Why do the prices of security awareness training vary so much?

The price is determined by the number of employees, the format (e-learning, classroom or blended), whether it is a one-off exercise or an ongoing programme, and whether phishing simulations and reporting are included. A short online module is cheaper than an ongoing programme with measurements and customisation.

Security Awareness Training Costs: Prices in 2026

Q: What does security awareness training cost per employee?

As an indication, the price of security awareness e-learning is often between 10 and 50 euros per employee per year, depending on the number of employees, the content and whether phishing simulations are included. Classroom or bespoke training is higher. These are market indications; the exact price depends on your situation.

Q: Is e-learning cheaper than classroom training?

Yes, per employee e-learning is usually the most affordable because it is scalable and employees complete it at their own moment. Classroom or live training costs more per person, but can be valuable for specific groups such as management. Many organisations choose a blended approach.

Q: What does adding phishing simulations cost?

Phishing simulations are often offered as an addition to awareness training. They increase the price per employee slightly, but provide a concrete baseline measurement and proof of improvement. For NIS2 or ISO 27001 purposes, that measurability is often worth the cost.

Q: Does security awareness training pay for itself?

Usually yes. According to industry research, the average cost of a data breach runs into the millions, and even for SMEs it quickly amounts to tens of thousands of euros per incident. Training that demonstrably lowers the chance of a successful attack costs a fraction of that and more than pays for itself when an incident is prevented.

What are the costs of security awareness training?

There is no fixed market price for security awareness training. On the one hand you will find cheap, off-the-shelf e-learning packages where you set everything up yourself; on the other hand there are fully managed, ongoing programmes with customisation, phishing simulations and reporting. The price also scales with the number of employees.

As a rule of thumb for e-learning, an indication of 10 to 50 euros per employee per year applies. For small teams the price per person is higher due to fixed base costs; at larger numbers the cost per employee drops thanks to economies of scale. Blended or classroom programmes and customisation are higher. Treat all amounts on this page as market indications, not as a quote.

Important perspective: according to industry research, the average cost of a data breach runs into the millions, and even for SMEs it quickly amounts to tens of thousands of euros. Awareness training costs a fraction of that.

Price comparison: indicative tiers

An overview of what you can broadly expect per type of approach (indicative, per employee per year):

Approach	Indicative price	What is included	Suitable for
Basic e-learning (self-service)	€ 10 to € 20 p.p./year	Standard modules, basic reporting, set up yourself	Organisations with internal IT/HR capacity
Ongoing programme + phishing simulation	€ 25 to € 50 p.p./year	Modules, repetition, phishing simulations, progress reporting	SMEs that want to improve demonstrably
Blended (e-learning + classroom)	€ 50+ p.p./year	Online modules plus live sessions, customised per department	Organisations with specific risk groups
Classroom, bespoke (per session)	Custom quote	Trainer on site, fully tailored programme	Management and high-risk teams

See our approach to security awareness for SMEs or phishing training for more information.

Factor 1: number of employees

The number of employees is the most important price-determining factor. Most providers work with a rate per employee or with tiered volumes. More employees means a higher total price, but a lower price per person. For small teams the fixed base costs - setup, management and reporting - weigh relatively more heavily, which makes the price per employee higher there.

Small business (10-50 emp.)

Manageable and quick to roll out. The cost per employee is higher, but the total investment remains limited and easy to oversee.

Medium-sized business (50-250 emp.)

Here economies of scale apply. The price per employee drops and segmentation per department or risk group becomes more attractive.

Factor 2: e-learning versus classroom

The format of the training has a big influence on the price. E-learning is the most scalable and therefore the most affordable per employee: staff complete modules at their own moment, without travel time or scheduled sessions. Classroom or live training costs more per person because of the trainer's involvement and the fixed agenda, but offers room for interaction and customisation.

E-learning: lowest cost per employee, flexible, highly scalable
Classroom: higher cost per employee, valuable for specific groups such as management
Blended: a combination of online modules and a few live moments, a popular middle ground

Factor 3: one-off or ongoing

A one-off training gives a short boost, but awareness fades if it is not maintained. An ongoing programme with periodic repetition and new topics costs more per year, but delivers structural results and fits the philosophy behind frameworks such as NIS2 and ISO 27001, which require demonstrably recurring training.

One-off: lower cost, short-lived effect, no proof of improvement
Ongoing: higher annual cost, lasting effect, demonstrable for audits

Factor 4: adding phishing simulations

Many organisations combine awareness training with phishing training and simulations. A phishing simulation increases the price per employee slightly, but provides a concrete baseline measurement and shows over time how much awareness has improved. That measurability is often exactly what auditors, insurers and clients want to see.

What is included?

When comparing quotes, pay close attention to what is in the price. A complete programme typically includes:

Access to the e-learning modules for all employees
Periodic repetition and new topics throughout the year
Any phishing simulations with a baseline and follow-up measurement
Progress reporting and registration of participation (evidence for compliance)
Support with the rollout and attention to management

Cheap packages often leave out reporting, repetition or guidance. Factor those elements in when comparing, otherwise you are comparing apples with oranges.

Hidden costs and what to watch out for

The price per employee is not the whole story. When comparing providers, organisations quite often run into costs that are not immediately visible in the quote. So watch out for the following points, so you are not caught by surprise:

Entry or licence fees: some platforms charge a fixed annual base price on top of the rate per employee, which weighs especially heavily for small teams.
Management and setup: a cheap package can turn out expensive if you spend all your own time setting up, inviting and following up employees.
Reporting as an extra charge: the very reporting you need for compliance is sometimes not in the base package.
Contract term and notice period: watch out for multi-year contracts with automatic renewal; these can work out more expensive in the long run.
Language and localisation: not every international platform offers fully localised content, which affects effectiveness and therefore value per euro.

The cheapest option on paper is therefore not always the most economical in practice. Look at the total cost over a year, including your own time, and weigh that against what you actually get back in training, repetition, measurement and reporting.

ROI: the cost of a data breach versus the cost of training

The most important question is not what training costs, but what it saves. According to industry research, the average cost of a data breach runs into the millions of euros, and even for SMEs it quickly amounts to tens of thousands of euros per incident: recovery costs, lost revenue, fines and reputational damage. The vast majority of those incidents have a human cause, such as an employee clicking a phishing link.

Awareness training costs a fraction of that amount per employee. If the training demonstrably lowers the chance of a successful incident, then a programme more than pays for itself by preventing a single data breach. Moreover, the reporting provides direct evidence for auditors, insurers and clients who ask for NIS2 or ISO 27001 conformity.

So do not write off the investment as a cost item, but as an insurance that also gives something back: fewer incidents, faster reporting when something does go wrong, and demonstrable compliance. Where a cyber insurance policy only pays out after the damage has been suffered, training reduces the chance that it comes to that at all. That combination usually makes awareness one of the most economical security measures per euro of risk saved.

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Frequently asked questions about the costs

What does security awareness training cost per employee?

Indicatively 10 to 50 euros per employee per year for e-learning, depending on number, content and whether phishing simulations are included. Bespoke classroom training is higher.

Why do the prices vary so much?

Due to differences in the number of employees, format (e-learning, classroom or blended), one-off or ongoing, and whether simulations and reporting are included.

Is e-learning cheaper than classroom training?

Yes, per employee usually. Classroom costs more per person but is valuable for specific groups such as management.

What does adding phishing simulations cost?

A limited extra charge per employee, but it provides a concrete baseline measurement and proof of improvement.

Does security awareness training pay for itself?

Usually yes: a prevented data breach quickly saves a multiple of the training costs.

What does security awareness training cost?