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Cybersecurity · head to head

KnowBe4 vs Pants Build

KnowBe4 logo

KnowBe4

Cybersecurity

World's largest security awareness training platform

From
$1/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
Pants Build logo

Pants Build

Developer Tools

Fast, scalable build system with intelligent defaults for Python and more

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Pants Build has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: KnowBe4 published prices assume a three year term, so the quoted per seat rate depends on a long commitment; Pants Build smaller community compared to Bazel with fewer third-party tool integrations
  • They diverge on capability: KnowBe4 covers Security awareness training, Pants Build covers Intelligent defaults.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which KnowBe4 and Pants Build actually diverge.

Attributes where KnowBe4 and Pants Build differ
AttributeKnowBe4Pants Build
Starting price$1/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Mobile, EmailLinux, macOS, Windows
CategoryCybersecurityDeveloper Tools
Founded2010Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in KnowBe4

  • Security awareness training
  • Phishing simulation
  • Risk assessments
  • Compliance training
  • Incident reporting
  • API access
  • Custom policies
  • Behavior analytics

Only in Pants Build

  • Intelligent defaults
  • Python-first design
  • Multiple dependency resolves
  • File-level operations
  • Git integration
  • Tool integrations
  • Python 3 plugin API

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

KnowBe4

  • Security awareness training and simulated phishing for staffnot Pants Build
  • Tracking employee susceptibility to phishing over timenot Pants Build

Pants Build

  • Python-heavy monorepos with complex interdependenciesnot KnowBe4
  • Multi-language projects mixing Python, Go, and JVM languagesnot KnowBe4
  • Teams seeking minimal build configuration overheadnot KnowBe4
  • Organizations implementing Git-aware test selectionnot KnowBe4

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

KnowBe4

  • Published prices assume a three year term, so the quoted per seat rate depends on a long commitment
  • Pricing is banded by seat count, and the lowest band of 25 to 50 seats pays the highest rate
  • Accounts above 1,000 seats have no published price and require a custom quote
  • Third party integrations, Compliance Plus and PhishER Plus are all separately priced per seat add ons
  • The Foundation tier carries 200 training modules against more than 1,000 on Advanced, so content volume is the main gate

Pants Build

  • Smaller community compared to Bazel with fewer third-party tool integrations
  • Python plugin API steeper learning curve for custom build rules
  • Less mature ecosystem for non-Python languages
  • Fewer integration examples for enterprise CI/CD platforms

Pricing, plan by plan

KnowBe4

$1/month
  • Basic$1/month
    • Per user
    • Training modules
    • Phishing templates
  • Advanced$2/month
    • All Basic features
    • Advanced phishing
    • Risk assessments
  • Pro$3/month
    • All Advanced features
    • API access
    • Custom content

Pants Build

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Pants Build review.

Which should you pick?

Choose KnowBe4 if

  • You need security awareness training.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, Email.
  • You also want phishing simulation.
KnowBe4 review

Choose Pants Build if

  • You need intelligent defaults.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want python-first design.
Pants Build review

Questions people ask

Is KnowBe4 or Pants Build better?
Neither clearly leads. KnowBe4 starts at $1/month and Pants Build at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, KnowBe4 or Pants Build?
Pants Build has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $1/month for KnowBe4 and Free for Pants Build.
Does KnowBe4 or Pants Build run on more platforms?
KnowBe4 runs on Web, Mobile, Email. Pants Build runs on Linux, macOS, Windows.
Can I use Pants Build for free?
Yes. Pants Build has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. KnowBe4 starts at $1/month.
What is KnowBe4 best used for?
KnowBe4 is most often used for security awareness training and simulated phishing for staff, tracking employee susceptibility to phishing over time. Of those, security awareness training and simulated phishing for staff and tracking employee susceptibility to phishing over time are not what Pants Build is typically brought in for.
What can KnowBe4 do that Pants Build cannot?
KnowBe4 covers Security awareness training, Phishing simulation, Risk assessments, Compliance training. Pants Build covers Intelligent defaults, Python-first design, Multiple dependency resolves, File-level operations.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

KnowBe4: What does KnowBe4 cost per employee?

KnowBe4 charges per seat per month on a subscription basis. For 51-100 employees, SAT Foundation costs $2.13/month per seat and SAT Advanced costs $3.40/month per seat. Prices decrease with larger employee counts.

Source
Pants Build: What languages does Pants support?

Pants supports Python as a first-class citizen, with production-ready support for Go, Java, Scala, Kotlin, Shell scripts, and Docker.

Source
KnowBe4: Does KnowBe4 offer a free trial?

KnowBe4 does not offer a full free version, but free tools are available separately including assessments and simulators.

Source
Pants Build: Do I need to write BUILD files with Pants?

Pants uses static analysis to infer dependencies and project structure, minimizing required BUILD file configuration compared to other build systems.

Source
KnowBe4: Are there add-on costs beyond the base plan?

Yes, optional add-ons include Third-Party Integrations ($1.10-$1.20/seat/month), Compliance Plus ($0.82-$0.93/seat/month), PhishER Plus ($1.15-$1.50/seat/month), and Student Edition ($0.17/seat/month).

Source
Pants Build: How does Pants handle complex dependency scenarios?

Pants provides file-level dependency tracking, multiple dependency resolves with lockfiles, and sophisticated dependency analysis that works correctly even with circular or complex dependency graphs.

Source
KnowBe4: What currencies does KnowBe4 accept?

KnowBe4 accepts pricing in USD, AUD, BRL, CAD, EUR, GBP, SGD, and ZAR.

Source
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