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Cybersecurity · head to head

KnowBe4 vs Synctera

KnowBe4 logo

KnowBe4

Cybersecurity

World's largest security awareness training platform

From
$1/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Synctera logo

Synctera

APIs

Banking-as-a-service platform that brings its own sponsor bank and compliance tooling

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: KnowBe4 published prices assume a three year term, so the quoted per seat rate depends on a long commitment; Synctera implementation fee, platform fee and monthly minimum are all charged and none are published, so a programme cannot model its fixed cost floor without a sales process, and at low volume those fixed fees rather than transaction pricing determine your economics.
  • They diverge on capability: KnowBe4 covers Security awareness training, Synctera covers Sponsor bank matching.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which KnowBe4 and Synctera actually diverge.

Attributes where KnowBe4 and Synctera differ
AttributeKnowBe4Synctera
Starting price$1/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsWeb, Mobile, EmailWeb, API
CategoryCybersecurityAPIs
Founded2010Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Synctera

  • Sponsor bank matching
  • Accounts and ledger
  • Card issuing
  • Money movement
  • KYC and KYB
  • Transaction monitoring
  • Shared bank dashboard
  • Lending support

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 Synctera
  • Tracking employee susceptibility to phishing over timenot Synctera

Synctera

  • A software company adding branded debit cards and accounts that has no appetite for sourcing and negotiating with a sponsor bank itselfnot KnowBe4
  • A fintech whose current bank partner is exiting the programme and needs a replacement with the oversight tooling already in placenot KnowBe4
  • A community bank that wants to run a fintech sponsorship line of business without building transaction monitoring and reconciliation from scratchnot KnowBe4
  • A B2B platform issuing spend cards to its customers that needs KYB, monitoring and card issuing from one contractnot 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

Synctera

  • Implementation fee, platform fee and monthly minimum are all charged and none are published, so a programme cannot model its fixed cost floor without a sales process, and at low volume those fixed fees rather than transaction pricing determine your economics.
  • The sponsor bank remains a third party whose risk appetite governs what you can launch, and a bank exiting or tightening its programme can force product changes you did not choose, which has happened repeatedly across the sector.
  • Onboarding runs on bank timelines, so several months typically pass between contract and first live customer while compliance policies and flow of funds are reviewed by both Synctera and the bank.
  • Coverage is United States focused, so a fintech with cross-border plans needs an entirely separate stack for other markets rather than an extension of this one.
  • Sitting between you and the bank means Synctera is another party in the reconciliation chain, and when balances disagree you are coordinating between two organisations rather than one, which lengthens incident resolution.

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

Synctera

On request
  • Synctera Platform$undefined/year
    • Sponsor bank relationship included
    • Accounts, ledger and card issuing
    • ACH, wire and instant rails

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 Synctera if

  • You need sponsor bank matching.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want accounts and ledger.
Synctera review

Questions people ask

Is KnowBe4 or Synctera better?
Neither clearly leads. KnowBe4 starts at $1/month and Synctera at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, KnowBe4 or Synctera?
KnowBe4 starts at $1/month and Synctera at On request.
Does KnowBe4 or Synctera run on more platforms?
KnowBe4 runs on Web, Mobile, Email. Synctera runs on Web, API.
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 Synctera is typically brought in for.
What can KnowBe4 do that Synctera cannot?
KnowBe4 covers Security awareness training, Phishing simulation, Risk assessments, Compliance training. Synctera covers Sponsor bank matching, Accounts and ledger, Card issuing, Money movement.

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
Synctera: Does Synctera provide the bank?

Yes. Unlike a pure technology vendor, Synctera contracts with sponsor banks and brings one into your programme.

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
Synctera: What does it cost?

Nothing is published. Expect an implementation fee, a recurring platform fee and a monthly minimum, plus usage charges.

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
Synctera: How long does it take to launch?

Plan for months, not weeks, because both Synctera and the sponsor bank run compliance diligence on your programme.

KnowBe4: What currencies does KnowBe4 accept?

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

Source
Synctera: Is it available outside the United States?

Its focus is the United States; it has offered Canadian capability but non-US coverage is limited.

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