
- Student Training
- Yes
- Google Workspace
- Yes, user sync
- Published Price
- Sent by email
- 60 Staff, per Year
- Quote
Microsoft Attack Simulation Training
- Built For
- Microsoft 365 customers
- Student Training
- None described
- Google Workspace
- Not mentioned in its docs
- Published Price
- Per user, or included in A5
- 60 Staff, per Year
- $3,600
Proofpoint
- Built For
- All sectors, with a K-12 & Higher Education page
- Student Training
- None listed
- Google Workspace
- Not stated
- Published Price
- Per user, Essentials plan
- 60 Staff, per Year
- $720
Hoxhunt
- Built For
- Employees at companies
- Student Training
- None listed
- Google Workspace
- Yes, Gmail delivery
- Published Price
- Per employee
- 60 Staff, per Year
- Quote
What Does Each Tool Offer a School?
Tartan App
Tartan App is security awareness training and email security in one product. It fits US public school districts, Canadian school boards, and independent schools that want staff training, student training, and a report button together. And you can see the price before you ever get on a call.
Phishing simulations copy 110+ services schools use, and 60+ short videos end in a quick quiz. Staff report suspicious email with Tartan App Shield, and a weekly Google Workspace Audit checks your settings. Tartan's training program is certified by Texas Cyber Command (TXCC) for 2026–2027. Most schools are set up in under 30 minutes, and onboarding is free.
At Monroe School District, staff reported 97 suspicious emails in their first eight weeks, and Tartan's automation moved 26 of them to spam in a median of 13 minutes. See the platform overview and Tartan App pricing for 1 to 10 schools.
- Built for
- K-12 schools, districts, and school boards only
- Students
- Simulations designed mainly for middle and high school students, separate from staff. Student Phishing & Video Training is sold on its own: $270 a year for one school.
- Google Workspace
- User sync, direct delivery to inboxes, and a Gmail report button. Microsoft 365 gets the same.
- Price
- $191 a year for staff phishing simulations, video training, and the Tartan App Shield report button at one school, with unlimited staff
CyberNut
CyberNut sells phishing simulation and threat response for K-12, in three products: CyberStaff, CyberStudent, and CyberAutomations. Read how Tartan App compares with CyberNut.
- Built for
- K-12 schools
- Students
- CyberStudent: digital citizenship and phishing training, pre-K through 12
- Google Workspace
- Phishing simulations for Google Workspace and Microsoft 365
- Price
- Not published. Its pricing page says plans are personalized for each school, so the cost takes a sales conversation.
Fortinet Security Awareness and Training Service: Education Edition
Fortinet offers a free education edition of its training service. It covers training only, with phishing simulations reserved for its paid version: training modules, quizzes, short reinforcement videos, and awareness materials for staff, plus a classroom curriculum.
- Built for
- US K-12 school districts and systems
- Students
- A classroom curriculum: teacher guides, lesson plans, slides, and student handouts
- Google Workspace
- Not stated on its K-12 page
- Worth knowing
- The free edition has no phishing simulations; Fortinet offers them in its paid version. The K-12 page lists no seat limits or contract length, and districts register by email.
Infosec IQ
Infosec IQ is the security awareness platform from Infosec Institute, which also sells certification boot camps. Read the Tartan App and Infosec IQ comparison.
- Built for
- All sectors, with a K-12 solutions page
- Students
- Age-appropriate modules for students, by its K-12 page
- Google Workspace
- Not stated. Its site names Microsoft Entra ID and its own API for user sync.
- Price
- Not published. Standard and Enterprise tiers.
- Worth knowing
- LMS integration and SCORM support are listed under Enterprise.
KnowBe4
KnowBe4 is a general security awareness training platform with phishing simulations. It also sells email security and compliance training. Read Tartan App vs KnowBe4 for schools.
- Built for
- All sectors
- Students
- Student Edition, an optional add-on for students aged 16 and up
- Google Workspace
- Imports users from Google Workspace
- Price
- $2.13 per staff seat per month for SAT Foundation at 51 to 100 seats on a 3-year term, or $1,534 a year for 60 staff
- Worth knowing
- Student Edition lists a price ($0.17 per seat per month) only for 101 to 1,000 seats.
CyberHoot
CyberHoot sells security awareness training with phishing simulations, plus extras such as dark web monitoring. See where Tartan App and CyberHoot differ.
- Built for
- All sectors, with a page for schools, colleges, and universities
- Students
- Training for staff and students
- Google Workspace
- Syncs users from Google Workspace and Entra ID
- Price
- Sent by email on request. It offers education sector pricing.
Microsoft Attack Simulation Training
Attack Simulation Training runs inside Microsoft Defender for Office 365. Its training is delivered in partnership with Terranova Security.
- Built for
- Microsoft 365 customers
- Students
- No student training described
- Google Workspace
- Its docs cover Microsoft 365 mailboxes. Google Workspace isn't mentioned.
- Price
- Defender for Office 365 Plan 2 is $5 per user per month, paid yearly, or $3,600 a year for 60 staff
- Worth knowing
- It needs Defender for Office 365 Plan 2, which Microsoft 365 E5 and A5 for Education include. Schools on A1 or A3 buy Plan 2 as an add-on.
Proofpoint
Proofpoint sells risk-based security awareness training, called ZenGuide, alongside its email security products.
- Built for
- All sectors, with a K-12 & Higher Education solutions page
- Students
- No student training listed
- Google Workspace
- Not stated on its product page
- Price
- Proofpoint Essentials Security Awareness lists at $1 per user per month. Its Collaboration Security plans are quote-only.
Hoxhunt
Hoxhunt sells automated, personalized security training for company workforces.
- Built for
- Employees, targeted by role, department, and location
- Students
- No student training listed
- Google Workspace
- Sends training emails through the Gmail API; reporting in Gmail and Outlook
What Does Security Awareness Training Cost a School?
The 60-staff prices above don't buy the same thing. Fortinet's free edition is training only; phishing simulations are in its paid version. Microsoft's price is the whole Defender plan. KnowBe4 and Tartan App both price phishing simulations, training, and a report button, so they compare directly: $1,534 against $191 a year.
The gap widens as you hire. At 150 staff, KnowBe4's 3-year-term Foundation list price comes to $3,546 a year. Tartan App is still $191 for that school, with unlimited staff.
Across the 37 vendors in our pricing guide that publish a per-user price, the median is $24.96 per user per year. The security awareness training pricing guide lists them all.
How Did We Build This List?
We started with the tools school IT teams ask about, the K-12 vendors, and the tools in Google's results for this search. We read each vendor's own product, pricing, education, and support pages on October 23, 2026. We didn't test the other tools hands-on.
Tools built for K-12 come first, then tools with a page for schools or education, then tools built for companies. Where a vendor's site doesn't mention something, we marked it "not stated" or "none listed".
Pricing
See Tartan App Pricing for Your Schools
Pick your number of schools and the products you want, and see the price in US or Canadian dollars. A 3-year term saves 5%, and a 5-year term saves 10%.