Is Pavlov a GoPhish alternative?

Yes, for teams that like GoPhish's control and own-brand delivery but don't want to self-host and maintain it. Pavlov is managed, white-label simulation delivered by API, so you skip the servers, deliverability tuning, and upkeep GoPhish requires.

Is GoPhish better than Pavlov?

Neither is universally better — they are different models. GoPhish is free and fully self-hosted, ideal for technical teams that want total control. Pavlov is managed white-label infrastructure for trainers, MSPs, and platforms who want to deliver simulations under their own brand without operating infrastructure.

Does GoPhish require self-hosting?

Yes. GoPhish is self-hosted open-source software. You deploy and secure it, manage email deliverability, and maintain it over time. Pavlov is delivered as a managed API instead.

When is Pavlov available?

Pavlov is launching in Fall 2026. You can join the waitlist now for early access.

Comparison

Pavlov vs GoPhish

Managed white-label vs self-hosted open source · Updated June 2026

In short: GoPhish is free, open-source, and self-hosted — total control, but you run and maintain everything. Pavlov is managed, white-label simulation delivered by API for trainers, MSPs, and platforms who want GoPhish-style own-brand delivery without operating the infrastructure. Choose GoPhish if you want to self-host; choose Pavlov if you want simulations as a branded service you don't have to run.

What is GoPhish?

GoPhish is the most widely used free, open-source phishing framework, distributed under the MIT license as a single binary. It gives you complete control of your phishing infrastructure and data. In exchange, you own everything operationally: deployment, server security, email deliverability, and ongoing maintenance. It has no built-in awareness-training content or vendor support, so it's most popular with red teams and engineers comfortable running their own stack.

What is Pavlov?

Launching Fall 2026 — this describes Pavlov's product approach.

Pavlov is white-label security simulation as a service, delivered by API and MCP. It's built for the people who deliver training — trainers, training providers, MSPs — and for platforms that want to embed simulations under their own brand. The simulation engine runs as managed infrastructure, so there are no servers to maintain, and the experience your audience sees carries your name, not Pavlov's.

Side by side

	GoPhish	Pavlov
Model	Open-source, self-hosted	Managed white-label API / MCP
Best for	Technical / red teams	Trainers, MSPs, platforms
Branding	Your own (you host it)	Your own (white-label, managed)
Infrastructure & upkeep	You run and maintain it	Managed for you
Email deliverability	Your responsibility	Handled by the platform
Integration	Manual / DIY	API and MCP first
Cost	Free (plus your time & infra)	Pricing at launch
Status	Available	Launching Fall 2026

GoPhish details reflect public information as of 2026; Pavlov rows describe its product design and are not yet independently verified.

Who should choose which

Choose GoPhish if you have the technical capacity and want to own every layer for free, and you're securing your own organization. Choose Pavlov if you want GoPhish's own-brand delivery without running servers — especially if you deliver simulations to clients or want to build them into your own product by API.

Want GoPhish-style control without the upkeep?

Pavlov is managed, white-label simulation by API. Join the waitlist for the Fall 2026 launch.

Join the waitlist