How Much Does a Penetration Test Cost on Average?

We already know how businesses are seeking ways to protect their sensitive data and employing strategies to avoid potential cyber-attacks and breaches. One of the effective strategies for doing so is penetration testing, a simulated cyberattack designed to evaluate the security of an application or network. But do you know how much a penetration testing cost on average?

“Being an investor in cybersecurity is not an expense, but an essential strategic decision for defending your business from unforeseen dangers.”

In this blog, we’ve made your decision-making about investing in penetration testing a bit easier. We have discussed why pentesting is important today, the average cost of penetration testing, and what influences the penetration testing price. Let’s delve into it.

Why Has Penetration Testing Become a Critical Aspect for Businesses?

According to Statista, the application security market will generate approximately $6.9 billion in 2024. The market size is predicted to grow by 14.14% annually from 2024 to 2028, reaching $11.83 billion by 2028.

These stats may be overwhelming, but what about the amount of data breaches and hacks? The number of vulnerabilities reached 26,447, exceeding the number of CVEs from the previous year. A survey discovered that a whopping 42% of companies suffer from external attacks on software security.

Companies today are relying on penetration testing more than before. Running a business requires you to prioritize activities and purchases depending on their importance and timeliness. When you’ve decided that building a strong cybersecurity strategy is vital to your company’s performance, it can take time to justify prices or assess whether a costly solution is worth the investment. 

“Here are some more articles to learn about Penetration Testing:

• Types of Penetration Testing
• Top 10 Penetration Testing Consulting Company

What is the Average Penetration Testing Cost?

Penetration testing costs are often between $2,000 to $50,000. The cost varies depending on the type of targets, the number of targets, the quality of the pentesters, and the testing methodology utilized.

Pentesting fees vary depending on the number of assets and components tested. The need for penetration tests has increased over time, but pentesters are in limited supply. This has caused an increase in the cost of penetration tests. For example, testing a feature-rich online application takes more time, resources, and money than testing a basic one-page marketing website. 

When considering penetration testing costs or any other company expense, ask yourself the following questions: 

1. How much money would I lose if I didn’t execute this process? These losses may include client faith, money, or certifications. Some investments, such as frequent penetration testing, may be required to fulfill certification criteria established by HIPAA, PCI DSS, or ISO 27001.
2. Will a minimal charge for penetration testing satisfy the quality of excellence that I seek? Everyone wants to save money, but cutting corners may result in important blunders or subsequent expenditures that exceed the initial procedure.
3. Does a high price indicate that I am receiving the greatest service? Not necessarily. Consider what the service includes. 
4. How long has the organization provided these services? Time may naturally influence the pricing of a service, as a firm running a penetration test may demonstrate its capacity to complete it more swiftly and efficiently.

What Affects the Cost of Penetration Testing?

Most penetration testing firms provide personalized quotes since charges vary depending on the number of targets, pentester expertise, and technique. The penetration testing price relies on the following factors:

1. Size of Your Company:

Do you own a small local business? Is it a global company? The size of your firm significantly influences the cost of a penetration test. Larger businesses with complex infrastructures may need more thorough testing to assess the depth and breadth of their digital defenses. This may affect the cost, but it is also a promising investment in protecting precious digital assets.

2. Scope of the Test:

The breadth of the test you wish to run is closely related to its complexity. You may be more concerned about certain components and would like the cybersecurity specialist to spend more time testing them. A defined scope is still a prudent guideline to specify before a test begins to guarantee that expenses do not spiral out of control. 

3. Compliance Requirements:

Some requirements may mandate particular system testing, specific procedures, or certified suppliers. For example, the PCI DSS mandated that firms accepting payment cards employ PCI Security Council Approved Scanning Vendors to perform mandatory third-party penetration testing. 

In certain situations, mandatory scans may result in the development of unique testing scenarios to ensure compliance with the relevant standard. Organizations needing to comply with a standard (for example, HIPAA, ISO 27001, GDPR, SOC 2, etc.) must ensure that their vendor can run the appropriate tests and produce the relevant reports to fulfill compliance requirements.

4. Complexity of the Test:

The most fundamental concerns are the network’s size and complexity and the applications themselves. The size and architecture of the network, as well as the topology and segmentation, all contribute to its complexity. Application complexity is determined by the application’s variety (web, mobile, or software), the technological stack, and the integration points, which are APIs or other systems. 

Furthermore, the sensitivity of the application’s data, such as financial data, personally identifiable information (PII), or healthcare records, necessitates a comprehensive analysis. 

5. Methods Used:

Ensuring that your penetration test is carried out consistently using globally acknowledged and industry-standard methodologies is critical. Some techniques are based on the OWASP Top 10 and have been expanded with new threats and overall expertise. 

A thorough penetration test can reveal weaknesses in systems and the application layer. Thus, it is more expensive than a restricted assessment. Manual penetration testing is more expensive than automated ones since it requires more human work and has been shown to uncover deeper and unforeseen vulnerabilities.  

6. Experience of the Providers:

Penetration testers are sometimes referred to as “technological doctors.” As with any other discipline, being an accomplished penetration tester requires years of hard work. In addition, competence in this sector entails attaining technical competency, tool proficiency, specific industry knowledge, certifications, communication skills, and a desire to learn the most recent information.

The pentester’s competence is important in determining the cost of a penetration test because the success of detecting and correcting security vulnerabilities is heavily dependent on it. Furthermore, the total success of the penetration test varies significantly.

7. Timeline of the Test:

The more urgent the penetration test, the higher the price. The urgency is related to regulatory requirements, security events, third-party commitments, and product feature launches. This is mostly due to the need for extra resources such as technology, manpower, and decision-making.

The penetration testing service providers make the appropriate modifications based on the above characteristics to reflect the increasing demands associated with the urgent timescales while ensuring the quality of the penetration test results, even in such expedited conditions.

8. Remediation and Retesting:

Some penetration testing businesses provide extra support services, such as remedial testing, to assist clients in implementing proposed security enhancements or for continuing consulting. These services can be useful for firms trying to improve their security posture but can also lead to increased expenditures. To identify the best solution for your firm, you must compare the advantages of additional help against the accompanying expenses.

Insights into Pentest Reporting and Costs

Some suppliers believe that a more extensive report should justify a higher price, yet often, the lengthier a report is, the less value it provides to a business. What you truly want from your vendor is a test report that will assist your company in meeting the objectives of this pen test.

Furthermore, a brief report with clear and practical actions for correction and a follow-up meeting where the testers may assist your IT department could be the ideal solution. Request a comprehensive report from any potential provider to know what you will receive at the end of the test. 

Take a glimpse of a comprehensive pentest report and learn what it consists of to strengthen your security posture.