Best Intelligent Email Protection Software

Researched and written by Lauren Worth

Intelligent email protection, sometimes called human-layer security, is a class of software solutions designed to prevent a company’s employees from sophisticated email-focused cyberattacks. These tools use machine learning to analyze historical records of email content, user behavior, and email-based threats, identifying risks and developing a baseline for user behavior. Intelligent email protection products filter incoming emails to detect and block potential phishing attacks, attachments containing malware, and links to potentially dangerous websites. They also filter outbound emails to detect accidental data leakage, data exfiltration, and the misuse of privileged data.

Companies use these solutions because all employees are susceptible to traditional phishing attacks, targeted spear-phishing attacks, malware, and other email-based threats. Employees can also pose a risk if they unknowingly share sensitive information in noncompliant ways. Additionally, every business is at risk for insider threats, and these products will detect abnormal activity involving sensitive data.

Some intelligent email protection tools fall into the same category as secure email gateway and cloud email security, which are also used to prevent phishing attacks and malicious emails from reaching employees. Those solutions, though, do not provide the scope of intelligent automation capabilities needed to identify anomalies and detect risky behaviors. Some overlap also exists with email anti-spam solutions, which have an even smaller scope of capabilities limited to blocking spam and phishing attacks.

To qualify for inclusion in the Intelligent Email Protection category, a product must:

  • Filter incoming and outgoing emails
  • Utilize machine learning to develop employee baseline behaviors
  • Detect and block unauthorized outbound emails and incoming emails containing advanced persistent threats

How Many Intelligent Email Protection Software Products Does G2 Track?

Total Products under this Category: 48

Category Stats (Jun 2026)

  • Average Rating: 4.45/5 The average rating of products in this category, based on all submitted ratings
  • Top Trending Product: IRONSCALES (+0.19%) - Among all products in this category, IRONSCALES recorded the largest rating increase compared to last month

Last updated: June 10, 2026

How Does G2 Rank Intelligent Email Protection Software Products?

Why You Can Trust G2's Software Rankings:

  • 30 Analysts and Data Experts
  • 3,300+ Authentic Reviews
  • 48+ Products
  • Unbiased Rankings

G2's software rankings are built on verified user reviews, rigorous moderation, and a consistent research methodology maintained by a team of analysts and data experts. Each product is measured using the same transparent criteria, with no paid placement or vendor influence. While reviews reflect real user experiences, which can be subjective, they offer valuable insight into how software performs in the hands of professionals. Together, these inputs power the G2 Score, a standardized way to compare tools within every category.

Featured Intelligent Email Protection Software At A Glance

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Leader:
Check Point Email Security
Highest Performer:
Libraesva Email Security
Easiest to Use:
Check Point Email Security
Top Trending:
Sublime Email Security Platform
Best Free Software:
Proofpoint Core Email Protection

Check Point Email Security

(511)4.6 out of 5
Product Description

Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration, protects enterprise data by preventing targeted attacks on SaaS applications and cloud-based email.

Users: IT Manager, Systems Administrator · Industries: Information Technology and Services, Computer & Network Security · Market Segment: 59% Mid-Market, 24% Enterprise
User Sentiment

Reviewers frequently mention the product's seamless integration with platforms like Microsoft 365, its ability to reduce time and effort spent managing email security, and its robust protection against phishing and account takeover attempts. Users reported issues such as the limited range of supported email platforms and deployment models, the limited flexibility in certain customization areas, and the complexity of initial setup and policy configuration.

ProsEmail Security, Security, Protection, Ease of Use, Phishing Protection
ConsFalse Positives, Complexity, Complex Setup, Limited Features, Configuration Difficulties
Year Founded
1993
HQ Location
Redwood City, CA
Company Website
https://www.checkpoint.com/
Twitter
@CheckPointSW
LinkedIn® Page
https://www.linkedin.com/company/check-point-software-technologies/
Ownership
NASDAQ:CHKP

Proofpoint Core Email Protection

(584)4.6 out of 5
Product Description

Proofpoint’s Core Email Protection (CEP) stops 99.99% of all email threats before they become compromises. It stops the broadest range of email cyberattacks, spam and graymail. For security analysts,

Users: Information Security Analyst, IT Security Engineer · Industries: Financial Services, Hospital & Health Care · Market Segment: 66% Enterprise, 30% Mid-Market
ProsProtection, Email Security, Effective, Security, Ease of Use
ConsUX Improvement, Configuration Difficulties, Email Issues, False Positives, Missing Features
Year Founded
2002
HQ Location
Sunnyvale, CA
Company Website
https://www.proofpoint.com/us
Twitter
@proofpoint
LinkedIn® Page
https://www.linkedin.com/company/proofpoint
Ownership
NASDAQ: PFPT
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Mimecast Advanced Email Security

(321)4.4 out of 5
Product Description

Email Security, Cloud Integrated (CI) protects organizations against all forms of email-based attacks, from phishing and credential theft to ransomware and zero-day threats. This solution deploys behi

Users: IT Manager, Systems Administrator · Industries: Legal Services, Information Technology and Services · Market Segment: 68% Mid-Market, 17% Enterprise
ProsEmail Security, Ease of Use, Security, Features, Spam Blocking
ConsComplexity, Email Filtering Issues, Email Issues, False Positives, Ineffective Detection
Year Founded
2003
HQ Location
London
Company Website
https://www.mimecast.com/
Twitter
@Mimecast
LinkedIn® Page
https://www.linkedin.com/company/55895/
Ownership
NASDAQ: MIME

Abnormal AI

(73)4.8 out of 5
Product Description

Abnormal AI is the leading AI-native human behavior security platform, leveraging machine learning to stop sophisticated inbound attacks and detect compromised accounts across email and connected appl

Industries: Financial Services, Manufacturing · Market Segment: 48% Enterprise, 44% Mid-Market
ProsEase of Use, Customer Support, Easy Setup, Detection Efficiency, Email Security
ConsEmail Filtering Issues, Email Issues, False Positives, Limited Reporting, Email Security
Year Founded
2018
HQ Location
Las Vegas, USA
Company Website
https://abnormal.ai
LinkedIn® Page
https://www.linkedin.com/company/abnormalsecurity/

Libraesva Email Security

(104)4.8 out of 5
Product Description

Protect your business from disruption, financial loss and reputational damage. Libraesva Email Security stops known and emerging email threats from reaching their target, so you only receive legiti

Users: IT Manager · Industries: Information Technology and Services, Computer & Network Security · Market Segment: 47% Mid-Market, 35% Small-Business
ProsEase of Use, Customer Support, Email Security, Effective, Setup Ease
ConsComplexity, Email Issues, User Interface, Access Issues, Difficult Setup
Year Founded
2013
HQ Location
Italy
Company Website
https://www.libraesva.com
LinkedIn® Page
https://www.linkedin.com/company/libraesva/

IRONSCALES

(65)4.7 out of 5
Product Description

IRONSCALES is a cloud-native email security platform that helps enterprises and MSPs close gaps with mailbox-level detection, autonomous remediation, and built-in user training. It combines AI and hum

Industries: Information Technology and Services, Non-Profit Organization Management · Market Segment: 51% Mid-Market, 31% Small-Business
ProsEase of Use, Email Security, Phishing Protection, Easy Setup, Customer Support
ConsFalse Positives, Poor Detection, Expensive, Limited Features, Difficult Training
Year Founded
2014
HQ Location
Atlanta, Georgia
Company Website
https://ironscales.com
Twitter
@IRONSCALES
LinkedIn® Page
https://www.linkedin.com/company/5287647/

Hornetsecurity 365 Total Protection

(65)4.6 out of 5
Product Description

365 Total Protection is the only solution on the market to cover all aspects of security, compliance and backup for Microsoft 365. Choose from various bundles to suit your business needs, and enjo

Industries: Computer & Network Security, Information Technology and Services · Market Segment: 49% Small-Business, 46% Mid-Market
ProsEmail Security, Protection, Ease of Use, Malware Protection, Office 365 Integration
ConsUser Interface, UX Improvement, Complexity, Configuration Difficulties, Difficult Setup
Year Founded
2007
HQ Location
Hannover, DE
Company Website
https://www.hornetsecurity.com
Twitter
@Hornetsecurity
LinkedIn® Page
https://www.linkedin.com/company/hornetsecurity/

Microsoft Defender for Office 365

(296)4.5 out of 5
Product Description

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is a comprehensive security solution designed to protect organizations from advanced threats targeting email and collaboration tools within the Microsoft 365 environm

Users: Software Engineer, Associate Software Engineer · Industries: Information Technology and Services, Computer Software · Market Segment: 39% Enterprise, 37% Mid-Market
ProsEase of Use, Security, Email Security, Office 365 Integration, Integrations
ConsComplexity, False Positives, Configuration Difficulties, Limited Reporting, Poor Detection
Year Founded
1975
HQ Location
Redmond, Washington
Company Website
https://www.microsoft.com/
Twitter
@microsoft
LinkedIn® Page
https://www.linkedin.com/company/microsoft/
Ownership
MSFT
Phone
+1 (877) 276-2464

Sublime Email Security Platform

(27)4.9 out of 5
Product Description

Sublime’s agentic platform stops more email attacks with less work. Our AI agents work like a digital SOC team in your environment, triaging and blocking advanced threats while adapting protections at

Market Segment: 56% Enterprise, 19% Mid-Market
ProsEase of Use, Detection Efficiency, Easy Setup, Setup Ease, Customization
ConsMissing Features, Steep Learning Curve, Complexity, Limited Features, Learning Difficulty
Year Founded
2019
HQ Location
Washington, District of Columbia, United States
Company Website
https://sublime.security/
Twitter
@sublime_sec
LinkedIn® Page
https://www.linkedin.com/company/sublime-security

Barracuda Impersonation Protection

(87)4.5 out of 5
Product Description

Impersonation Protection protects against business email compromise, account takeover, spear phishing, and other cyber fraud. It combines artificial intelligence and deep integration with Microsoft Of

Users: Systems Administrator · Industries: Information Technology and Services, Higher Education · Market Segment: 67% Mid-Market, 17% Small-Business
ProsPhishing Protection, Ease of Use, Security, Setup Ease, Customer Support
ConsFalse Positives, Complexity, Inadequate Protection, UX Improvement, Configuration Difficulties
Year Founded
2002
HQ Location
Campbell, CA
Company Website
https://www.barracuda.com
Twitter
@Barracuda
LinkedIn® Page
https://www.linkedin.com/company/barracuda-networks/
Ownership
Private

SlashNext Integrated Cloud Email Security

(32)4.9 out of 5
Product Description

SlashNext Integrated Cloud Email Security Slashnext Integrated Cloud Email Security enables organizations to stop 65% more targeted spear phishing, social engineering, business email compromise (B

Market Segment: 44% Mid-Market, 38% Small-Business
ProsCustomer Support, Ease of Use, Reliability, Simple, Time-saving
ConsLimited Reporting, Outdated Interface, Poor Interface Design, User Interface
Year Founded
2005
HQ Location
New York, US
Company Website
https://www.varonis.com
Twitter
@varonis
LinkedIn® Page
https://www.linkedin.com/company/varonis
Ownership
NASDAQ: VRNS

Yandex Mail

(17)4.2 out of 5
Product Description

Yandex Mail is a comprehensive email service developed by Yandex, offering a secure and efficient platform for both personal and professional communication. Launched in June 2000, it has grown to beco

Market Segment: 65% Small-Business, 24% Mid-Market
ProsCost Efficiency, Easy Integrations, Spam Filtering, User Interface
ConsEmail Issues, Poor Detection, Poor Integration
Year Founded
2004
HQ Location
Dubai
Company Website
https://ads.yandex.com/welcome
LinkedIn® Page
https://www.linkedin.com/company/yndxforapps
Ownership
AppMetrica

KnowBe4 Cloud Email Security (Formerly Egress)

(74)4.5 out of 5
Product Description

KnowBe4 Cloud Email Security is a comprehensive AI-powered email protection platform that defends against sophisticated inbound and outbound email threats, transforming email from organizations' large

Industries: Hospital & Health Care, Information Technology and Services · Market Segment: 53% Mid-Market, 30% Small-Business
ProsEmail Security, Protection, Customer Support, Detection Efficiency, Ease of Use
ConsDashboard Issues, Email Filtering Issues, Email Issues, Email Security, False Positives
Year Founded
2010
HQ Location
Clearwater, FL
Company Website
https://www.knowbe4.com
Twitter
@KnowBe4
LinkedIn® Page
https://www.linkedin.com/company/2225282/
Ownership
NASDAQ: KNBE

Sendmarc

(43)4.9 out of 5
Product Description

Sendmarc is a DMARC implementation and management platform designed to help organizations authenticate their email domains and gain full visibility of their email-sending ecosystem. The platform conso

Industries: Information Technology and Services, Computer & Network Security · Market Segment: 51% Small-Business, 37% Mid-Market
ProsImplementation Ease, Customer Support, Ease of Use, Guidance, Simple
ConsInadequate Reporting, Limited Features, Limited Options
Year Founded
2018
HQ Location
Wilmington, US
Company Website
https://sendmarc.com/
Twitter
@sendmarc
LinkedIn® Page
https://www.linkedin.com/company/sendmarc

Darktrace / EMAIL

(15)4.1 out of 5
Product Description

Darktrace / EMAIL is an email security platform powered by Self-Learning AI that protects organizations against the most advanced threats across email and collaboration tools that other solutions miss

Market Segment: 73% Mid-Market, 13% Small-Business
ProsAI Technology, Customer Support, Detection Efficiency, Product Quality, Reliability
ConsExpensive, Poor Integration, Complexity, False Positives, Update Issues
Year Founded
2013
HQ Location
Cambridgeshire, England
Company Website
https://www.darktrace.com
Twitter
@Darktrace
LinkedIn® Page
https://www.linkedin.com/company/5013440/
Ownership
LON: DARK
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