<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0205</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2012-04-19</periodOfReport>

    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001212458</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PROOFPOINT INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PFPT</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001190213</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HARVEY KEVIN</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2480 SAND HILL ROAD,</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 200</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MENLO PARK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94025</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable></nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Series A Preferred Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>3400000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnote 8</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F8"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Series B Preferred Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1794764</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnote 8</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F8"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Series C Preferred Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1308234</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnote 8</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F8"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Series E Preferred Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1040480</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnote 8</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F8"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Series F Preferred Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>973006</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnote 8</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F8"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-qualified stock option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>4.88</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2020-10-28</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>12500</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F7"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F9"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Each share of Series A Preferred Stock will automatically convert into 0.5 shares of Issuer's Common Stock upon the closing of the Issuer's initial public offering of Common Stock for no additional consideration, and has no expiration date.  This conversion ratio reflects an adjustment following a 1-for-2 reverse stock split effected by the Issuer on April 2, 2012.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Each share of Series B Preferred Stock will automatically convert into 0.5 shares of Issuer's Common Stock upon the closing of the Issuer's initial public offering of Common Stock for no additional consideration, and has no expiration date.  This conversion ratio reflects an adjustment following a 1-for-2 reverse stock split effected by the Issuer on April 2, 2012.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Each share of Series C Preferred Stock will automatically convert into 0.5 shares of Issuer's Common Stock upon the closing of the Issuer's initial public offering of Common Stock for no additional consideration, and has no expiration date.  This conversion ratio reflects an adjustment following a 1-for-2 reverse stock split effected by the Issuer on April 2, 2012.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Each share of Series E Preferred Stock will automatically convert into 0.502315 shares of Issuer's Common Stock upon the closing of the Issuer's initial public offering of Common Stock for no additional consideration, and has no expiration date.  This conversion ratio reflects an adjustment following a 1-for-2 reverse stock split effected by the Issuer on April 2, 2012.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Each share of Series F Preferred Stock will automatically convert into 0.5 shares of Issuer's Common Stock upon the closing of the Issuer's initial public offering of Common Stock for no additional consideration, and has no expiration date.  This conversion ratio reflects an adjustment following a 1-for-2 reverse stock split effected by the Issuer on April 2, 2012.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">The stock option is immediately exercisable in full.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">Reflects a 1-for-2 reverse stock split effected by the Issuer on April 2, 2012.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F8">Shares held of record by Benchmark Capital Partners IV, L.P. (&quot;BCP IV&quot;), as nominee for BCP IV, Benchmark Founders' Fund IV, L.P. (&quot;BFF IV&quot;), Benchmark Founders' Fund IV-A, L.P. (&quot;BFF IV-A&quot;), Benchmark Founders' Fund IV-B, L.P. (&quot;BFF IV-B&quot;) and related persons. Benchmark Capital Management Co. IV, L.L.C. (&quot;BCMC IV&quot;), the general partner of each of BCP IV, BFF IV, BFF IV-A and BFF IV-B, may be deemed to have sole voting and investment power over the reported shares of the Issuer's stock held by such funds.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F9">Stock option held directly by the Reporting Person, who is a managing member of BCMC IV.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>Alexandre Balkanski, Bruce Dunlevie, J. William Gurley, Kevin R. Harvey, Robert Kagle and Steven M. Spurlock are the managing members of Benchmark Capital Management Co. IV, L.L.C., which serves as general partner to Benchmark Capital Partners IV, L.P., Benchmark Founders' Fund IV, Benchmark Founders' Fund IV-A, L.P. and Benchmark Founders' Fund IV-B, L.P., and may be deemed to share voting and investment power over the shares beneficially held by such entities. Each such person disclaims the existence of a &quot;group&quot; and disclaims beneficial ownership of any securities (except to the extent of such person's pecuniary interest in such securities) other than any securities being reported herein as being directly owned by such person. *This report is one of two reports, each on a separate Form 3, but relating to the same transaction being filed by entities affiliated with Benchmark Capital and their applicable members.*</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Steven M. Spurlock, by power of attorney for Kevin R. Harvey</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2012-04-19</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
