In this guide 9 sections
Cyber security awareness training typically costs between $10 and $72 per employee per year in 2026, with most organisations paying $18 to $36 per employee per year, according to published pricing guides. Self-paced online modules are usually the most affordable option, at roughly $2 to $10 per employee per month. In-person workshops cost more, typically starting at around $100 per employee per session. For Australian small businesses, self-service platforms start from about A$15 per user per year. Static Computers provides staff security awareness training for its clients; ask about it on your complimentary IT review.
What cyber security awareness training costs
| Option | Typical cost | What's included | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free government resources | Free | ASD's small business guides and Cyber Security Awareness Month material (every October) on cyber.gov.au | Very small teams getting started |
| Self-paced online modules | About $2–$10 per employee per month, or roughly $10–$72 per employee per year | Short online course modules, quizzes, often phishing simulations | Most small businesses |
| Managed security awareness program | Higher; often bundled into managed IT | The provider runs campaigns, chases completion, retrains users who click, and provides advanced reporting | Businesses without time to run it |
| In-person workshop | From about $100 per employee per session | Live training tailored to your business and risk level | Kick-offs, leadership teams, after an attack |
Many of these published figures come from US vendor pricing guides in US dollars; broader guides put the range at $20 to $150 per employee per year once managed services and extras are included. As a rule of thumb from those guides, a 20-person team spends roughly $360 to $720 a year on training.
Real Australian price examples (2026)
Published pricing from vendors selling to Australian businesses in 2026:
- PhishByte (Australian platform): from A$14.40 per user per year.
- OutPhish Australia: from A$50 a month for 10 users, about A$60 per user per year.
- Phishing Tackle managed service: US$9.54 per user per year, with a US$1,790 minimum annual charge.
Always check whether prices include GST and whether there's a minimum charge.
What drives the cost
The price of a cyber security awareness training program is mainly driven by company size, delivery format and the depth of features included.
- Company size. Most vendors price per user. Volume discounts often apply, so larger workforces pay less per employee.
- Delivery format. Self-paced online modules are cheapest; live and in-person sessions cost more.
- Phishing simulations. Simulations are one of the biggest pricing variables. Basic platforms include email phishing tests; premium ones add SMS, voice and QR-code simulations.
- Content library. Basic compliance courses cost less than large libraries of interactive or multilingual content.
- Compliance training. Specialised modules for specific frameworks or industries add incremental cost.
- Managed vs self-run. Paying a provider to run the program costs more but saves your team's time, and includes advanced reporting.
Why investing in security awareness training is worth it
Phishing is the leading attack vector for organisations, and cyber attacks on small businesses usually start with people rather than technology. ASD's Annual Cyber Threat Report 2024–25 found that phishing was involved in about 38% of reported incidents. Email compromise and business email compromise fraud together made up about a third of cybercrimes reported by Australian businesses, and the average self-reported cost of cybercrime for a small business was $56,600. Larger data breaches cost far more: the average cost of a data breach in Australia is around A$4.26 million, according to IBM's research.
Training reduces the human errors that lead to breaches. It helps employees recognise and report cyber threats, such as phishing attacks, social engineering and other cybersecurity threats. It also builds a security culture where reporting a mistake is normal, which is the heart of effective human risk management. One Australian provider reported an average fail rate of 30% on initial phishing simulations, falling sharply with regular training, and some training vendors claim returns of many times the cost. Treat vendor ROI figures with caution, but the direction is clear.
It's also increasingly required. Cyber insurers ask whether staff are trained, often annually. See what cyber insurers ask for.
What good cyber security awareness training looks like
- Short and regular. A few minutes a month beats one long annual lesson.
- Relevant phishing simulations that reflect real cyber threats to Australian businesses: fake invoices, delivery notices, Microsoft login pages and QR-code phishing.
- Instant follow-up. Users who click get a short lesson straight away.
- Broad topics: phishing, passwords, MFA, malware, social engineering, physical security, safe internet use and how to spot a data breach.
- A clear way to report. A "report phishing" button in Outlook or Teams, and no blame for reporting.
- Reporting you can show an insurer: completion rates and phishing test results over time.
How often should employees be trained?
Run short cybersecurity training monthly or quarterly, phishing simulations at least quarterly, and a refresher course for the whole workforce at least once a year. Train new employees in their first week, before they get access to sensitive systems.
Setting a budget
For a 20-person business, expect roughly $300 to $1,200 a year for a self-service platform, depending on features, or more for a managed program. Compare that with the average cost of a single reported cybercrime for a small business ($56,600 in ASD's latest report). Budget for someone's time to run the program, or choose a managed option.
Static Computers' view
Static Computers runs staff security awareness training alongside the technical controls it manages. Training works best alongside technical controls: MFA, email filtering and restricted admin rights mean one mistaken click is less likely to become a data breach. See cyber security services.
Related
Sources
- Australian Signals Directorate, Annual Cyber Threat Report 2024–25
- Published pricing guides from CyberAware, Jericho Security, Huntress and Symbol Security (US dollar figures)
- Vendor pricing: PhishByte, OutPhish Australia, Phishing Tackle (2026)
- IBM, Cost of a Data Breach research (Australian figure)