IRONSCALES Alternative
PhishGrid vs IRONSCALES
IRONSCALES is an AI email security platform. It connects to Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace by API, detects and removes phishing, BEC and account takeover, and offers phishing simulation and security awareness training as a human risk management add-on. Its Phishing Simulation Agent builds a context-aware phishing email for each user from public information.
PhishGrid is a dedicated AI-based human risk reduction platform. It does not filter email; it simulates attacks written for each person across email, SMS, voice and QR code, measures who clicks and who reports, trains each person on what they missed, and tracks risk over time. If you are choosing an email security platform and want simulation in the same console, IRONSCALES fits. If you already have email security and want the human side covered, or need channels beyond email, PhishGrid fits.
IRONSCALES facts checked on IRONSCALES's own website on 7 October 2026. Sources are listed at the end of the page.
Which one fits your team?
PhishGrid fits if you
- already have email security you are happy with and want a separate human risk programme
- need SMS, voice and QR code simulation as well as email, including an AI voice agent for live vishing calls (Enterprise plan)
- use Google Workspace and want a free plan (IRONSCALES Starter is for Microsoft 365 only)
- want daily lessons chosen from each employee's results, and achievements for reporting
- want to run more than four campaigns a year without buying an email security plan
IRONSCALES fits if you
- are replacing or adding to a secure email gateway and want detection, remediation and simulation from one vendor
- want reported phishing triaged and removed automatically by AI agents across all mailboxes
- run Microsoft 365 and want a free starting point: IRONSCALES Starter includes simulation, limited to four training campaigns a year
- are an MSP managing many tenants from one console
- need SIEM and SOAR integrations such as Splunk, Microsoft Sentinel and Cortex XSOAR
Feature comparison
Based on IRONSCALES product and pricing pages.
| Feature | PhishGrid | IRONSCALES |
|---|---|---|
| Primary category | Human risk reduction | AI email security |
| Free plan | Yes, any email provider | Starter, Microsoft 365 only |
| Published pricing | Yes | Quote-based |
| Simulation included in paid plans | Add-on (HRM) on business plans | |
| Email phishing simulation | ||
| Per-user AI-written simulations | Phishing Simulation Agent | |
| SMS (smishing) simulation | Not listed | |
| Voice (vishing) simulation | AI voice agent, Enterprise | Not listed |
| QR code simulation | Not listed | |
| Training content | Daily Lesson, AI Training Creator | Wizer videos, optional packs |
| Report button | Gmail | Outlook add-in |
| Filters and removes real phishing | ||
| Works beside any email security | Is the email security |
Approach: email security first, or people first
IRONSCALES starts with the inbox. Its adaptive AI detects threats inside Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace without MX changes, and its agents investigate and remediate reported phishing. Simulation and training sit on top: the Phishing Simulation Agent gathers public information about each user, groups people by risk, and sends a unique phishing email in their language, and a template library and Wizer training videos cover the rest. On the business plans, simulation and training are an add-on.
PhishGrid starts with the person. Each simulation is written for the employee and can arrive by email, SMS, voice call or QR code. The platform records clicks, submitted data and reports, chooses each person's next Daily Lesson from what they missed, and tracks risk over time. It has nothing to do with mail filtering, so it works the same whether you run IRONSCALES, Microsoft Defender, a gateway or nothing at all.
The two can be complementary. An email security platform reduces how many real attacks reach people; a human risk platform improves what people do with the ones that get through, including attacks by phone and SMS that never touch the inbox.
Pricing model
IRONSCALES does not publish prices. As of 7 October 2026 its business plans are Email Essentials, Email Protect and Email Protect 360, all quote-based, with phishing simulation, security awareness training and autonomous campaigns listed as human risk management add-ons. IRONSCALES Starter is free, includes phishing simulation and a report button, is limited to four training campaigns a year and is available only for Microsoft 365.
PhishGrid publishes three plans. Free costs nothing, with no credit card, and covers email and macro phishing simulation, customised reports, awareness content and email support; its limits depend on organisation size. Starter is $0.99 per user per month for organisations of up to 100 employees and adds custom templates on demand. Enterprise is priced on request and adds custom awareness content, 24×7 support, automated vishing, ransomware and malware simulation and the AI attack engine.
If you only need the human risk part, compare PhishGrid's plans with the IRONSCALES add-on price, not the whole email security plan.
Moving from IRONSCALES to PhishGrid
You can move simulation and training to PhishGrid while keeping IRONSCALES for email security.
- 1Export your user list as a CSV with name and email and import it into PhishGrid.
- 2Allowlist PhishGrid's sending domains in IRONSCALES so simulations are not flagged as real phishing.
- 3Rebuild the scenarios you rely on by pasting their HTML or generating new ones from a prompt.
- 4Decide which report button employees use, so real reports still reach IRONSCALES for remediation.
- 5Run a baseline campaign, then add SMS or voice simulations for the teams most exposed to them.
PhishGrid vs IRONSCALES: FAQ
Is PhishGrid a good IRONSCALES alternative?▾
For phishing simulation and training, yes. PhishGrid does not replace IRONSCALES email security; it covers the human side, including SMS and voice simulation, and works next to any email security product.
Does IRONSCALES have a free plan?▾
Yes. IRONSCALES Starter is free, includes phishing simulation, is limited to four training campaigns a year and is available only for Microsoft 365, as of 7 October 2026. PhishGrid's free plan works with any email provider.
Can I use PhishGrid with IRONSCALES?▾
Yes. Allowlist PhishGrid's sending domains in IRONSCALES and keep IRONSCALES for detection and remediation.
Does PhishGrid block phishing emails?▾
No. PhishGrid simulates attacks and trains people. Blocking and removing real phishing is the job of an email security platform such as IRONSCALES.
Sources
IRONSCALES pages read on 7 October 2026. PhishGrid facts come from our pricing, platform and company facts pages. Vendors change plans often; tell us at [email protected] if something here is out of date.
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