Automated Phishing Testing vs. Manual Campaigns: Which Is Best for Your Business?

Phishing emails might not be glamorous, but they’re the sneaky tricksters of the cyber world. They show up in inboxes pretending to be important messages — an invoice, a password reset, maybe even a fake LinkedIn invite. And unfortunately, they still work all too often. In fact, 74% of security breaches involve the human element, with phishing being one of the top ways attackers break in [1][2].

That’s why businesses of all sizes are turning to phishing simulations — basically “practice phishing attacks” that train employees to spot suspicious messages in a safe environment. Think of it like a fire drill, but for your inbox. The goal is to help employees build instincts and transform them into a “human firewall.”

But here’s the question: when it comes to running phishing simulations, should you do them manually (crafting fake phishing emails yourself or with the help of consultants) or rely on an automated platform (a service that does the heavy lifting for you)? Each approach has its perks and pitfalls. Let’s explore both in a way that’s insightful, practical, and just a bit more fun.

Why Phishing Simulations Matter (Beyond Scaring Your Staff)

The idea is simple. Your company sends out a fake phishing email. If an employee clicks or submits their login details, it’s not a disaster — it’s a teaching moment. And unlike boring PowerPoint slides about security, these simulations stick. People remember what fooled them, and they get better at spotting the real thing next time [3][4].

On top of that, regulators are watching. Standards like the EU’s NIS2 Directive don’t just want firewalls and antivirus software — they expect proof that your staff are trained and tested regularly [6]. A solid phishing simulation program means you can check both boxes: better security and compliance.

Manual Phishing Campaigns: Handcrafted, With Love (and Effort)

So what happens if you go the manual route?

What it is: Your IT/security team (or hired consultants) brainstorm phishing scenarios, design emails, send them out, and later track who clicked. Maybe it’s a fake invoice. Maybe it’s a spoofed “CEO request.” Creativity is the name of the game.
The good: Manual campaigns can be incredibly realistic. A consultant who knows your business can craft spear-phishing emails that reference actual projects or internal lingo. These hyper-tailored simulations feel uncomfortably real — which is exactly the point.
The bad: They’re expensive and time-consuming. Niche providers often charge $3–$6 per employee per month [8], which adds up fast. Doing it in-house? It may seem “free,” but your team still spends hours designing lures, setting up domains, and crunching results. Open-source tools like GoPhish are powerful, but they require ongoing maintenance [10].

Scalability is another headache. Most companies that go manual manage only a couple of campaigns a year — often tied to Cybersecurity Awareness Month. That’s better than nothing, but far from the continuous reinforcement employees really need.

And let’s be honest: creativity runs dry. After a few tries, the “fake Amazon receipt” or “password reset” gets old. Without fresh ideas, employees start recognizing the pattern, which defeats the purpose.

Bottom line: Manual campaigns are great for highly targeted, one-off exercises. But for regular training across the whole company, they can drain resources and don’t scale well.

Automated Phishing Platforms: Set It, Forget It, Train Continuously

Now let’s talk about automation.

Automated phishing platforms (think KnowBe4, Hoxhunt, Cofense, or newer players like AutoPhish) are SaaS tools built to make phishing simulations easy, scalable, and consistent. Instead of your team manually drafting emails and logging clicks, the platform handles:

Crafting realistic phishing emails (often from a large template library, updated with the latest scam trends [16]).
Sending them out at scale, on a schedule you set.
Tracking exactly who clicked, reported, or ignored.
Delivering instant feedback or training to employees who fall for it.

Some platforms even use AI to generate unique phishing lures that evolve over time, so employees can’t just memorize a fixed set of templates [18].

The Big Advantages

Efficiency & scale: Send thousands of emails with a few clicks. Whether you’ve got 50 or 5,000 employees, the platform can handle it without extra work.
Affordability: Pricing is usually $0.45–$1.25 per employee per month [22]. Compare that to the millions a real breach might cost (average global cost: $4.45M in 2024 [23]) — it’s a bargain.
Consistency: You can schedule monthly or even weekly tests. Some platforms randomize delivery so employees don’t learn to expect them at a certain time.
Data & insights: Automated platforms provide dashboards, trend analysis, and compliance-ready reports. Want to know if your finance department is click-prone or if your awareness is improving quarter over quarter? Easy [26].
Low burden: Instead of your team writing fake emails, they just review results. It’s a massive time-saver.

A Nice Bonus: Just-in-Time Training

If an employee clicks, the platform can instantly show them a quick educational page: “Oops! Here’s what you missed.” That immediate feedback turns mistakes into teachable moments. Manual follow-ups can’t always deliver that consistency.

Side-by-Side: Manual vs. Automated

Factor	Manual Campaigns (In-House/Consultants)	Automated Platforms
Cost	High ($3–$6/user/month or staff time)	Lower ($0.45–$1.25/user/month)
Scalability	Hard to scale beyond occasional tests	Scales easily to thousands
Frequency	Infrequent (annual or quarterly)	Continuous (monthly, weekly, randomized)
Realism	Can be highly tailored, spear-phishy	Broad range of realistic, evolving templates
Customization	Unlimited but resource-heavy	Flexible, with plenty of built-in options
Team Burden	Heavy (time, creativity, reporting)	Light (review dashboards, tweak settings)
Reporting	Basic, often static	Detailed dashboards, compliance-ready data

Which Should You Choose?

It depends on your goals and resources:

Manual makes sense if:
- You want one-off, highly targeted tests (like spear-phishing execs).
- You already have a skilled red team that enjoys this work.
Automated makes sense if:
- You want continuous, scalable training for your whole staff.
- You’re an SME without endless budget or staff hours.
- You need compliance-friendly reports at the click of a button.

Most companies use automation for their day-to-day training, and occasionally sprinkle in manual campaigns for special cases. That’s often the sweet spot.

Why SMEs in Particular Should Care

Small and mid-sized businesses are juicy targets for attackers but often lack security staff. Hiring consultants is pricey. Running manual campaigns internally eats up scarce time. That’s why automated phishing testing — especially from platforms designed with SMEs in mind, like AutoPhish — is so appealing [24].

AutoPhish, for instance, offers:

AI-powered, ever-fresh phishing emails [19].
Automated scheduling (monthly, quarterly, or custom) [25].
Quick setup (under 30 minutes) [28].
GDPR-friendly design with no sensitive data stored [35].

It’s basically enterprise-grade security awareness made accessible for businesses without enterprise budgets.

Wrapping It Up

Phishing is going to keep evolving — attackers aren’t taking a holiday. The best way to stay ahead is to keep your people trained, sharp, and a little skeptical of unexpected emails.

Manual campaigns are like gourmet, handcrafted training. Impressive, but pricey and limited.
Automated platforms are like meal kits: reliable, affordable, and scalable. You get variety and consistency without slaving away in the kitchen.

For most businesses, especially SMEs, automation wins hands down. It keeps the program running, delivers continuous learning, and doesn’t overload your team. And if you ever want to spice things up with a bespoke spear-phishing test, you can always add a manual one on top.

In the end, what matters most is that you’re testing, training, and turning your employees into your first line of defense. After all, in cybersecurity, a well-trained workforce might just be the cheapest (and smartest) insurance you’ll ever buy.